Andre Villas-Boas has previously said that there hasn’t been an opportunity to combine two strikers up front and to keep Emmanuel Adebayor happy but could it finally happen in this game?

Despite the defeat to Chelsea two weeks ago, it’s been a good run in the Premiership and while we have won five of our last six, Wigan have just two wins all season.

Firstly, here’s the injury update as reported by AVB –

“We are waiting for information on Jake Livermore, hopefully he’ll feel better from the knock that he got against Norwich,” Andre said.

“Mousa will have further information on his injury today, so he will be out of the game. Ade has made a good return – he trained today – so he will be available for selection. Naughton and Mason are both back.

“So it’s positives and negatives for sure, but we have 25 players who want to do well.”

The standard 4-2-3-1 may well see an unchanged team from the win at Southampton with Brad Friedel keeping his place in goal. The only other question under that formation would be up front with Ade pushing Defoe for the lone striker’s slot.

Many would argue that if it isn’t broken then don’t fix it but this game offers an opportunity for a more attacking set up. This is how we’d like it to look – it probably won’t happen but what’s your view?

SHARE

20 COMMENTS

  2. It IS broken in my opinion – despite the results. But AVB has to play his system. Livermore out is a problem – even though he has not been in stellar form (more like Stiller form…) 4-2-3-1 as per. I would be tempted to put Vertonghen back into CB…but that would put Caulker out of the team (AVB loves Gallas), and it may look like Caulker’s charge has affected things when it hasn’t. Therefore Caulker MUST play. Go for Siggy. And Defoe hasn’t been that good lately, so give Ade a start. We need contingency.

    Ade

    Bale – Siggy – Lennon

    Sandro – Hudd

    Vert – Gallas – Caulker – Walker

    Lloris

    However, AVB will play the Southampton lineup….

  4. Lloris
    Walker Gallas Caulker Naughton
    Sandro Huddlestone
    Sigurdsson
    Lennon Adebayor Bale

    Vertonghen deserves to be benched after the shocking lack of effort he put in on Wednesday, I’m perfectly happy seeing Naughton back there.

  6. Lloris
    Walker Gallas Caulker Vertonghen
    Lennon Sandro Sigurdsson Bale
    Adebayor Defoe

    Subs: Friedel, Naughton, Dawson, Falque, Dempsey, Huddlestone and Townsend.

  7. Lloris; Walker, Caulker, Vertonghen, Naughton; Huddlestone, Sandro; Lennon, Sigurdsson, Bale, Adebayor.

    I feel that it’s near time for Lloris to switch roles, leaving Friedel to handle cup matches. Clint Dempsey will be the luckiest man on the planet if he plays. And Adebayor has to be given time. Call on Defoe and Dempsey as second-half subs if necessary, but Villas-Boas needs to rotate the squad.

  8. When players are fit we play 4-1-4-1 as we did against Reading for instance. We revert to 4-2-3-1 when we have injuries but don’t look the same side. We don’t score enough goals are are to concerned with trying to defend when we should be trying to score more.

  10. Lloris
    Walker, Gallas, Vertonghen, Naughton
    Sandro, Huddlestone
    Lennon, Adebayor, Bale
    Defoe

    -Adebayor is technically gifted enough to assume the #10 role behind Defoe. Besides, Siggy & Dempsey haven’t shown any reason why they should be starting games.
    -With a mid-week Europa game & then Man.City in 3 days after that, AVB would wanna give enough minutes to those who require them; & rest others – all in preparation of the 2 crucial league games to follow (Man City & Arsenal)

    • I’d kind of agree – but Adebayor needs to be up top, otherwise we will fail to hold the ball up.. You could play Defoe in behind, he’s not a technically gifted, but he is a goal threat anywhere near the box, it will allow him a little more space and he does well feeding off scraps, so a little like a 442, but with Defoe dropping in behind we we haven’t got the ball…

    • I love what Brad has done for the team, but he’s getting old, and we have one of the top 4 keepers IN THE WORLD sitting on our bench. Lloris is up there with Casillas and Neuer and Buffon. He may be better than Buffon. Either way, he’s the best keeper in the Prem, and needs to play, period. You don’t buy a great player and bench him. Unless you’re City.

  13. Lloris
    Walker Caulker Vertonghen Naughton
    Sandro (?????)
    Lennon Bale

    Adebayor Defoe

    Lloris must start.
    Gallas must be benched, I’d rather Dawson over him.
    We don’t have a play-maker and Thudd hasn’t impressed me at all, way too slow.. I think I will go for Carrol who did a fine job against Norwich to partner Sandro.
    Sig won the invisible man trophy for me against Norwich, bench.
    Same for Dempsey, with no grudge for the penalty, bench.

    We are at home against a weak side, 4-4-2, finish off a game for once.
    COYS!

  14. lloris
    walker-caulker-vertonghen-naughton
    lennon-sandro-dempsey-bale
    ade-defoe

    i know dempsey hasnt set the world alight but i feel he would be better dropped back into midfield

  15. Gallas needs to go. Naughton should be put in and Vertonghen in Gallas’ spot, despite his bad game midweek. I wouldn’t mind seeing Defoe drop back and play behind Ade. I’d rather see Siggy in midfield along side Hudd, even though that leaves us with no holding midfield, because I think Sandro is a disaster waiting to happen. He reminds me of a slightly more talented Palacios… just making stupid decisions and rash tackles and taking shots from 30m out. I can’t wait for Parker’s return.

LEAVE A REPLY

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.