Tom 14011 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 It's not beyond the wit of man to organise a team around a playmaker. I posted in the Sunderland thread about Ben Arfa's form and i still believe the same. Play to his strengths and he can be world class - but I also favour playing systems over star players for the sake of it. Sunday will suit him though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 You cant build a team around the lad because he's just not a team player. He did nowt in the first 40 minutes on boxing day. Against 9 men with all the space in the world he was incredible. Most frustrating and enjoyable player I've watched, all at the same time. You would hope Arsenal come looking to win and worry about their own players more than ours though, so hopefully the shackles will be off again. If he starts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aimaad22 4156 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 (edited) Out of all the players who weren't stellar in the first 40 mins he was the least shite to be fair I think invariably its the ones trying something different that end up taking the flak. Sissoko can go a whole half without connecting two passes, and Gouffran sometimes disappears completely. Yet somehow they are 'team players'. All the running about seemingly reassures people. I suppose thats two different ways of looking at football though. Some managers feel more comfortable with 11 workhorses in their team, understandable. I've always been inclined towards having a significant threat of your own to keep the opposition occupied. Edited December 28, 2013 by aimaad22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausman 0 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 The thing is with Ben Arfa, he could run around like a headless chicken for most of the game. Then he can pop up with a outstanding bit of magic and win the game for you, that's fine with me. Still you can see what he's trying to do most of the time, just doesn't seem to come quite off but I think more game time and it will start coming off. Don't see how people think giving him 20 minutes here or there can expect him to be that good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedfernMag 0 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 The effectiveness of HBA (if he starts) will be determined by the quality of Tiote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaMoUsE 0 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Moving on from the hatem argument. I would drop santon for haidara. He's been woeful for 5 games. Subbed in 4 of the last 5. Who subs their left back man? Hes canny when we aren't under the cosh defensively but with him being so poor positionally I can see walcott tearing him a new 1 in behind (pardon the pun). I think haidara has more pace and would be a better fit for this one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 33231 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 And that negates any of the points I made, how? Massive assumption to draw the correlation between the two. Fits in well with your Debuchy theory though. My neighbour's freaking dog has been making a lot less of a racket since Ben Arfa was dropped. And the rupee has picked up considerably against the dollar. Keep the bastard out. Your neighbours dog is a freak? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OTF 7295 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Agree to an extent with Jamouse. If we're also playing Shola up front then Haidara's left footedness will allow him to get quicker balls into the box (as opposed to Santon who's right footedness means the the defense can set themselves then attack his delayed crosses). Granted Haidara's crosses weren't up to scratch against Stoke, but he's put some decent ones in in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 10857 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Moving on from the hatem argument. I would drop santon for haidara. He's been woeful for 5 games. Subbed in 4 of the last 5. Who subs their left back man? Hes canny when we aren't under the cosh defensively but with him being so poor positionally I can see walcott tearing him a new 1 in behind (pardon the pun). I think haidara has more pace and would be a better fit for this one We haven't a large squad, but Left Back is a position where we've competition. I think he's giving Haidara game time, not replacing Santon because he's shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWalrus 0 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Also giving Santon a rest ready for Arsenal. No chance he'll be dropped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desmondTUTU 0 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 i'm really confident about this game. got a feeling they wont want to be at st james. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 10857 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 i'm really confident about this game. got a feeling they wont want to be at st james. I don't think anyone in the league fancies a trip to St James' at the minute. We've proven we can beat anyone, regardless of their form. That being said, I'm not confident as I think the way we win games (frustrating & exhausting them) won't work with Arsenal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aimaad22 4156 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 We haven't a large squad, but Left Back is a position where we've competition. I think he's giving Haidara game time, not replacing Santon because he's shit. Agreed. I do worry about Santon though, way too easy to go past for my liking. Hope Gouffran is really up for this one, defensively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 3-2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 You cant build a team around the lad because he's just not a team player. He did nowt in the first 40 minutes on boxing day. Against 9 men with all the space in the world he was incredible. Most frustrating and enjoyable player I've watched, all at the same time. You would hope Arsenal come looking to win and worry about their own players more than ours though, so hopefully the shackles will be off again. If he starts. He's the best player we have and like all Jedi gets bored with football cause he mastered it at the age of 11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 7030 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 The problem nufc have is there are 12 players in form, and only 11 starting positions. It's a choice between HBA, Anita and Tiote for who gets the chop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 10857 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 The problem nufc have is there are 12 players in form, and only 11 starting positions. It's a choice between HBA, Anita and Tiote for who gets the chop Tiote has to start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desmondTUTU 0 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 The problem nufc have is there are 12 players in form, and only 11 starting positions. It's a choice between HBA, Anita and Tiote for who gets the chop best problem ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anorthernsoul 1221 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 We need the first goal for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christmas Tree 4725 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Pardews already confirmed Tiote will start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 33231 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 We're due to beat these as it's been a while but after some of the results we've had I'll settle for a point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aimaad22 4156 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 The choice was always going to between Ben Arfa, Shola and Anita. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 7030 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Don't think Shola comes into it tomorrow. It's either Anita in the middle and Sissoko with the front 3, or Sissoko in the middle and HBA with the front 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 33231 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 (edited) Krul Debuchy Coloccini Williamson Santon Sissoko Cabaye Tiote Anita Gouffran Remy Ben Arfa and Shola to come on if all is going well and tie up one or two Arsenal defenders/hold the ball up. I'll be surprised if Pardew does anything too different to this. I'd be tempted to put Haidara on for Santon but maybe leaving the same pairing might be better for this game. You could try and shoehorn HBA in there but who would you leave out and where would you play him? To me, that's our best formation against the likes of Arsenal and although HBA will make us stronger offensively I'd be a bit worried we'd end up a bit less compact which we may need to be at times. Had this been Stoke at home and Tiote was available, I'd put HBA in Sissoko's spot as he needs a rest. It's defensive when we haven't got the ball and should become 4-3-3 when we attack as long as the players are disciplined and fit enough to stick to it. (I'd put Obertan handing out the half time oranges duties and Steven Taylor doing the 'C'mon! Lets go!' pre-game duties as they leave the dressing room). Edited December 28, 2013 by Howmanheyman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anorthernsoul 1221 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Krul Debuchy Coloccini Williamson Santon Sissoko Cabaye Tiote Anita Gouffran Remy Ben Arfa and Shola to come on if all is going well and tie up one or two Arsenal defenders/hold the ball up. I'll be surprised if Pardew does anything too different to this. I'd be tempted to put Haidara on for Santon but maybe leaving the same pairing might be better for this game. You could try and shoehorn HBA in there but who would you leave out and where would you play him? To me, that's our best formation against the likes of Arsenal and although HBA will make us stronger offensively I'd be a bit worried we'd end up a bit less compact which we may need to be at times. Had this been Stoke at home and Tiote was available, I'd put HBA in Sissoko's spot as he needs a rest. It's defensive when we haven't got the ball and should become 4-3-3 when we attack as long as the players are disciplined and fit enough to stick to it. (I'd put Obertan handing out the half time oranges duties and Steven Taylor doing the 'C'mon! Lets go!' pre-game duties as they leave the dressing room). Totally agree with that. The middle three play very well together, and that is where the game will be won tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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