Tactically Utterly Inept

[Last train to Newbury]

A big headline. So, let me state my credentials. I have coached youth football for 4 years, from U7 up to U10. I am an FA qualified coach. Impressive huh? Hmmmm. On top of that, I've been watching football - no, studying football - avidly, everywhere and anywhere, for 37 years. From the Stoke "glory years" of the early 70s as a nipper on my Dad's shoulders, via any local pitch on any spare weekend or evening, to my two sons' beloved Spurs through recent times. Impressive huh? Hmmmm. Well, not really either, but that last bit makes sort of gives me the right to comment (if only as a "shareholder").

What the hell was that team selection last night? Was Ramos doing the team selection with a blindfold using folded pieces of paper? Honestly, I really really want to trust him, and let me make clear that whatever happens on the pitch does not alter one iota our feelings for Spurs (a club is for life, no divorce, period), but I finally fell about laughing when I saw our team-sheet last night.

I remember John Beck's Cambridge United, the Crazy Gang, George Graham's Arsenal, even McClaren's England or Ardiles' Spurs and somewhere, if I scratch my head and really try to put myself in their shoes, I can somehow sort of see what they were trying to achieve (ok, maybe not McClaren), even if I hated the aesthetic. Yet last night was the most fascinatingly grotesque, inept, unfathomable team selection I have witnessed in any part of this daft, beautiful game.

I heard once that Ramos famously subbed a player in his time in Spain without replacing him - to make the remaining 10 try harder. Well, that was sane. Last night was madness.

We're playing youthful, effervescent Aston Villa. Organised by an astute (if somewhat verbose) manager. They have pace to burn. They have Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor. They have a very fine central midfield heartbeat too. But, on the plus side, their fullbacks are questionable and their midfield looks a bit lopsided. Psychologically, the last time they came here they through away a big lead. Oh, and we're playing at home and need a win. So, what do we do? We:

Stifle the simply wonderful Bale by playing a lightweight out of position in front of him.

Select a worthy but ponderous centre back, whose tackling and turning is known to be hugely suspect. His judgement simply crap. Against that pace.

Throw in a right back making his debut, when actually he's a very passable centre back with outstanding heading abilities (see above). Against those runners and points of attack.

Put the slow, thoughtful, "give me a few seconds to pick the killer pass" Mr Hudd (turning circle and speed of an oil tanker) in the centre of the pitch. Against that energy.

Put Didier Zokora with him, who can't pass for toffee, so even if he breaks up play, he gives it straight back rather than to the creative Mr Hudd (see above). Opposite Gareth Barry.

Play Darren Bent with the new multi-million pound new signing we are presumably looking to motivate. A man who spent the summer playing international football of Arshavin.

Leave GDS on the bench (see point about Bale).

Drop Gunter completely (see points about youthful, effervescent Villa, and Corluka above).

Play Modric completely out of position (see points about Mr Hudd, Zokora or Bale above).

Leave Jenas on the bench (don't dare criticise him, his importance to THIS team cannot be overstated - see performance when forced on due to injury upsetting Plan A. If you choose to pick on him, you are completely deluded about the quality of the rest).

I haven't even mentioned Bentley, who seems to be dividing so much opinion but mark my words is a very fine player.

Now, the selection above is insanity - it's not even GCSE tactics - but to then throw in the fact a completely different team got a very creditable point a Chelsea, that we are trying to find a settled system (the season has STARTED), that we're getting the players used to one another etc - well, it defies belief.

I bet Martin O'Neill rubbed his eyes, rubbed them again, then feel about laughing when he saw Ramos' team-sheet. Then he would have put a friendly, encouraging arm around Young, Agbonlahor, Barry, even bloody Reo-Coker and said "it's your game tonight, boys".

I hope I'm wrong, but something's badly wrong. Our loss ratio under Ramos is woeful, our summer "business" was woeful (boy oh boy how our brinkmanship backfired), but last night's team and tactics - for me - were the scariest thing yet.

So I say finally "in Ramos we trust" only because, in times of extreme desperation, religion and blind faith always flourish.

[Liquidator]

Good work, mate.

Let's all offer up a prayer to Bill Nicholson.



and
COYS!

