4-5-1 at City

[Ascotexgunner]

.........................................Federici.............................................

Cummings.............Pearce.................Mariappa......................Shorey

.....................Karacan...........................Guthrie..............................

Kebe....................................Jobi......................................HRK

.......................................Le Fondre...........................................

+1

[Royalclapper]

..................Mr Camera Save......................

Cummings......Pearce.....Gorkss...........Shorey
.....................Mariappa...........................

.....................Guthrie.............................

Kebe...........................................McCleary

........................Alf.................................

......................Roberts.............................

[Millsy]

Why is 451 beg hailed as the answer?

Wen we were playing 451 everyone complained that we should be going 442 that were used to. We changed to 442 and improved massively. Now we're crying out for 451 again?

As it happens I do agree though, it wouldn't be a bad idea against city away !

[Simon's Church]

Hope not, we need to go for the win and everyone knows 4-4-2 is most attacking formation out there.

[RockheadRumple]

.........................................Federici.............................................

Cummings.............Pearce.................Mariappa......................Shorey

.....................Karacan...........................Guthrie..............................

Kebe....................................Jobi......................................HRK

.......................................Le Fondre...........................................

+1

+2

[Terminal Boardom]

Hahnemann
Murty
Ingimarsson
Sonko
Shorey
Little
Sidwell
Harper
Convey
Kitson
Doyle

Lita to come off the bench after 60.

[Kebe is our Messi]

Hahnemann
Murty
Ingimarsson
Sonko
Shorey
Little
Sidwell
Harper
Convey
Kitson
Doyle

Lita to come off the bench after 60.

What a team that was. Everything you would want.

Gotta play guthrie, tabb and karacan in a midfield 5 surely? At least match man city's formation anyway

[Kebe is our Messi]

Hahnemann
Murty
Ingimarsson
Sonko
Shorey
Little
Sidwell
Harper
Convey
Kitson
Doyle

Lita to come off the bench after 60.

What a team that was. Everything you would want.

Gotta play guthrie, tabb and karacan in a midfield 5 surely? At least match man city's formation anyway

[Ian Royal]

This would be my team...

Federici

Gunter (how many goals have come down Cummings's side of the pitch?)

about the same number as when gunter plays

I do love this.

Gunter plays - we get roasted down our right flank. Gunter is shit Cummings is far better, he must play.
Cummings plays - we get roasted down our right flank. Cummings is shit, Gunter is far better, he must play.

So far we've had Gunter, Cummings, Gunter, Cummings. How long is it going to take for some fans to realise neither of them are really good enough and neither are solely to blame for us being wide open down that flank?

[RoyalinBracknell]

Personally I'd be tempted to pretty much play all 4 of the centre backs (or Shorey as one of them) - man mark all of City's front three with a defender and then have a fourth free (Pearce?) covering any gaps that open up (as seen at Old Trafford in 2007.) City's attacking players generally play narrow so it's those spaces we need to try and cover initially.

Have a defensive midfielder (preferably Karacan) man-marking City's attacking midfielder, with two other centre midfielders in there (Guthrie and Tabb?) to go 3 v 3 overall in central midfield.

Then have a front three with two wingers (Kebe and McCleary) to hurt them offensively where possible but also to track back CIty's full-backs as that is where their main width is provided. Have one of Pog or Roberts centrally, looking to hold the ball up and if we get a chance to maybe take it. Try and keep it tight and perhaps nick something from a set piece/counter attack if we get the opportunity.

[RoyallyFcuked]

.........................................Federici.............................................

Cummings.............Pearce.................Mariappa......................Shorey

........................................Karacan...........................................

Kebe..................................Guthrie..................................McAnuff

......................................................HRK........................

.......................... Le Fondre...........................................

[Millsy]

This would be my team...

Federici

Gunter (how many goals have come down Cummings's side of the pitch?)

about the same number as when gunter plays

I do love this.

Gunter plays - we get roasted down our right flank. Gunter is shit Cummings is far better, he must play.
Cummings plays - we get roasted down our right flank. Cummings is shit, Gunter is far better, he must play.

