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NUFC vs Braga


StellarStripes
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The few snippets I have seen from us pre season suggests an extra striker is going to make no difference to how we play at all. The problem appears to be zero creativity in the centre of midfield. Sissoko and Tiote, whilst good players, aren't in the Silva/Mata/Coutinho/Fabregas etc. mould. Cabaye is the closest we have but he seems to have just decided to stop being any good whatsoever.

 

I'm wondering if the solution is going to come from either dropping one of Sissoko/Tiote/Cabaye and moving Ben Arfa inside, or giving Anita a decent run to see if he can provide anything different. Cisse must be sick of his life atm.

 

 

Cabaye-----Sissoko----Anita

 

--------------Ben Arfa----------

 

-------Remy--------Cisse------

 

could be an option but its narrow as fuck

 

 

 

Ideally it would be this, 451 when defending, 4231 when attacking

 

------------Cabaye--Sissoko---------------------

 

------------------Ben Arfa--------------------------

 

Remy--------------------------Sinclair/A.N.Other

 

-------------------Cisse/Gomis--------------------

Edited by TheRollingStones
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Agree totally with that, but I did honestly think Jonas had a good game today - he actually put crosses into the right places nearly every time and also drew a lot of fouls.

 

Cabaye doesn't want to play for us, it seems - or he's depressed. Arfa still looked pacey despite his larger build too.

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I thought Jonas was shite yesterday. The difference between him and Ben Arfa tracking back to help defensively is absolutely ridiculous. Leaving Santon on his own over and over again to deal with a two on one down the wing. He put in a decent cross or two, but that doesn't cancel out his defensive misgivings imo.

 

Things I took from the game yesterday:

 

- Confidence on the ball seemed a lot better than last season.

- That said, there was very little active penetration with the ball. Barring Sissoko's thread through to Cisse in the first half, I thought we lacked any creativity in the midfield whatsoever, yet again waiting for Ben Arfa to do some magic.

- Took an age and a day to switch the play. Like join the dots or something.

- Cisse seemed isolated and linkup play with midfield and attackers was pretty non existent.

- I don't know what he has been eating, but Ben Arfa looked HUGE yesterday. (Santon looked heavy as well).

- Coloccini looking like a rock as ever.

- FINALLY a goal from a corner.

- Cabaye looked so disinterested with his game. I know it was a friendly an all, but just didn't seem to give a remote shit.

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lol tucking the shirt in has not helped him for that photo like :lol:

Yes, shocking picture that. Perhaps his podginess will work in our favour with defenders thinking he'll have lost some spark.

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Hatem Ben&jerry's Arfa not helped by the low camera shot.

Haven't seen too much of the pre-season stuff apart from the goals so can't comment on his fitness, but I'd rather have a slightly podgy, regularly available Arfa than a 15 games a season player.

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People shouldn't make excuses for Ben Arfa's lack of conditioning. It doesn't make it OK because he's a good player.

 

Its indicative of his lack of professionalism and how seriously he's taking his career and his role at the club. And it WILL make him more prone to breaking down with injuries.

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Pardew needs to make sure this season he gets the ball in the opposition's final third instead of have him playing like a fucking wing-back and picking it up on the edge of our own area.

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He spends half the season injured, and the other half overweight, and clearly isn't taking his career seriously. Absolutely ludicrous to try and pass that off as OK because he happens to be talented.

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