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11 Warriors @ St. James Park Fortress


Deano
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We've all got our opinions on individuals and who should start and what not, so what would your starting 11 and bench look like from a fully fit squad?

 

I think theres 5 issues to take into consideration:

 

1- Central Defence partnership?

Ok, we lack depth in this department which leaves us with not much choice. Taylor is a CB of massive potential but again is SO inconsistant its unreal, he and Coloccini could strike up a really solid backbone for us in time, i feel, like other indivuals, he is a one to be much better and consistant when things are going well. Im looking to him to really stand up and be counted in our current situation and he hasnt done it yet, its there, its inside him but i think only when we are in the upper reaches of the league will he come into his own. Il add to the argument, he has a quality CB partner in Colocinni, but i think what is hindering the pairs chances of builing a strong rappour together is the language barrier. Colo speaks limited english so this alone is a massive yet maybe unoticed obstacle.

I have faith though that once colocinni has settled fully, learnt our language and we've climbed the table, the pair will be very good together.

Cacapa is to slow and Edgar, Tozer and Kadar are far to green to be considered serious competition, the latter two yet to make there mark on the 1st team.

 

2- Bassong or Enrique?

For me Bassong looks the more composed and concentrated, he reads the game well and isnt as wasteful as Enrique, Enrique just seems to lack confidence and concentration at times, he can be stirling, solid in a tackle and a great passer when on form, just too inconstistent for these hard times imo.

 

3- Centre Midfield paring?

For me Barton is a quality box to box midfielder and should be our driving force in the middle, he is quite creative and works hard, the problem imo is who plays alongside him? Butt or Guthrie? Butt is experienced but for me he has been more liable than reliable of late, wastefull passing, conceding crucial freekicks not to mention he's lost his legs, has he lost the plot? I think so...So id go for the industrial Guthrie, his energy and ability to cover ground is more valuable to us than Butt's experience. And i truelly believe Barton and Guthrie could well turn out to be a very good partner ship for us.

 

4- Who to play left Wing?

This is probably my biggest quandry, Duff is starting to look like the duff of old, nice touches releasing players, beating his man and generally being that little bit more productive with his final ball. Then there is the pace of N'Zogbia which frightens the life out of defenders, also he is likely to score more than duffers as he seems to have a good strike on him and in the past has proven to be a cool customer when in the box. Its a tough one, so il say stick with duff for next few games and if his form wanes...step up messer N'Zogbia!

 

5- Strike force?

This is another problem, Im growing increasingly frustrated with Oba, we all know he is a quality player, scores great goals, is skillfull and quick but its hot and cold with him. And whether he and owen together would work? I think in a side not under so much pressure, he and owen could strike up a partnership but in these hard times im thinking Viduka's deft touch and guile would be a better option alongside owen. When, and i say when, we are back in the top half and the pressure's are lifted somewhat, i think Oba will come into his own and therefor do well upfront with owen.

I just really want to see martins step up to the plate, gain some consistentcy, not be so wasteful, because he is one, if not the one who can really pull us out the mire when on his game!

 

That all being said this is how my team would look...

 

 

Given

Beye Coloccini Taylor Bassong

Gutierrez Barton Guthrie Duff

Martins Owen

 

Subs: Harper, Cacapa, Enrique, Butt, Viduka, N'Zogbia, Ameobi

 

 

Then there's the small matter of who should stay and who should go.............. :icon_lol:

Edited by Geordie Lad...
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1- Central Defence partnership?

Ok, we lack depth in this department which leaves us with not much choice. Taylor is a CB of massive potential but again is SO inconsistant its unreal, he and Coloccini could strike up a really solid backbone for us in time, i feel, like other indivuals, he is a one to be much better and consistant when things are going well. Im looking to him to really stand up and be counted in our current situation and he hasnt done it yet, its there, its inside him but i think only when we are in the upper reaches of the league will he come into his own. Il add to the argument, he has a quality CB partner in Colocinni, but i think what is hindering the pairs chances of builing a strong rappour together is the language barrier. Colo speaks limited english so this alone is a massive yet maybe unoticed obstacle.

 

Aye if Colo could speak English I am sure it would stop Taylor playing like Bamble :icon_lol:

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don't think owen and martins really hit it off as a partnership tbh and should not be first choice front two. neither of them are going to make it stick up top are they? aside from that i probably agree, although i think nzogbia should probably be in there somewhere. a fit viduka would start too

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That was a roundabout way of saying the team put out last night was just about right.

 

Was it not like?

