There’s no confirmed news yet on William Gallas, but you would expect that he may well sit out tomorrow’s game against West Ham.

Bassong could slot straight back in as his replacement, or will Harry spring a surprise and recall Ledley King who was on the bench against AC Milan? With Corluka likely to retain his place, the rest of the back four pick themselves as usual.

The big question as it is with every game, is will it be 4-5-1 or 4-4-2? This looks particularly hard to call this week. If, as we assume, Bale and Van der Vaart are fit, you might expect 4-5-1 with VDV tucking in behind Peter Crouch, but with Defoe and Pav both scoring at Wolves it could be 4-4-2 with VDV, Modric, Sandro and Bale in midfield.

Here’s the team that we expect us to line up with. Who would you pick?

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14 COMMENTS

  1. Lennon has to play, been one of our most effective players this season, and a I fancy him up against Wayne Bridge.

    I’d go with: Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, Gallas (if fit), Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Sandro, Modric, Bale, Van der Vaart, Defoe.

  2. I would rest everyone for Madrid

    So my team

    Cudicini
    Hutton Bassong Khumalo Corluka
    Pienaar Sandro Jenas Krancjar
    Defoe Pav

    Subs, Gomes, VDV, Lennon, Modric, Ekotto, Crouch, Gallas

    We aint going to finish 4th, and if we beat Madrid we will make history, which will live with us forever, that team should be strong enough anyway

  5. If Harry goes for it your line up sounds great, just Lennon instead of Defoe and play VDV behind Pav, he wont play Defoe up top on his own again it doesnt work

  6. King is fit. He was on the bench v Milan.

    So –

    Gomes
    Corluka
    BAE
    Dawson
    King
    Sandro
    Modric
    Lennon
    Bale
    VDV
    Pavlyuchenko

  7. Jay, Pav for Defoe, I’d leave Bale and VDV in behind PAV, pace (Bale) and guile (VDV) , and then bring on Lennon in the last 30 for VDV, as he usually tires at this point.

    • Defoe cant play up top on his own, his form his awful, he did nothing against wolves apart from those 2 shots, you need your man up front to other loads more than that, inc holding it up, running the channels, linking play etc.
      I would have Crouch for all round play but I think Pav is more of a goal threat, all our strikers are crap to be fair, cant we try VDV and Bale upfront

  12. LENNON HAS GOT TO PLAY. He is up against Wayne Bridge – a player that never fully proved his potential worth as a defender, and decent going forward – so keep him occupied. Lennon will be double teamed, and this creates holes for others to exploit. Upson would not keep up with Defoe – so play him. Upson also gets out jumped by even smaller players than him (remember Eduardo scoring header whilst marked by him!) – so Crouch for me.

    Gomes, BAE, Daws, Gallas/Bassong, Corluka, Bale, Sandro, Modric, Lennon (a must), Crouch, Defoe.

    I would also consider 4-4-1-1, drop Defoe for Vdv – because West Ham have been quite attacking lately, and it might make things easier to soak some of that up, whilst still being potent up front.

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