StellarStripes

If Simpson is going to be out for a few weeks it might be a good idea to use Anita at LB like we are well aware he can and has played there a good bit. Jonas will protect him and it would be good to see how Santon and Barfa link up on the right. Hopefully Tiote is back soon so him and Cabaye can get upto speed and start domination midfield again like we did last season. He has been a big miss.

Would be interesting to see Anita's stats to be fair, his pass completion I'd expect will be very very poor. His concentration is absolute gash. Clearly is a player of quality, or was for Ajax in the Dutch league and yes it takes time to settle and adjust to the PL but 10 yard passes are a piece of piss. IMHO he has been awful so far, I'm not writing him off though.

Agreed.

Anita has been gash Monroe, is probably was the wrong word but he has been very very poor. Bigi, a young lad we signed for next to nowt has impressed me more. Tenfold. Pardew got the tactics wrong and should have switched the system sooner. That said, Ben Arfa looks dangerous centrally and what a goal! I think, like fish, something is up like...Cabaye could be pissed off we didn't sign Debuchy, unsettled by speculation too but generally I think the players are a bit pissed off that their stellar work last year hasn't been backed up with the signings we needed. Still, on a positive, Saylor has come back strong, colo is doing what colo does, santon looks more settled, Ben Arfa looks a threat and Ba looks hungry...when is Ramadan over? Cabaye and Cisse need to sort their shit out and find some form and we really are missing Tiote. Not worried by the start, just disappointed.

Disappointing result. Awful 1st half performance, improved in the 2nd where we played very well for 15 mins but that just isnt acceptable at home against this lot. We have to shake this horrible knack of not starting well and not being able to play at a high startard for most of a match. Santon and Ben Arfa stand out performers. Jonas done well. Anita looks absolute gash by the way. Cabaye was poor, so was Cisse. Where they the two that got their heads turned?!? Im not impressed with out start to this season.

No. Ben Arfa and Santon are the only two who are trying to do something.

Fates way of telling AP, DL, MA, LC and GC that they have made a mistake.

I agree 100% Think we could still see something similar though. Anita and Bigi holding in CM, Cabaye infront just behind Cisse, Ba wide left, Ben Arfa right, Jonas at LB. We can still win this but fucking hell AP needs to sort it out.

We have been absolutely shite so far. Nothing more to say really. Sort it out Pardew!

More to the point...NO striker on the bench.

Marveaux is a better LM than Jonas and at home we could well do better with his creativity in the side. That said i know why Jonas starts, its simple, he works hard and protects the midfield and Santon with his work rate whilst posing a threat running at Villa's defence. Personally i would like to see that team with Marveaux on the left to see how good it can be. I'd also like to see, at some point, the 4231 system with Jonas at LB, Santon at RB and Marevaux brought into the side. I think he would do well wide left or in a central role with either Cabaye, Tiote or Anita.

Second home league game of the season, we are a bit more settled and I fully expect us to turn up today. Villa are shit and I can see us getting 3 or 4 if we start well and stay on it. Start 442 and switch to 4231. --------------------Krul Simpson Saylor Coloccini Santon ---Ben Arfa Cabaye Anita Jonas -----------------Ba Cisse --------------------Krul Simpson Saylor Coloccini Santon ------------Cabaye Anita Ben Arfa--------Ba---------Jonas ------------------Cisse

Pretty sure a lot on here said when the window opened that if we just didn't lose any big players it would be deemed a success. We haven't and we've added 3 into the 1st team squad. We are stronger for that, even more so with players returning to fitness too. Of course we all had an ideal...CB, RB and a striker whilst selling no big players is what we wanted and needed to properly have a go at the top 4 whilst being strong enough to compete in 3 cups. We didn't get that but we stayed intact with a few other additions. MA has taken another gamble knowing we have a stronger squad and we are likely to get our targets at a cheaper price in January. Who knows, some of the youngsters may stand up and prove to be ready. Tavernier and Vuckic. Not the perfect window but I'm happy enough with it. Some of the reaction in here is borderline insane imo

We arent going to get anyone else in going off AP's comments today about being happy to go with what we have. Looks like we are going to go with Krul, Simpson, S.Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Cabaye, Tiote, Jonas, Ben Arfa, Ba and Cisse as our 1st choice 11 in either the 442 and 433/4231 system. Anita will probably play a lot of games in place for Jonas in the 4321/433 system. Marveaux, Obertan and Amalfitano will prove ample cover out wide. Gosling, Abeid and Bigirimana will cover centre mid. We are very very well stocked in midfield. R.Taylor will cover the fullbacks when fit, as will Perch and Tavernier who AP says today will get chances. Ferguson could get a chance at LB in the cups too. Perch can play CB but it looks like Williamson will be our only CB cover until January which is a worry. That you lad Satko in the reserves could get a call up to the 1st team squad at some point this season, so could young Remie Street. Clearly we are going to lean on the young lads a lot this year but why not? Thats the clubs policy and its probably a good time to blood them. I think we will do business in January with Debuchy more likely then but my biggest dissapointment of this window, while im delighted we have kept all our key players, is the fact we havent brought in another striker. Vuckic will get a few outings upfront i reckon.

We have had chances like but more will follow. They don't look a threat at all. A couple of goals playing towards me (gallowgate) would be nice. Likely too.

Played well 1st half. Colo and wilo have done well at the back, simpson has been wasteful and perch has been solid. Krul hasn't held the ball as good as he should do. Gosling has been shite, so has Obertan. Marveaux looks tidy but needs to see more of the ball. Comfortable though. Finish 3nil.

Pre match pints in the strawberry and it looks busy, it's not rainin, nice night actually. 40k+

Me too. Would have been a real show of intent had we went and got what we actually need. A CB, FB and a ST. Seems to me that MA is gambling again, keeping the same squad that finished 5th and see how we do until January.

I like it tbh. Prefer the away shirt though.

He was tremendous yesterday but deployed to wide and too deep. I agree he needs to be more advanced to get the best out of him. I'd like to see him in a number 10 role linking midfield and attack. -------------Cisse Ba-------Ben Arfa-------Jonas ---------Tiote--Cabaye That there would work mint imo. Could rotate the attacking three in any combination. Even at times drop Jonas back into the middle two (or sub him for Anita) and push Cabaye forward. Just shows we have so many more options in a 433/4231 system but AP is reluctant to make it our 1st choice formation to accommodate Ba centrally.

Thought in our best period he was a real threat down the left in my opinion.

Espn's site is decent.

Poor performance by too many key players for us to come off the back of anything but a good beating. We did look good in spells, Ben Arfa especially, he was fantastic today. Him and Santon. Jonas done ok. Cisse, Ba, Cabaye, Anita and Coloccini where awful today.

Got to say LBT has got this right like.