If we want to progress...

[TwoSaintsComeMarching]

then we need to wise up and play two dynamic, defensive midfielders in both legs from now on in.

Gomes
Corluka Gallas Dawson Ekotto
Sandro Palacios
VDV ... Modric ... Bale
Crouch​

We'll win the Champions League with that team.

COYFS!!!

EDIT: ofcourse Thudd takes Palacios' place when fit.

 

[kaz Hirai]

then we need to wise up and play two dynamic, defensive midfielders in both legs from now on in.

Gomes
Corluka Gallas Dawson Ekotto
Sandro Palacios
VDV ... Modric ... Bale
Crouch​

We'll win the Champions League with that team.

COYFS!!!

disagree.

depends who we play, if its united or chelsea then we play the way we normally play, even a 4-4-2 at home if need be

 

[TwoSaintsComeMarching]

disagree.

depends who we play, if its united or chelsea then we play the way we normally play, even a 4-4-2 at home if need be

Here on in, it doesnt matter who we play. Every single team is a top top top side. We had 38% possession today FFS. Not good enough if we want to win it.

And I want to win it. So fucking bad!!!

COYFS!!!!

 

[Kendall]

I don't think there's a strict rule, but we definitely rode our luck in midfield today. Milan probably should've scored 2 or 3. Our possession stats were a joke and Modric in the middle again shows huge weakness.

No top team plays with a 4 man midfield with 2 wingers and an attacking midfielder. Not one, that's because it's largely suicide.

 

[Mr Pink]

Lennon is in my starting line up for sure....

 

[kaz Hirai]

we battered chelsea playing 4-4-2 last season, man u had to park the bus this season and we didnt play 2 defensive midfield players, premiere league teams at home are different and i wouldnt be horrified to see us play lennon--modric-sandro--bale and VDV in midfield against chelsea and united, maybe less so at the bridge or old trafford

but yeah any of the non prem sides, definately 2 sitting defensive players, and if we get barca well a 6-5-0 formation would be preferable :lol:

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Modric and VDV both had an off day. The latter was clearly not match fit, probably down to wrapping him in too much cotton wool lately. The former always seems to take a few games to get back up to speed after an injury.

We schooled the Champions of Europe with barely a threat to our goal all game with an even more open line up because it had Bale instead of Pienaar playing.

Also, even if we rode our luck, how many goals exactly did we concede today? Oh, right.

Just be happy that we're in the quarters, how anybody can not be completely bananas with joy right now is beyond me.

 

[TwoSaintsComeMarching]

Lennon is in my starting line up for sure....

Who would you leave out? Modric, VDV or Bale? My fuckin god dont say Palacios/Thudd or Sandro!!!

 

[Stavrogin]

Other factors to consider though...

Milan played excellently.

We gave the ball away abnormally frequently. They don't do groan inducing turnovers as a stat. Lucky, it wouldn't make pretty reading.

It's not suicidal to play the way we did today at all. The problem is that when you play against a team that floods the midfield, you have to play well, you have to keep the ball and push forward. It didn't happen for the reasons above. But it could have done. And when it does our style can be an advantage against these 'savvier' teams.

 

[Mr Pink]

I wouldn't say Milan were excellent...they played well to a point but they lacked a cutting edge in the final third and in and around our box.

 

[TwoSaintsComeMarching]

Other factors to consider though...

Milan played excellently.

We gave the ball away abnormally frequently. They don't do groan inducing turnovers as a stat. Lucky, it wouldn't make pretty reading.

It's not suicidal to play the way we did today at all. The problem is that when you play against a team that floods the midfield, you have to play well, you have to keep the ball and push forward. It didn't happen for the reasons above. But it could have done. And when it does our style can be an advantage against these 'savvier' teams.

We're not Barca. We cant play keep-the-ball like they do. When the other team floods the midfield you need Sandro and Palacios/Thudd there to press, win the ball, and then play the simple ball out wide to Bale/Lennon.

 

[jurgen]

Thudd isn't a dynamic defensive midfielder though??? I love Hudd BTW.

Is starting negative threads within minutes of huge Spurs successes the new trending on Twitter like Sandro "Say My Name Bitch" Ranieri?

 

[TwoSaintsComeMarching]

Thudd isn't a dynamic defensive midfielder though??? I love Hudd BTW.

Is starting negative threads within minutes of huge Spurs successes the new trending on Twitter like Sandro "Say My Name Bitch" Ranieri?

How is this thread negative? Its merely a thread contemplating tactics that might help us win the competition. If you perceive that as "negative" then you're just a small time twit. Get with the plot dude.

 

[AngerManagement]

I don't think today is any real reflection of us as a team.

The lads were clearly nervous and hell bent on not conceding, I mean when we attacked we committed no one forward and went for the low risk (but also low probability of success) high ball into Crouch nearly every time.

When Milan had the ball we just sat back deep and never pressed them at all, our right and left midfielders were nearly always in touching distance of our full backs and Sandro was almost a 3rd centre back when Milan had the ball.

I was surprised we never took the game to Milan, lacked the confidence to go for the kill and win the game rather than sit back and not lose what we had.

To be fair to Milan they took the game buy the scruff of the neck and played some nice fast passing stuff (without really creating a great deal) although I can't help but feel they did so because we allowed them to do so so long as they were outside our box.

I think we were just nervous, this is the biggest game most of our squad had ever been involved in (I also think the way Boateng and co were diving and winning dangerous free kicks every time there was the slightest contact effected our decision to sit back on not commit...make them try to win the game)

Sandro was immense, by far and away the best player on the pitch...but I think everyone did a job and people are harsh to say we were shit, or lucky or whatever.

