How many should OC rest/rotate/drop for Spurs?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

By many yardsticks (goalscoring ability, link-up play) Klasnic is our best striker. But he's not a solo front-runner – as noted, SPurs would simply push up and we'd all discover how hard Ngog has been working – and Spurs are strong in midfield, frequently perming five from Bale, Modric, Parker, Sandro (much improved this term), Kranjcar, Van der Vaart and Lennon. Going to a midfield four against that lot would be preposterous.

[The Axman]

The only argument I have is why is our top goal scorer sat on the bench every single week and gets a game every so often. Plays in that role or not he is a natural goal scorer Ngog might fit better in that position but if your playing a lone striker they need to be able be able to bag a few goals!

quite... which is why it is a conundrum!!

but I suspect you'd find Klas scoring a lot fewer goals if deployed in the starting lineup as lone striker... he doesn't make the link with the midfield as well as Ngog does - so he ends up looking isolated... plus - Spurs' back four would amble further up the pitch due to his not pressurising them - thus squeezing us back and putting us under further pressure...

He has had little oppurtunity playing that lone stiker. I think Saturday will be a great chance to try him there and see if he can fit in which would be helpful for the 3 massive games following this weekend. Out of choice this would be my starting 11

Bogdan

Steinson
Ream
Wheater
Ricketts

Muamba
Davies
NGR
Petrov
Myachi

Klasnic

Jussi
Riley
Knight
Eagles
Pratley
Sordell
Ngog

That's a starting 18.

[BWFC_Insane]

I just don't see Klas up front on his own. He has neither the physical attributes of a big hold up man nor the pace and/or workrate of someone like Doyle or Long who can play it reasonably well. Pure finishers have had their day in football which is why he's best off the bench.

As for who to play up front on Saturday, I don't know really... Probably Davies, just for the sake of playing someone.

Ones that offer nothing in open play, just a poachers instinct in the Michael Owen class then yes they have for now. In the modern game you simply can't carry those players anymore.

[The Axman]

The only argument I have is why is our top goal scorer sat on the bench every single week and gets a game every so often. Plays in that role or not he is a natural goal scorer Ngog might fit better in that position but if your playing a lone striker they need to be able be able to bag a few goals!

quite... which is why it is a conundrum!!

but I suspect you'd find Klas scoring a lot fewer goals if deployed in the starting lineup as lone striker... he doesn't make the link with the midfield as well as Ngog does - so he ends up looking isolated... plus - Spurs' back four would amble further up the pitch due to his not pressurising them - thus squeezing us back and putting us under further pressure...

And the answer is... (wait for it) 4-4-2 (ta da).

The trouble is the question might be "which formation have we consistently struggled to get a result with, and more often than not been played off the park by the opposition when utilising?"

Yes, I know, but that was the players then, not the players we've got now, and I don't recall Klas & Ngog being paired together ever [mind you I haven't been to every game].

I do admit [to take DSBs point] that playing 4-4-2 against Spurs would possibly be one of the worst sides to go up against. But if Mavies, NRC, Mu, Miyaichi and Ngog work their nads off they could morph from 4-5-1 to 4-3-3 / 4-4-2 depending on the length of seige we hold out, with Klas just camped out waiting for scraps.

[irie Cee Bee]

Jussi

Riley
Boyata
Knight
Alonso

Eagles
Muamba
Pratley
Vela
Petrov

Klasnic

Would be my line up.

I am with you on this except go 4-4-2 because of Klasnic with Tuncay playing the link up 2nd striker role replacing Vela.

[boltonboris]

I forgot about Tuncay. I'd play him instead of Petrov

[The Axman]

I forgot about Tuncay. I'll play him instead of Petrov

You've just given me an insight into what goes on in Coyle's head.

[thebish]

I forgot about Tuncay. I'd play him instead of Petrov

You've just given me an insight into what goes on in Coyle's head.

[boltonboris]

[Wandering Willy]

this would be my starting 11

Bogdan

Steinson
Ream
Wheater
Ricketts

Muamba
Davies
NGR
Petrov
Myachi

Klasnic

Don't think that's appropriate.

[The Axman]

Oh dear. Who let Suarez on here again?

[lovethesmellofnapalm]

suddenly we're all going mental for Klasnic based on one well timed run and cool finish. he did very little else and
more times/games than not he's been utterly sh¬t this season.
against Spurs we need our hardest workers, most committed tacklers and a shed load of luck.

recall Robbo

[Wandering Willy]

At last, the voice of reason.

[CAPSLOCK]

Going to a midfield four against that lot would be preposterous.

Well, yes

2 up top then?

