Newcastle United v West Ham United

[David Kelly 1219]

I can't beleive anyone would move Gini back out to the left. Clearly he never gets involved in the game there and we saw just how good he is in the centre against Arsenal and Manure. The way I see it, we have 4 real options for the left. Perez, Aarons, Thauvin and Saivet. None of those are great at the moment as Perez looks knackered, Aarons hasn't played all season, Thauvin could be away and may not be fit and Saivet has been playing in the centre and that's surely what we've bought him for since that's were he's been playing when we've scouted him. McClaren has to make a judgement on who is fittest between Perez and Aarons (assuming the Thauvin story is true, if not I'd have him in the mix).

 

The defense picks itself, Sissoko on the right, Shelvey and probably Colback in the middle with Gini behind Mitrovic. Really the only two places of issue are defensive mid and left wing.

[Dickie 0]

I can't beleive anyone would move Gini back out to the left. Clearly he never gets involved in the game there and we saw just how good he is in the centre against Arsenal and Manure. The way I see it, we have 4 real options for the left. Perez, Aarons, Thauvin and Saivet. None of those are great at the moment as Perez looks knackered, Aarons hasn't played all season, Thauvin could be away and may not be fit and Saivet has been playing in the centre and that's surely what we've bought him for since that's were he's been playing when we've scouted him. McClaren has to make a judgement on who is fittest between Perez and Aarons (assuming the Thauvin story is true, if not I'd have him in the mix).

 

The defense picks itself, Sissoko on the right, Shelvey and probably Colback in the middle with Gini behind Mitrovic. Really the only two places of issue are defensive mid and left wing.

 

Aye fair enough - when I was suggesting putting de Jong in for Perez I was forgetting that would mean shifting Wijnaldum out wide. We don't want to move him out again after the game he just had. Looks like de Jong's probably had his chance for now then - Wijnaldum is certainly the better bet if their competing for the same place. I'm looking forward to seeing Shelvey play - it must be the first time in years that we've bought a good player who hasn't been an unknown quantity from a foreign league (I'm not counting Colback and Williamson as good players).

[David Kelly 1219]

Not convinced we've bought a good player like. What's Shelvey's pace like? Possibly the biggest issue with SDJ is his lack of pace and Gini looks really nippy. I think Leicester are showing how important pace is in this league especially in a team doesn't keep great posession.

[The Fish 10682]

I can't beleive anyone would move Gini back out to the left. Clearly he never gets involved in the game there and we saw just how good he is in the centre against Arsenal and Manure. The way I see it, we have 4 real options for the left. Perez, Aarons, Thauvin and Saivet. None of those are great at the moment as Perez looks knackered, Aarons hasn't played all season, Thauvin could be away and may not be fit and Saivet has been playing in the centre and that's surely what we've bought him for since that's were he's been playing when we've scouted him. McClaren has to make a judgement on who is fittest between Perez and Aarons (assuming the Thauvin story is true, if not I'd have him in the mix).

 

The defense picks itself, Sissoko on the right, Shelvey and probably Colback in the middle with Gini behind Mitrovic. Really the only two places of issue are defensive mid and left wing.

 

I agree Gini's better in the centre, but for this game, I think neutralising Payet has to take precedence.

[David Kelly 1219]

I agree Gini's better in the centre, but for this game, I think neutralising Payet has to take precedence.

And your idea is for Gini to do this?

[The Fish 10682]

And your idea is for Gini to do this?

No it's to push him out wider left, play with 2 centrally defensive mids from Tiote, Colback and Anita, but with Shelvey central ahead of them.

 

I'm absolutely terrified of Payet, so want 1 of the DMs we have to shadow him & hopefully run him out of the game.

[David Kelly 1219]

No it's to push him out wider left, play with 2 centrally defensive mids from Tiote, Colback and Anita, but with Shelvey central ahead of them.

 

I'm absolutely terrified of Payet, so want 1 of the DMs we have to shadow him & hopefully run him out of the game.

Ah so your idea is to play 2 defensive midfielders at home, the exact thing everyone has complained about all season, and waste Gini on the left to do it. I respectfully suggest that is an appalling idea. Payet plays more on the left anyway so it's most likely going to have to be Sissoko who helps Janmaat deal with him (not a conforting thought).

[The Fish 10682]

Ah so your idea is to play 2 defensive midfielders at home, the exact thing everyone has complained about all season, and waste Gini on the left to do it. I respectfully suggest that is an appalling idea. Payet plays more on the left anyway so it's most likely going to have to be Sissoko who helps Janmaat deal with him (not a conforting thought).

 

The other option is (as you point out) have Sissoko & Janmaat try to defend against Payet. Which would be unlikely to be successful AND would stymie our most productive avenue of threat.

 

I don't think that the formation I suggest is perfect, but it isn't the same as the 2 DM system we've been playing because it also includes a central midfielder who can spread the play, can pass forward & can retain possession.

[David Kelly 1219]

The other option is (as you point out) have Sissoko & Janmaat try to defend against Payet. Which would be unlikely to be successful AND would stymie our most productive avenue of threat.

 

I don't think that the formation I suggest is perfect, but it isn't the same as the 2 DM system we've been playing because it also includes a central midfielder who can spread the play, can pass forward & can retain possession.

