Crab Lungs

The blokes a complete plank. Outside the top four's bench and reservists there are plenty good footballers to make a competitive English football team. Something I posted on FBTPRO...

I find Lineker quite a good anchor - then again, I would say that. Unfortunately, Hansen and Lawrenson are well past their sell-by date and don't really offer anything of any value punditry wise but in their defence, they don't get the time to research (ha, not sure if they would anyway!) or airtime Neville gets to get his point across (GN's been brilliant since he started tbf). I think they should make it a bit more... streetwise, a bit more of a laugh. It's a bit dour and has been for a while. If they have some personalities on there it might liven it up a bit. For example, Bagpuss is always very watchable with his footballing anecdotes, though I'm not sure you'd learn much from him. Same goes for Ian Wright (but once again, don't think you'll learn much with him, either). A nice blend of intelligent debate and humour would be good... any suggestions?

They really do think they're something special... but this picture just about sums them up.

Decent little striker. Why so bitter towards him? :-/

Gents, I've just made a little tactic that you might be interested in... https://www.box.com/files/0/f/0/1/f_7407204267 "The Pochettino Way" Based on MP's fast-paced, pressing, attacking tactics that he uses for Saints, this is my second (successful) attempt at a tactic after creating "The Adkins Way" tactic earlier this year. It's not a refinement of the Adkins way tactic per-se, it was done completely from scratch. However, for it to work (and depending on whom you're playing), pre-team talk you'll need to make a few tweaks to see them play as MP has them doing. Here's the formation and the philosophy: You'll notice that the tactic is attacking. Yes, it can be a bit gung-ho but personally, I always try to be fearless of the opponents (like Mauricio) and go into every tactic with that setting as default. However, it's sometimes worth adapting in-game depending on the scoreline (if you are leading 3-1 and want to defend a lead, contain, control or counter is always a good option to switch to). Before KO Opposition Instructions Highlight all the opposition players on the opposition instructions screen and choose the following: * Closing Down - Always * Show Onto Foot - Weaker Team Instructions Either create a "shout" or add these instructions manually using the touchline instructions option before the match: * Retain Possession * Push Higher Up * Hassle Opponents or Formation & Player Roles It's up to you how you line up the players but it's worth rotating your forward quartet to suit fitness and opposition. Due to Puncheon's absence, here's my line up v Swansea at home... You'll also notice that each player has been assigned a specific role. For demonstration purposes, the following players are assigned these duties (plus sub-responsibilities like defend, support and attack - you don't have to add this, it's already done for you!). GK: Artur Boruc Role: Goalkeeper Duty: Defend LWB: Luke Shaw Role: Wingback Duty: Automatic RWB: Nathaniel Clyne Role: Wingback Duty: Automatic LCB: Maya Yoshida Role: Central Defender Duty: Defend RCB: Jose Fonte Role: Central Defender Duty: Defend CM: Morgan Schneiderlin Role: Ball Winning Midfielder (or Deep Lying Playmaker) Duty: Defend CM: Jack Cork Role: Box-to-Box Midfielder Duty: Suppoer AML: Adam Lallana Role: Inside Forward Duty: Support AMC: Gaston Ramirez Role: Attacking Midfielder Duty: Support AMR: Jay Rodriguez Role: Inside Forward Duty: Support ST: Rickie Lambert Role: Target Man (or Deep Lying Forward) Duty: Support What Will I See? It's not a full-season tested but the results are impressive. You'll be a free-flowing, attacking, one-touch juggernaut of a team but you'll still concede some goals (a small sacrifice to pay considering the success/results that you'll achieve). They'll be lots of smart one-touch interplay and Schneiderlin will probably pick up a few bookings. However, it's great to watch (better in 2D mode than 3D) and you'll definitely see the resemblances of the real "Pochettino Way" in this virtual tactic. Enjoy, and please let me know how you get on. Other Notable Things You Could Do * Employ coaches with adventurous/attacking style and closing down as their coaching styles/preferences * Work on team cohesion, attacking and select "no rest day" before a match. Set training high enough so that it is regarded as "heavy" * Ensure the youth team also train in the same way as the first and mirror the formation * Recruit players with high stamina, work rate and teamwork. For offensive players, add creativity and technical to that list. ENJOY!

Haha... I only noticed as my Swedish team is Norrkoping! They play some great stuff, like Saints...

Gefle had a red vs Norrkoping today too...

I second that. Positively drooling imagining him, Lallana, Ramirez, Puncheon, Rodriguez all linking up BTW... like all our midfield, he's already massively better than the sh1te Woy picks for the national team.

Fantastic striker and within reach I'd like to think. It'd be one of those players that the "big" clubs overlook this year, but will be sniffing around the next when they eventually realise how good he is...

He's absolutely insane AND a fantastic goalkeeper. Now, sign him up for next year, please. I don't want Butland, I don't want Courtois - I want Boruc.

I really wish he hadn't banned me on Twitter after I asked him a pertinent question. He's such a pr1ck it's unreal.

Lol, saggychops

70K a week allegedly....

Agreed... and just as I type that, REMY!

Are Newcastle and their late, late winners p1ssing anyone else off? Geordie bastards, stop scoring so late!

Yeah, agreed. I'd also think it'd give us a fighting chance of; (1) keeping our existing players happy with European football, albeit the less glamourous of the competitions (2) A useful bargaining tool/attraction for bringing players in (looks like we're progressive etc). I'd love us to qualify and hope we do - however, I'd also be wary as teams who had European adventures sometimes suffer (I'm assuming we'll need a bigger squad, too).

Where Wigan are, IMHO

I think England also has to be in the top 3 for fair play as well for that to happen. Will be interesting to see if it is the case though and if we did indeed qualify and it meant Saints went into the Europa League, how would we cope...

I didn't realise you were an expert in building/architects fields as well. Please, tell me more.

Christ. Christ. So many special comments on here these days, it's infuriating to read. Nothing wrong with having an opinion, but when it's biased, blinkered dogsh1t it's hard for reasonable people to accept sometimes. Gaston's rubbish? Right, ok. As someone said above, it'll prove to be the Schneiderlin debate of yesteryear. And the Boruc one. And the Rodriguez one. And the Lallana one. And the Puncheon one. And the (S) Davis one. He's 22. He's come from a completely different football style, country, environment, language. He's not the finished product but f()cking hell, if you can't see that he's got a lot of room for improvement AND is on course to fulfill it then you don't know much about football. I'm sure you'll all agree that Ronaldo was rubbish in his first season in the Premier League and hasn't improved since, right?

That would be absolutely brilliant.

Jesus Christ.

OK, I'll probably come to watch BUT will bring my stuff, just in case. Also, can someone paint me out a technical area? I fancy being a bit of an Andy Crosby.

I didn't see it?

Went "all out" and stuck 40p e/w on a load of randoms, one of which was Auroras Encore or whatever it's name was. Yay for me. Bloody gutted I didn't stick a tenner on it, though, like my other ones. Ha, hindsight.