[Worthy4England]

I just don't see Klas up front on his own. He has neither the physical attributes of a big hold up man nor the pace and/or workrate of someone like Doyle or Long who can play it reasonably well. Pure finishers have had their day in football which is why he's best off the bench.

As for who to play up front on Saturday, I don't know really... Probably Davies, just for the sake of playing someone.

Ones that offer nothing in open play, just a poachers instinct in the Michael Owen class then yes they have for now. In the modern game you simply can't carry those players anymore.

This one always mystifys me.

If you've replaced a "pure finisher", with someone who can't fecking finish, and doesn't set 'em up either, you've gained nothing, but lost the chance that if the ball happens to land in the middle, you have someone there who can put the fecking thing in the net.

We seem to be saying we should drop someone who scores every 146? mins (forget the figure quoted) for someone who scores twice a season, because we can't afford to score all those goals.

I'm delighted we're banging them in from all over the park, with this obvious improvement in our team.

Goals scored with Klasnic starting 19 (in 14 games) conceded 28 (score 1.36 a game, concede 2 a game)

Goals scored withour Klasnic starting 12 (in 14 games) conceded 29 (score less than one a game, concede slightly more than 2 a game)

That looks like a great improvement overall.

[Relentless09]

I just don't see Klas up front on his own. He has neither the physical attributes of a big hold up man nor the pace and/or workrate of someone like Doyle or Long who can play it reasonably well. Pure finishers have had their day in football which is why he's best off the bench.

As for who to play up front on Saturday, I don't know really... Probably Davies, just for the sake of playing someone.

Ones that offer nothing in open play, just a poachers instinct in the Michael Owen class then yes they have for now. In the modern game you simply can't carry those players anymore.

This one always mystifys me.

If you've replaced a "pure finisher", with someone who can't fecking finish, and doesn't set 'em up either, you've gained nothing, but lost the chance that if the ball happens to land in the middle, you have someone there who can put the fecking thing in the net.

We seem to be saying we should drop someone who scores every 146? mins (forget the figure quoted) for someone who scores twice a season, because we can't afford to score all those goals.

I'm delighted we're banging them in from all over the park, with this obvious improvement in our team.

Goals scored with Klasnic starting 19 (in 14 games) conceded 28 (score 1.36 a game, concede 2 a game)

Goals scored withour Klasnic starting 12 (in 14 games) conceded 29 (score less than one a game, concede slightly more than 2 a game)

That looks like a great improvement overall.

print that out, spread copies around the reebok and give it coyle, very interesting statistic

[Wonderwanderer12]

Scoring the first goal of the game is even more essential for us to win at The Lane, so playing our best XI until we concede the first goal of the game would be good. I mean, if we concede the first goal, we should concentrate on the league game held on Tuesday, replacing 3 of our important players in the second half to rest them.

[Prufrock]

Obviously Klasnic can't start because they'd just push up as they wouldn't if N'Gog was playing as he constantly runs in behind....

[thebish]

so has the 4-5-1 mantra now been replaced with 4-4-2 (as long as it has Klas in it)?

I'm confused!!!

I thought everyone said it was impossible for the players to perform in 4-4-2... that it was like throwing the game before it started...

[BWFC_Insane]

I just don't see Klas up front on his own. He has neither the physical attributes of a big hold up man nor the pace and/or workrate of someone like Doyle or Long who can play it reasonably well. Pure finishers have had their day in football which is why he's best off the bench.

As for who to play up front on Saturday, I don't know really... Probably Davies, just for the sake of playing someone.

Ones that offer nothing in open play, just a poachers instinct in the Michael Owen class then yes they have for now. In the modern game you simply can't carry those players anymore.

This one always mystifys me.

If you've replaced a "pure finisher", with someone who can't fecking finish, and doesn't set 'em up either, you've gained nothing, but lost the chance that if the ball happens to land in the middle, you have someone there who can put the fecking thing in the net.

We seem to be saying we should drop someone who scores every 146? mins (forget the figure quoted) for someone who scores twice a season, because we can't afford to score all those goals.

I'm delighted we're banging them in from all over the park, with this obvious improvement in our team.

Goals scored with Klasnic starting 19 (in 14 games) conceded 28 (score 1.36 a game, concede 2 a game)

Goals scored withour Klasnic starting 12 (in 14 games) conceded 29 (score less than one a game, concede slightly more than 2 a game)

That looks like a great improvement overall.

I think the trouble is you can't realistically stick Klasnic up on his own for 90 minutes. You're then stuck with the whole 4-4-2/4-5-1 conundrum. We've seen the two up front system has not been very fruitful for us this season.

In the modern game IMO you can't carry an out and out goal poacher if they don't offer much else. Not saying that is the case with Klasnic, more a general issue.

Klasnic is the question of how you'd accomodate him!