Obviously I'm only suggesting this because he's also a Yank, but I think Clint Dempsey would be a great player to add to the squad. He is very versatile, and can play as a center-mid, as a withdrawn forward, or on the (right) wing. At his best, he'll be a more direct alternative to VDV, which I think suits us in certain games. He also has a relatively clean injury history, and only has a year left on his contract, so Fulham may be forced to sell.
I'm also a fan of his teammate Brayan Ruiz, who we were apparently after last season. I admittedly haven't seen too much of him, but he seems to have a Berbatov-esque touch on the ball.
I can see us trying to sign Ferdinand again.
Don't forget, everyone will be playing 3-4-3 next season (don't fight it baby. Everyone's doing it. You know you want to.) and I seriously doubt we'll be any different. So we probably do need another centre-half.
3-4-3 is a good counter for 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 but 3-5-2 could better 3-4-3 so I guess you are right, another CB is necessary.
3-4-3 is a good counter for 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 but 3-5-2 could better 3-4-3 so I guess you are right, another CB is necessary.
God bless you for trying to rationalise it, but I just reckon every other fucker is, so we will. Bobby Martin has done well with it and when Neil Lennon copies a formation you know it's as good as mainstream. Next year will be the year of 3-4-3. It'll be interesting to see who cracks it first/best.
That is how it always goes though, a new formation comes in to counter a used formation. First one team is the catalyst changing to a system and having success with it, then other teams follow suit until teams that aren't playing in that way look foolish (ala us when we play 442 because the midfield gets completely over-run by a modern 433). Then once all of the teams are playing the same way you are back to square one where it is simply a matter of which team has the best players/most experience/best coached.
4-3-3 has clearly worked in the modern football and especially in the premiership because it can over-power the midfield versus 4-4-2 and with the wide forwards cutting in it causes problems for centre backs, who now suddenly have to face both a central striker and likely two tricky wide men cutting in from deeper position completely disrupting the defensive line. The full backs can't really follow them as the opposition fullbacks usually get so high in that system as the central midfield can cover. That is where the 3 centre backs come in with a 3-4-3, as they can instead have one central defender picking up the oppositions forwards without worrying about breaking the defensive line.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a lot of teams go 3 at the back to try to stop the teams who play 4-3-3 and maybe it will mean some of the smaller teams will have more success. A team will try 3-5-2 next season and do well with it against a 3-4-3 as you have the advantages of defending against the 3 forwards, still having 3 central midfielders to dominate the centre of the park, can play two pacy wide men who will have a bit more freedom than in a 4-3-3 and cause problems to the 3 man defence and may see the return of a true striking partnership where the strikers work in tandem to set create space for each other and play off each other. 3-4-3 may be a good move but 3-5-2 could change the game for a team willing to do it.
Barca have been playing 3-4-3 a lot this season haven't they? Sometimes with only one real defender (they've definitely played Busquets, Puyol, Mascherano at least once).
Do you not think that he provides a bit of general thuggery and for want of a better word, a certain "Englishness", that balances their team well?And Puyol can't be classed as a real defender. Barca have done well in spite of having him in defence.