how would everyone set the side up with the current batch of players?

[Lazarus 0]

I dont know what our strongest 11 is tbh.

 

Partly cos i dont know enough about the new signings and partly cos tactics, formations and lineups will change depending on opposition and injuries.

 

Against bolton? maybe as follows:

 

Harper

 

Enrique

Taylor

Roze

Solano

 

Zog

Butt

Geremi

Milner

 

Martins

Smith

[Craig 6300]

I dont know what our strongest 11 is tbh.

 

I don't think anyone does tbh, including Sam....

 

That's the big difference this year to the previous ones IMO. We've brought in some quality players who can do a decent job in more than one position. In the recent past (since Keegan left in all honesty) we've been very flat and transparent with a player for each position which has left us in the shit when one of them got injured. (remember the crap title run in under SBR when Bellamy and a few others picked up knocks around March?).

 

We're not used to having such a dynamic squad and I don't know about the rest of you, but I find it very refreshing and extremely positive. It could take a few games to work out what our best XI is and we may find out that players we thought we 'bang on' for a certain position, may work better elsewhere when team begins to gel together.

 

For the first time in a long time, I'm looking forward to the first game massively

[Guest Patrokles]

I guess when everyone's fit it might look something like this:

 

---------------Given

 

Solano--Capaca--Rozenhal----Enrique

 

 

Geremi----Barton---Butt--------Duff

 

 

------------Viduka---Owen

 

 

Bench:

 

Harper

Taylor

Martins

Smith

Milner

 

Smith would be in there somewhere, there's no way he came here to be on the bench. I don't think we'll play 4-4-2 personally. I think Geremi needs to be in the middle, too.

[Guest stevieintoon]

With all players available I'd go:

 

Given

Solano - Taylor - Roze - (Geremi)

Milner - Barton - Butt - Zog

Owen - Viduka

 

bench: Harper, Martins, Duff, Edgar, Carroll, Smith, ...

 

With Martins and Viduka alternating depending on the opposition.

Given

 

Taylor

Cacapa

Rozenhal

Enrique

 

Solano

Barton

Geremi

Milner

 

Owen

Viduka

 

Fuckin hell it's really dawning on me we actually have a fuckin good squad :D:D:D:D:D Geordies in the Champions League one day soon....we'll have a beautiful day like that day the Boro and mackems went doon on the same day we qualified for the CL. 5-0 AGAINST FOREST.

[Ketsbaia 0]

When everyone is fit...

 

--------------------------Given

 

---Solano------Cacapa-------Rozehnal------Enrique

 

---Milner-------Geremi---------Barton-------Duff/N'Zogbia

 

----------------Viduka-----------Owen

[Guest alex]

When everyone is fit...

 

--------------------------Given

 

---Solano------Cacapa-------Rozehnal------Enrique

 

---Milner-------Geremi---------Barton-------Duff/N'Zogbia

 

----------------Viduka-----------Owen

Same for me with maybe Taylor at RB.

[Chaser 1053]

Home games i would expect us to play 4-3-3 as has previously been mentioned by BS (taking current injuries into account)

 

Given

Solano Roz Cacapa Enrique

 

Dyer Geremi Butt

 

Smith

Viduka Martins

[richg 0]

My two cents:

 

 

 

 

--------------------------Given

 

---Geremi---Rozehnal/Taylor---Cacapa------Enrique

 

---Milner/Solano------Barton-------Duff/N'Zogbia

 

Smith----Viduka-----Owen (insert Martins for any depending on the opposition)

 

Vs Bolton

 

 

------------------------Harper

 

---Taylor---Rozehnal-------Cacapa------Enrique

 

---Milner------------Geremi-------------N'Zogbia

 

Smith----Viduka-----Martins (With smith dropping deep)

[Guest stevieintoon]

When everyone is fit...

 

--------------------------Given

 

---Solano------Cacapa-------Rozehnal------Enrique

 

---Milner-------Geremi---------Barton-------Duff/N'Zogbia

 

----------------Viduka-----------Owen

Same for me with maybe Taylor at RB.

