Team for Stoke

[Kendall]

No way should JJ get back in the starting 11, on the bench definitely! He hasnt played for a good while, plus was completely lacking confidence before he got injured so he doesnt deserve to start.

Same team for me, is everyone forgetting how good Modric was last year against Stoke..........? Sometimes against the bruisers of the league it is a good idea to have an excellent playmaker in the middle. Do Man U change their team against Stoke and the like, of course they dont because they are confident in their ability as true footballers!

COYS!

They play with two solid midfielders.

 

[Kendall]

Pav' played a similar role to this in Euro 2008, with Arshavin in behind. He's not ideal for the role, but I'd suggest he's the best we have. I love Jay to bits, but IMO, there are still question marks over his all round game away from home.

Some question marks perhaps, but he's scored two away hat tricks this season, scored away at Bolton, away at Everton, at Birmingham, at West Ham, at Portsmouth, at Wigan....

 

[talkshowhost86]

They play with two solid midfielders.

I think the issue is that we don't have two solid midfielders though. I used to be a JJ fan (well not a fan...but you know I didn't want to wee on his grave or anything) but his few appearances this season have been pretty awful and I certainly don't think he'd bring any 'steel' to our midfield. In fact in his last performance I think a piece of cotton wool would have been more effective.

Obviously if Harry can get into him and make him put the effort in that has made him a good player for us in the past then fair enough...but I suspect his Tottenham race is run.

 

[Kendall]

He'll be fine with Wilson. It's proven fact. That is the midfield that dominated Chelsea last year and could do the same again.

Have ye eny faith?

 

[ChRiStOpHe]

Some question marks perhaps, but he's scored two away hat tricks this season, scored away at Bolton, away at Everton, at Birmingham, at West Ham, at Portsmouth, at Wigan....

You're right he did, and although I'm gunna sound fucking odd for saying it, I thought he poor in all but one of the games you've mentioned.

Against Leeds, one of his hat-trick games, he completely lacked the conviction and belief of the early-season Defoe (for example, the one who was phenomenal in his other away hat-trick game against Hull). I remember each and every game that you've noted well, and although he scored in every one, I remember thinking he was either quiet or off-colour in every game except the Hull one.

Some people are never happy, eh? :-D

 

[talkshowhost86]

He'll be fine with Wilson. It's proven fact. That is the midfield that dominated Chelsea last year and could do the same again.

Have ye eny faith?

Not in JJ no. He has spent many years slowly draining my faith. It's like believing in god but then your favourite pet gets killed by a bible falling on its head. Yes JJ may move in mysterious ways but more and more frequently that mysterious way appears to be sideways or in retreat.

 

[haxman]

Jenas should get nowhere near our side imo, we're settled, playing well, and winning games. Barring injuries, why change anything? I know Stoke will give us a physical game, but Jenas offers us nothing that we don't have already.

Just ask Roy Keane about changing a settled side.

 

[Kendall]

You're right he did, and although I'm gunna sound fucking odd for saying it, I thought he poor in all but one of the games you've mentioned.

Against Leeds, one of his hat-trick games, he completely lacked the conviction and belief of the early-season Defoe (for example, the one who was phenomenal in his other away hat-trick game against Hull). I remember each and every game that you've noted well, and although he scored in every one, I remember thinking he was either quiet or off-colour in every game except the Hull one.

Some people are never happy, eh? :-D

No, I understand exactly what you're saying. Away from home he is often quiet, but I think the Stoke game will be so tight that he needs to be on the pitch, because if he gets a chance he's likely to stick it away. This game could beall about a single goal and I'd back Defoe to get it, quiet performance or not.

 

[stemark44]

______________Gomes___________

Corluka___Dawson___Bassong___Bale

_________Kaboul___Palacios_______

Kranjcar____Gudjohnsen_____Modric

__________Pavlyuchenko_________

That would be my team,plenty of height and strength added to the intelligent play of our attackers who can all pass and move into space.

 

[StartingPrice]

Interesting.

1) If Bentley is fit play him - I like Kranks, but have not been impressed with him on the right - no matter what Aitch says about his being able to play anywhere across the midfield.

Talkshow - JJs form HAS been poor recently, and he can be frustrating - but form is temporary. I wouldn't, however, put him in my team this week, though if 'Arry plays him I will hope he begins the process of stepping up to the plate that starts the process which will see him eventually becoming a Lane leg-end:grin: Some Spurs fans seem to be hoping he will have a bad game everytime he gets onto the pitch, just to continue their hazing of him:bang:

Kendall talks a lot of sense:up:

Stemark's suggestion is interesting - I would consider that to be a decent line-up to end the game with if we go 1 up. But to start I would probably go:

Gomes

Corluka
Dawson
Bassong
Bale

Bentley (if fit)
Kaboul
Wilson
Modric

Pav
JD

 

[chrissivad]

I thought Ekotto and Bale were trific down the left and Kranjcar hasn't been great recently so would have Modric coming in from the right if Jenas is back- if not than as above.