[SpursMadDave]

I quite agree with all you said, but even with the best will in the world and a more sensible starting 11 and formation, the team just didnt look 'up' for it... I have been struggling to think of a more inept performance in recent memory, nearest i can think of is Teddys last game when we lost 4-0 at home to Blackburn....

[mil1lion]

Theres no doubt that Ramos was looking ahead to Thursday night. He did the same with Sevilla and they lost League games because of it. They still done well in the League in the end though. But it does baffle me that, in a game thats much tougher, and at the moment more important, than the UEFA Cup game, that Ramos made several changes.

I wasn't totally aganst the starting line up at first though. Modric played out on the left for Zagreb, so it didn't surprise me to see him there. I could understand why Lennon was picked ahead of Bentley, to deal with the pace of Young. Huddlestone had a poor performance but i wouldn't have expected that from him at home. He would have been perfect for keeping possession and feeding balls to Bent and Pavyluchenko. But unfortunately he was shown up in midfield when he came up against the quick and vibrant Villa midfield. And Zokora went missing as usual which didn't help at all. So that area of the field i was most surprised with. I would have expected Jenas to start. And i would have prefered Dawson on thursday night and King last night. But all in all, i would never have expected all of our players to play so poorly at home.

Anyway, anyone else wish we had signed Gareth Barry now? I thought £18m was a bit too steep but after that display, he would be well worth it. Doubt he would leave Villa for Spurs though.

[ethanedwards]

Great post, didn't see the game ,thankfully, but when I heard the team selection MON must have been thinking Christmas came early.

[StokeSpur]

I'm dissapointed with Ramos's choice of system and line up last night, i think he got it badley wrong.

I wish Ramos would have played the same 11 as he did v Chavski and wish he would play that team week in week out and add players as needed when injury's occur. We are not ready to swap and change systems and player positions yet, we need a settled 1st 11 first and give them a good long run.

[penfold_99]

The only thing that was worse than the performance on the pitch was the lack lustre support from the crowd.

The atmosphere should have been intimidating for villa but you could here a pin drop and when it was noisy we out sung by the away fans.

The crowd have to take some responsibility as a good atmosphere will lift the team that are a bit ropey but last night there was no atmosphere.

[Spursnut]

Why cant we just pick our best team for every game? I am not a big fan of this rotation thing and it proved the downfall last night. I believe that if all our best players are fit then they should play. The only reason they should be dropped is if they are tired or out of form or injured. The game against Chelsea was proof that we can compete with the best and I have no doubt that if that same team played last night we would have done a lot better.

Please Ramos pick the best team possible for every game. Our squad simply isnt good enough to make 4-5 changes every game.

[padgateyids]

We need a settled 11. everygame so far we have changed foramtion at least three times.
Foir a new side how are they ever going to get an understanding between each other.
We have gone for versatile players but no-one has a clue what there tole is in the team. Start with the basics and build up to more comlicated roles not throwing players in to any old position.

[riversmonkey]

The difference is that Villa players knew their roles, ours didn't.

Most successful teams 'pick themselves', I honestly couldn't name our most effective starting midfield and neither can our manager.

[infamousyiddo]

that first 25 mins last night was possibly the WORST i have seen since watching spurs, i cannot remember a poorer half of football from us

[tomo]

Really good article. I was also at the game last night and was actually pretty shocked at how bad we were.

Nothing else to say, just hope we get a result against Krakow.

[kernowspur]

Good article. Great to see that some on here recognise the importance of JJ to the team. He is the one player who we really miss when he is not in the starting eleven.

[Stoof]

I said to the guys in the pub after the game last night that at least with other managers and different squads you could kind of twist your body and squint at the team and have that Eureka! moment when you realise exactly what he/she/it was trying to achieve with a formation and particular set of players.

I have always struggled to see that with Ramos.

This whole Bentley on the left, Lennon on the right thing gets me too. Surely everyone can see that just isn't the way to play them. Unless, ultimately his plan is for Bentley to sit behind the on-rushing Bale? [I've just this minute thought of that]

But generally, I'm baffled - and it's never been so baffling as it has been this season.

