SaintJackoInHurworth Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 There are a lot of bed-wetters on here tonight calling for Puel and Reed to be sacked and declaring that we will be relegated; and to some degree I can understand the anxiety. I am sure we all felt down and negative about everything after this afternoon's result. However, at times like this instead of getting our knickers in a twist we need to be calm and see what rabbits Puel and/or the club might pull out of the hat. It's not as if we haven't been continually amazed over recent years at how resilient we have been at everything that has been thrown at us. All is not yet lost and there are plenty more things to be tried before Puel has to give up! I want to suggest just one possible solution to our current defensive problems. I wonder whether the solution could lay with Ryan Bertrand. We all know he is one of our best and most experienced defenders and, of course, he can also play as a centre back. So, with both McQueen and Targett providing back-up options at left back, might it be an idea for Bertrand to play as a left centre back with McQueen at full back and potentially Targett as sub (if we feel we need a substitute for that position)? I know that Bertrand maybe doesn't have the height of some centre backs, but he is solid. If we are concerned at having more height or we want to help Stephens to develop into a great player we might potentially play five across the back. On this basis we could have a team that looks something like this: [table] [tr] [td][/td] [td][/td] [td]Forster[/td] [td][/td] [td][/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td] Yoshida[/td] [td] Stephens[/td] [td] Bertrand[/td] [td][/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] Cedric[/td] [td][/td] [td] [/td] [td][/td] [td] McQueen[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td] Romeu[/td] [td][/td] [td]Davis[/td] [td][/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] Tadic[/td] [td][/td] [td][/td] [td][/td] [td] Boufal[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td][/td] [td] Gabbiadini[/td] [td][/td] [td][/td] [/tr] [/table] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saints foreva Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Reliable source. Bertrand is off in the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTL Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Reliable source. Bertrand is off in the summer. Course he is. So is VVD. They'll be ridiculed on here, "not as good as last season" "going downhill quick" nonsense. They'll then be replaced with garbage (if we're lucky) Happy days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Chalet Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Personally I'd go 3-5-2 with Bertrand as LCB. Forster Stephens Yoshida Bertrand Cedric Davis Romeu Classie McQueen Boufal Gabbiadini Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammysaint Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 McQueen is not good enough either, sorry but he is overrated by some fans on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint-Fred Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Lol yes Puel likes to play different formations. Although you are trying to look for solutions I think a lot of people think the issue with Puel is exactly what you have inadvertently pointed out. He is totally inflexible with his tactics. He won't play a formation like you have proposed. Every game is like ground hog day and every interview after the same. IMO the interview with Adam Blackmore just showed how far from reality he is. He should be ****ting himself for his job but he just thinks we are a little unlucky (my interpretation not his words) None of our good players seem to want to be here anymore, which is hardly surprising as we sold them all a "shop window" dream and the manager is providing only a platform to make them look run of the mill, bog standard, ordinary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Chalet Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 McQueen is not good enough either, sorry but he is overrated by some fans on here. He is fine in a 5, agree not convinced he is a Prem left back yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunkenSaint Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Reliable source. Bertrand is off in the summer. yes cause Les Reed thinks he can sneak another academy product into the team who he thinks is just as good, but isn't. 343 is the best formation you can play IF you have a manager and the players who can play it right, we don't but it might stop as many goals being leaked. I highly rate the formation and was glad that Conte has stuck with it as it shows if played right its very very good. The wingbacks must be very attacking and that would suit Mcqueen as he is a winger really, just like Moses for Chelsea and he's having a great season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamplemousse Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 You have to feel sorry for Puel. The board have cocked up big time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatlesaint Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Reliable source. Bertrand is off in the summer. wheres he going ? I can put a few quid on it well in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Course he is. So is VVD. They'll be ridiculed on here, "not as good as last season" "going downhill quick" nonsense. They'll then be replaced with garbage (if we're lucky) Happy days. They won't be replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 You have to feel sorry for Puel. The board have cocked up big time. This whole "I feel sorry for Puel" act is getting pretty tiresome. The majority of this squad finished sixth last year. I get that we sold some very good players but to have us so close to the bottom is the fault of the manager only. The squad we have is much better than it's showing and that is the fault of the manager. It's almost a parody that you have a French word as your username and are defending a French manager to the hilt. We've been, for the most part, complete garbage this season and that's down to Puel. He's been let down but we shouldn't even be flirting with relegation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dig Dig Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Reed: "we're not looking to sell Ryan this summer. We like to keep our best players here so any offer for him will probably be met with a no. We have the best LB options in the Country thanks to our academy which is the envy of the land" Two weeks later, Bertrand goes to Liverpool. Just got back from July 2017. