Second half shake up

[Sozzled]

So Baines was injured and Barry slotted into left back (Did well)

Is it just me or did we look much more convincing going forward with a partnership of Barkley and McCarthy? I thought we looked fantastic when Baines went off. Real edge to our attacks.

 

[deipnosophist]

There was definitely a more cutting edge in our movement forward...interesting. Thought Barry managed LB well.

 

[EFC Si]

I thought we had literally no attacking threat in the first half. In the final third there was no movement and we didn't know what to do. As soon as baines went off and we re-shuffled literally the opposite of the first half happened

 

[Wat Tyler]

Baines is our best player, imho

 

[donk1878]

Baines is our best player, imho

I think he is too, but he hasn't played well this year. Looked off the pace bar 2 west ham free kicks. Amazing player but I am not convinced he is focused.

 

[MartSlinger]

The second half was weird, the game just opened up and we seemed to turn it on as well, whether that was down to Barkley moving into central midfield, i dont know.

 

[TheFinnFan]

Bainesys role has changed, i quess it is good concerning the whole system but at the same time i get nervous cause january is closing in

 

[davek]

So Baines was injured and Barry slotted into left back (Did well)

Is it just me or did we look much more convincing going forward with a partnership of Barkley and McCarthy? I thought we looked fantastic when Baines went off. Real edge to our attacks.

You're obsessed with this McCarthy/Barry partnership.

It works. We wont be playing a team as hopeless in midfield as Liverpool were every week. They were hopeless - coughing up the ball like ale house players - and Martinez recognised that and acted in appropriate fashion by using events to exploit it.

Back to basics next week against Stoke and we'll need it in midfield for a battle.

 

[Sozzled]

You're obsessed with this McCarthy/Barry partnership.

It works. We wont be playing a team as hopeless in midfield as Liverpool were every week. They were hopeless - coughing up the ball like ale house players - and Martinez recognised that and acted in appropriate fashion by using events to exploit it.

Back to basics next week against Stoke and we'll need it in midfield for a battle.

Yes I am. Because it very very defensive. No need for two sitters, proved yesterday.

 

[MikeH72]

The substitution of Deulofeu for Baines changed the game for us. Bringing him on and pushing Mirallas up front with Lukaku was a tactical masterstroke as far as I'm concerned, and it was only after this change that we started to dominate and create chance after chance. Skrtel and Agger had dealt with Lukaku comfortably up to that point, however they now had 2 strikers to contend with, which opened up a lot more space for Lukaku as he was now 1 on 1 with Skrtel. We were essentially playing 4-4-2 at this point, and their tactical set up from the start of the game was to counteract our 4-2-3-1.

Lucas was set up to man mark Barkley, and he'd done a fine job of it until after the substitution when Barkley dropped back into midfield. Suddenly we seemed to have loads of space in the final third and found ourselves 1 on 1 with their centre halves on numerous occasions. Tactical genius, and that bit of unpredictability that we have been starved of for so long.

If Baines was crocked for the next 2-3 games, do you think he might go with the formation that finished the game yesterday, with Barry as a makeshift left back and the 2 strikers?

 

[toffeeben15]

The substitution of Deulofeu for Baines changed the game for us. Bringing him on and pushing Mirallas up front with Lukaku was a tactical masterstroke as far as I'm concerned, and it was only after this change that we started to dominate and create chance after chance. Skrtel and Agger had dealt with Lukaku comfortably up to that point, however they now had 2 strikers to contend with, which opened up a lot more space for Lukaku as he was now 1 on 1 with Skrtel. We were essentially playing 4-4-2 at this point, and their tactical set up from the start of the game was to counteract our 4-2-3-1.

Lucas was set up to man mark Barkley, and he'd done a fine job of it until after the substitution when Barkley dropped back into midfield. Suddenly we seemed to have loads of space in the final third and found ourselves 1 on 1 with their centre halves on numerous occasions. Tactical genius, and that bit of unpredictability that we have been starved of for so long.

If Baines was crocked for the next 2-3 games, do you think he might go with the formation that finished the game yesterday, with Barry as a makeshift left back and the 2 strikers?

Think he will give Alcaraz a chance next game but for utd I wouldn't be suprised to see Barry left back with Barkley cm and kev behind lukaku

 

[davek]

We're going to go three at the back eventually, you'd think. If he wanted to both play Barry and partner McCarthy with Barkley in cm he could do it that way, I suppose.

 

[jts73]

I wouldn't play Barry at LB against Stoke. If Baines is injured then I'd look at Oviedo and give Baines a bit of rest before Man Utd & Arsenal back-to-back. Barry's aerial strength will be useful against Stoke though I'd certainly encourage McCarthy to play higher up the pitch as we could do with 3 points after 3 draws on the bounce.

 

[mawders]

There are a number of options, which is great. For the first time in a long time we have some fluidity.

Just be thankful we don't have phil neville to slot in at LB

 

[davek]

I wouldn't play Barry at LB against Stoke. If Baines is injured then I'd look at Oviedo and give Baines a bit of rest before Man Utd & Arsenal back-to-back. Barry's aerial strength will be useful against Stoke though I'd certainly encourage McCarthy to play higher up the pitch as we could do with 3 points after 3 draws on the bounce.

I think N'zonzi/Whelan/Adam will pose us way more problems than Gerrard/Lucas/Allen did. We need to be ready for the battle coming from them.