I've never heard all disgruntled fans singing the same "the selection isn't right" hymn. I used to argue with people when Jol would put Lennon on the left, but now I bet a thousand of you would sooner he played on the left and Bentley on the right. Or better still Giovani on the left (as a left winger) and Bentley or Lennon (as right wingers) on the right.

Who knows. I'm babbling. But I agree with some bits, disagree with others. I'm not sure you necessarily need more qualifications or attributes than a pair of eyes and a ticket to the game to notice that something isn't smelling quite right.

[spursfan1991]

This is what the team should be.

GK: Gomes
Lb: bale
cb: king
cb: woodgate
rb: corluka
rm:bentley
dm: zokora
cm: modric (if he doesn't perform, then replace him with jenas)
lm:gio
st: pav
st: bent


^^^ Not one player is playing out of position there. They have all been purchased because they performed really well for their respective clubs in those positions.

Last night, only 1 player started out playing out of position and that was Modric. Then when he went off, don't think anyone new what they were doing. Bentley is not a left winger and he does not have the pace to do a job their.

Lennon was our stand out player last night but even his end product let him down too often.

[kcmei]

i think we should revert to a traditional 4-4-2 english style first before trying out this fluid system of attack. This would suit bentley and bale very well.

[Bobishism]

You tarnish us with your stupidity and fickleness. Go hang.

[rygooda]

this is my 1st post..all im gonna say is formation is wrong and bentley is this seasons bent..over rated sh*t..those of u saying he should be in the team..simple question..y'd u think that?ave u not been watching the games?lennon on the right.he's been r best player especially last night he tore villa apart!were all entitled 2 r own say...
gomes
gunter(hutton wen fit) king woodgate bale
lennon hudds jenas modric
pav dos santos

desperate 4 another forward..then take jenas out unless he improves.cos at times he can look quality..most of time under performing..

[ricardo_archibald]

Supporting Tottenham is like a football version of 'Ground Hog Day', wake up new season, new manager, new team, listen to endless talk about breaking the top 4, play season, win some games, lose some games, get frustrated, get excited, realize in the first week that we are not top 4 material, at the end of the season our best players get frustrated and leave for 'better' teams.....next year, wake up new season, new manager, new team, listen to endless talk about breaking the top 4, play season, win some games, lose some games, get frustrated, get excited, realize in the first week that we are not top 4 material, at the end of the season our best players get frustrated and leave for 'better' teams. ....and so it goes on. ....and so it goes on !

Now I wouldn't mind if there's progress and I really felt like there was some progress this year with our purchases, but our results recently have just taken me back to the beginning of last season again and if this continues we will surely lose any of our good players again and we will have to build a new team yet again.

We are trying hard to build a great team but until we start getting the results this vicious circle will just go on and on !

[Spursfect]

I said to the guys in the pub after the game last night that at least with other managers and different squads you could kind of twist your body and squint at the team and have that Eureka! moment when you realise exactly what he/she/it was trying to achieve with a formation and particular set of players.

I have always struggled to see that with Ramos.

This whole Bentley on the left, Lennon on the right thing gets me too. Surely everyone can see that just isn't the way to play them. Unless, ultimately his plan is for Bentley to sit behind the on-rushing Bale? [I've just this minute thought of that]

But generally, I'm baffled - and it's never been so baffling as it has been this season.

I've never heard all disgruntled fans singing the same "the selection isn't right" hymn. I used to argue with people when Jol would put Lennon on the left, but now I bet a thousand of you would sooner he played on the left and Bentley on the right. Or better still Giovani on the left (as a left winger) and Bentley or Lennon (as right wingers) on the right.

Who knows. I'm babbling. But I agree with some bits, disagree with others. I'm not sure you necessarily need more qualifications or attributes than a pair of eyes and a ticket to the game to notice that something isn't smelling quite right.


Stoof not trying to criticise your opinion just want to put an alternate view forward.

Gomes
Corluka Dawson, Woodgate Bale
Lennon Huddlestone Zokora Modric
Pavlyuchenko Bent

Subs: Cesar, Bentley, Giovani, Jenas, Campbell, O'Hara, Gilberto

On paper this team looked pretty solid. Tactically you could argue the middle pairing in midfield was not particularly pacey. However, the counterpoint to this could possibly have been to sit deep thus keeping the pace in front of them rather than getting in behind. Reo-Coker was playing wide right but is not a winger so the threat of him getting behind Bale was smaller than Young who is a wide player. Lennon can match him for pace. With Modric's quality you would have thought he could force Reo-Coker back into defensive areas where he was more comfortable.

