VDV is great but...

[DEFchenkOE]

So it's his pref position if you ask him personally.

And you don't think he can be an attacking midfielder?

He can even score/create when he is on the right, but he can't do it in an advanced midfield role?

He has Bale (originally a defender) next to him and Palacios (destroyer) next to him.

What makes you think he won't play well?

I think people are focussing on Modders and Hudds previous roles. He can't do that. Neiether can they if you ask me. So it is time to do something radical:

Actually play people in positions that are their STRENGTHS.

Modders isnt Pirlo. Hud isnt Carrick. VDV isn't a right sided midfielder.

So you think we should play 2 strikers, 2 wingers, plus Van Der Vaart in the attacking midfield role? Just too attacking imo.

VdV has said his best position is behind the striker, we know this, but the problem is that our 1 striker so far hasn't scored enough goals.

I think VdV could play in a midfield next to Palacios, I just don't think it would work out too well. Especially as Palacios presses all over the pitch rather than sitting in front of the back 4.

 

[mil1lion]

I disagree.

You can use an AM in a 4 4 2. If you have a DM in there.

It depends if you have 2 wingers or not. It wouldn't work if we had 2 wingers. We'd need someone like Park playing in from the right to add balance. Otherwise the defensive midfielder would get exposed.

 

[gibbs131]

u simply have to give vdv a free role....so it does not really matter where he lines up. However, i must stress that we do play much better with 2 forwards

Yep. Lets face it, VDV has been told to express himself no matter where he plays.

I think in the middle he will be a catalyst. I mean Crouch has amazing stats when it comes to the ground he coveres. He also helps out in defence against set peices.

I think this:

------Crouch------Defoe--------
Bale--VDV------Palacios--Bentley
BAE-----King---Gallas------Corky

With Kaboom being a perfect utility player.

 

[gibbs131]

It depends if you have 2 wingers or not. It wouldn't work if we had 2 wingers. We'd need someone like Park playing in from the right to add balance. Otherwise the defensive midfielder would get exposed.

I agree. Away from home.

But we have so much depth, we can change it up on the fly if we are getting over run.

I just do a bit of a sex wee thinking about VDV linking up with Bale more often due to them being next to each other. I mean look what it did on the weekend.

I also think VDV and Palacios, is on par with Modders Hudd when it comes to overall defensive duties.

It is time to put a TRUE superstar in the middle of the park.

 

[gibbs131]

So you think we should play 2 strikers, 2 wingers, plus Van Der Vaart in the attacking midfield role? Just too attacking imo.

VdV has said his best position is behind the striker, we know this, but the problem is that our 1 striker so far hasn't scored enough goals.

I think VdV could play in a midfield next to Palacios, I just don't think it would work out too well. Especially as Palacios presses all over the pitch rather than sitting in front of the back 4.

When? Do you have a quote? I was just going on wiki because I havent followed his career closley before he got to Spurs.

"Rafael Ferdinand van der Vaart (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈraːfa.ɛl vɑn dər ˈvaːrt] ( listen); born 11 February 1983) is a Dutch footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur and the Netherlands national team. His preferred position is as an attacking midfielder playmaker however he can also operate in wider positions."

I know he recently said he didn't like being put on the left for the Dutch team.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

He said it after the Wolves game, said he can also play anywhere in midfield, i'll try and look for the quote. For the Dutch team he was wide left in a 4-3-3 a few times in the world cup and that's what he complained about I think. Recently he's played centrally though for them. It's a bit like when Krancjar plays on the right for us. He can't cut in and shoot and his weaker foot is not the best so he's just ineffectual.

 

[gibbs131]

He said it after the Wolves game, said he can also play anywhere in midfield, i'll try and look for the quote. For the Dutch team he was wide left in a 4-3-3 a few times in the world cup and that's what he complained about I think. Recently he's played centrally though for them. It's a bit like when Krancjar plays on the right for us. He can't cut in and shoot and his weaker foot is not the best so he's just ineffectual.

There was one game after the world cup, where he was played on the left and he was pissed off/in the press about the manager because he was unhappy he got subbed.

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=1299644.html

"If I play badly, you can take me off after an hour. That's my own fault. But in this case I trained hard, kept my mouth shut, did my best, and I was still taken off. I gave everything. Also I was playing in a position which is not comfortable for me, I'm not a left winger.



So HR playing him on the right, is not going to make VDV a happy bunny long term.

 

[gregga]

Last season Defoe had more offsides than anyone in the Prem.

His main supply line was Hudd, Modric, Lennon and Bale.

IMO we need VDV Bentley and Palacios back in the midfield to change the damning stats our strikers produce.

I mean Defoe had a good year, but imagine how good it would have been if people timed his run better when releasing the ball? It takes two to tango in that respect.

Bale----VDV---Palacios---Bentley

IMO are the way to go. Modders can play at home, or be brought on to protect leads via possession at the cost of a striker.

The last thing we need is two headless chickens (and I mean that in the nicest way possible) running around in midfield. We would lose all shape and be overrun.

Van der Vaart is best suited to a 4-2-3-1.

Given we don't play that, having him behind the striker in a 4-4-1-1 is the best way to accomodate him.

The reason we have struggled at time is because, for all his good work, Crouch can't hit a cow's arse with a banjo and Pav goes missing for at least half the games he plays.