So far we've had Gunter, Cummings, Gunter, Cummings. How long is it going to take for some fans to realise neither of them are really good enough and neither are solely to blame for us being wide open down that flank?

Same happens in every position.


Guthrie plays and is s***

Tabb plays and offers something, but is no maradonna

Reading fans' goldfish memories reset and we start calling for the pratt Guthrie again

[Caskeys Lovechild]

I'm thinking we should perhaps employ the most obvious tactic available for this game. The patented, Caskeys Lovechild, 1-10 formation.

.................................................Federici.............................................

Cummings..Pearce..Mariappa..Shorey..Karacan..Kebe..Leigertwood..McAnuff..HRK..Le Fondre..

With Federici pushing up to bolster the attack.

[notloyalenuffroyal]

Realistically we don't need a ball playing midfield - we don't really use it.....

so....

I would go 1-4-4-1 - using the old style sweeper! Who have we caught offside recently - and we certainly won't against City.

Fed
Gunnarson (old wise head!)
Gunter Mariappa Morrison Shorey
Cummings (controversial!) Karacan Tabb Jobi (if he is in a running mood)
Le Fondre / Hunt / Roberts - 30 mins each exactly so they can run around like lunatics

Tactics: 1. Tackle - run run run run tackle tackle tackle tackle -
2. Hhhooooooooooooooooooooooooofffffffffffff
3. Front man wins free kick
4. Shorey whips one in - all pile towards goal and hope for the best or kick it way into the stand in order to get back and start at 1 again!

I am a genius!

[Ginger Ninjas]

This would be my team...

Federici

Gunter (how many goals have come down Cummings's side of the pitch?)

about the same number as when gunter plays

I do love this.

Gunter plays - we get roasted down our right flank. Gunter is shit Cummings is far better, he must play.
Cummings plays - we get roasted down our right flank. Cummings is shit, Gunter is far better, he must play.

So far we've had Gunter, Cummings, Gunter, Cummings. How long is it going to take for some fans to realise neither of them are really good enough and neither are solely to blame for us being wide open down that flank?

Woah, I think they're both shit, just that Gunter is a bit less shit at defending. It's an opinion. On a discussion board. And quite frankly it doesn't matter if we had Javier Zanetti in his prime playing RB, we'd still get thoroughly buggered...

[CJC]

Feds

Gunter
Pearce
Mariappa
Shorey

Karacan
Tabb

Kebe
Guthrie
HRK

Pog


Obviously won't happen as gorkss, ledge and jobi are for some reason brians favourites

[The Rouge]

If everyone was fit and I could start with pre-season again knowing what I know now?

...................Federici
...Karacan..Morrison.Pearce..Shorey
...............Guthrie..Tabb
Kebe.............McAnuff......Robson-Kanu
.....................Pog

McCarthy, Mariappa, Legs, ALF, Hunt, McCleary, Cummings

With what we've got? Fuk knows.

......................Federici
...Cummings..Mariappa.Pearce..Shorey
..................Guthrie..Tabb
Kebe................McAnuff........Robson-Kanu
........................Pog

Taylor, Gunter, Gorkss, Legs, ALF, Hunt, McCleary

McAnuff only in the centre because I can't think of anyone else. Although I'm not sure there's really any way back for Guthrie, I just can't bear to name Legs with Tabb after yet another shambolic performance from the pair and him in particular. Who plays central mid in the youth? What are Taylor and D'ath up to?

Weird you have Guthrie and Tabb in those defensive midfield positions - surely not what they are good at is it~?

[Hoop Blah]

I think Ledge is just in need of a rest. Lets not forget he has been our best player, as well as playing every single game, for almost two years straight. Up until recently, he was again in decent form (Fulham, Arsenal in the cup). Dropping him I think will help him and we will see him back to his best when called upon again.

He was pretty poor at the start of last season as well IIRC, but I do agree he probably needs a rest. The problem we have is that until Karacan and Guthrie are back in contention we just don't have an alternative, and even when their back we still don't have a proper physical presence in there without Legeirtwood (not that it's really helped us so far of course!)

[loyalroyal4life]

It does not matter what team we put out, as long as ledge is in it we WILL lose. The guy is pathetic as demonstrated against arsenal and most games this season