Time for 4-4-2?

[TX Tiburon]

We have to go 4-4-2 or 5-3-2. Something as to change.

......................Howard
Neville...Yobo/Lescott...Jags...Lescott/Baines
Arteta...Castillo...Fellaini...Pienaar/Osman
.................Yakubu...Saha

I also think that we need to quit screwing around with Neville or Jags in the midfield and take our lumps with the new guys. It's not like we are bossing the midfield and generating points each time out by defaulting to Nev as the holding mid. Castillo and Fellaini will have to cut the mustard if we are going anywhere with the team as is.

Credit also to whoever it was that was promoting 5-3-2. Our three strong backs are taylor made for this lineup.
...............Howard
........Yobo...Jags...Lescott
Neville............................Baines
.....Arteta...Fellaini...Pienaar
...........Yakubu...Saha

** Slipping into flame retardand jump-suit **
I do like Cahill. I really do. But I wonder if we don't hold ourselved back by insisting on running 4-5-1 to accommodate him. Yes, he can provide a dozen odd goals a year but so could Saha/Vaughn/Vic if not more. Does Cahill provide much in the way of on the ground support to Yak? Does he take defenses on with the ball or put in solid defensive help? He's neither fish nor fowl - neither striker nor midfielder. I think he is a nice asset but does Tim help us rise to the next level?

 

[ToxtethBlue]

We have to go 4-4-2 or 5-3-2. Something as to change.

......................Howard
Neville...Yobo/Lescott...Jags...Lescott/Baines
Arteta...Castillo...Fellaini...Pienaar/Osman
.................Yakubu...Saha

I also think that we need to quit screwing around with Neville or Jags in the midfield and take our lumps with the new guys. It's not like we are bossing the midfield and generating points each time out by defaulting to Nev as the holding mid. Castillo and Fellaini will have to cut the mustard if we are going anywhere with the team as is.

Credit also to whoever it was that was promoting 5-3-2. Our three strong backs are taylor made for this lineup.
...............Howard
........Yobo...Jags...Lescott
Neville............................Baines
.....Arteta...Fellaini...Pienaar
...........Yakubu...Saha

** Slipping into flame retardand jump-suit **
I do like Cahill. I really do. But I wonder if we don't hold ourselved back by insisting on running 4-5-1 to accommodate him. Yes, he can provide a dozen odd goals a year but so could Saha/Vaughn/Vic if not more. Does Cahill provide much in the way of on the ground support to Yak? Does he take defenses on with the ball or put in solid defensive help? He's neither fish nor fowl - neither striker nor midfielder. I think he is a nice asset but does Tim help us rise to the next level?

I agree with alot of your post, certainly alot of it when it coes to Cahill, Saha and the 4-5-1 system. I don't agree on the 3-5-2 system, it won't be used and it just doesn't work in English football.

I like Cahill, I think he's an excellent asset to have and is a very good player but I don't agree with people who say he's an absolute must in the team. I did last season and in previous seasons but we now have alot of different forward options, two arguably world class strikers in Saha and Yakubu.

I've been called a Cahill basher because of this, I think I put my points across well on this subject. We have always went 4-5-1 because of Carsley, as much as he was an asset in a 4-5-1 he was also a liability in a 4-4-2. Because he was the only defensive midfielder on our books we had to find a way to use his effectively.

We found that system and it also got the best out of Cahill. Now though we have changed, Carsley is no longer with us and we have Rodwell, Osman, Fellaini, Cahill, Castillo etc who can all play in a four man midfield effectively. I do think Cahill can play in a 4-4-2 by the way, I don't think he's our best option in there but I think he's perfectly capable.

If we've got the midfielders who can play in a 4 man midfield why not use it? Especially when you've got two strikers who can score 40 plus goals a season combined, as good a goal getter Tim is he can't score 20 a season. He never has done and probably never will.

I think both formations formations should be looked at and no player bar Pienaar and Arteta must be a must in the team (I name these players because we have no other options outwide).

I also think our lack of pace in the 4-5-1 system has a negative effect on the team sometimes, we don't really have anyone who can get behind teams, Pienaar, Cahill, Arteta and Osman all like the ball to feet as does Yakubu. We can get pinned back and the team as a whole sits deep, Lescott and Baines are ususally the only pacy options and Yakubu when he can be arsed sprinting.

Saha in a 4-4-2 gives us that pace and directness that we lack. He can run in behind or he can drop off into deeper positions and run at defenders. He has that ability and it's an asset we lack.

I'm not saying 4-4-2 is a must but it should definatly be looked at. 4-5-1 isn't the only way to play and either is the Yakubu-Cahill partnership. We can mix it up as we have three excellent forward players. Vaughan is coming through aswell.

I'm expecting Cahill's biggest fans to roast me on this one, bring it on.