Lennon attacking Shorey should have forced Young to defend more.

Dawson marks Carew with Agbonlahor being picked up by a combo of Woodgate and Zokora. Our two CM's should have allowed our players to stay wider and further up the field.

This could have worked IF our players turned up. The bottom line is they didn't.

Tactically this could have worked IF our players were up for the fight. The bottom line is they weren't.

We are always going on about the quality of squad, and I do believe it does have quality. What we do not have are fighters. Players who believe they have to earn the right to play.....not just turn up and expect teams to roll over and allow us to play pretty football.

We were at home and should have been able to get a result against a good, but not exceptional, Villa side. We were out-fought. Player for player they were not better than us, however mentally they were Champions League and were Conference South. This has been the case since CC final, our mentality has been poor. I thought Ramos was a disciplinarian.......maybe I was wrong because I do not see much discipline or passion in our players.

COYS turn it around show us you care

[Stoof]

It's a good post there, Spursfect, I'm just never convinced that our worst central midfield pairing (win-to-loss-ratio-wise) is ever going to work.

We have a lot of "1/3 of a midfield 3" midfielders and we persist in trying to get them to be "1/2 of a midfield 2" - except for the odd occasion when one steps up, I don't think we do ourselves any favours.

We looked so much more comfortable at Chelsea with Zokora mopping behind two. I've never been more convinced that this system will work after watching our midfield permanently bypassed last night. For a late ticket as well, I had a great view of the game, right in the Paxton-Shelf corner at the back. Not suggesting "my view was better than yours" more like "my view was better than I thought it was going to be". :lol:

[Spursfect]

Stoof,

Have to confess more of an armchair fan, so I'm pretty sure your view was better than mine.

I do not disagree with your sentiments at all, I was just tring to give an alternate view. I am not a rose-tinted supporter, but I am a supporter.

We all have differing opinions of who is good/not good enough etc and that is good for discussion. However the one thing we can all agree on is whoever goes out in a Spurs shirt must play with the passion and commitment we, as fans, require allied with their ability. What I saw yesterday was a lack of commitment and fight. There was no will to win allied with very little discipline. We are bottom of the league and surely we are better than that, no matter what team we put out.

[BringBack_leGin]

i have a wonderful view. west stand upper tier, block 5 and right on the aise. in line with the halfway line basically. 5 rows down would be perfect but i see everything from where i am. and what do i have a perfect view of exactly? SHIT.

I am not the most depressed I have ever been, that wasn't the worst performance i've ever seen, and it can only get better. But what the hell? The time for excuses is over. Ramos needs to show some bottle, grab the team by its scruff and make sure that the next time they play, they each know exactly what their position is, who they're mean to be covering, what passes they are meant to make etc etc.

I read tonight on Guilleme Balagues website that Capello's england drs reported to Spurs that Bentley is out of shape and heavy. Ok, I'll give Bentley more leway than I have been (I was anti-Bentley before he even signed, though I have tried to support him). Modric has just come from another league and has had a culture shock. Ok, patience with him as well. Bent has been useless but has somehow scored 1 in 2 so I can't really dismiss him. But those are just a few examples of our under performing players.

The first thing that needs to be done is Ramos needs to decide on a core of players who start every game. The goalie is obviously one. Bale is gifted beyond the rest so he is one. Woodgate has to as well. The centre back partner? Who knows... King is unreliable with his fitness though he is the best centre back. Corluka is a good defender and has ability on the ball but lacks much cutting edge with his delivery, so I think he might be more suited to CB than RB. I would not let Dawson near the team. Then for right back, Hutton when fit should probably have a place regardless, but until then I have no qualms with Gunter. Let them play, let them gel. Otherwise we will be hapless for the whole season.

Now midfield. Some want 4, some want 5. Our one decent performance this season was with 5, so I am inclined to go that way. The core should remain the same throughout though. For me it has to be Jenas and Zokora all the way. Some of you might prefer Hudd, but I'm guessing those people didn't watch last night. Then in front of them, given that this is the only time he has actually looked decent for us, play Modric. Give the boy a position where he'll have more space to do things. He's clearly not yet tough enough for central midfield, and putting him on the wing merely weakens the wing.