 

[mil1lion]

He said it after the Wolves game, said he can also play anywhere in midfield, i'll try and look for the quote. For the Dutch team he was wide left in a 4-3-3 a few times in the world cup and that's what he complained about I think. Recently he's played centrally though for them. It's a bit like when Krancjar plays on the right for us. He can't cut in and shoot and his weaker foot is not the best so he's just ineffectual.

After the Wolves game he was asked about playing on the right and he said he loved it there. He admitted it isn't his favourite position, but he still enjoys playing that role.

 

[Darrkespur]

After the Wolves game he was asked about playing on the right and he said he loved it there. He admitted it isn't his favourite position, but he still enjoys playing that role.

I think the difference (aside from possibly it being easier for him to cut in from the right for a shot) is that Harry lets him roam, so he's more of an inside forward (in FM parlance) than a out and out winger, which I think is what he was complaining about for Holland. It's less of being stuck on the wing, and more being forced to stay there that annoys him, I suspect.

 

[Viva la Tottenham]

Yep. Lets face it, VDV has been told to express himself no matter where he plays.

I think in the middle he will be a catalyst. I mean Crouch has amazing stats when it comes to the ground he coveres. He also helps out in defence against set peices.

I think this:

------Crouch------Defoe--------
Bale--VDV------Palacios--Bentley
BAE-----King---Gallas------Corky

With Kaboom being a perfect utility player.

VDV needs a free role to be at his best and you just can't give a CM a free role. The fact that you'd drop Modric says it all for me. The little Croatian is a fucking amazing player who helps dictate our tempo from back to front. You don't want VDV having to come to deep you want him getting on the ball in the final third creating and scoring that's were he's at his best. The team has just really started playing 4411 so give it some time as we've shown alot of potential playing it and now that Defoe is back we should get more goals from our main striker.

 

[Viva la Tottenham]

There was one game after the world cup, where he was played on the left and he was pissed off/in the press about the manager because he was unhappy he got subbed.

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=1299644.html

"If I play badly, you can take me off after an hour. That's my own fault. But in this case I trained hard, kept my mouth shut, did my best, and I was still taken off. I gave everything. Also I was playing in a position which is not comfortable for me, I'm not a left winger.



So HR playing him on the right, is not going to make VDV a happy bunny long term.

There's a big difference playing on the right and drifting in onto your stronger foot than playing on the left drifting in onto your weaker foot. If you don't understand that you don't understand football.

 

[gregga]

After the Wolves game he was asked about playing on the right and he said he loved it there. He admitted it isn't his favourite position, but he still enjoys playing that role.

Of course he loved it - he wasn't actually playing on the right at all!

For me Van der Vaart is our best player.

Bale might be getting more plaudits at the moment but in terms of end product VdV is unbeatable. His returns so far have been sensational.

Therefore I see nothing wrong with adjusting our system to fit him in, even if means dropping another player who has done nothing wrong. I'd rather that than try and shoehorn him into a position that doesn't really work, both for him and the team.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

There's a big difference playing on the right and drifting in onto your stronger foot than playing on the left drifting in onto your weaker foot. If you don't understand that you don't understand football.

When I play Sunday league I play on the wing, i'm right footed but I always prefer to play on the left. It's so much easier to cut inside and shoot. Ginola would always play on the left too, he could go on his left or right though to be fair.

When VdV is on the right he still has the freedom to roam anyway, he doesn't play as a winger at all. It makes us a bit lopsided but that is where the right back is key, and is possibly why Corluka will be on the bench for a good while longer if Harry continues to play VdV there, Because you need a right back who isn't scared to attack and can get up and down fairly quickly. Hutton adn Walker are much more suited to this.

 

[Stavrogin]

Van der Vaart is great an' all... but if he broke into my house and started looking distainfully at all my stuff... i'd be pretty upset.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

When I play Sunday league I play on the wing, i'm right footed but I always prefer to play on the left. It's so much easier to cut inside and shoot. Ginola would always play on the left too, he could go on his left or right though to be fair.

When VdV is on the right he still has the freedom to roam anyway, he doesn't play as a winger at all. It makes us a bit lopsided but that is where the right back is key, and is possibly why Corluka will be on the bench for a good while longer if Harry continues to play VdV there, Because you need a right back who isn't scared to attack and can get up and down fairly quickly. Hutton adn Walker are much more suited to this.

That's got to be the most impressive set of wingers that any sunday league team has, depending on how good you are obviously ?

 

[mil1lion]

I think the difference (aside from possibly it being easier for him to cut in from the right for a shot) is that Harry lets him roam, so he's more of an inside forward (in FM parlance) than a out and out winger, which I think is what he was complaining about for Holland. It's less of being stuck on the wing, and more being forced to stay there that annoys him, I suspect.

I think thats right for home games. Its really the away games we're struggling with atm, as i'm not sure he'll get as much freedom to roam away from home. Although it did seem to work at Arsenal in the 2nd half. Only time will tell, but for now i'd like us to play VDV in from the right with Defoe and Pav up top. We really need to start scoring more goals again. With Hutton overlapping its a bit like the Messi/Alves type of combo on the right.

 

[NEVILLEB]

Well he's missing tonight so a good chance to see how we play without him

 

[mil1lion]

Thank god we have Defoe back now then. It'll be 4-4-2 with Defoe and Pav up top hopefully. Bale and Lennon on the wings aswell, because the European teams hate playing agianst 2 wingers. I think we can afford to play 2 wingers at home or in Europe, but need to narrow the midfield away in the League.

 

[NEVILLEB]

Got to say we look a better team without him despite his talent

When he plays it all revolves around him but without him the whole team looks fluid and in balance