Team for West Ham...

[kaz Hirai]

We should play 442 at home to west ham.

..............Gomes
Corluka Dawson Gallas Assou-Ekotto
Lennon Sandro Modric Bale
..........Crouch Defoe

2 strikers who barely no how to score in the league = end of game match day comments of how we dominated the game but green played a blinder, we need new strikers, we were unlucky etc etc

VDV must play if fit

 

[talkshowhost86]

----------------Gomes-----------------
---------------Dawson-----------------
Lennon - Modric ---Sandro - Pienaar - Bale
----------------VdV-------------------
-----Pav------Crouch----Defoe-------

 

[nicdic]

Did Defoe not play upfront off VDV away at Newcaslte and have a stinker? Or are we all conveniently forgetting that because he was good before getting sent off at Villa (without actually doing too much) and scored two against Wolves? I know there is the West Ham factor, but Pav is still the in form striker for us in the league. If VDV is fit enough to play which I believe he will be (according to Twitter he was in training yesterday when most of the lads had a day off as far as I could tell), then I'd pair him with Pav.

 

[Stavrogin]

The lack of Crouch action in league matches is making is position at the top of the Crouchometre precarious.... Suarez, Torres and now Carroll will be getting a lot of game time.

 

[tttcowan]

I've got a horrible feeling Pienaar will start.

 

[talkshowhost86]

I've got a horrible feeling Pienaar will start.

How will we cope with him in the team? His workrate will surely cripple us.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Pienaar shouldn't be starting a home game against weak opposition when all of Lennon Modric VDV and Bale are fit.

 

[$hoguN]

Pienaar shouldn't be starting a home game against weak opposition when all of Lennon Modric VDV and Bale are fit.

Have to agree

 

[talkshowhost86]

Pienaar shouldn't be starting a home game against weak opposition when all of Lennon Modric VDV and Bale are fit.

I agree, but saying you (well not you...him up there) have a 'horrible feeling' Pienaar will start is somewhat harsh on a very good player.

 

[ThorntonSpur]

you need someone to combat the workrate of parker in the middle as it will all go through him. wide left pienaar and sandro and modric in middle lennon wide right

vdv and pav up front

 

[dvdhopeful]

I've given up defending Pienaar, it is pointless, he has already been ear-marked as a scapegoat and nothing he does will now make people think otherwise. We have similar with Daws and Jenas, so we can now add Pienaar to that list. Massively underrated player imo and happy when he is included in the team.

 

[sim0n]

Did Defoe not play upfront off VDV away at Newcaslte and have a stinker? Or are we all conveniently forgetting that because he was good before getting sent off at Villa (without actually doing too much) and scored two against Wolves? I know there is the West Ham factor, but Pav is still the in form striker for us in the league. If VDV is fit enough to play which I believe he will be (according to Twitter he was in training yesterday when most of the lads had a day off as far as I could tell), then I'd pair him with Pav.

anyone under contract who's fit enough to walk starts in defense,... now

Lennon----Sandro--Modric----Bale

-------Defoe------Pavlyuchenko

Defoe and Pav work well together when they were healthy (as rare as that's been) and Lennon opens up the space. Bale just tears everyone apart, so this ought to work... actually, gotta have Corluka at RD to work with Lennon on that inside pass combo :clap:

P.S. VDV is not fit so it would seem

 

[Cozzie]

----------------Gomes-----------------
---------------Dawson-----------------
Lennon - Modric ---Sandro - Pienaar - Bale
----------------VdV-------------------
-----Pav------Crouch----Defoe-------

Bit defensive no?

 

[Such Small Portions]

I would love Pienaar to be a success, but I've never been convinced.

Wasn't convinced for the 18 months during which he was linked to us, wasn't convinced when we bought him and haven't seen anything to convince me since he joined.

Just don't see what he brings above and beyond what we've got - and that includes squad players.

Oh, and just to prove I'm no lover of bandwagons, I'm a big fan/defender of Jenas.

 

[Mr Pink]

I dont expect Pienaar to start, nor would I want him to, at home if Bale and Lennon are availabile.

But people who are writing him off now are pretty hasty IMO. He's a good player who deserves a bit more time before big judgements are made.

 

[Kendall]

Gomes

Corluka Gallas Dawson Assou-Ekotto

Lennon Sandro Modric Bale

Pavlyuchenko Defoe​

 

[ItsBoris]

id love this

-------------------------gomes----------------------

-----corluka-----dawson------- king/kabou/woodgate/bassong---- BAE--

-------------------------Sandro--------------------------

----------------Modric------------ VDV--------------------


------Bale------------------------------------- Lennon------------

---------------------------Defoe--------------------------------

Me too!! Looks sort of like Barca.

Would be cool next year if we could play like this:
-------------------------gomes----------------------

-----Walker-----dawson------- king/kabou/woodgate/bassong---- Bale--

-------------------------Sandro--------------------------

----------------Modric------------ VDV/ Hudd--------------------

------Lennon-------------Striker---------------- A. Johnson-------

A. Johnson as an example cause I think he'd be good for us, we won't be getting him though, and Hulk or Llorente in the striker spot, and it would look very much like Barca's formation. Walker/Bale as our Alves/Abidal.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Me too!! Looks sort of like Barca.

Would be cool next year if we could play like this:
-------------------------gomes----------------------

-----Walker-----dawson------- king/kabou/woodgate/bassong---- Bale--

-------------------------Sandro--------------------------

----------------Modric------------ VDV/ Hudd--------------------

------Lennon-------------Striker---------------- A. Johnson-------

A. Johnson as an example cause I think he'd be good for us, we won't be getting him though, and Hulk or Llorente in the striker spot, and it would look very much like Barca's formation. Walker/Bale as our Alves/Abidal.

Except to play that formation effectively you need wide strikers/forwards that can score goals not wingers.

 

[kremlyn]

you need someone to combat the workrate of parker in the middle as it will all go through him. wide left pienaar and sandro and modric in middle lennon wide right

vdv and pav up front

It doesn't just go through Parker anymore - Hitzelsperger is just as potent

 

[ladi100]

West Ham shouldnt be underestimated.
They've been doing a lot of team building excercises of late (go-karting, army camp, hunting, etc) and a few of the player went off to Portugal for a training session last prior to the cup game.
And some of it is starting to show on the pitch.
As some have said, Parker is a main source, but Hitzelsperger is an even greater threat. Obinna playing on the flanks is also quite useful.

And often as a club, one of our biggest downfalls is not showing enough respect to the so called smaller clubs.