Bentley may be back, but shouldn't make the first eleven.

Dont think that would work.

Modric likes to cut in leaving the space for the fullback to get forward, and Corluka just isn't that type of player.

We will end up looking very narrow i feel.

Feel the team will be the same as in the OP.
Would love to see someone like Townsend get a run out on the right to give us some width down that side.

 

[Kendall]

But Townsend won't really gives us width on the right because he's left footed, he will be cutting in all the time, same for Rose.

It's the first time in my lifetime we've been overweight on the left and underweight on the right.

 

[ajspurs]

To be honest I could understand why Harry would change the team a bit to add height BUT, we changed the team when we thought it was better against Wolves when we should have kept it the same and look what happened.

Gotta keep it the same I think.

 

[danielneeds]

Personally I would go:

____________Gomes____________

Charlie__Dawson__Bassong___BAE

Kranjcar___Modric__Palacios___Bale

________Defoe___Crouch________


Bring Pav off the bench if we are still looking for a goal 2nd half.
We definitely DO still need Crouch to hold the ball up in what is likely to be a tough and scrappy game, and will need him to deal with their set pieces, negate their most potent weapon and we have a great chance taking the points.

 

[chrissivad]

But Townsend won't really gives us width on the right because he's left footed, he will be cutting in all the time, same for Rose.

It's the first time in my lifetime we've been overweight on the left and underweight on the right.

Never seen Townsend play TBF, was just going on what someone said in another thread that he can play as a RW.

Agree that Rose is too left footed and wants to cut in all the time on the right though.

Infact, shouldn't Bentley be back for this one?

 

[Boxset Dan]

Has to be the same team as before for me. If any changes are to be made it should be Crouch in and Pavlar out as Bale's role on the wing and the amount of crosses he played against Blackburn could be better for Crouch then Pavlar.

I think Bale's role against Stoke is key and we will need to attack and get a goal as soon as possible in my eyes as Stoke are good at home when it comes to holding a lead or not conceding many.

 

[Danny1]

They play with two solid midfielders.

Carrick & Scholes...

What I will say is that having watched the games where Modric plays CM he actually is solid. He sits quite deep and trys to dictate play! I just dont think JJ deserves his chance, what has he done to warrant replacing Bale/BAE if Modric is moved to the left?

Never change a working formula lads!

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Gomes
Corluka Dawson Bassong Ekotto
Kranjley Palacios Modric Bale
Defoe Pavlyuchenko

Subs: Alnwick, Walker, Kaboul, Jenas, Bentcar, Gudjohnsen, Crouch
​

Even if Jenas is fit, I would not put him in. Ekotto and Bale are both on good form, both fully fit and both played very well in those positions against Blackburn.

Modric, against a five man midfield no less, just had an absoluet superb game as a central midfielder so I would keep him there with Palacios. The two of them as a combination, admittedly in just one game against a lower half team, gave the best central midfield performance we've had this season in my opinion. I want to see them build on it and I believe that given the opportunity, they will.

If Bentley is fit and ready I'd put him on the right. Kranjcar is going through a sticky patch and it's probably his worst position out of those which he can play. Bentley might not give us Lennons pace, but he has done ok recently and he at least gives us width and another crossing outlet for the strikers.

It would be mad to change the strikers. Defoe scores the goal to put us in the lead so often that, even if he's a bit off colour at the moment, we should stick with him as he's still putting us in the lead in games. He seems to have adapted to the lack of Lennon, and he seems to enjoy playing with Pavlyuchenko, who should also keep his place considering the purple patch he is going through.

People want to put in Crouch for height, or Jenas for extra athleticism. I don't get it. We've just won 3 games in a row by playing a certain way, and we're not going to be able to match Stoke in the air or for power even with those two in the side, but it will take away from the good, on the ground football we've been playing. We need to stick to what we're best at, to what has been winning games. Defoe, Pavlyuchenko, Bale, Modric, Palacios, and the entire defence all did exactly what they needed to (and in some cases, more) last weekend and therefore changing any one of them would defy logic. We shouldn't be thinking 'let's adapt to Stoke', we should be thinking 'let's impose our game on them and see if they can adapt to us'. Yes, if it isn't working, or if we're trying to protect a lead, introduce players that give them something different to think about, like Crouch with his height and Jenas with his athleticism, but the best way to pick up where we left off is to keep the team that left off so nicely in place.

 

[al_pacino]

This type of game is better for Modric in the middle than against Man U for example. With Stokes style of football not based on passing through the middle he's not needed in winning the ball back, we just need to compete well with the longer ball and retain the ball when we have it.

 

[yid0]

stoke will kick the shit out of us with modric in the middle.