Now, I would never hesitate to start Dos Santos on the left. He should be guaranteed a spot. I know he is raw, but he seems to be the only one with the inventiveness and confidence to do the unexpected. It helps to have someone like that in what is meant to be an attacking team. On the right, either Lennon or Bentley (when fit). We should never play them both in the same team, they are both RW's and nothing but. Right now I'd go with Lennon but I just don't want to see them polaying on the same pitch. It reduced both their contributions and makes two good players look poor.

Lastly, up front. Bent has two goals, though we all know that the second one was a fluke. He has not the ability to hold the up the ball, he does not move at all when withuot the ball and he is predictable in everything he does. Pavly may be new to the league, but he looks a far more aware and intelligent player.

A simple solution. 11 players, all playing in their positions, with cleary easy to understand roles. Maybe I'm playing too much fantasy football here, but, forgetting the cup game on thurs, this is how I'd fully hope Ramos elects to do things. We can't have a repeat of last nights clueless performances. Until ten games in I try not to judge how a season is going to go. Well if we beat the Poles and get some confidence to go into the league fixtures, up until, and including because it is a derby, the Arsenal game, we could and should expect 13 points minimum, perhaps 14 or 15, which would leave us with 14, 15 or 16 points from the first ten games. Mid table tally, but with good form going into the next ten. If we can end up with that return then I will seal my lips for a while and not comlain. Wigan, Hull, Stoke, Bolton, Portsmouth, Arsenal. Wigan Hull and Bolton all at home. Stoke away. Portsmouth Away should be no less than a point if we're serious about doing anything. And finally, the Arse away.

I have faith that the manager will get it right and at the end of october we'll be satisfied that we're performing well and within touching distance of europe. am i overly optimistic? Probably. Would there be a point in going if I wasn't? No,

[spiderniall]

dawson looked like a championship defender last night completely outdone for pace on several occasions, our best players were jenas and giovani they actually looked bothered. i say this all the time but square pegs in round holes doesnt work
bentley is rw play him rw, jenas is a cm and modric is an am gunter should of player rb and corluka cb the back for would of been alot more solid. its all getting a bit frustrating as usual for spurs fans, being the usual laugh of the league, all i could hear last night in the pub were villa and other supporters laughing at the fact we'd spent millions and couldnt get a result against villa at home!

[WhiteHart4Ever]

Man, what a load of cr*p. You've just slashed the manager for selecting anyone at all from the current squad. Who do you want to play with? The injured King alone at the back, Jenas, Gio and - possibly, only possibly - Bentley in midfield and new signing Roman (with 1 f*cking training session with the club under his belt) as the sole striker. In the 5 games in 10 days or whatever ahead of us? Give me a break. During this period, Bent - our top scorer in pre season (and PL), Modric, Hudd, Zokora, Dawson, Corluka etc. must play some part either you like it or not.

Some fans will just be negative anyways, and you seem to dislike pretty much everyone at the club....


(Sorry, I know I'm reading selectively and taking some of your comments out of context. You are much more balanced than it seems in my comment. However, you are one of many who seems to me to just be negative against most things this club does (after a loss), and right now it pisses me off..)

[WhiteHart4Ever]

i have a wonderful view. west stand upper tier, block 5 and right on the aise. in line with the halfway line basically. 5 rows down would be perfect but i see everything from where i am. and what do i have a perfect view of exactly? SHIT.

I am not the most depressed I have ever been, that wasn't the worst performance i've ever seen, and it can only get better. But what the hell? The time for excuses is over. Ramos needs to show some bottle, grab the team by its scruff and make sure that the next time they play, they each know exactly what their position is, who they're mean to be covering, what passes they are meant to make etc etc.

I read tonight on Guilleme Balagues website that Capello's england drs reported to Spurs that Bentley is out of shape and heavy. Ok, I'll give Bentley more leway than I have been (I was anti-Bentley before he even signed, though I have tried to support him). Modric has just come from another league and has had a culture shock. Ok, patience with him as well. Bent has been useless but has somehow scored 1 in 2 so I can't really dismiss him. But those are just a few examples of our under performing players.

