Team vs Crystal Palace

[THOWIG]

Has to be

 

[LiamJM10]

Palace, at home. Still on -2 GD. They've improved since Pulis took over, but I'm hoping this is as straight forward as Stoke was.

No real need for a holding midfielder in this game, but given Sandro's returning, I'd either start him and then sub him, or sub him on late on (providing we're comfortable).

Like the ideas of effectively 4-2-3-1s with Dembele and Bentaleb/Capoue/Sandro with Eriksen, Lamela, Ade and Soldado up top. Failing that, drop Eriksen next to Dembele, play Lennon, Ade, Soldado and Lamela. That would be lethal.

 

[PrettyColors]

I think if Soldado isn't fit this game will force Sherwood's hand a bit and be a very enlightening experience.

With no Bobby to partner Ade, does he go for Defoe and pick antiquity, "I fink we should go 4-4-fackin 2 at home," or does he try something new, play Lamela in either the #10 role or out wide in a 4-3-3?

Sadly, I think most people know which one he'll pick.

 

[ScottHotspur]

Sorry if anybody has already posted a similar lineup but i'd like to see -

Lloris
Walker - Chiriches - Dawson - Rose
Sandro/Capoue - Dembele
Lennon - Lamela - Eriksen
Adebayor

With Lamela playing pretty much along side Ade in the role that Soldado has been playing.

I'd love to see this, it's only Palace.. Even Spurs couldn't mess up against Palace at home..

 

[Flashspur]

Gawd, I hope you are right but Pulis is no mug.....he can get blood out of a stone

 

[yiDONz]

This isn't going to be a walk in the park, is it since Pulis is doing a decent job? Sandro, Soldado, Townsend (+ Defoe?) could be back/fit for this match wich is defo a positive thing for me. Just hope on an exiting game and a few goals for us. 3 points a must since the teams above us probably will pick up 3 points as well.

Will fly over from the Netherlands with a few mates for this game. The couple of matches we've visited before we had tickets for the Parklane. Now we have tickets for the shelfside (upper), is it any good?

 

[Supersi32]

I honestly don't know anymore.

I don't think 4-4-2 is really the solution long-term and even in the decent results before the Arsenal debacle we saw that it had its problems.

Having said that, I don't think we can really play Soldado and Adebayor in any other formation as neither is workmanlike enough to play as a wide player in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1.

Adebayor clearly makes sense as the target-man in 4-3-3, but that would mean dropping Soldado who I still think is close to showing why we paid all that money.

Similarly, a lot of the players in our squad seem cut out to play in either the 4-3-3 or the 4-2-3-1 (Chadli, Lamela, Sigurdsson, Townsend, Eriksen, Holtby) and I'd like to see us trying to make one of those formations work long term.

Theoretically though this should be one of our easier home games of the season, and 4-4-2 does appear to have worked against the weaker teams (even against West Brom we had a lot of possession) so if Soldado is fit I'd stick with 4-4-2 and just shore up the midfield with Capoue or Sandro instead of Bentaleb.

I don`t think we`ve been playing a ridgid 4-4-2 though, more like a 4-3-3 with Ade, Bobby and Lennon as the front three and Erikson tucking into midfield from the left.

 

[talkshowhost86]

I don`t think we`ve been playing a ridgid 4-4-2 though, more like a 4-3-3 with Ade, Bobby and Lennon as the front three and Erikson tucking into midfield from the left.

Not sure to be honest. Lennon has been playing more like a traditional right winger, whilst Eriksen has been playing all over the place. Sometimes it's a 4-4-2. other times it's a 4-2-4 and at times it's a sort of lopsided 4-2-1-1-1-1

 

[Mr Pink]

Pulis will surely come to do the usual....make the game as scrappy as possible, ten men behind the ball - time waste and take the flow out of the game at every opportunity.

Is Pulis playing 4-4-2 as he's using Jerome and Chamakh?

 

[robbiedee]

Ooooooooh...I'm going to this one...very excited.

I'm hoping we put in a solid performance for the 90 mins and not leave it late or go 1 up and sit back.

A 2 or 3 goal cushion would nice.

I'd go with this if 442: (no other options in defense, plus not sure who is actually fit)
Lloris
Walker Dawson Chiriches Rose
Dembele Capoue
Lennon Erikson
Adebayor
Soldado

or 433 with same players:
Lloris
Walker Dawson Chiriches Rose
Dembele Capoue Eriksen
Lennon Soldado Adebayor

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

I don`t think we`ve been playing a ridgid 4-4-2 though, more like a 4-3-3 with Ade, Bobby and Lennon as the front three and Erikson tucking into midfield from the left.

Really? Didn't look that way last Saturday when Arsenal were easily out numbering us in midfield while Soldado and Ade were no where to be seen.

 

[jezz]

Home banker?
Hmm Man city looked lucky to get all 3 points against CP.
They have looked good under Pullis and certainly had a go at City.

 

[Supersi32]

Really? Didn't look that way last Saturday when Arsenal were easily out numbering us in midfield while Soldado and Ade were no where to be seen.

Yes they played very well, they are a good side, the PL table is evidence of that.

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

If Soldado is out it will be interesting to see what TS does.

Rumours breaking that Defoe will be in Toronto this weekend to complete his move, which rules him out as a direct replacement.

I'll be gutted if TS goes with Kane/Ade up top as opposed to Lamela/Kane (this is presuming he's going to continue to play the formation he has been)

 

[Blake Griffin]

Home banker?
Hmm Man city looked lucky to get all 3 points against CP.
They have looked good under Pullis and certainly had a go at City.

they should've played 442.

 

[Yid-ol]

Hugo
Walker Dawson Chiriches Rose
Lennon Sandro Eriksen Townsend
Lamela
Adebayor​

 

[Wolf_Autopsy]

If lamela is fit, he needs to play instead of lennon; other than that, no need to change the formula too much.

Would be nice to see timmy try his hand at a more typical 4-3-3, considering our opposition. See how it goes, can easily make one sub after half and revert to 4-4-2 if it's not working.

 

[only1waddle]

Pulis will surely come to do the usual....make the game as scrappy as possible, ten men behind the ball - time waste and take the flow out of the game at every opportunity.

Is Pulis playing 4-4-2 as he's using Jerome and Chamakh?

With just the one exception, Pulis hasn't amassed a squad of thugs yet.

 

[Mr Pink]

Well it certainly looks like Defoe won't be involved against Palace.

If Soldado is out and we don't start Lamela I'll be gutted - and to be honest I would expect the kid to be majorly pissed off if Kane is preferred to him.

Would be great to see him in a free role behind Ade.

 

[Blake Griffin]

Well it certainly looks like Defoe won't be involved against Palace.

If Soldado is out and we don't start Lamela I'll be gutted - and to be honest I would expect the kid to be majorly pissed off if Kane is preferred to him.

Would be great to see him in a free role behind Ade.

there's townsend as well, i wouldn't be surprised if he just walked straight back in ahead of lamela