With Cole's injury, Zola faces a more than tricky selection problem. Nouble is surely too young and raw to be drafted in as a straight swap for Carlton whilst the Everton game suggested that Franco and Hines as a combination might not be good enough to unlock Premiership defences without Diamanti on the pitch to pull the strings and create the openings. Parker has looked superb in the last two games ranging forward and so it would be disappointing to see him constrained by defensive duties again but Stanislas has looked worthy of a place offensively too. Meanwhile, defensively we are a mess with our full backs desperately in need of protection. The dilemma, again, is how to mix the ingredients to come up with a perfect dish.
It doesn't matter what combination I come up with, I see major problems. Against a team as strong as Manchester United, the logical thing to do is to offer protection to the back four. That means picking Faubert in front of Spector to try to cut off the supply route down the right hand side of our defence and Collison on the left ahead of Stanislas, with Jack told to protect Ilunga as his first priority. But if we do that, who will score? Stick with a centre midfield of Parker and Kovac and I can't see us creating enough openings. Who will run beyond Franco? It would only be Hines, and Ferguson is savvy enough to combat that!
Somehow we have to get Diamanti into the team in my opinion. Then we can seek freekicks outside the box and hope to net in this way. That means pressing Parker back into the anchor role in midfield again in my opinion. My side would actually revert to 4-1-4-1 and would set up as follows: Green - Spector, Da Costa, Gabbidon, Ilunga - Parker - Faubert, Diamanti, Collison, Stanislas - Franco. The idea would be to use Stanislas and Collison to spring beyond Franco, with Diamanti pinging the passes. Faubert's main job would be to screen Spector. I would then have Dyer and Hines on the bench ready to input pace when the Manchester defence tires.
Will it work? You tell me!
7 comments:
HF, I have reservations about going 1up top as our dopy lot then usually spend 90 min defending. Let's go Hines and Franco with the general coming deep.
How about we have Diamanti on the right? That will allow him to cut in on his right side and Evra's wrong and use that wand to shoot or cross.
Put Stan on the left and Parker with Collison in the middle. Collison would have to be more defensively disciplined than usual though.
My team's probably quite attacking but we may as well give ourselves a chance. Maybe get a goal then revert.
Although I do think Zola will use Diamanti and Dyer from the bench, chucking Kovac in from the start to break up the play.
I can't wait!
If we play Diamanti on the right there will be no defensive cover for the right back - Giggs and Rooney will have a field day! Kovac to break up play? Break up our play you mean? I hope you are wrong mate! If he picks your team, my money would be on a 3-0 win for the Mancs!
No word on Diamanti even being able for selection is there?
Hope he is, and Dyer also, then maybe we could see how much Neville has left in his tank.
I have read that he has returned to fitness. Whether or not he is fit to play may be a different matter based on Dyer!
Attack! Attack!
I reckon we should go 4-3-3 today.
All we need to do is find another striker...
Bollocks.
Jiminez?
Sorry still drunk. Will be sober by 5pm...
Then again...
LOL Fonzie, drink enough and you may not see what happens! I forgot about Owen, he is a cert to score isn't he, West Ham's defence is the official Michael Owen Charity!
HF, I'm not saying I'd play Kovac, Zola may.
I know he's not going to pick me team. He will go more defensive, probably not far off yours. Thing is, we'll still lose.
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