charliemiller

I went to both the Euro Game and the Match on Sunday , came over from Spain , was intrigued to watch this diamond formation live.........my view ....its rapidly morphing into 4 1 2 3 standard and i think the players are adapting it. Even more so in second half on Sunday , when Austin came on clearly he was told to play left side with Redmond in the middle and Tadic /cuco right . Didnt last long and they swapped Redmond on left wing (much better) and Charlie in the middle .....even to the extent hold up balls were being played up to Austin in the middle on the edge of the box and he was laying off to redmond on the left . Guy behind me said pennys dropping with Puel that your striker should play in the middle and your winger on the wing . Positional interchanging by players is nothing new but maybe the Puel diamond is a Barcelona version with the front three rotating , I dont know how stubborn about this he is but clearly the players (including Redmond ) prefer Charlie playing down the middle and them feeding him as he is the by a million miles the best finisher at the club .

My Return flights to milan are £49 .....that is from Malaga though ....

Have a apartment booked for 4 days from the Tuesday in central dont have tickets yet for the 4 of us but not worried sure we will get one way or the other!! Prague gonna be fun christmas market might not quite be in the square by then though

Someone should make the club aware of all this , cant believe they would want this !

After reading that articule maybe the club should re think this partnership , sounds like a scam organisation operating outside regulations .....not really what the club would want to be associated with i think IMHO

Yep all went way way wrong from there , hopefully history wont repeat itself

2003 which caused strachan to leave huge missed chance to push on after the FA Cup final in Cardiff

Great to have a player on board that will get fans out of there seats when he runs at defences. ...He can shoot on target as well as the stats clearly show Barcelona don't play with a striker the have three inter changing mobile front men.....Tadic redmond boufal ? Jay rod and long could do that as well Just saying

I am Struggling slightly with this Diamond formation to be honest , a good coach should be adaptive he should adjust to the strengths of his squad and sometimes the opposition . Currently for me we seem to be playing a mish mash of styles and the players appear to be be struggling with it , there are times when we look look woefully narrow and then suddenly switch play opens the width ....at times it looks like the players a winging it . Either its Morphing into what Puel wants slowly or it really is a mish mash of style which will only go one way i am afraid , Tadic is best on the left and redmond on the right end of , if you have Boufal he plays in the middle .....but how that fits with the Puel system which frankly is not a diamond its currently a mes i dont know . Personal opinion only of course

Boufal has been target number 1 ...and so he should be very very talented , when on song unplayable around the box and makes things happen ....Mane with a better technique and natural decision making . The Zaza deal with West Ham is not done and a Loan is not his current clubs preference , therefore the club with a purchase offer on the table is in the box seat :-) ;-)

Correct although I think the key to our season with this formation is tadic and Hoberg getting an understanding I see Hoberg as our inesta dictating and conducting the play in midfield maybe

Personally from what I have heard it's boufel Hoberg has the potential to be world class if he can build a partnership with Davis and tadic and we have redmond who with a bit of focused coaching has huge potential playing in front of them and maybe the guile of boufel we will have a potent attack

This question has come up a few times ....in the dark distant past a decision was made within the club that if a player was signed for say 5 million and the cost of the players contract per year was 1 million and the contract length was 5 years then the cost on the books was written in at 10 million , this figure was then written or amortised of the 5 year contract length . Basically this would mean that the club was never left with a wage black hole in the event of relegation, protects the clubs future , it would annoy ,managers who thought they had 10 million to spend and had only spent 5 and were told it was all done. Not saying they use this at the club now but if you apply this principle to the 5 and 6 year extensions signed up recently you can see where the money has gone , VDD is on what ?? 250 per month ? 3 million a year for six years ? thats 18 Million gone !

Alfie Jones will be a top class CB , to soon for the step sadly at this point ....but one day I can see the lad being as reliable as VVD

Watching the match yesterday you can see the team is in a transition between styles/formation......for those concerned about the number of touches round the box etc remember who Puel served under adapted this style from.......Arsene Wenger, some of the complaints on this board exactly mirror moans Arsenal fans have had for years about the way Arsenal play including the lack of a target man. Patience peeps I am sure this will work out. Big pluses for me yesterday were Redmond and Hoberg, Redmond has huge potential if he has solid coaching to improve his finishing, his workrate teamplay and awareness are actually on a par with Mane IMHO , Hoberg looked like the midfield link we have been missing very very good. Its the think Sanchez/Berkamp type player we need to finish this off i reckon

Would rather have Morgan back TBH

He is a very good keeper with potential , just needs putting back on track , which Mr.Watson will do I am sure .

Alex McCarthy was considered one of the brightest GK prospects on a par with Butland , Lost his way a bit yes......but considering who our goalkeeping coach is I would expect him to have had an influence on this .

Alfie Jones looks a good prospect reminds me of Fonte the way he plays

yes please would be delighted

Boufal covers number 2 and 3 in SaintIQ list Ox would finish it off lol

Boufals options decreasing daily !!!!! good stuff go get him Les

We will make one maybe two more attacking purchases I am sure .........one of them could be a great signing for the way we play :-)

I got a feeling we are talking to boufal .....would be a superb signing has immense talent and the type of player to get you of your seat everytime he is on the ball , would benefit from moving to Saints . Can change a game on his own , bit like when we in for Coutinho at the start we could get gazzumped here

Dear Uncle Les , Could you please get one of the following now (in order of Preference) Then I would be very happy with the squad for the new season. Boufel Ox or Sisto Ta