Strongest starting XI

[QuartzGooner]

26May1989 - yeah, it is more like 4-1-4-1!

It's Up For Grabs...thats an interesting formation..I like having two players in front of the defence too, but maybe it is too deep for Cesc?

[Its Up 4 Grabs Now]

Doesn’t need to be, no more so than in a 4-4-2. As I say it’s more or less just a slight adaptation to a 4-4-2 anyway rather than a whole new formation with the only real difference being Nasri, Rosicky and RVP having a bit more freedom to interchange and roam about. It would definitely be better if we had a really strong CDM alongside Cesc to make it work, but the same goes for any formation really.

If you look at Utd they often play a similar 4-2-3-1 system and it doesn’t result in say Anderson or Scholes playing too deep. It could easily be adapted at any point into the 4-5-1 you mentioned by moving Song back in front of the defence, playing Rosicky next to Cesc in the middle and RVP/Nasri on the wings.

[QuartzGooner]

Doesn’t need to be, no more so than in a 4-4-2. As I say it’s more or less just a slight adaptation to a 4-4-2 anyway rather than a whole new formation with the only real difference being Nasri, Rosicky and RVP having a bit more freedom to interchange and roam about. It would definitely be better if we had a really strong CDM alongside Cesc to make it work, but the same goes for any formation really.

I asked because the season 2006 - 2007, I thought Cesc played too deep. Then last season he pushed up 5 - 10 yards and ended up with 13 goals. I think he could even play a Number 10 role off Adebayor to great effect.

Maybe it could be tried with Cesc instead of RvP behind Ade, and having Toure next to Song shielding defence.

That would allow for the front four to really attack and interchange, with a solid base behind them to mop uo lost passes.

[Its Up 4 Grabs Now]

I agree Cesc seemed to be playing too deep the season before last, but I think that was more to do with playing alongside Gilberto than the formation (which I think was usually either 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 anyway). Bert was more of a Makalele sit in front of the defence type of midfielder, which meant that we often won the ball back in deeper positions than if he (Bert) had been playing a bit further up the pitch. That in turn obviously meant Cesc being drawn further back to receive the ball etc.

The change in Cesc last season was more to do with Flamini than any change of formation - as well as Cesc just continuing to improve his game obviously. Flamini played further up the pitch than Bert and also generally won the ball back earlier because he was much quicker in closing players down. That meant Cesc getting on the ball in more advanced positions.

I’m not so sure about Cesc in the number 10 role - not as his main position anyway. It worked well for Spain I know, and I’m sure he could do well enough there but I just think that would involve him playing with his back to goal too much, which is a totally different game to how he plays now.

[highburyJD]

it doesn’t result in say Anderson or Scholes playing too deep.

I think anderson plays way too deep
if he plays further forward he will score goals

[Its Up 4 Grabs Now]

I've seen Anderson have plenty of shots at goal, it's just that a lot of them have been shit. If Anderson does play too deep i'd say it's only in the sense that he is (as far as I know) meant to be a more attacking midfielder - wasn't another one of the "next Ronaldinho's" when he was at Porto? But that's more a case of Ferguson playing him out of position. Cesc on the other hand would be playing in the same position he plays in now, and excelled in last season - in CM at the heart of the side.

[kautzie]

ALMUNIA, CLICHY, TOURE, GALLAS OR DJOUROU, SAGNA, WALCOTT OR ROSICKY, CESC, DIABY OR SONG, NASRI, RVP, ADEBAYOR

[highburyJD]

diaby playing as a striker will hopefully put paid to these defmid ideas
he's not good enough defensively to play there
diaby is all about going forward

[SWLGooner]

Same!

Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Nasri Fabregas Rosicky Walcott
Eduardo Adebayor

You WERE on the bench... ...I'm off to AGG for four quid - feel frozen out by new mod Wayno....

---------------------------Almunia
-----Sagna-----Gallas-------------Silvestre-------Clichy
-----Rosicky----Cesc--------------Toure----------Walcott
-------------------------Nasri-------------------------------
-------------------------Eduardo/RvP----------------------

[highburyJD]

swl gooner - are you actually south of the river?
I never think of chelsea/fulham as 'south' london even though they have sw postcodes

[SWLGooner]

swl gooner - are you actually south of the river?
I never think of chelsea/fulham as 'south' london even though they have sw postcodes

Yep, I'm in Putney. And how did you end up in CROYDON?!

[highburyJD]

ooops
does it still say that
in highbury since Feb