As we saw on Saturday, Harry’s transfer dealings have made first team selection just that little bit easier and after several departures from the Lane at the end of August, the temptation to slot in Jenas or Crouch has now been removed.
Injuries also played their part in the final line up against Wolves with Sandro, VDV, Dawson and Pienaar ruled out while the likes of Bassong, Corluka and Pavlyuchenko were left out for other reasons.
So was the team that took to the pitch at Molineux on Saturday your first choice XI from those that remain? While the formation could be tinkered with depending on the opposition, the Adebayor / Defoe combination up front looked strong and the manager himself alluded to this being his first choice pairing.
When Sandro comes back, who will make way and where will VDV slot in? Is Kranjcar the most vulnerable from Saturday’s team and should Lennon force his way back in?
The horses for courses rule will always apply at some stage but is Friedel, Walker, Kaboul, King, BAE, Kranjcar, Modric, Parker, Bale, Adebayor and Defoe our strongest starting XI right now?
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{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
Friedel
Walker Gallas King Assou-Ekotto
Lennon Sandro/Parker Modric Bale
Defoe Adebayor
FRIEDEL
WALKER GALLAS KING EKOTTU
LENNON SANDRO MODRIC BALE
ADEBAYOR DEFOE
————Friedel———-
Walker–Gallas–King–BAE
————Sandro———-
Lennon——VDV—-Bale/Mod
——-Defoe—-Ade——-
…Against smaller teams
————Friedel———-
Walker–Gallas–King–BAE
——-Parker–Modric——
Lennon—-VDV——Bale
———Adebayor——-
…When playing better teams
Friedel
Walker kaboul king BAE
Sandro Parker
Van der vaaart modric Bale
Adebayor
Close, but our best 11 is without doubt the following
friedel, walker, benny, ledley, gallas -bale, modric, parker, sandro, vdv-adebayor.
How you play them is another matter!!!! does vdv unsettle out best formation 442 – thats another more complex question !!!
It will be interesting when all fit who misses out in midfield. If you need pace (Lennon) down the right (for example) and Harry starts with Parker and Sandro in midfield as I think he might, it will leave two places for Modric, Vdv and Bale (who can also play lb of course). The versatility of our midfield players makes it even better, allowing us to keep a wc midfield despite injuries, possibly. Can’t wait for games now!! Ade is a big key player for us now, as he’s the only one who can fill that role. Defoe plays the withdrawn role much better than off the shoulder. However, he, Krancs and Kaboul won’t get anywhere near the first team if everyone were fit.
Harry is God. Tactics suck. 442 my ass. A striker always drops deep. Call it 451, 433, 4231… jeez! Just get out there and fucking run around a bit! Ok?
FRIEDEL
CORLUKA GALLAS KING BAE
LENNON PARKER HUDD MODRIC BALE
ADEBAYOR
I agree, especially for big away games. Maybe rotate Lennon/Defoe/VDV depending on opposition. I would have Walker instead of Corluka tho.
Friedel
Walker,king,gallas,bale
Sandro,parker
Lennon. VDV. Modric
Adebayor
Shoehorning vdv at the expense of bale at l.back!
Friedel
benny, king/gallas, dawson, walkers
bale, modders, parker, VDV
defoe, adebayor
I would stick to our beloved 442, and play VDV on the right side of midfield, as the defoe, adebayor combination looks strong. and we can’t mess that up just to keep rafa happy. COYS!
i believe you wrote that down wrong if you wanted VDV on the right. You wrote it like BAE and Bale are on the right…
I think it’s fair to say that we now have a squad good enough to play in different formations. Attacking at home or a team that can give the defence enough protection while still giving us enough attacking qualities.
However I’d love to see
Freidel
Walker Daws King BAE
Sandro Parker/Hudd
Lennon/vdv Modric Bale
Adebayor
Friedel
Walker, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto
Sandro, Parker
Lennon, Modric, Bale
Adebayor
Subs: Gomes, Defoe, Van der Vaart, Kaboul, Kranjcar, Huddlestone, Dos Santos.
