<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GeorgeGraham:
Anderton and Redknapp in the centre is way too lightweight- thats why Hoddle should have pulled out all the stop to get Bowyer to play alongside Redknapp or Anderton.
You need a combative midfielder if your going to play 4-4-2- and preferably one who can create attacking options.
Anyway 5-3-2 has worked well for us- Freund in a holding role allows the midfield to break forward and make up for Sheringhams lack of presence at the moment.
One other problem we have is that everything goes up the right hand side- Southampton sussed this out and we paid for it- Ziege is going to be a great loss on the left as unless Etherington has learned to cross plus some tricks then we havent got a true left sided option of any quality.
But if we were to play Etherington Id prefer a 4-4-2 so we have some cover behind him.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I agree with everything you say about the left side of the squad - given what's available it has to be Thatcher and Etherington for me. Etherington was really exciting at the start of the season and he set up both goals for the reserves the other night. He'l learn to cross given time and he has tricks alright. Most of all he would allow Keano to come in off the flank a bit more which would help a lot.
As far as Clemence goes - well if we got any decent money for him then it's a good deal. He's not going to get many games (I'd prefer Sherwood myself and that's saying something) we have a lot of midfielders and he's at the end of his contract anyway. I hope he does well at Birmingham.
I think Redknapp and Anderton is a lot less lightweight than you might think from their reputations - I was really surprised by the way Redknapp got stuck in this season and Darren is a good athlete although not agressive enough perhaps. I am so glad Bowyer isn't coming. Don't care how good he is. Away from home I'd beef this up by adding in Freund instead of one of them.
I agree that 5-3-2 (or 3-5-2) has worked best for us but because of the left side issue I think we have to play 4-4-2 to get Etherington in.
Neither Etherington nor Bunjevcevic is a left back never mind a left wing-back. Ethers is fast but I've only seen him make one successful tackle this season and Bunjy is not pacy or dynamic enough. I do wonder if Acimovic could do the job - he crosses well and is quick enough but I've not seen enough of him to tell if he could do the defensive role.
Ledley King would be an option in the wing-back role but give that he seems uncomfortable against pace I wouldn't want to see him have to defend against a real winger. Maybe Heskey would suit the role
erry/King/Gardner
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