Team for Sunday...

[Yid121]

Friedel
Walker King Gallas BAE
Lennon Parker Modric Bale
VDV
Adebayor

This Please. That's how we got 3rd. No point in not playing Lennon and having Modric as the AM in a midfield 3, as he doesn't make enough forward runs and his shooting is pretty atrocious. They have two fullbacks who aren't strong defensively, so we need to expose that.

 

[ashley]

Have a feeling it might go to penalties if it does I hope we don't mess up like we did against Manu in the league cup two seasons ago for this reason I go for freidal

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

With Chelsea possibly missing both first choice full backs both Lennon and Bale must play. My team 4-3-3:​

Cudicini​

Walker Gallas Kaboul Ekotto​

Parker(c) Modric​

VDV​

Lennon Adebayor Bale​

​

Lennon must play. Van Der Vaart must play centrally. Bale must keep wide.​

Harry will prob go for Sandro with VDV replacing Lennon which would be my 2nd choice.​

​

with the form Modric has been in I'd actually be tempted to go:

Friedal​

Walker Gallas Kaboul BAE​

Parker Sandro​

Lennon VDV Bale​

Adebayor​

This for me too. VdV is our Modric replacement long term, a better continuity player.

 

[beats1]

Cudicini
Walker King Gallas BAE
Lennon Parker Hudd Bale
VDV
Adebayor

 

[Davo99]

Friedel
Walker
Gallas
Kaboul
Ekotto
Parker
Sandro
Modric
van der Vaart
Bale
Adebayor

or

Friedel
Walker
Gallas
Kaboul
Ekotto
Lennon
Parker
Modric
Bale
van der Vaart
Adebayor

One of the two. Probably the first one.

 

[smurf2001uk]

I think this would be our strongest attacking team option rocky!! I would love to see it!!!

Has parker got enought to be the defensive midfielder on sunday over sandro!!! I believe he has. I think sandro is a good player but I dont think he can read the game as well as parker and sometimes he can go "walkies" and not stay in position. I think if Harry is thinking defensively he will leave out lennon and go with sandro in midfield with Parker.

How do you think Bale will play ?? will he shy away from the big stage. We need to get him on the ball early doors!!!

Prediction - tight game - will win in extra time and the match winner from an unlikely source........ Parker

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Friedal​

​

Walker Gallas Kaboul BAE​

​

Parker Modric​

​

Lennon VDV Bale​

​

Adebayor​

This is by far our strongest line up, regardless of what formation you label it with. And for those who say 'ner ner ner, we played with two wingers and lost at home to Norwich', we also played with Saha instead of Adebayor, Defoe instead of VDV and Livermore instead of Parker. Huge difference.

That said, even though I fully believe this is our best team, I'm not sure I want people who don't give a shit about the club, and play only for themselves, representing us on such a big stage, so I'd prefer it if Bale and Modric wore Ginola and Hoddle masks respectively.

 

[kazzah9]

Can anyone give a reason as to why cudicini shouldn't play???

 

[guy]

Cudi deserves to start, esp. as its Chelsea

Cudi​

Walker Kaboul Gallas BAE​

Sandro Parker Modric​

vdv Bale​

Ade​

 

[Adam]

I can't see a single reason why it should be any team other than the one that started at Stamford bridge. We created more chances with that team than with a more 'attacking' line up against Norwich, we cut the supply lines to their forwards with 2 DMs, and Parker plays far better with his workload cut in half. It seems like a few short passes from Sandro and people now render him useless, when in fact we both defend and attack far better as an overall unit with him in the side.

Play Parker and Modric in a midfield 2 and run the risk of being massively overrun

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I can't see a single reason why it should be any team other than the one that started at Stamford bridge. We created more chances with that team than with a more 'attacking' line up against Norwich, we cut the supply lines to their forwards with 2 DMs, and Parker plays far better with his workload cut in half. It seems like a few short passes from Sandro and people now render him useless, when in fact we both defend and attack far better as an overall unit with him in the side.

Play Parker and Modric in a midfield 2 and run the risk of being massively overrun

Just like during our ten game winning streak. Woops!

 

[Adam]

Just like during our ten game winning streak. Woops!

Fair point, but I think its fairly obvious to see that Parker is running on empty now, and has been since February, just like last season. At this stage of the season, he clearly needs help defensively. In addition, Modric has been awful in 2012, and I don't trust him to do the required defensive work. Furthermore, it's not like you can rely on Lennon to do anything of note, whereas you know for an absolute fact that we will be more solid defensively with Sandro in the side.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Fair point, but I think its fairly obvious to see that Parker is running on empty now, and has been since February, just like last season. At this stage of the season, he clearly needs help defensively. In addition, Modric has been awful in 2012, and I don't trust him to do the required defensive work. Furthermore, it's not like you can rely on Lennon to do anything of note, whereas you know for an absolute fact that we will be more solid defensively with Sandro in the side.

Modric has been awful. I'd actually consider dropping him altogether and keeping the two wingers and VDV off the front, and playing with Sandro and Parker together.

I actually miss Huddlestone a bit right now.

 

[Adam]

Modric has been awful. I'd actually consider dropping him altogether and keeping the two wingers and VDV off the front, and playing with Sandro and Parker together.

I actually miss Huddlestone a bit right now.

Ha! I was going to suggest that about Modric, and in fact have hinted at it before on Twitter etc, and been slaughtered for it. I agree though-that arguably gives us our most balanced side at this stage of the season, given various players' form etc

 

[Kingstheman]

Ha! I was going to suggest that about Modric, and in fact have hinted at it before on Twitter etc, and been slaughtered for it. I agree though-that arguably gives us our most balanced side at this stage of the season, given various players' form etc

It seems that Modric is hard to criticise without the risk of vehement disagreement and 'negative ratings', but I think he doesn't want to play for us anymore and is going to be moving on.

Put it like this, how well did he play BEFORE the January transfer window closed?

 

[NickHSpurs]

I think the team picks itself, the only question is going to be which CB pairing.

 

[sussexyid]

Its gotta be 4-5-1/ 4-2-3-1 for me.

GK and defence picks itself, Midfield with Modric and Parker, Lennon and Bale on the wings, Rafa dropping off Ade upfront.
Its what we played whilst we were part of the title chase. Since we stopped playing it, we havent been that good.

The 4-3-3 options not bad, but I dont think its as good, less goal threat on the pitch.

Simples.

 

[THFC_67]

I'd go with Mr. Pinks 433 team. I think that the 433 gives us more of a chance of sharing out the defensive workload while still keeping an attacking threat. With the size of the pitch and a fair chance that the game could go to extra time then we need to be careful not to let players get too tired too quickly and make the substitutions in plenty of time, therefore having Lennon fresh to come on with 20 mins to go could be vital. Shouldn't be afraid to use Livermore either if the centre of midfield is flagging a bit.

 

[gilzeantheking]

Ivanovich will definitely miss Sunday as the FA have dismissed his appeal

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17684361

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

Just like during our ten game winning streak. Woops!

Not really valid, we had a relatively easy run other than the home games against pool and the goons. Pool had a player sent off and against the goons we got overrun in midfield and were baled out by a Walker missile. We need two DMs to control midfield and my vote would be to drop Modric to accommodate 2 wingers playing VdV in the advanced midfield role.