This is almost perfect. We’re best in a 4-5-1 with two holding mids (as you show).
I would replace VdV for Lennon, though. Lennon and Bale offer too similar of an attack while Bale and VdV allow for more attacking options.
Modric should be played as an attacking mid where his incisive passing can lead directly to goals.
Lennon’s best attribute is his speed so bring him on as an impact sub at 60-70 minutes — when VdV always seems to be tiring and when Lennon’s speed vs. tired opponent’s would be successful.
I’d also like to give Falque some playing time so we can decide if he’s worth picking up permanently (I think we have that option).
………………FRIEDEL
WALKER..KING..GALLAS..EKOTTO
…………PARKER..MODRIC
LENNON…..v.d.VAART…….BALE
…………….ADEBAYOR
WITHOUT A DOUBT…and SANDRO inn if VDV, MODRIC, OR PARKER is out injured.. if VDV is out..push Modric up an slot SANDRO infront of our back 4…
LEnnon needs to find his feet though, or we should get some competition in his spot in January. Gotze or Marin would do
……………………………Friedel
…………..Walker….Gallas…King…BAE
……………………………Sandro
………………………Parker…Modric
…………………VDV………………..Bale
………………………….Adebayor
looks excellent
i wil put in kaboul for walker
Slaven Billic said something a while back…and it is still relevent: Formations do not matter so much. What does matter is the personnel. Kevin Bond said that we played 4-4-1-1 on Saturday (Defoe in the hole), yet most people thought – or assumed – that it was 4-4-2. When Man U play, the play 4-4-1-1, as Rooney comes deep. So forget the 4-2-3-1 stuff. We will have 4 defenders, 4 midfielders, 1 forward/striker, and another striker. We will not have a strongest 11. Sandro/Hudd/Parker/Modric will tussle for central positions. Pienaar/Niko will fight for apps too. Pav is far from finished. Gallas/King/Daws/Kaboul will tussle for CB, Corluka/Walker will tussle for RB.
Friedel
Walker Gallas King Assou-Ekotto
Falque Sandro Ceballos Bale
Van der Vaart
Adebayor
Substitutes: Lennon, Krancjar, Modric, Dawson, Cudicini, Kaboul, Defoe
Youngsters for Europa: Kane, Carroll, Parrett
Wheres Parker you cunt
Spurs only need one defensive midfielder unless they are playing away to Barcelona, or of they are leading by one goal and want to see the game out. Sandro is better than Parker. He has more pace and can move from defence to attack alot quicker.
How about playing Gio on the right, Lennon is too predictable. Gio has far more composure and could cut in and allow Walker to pass him,
On the other side have modric and Bale at left back. Sandro and Parker sitting, be a bit like City???
……………..Friedel…………..
Walker….king…gallas….bale
………..sandro..Parker……..
Gio………..Van d v……modric
…………….adebayor………….
Subs
Cudicini
Corluka
Bae
Hudds
Lennon
Kranjar
Defoe
4-2-3-1
Gomes
Walker Gallas King Bale
Sandro Parker
Lennon VDV Modric
Adebayor
Sandro has been really unlucky with his injury but i think he is a great player and should be in the starting line up week in week out !
i cant understand why everyone puts friedel before gomes.friedel is a good goalkeeper but he is way to old.so if we lose gomes then who the hell we gonna get for the future.alnwick is not good enough and cudicini is to old as well.o.k gomes has had his bad days but everyone always remember the bad things and not the good.he makes world class saves every game but they are soon forgotten. gomes walker king dawson bae lennon modric parker bale vdv adebayor.subs friedel kaboul gallas hudds sandro defoe kranjcar
FRIEDEL
WALKER DAWSON THE KING BAE
PARKER SANDRO MODRIC
LENNON ADEBAYOR BALE
SIMPLE 4-3-3 FORMATION.
