442

[PaulMcC]

How often did we play 442 last season?

 

I can remember Mancs at home and Everton away off the top of my head. Wigan at home.

 

Any others?

 

I'm asking cos i think in 442 Gerrard is more suited to centre midfield than he is in a 4231, where both players sort of sit at times and the wide are higher up the pitch, and i think Kuyt is less suited to the right side in a 442.

[Ted]

Sunderland away, Middlesborough home, West Ham home.

[PaulMcC]

Sunderland away, Middlesborough home, West Ham home.

 

Was it Keane and Torres up front against Middlesborugh with Gerrard in the middle with Alonso?

[Ted]

Was it Keane and Torres up front against Middlesborugh with Gerrard in the middle with Alonso?

 

Er, yeah I think so.

[aws]

So mostly we played shit when we went 4-4-2 with Gerrard in midfield?

[PaulMcC]

So mostly we played shit when we went 4-4-2 with Gerrard in midfield?

 

It looks like it but i think it suits him better to be centre midfield in a 442 that a 4231 unless Masacherano will be the only one holding in the 4231 but then we haven't really got anyone dictating the play from the centre.

 

I think the reason were shit in most of the 442 games was cos Keane was playing. Although Kuyt isn't suited to the right in a 442 either.

[zigackly]

We don't have the wide men for 4-4-2, let alone the midfielders.

[aws]

We don't have the wide men for 4-4-2, let alone the midfielders.

 

or the partnership of strikers

[PaulMcC]

I think Kuyt and Torres would be decent together.

 

Yossi on the right, Riera on the left with Lucas or Mascherano and Gerrard in the middle.

[zigackly]

I think Kuyt and Torres would be decent together.

 

Yossi on the right, Riera on the left with Lucas or Mascherano and Gerrard in the middle.

 

But using just those players you mention, they are much more suited to this formation:

 

Gerrard Mascherano

Kuyt Benayoun Riera

..........Torres

 

There we go, sorted.

[aws]

I think Kuyt and Torres would be decent together.

 

Yossi on the right, Riera on the left with Lucas or Mascherano and Gerrard in the middle.

 

I think that could work too. But I'd prefer to give our current (and previously most successful for years) formation more than one bad game before ditching it.

[PaulMcC]

I'm not talking about ditching it. I'd keep it but would probably just not play Gerrard centre midfield.

 

If Gerrard is playing centre midfield in a 4231 think he'd be wasted if he sits the way Lucas and Mascherano do or the way Alonso done.

[zigackly]

If Gerrard is playing centre midfield in a 4231 think he'd be wasted if he sits the way Lucas and Mascherano do or the way Alonso done.

 

He won't do that though, he'll get forward when he can. So will Aquilani when fit. Neither are holding players.

[PaulMcC]

He won't do that though, he'll get forward when he can. So will Aquilani when fit. Neither are holding players.

 

Hopefully he can dictate play from there and get forward in time to support the attack too.

 

Mascherano's passing isn't as good as Alonso's so it might take us a while to get settled in that formation without him.

 

Personally, i think we'll see the same as Sunday but with Riera or Yossi in for Babel. With a more attacking attitude. I'd be happy enough with that too cos i don't dislike Lucas as a player.

[Vivaldo]

But using just those players you mention, they are much more suited to this formation:

 

Gerrard Mascherano

Kuyt Benayoun Riera

..........Torres

 

There we go, sorted.

 

Is what I was thinking or

 

Kuyt Gerrard Mascherano Benayoun

Babel

Torres

 

and rotate Kuyt, Babel and Benayoun around