Team V Stoke

[CantonsHero 0]

I could see this being more 4-2-4 than anything else. He''s hitting tall strong Stoke with pace down both sides with two in the middle to aim for. I like it and don''t think it''s too defensive.

However I do think you can add Martin to shoot on sight. I think he might be in as a free kick specialist. I can see Holt winning a lot of free kicks with his trademark hold up-turn round-fall over.

[Joanna Grey 0]

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"] Time for Chrissy Martin to redeem himself.
[/quote]

Ah yes, because he is such a sinner?

[CantonsHero 0]

3-0 and we go top (for 30 mins at least).

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

[quote user="Joanna Grey"]

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"] Time for Chrissy Martin to redeem himself.[/quote]

Ah yes, because he is such a sinner?

[/quote]No because he has been pushed out of the team by other players after some lacklustre performances and Lambert himself said he needed to buck up his ideas.

[Mervmeister 18]

Sky SPorts News reporting tis still the diamond...

B.Johnson

Crofts Pilkington

Bennett

Holt Martin

Like that

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

[quote user="Mervmeister"]Sky SPorts News reporting tis still the diamond...

B.Johnson

Crofts Pilkington

Bennett

Holt Martin

Like that[/quote]They''ll be in the dark like the rest of us until kick-off.

[CantonsHero 0]

[quote user="Mervmeister"]Sky SPorts News reporting tis still the diamond...

B.Johnson

Crofts Pilkington

Bennett

Holt Martin

Like that[/quote]

Nothing against you here Merv but there is no way that they could possibly know that. Lambert wont have come out and said guys heres our line up and style of play. They''re guessing.

[7rew 0]

" If he''s playing as a striker what has he done to get ahead of Jackson? And if he''s playing behind Holt what has he done to get ahead of Hoolahan?"

And if he is playing in both roles at various times, he is ahead of both.

[Joanna Grey 0]

[quote user="CantonsHero"][quote user="Mervmeister"]Sky SPorts News reporting tis still the diamond... B.Johnson Crofts Pilkington Bennett Holt Martin Like that[/quote] Nothing against you here Merv but there is no way that they could possibly know that. Lambert wont have come out and said guys heres our line up and style of play. They''re guessing.[/quote]

They are guessing going on the fact that PL prefers the diamond formation. It actually works though (as would a 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1) because our players have played in those roles before, we''ll soon see though.

[PurpleCanary 5,557]

This may or may not work today, but in general I don''t see anything wrong in horses for courses. Stoke play a certain way. And if the diamond exposed our fullbacks in the Championship, which it did, it was certainly going to in the Premier League. Hence, presumably, two wide players to provide support for Naughton and Tierney. Added to which, Stoke presumably prepared to meet a diamond formation.

[Yellow Wal 314]

This cetainly looks very interesting. I will be amazed if we play a diamond formation. I can see Johnson and Crofts being central with Martin just in front and Bennett and Pilkinton wide. With both Naughton and Tierney both pushing on we are looking to attack them down the flanks. Martin will be used to link up and support Holt when he can. Holt will be the lone central striker. With the players we will have wide, who can both come inside and can strike the ball well, this will be anything but defensive.

[claud 0]

Could be very astute management from PL, trying different formations before we play any of the ''top 6''.

[Boris 56]

[quote user="Yellow Wall"]

This cetainly looks very interesting. I will be amazed if we play a diamond formation. I can see Johnson and Crofts being central with Martin just in front and Bennett and Pilkinton wide. With both Naughton and Tierney both pushing on we are looking to attack them down the flanks. Martin will be used to link up and support Holt when he can. Holt will be the lone central striker. With the players we will have wide, who can both come inside and can strike the ball well, this will be anything but defensive.

[/quote]

now HT spot on we play exactly that and so far so good!

stoke will be tired we must kill them in sec half with fresh players and secund goal.

fingers crossed we look awessome

[Robert N. LiM 4,338]

Basically the formation I was recommending in the week, though I don''t think anyone would have predicted Chrissy coming in.

I think that 4-2-3-1 is right for the players that we have and in this league. Hopefully against more footballing sides we''ll have the confidence to keep our footballers (especially Wes and hopefully Ruel too) in the team.

[Legend Iwan 30]

Looked to me like we were playing a much more flat 4-4-2

[Lambert is King 0]

[quote user="Mervmeister"]Surely thats a f*cking stupid team choice!! C.Martin? defensive at home? Hoping I will be proved wrong!![/quote]

You were.

As per my previous post as they set up to nulify the diamond Lambert completely stuffed them and they had to change formation. They also spent quite a while yesterday practising the defence of the very same free kick we scored from. Fair play PL when I saw your team I thought we will never match them playing the same way but we did.