4-4-2 or 4-5-1 for the rest of the season ?

AFKABartram

Having had a spell playing improved at 4-5-1, but delivering few goals, how do you see it going forward for the rest of the season ?

With baby Bent hopefully back (i'm still not 100% convinced we'll see him starting against Wham), Marcus seems to have earned a right to a partnership. But who does that leave out in the midfield ?

Song and ZZ have played themselves into consideration, Reid and Thomas are good options on the left, while Romm. Oh i won't go there, but he provides balance for some.

How do you see it ?

WSS

i think at home we should be playing 4-4-2 in all of the remaining games with a narrow midfield (possibly Benty going a bit to the right):

Carson, Young, HH, ELK, Thatch, Song, Faye, Holland, one of Romm/JT/Reid/Ambrose, Bent, Bent

(maybe this is even 4-2-1-1-2)

Away we should stick with 4-5-1 apart from maybe Watford with 2 of the four and D.Bent up front.

Off_it

I reckon we should go all out attack and employ the "WM" formation.

SantaClaus

We haven't had a CM pairing to make 442 work since Parker went. If pardew can knit something together with the new boys then great but otherwise i don't see much option than 451.

S.

Stu_of_Kunming

Has to be a 4-4-2 at home and against weaker opposition away, for many of our fixtures a draw in simply not enough, we have to push for wins and that means a 4-4-2 imo.

We should only be playing 4-5-1 in games that we would expect to lose (like the games we have just got out the way) as the 4-5-1 gives that extra defensive stability to hold the opposition off whilst perhaps grabbing a goal on the counter.

1905

Not sure that M Bent has earned the right to a partnership. It's good to see him run around a bit more under Pardew but he cant finish and doesn't seem to set much up for others.

Rather see us stick to 4-5-1 when DB is back.

orpingtonaddick

Agree with WSS - the important thing is to win games, especially the home games. I cannot see us carving sides open with one up front. We have to put ourselves in a position to exploit the oppositions weaknesses. As AFKA says, Marcus has earned the right and Darren needs someone to feed off - it has to be 4-4-2 and it has to be eleven players that will work their socks off for the cause, cheered on by 25,000 home fans.

I would deffo have JFH on the bench - he may be of some use on the pitch, but more importantly, it would stop him eating all the pies on matchdays...

AFKABartram

Holland playing better, and Song and ZZ coming in looking handy gives him problems at centre mid Pards probably didn't think he was going to have.

I'm really struggling to see how Reid is going to fit into this, or get himself back up to match fitness

Southendaddick

Against West Ham and Watford we should go all out to batter them but I still think we look better with a 4-5-1/4-3-3 away from home.

Romm always looks better away from home in that system cos he can turn 4-5-1 into 4-3-3 easy but never looks as good at home.

Thats why you think he is rubbish cos you never go away AFKA :) :)

Ketman

[quote][cite]Posted By: AFKA Bartram[/cite]Holland playing better, and Song and ZZ coming in looking handy gives him problems at centre mid Pards probably didn't think he was going to have.

I'm really struggling to see how Reid is going to fit into this, or get himself back up to match fitness[/quote]

I think reid will come in for one of our malfunctioning wingers..!

Off_it

Nobody fancy my WM suggestion then?

Ledge

4-4-2 4-4-2 4-4-2

fUCK IT GO DOWN LET'S GO DOWN FIGHTING.

carson

young hh diawara thatcher

romm zz song reid (if fit)


bent and bent

Ormiston_Addick

Bang on Ledge. There is no point trying to play pretty football in a 4-5-1 with Reid getting the ball to feet, its way too late in the game for that.

We need a strong 4-4-2 where everyone knows their job and we give NOTHING away and spend 90 mins snapping and biting anything that moves.

This probably means Reid starting off the bench and maybe coming on for the last 30 mins for one of the wide men when there is a bit more space for him to operate.

As David Pleat said in the Grauniad after the Villa game, Pards is going to keep it simple and look for quick balls out of defence for the Bents to go OTT or into the channels and pressure the oppo in their own half, especially at home.

For the tougher away games (Everton etc..) he might tweak it a bit and play 4-5-1 but I think he will play it by ear as the results rollout.

My team....

Carson

Young - Elk - Herman - Thatcher
Rommedahl - Holland - Song - Thomas
Bent - Bent

AFKABartram

I agree with that largely Ormiston, barring the centre half pairing. Its a pairing that has largely failed us for the bulk of the season, and while i cannot fault either player's committment, i just simply don't think they are good enough as a pairing.

Diawara and Boogy give stronger options.

Ormiston_Addick

Yeah, but Bougey's injured for a month and Diawara is still a bit of a gamble compared to Elk and Herman.

AFKABartram

i don't think Boogy will be out that long, think that was an initial thing that was put out and since detracted.

Chris_from_Sidcup

I think his first choice will be HH and Bougherra when fit. Pards has praised HH many a time and bemoaned his absence when he was injured last month, which leads me to think he will be in the first X1.

AFKABartram

He'll be bemoaning him even more when he gives another needless foul away centrally just outside our box, and Tevez steps up and slots it home ! (i think i've got a dose of the ooh aahs)

oohaahmortimer

[cite]Posted By: AFKA Bartram[/cite]He'll be bemoaning him even more when he gives another needless foul away centrally just outside our box, and Tevez steps up and slots it home ! (i think i've got a dose of the ooh aahs)

fair point good to see someone else being realistic ;-)

scruffle

think ZZ should play out on wing and then bring on rommers in last half hour when there's more space for him. Deff retain the ball a bit more and have some industry down RHS think zz bein able to tackle feel much safer with youngy overlappin ZZ then rommers. in last half hour reckon we'll get best out of rommers aswell after ZZ running ppl ragged for the first hour. Also think HH is just too slow, but i think pards will prob play him with bougy (when fit), i wouldn't but i don't pick the team

carson

young diawarra bougy thatcher

ZZ holland faye/song JT/ried

Bent Bent

subs, randolph, rommers, lisbie, faye/somg (dependin on who starts), ambrose/reid (if he's not playin)

Oggy Red

Pards said on the OS recently that he's going for 6 wins.

I can't see him playing 4-5-1 at home to start knowing, in his own words, that draws are not going to be enough.
Grinding out 'nought-noughts' would be Curbs' preferred tactic, perhaps?

It's risky and maybe a bit scary, but we need goals and a more cavalier approach is what Pards has in mind.

The Boat

we have to go 4-4-2 tbh. although a 4-5-1 with reid behind the front to can be really good, and i think we should play that against the harder teams away.

For me:

Carson

Young Bougy Diawara Thatcher

ZZ Song Holland Reidy

Bent Bent

Subs Rommadahl, Randolph, Lisbe, JFH, Ambrose, HH, JT ( i don't know how many subs your allowed.. 7 i think? ) And bring on Rommers to do some late damage, and probably JT because Reidy will fade

AFKABartram

that would be my starting team mate, but i feel Pardew will go a bit more 'tried and tested'

WSS

5 subs goaty...

The Boat

nice to see i've already gained myself a nickname.. i feel welcome ;-)