Definitely. Steven Carr, has one of two options, lose weight and stop playing shite, or fuck off. Taylor has been adequate at right back, he did cost us the game at RB on his debut at Bolton if I remember rightly but he was a bairn then. The thing is the game against Celtic, made me realise how much of a miss Nobby is when he's not out there on the right wing, while he's still decent at right back. I hope Sam hasn't got any idea's of playing him as DMC as he has done several times during preseason games. Nobby is ABSOLUTE quality, he has at least 2 more years left on that wing.

[Guest stevieintoon]

My two cents:

 

 

 

 

--------------------------Given

 

---Geremi---Rozehnal/Taylor---Cacapa------Enrique

 

---Milner/Solano------Barton-------Duff/N'Zogbia

 

Smith----Viduka-----Owen (insert Martins for any depending on the opposition)

 

That team would be completely over ran in midfield, not one of those midfielders is best sitting.

[Guest alex]

I agree about playing Solano but I'm not sure about playing him every match and I'm not sure about where to play him. But it just seems a waste not to have his footballing brain on the pitch, especially as we haven't got a lot of flair even though the midfield is shaping up nicely. I quite like the idea of him playing right-back as the rest of the back four are pretty big and strong to make up for his lack of aerial ability (he's decent in the air but he can get bullied because of his lack of height/strength). It's almost always worth trying to fit him into the side at home though as he has great vision and I think a lot of side will be looking to shut up shop (as usual) at SJP.

[Guest alex]

My two cents:

 

 

 

 

--------------------------Given

 

---Geremi---Rozehnal/Taylor---Cacapa------Enrique

 

---Milner/Solano------Barton-------Duff/N'Zogbia

 

Smith----Viduka-----Owen (insert Martins for any depending on the opposition)

 

That team would be completely over ran in midfield, not one of those midfielders is best sitting.

That's what I thought, you can't play a 3 like that in a 4-3-3. Especially away to the likes of Bolton.

[Guest stevieintoon]

I agree about playing Solano but I'm not sure about playing him every match and I'm not sure about where to play him. But it just seems a waste not to have his footballing brain on the pitch, especially as we haven't got a lot of flair even though the midfield is shaping up nicely. I quite like the idea of him playing right-back as the rest of the back four are pretty big and strong to make up for his lack of aerial ability (he's decent in the air but he can get bullied because of his lack of height/strength). It's almost always worth trying to fit him into the side at home though as he has great vision and I think a lot of side will be looking to shut up shop (as usual) at SJP.

All the sides bar Man Utd will come here next season with a cautious approach. I think (depending on variants of form), Nobby must play all these home games. No one, and I mean no one, since Peter Beardsley has given Newcastle so much considered quality and technical ability than Nobby. As a centre half you must be shitting it when he's shaping up to cross or play a through ball. There's not many players in WORLD FOOTBALL would've the vision and technique to play that pass to Carroll against Juventus, when the world's most overrated keeper clothes lined him. Nobby must play high up the field.

[Guest stevieintoon]

My two cents:

 

 

 

 

--------------------------Given

 

---Geremi---Rozehnal/Taylor---Cacapa------Enrique

 

---Milner/Solano------Barton-------Duff/N'Zogbia

 

Smith----Viduka-----Owen (insert Martins for any depending on the opposition)

 

That team would be completely over ran in midfield, not one of those midfielders is best sitting.

That's what I thought, you can't play a 3 like that in a 4-3-3. Especially away to the likes of Bolton.

If you're going to play 4 3 3 away the 4 3 3 has to be 4 5 1 when the opposition have the ball. The only way we could play this (in my view AWAY) is a midfield three of Geremi, Butt and Barton, with Joey under strict instructions not to take the piss. I think Luque would be ideal on the left though, in this formation, if he shows hunger.

[richg 0]

My two cents:

 

 

 

 

--------------------------Given

 

---Geremi---Rozehnal/Taylor---Cacapa------Enrique

 

---Milner/Solano------Barton-------Duff/N'Zogbia

 

Smith----Viduka-----Owen (insert Martins for any depending on the opposition)

 

That team would be completely over ran in midfield, not one of those midfielders is best sitting.

