the_preacherman

Doesn't surprise me to see Tadic come off - looks done in. But, overall, an encouraging Prem debut.

Doesn't surprise me to see Tadic come off - looks done in. But, overall, an encouraging Prem debut.

YEEESSSSSS!!!!

YEEESSSSSS!!!!

Will Ron go 3-5-2? Don't know. But, if we're trying to get the best out of both of our new strikers, alongside Tadic's chance-making pedigree, then it might seem the logical route. Bertrand and Clyne would need to provide the width and pace, as well as getting themselves back sharpish; meanwhile, Big Vic as a deep-lying defensive midfielder would need to keep his shape and not wander too far forward. A Taider-Ward-Prowse central pairing may be a little meek but I doubt Morgan is match-ready to put a full shift in. Maya gets the gig until Florin is fit - probably a better bet than Jos as both give us the heebie-jeebies. Really looking forward to it regardless. What's the worse that could happen? Last year's second-best team win convincingly at home on the first weekend of the season? No drama really; then we crank it up for the Baggies next week. Anything otherwise tomorrow would be a welcome bonus. COYR! Forster Fonte Yoshida Wanyama Clyne Bertrand Taider Ward-Prowse Tadic Pelle Long Bench: Boruc, Davis, Schneiderlin, Ramirez, Cork, Isgrove, Hooiveld

Lallana busted a gut in the first two minutes to (almost) create a one-on-one, then immediately looked like he was breathing out of his asre. Never really got up to the speed of the game after that, revealed just before he went off when he dragged back on himself three times and the defender ran away win the ball. I'm inclined to agree with the previous poster who questioned whether Lallana and Ramirez in the same team is a wise option. We must begin to think of second season syndrome now and where the goals are going to come from, particularly once smart teams have wised up to us. Rodriguez has virtually booked his first team berth and, as long as he's fit, Lambert gets the shirt; the other three forward shirts are up for grabs.

Just watched the highlights and Boruc's save from Anichebe was a point-saver; shame it couldn't have been a match-winning save, but it seem clear that we now have a first choice keeper for the remainder of the season. It's clear that, once our better players leave the pitch, we lack invention in the final quarter of matches; I can't remember a match-winning intervention in the final 20 of a match this season. We seem to succumb to the square ball curse; Cork fell into this trap tonight. In the first half of matches, where invention and creativity is higher, we do have the desire to rip into teams but, it seems, if we're not up by half-time, we struggle to put games to be in the second. It seems no surprise that the type of players we are (allegedly) being linked to are creative midfielders like Biglia and Verdu; if we could keep up the invention of our first-half displays for a full 90, we could, indeed should, be able to target at least another 20-23 points this season. Also, having Forren keep the ball rather than Jos hoofing the ball might allow us to launch more attacks across the course of the match.

Seems to be a lot of doubt that our new acquisitions (Ramirez, Mayuka) can't play on the wing and if we played them, particularly Mayuka, anywhere other than in the middle then we'd have square pegs in round holes and would have wasted so much cash. Someone also recently lamented Chung being played 'out of position' at Stevenage, wasted on 'the wing'. But, looking at Arsenal tonight in the Champions League, their front three involved three out and out central strikers, two of whom (Gervinho, Podolski) kept taking wide positions then, with clever play, followed their runs into the box to be on the ends of movements they had started. I think it's dated to assume that we have to have 'wingers' - what's needed is clever forwards who take bright positions. I'm convinced that Nigel is thinking beyond something so rigid as 4-3-3 or 4-4-2. The fulcram is the midfield - protecting the defence, releasing the attack. Once the men in the middle get their heads around this role, it won't matter where our three forwards play - they'll all be swapping positions as the match goes on. However, eventually, I fear, Sir Rickie Lambert may simply not be able to keep up with such a system. Oh well, as Monsieur Wenger might opine, 'plus ca change.'