 

Why do you keep making these topics every week? :icon_lol:

 

Obsessive Compulsive disorder

 

 

1- Central Defence partnership?

Ok, we lack depth in this department which leaves us with not much choice. Taylor is a CB of massive potential but again is SO inconsistant its unreal, he and Coloccini could strike up a really solid backbone for us in time, i feel, like other indivuals, he is a one to be much better and consistant when things are going well. Im looking to him to really stand up and be counted in our current situation and he hasnt done it yet, its there, its inside him but i think only when we are in the upper reaches of the league will he come into his own. Il add to the argument, he has a quality CB partner in Colocinni, but i think what is hindering the pairs chances of builing a strong rappour together is the language barrier. Colo speaks limited english so this alone is a massive yet maybe unoticed obstacle.

 

Aye if Colo could speak English I am sure it would stop Taylor playing like Bamble :icon_lol:

 

Well if he spoke english maybe they would have a better understanding together!

 

Besty my old foe, why dont you just give your opinion on the topic itself rather than moaning like a lonely old man? I dont post this everyweek, and you mite find iv gave a my indepth insite to MY OPINION on what the team should be! Maybe if people replied with informed opinions what agree or argue the points i made then there wouldnt be any need to post it.

The fact is you and a few others, insist on skerting around the actual point instead of actually saying anything of note...my guess is about 80% of your post are as pisspoorly thought out and lack in any substance at all...

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I reckon theres a decent nucleus in the team, and of the attackers (barring Xisco from what ive seen) theyre pretty dynamic. Nzog offers us a different option to Duff but Duff certainly warrants his place with his performances. Duff & Jonas for the wings, Guthrie & Barton in the middle and the back four with Bassong or Enrique is fine for me.

 

Thought Martins combined well with Ameobi last night, and its actually good to see that Shola does offer something up front. Xisco is the biggest worry. A lot of money for someone who looks like they couldnt be arsed.

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I reckon theres a decent nucleus in the team, and of the attackers (barring Xisco from what ive seen) theyre pretty dynamic. Nzog offers us a different option to Duff but Duff certainly warrants his place with his performances. Duff & Jonas for the wings, Guthrie & Barton in the middle and the back four with Bassong or Enrique is fine for me.

 

Thought Martins combined well with Ameobi last night, and its actually good to see that Shola does offer something up front. Xisco is the biggest worry. A lot of money for someone who looks like they couldnt be arsed.

 

Couldnt agree more mate, thing with Xisco is, some think he cant be arsed...its not that...he's just shit!

 

Luque the second.

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1- Central Defence partnership?

Ok, we lack depth in this department which leaves us with not much choice. Taylor is a CB of massive potential but again is SO inconsistant its unreal, he and Coloccini could strike up a really solid backbone for us in time, i feel, like other indivuals, he is a one to be much better and consistant when things are going well. Im looking to him to really stand up and be counted in our current situation and he hasnt done it yet, its there, its inside him but i think only when we are in the upper reaches of the league will he come into his own. Il add to the argument, he has a quality CB partner in Colocinni, but i think what is hindering the pairs chances of builing a strong rappour together is the language barrier. Colo speaks limited english so this alone is a massive yet maybe unoticed obstacle.

 

Aye if Colo could speak English I am sure it would stop Taylor playing like Bamble :icon_lol:

 

I take it you were meaning a combo of Bramble and Bambi here - if so quite appropriate my friend.

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Couldnt agree more mate, thing with Xisco is, some think he cant be arsed...its not that...he's just shit!

 

Luque the second.

 

Considering how much we've seen of Xisco thus far, that's a pretty harsh call to make. Deportivo fans were legitmately upset when he left there, you wouldn't see that if he was complete rubbish. That said I wasn't impressed with the lines that he wasn't running when he came on late in the match against West Brom.

 

He was a risky/foolish aquisition though, as leaving him rotting on the bench is going to decrease his value, and he'll bigger off back to Spain. Playing him might cost you a little in the short term (though could he really be worse than Shola*?) but it will help him adjust and improve his game. It's important that you can communicate and understand the way the players around you play - that would be tough with so little match time.

 

* - Shola does really trouble the defenders though.

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Couldnt agree more mate, thing with Xisco is, some think he cant be arsed...its not that...he's just shit!

 

Luque the second.

 

Considering how much we've seen of Xisco thus far, that's a pretty harsh call to make. Deportivo fans were legitmately upset when he left there, you wouldn't see that if he was complete rubbish. That said I wasn't impressed with the lines that he wasn't running when he came on late in the match against West Brom.