BENCH- CUDICINI, KABOUL, GALLAS, KRANJCAR, VDV, DEFOE AND PAVS.
SELL CORLUKA, HES CRAP.
Gomes
Walker King Gallas BAE
Sandro Parker
VDV Modric Bale
Adebayor
Subs:
Friedel
Corluka
Dawson
Lennon
Huddlestone
Pienaar
Defoe
4-2-3-1
Friedel
Kyle Walker, Ledley King, Billy Gallas, Gareth Bale
Sandro Ranieri, Scott Parker
Aaron Lennon, Rafa Van der Vaart, Luka Modric
Manny Adebayor
…………….Friedel…………….
Walker. King. Gallas. Bae
……….Sandro. Parker………
…………….Modric…………….
….VDV………………..Bale…..
…………..Adebayor ………….
———— friedel————–
Walker—-king—-gallas—-bae
Sandro—-Parker—-bale
Modric——vdv
Adeybayor
Terry Venebals Xmas tree formation fits us
A formation I’d like to see tried in Europe is
Gomes
Huddlestone
Kaboul. Gallas. Bassong
Livermore BAe
Do santos Falque. Rose
Coulibaly
If it worked the 1st team playing it would be
Gomes
Hudd
Walker. King. Kaboul
Sandro. BAe
Modric. Bale
Vdv
Adebayor
In all the teams above there’s 3 players in most of them king modric and adebayor, not a bad spine so HR should pick the rest on form and I think bale picks himself that’s all.
Gomes
Walker, Kaboul, King, BAE
Parker, Modric, Sandro(Hudd)
vdV, Adebayor, Bale
———— friedel————–
Walker—-king—-gallas—-bae
——-Parker–Sandro——-
—Van der Vaart– Modric–
Lennon—-Adebayor—- Bale
That is the best line up if all are fit. It’s attacking and we have the protection of Sandro and Parker but can all so push forward.
Yeah, thats because you have 12 players there mate.
how about
Friedal
Walker Gallas King Bale
vdVaart Sandro Parker Modric
Adebayor Defoe
With modric and vandervaart coming inside and being overlapped by the fullbacks bombing forwards giving us width, with defensive midfielders able to cover?
………….Friedel
Walker Gallas King Bale
…..Parker…Modric….
Lennon VdV Kranjcar
Adebayor
Dawson and Kaboul rotating with CB’s
Sandro in when Modric plays on left.:uddlestone when injuries arise.
Pienaar and Gio getting oppotunities down the flanks as no squad stays fit.
Defoe on bench,
Walker and Bale will terrorise defences when they link up moving forward.
TOP 3 team
COYS
FRIEDEL
WALKER KABOUL HUDD BENNY
SANDRO PARKER
VDV MODRIC BALE
ADEBAYOR
with all the CB injuries, now’s Harry’s chance to try Hudd again at CB… with all the wealth we now have in midfield, he can reinvent himself as a tough yet classy CB, and rather than those long hopeful Dawson highballs from the back, have Hudd distribute as only he knows how.
JPG really has something going here.. what the F%$k is he thinking leaving Mr Lennon out??
Not even Barcelona will be able o get through that defence
watever ormation, they play pool on Sunday – we will have to see where this goes..
ynwa
Lots of people seem to be going for the 4-2-3-1. however if you are only playing with 1 striker I think the 3 attacking midfielders need to be scoring 10-15 goals each. Although Bale and van der Vaart could do this, neither modric or lennon will get more than about 5, so we would not score enough goals. I was gutted that we didnt sign Mata, as he would have been perfect as the 3rd attacking midfielder. with the players we have, I therefore conclude that we need to play 2 up front.
If we assume we go 4-4-2 then, the problem with playing lennon on the right is that this nullifies walkers attacking threat. so far this season I have been disappointed that he has not been getting forward more and can only think that its because lennon is in front of him, and not the type of player you overlap.