That's what I thought, you can't play a 3 like that in a 4-3-3. Especially away to the likes of Bolton.

 

Aye, that's fair. You could just go route one though and miss the midfield competely! Would be a waste of the wingers though. Seriously, with Smith dropping back I reckon against weaker more attacking teams it could work.

[khay 8]

Going by squad numbers I would go for something like this....

 

 

Martins Owen

Duff Barton Emre Dyer

Jose Roze Capapa Carr

Given

 

[Barney 0]

-------Owen-----Viduka-----Martins-----------

 

 

 

-------Smith-----Geremi-----Barton-----------

 

 

 

Enrique-----Cacapa--—Rozehnal-----Carr

 

 

 

-------------------Given---------------------------

 

 

That's judging by the way Sam has spoken about 4-3-3, and the fact that Owen is pretty much a guaranteed starter if fit. I can see us changing formation/tactics every game and during games to fuck with opposition. Our midfield and strike force is very flexible now with :

 

Emre, Barton, Dyer(?), Butt, Geremi, Smith, N'Zogbia, Milner, Solano, Duff.

Owen, Martins, Carrol, Luque, Viduka, Ameobi.

[Tom 13830]

-------Owen-----Viduka-----Martins-----------

 

 

 

-------Smith-----Geremi-----Barton-----------

 

 

 

Enrique-----Cacapa--—Rozehnal-----Carr

 

 

 

-------------------Given---------------------------

 

 

That's judging by the way Sam has spoken about 4-3-3, and the fact that Owen is pretty much a guaranteed starter if fit. I can see us changing formation/tactics every game and during games to fuck with opposition. Our midfield and strike force is very flexible now with :

 

Emre, Barton, Dyer(?), Butt, Geremi, Smith, N'Zogbia, Milner, Solano, Duff.

Owen, Martins, Carrol, Luque, Viduka, Ameobi.

 

That looks leathal. (in attack)

[Barney 0]

-------Owen-----Viduka-----Martins-----------

 

 

 

-------Smith-----Geremi-----Barton-----------

 

 

 

Enrique-----Cacapa--—Rozehnal-----Carr

 

 

 

-------------------Given---------------------------

 

 

That's judging by the way Sam has spoken about 4-3-3, and the fact that Owen is pretty much a guaranteed starter if fit. I can see us changing formation/tactics every game and during games to fuck with opposition. Our midfield and strike force is very flexible now with :

 

Emre, Barton, Dyer(?), Butt, Geremi, Smith, N'Zogbia, Milner, Solano, Duff.

Owen, Martins, Carrol, Luque, Viduka, Ameobi.

 

That looks leathal. (in attack)

 

I'munsure if it would work properly. Maybe with Martins playing behind the other 2 strikers as people were saying he was weak in that position against Sampdoria(I missed the game).

 

I'm pretty sure the midfield would work due to the engines on those 3 players. A lot of industry and leg work with Barton and Smith timing their runs into the box. And, as I say, the likes of Butt, Emre, Milner, Duff, Nobby dropping in depending on opposition.

 

With our options now, defences won't be able to play a high line of defence as Owen/Martins could rape them on the break, but if they play too deep, Smith/Viduka could impose themselves and hold the ball up, linking Smith/Barton etc.

[bassplayerjj 0]

With every player we have fit and playing to their full potential:

 

--------------------Given

 

 

Cacapa-----Taylor------Rozenhal-----Enrique (back four with height all over 6ft, experience, youth, strength and pace)

 

 

-----Geremi------Barton-------Emre (creativity, aggression, experience, long shots, skill, balance)

 

 

-------------------Viduka (Aerial prowess, strength, creativity, natural finishing, hold up play)

 

-----------Owen------------Martins (raw pace, power, finishing, dribbling, both on song would frighten any defence in the world)

 

Bench candidates: Harper, Solano, Smith, Duff, Milner, Butt, Luque, Ameobi, Carr, Edgar, Carroll etc)