Ok it wasn't great to watch and we have been spoiled with great football at the lane, but tonight was the type of performance that saw teams like Liverpool and Porto win the competition in recent years and while it wasn't pretty it got the job done (would you rather we had took the game and ended up playing great stuff but losing 2-1?)

A professional job was done, we had something to protect and we succeeded in doing so. In truth Milan created very little and there was only 2-3 times over the course of 90mins when they came close to scoring (we ourselves had shouts for penalties and as many close calls infront of goal as they did, even with such little possession)

Stats don't tell the whole story either, yes the had a lot of the ball but for the most part it was in non threatening areas infront of our wall of meshed defence/midfield and they were afforded the lions share of possesion by us who were happy to give it to them so long as they were out of range.

Not the type of game we all wanted, or expected but the job was done and we got through, that is all that matters....roll on the next round.

 

[StartingPrice]

Modric and VDV both had an off day. The latter was clearly not match fit, probably down to wrapping him in too much cotton wool lately. The former always seems to take a few games to get back up to speed after an injury.

We schooled the Champions of Europe with barely a threat to our goal all game with an even more open line up because it had Bale instead of Pienaar playing.

Also, even if we rode our luck, how many goals exactly did we concede today? Oh, right.

Just be happy that we're in the quarters, how anybody can not be completely bananas with joy right now is beyond me.

BBLG is being a bit provocative, I think, but I do have to agree with his general gist:grin: (General Gist, maybe a relative of Sergeant Wilson:shrug.

Other factors to consider though...

Milan played excellently.

We gave the ball away abnormally frequently. They don't do groan inducing turnovers as a stat. Lucky, it wouldn't make pretty reading.

It's not suicidal to play the way we did today at all. The problem is that when you play against a team that floods the midfield, you have to play well, you have to keep the ball and push forward. It didn't happen for the reasons above. But it could have done. And when it does our style can be an advantage against these 'savvier' teams.

And largely with this - whether Milan played excellently, but we contained them so effectively that they looked lacking a cutting edge, or whether we were not that good, but forunately they lacked a cutting edge is, I believe, the big question. I am going for the former.

TwoSaints, my old friend, the concern I would have is that it is precisely the fact that we are prepared to play with two out-and-out wingers with blistering pace that scares so many of these top teams (who utilise the formation you are suggesting we adopt) shitless. Adopting their formation at the expense of one (at least) of our wingers, and our whole tactical approach would lose our primary tactical advantage, and put us on a par with them, only (probably) not quite as good.

 

[TwoSaintsComeMarching]

BBLG is being a bit provocative, I think, but I do have to agree with his general gist:grin: (General Gist, maybe a relative of Sergeant Wilson:shrug.




And largely with this - whether Milan played excellently, but we contained them so effectively that they looked lacking a cutting edge, or whether we were not that good, but forunately they lacked a cutting edge is, I believe, the big question. I am going for the former.

TwoSaints, my old friend, the concern I would have is that it is precisely the fact that we are prepared to play with two out-and-out wingers with blistering pace that scares so many of these top teams (who utilise the formation you are suggesting we adopt) shitless. Adopting their formation at the expense of one (at least) of our wingers, and our whole tactical approach would lose our primary tactical advantage, and put us on a par with them, only (probably) not quite as good.

Eek You called Bale a winger!! :wink::wink:

I agree with you SP, but for me it just has to be a solid base of Palacios/Thudd and Sandro with 3 of VDV, Modric, Bale and Lennon in front of them, dependant on who we play and tactics, etc.

So If you want to play with two wingers then you leave one of VDV or Modric out. I thin k if we want to win this competition we need to be a bit Mancini-esque with our team selections.

Keep it tight and nick it on the counter. IMO thats the only way we will beat the likes of Barca.

 

[StartingPrice]

1) Eek You called Bale a winger!! :wink::wink:

2) I agree with you SP, but for me it just has to be a solid base of Palacios/Thudd and Sandro with 3 of VDV, Modric, Bale and Lennon in front of them, dependant on who we play and tactics, etc.

So If you want to play with two wingers then you leave one of VDV or Modric out. I thin k if we want to win this competition we need to be a bit Mancini-esque with our team selections.

Keep it tight and nick it on the counter. IMO thats the only way we will beat the likes of Barca.

1) 'Arry again reiterated that Bale will move back to full-back, recently...but what would he know (not a lot according to some on here):razz:

2) Well, yeah, the problem with VDV, as stated almost from the word go, is that we have had to change a winning system in order to accomodate him, as he doesn't quite seem naturally suited to any more traditional one. I would hope that he is just a bit lethargic due to his recent injury and lack of match fitness, as he really is talismanic for us. But I absolutely would not be in favour excluding either Lennon or Modric on a regular basis...would rather play a conventional 4-4-2, with VDV on the bench, TBH.

I know this is getting away from your original point, and, in theory, I could see the attractions of THudd/Sandro, with Modric just ahead of them...but that would really mean replacing VDV with Modric, to my mind, as I would want to keep the pace on the flanks. But Modders just isn't prolific enough.

 

[brett.spurs]

If we played Barca then it'd have to be Lennon, Bale and Crouch - three out-balls because let's face it, we're not going to pass our way through them.

 

[kdspur]

if we had to play european final in morning i wud play

gomes

corluka king woody/gallas bale

sandro thudd

lennon vdv modric

crouch


unlucky on dawson kaboul and wilson but i wud fancy us against any team with that

 

[Locotoro]

we battered chelsea playing 4-4-2 last season...

hmmm....thats not necessarily true.

On paper it looked like a 4-4-2 because of the players we had on but if you watch it again you will notice when we lost possession Defoe was coming back and sticking right in front of their DMC to prevent him from dictating play. That left us 4 against 3 in the midfield which we exposed brilliantly.