Should lucas Step in for Xabi

[mathewbet1]

With a few key games coming up should we give Lucas be given the opportunity to fill xabis shoes. I think he should maybe he could play alongside the chief in a formation similar to 433 played against a*** on sunday. He seems to give the ball away less than masch and sissoko too.

[Knox_Harrington]

Yes. He faded badly against Cardiff but he isn't going to get match fit without playing matches.

[Cunny]

I'm not sure I'd start him at Ewood Park.

That will be a game made for Momo, if he's fit to play.

[Knox_Harrington]

I'm not sure I'd start him at Ewood Park.

That will be a game made for Momo, if he's fit to play.

Watch me sob if we turn up with Momo and Mascherano centre mid and Kuyt/Voronin up top. Riise left mid and I might just end it all.

[_00_deathscar]

Watch me sob if we turn up with Momo and Mascherano centre mid and Kuyt/Voronin up top. Riise left mid and I might just end it all.

 

It'll be a step up from Gerrard and Momo in central mid mind..

[Tommy Cockles]

Watch me sob if we turn up with Momo and Mascherano centre mid and Kuyt/Voronin up top. Riise left mid and I might just end it all.

 

Critical of Sissoko & Kuyt, Knox?

 

Why, exactly?

[Mike]

oh, i know this one

[JohnBonham]

I would like to see Lucas play in front of Mascherano with Gerrard on the right and Benayon to the left. Blackburn of course is a tough team but Lucas is quite feisty and Blackburn will be without the injured Savage. And Savage´s replacement Mokoena, who also plays a physical game, was injured quite badly against Pompey yesterday.

Edited November 1, 2007 by JohnBonham

[Leo No.8]

He looked very composed to me last night up until around 20 minutes to go when he tired.

 

More than anything we need someone to put his foot on the ball and show some composure in midfield, and Lucas is clearly the best candidate we have for that in Xabi's absence despite his limited experience.

 

Totally agree with Knox, I don't know if I could sit through another 90 minutes of watching our marathon XI run around after the ball - it's awful to watch. Benayoun and Lucas both need to play for this reason.

 

Don't like to be pessimistic as it's not my style, but both Kuyt and Voronin being rested last night probably means both on the pitch at once Saturday, which in turn means we'll be sh*te.

Edited November 1, 2007 by Leo No.8

[Rimbeux]

He looked very composed to me last night up until around 20 minutes to go when he tired.

 

More than anything we need someone to put his foot on the ball and show some composure in midfield, and Lucas is clearly the best candidate we have for that in Xabi's absence despite his limited experience.

 

Totally agree with Knox, I don't know if I could sit through another 90 minutes of watching our marathon XI run around after the ball - it's awful to watch. Benayoun and Lucas both need to play for this reason.

 

Don't like to be pessimistic as it's not my style, but both Kuyt and Voronin being rested last night probably means both on the pitch at once Saturday, which in turn means we'll be sh*te.

 

 

 

Well put that man

[The Hitman]

Like Knox says,if we play Kuyt/Voronin up top,I'll go mental.

My old man will probably top himself.

[Molby]

Watch me sob if we turn up with Momo and Mascherano centre mid and Kuyt/Voronin up top. Riise left mid and I might just end it all.

 

 

right with you on that one

 

if you're still coming then I'll get some arsenic in amongst all the proposed goodies for satdee

[Rory Fitzgerald]

I think we would have more attacking flair by playing 1 striker in Kuyt or Crouch and having people like Benayoun, Babel and Gerrard using their pace to come from deep

 

as opposed to

 

Kuyt, Voronin and Riise (at LM) as some have suggested.

Edited November 1, 2007 by Rory Fitzgerald

[Walrus]

I think we would have more attacking flair by playing 1 striker in Kuyt or Crouch and having people like Benayoun, Babel and Gerrard using their pace to come from deep

 

as opposed to

 

Kuyt, Voronin and Riise as some have suggested.

Don't think anyone would suggest that. It's more that people are afraid that that will be the case.