[David Kelly 1117]

-------Owen-----Viduka-----Martins-----------

 

 

 

-------Smith-----Geremi-----Barton-----------

 

 

 

Enrique-----Cacapa--—Rozehnal-----Carr

 

 

 

-------------------Given---------------------------

 

 

That's judging by the way Sam has spoken about 4-3-3, and the fact that Owen is pretty much a guaranteed starter if fit. I can see us changing formation/tactics every game and during games to fuck with opposition. Our midfield and strike force is very flexible now with :

 

Emre, Barton, Dyer(?), Butt, Geremi, Smith, N'Zogbia, Milner, Solano, Duff.

Owen, Martins, Carrol, Luque, Viduka, Ameobi.

 

That looks leathal. (in attack)

 

I'munsure if it would work properly. Maybe with Martins playing behind the other 2 strikers as people were saying he was weak in that position against Sampdoria(I missed the game).

 

I'm pretty sure the midfield would work due to the engines on those 3 players. A lot of industry and leg work with Barton and Smith timing their runs into the box. And, as I say, the likes of Butt, Emre, Milner, Duff, Nobby dropping in depending on opposition.

 

With our options now, defences won't be able to play a high line of defence as Owen/Martins could rape them on the break, but if they play too deep, Smith/Viduka could impose themselves and hold the ball up, linking Smith/Barton etc.

I would have thought you would play Martins on the left and Owen on the right if we go with a 4-3-3.

 

You could also play Smith on the right and Emre in midfield as he might end up being a lot more productive in a 4-3-3 than he has been so far a 4-4-2.

[Jusoda Kid 1]

Have to say some of them line up's look fucking lethal, semi'd up here

[Barney 0]

-------Owen-----Viduka-----Martins-----------

 

 

 

-------Smith-----Geremi-----Barton-----------

 

 

 

Enrique-----Cacapa--—Rozehnal-----Carr

 

 

 

-------------------Given---------------------------

 

 

That's judging by the way Sam has spoken about 4-3-3, and the fact that Owen is pretty much a guaranteed starter if fit. I can see us changing formation/tactics every game and during games to fuck with opposition. Our midfield and strike force is very flexible now with :

 

Emre, Barton, Dyer(?), Butt, Geremi, Smith, N'Zogbia, Milner, Solano, Duff.

Owen, Martins, Carrol, Luque, Viduka, Ameobi.

 

That looks leathal. (in attack)

 

I'munsure if it would work properly. Maybe with Martins playing behind the other 2 strikers as people were saying he was weak in that position against Sampdoria(I missed the game).

 

I'm pretty sure the midfield would work due to the engines on those 3 players. A lot of industry and leg work with Barton and Smith timing their runs into the box. And, as I say, the likes of Butt, Emre, Milner, Duff, Nobby dropping in depending on opposition.

 

With our options now, defences won't be able to play a high line of defence as Owen/Martins could rape them on the break, but if they play too deep, Smith/Viduka could impose themselves and hold the ball up, linking Smith/Barton etc.

I would have thought you would play Martins on the left and Owen on the right if we go with a 4-3-3.

 

You could also play Smith on the right and Emre in midfield as he might end up being a lot more productive in a 4-3-3 than he has been so far a 4-4-2.

 

Well, people have been saying that Emre is a perfect fit for the left hand side of a 4-3-3, so it'll be interesting to see him there.

 

Also, you're right about the Owen/Martins bit, although I can't see Owen wasted by being asked to play too deep.

[David Kelly 1117]

-------Owen-----Viduka-----Martins-----------

 

 

 

-------Smith-----Geremi-----Barton-----------

 

 

 

Enrique-----Cacapa--—Rozehnal-----Carr

 

 

 

-------------------Given---------------------------

 

 

That's judging by the way Sam has spoken about 4-3-3, and the fact that Owen is pretty much a guaranteed starter if fit. I can see us changing formation/tactics every game and during games to fuck with opposition. Our midfield and strike force is very flexible now with :

 

Emre, Barton, Dyer(?), Butt, Geremi, Smith, N'Zogbia, Milner, Solano, Duff.