The first thing that needs to be done is Ramos needs to decide on a core of players who start every game. The goalie is obviously one. Bale is gifted beyond the rest so he is one. Woodgate has to as well. The centre back partner? Who knows... King is unreliable with his fitness though he is the best centre back. Corluka is a good defender and has ability on the ball but lacks much cutting edge with his delivery, so I think he might be more suited to CB than RB. I would not let Dawson near the team. Then for right back, Hutton when fit should probably have a place regardless, but until then I have no qualms with Gunter. Let them play, let them gel. Otherwise we will be hapless for the whole season.

Now midfield. Some want 4, some want 5. Our one decent performance this season was with 5, so I am inclined to go that way. The core should remain the same throughout though. For me it has to be Jenas and Zokora all the way. Some of you might prefer Hudd, but I'm guessing those people didn't watch last night. Then in front of them, given that this is the only time he has actually looked decent for us, play Modric. Give the boy a position where he'll have more space to do things. He's clearly not yet tough enough for central midfield, and putting him on the wing merely weakens the wing.

Now, I would never hesitate to start Dos Santos on the left. He should be guaranteed a spot. I know he is raw, but he seems to be the only one with the inventiveness and confidence to do the unexpected. It helps to have someone like that in what is meant to be an attacking team. On the right, either Lennon or Bentley (when fit). We should never play them both in the same team, they are both RW's and nothing but. Right now I'd go with Lennon but I just don't want to see them polaying on the same pitch. It reduced both their contributions and makes two good players look poor.

Lastly, up front. Bent has two goals, though we all know that the second one was a fluke. He has not the ability to hold the up the ball, he does not move at all when withuot the ball and he is predictable in everything he does. Pavly may be new to the league, but he looks a far more aware and intelligent player.

A simple solution. 11 players, all playing in their positions, with cleary easy to understand roles. Maybe I'm playing too much fantasy football here, but, forgetting the cup game on thurs, this is how I'd fully hope Ramos elects to do things. We can't have a repeat of last nights clueless performances. Until ten games in I try not to judge how a season is going to go. Well if we beat the Poles and get some confidence to go into the league fixtures, up until, and including because it is a derby, the Arsenal game, we could and should expect 13 points minimum, perhaps 14 or 15, which would leave us with 14, 15 or 16 points from the first ten games. Mid table tally, but with good form going into the next ten. If we can end up with that return then I will seal my lips for a while and not comlain. Wigan, Hull, Stoke, Bolton, Portsmouth, Arsenal. Wigan Hull and Bolton all at home. Stoke away. Portsmouth Away should be no less than a point if we're serious about doing anything. And finally, the Arse away.

I have faith that the manager will get it right and at the end of october we'll be satisfied that we're performing well and within touching distance of europe. am i overly optimistic? Probably. Would there be a point in going if I wasn't? No,

Good, balanced post there, mate, and I agree with most of what you are saying.

However, while I was unable to catch the game vs. Chelsea (wedding, disaster!), we did play a very dysfunctional 4-5-1 formation against Sunderland at home. The one difference, of course, being Bentley in the middle, and not Modric. I'm still not entirely convinced that neither Bent nor Roman fits the bill of a lonely striker. I do, though, like the thought of two out of GDS, Lennon and Campbell using their pace playing off them.

IF we go for a 4-4-2 it has to be Bentley on the right for me.

[Woody10]

I honestly believe the reason for our awful defending and lack of play up front is our central midfield!!

We all talk about the top 4 and how we want to break into it, Man u - Carrick - Chelsea - Lampard and Essien - Arse - Fatbigass - Liverpool - Gerrard and Mascarano!

Spurs - Zokora or Huddlestone?!?!?!?!

I like Jenas think he works his socks off and does get box to box! But the other two are not the standard we need! Im not counting Modric cuz not only is he new but is an out and out attacking midfielder! Should be used like Croatia use him!!