[Rory Fitzgerald]

Don't think anyone would suggest that. It's more that people are afraid that that will be the case.

 

I agree, its more what they fear than what they want.

[Leo No.8]

I think we would have more attacking flair by playing 1 striker in Kuyt or Crouch and having people like Benayoun, Babel and Gerrard using their pace to come from deep

 

as opposed to

 

Kuyt, Voronin and Riise (at LM) as some have suggested.

 

Been saying this since Arsenal last year.

 

We look far more fluid employing the attacking midfielders we have such as Kewell, Babel, Benayoun, Pennant etc wide of one out and out front man. This also accomodates Gerrard in a free role in the middle as well as Alonso and Mascherano when fit in their favourite roles.

 

When we play 4-4-2 with two forwards who lack pace it all looks very one dimensional and predictable, and I'd much rather put flair players further forward than worker forwards out wide or further back.

Edited November 1, 2007 by Leo No.8

[Benitez]

With a few key games coming up should we give Lucas be given the opportunity to fill xabis shoes. I think he should maybe he could play alongside the chief in a formation similar to 433 played against a*** on sunday. He seems to give the ball away less than masch and sissoko too.

 

 

The chief?

[Rory Fitzgerald]

I'd much rather put flair players further forward than worker forwards out wide or further back.

 

Nail on the bleedin' head !

 

Though we played Kuyt and Voronin against Arsenal, I saw that as a defensive selection. Playing Yossi and Babel in those positions would have been more attack minded.

 

I would leave 4-4-2 with Stevie in the middle once we have Torres upfront against teams in the lower half of the table in order to have players to break them down when they pin men behind the ball but yeah, I would certainly go with your idea in bigger games especiall when we have no Torres.

[floyd the barber]

we know how rafa works..

 

So it should be no suprise that we will go to blackburn sitting deep, hoping to snatch a winner....with our team being set to stop the mighty blackburn rather than "go at them".......and that is rafas biggest problem of which he doesnt seem to learnt from previous mistakes.

[floyd the barber]

myteam for sat would be..

 

-------------reina------------

finnan---carra-hyypia--arbeloa

------------------------------

benny--gerrard-masch-kewell

---------kuyt-babel-----------

 

 

but reckon its more likely we will see..

 

------------reina-------------

finnan---carra-hyypia-arbeloa

-------------------------------

gerrard--masch-sissoko--riise

---------kuyt--voronin--------

[Bigal]

I know what you are saying with your team, but there will be no way on earth kewell will start

[Leo No.8]

Nail on the bleedin' head !

 

Though we played Kuyt and Voronin against Arsenal, I saw that as a defensive selection. Playing Yossi and Babel in those positions would have been more attack minded.

 

I would leave 4-4-2 with Stevie in the middle once we have Torres upfront against teams in the lower half of the table in order to have players to break them down when they pin men behind the ball but yeah, I would certainly go with your idea in bigger games especiall when we have no Torres.

 

Defo Rory. I only want to see 4-4-2 when Torres is available.

 

When we lose Torres we have to make up for the loss of his pace and mobility from our attacking game because none of the other three forwards have much of that.

 

The way to do this is employ quicker players further forward and only use one of the strikers.

Edited November 1, 2007 by Leo No.8

[Guest sniffer]

How was Kewell last night? I hear he 'horribly' miskicked with his first touch. And do we now disregard Leto?

[Rory Fitzgerald]

The way to do this is employ quicker players further forward and only use one of the strikers.

 

I would go along with that sentiment, but will Rafa ? Its a bit perplexing as that was the way we used to play when he first arrived. He had Kewell left, Gerrard center and Pongolle at times on the right or even Cisse but with Baros upfront he was missing his 'battering-ram'.

 

Now we have either Kuyt or Crouch you would think he has the pieces to go with that system especially considering we have no natural wingers that can support a 4-4-2 system, its no secret that Yossi and Babel prefer to come inside rather than staying on the line like Pennant.

[CarraLegend]

Don't start both Voronin and Kuyt (preferably Voronin left out), leave Riise out, start Benayoun then i'm not arsed.