Owen, Martins, Carrol, Luque, Viduka, Ameobi.

 

That looks leathal. (in attack)

 

I'munsure if it would work properly. Maybe with Martins playing behind the other 2 strikers as people were saying he was weak in that position against Sampdoria(I missed the game).

 

I'm pretty sure the midfield would work due to the engines on those 3 players. A lot of industry and leg work with Barton and Smith timing their runs into the box. And, as I say, the likes of Butt, Emre, Milner, Duff, Nobby dropping in depending on opposition.

 

With our options now, defences won't be able to play a high line of defence as Owen/Martins could rape them on the break, but if they play too deep, Smith/Viduka could impose themselves and hold the ball up, linking Smith/Barton etc.

I would have thought you would play Martins on the left and Owen on the right if we go with a 4-3-3.

 

You could also play Smith on the right and Emre in midfield as he might end up being a lot more productive in a 4-3-3 than he has been so far a 4-4-2.

 

Well, people have been saying that Emre is a perfect fit for the left hand side of a 4-3-3, so it'll be interesting to see him there.

 

Also, you're right about the Owen/Martins bit, although I can't see Owen wasted by being asked to play too deep.

He's got the experience of playing in a 4-3-3 for Inter and I would think that it would be the type of formation that would suit his style the most.

 

And yeah, I don't think 4-3-3 suits Owen at all really but if you're gonna play him in one I can only see that right hand side slot as worth a go. He's not big enough to play at the point and there's no reason for him to be on the left other than if you're wanting to swap players over for a while during a game.

Edited August 7, 2007 by David Kelly

[bassplayerjj 0]

-------Owen-----Viduka-----Martins-----------

 

 

 

-------Smith-----Geremi-----Barton-----------

 

 

 

Enrique-----Cacapa--—Rozehnal-----Carr

 

 

 

-------------------Given---------------------------

 

 

That's judging by the way Sam has spoken about 4-3-3, and the fact that Owen is pretty much a guaranteed starter if fit. I can see us changing formation/tactics every game and during games to fuck with opposition. Our midfield and strike force is very flexible now with :

 

Emre, Barton, Dyer(?), Butt, Geremi, Smith, N'Zogbia, Milner, Solano, Duff.

Owen, Martins, Carrol, Luque, Viduka, Ameobi.

 

That looks leathal. (in attack)

 

I'munsure if it would work properly. Maybe with Martins playing behind the other 2 strikers as people were saying he was weak in that position against Sampdoria(I missed the game).

 

I'm pretty sure the midfield would work due to the engines on those 3 players. A lot of industry and leg work with Barton and Smith timing their runs into the box. And, as I say, the likes of Butt, Emre, Milner, Duff, Nobby dropping in depending on opposition.

 

With our options now, defences won't be able to play a high line of defence as Owen/Martins could rape them on the break, but if they play too deep, Smith/Viduka could impose themselves and hold the ball up, linking Smith/Barton etc.

I would have thought you would play Martins on the left and Owen on the right if we go with a 4-3-3.

 

You could also play Smith on the right and Emre in midfield as he might end up being a lot more productive in a 4-3-3 than he has been so far a 4-4-2.

 

Well, people have been saying that Emre is a perfect fit for the left hand side of a 4-3-3, so it'll be interesting to see him there.

 

Also, you're right about the Owen/Martins bit, although I can't see Owen wasted by being asked to play too deep.

He's got the experience of playing in a 4-3-3 for Inter and I would think that it would be the type of formation that would suit his style the most.

 

And yeah, I don't think 4-3-3 suits Owen at all really but if you're gonna play him in one I can only see that right hand side slot as worth a go. He's not big enough to play at the point and there's no reason for him to be on the left other than if you're wanting to swap players over for a while during a game.

 

With Owen and Martins I can see us playing an inverted point, a 1-2 instead of a 2-1. Having them play a little bit narrower, as the likes of Geremi and Emre can give us good balance in the midfield as they have played this position for Real and Inter.