Hyde and Seek Posted 26 February, 2011 Share Posted 26 February, 2011 Its been a strange month result wise. We've stayed in the play off zone in spite of some poor results and displays, partly due to similar performances by those around us. The result today was welcome but the reaction has not been uniformally optimistic. I'm sure that on the message boards of our promotion rivals similar comments are being expressed. So, on the basis that promotion is in our own hands, who would you like to see play week in week out to get out of this league. If we keep performing consistently, well you can't ask for more. The problem areas I see are who are our best full backs, who should play in central midfield and who should play upront with RL. Ok I accept players like Jaidi can't play every game and we will get injuries etc, but lets assume this won't happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Chalet Posted 26 February, 2011 Share Posted 26 February, 2011 I was thinking about this earlier. I believe (In a Pardewesque way) we should have 2 formations, a 442 and a 451/433. With everyone fit this would line up: 442 Davis Butterfield Fonte Jaidi Harding Chamberlain Schneiderlin Hammond or Chaplow (I am undecided) Lallana Lambert Barnard In 451/433 formation Davis Butterfield Fonte Jaidi Harding Chamberlain Chaplow Schneiderlin Harding Lallana Lambert The one constant for me is that Guly makes neither team on current form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 26 February, 2011 Share Posted 26 February, 2011 Guly would not make my team either currently. I thought Dickson was a bit of a waste at the start of the season and so it has proved thus far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
channonball Posted 26 February, 2011 Share Posted 26 February, 2011 Richardson for Butterfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyde and Seek Posted 26 February, 2011 Author Share Posted 26 February, 2011 Myself I don't think any of the full backs have performed consistently this season. I'd go for Richardson and Harding as fullbacks but only just. As for Guly he has failed to shine since his signing, and as Barnard is the more natural goalscorer he would get my vote. I'm worried about the way that Peterborough have been revilatised under Ferguson jnr and their philisophy to score more than the opposition could be the blue print to get out of this league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyde and Seek Posted 26 February, 2011 Author Share Posted 26 February, 2011 Harding going to be busy then. Do you want Hammond in midfield in the 451/433 formation? To be honest I'm concerned as to whether Hammond is contributing that much at the moment. There again I never appreciated Matthew Oakley until he was gone. So as far as I'm concerned Chaplow starts and if Adkins can motivate Schneiderlin they would start in midfield, with Chaplow as Captain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch Posted 26 February, 2011 Share Posted 26 February, 2011 Any side that includes Fonte, Schneiderlin, OXO, Lallana & Lambert. Rotate the rest from the squad if you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted 26 February, 2011 Share Posted 26 February, 2011 Davis - Since Bart is injured FR - I think he is the better option long term Martin/Jaid - RJ can't play every match Fonte - Obviously Harding - Just edges Dickson AOC/Guess - Wouldn't start Alex every game. Chalow - We play better with him Morgan/Dean - Really can't decide Lallana - Undroppable Lambert - League 1's top scorer again??? Barnard - Can't for the life of me understand how Guly starts ahead of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted 27 February, 2011 Share Posted 27 February, 2011 Morgan and Chaplow over Hammond every time. He has far too many bad games lime he did today - he is not a good passer of the ball at the best of times and as captain fails to lead the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjii Posted 27 February, 2011 Share Posted 27 February, 2011 Good morning Saints fan. My cold is starting to clear, I think, and I am feeling slightly better. Thank you for asking. As you find me here, in my post-coital Sunday morning rest, I am considering the question of "what is our best team?". Before I present my conclusion, let me set out some principles that have guided me: We have the best set of defenders in the division. We have two of the best creative/wide midfielders in the division. We have excellent depth up front. Given these - which only the most turgid-minded, dumbkopff, arse-headed, nitwit of a fan could disagree with - then it seems to me that if we can "get a grip" of games it will follow in all but the rarest of occasions that we will win. To "get a grip" I think you need control of central midfield so that you can dictate play and retain possession. I think our central midfielders perform best when they have a fairly prescribed role. Certainly, I think Schneiderlin and Chaplow sometimes struggle in terms of positional discipline and... je ne sais quoi... when playing as one of a central two. So, my conclusion is this: -------------------------KD--------------------- DB/FR------------JF-------------RJ-----------DH -----------------------MS/DH---------------------- ----------RC------------------------AC------------ -------------------------RL----------------------- -----------------LB-------------AL------------------ I think this would allow us to control midfield better. It's nothing new, we have tried it before. However, the change I have made is to drop Lambo (Big Ricky, Ricky Lambert (Southampton's Goal Machine)) into the "hole". IMO he retains possession better than anyone in our team, apart from Lallana, and is our best passer. Playing him here would confuse the opposition who would naturally want to put a central defender on him. It should also allow him more opportunity to shoot from the edge of the box and shouldn't preculde him from getting on the end of crosses which result from a patient build up. I think having him in an "advanced Libero" role would help to get the best out of Chamberlain, Lallana and Barnard whose movement and interchange could be easy on the eye. I don't see Lallana as playing as an out-and-out forward but buzzing round Lambert and linking up with Chambo. On the bench we would have Guly, one of DH or MS, as well as some of the other "impact" players. All in all, that is blooming strong IMO. The downside is that there is a chance that a narrow midfield leaves the full-backs exposed but I think we would keep the ball and control the game in most cases which helps to ameliorate this - as would having midfielders with the energy and drive of Chaplow and Chambo in the wider roles (only the least observant amongst us will have failed to notice some superb defensive work by Chamberlain yesterday). Any thoughts, me old cockers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted 27 February, 2011 Share Posted 27 February, 2011 Sorry Benjii, already a thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjii Posted 27 February, 2011 Share Posted 27 February, 2011 Sorry Benjii, already a thread Already several threads it seems! No worries, good modding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectisSaint Posted 27 February, 2011 Share Posted 27 February, 2011 The team that was on the pitch before the AOC/Gobern switch is our best team, although on yesterday's performance I would have had Chaplow over Hammond. Hammond was completely dozy first half, 2nd to every challenge and not aware of what was happening around him. Improved 2nd half once Morgan came on and took control of the MF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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