If he's playing on the left we don't really have any option other than to have Sissoko and Janmaat deal with him unless you want to move Sissoko from the right and replace him with someone else. And you can't put a defensive mid there. Ultimately we not have Tiote or Anita available so that's going to limit the defensive mid options for a start. I'm not sure how fit Colback is either. His performance the other night suggests he's not very.

 

I think we'd be much better focusing on causing them problems and to do that Gini has to play in the middle. I think he's not being played in the middle he's not worth a game anyway.

[The Fish 10682]

If he's playing on the left we don't really have any option other than to have Sissoko and Janmaat deal with him unless you want to move Sissoko from the right and replace him with someone else. And you can't put a defensive mid there. Ultimately we not have Tiote or Anita available so that's going to limit the defensive mid options for a start. I'm not sure how fit Colback is either. His performance the other night suggests he's not very.

 

I think we'd be much better focusing on causing them problems and to do that Gini has to play in the middle. I think he's not being played in the middle he's not worth a game anyway.

 

I just checked his heatmap v Bournemouth on FourFourTwo's Stats zone and he seems far more central than you suggest? Whoscored.com actually have him central and right.

[David Kelly 1219]

I just checked his heatmap v Bournemouth on FourFourTwo's Stats zone and he seems far more central than you suggest? Whoscored.com actually have him central and right.

http://www.whoscored.com/Players/14058

 

They have him as mainly left but sometimes central on there as far as I can see.

[The Fish 10682]

http://www.whoscored.com/Players/14058

 

They have him as mainly left but sometimes central on there as far as I can see.

 

I see him like Gini, ostensibly a wide player, but when it comes down to it, he's more central than that.

[David Kelly 1219]

I see him like Gini, ostensibly a wide player, but when it comes down to it, he's more central than that.

Gini is a central player though. Other than that I'd probably agree about Payet. Which probably means it's going to be difficult to set any one player to pick him up all the time. Which goes back to my point about trying to beat them with our attack rather than by stopping their best player.

[The Fish 10682]

Gini is a central player though. Other than that I'd probably agree about Payet. Which probably means it's going to be difficult to set any one player to pick him up all the time. Which goes back to my point about trying to beat them with our attack rather than by stopping their best player.

Guess I just don't have the faith in our team to outscore them, certainly have no faith in keeping a clean sheet.

[trooper 940]

At the end of the day we NEED 3 points from this they'll WANT 3 points

[David Kelly 1219]

Guess I just don't have the faith in our team to outscore them, certainly have no faith in keeping a clean sheet.

So we're going to lose then. Fucking hell I thought you were supposed to be the mad optimist.

[Dr Gloom 21798]

get someone to put a reducer in on payet early doors, as big ron might say

[The Fish 10682]

So we're going to lose then. Fucking hell I thought you were supposed to be the mad optimist.

 

Hah, I've never been the mad optimist, just the realist when everyone else is pissing their pants.

 

Stevie is the one that predict comfortable wins every other fixture, he's the optimist. Dr Gloom is the one that predicts relegation if we lose the toss in the 1st game.

[The Fish 10682]

get someone to put a reducer in on payet early doors, as big ron might say

If Tiote is going, get him to knacker Payet as a parting gift.

[David Kelly 1219]

Hah, I've never been the mad optimist, just the realist when everyone else is pissing their pants.

 

Stevie is the one that predict comfortable wins every other fixture, he's the optimist. Dr Gloom is the one that predicts relegation if we lose the toss in the 1st game.

Hopefully we'll go into this game with the approach that they are a good team. We've played much better against the better teams with only Citeh really beating us well. If we think we're better than them we'll almost certainly lose.

[trooper 940]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/football-fans-offered-free-sports-7181774

A free jacket if we beat West Ham

[The Fish 10682]

Hopefully we'll go into this game with the approach that they are a good team. We've played much better against the better teams with only Citeh really beating us well. If we think we're better than them we'll almost certainly lose.

 

and Leicester.

 

It's a shame for his career that Carroll is injured, but I'm delightedwe won't see him bullying the shit out of our centrebacks at set pieces.

[Dr Gloom 21798]

 

Hah, I've never been the mad optimist, just the realist when everyone else is pissing their pants.

 

Stevie is the one that predict comfortable wins every other fixture, he's the optimist. Dr Gloom is the one that predicts relegation if we lose the toss in the 1st game.

 

i think trooper has taken that crown. i'm definitely in the pessimist camp but i'd say it's rational and based on years of supporting a crap team.

 

i don't know how you were so confident we'd stay up last year. yes, you were right of course in the end, but we were awful for pretty much all of last season. there wasn't much evidence on offer to suggest we'd comfortably stay up and it was anything but in the end.

 

weirdly, i'm much more optimistic this year. yes, our points tally puts is in a perilous position but we look more likely to pull out of it.

[David Kelly 1219]

and Leicester.

Yeah but while Leicester are doing fantastically well this year, they aren't a big club or considered one of the big teams. This is why I don't think we went into that game with the right attitude. And this is why I hope we realise how good West Ham are.

[StoneColdStephenIreland 74]

No matter who were playing Wijnaldum should be nowhere near the left wing. He tore through Man U at will and now we should shift him to the left? Don't be daft.