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Team v Barcelona

Johnny J

Not the Kiwi you need but the one you deserve
Aug 18, 2012
18,118
47,879
Perhaps Poch should have played KWP a bit more, and then he might be a bit more prepared for a game away to fucking Barcelona.
 

Flashspur

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2012
6,882
9,068
Valid point.

Good few matchday threads I've bettered him for being rubbish - which he had been - and then he might end up getting a goal.

I watch him closely every game and it's frequently the same story - poor choices, tepid application, losing the ball high up.

Qualitatively it can effect our overall game, momentum, tempo etc.

So him periodically picking off goals isn't the whole story.

Tons of matchday threads on here with people onto him for the same reasons.

I don't think I'm alone in my evaluation of him.

The margins are so tight; I think Dele is an element that needs more consideration in how/when he's used.

I didn't say not to involve him; I said I would not start him in this specific game.

He's not our Messi. Dunno why people have such a fig up their arse about it. If he had had a typically unspectacular performance in the last game it wouldn't be an issue.

But "wow, what a performance against LEICESTER!".

Come on.

P.S. If he does play and brings his best and stuns the Camp Nou, then I'll happily eat shit. Fearing being wrong never an issue in me putting forward an opinion. Love being wrong if it means we win.

40 goals and 27 assists in 117 games in the PL. That’s not just Leicester mate. Seriously ?
 

glospur

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2015
2,608
9,806
This is actually a difficult one, but I think I've come down on what I would prefer to see.

Lloris
Alderweireld - Dier - Vertonghen
KWP - Eriksen - Sissoko - Dele - Rose
Son - Kane
It gives KWP protection and allows him to do his best work, which is going forward, while also getting enough attacking talent on the pitch to give us a chance of getting goals, which we definitely need. In reality, we probably need to score 2 or 3 to win the game.

It asks a lot of Sissoko to be that main water-carrier type in the middle of the park, but with a back three, it should mean there's less need for him to as regularly drop into the wide areas to cover the full backs as he's been doing lately.
 

nuttynoah

Arbiter elegantiae
Jul 21, 2004
8,175
7,432
Lloris
Toby - Dier - Verts - Davies
Winks - Eriksen - Lamela
Son - Kane - Dele

subs: Gazzaniga, KWP, Rose, Sissoko, Moura, Llorente, Skipp
 

Flashspur

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2012
6,882
9,068
With injuries we are down to the bare bones as Harry Redknapp would say. The team kind of picks itself. The outlier is KWP. Big game for him. No doubt whatsoever he can handle this. We need to be aggressive without being open and mark Messi. Not give him acres of space like at Wembley. The Nou Camp is a graveyard for most sides but then not many of them are playing for their lives in the CL. If the Gods of football are with us anything is possible. Have faith my children ?????
 

ilya

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
464
1,368
I don't know what's the best team to start, surprised how many of you are happy to go with attacking lineup. Midfield has to be very tight, if there's too much space between defence and midfield it's over very soon. We saw that against arsenal, and it wasn't the first time that opponents try to play long balls through and that causes problems.
 

buttons

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2005
2,945
3,861
Hugo
Dier - Jan - Toby
KWP - Winks - Sissoko - Rose
Dele - Eriksen
Kane
We can't go too balls out early on here or the game could be beyond us before we know it. Having Son, Lucas and Lamela on the bench could be pivitol in the second half.
 

smallsnc

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2017
699
1,237
Am concerned about Sissoko being ready to start this one the way he walked off over the weekend.

-------------------------LLoris-------------------------------
--KWP----------Toby------------Verts-----------Rose-
---------------------------Dier-------------------------------
------------------Winks-------------Eriksen--------------
----------------------------Dele------------------------------
--------Son------------------Kane--------------------------

Son can drop a little as need to give KWP some help, but really think we need to make it hard to play in the center of the park. Dier will float between DM and playing with Toby and Verts in a back 3. Really like Dier in this role. Think he gets in trouble when he tries to press higher up the field and can't recover. Winks and Eriksen to give us some ball retention while Dele sits on their deepest central midfielder and keeps them from having an easy avenue to reverse the ball while being in great position to support Kane.
 

dimiSpur

There's always next year...
Aug 9, 2008
5,844
6,750
Why on earth would we play the same horrid diamond that failed so badly at the Emirates? We cannot and won't be pressing the ball like we did against Chelsea at home.