We defo need to get zokora and hudd out and start spending the ridiculous money we do spend on some quality central midfielders!! All good teams and i mean ALL good teams have a strong backbone to there side! we do not!
Compare!! Gomes - Woodgate - Zokora - Pav

Sar - Rio - Carrick - Berbatov

Cech - Terry - Essien - Drogba

Almunia - Gallas - Fatbigass - Adabeyor

Think you'll agree the one that lets us down is the 3rd one!! Good keeper, good defenders(when fit) good striker(hopefully) but nothing strong in the middle!!

Strong, tough, box to box midfielders, not headless Zokora and cant move hudd!!
We need to dominate teams and the only way to do that is with the midfield!!

[jenko]

My team for Krakow and wigan for that matter :-

Gomes
Gunter Woody King/Corluka Ekotto
Bently Jenas Zoko Bale
Modric
Bent

Subs :- Corluka, Hudd, Pav, Cesar, Lennon, O'hara, Daws

[gloryglory]

I agree with lots of people that this squad isn't suited to 4-4-2. Modric will most likely only help us as part of a central midfield three, and Jenas is essential too, but a defensive midfielder is needed as well, so Zokora has to play because he's now, shockingly, the only one we've got. Meanwhile, there's no reason to play two strikers together and have none on the bench - the extra man in midfield would be far more useful against teams who usually, frankly, have better midfielders than us.

As for the wide players - I don't agree that Bentley is only a right midfielder. I've seen him play brilliantly on the left and as a support striker. I may be the polar opposite of BBlG, but I've always hugely rated Bentley - I remember watching him for the U21s years ago and not seeing why he wasn't rated in the same class as Rooney. He can pass, cross and shoot with both feet, he can beat a man, and he's unpredictable. I'm happy to accommodate him on the left and Lennon on the right, though I'd rather drop Lennon and start Bentley and GDS on Thursday.

I'm tired of Lennon's lack of end product. I don't know what game others were watching when they said Lennon was our best player on Monday, but he didn't make a pass or cross that counted all day long. Sick of it. If Ramos is the coach he's meant to be, let's see Lennon rest a while and come back as a useful player.

[Sputic]

I'm sure Dos Santos mostly played on the right of a front three for Barcelona, and not as a left midfielder. So why is this all of a sudden his 'natural' position? Because he is left-footed? Many wingers/fullbacks were more at home playing on the left with a right foot or on the right with a left foot than vice versa. and indeed I think in the long term Lennon may fall into that category too (not Bentley though).

I don't think Ramos got it right on Monday and indeed I think he's got it wrong more often than right since he arrived. But some of the comments on here are so over-simplified it's untrue.

[JuanRebelde]

I'm sure Dos Santos mostly played on the right of a front three for Barcelona, and not as a left midfielder. So why is this all of a sudden his 'natural' position? Because he is left-footed?

You're right that he did play mostly on the right (or in the centre behind the strikers) at barca but this was because he was worthy of a place in the side, couldn't dislodge any of Messi, Henry, Ronaldinho but could compete with Borjan on the right. However, his natural position is as left winger or behind the strikers. He even admits it himself.

[BringBack_leGin]

GDS played for Barca mainly when Messi was injured, hence he played mainly on the right for them in Messi's position, because Rijkaard likes to have players playing wide on their wrong foot so that they could cut in and play through balls to oncoming midfielders and fast forwards. But At his best, giovani was a left winger at barca's youth level and a striker at mexico's youth level. That is where he mesmerised most.

In fact, his best ever game for Barca was as a central midfielder in a 433, playing the deco role in his last game, from which he scored a hatrick.

[danielneeds]

Can everyone on this post please get over the obsession with playing a left footed player on the left wing? As long as the player has an overlapping fullback, then its not always neccessary to have an out an out winger.

Just some of a long list of players who play/played on a flank on which their strongest foot mean't cutting inside:
Ashley Young
Leo Messi
Ronaldinho
Robert Pires
Marc Overmars
Joe Cole

And there are many more. Gio doesn't want to play on the left, his game is not based upon getting down the wing and getting in crosses, it is cutting inside, playing one-twos, or beating a man and driving into the box.

I suspect whole point of Modric, Bentley, Lennon, whoever on the left, is tucking inside and creating space for Bale to overlap and unleash his attacking qualities. Granted it has not worked well so far, but there have been so many over problems with our line up it has been hard to assess.