Upcoming fixtures

[billycopper]

agreed all over, we set up not to lose. playing a defensive midfielder like neville in home games vs norwich is not necessary. need more attacking options on the pitch than that

Only occasionally has Moyes gone for 4-4-2 with Vic and Jelavic up front together. He should try it more often. I don't see Fellaini and Gibson being overrun just because we switched away from 4-2-3-1. In fact it could be more solid, since I don't think Gibson-Neville or Gibson-Osman offer that much protection to the back four.

We definitely need a plan b. Subbing Jelavic off and pushing Fellaini even further forward offers no greater threat. And when Moyes does throw an attacking sub on it seems like it's more 'percentage football' rather than part of a plan. I've seen Vellios running all over the pitch chasing the ball and trying to impress the manager instead of doing a specific job.

 

[bignev23]

I have us getting 14 pionts the way were playing now.

 

[Titus Bramble]

I'm still not one for 4-4-2. Moyes' preferred 4-5-1 set up allows much more attacking flexibility and the defensive midfielder allows our fullbacks much more freedom to get forward. Playing 4-4-2 restricts Baines and Coleman which would negate much of our attacking threat.

But back on topic, our home games between now and the end of the season are very favourable. I think it's unrealistic for us only to drop points against City at Goodison since we can struggle to break down teams which get 10 men behind the ball on the edge of their own box (Swansea for example), but we should still be picking up the majority of points available. Couple this with a good few points in our away games and 5th/6th is very do-able.

 

[billycopper]

I'm still not one for 4-4-2. Moyes' preferred 4-5-1 set up allows much more attacking flexibility and the defensive midfielder allows our fullbacks much more freedom to get forward. Playing 4-4-2 restricts Baines and Coleman which would negate much of our attacking threat.

But back on topic, our home games between now and the end of the season are very favourable. I think it's unrealistic for us only to drop points against City at Goodison since we can struggle to break down teams which get 10 men behind the ball on the edge of their own box (Swansea for example), but we should still be picking up the majority of points available. Couple this with a good few points in our away games and 5th/6th is very do-able.

'Formations are neutral, it's tactics that are either defensive or offensive'. The trouble with 4-5-1 (4-2-2-1-1) is that if Fellaini drops into midfield Jelavic can become isolated up front. He's never going to beat anyone for pace, so the best he can do is hold the ball up.

I don't think that having two men in front of the defence is the reason why our fullbacks get forward so much. Even when we used to play just Neville or Fellaini there Baines and his opposite number had the freedom to bomb on. I think that Moyes possibly uses the system because it's fashionable, allows us to be defensive and fits with his belief in having a player behind the striker. We were actually much more solid at the back a few years ago.

 

[billycopper]

Our destiny is in our own hands regarding European qualification.

We're 2 points behind Arsenal and could potentially over take them with a win at the Emirates.
We could close the gap on Chelsea to 4 points with a win at Stamford Bridge.
If we won at White Hart Lane we could be 2 wins behind Spurs.
We could put a 6 point cushion between us and the RS with a win at Anfield.

It's all hypothetical but it shows how big wins in those matches could be for us. Spurs would still be some way ahead but we could make inroads with the other teams. Chelsea have quite a difficult run in including United, Liverpool and Spurs. They could be quite nervous if we cut the gap to 2 points before our match against them on the final day of the season.

Hopefully Moyes can get the side pumped up for a dozen (or so) 'cup finals' between now and the end of the season.

 

[billycopper]

Our remaining home fixtures are:

Stoke
QPR
Fulham
West Ham

We should win them all. However, our away games are:

Spurs
Arsenal
Sunderland
Liverpool
Chelsea

One win and a couple of draws would be a decent return. That would give us 16 points and take us on to 64.

Based on that Spurs would need to take no more than 10 points from their remaining 8 games for us to finish in fourth (3 wins, 1 draw and 4 defeats). Unless we take some major scalps AND beat strugglers at home or Tottenham have a collapse the Champions League is looking out of reach.

For us to finish fifth Arsenal must take a maximum of 14 points from 9 matches (4 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats).

Draws are going to be no good for us from now on. We need to try and win every match.

 

[billycopper]

Our remaining home fixtures are:

Stoke
QPR
Fulham
West Ham

We should win them all. However, our away games are:

Spurs
Arsenal
Sunderland
Liverpool
Chelsea

One win and a couple of draws would be a decent return. That would give us 16 points and take us on to 64.

Based on that Spurs would need to take no more than 10 points from their remaining 8 games for us to finish in fourth (3 wins, 1 draw and 4 defeats). Unless we take some major scalps AND beat strugglers at home or Tottenham have a collapse the Champions League is looking out of reach.

For us to finish fifth Arsenal must take a maximum of 14 points from 9 matches (4 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats).

Draws are going to be no good for us from now on. We need to try and win every match.

In coming 7th last year we finished on 56 points, so it would represent 3 more wins.

 

[Big Fat Sam]

Fulham shown us how it's done against Spurs and we need to do exactly the same.

We are good enough to go there and win, even without Fellaini. Stoke at home has to be a victory and quite frankly if we cannot beat them with their away record we don't deserve anything.

Team vs Spurs:

Howard
Coleman - Heitinga - Distin - Baines
Anichebe - Osman - Gibson - Pienaar
Mirallas
Jelavic
​

 

[royalblue66]

Fulham shown us how it's done against Spurs and we need to do exactly the same.

We are good enough to go there and win, even without Fellaini. Stoke at home has to be a victory and quite frankly if we cannot beat them with their away record we don't deserve anything.

Team vs Spurs:

Howard
Coleman - Heitinga - Distin - Baines
Anichebe - Osman - Gibson - Pienaar
Mirallas
Jelavic
​

Think you will find jags will be back for this game,trust me.

 

[ijjysmith]

Think you will find jags will be back for this game,trust me.

You sourced UBM?

 

[Blue Truth]

Fulham shown us how it's done against Spurs and we need to do exactly the same.

We are good enough to go there and win, even without Fellaini. Stoke at home has to be a victory and quite frankly if we cannot beat them with their away record we don't deserve anything.

Team vs Spurs:

Howard
Coleman - Heitinga - Distin - Baines
Anichebe - Osman - Gibson - Pienaar
Mirallas
Jelavic
​

anichebe on the wing. ew

 

[neil999]

anichebe on the wing. ew

pienaar not able to play ewwww

 

[royalblue66]

You sourced UBM?

Rather no say,trust me