3 at the back is a very good shout for tonight IMO, with Dier. It also gives us the flexibility to switch to a back 4 should it not work out early on.

Hugo
Toby....................Dier............Vertonghen
KWP................................................................Rose
Sissoko.......Eriksen
Son.............Dele
Kane
 

@Bobby__Lucky

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
2,933
3,982
Don't understand the doubts about Dele starting. He is one of our only 'big game players'. Always shows up and always does something that matters. He is our best big game player in that sense. He starts no doubt. Would imagine he will be key tactically also, as he usually is. Dele is our forward version of dier in terms of changing positioning and shape, he makes transitions in that sense work as dier does at the other end.
 

Lighty64

I believe
Aug 24, 2010
10,400
12,476
With injuries we are down to the bare bones as Harry Redknapp would say. The team kind of picks itself. The outlier is KWP. Big game for him. No doubt whatsoever he can handle this. We need to be aggressive without being open and mark Messi. Not give him acres of space like at Wembley. The Nou Camp is a graveyard for most sides but then not many of them are playing for their lives in the CL. If the Gods of football are with us anything is possible. Have faith my children ?????

if the Gods of football are with us, it means Messi will be kidnapped by them(y)
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
------------------------Lloris-----------------
-------------Dier-----Toby--------Jan-----
KWP-----------------------------------Rose
----------------Eriksen---Winks-----------
-------Son-------------------------Dele-----
------------------------Kane------------------
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
------------------------Lloris-----------------
-------------Dier-----Toby--------Jan-----
KWP-----------------------------------Rose
----------------Eriksen---Winks-----------
-------Son-------------------------Dele-----
------------------------Kane------------------

That midfield would get eaten alive :stop:
 

Jemster

Well-Known Member
Jun 5, 2018
170
470
Lot's of 3 at the back suggestions and I can understand why. For me, however, I'd go with a 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1

----------------------Lloris---------------------

KWP----------Toby------Jan---------Rose

Son---------Sissoko-----Dier-----------Alli

----------------------Eriksen-----------------

-----------------------Kane--------------------
 

yankspurs

Enic Out
Aug 22, 2013
41,883
71,188
Lot's of 3 at the back suggestions and I can understand why. For me, however, I'd go with a 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1

----------------------Lloris---------------------

KWP----------Toby------Jan---------Rose

Son---------Sissoko-----Dier-----------Alli

----------------------Eriksen-----------------

-----------------------Kane--------------------
Theres no way we can go 3 at the back unless you want to completely give up the midfield. Sissoko and Winks partnership? Yeah, no.

I understand the temptation to start Sissoko but in no way, shape or form should we be starting a makeshift player against Barcelona if we dont have to. Use him off the bench. Dier and Winks in midfield.
 

daryl hannah

Berry Berry Calm
Sep 1, 2014
2,674
7,717
I would have said have Dier playing in DM and dropping in to the back line to make a back 3 when defending but he's been so poor of late I'm not sure that's a good idea.

Foyth/Sanchez in a 3 would have been the best option from my point of view, but sadly, no can do.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
Theres no way we can go 3 at the back unless you want to completely give up the midfield. Sissoko and Winks partnership? Yeah, no.

I understand the temptation to start Sissoko but in no way, shape or form should we be starting a makeshift player against Barcelona if we dont have to. Use him off the bench. Dier and Winks in midfield.

Can't speak for anyone else but my logic for the back 3 is a) to give KWP some protection and b) to allow our wingbacks to push on and stretch Barca more, which in turn will hopefully open up more space in the middle for the likes of Son and Alli to move into and receive passes from Winks or Eriksen.
 
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