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heisenberg Posted 4 February, 2017 Share Posted 4 February, 2017 Reliable source. Bertrand is off in the summer. McQueen / Targett and Benjamin Cull. McQueen > Bertrand Bye Bertrand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintwbu Posted 5 February, 2017 Share Posted 5 February, 2017 Haven't we been told every summer by some prat on here that their source has told them Bertrand is leaving? Undoubtedly he will one day, like they all do, but i'll wait til the club tell me before I believe it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forester Posted 5 February, 2017 Share Posted 5 February, 2017 Posted a similar thought just now on the post match thread. Yes I think that is a potential solution until VVD back. Other way to go is 4-2-3-1 with a second holding midfielder alongside Romeo who doesn't screen centre backs as well as big Vic did, albeit is a better all round footballer than Wanyama Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 5 February, 2017 Share Posted 5 February, 2017 Woah there Neddy,before we go into inane schemes with LBs at CB let's wait and see what happens with Carceres. According to reports he's now decided to join a PL club instead of Milan AC. We are of the two clubs cited and he'd not want to go to Sunderland would he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suhari Posted 5 February, 2017 Share Posted 5 February, 2017 Should we raid the coffers and get that Caraces (?) guy in until the end of the season? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 5 February, 2017 Share Posted 5 February, 2017 SHould we raid the coffers and get that Caraces (?) guy in until the end of the season? Caceres has turned down Milan and is now posting about moving to the PL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forester Posted 5 February, 2017 Share Posted 5 February, 2017 Woah there Neddy,before we go into inane schemes with LBs at CB let's wait and see what happens with Carceres. According to reports he's now decided to join a PL club instead of Milan AC. We are of the two clubs cited and he'd not want to go to Sunderland would he? You did watch Saints last year, yes? Bertrand played as part of a back three numerous times, including our win at Old Trafford. Was it "insane" under Koeman? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davefizzy14 Posted 5 February, 2017 Share Posted 5 February, 2017 Get Caceres in!! He's class and would hopefully sort out our problems at the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 5 February, 2017 Share Posted 5 February, 2017 You did watch Saints last year, yes? Bertrand played as part of a back three numerous times, including our win at Old Trafford. Was it "insane" under Koeman? Inane and Insane do not mean the same thing.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeham_69 Posted 6 February, 2017 Share Posted 6 February, 2017 There are a lot of bed-wetters on here tonight calling for Puel and Reed to be sacked and declaring that we will be relegated; and to some degree I can understand the anxiety. I am sure we all felt down and negative about everything after this afternoon's result. However, at times like this instead of getting our knickers in a twist we need to be calm and see what rabbits Puel and/or the club might pull out of the hat. It's not as if we haven't been continually amazed over recent years at how resilient we have been at everything that has been thrown at us. All is not yet lost and there are plenty more things to be tried before Puel has to give up! I want to suggest just one possible solution to our current defensive problems. I wonder whether the solution could lay with Ryan Bertrand. We all know he is one of our best and most experienced defenders and, of course, he can also play as a centre back. So, with both McQueen and Targett providing back-up options at left back, might it be an idea for Bertrand to play as a left centre back with McQueen at full back and potentially Targett as sub (if we feel we need a substitute for that position)? I know that Bertrand maybe doesn't have the height of some centre backs, but he is solid. If we are concerned at having more height or we want to help Stephens to develop into a great player we might potentially play five across the back. On this basis we could have a team that looks something like this: [table] [tr] [td][/td] [td][/td] [td]Forster[/td] [td][/td] [td][/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td] Yoshida[/td] [td] Stephens[/td] [td] Bertrand[/td] [td][/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] Cedric[/td] [td][/td] [td] [/td] [td][/td] [td] McQueen[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td] Romeu[/td] [td][/td] [td]Davis[/td] [td][/td] [/tr] [tr] [td] Tadic[/td] [td][/td] [td][/td] [td][/td] [td] Boufal[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][/td] [td][/td] [td] Gabbiadini[/td] [td][/td] [td][/td] [/tr] [/table] interesting formation - you could also stick JWP on the right and ask him to send as many crosses in as possible as 1 attacking outlet, something that despite his much-discussed skill in delivery we haven't seen that much of from open play. you could also, for concerns over a lack of height in the back line (especially defending corners), use Gardos instead of Stephens who would be equally reassured by the formation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted 6 February, 2017 Share Posted 6 February, 2017 Course he is. So is VVD. They'll be ridiculed on here, "not as good as last season" "going downhill quick" nonsense. They'll then be replaced with garbage (if we're lucky) Happy days. Absolutely. Just like when we sold Shaw and failed to keep Toby, then replaced them with garbage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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