Roeder ready to get flexible

[Scottish Mag 3]

Glenn Roeder will reassess Newcastle's team and tactics as he strives to revive the club's stuttering season after admitting changes will be vital as his modest squad attempts to negotiate a cluttered fixture schedule.

 

And although the Magpies boss will do everything in his power to ensure his players make a successful start to their Uefa Cup Group H campaign this week, he has conceded recovering domestic pride will take precedence over the quest for Continental honours.

 

United's home defeat at the hands of Bolton at the weekend means Newcastle have made their second-worst start to a Premiership season and with Sunday's Tees-Tyne derby at Middlesbrough on the horizon, the Gallowgate faithful fear that their troubles could be about to intensify.

 

It is a situation Roeder is determined to avoid and, although his team will be going all out for victory when Fenerbahce take to the St James's Park pitch on Thursday evening, he will take into account what promises to be a difficult trip to the Riverside Stadium when he makes his next selection.

 

"We are going to have to have half an eye on the weekend because, whatever people say, we all have to accept one thing," he said. "All of us together must accept the Premiership, and the amount of points we get, is still the most important thing. The Premier League has to be the priority, it's your bread and butter, it's your living, it's credibility, it's everything. It is what you are remembered for and the supporters have got to understand that. Everyone has got to understand that. We have all got to be in the same boat and we have all got to have the same aim."

 

Having lost five of their eight top-flight fixtures this term - a record that has left the club languishing in 15th place in the league standings and in a worse position than at the corresponding stage of all but the 1999/00 Premiership campaign during which Ruud Gullit had been sacked by this point - the main aim is one of domestic recovery. It is a challenge that will begin against their North-East rivals. Before then will come Thursday's meeting with Zico's ambitious Fenerbahce side and as he attempts to juggle the demands of competition at home and abroad, Roeder has hinted that changes could be imminent.

 

"That doesn't mean that we will ever put a team out in the cups that we don't think will win the game," he explained. "But we're going to have to be flexible with our formations. The Premiership is the priority but, if we can add a piece of silverware from our three opportunities (in the FA, Carling and Uefa Cups), it would be a big cherry on the cake. But we don't want to find ourselves with problems because of playing every weekend and every week until the New Year bar one. We have got a small squad and players are going to have to be rested; we cannot expect Scott Parker to play in all those games between now and January 1 so I am going to have to look at my team selection game by game."

 

The most obvious tactical change will be to revert to the much-maligned 4-5-1 formation he fielded at Old Trafford on October 1 - although it is a system Roeder will reserve chiefly for games on the road.

 

"I will revisit that because it was the right thing to do," he said.

 

"Every Champions League team will go there and play with one up front because you need that extra man in midfield. Chelsea have just won two Premierships playing with one up front so people should think before they talk. Before we open our mouths and spout, think what the rationale is behind it.

 

"No-one will change my mind that it was the right thing to do but it doesn't mean that I like it. I like playing with two strikers, especially at home where you have got to force the play, but there are times where we cannot go away from home and force the play and the one thing you don't want at this level is to be outnumbered in midfield. We are going to have to be flexible."

 

Roeder's top priority must be to improve his deficient defence although, with the personnel at his disposal, it seems a vain hope. New recruits will be sought in the New Year and Newcastle were last night credited with a renewed interest in Liverpool target Lucas Neill, who is expected to leave Blackburn once transfer business resumes on January 1

[Gemmill 46291]

Playing 4-5-1 is idiotic when a) you can't score playing 4-4-2, and b ) you can't defend playing either formation.

[GafferTape 0]

c) when the one playing upfront on his own is Shola

 

I think that's it for me, unless we get 7 points from the next three league games, he'll need to go.

[Guest alex]

Remember 'Access - your flexible friend'?

[Jusoda Kid 1]

He's already been very flexible this season...bending over boss hogg's desk to keep himself in a job

[Guest Patrokles]

To be fair, I think he's trying pretty hard to sort things out. Whether or not he can is another matter.

[JJ 0]

He just doesn't have a clue. Why play 4-5-1 when the back four is shocking and we can't score with 2 up?

 

If we're to stop giving up goals like we are we'll have to either change the personnel or we'll have to go 5 at the back, and surely times aren't that hard!

[Jigsaw's Juggernaut 0]

Playing 4-5-1 is idiotic when a) you can't score playing 4-4-2, and b ) you can't defend playing either formation.

 

Surely if you are boiling it down to that its pointless to play any formation.

[Guest Patrokles]

Bearing in mind that the 4-5-1 we did play was against a Manchester United side who weren't too shoddy, especially when Ronaldo his his straps.

[Gemmill 46291]

Playing 4-5-1 is idiotic when a) you can't score playing 4-4-2, and b ) you can't defend playing either formation.

 

Surely if you are boiling it down to that its pointless to play any formation.

 

Well......no. It's pointless to play 4-5-1 though, which was the point I thought I'd made.

[sweetleftpeg 0]

We need goals like, and 4-5-1 isn't going to get them.

[@yourservice 67]

We're not gonna win the uefa cup so play the youngsters!

 

Carroll,Troisi,Finnigan,Edgar and o'brien

 

probably be a reserve match crowd anyway judging by sunday

[Brock Manson 0]

Howsabout playing Milner, Luque and Bernard, and dropping Bramble?

 

Get him out already.

[Papa Lazaru 0]

Howsabout playing Milner, Luque and Bernard, and dropping Bramble?

 

Get him out already.

 

Thats a good plan, if we play those three for Bramble we'll have more players that the opposition and might just have a shot at winning...its got to be worth trying, some refs are so shite they'd fall for it!

[Guest Patrokles]

I reckon we could see Luque get a go on Thursday. Milner too, probably. And Bernard. In conclusion, I agree with Brock.

[Papa Lazaru 0]

I reckon we could see Luque get a go on Thursday. Milner too, probably. And Bernard. In conclusion, I agree with Brock.

 

Mind you, if Luque should play and score a couple of goals he'll be back out the team in the next game as a reward when we go for one up front and ask to be attacked for 90 mins!

 

I'd definitley give Luque a run out though and Bernard as well because we have to get him match fit somehow if they keep insisting he isn't yet fit enough to replace Ramage at LB, and how bad must he be to not be ready to play ahead of Ramage at LB!!!