Ade and Rafa - the start of a beautiful friendship

[BPR_U16]

I think the only nailed on starters when fit are King,Bale,Modric,VDV,Adebayor,Parker and Sandro.
I guess also Friedel until something drastic happens.

8 nailed on starters and yet you include only 1 of back 4 which is where you have to be solid and have regular partnerships!

No-one should be nailed on particularly in the creative areas of the park and as Parker has been quoted, what keeps players on their toes is the competition for places so the likes of Lennon and Defoe must get their chance too. Different challenges require different solutions.

I'm unsure as to whether VDV and Adebayor creates an imbalance in the team and similarly I'm not sure that including VDV and Modric in same side allows them each enough creativity. IMO their better games have come when the other is not playing.

 

[kcmei]

id imagine modric sitting deeper keeping possession and vdv nearer to goal as he has the skills to score around the box

 

[KeaneIsKeane]

Modric and VdV can play together if you start Lennon in place of Bale or put Bale at LB so Modric can roam around the left side of the pitch, but with Bale's form I don't think that will happen anytime soon.

 

[danielneeds]

Really. Is that what I don't get. I thought what I didn't get was why some people would even debate who's the more viable option - despite them being different types of player - because they are both competing directly most of the time, in the formations we can play that maximise our squad, for a place in the team.




No what it is doing is saying that I prefer a power tool that will screw as many screws as the screw driver, but also tighten/loosen (this metaphor's getting silly) nuts, and even drill the odd hole to a simple screwdriver most of the time.

I'm not berating Defoe for has lack of passing, I'm berating him for his general lack of contribution to what is a team game. If Defoe guaranteed us 25+ goals a year, it would be worth weighing up his deficiencies, but he doesn't. He's 15-18 goal striker who does fuck all else in 90% of his games, and has for as long as I can remember.




We've seen that before. He's played with Kanoute and Berbatov and done OK. We all know he can be good, and until we upgrade him he'll get games and occasionally he'll be good.

And I appreciate that having different options is good. Defoe does give us a different option. Fine.

But I'd rather play VDV off Adebayor most weeks because wide is not his best position, and when he plays off someone like Adebayor I'm confident we'll play better as a team than we would with Defoe.

If we upgrade Defoe that might change, who knows. But Adebayor can get behind defences and so can VDV and Bale (and even Modric if he works on it).

So I really don't see us missing much of what Defoe offers most weeks.

I have no problem with your points here, I only had a problem with saying Defoe was less effective than VDV by comparing their passing stats.

Persnally I would also go with VDV off Adebayor in most games, but I do think Defoe will give us a good option upfront with the latter based on the way they played together against Woves and Pool.

 

[stemark44]

8 nailed on starters and yet you include only 1 of back 4 which is where you have to be solid and have regular partnerships!

No-one should be nailed on particularly in the creative areas of the park and as Parker has been quoted, what keeps players on their toes is the competition for places so the likes of Lennon and Defoe must get their chance too. Different challenges require different solutions.

I'm unsure as to whether VDV and Adebayor creates an imbalance in the team and similarly I'm not sure that including VDV and Modric in same side allows them each enough creativity. IMO their better games have come when the other is not playing.

Yes,I think regardless of the system,when fit all of them will play.
At the back we have Gallas and Dawson to come back and who knows what Harry will do,he could drop Kaboul for either of them.....I wouldn't.
Harry might also decide that Corluka provides more experience in certain games and may opt for him over Walker...........Again I wouldn't.
Harry may also come to his senses and commit to the 4-2-3-1 system and play Bale at left back instead of Ekotto......I would.
If Bale moves back to fullback then there could be a place for Lennon on the rightside of the attacking 3......... I would give him a shot at it but only if he learns to let his fullback pass him on his outside.
Defoe could get games at home in a 4-4-2 against weak opposition......Only in an emergency.

 

[Eric_s]

I think the only nailed on starters when fit are King,Bale,Modric,VDV,Adebayor,Parker and Sandro.
I guess also Friedel until something drastic happens.

BAE is a nailed on starter too. He is vital to our defence.

 

[AngerManagement]

I think the only nailed on starters when fit are King,Bale,Modric,VDV,Adebayor,Parker and Sandro.
I guess also Friedel until something drastic happens.

I don't think both Parker and Sandro can be considered nailed on to start whenever both are fit.

I think there is a good chance that in certain games we will play with one or the other along side Modric rather than both with modric playing a more advanced role.

I certainly hope we give the two game time together to form a partnership and make our midfield a trule solid unit (dare I compare it to Vieria and Petite?) which could allow our attacking players be it Bale/MOdric/VDV/Lennon licence to really attack and get at teams.

I do feel however there will certainly be times when one has to make way for the other so we can employ a different system (especially at home against weaker teams) and as a result they couldn't both be considered nailed on to start always when fit.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

id imagine modric sitting deeper keeping possession and vdv nearer to goal as he has the skills to score around the box

However playing Modric closer to the opposition box allows us to keep posession higher up the pitch.