 

He was a risky/foolish aquisition though, as leaving him rotting on the bench is going to decrease his value, and he'll bigger off back to Spain. Playing him might cost you a little in the short term (though could he really be worse than Shola*?) but it will help him adjust and improve his game. It's important that you can communicate and understand the way the players around you play - that would be tough with so little match time.

 

* - Shola does really trouble the defenders though.

 

Maybe a little harsh but no more, im sure you, like me can see a quality player a mile off, even a quality player maybe poor when moving to a new club and country but you still see glimpses of his ability.

With xisco, he seems to have no inteligence on the pitch, he doesnt see any further that his feet. He doesnt see runs and certainly hasnt got a very good touch. Maybe il beproven wrong, but iv a nasty feeling he may not even be to the standard of luque!

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I reckon theres a decent nucleus in the team, and of the attackers (barring Xisco from what ive seen) theyre pretty dynamic. Nzog offers us a different option to Duff but Duff certainly warrants his place with his performances. Duff & Jonas for the wings, Guthrie & Barton in the middle and the back four with Bassong or Enrique is fine for me.

 

Thought Martins combined well with Ameobi last night, and its actually good to see that Shola does offer something up front. Xisco is the biggest worry. A lot of money for someone who looks like they couldnt be arsed.

 

Couldnt agree more mate, thing with Xisco is, some think he cant be arsed...its not that...he's just shit!

 

Luque the second.

 

but...but....wasn't he picked out by our fantastic all conquering transfer team? How on earth could he be shit? :icon_lol:

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Maybe a little harsh but no more, im sure you, like me can see a quality player a mile off, even a quality player maybe poor when moving to a new club and country but you still see glimpses of his ability.

 

This is regrettably true, but I'm not prepared to write him off just yet. He did manage to score on debut for us, and although it wasn't a particularly impressive goal, what was good is that he bothered to make the run and was there to put the ball into the back of the net. He played and scored for the Spanish under 21 team the other week, although I have no idea what the goal was like. I'd really like to see him start a couple of matches to get a good chance to make an estimation of his quality. Certainly he has looked better than Andy Carroll did in his time on the pitch this season, though if a pigeon landed on the pitch we could say the same of it.

 

I may be falling back on the same forlorn hopes that I did with wor Al Luque with this one, but I have to try to look at it with some optimism since the facts of the matter are that we have bought him, and unless we're prepared to write off that money completely we've got to try to get something out of him.

 

I think the intention when he was bought was for him to be a long term replacement for Viduka. Based on what we've seen thus far he's not fit to lace Viduka's boots (and neither is Viduka - BOOM TISH!). Shola being above him in the pecking order is a result of a new manager seeing in Shola the potential that several managers have seen in him over the past however many years that he's been at St James' trying to hit that barn door.

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What worries me is the much talked about 'spine' of the side. With any decent side you need good players in key areas and imo we are lacking in these departments, GK apart. At CB we have Collocini but he isn't exactly a big domineering type of player - more a sweeper who needs the former alongside him. Taylor is looking as bad as I think he is and Bassong is young and inexperienced in the PL. There's not much cover either although Edgar may be decent in time. In central midfield we haven't got a lot. Barton is a canny player but he's never really shown that here and the rest are either has-beens or not good enough (I'm hoping Guthrie can turn into a good player). Upfront we've not got much in the way of a target man / someone who can play with their back to goal. Owen and Martins are dangerous players (in different ways) but neither are at their best leading the line with Owen in particular looking to play deeper and deeper these days. Viduka can play the role but I wouldn't be surprised if we never see him in black and white again. Xisco is either shite, totally lacking in confidence or both. And Smith and Shola are the other two. One can't score and the other can't trap a bag of cement. It's very worrying because whether we stay up or not there is serious investment needed in the squad over the next 12 - 18 months to put these things right.

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of all of our players in all of the positions i think only Duff and Jonas and Beye have been consistently good. Butts definitiely past it now, and guthrie for me at least is a bit of a square peg solution. his ability to keep the ball is fairly good but he does tend to lose his head a bit.

Barton is going to be very important to us.

 

I am in agreement with alex about Collocini, he (like cacapa) seems to be a bit more, sweeper like. good player mind.

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Guthrie is average and fades badly in games. Xisco seems very average as well (early days) and that other one never seems to be fit. Yet there seems to queues round building for people waiting to post about ('I'm well happy with that window) bollocks.

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