02 Oct 2014 14:43:15
I've been spending time going through our squads players histories to see what positions they were playing before coming to us and if Pardew has constantly played square pegs in round holes. I found some interesting stuff which I thought I'd share and welcome any comments. I appreciate that I may have left a few players like Streete out of my views and can apologise for that, again any comments about our fringe players gratefully received.

Lets start off with the defence:
LB: We currently have 6 players who are LB's or who can play there. The most interesting thing is that Anita has played there consistently before joining NUFC but has not been used there consistently. He is not a DM or a DC by nature.

RB: There are 3 RBs on the books. Janmaat who has played there consistently throughout his career, Colback can play there as a secondary role and R. Taylor who is consistently injured. We need another RB as cover.

CB: 5 CBs - Williamson and Collo, Taylor, MYM, Mbabu. We seriously need to get MYM back playing his natural role of CB and I would pair him with the returning Mbabu as a younger more dynamic partnership. Willo and MYM did have the makings of a fairly decent partnership too.

Central Midfield: Right this is a strange one because we have which I will split into 3 parts: DM, CM and AM if that's ok with everyone?

DM: There is only one recognised DM in the team and that's Tiote. He is the only player with the history throughout his career of playing this role.
You may say Colback too, but his history says he plays further forward with some defensive qualities in his locker.

AM: We have 3 names here - De Jong, Cabella and Vukic. Cabella has played on the right wing but his main position historically has been as a AM.

All the others on our books are CM's, Abeid, Bigi and Sissoko - and yes historically Sissoko has been a consistent CM not a RW!

LW: We have an abundance of LW players. Gouffran, Aarons, Ameobi, Ferguson, Marveaux, etc. Gouffran is a strange one as he has historically in his career been a LW and support striker for his clubs. More on that later.

RW: Arrrghh what can I say? We have 2 recognised RWs and one of them is at Hull and the other is Obertan! This was seriously a position that needed strengthening. Interestingly enough though I found that Bigi has played there a reasonable amount of times too. - Maybe Pardew should take a leap of faith and play him there too?

Forwards: Ah were do we start? Cisse, Riviere, Perez and Ferreyra, all similar in style - all pacey and natural goalscorers? The problem with that is that we don't have anyone playing with them as a hold up player, AM or CM's coming forward in support of them. Playing each as a lone striker will never work as they then have to perform that role themselves and there are no other natural goalscorers in the side to take the pass or flick ons. I truly believe that we needed a large strong target man so get the best out of these players. Did we get any? ummm. no.

Saying that both Obertan and Gouffran do have some experience playing the support striker roles in their histories, maybe worth experimenting with them until reinforcements arrive?

So let's look at how Pards has played our squad over the start of the season - Cabella has been played as a RW in the 1st 4 games - not to any effect I may add. When played as an AM we have been better but not great. Hope De Jong comes back on fire - Maybe we shouldn't play an AM at all and sacrifice this position for another striker?

Sissoko and Gouffran - have consistently been played slightly out of position as CM's in all games albeit with a licence to roam to the outside. I prefer Sissoko being the Box to box midfielder through the centre myself and with Gouffran having Sammy and Aarons brething down his neck for that LW slot - maybe its time to find him a new position maybe? - maybe that support striker role I mentioned earlier?

Colback: He's been consistently played as a DM by Pards and has been ok though I do think that his passing could be better and his set piece taking is horrible to watch. Maybe pushing him further up field to pressure their back four with a brief to simple pass may work?

RW I know this is going to controversial but I would definitely pick Obertan for the RW role - he looked sharp against Stoke with some great crosses being made IMO.

Striker - This is the bug bear for me - we bought 3 players in who are all pacey goalscorers - but to get the best out of them we need that Target Man who can physically outmuscle the opposition and lay of the pass for them to latch onto. There are only two players in the squad that have any experience doing this that's Obertan and Gouffran - pick one and watch the striker come alive instead of being brushed off the ball.

BTW did anyone take any notice of Sky's coverage before the Stoke game? They were discussing Arsenals abysmal corner routines vs the other top sides - it boiled down to a decent taken corner and having 5 in the box and one on the keeper - Arsenal were putting 3 in the box and couldn't get anywhere! Watched the Stoke match and hey presto Newcastle were guilty of 3 in the box and no decent delivery at the corners - Pardew please watch this piece of punditry and apply the lessons learned from it please!!!

So back to how we should set up - the back four should possibly remain the same but I would love to see a new CB partnership. If Tiote plays then I would have Sissoko with him - De Jong being injured means no AM role. If you play Colbeck don't play Tiote and vice versa. My wings and I mean wings not CM's would be Ameobi and Obertan - both have blistering pace and would frightened defences. Up front I would put Gouffran as your Target Man and then any other striker as his partner - preferably Cisse as he has scored in the prem this season. So I'm advocating a 442 system with Sissoko given reign to go forward and Tiote being the anchor or have sissoko and colback together but try to close down higher up the field than a DM would.

Sorry its been a long piece but I wanted to get these thoughts down for ages.

1.) 02 Oct 2014
B. Heck you have been busy

2.) 02 Oct 2014
Well we at least know your views good on yer

3.) 02 Oct 2014
02 Oct 2014 15:37:49
dimond 442 would work for us, need 2 up front

4.) 02 Oct 2014
Fantastic post tiger, good analysis.

would like to see us play a traditional 4-4-2, with Cabella as the winger cutting inside and obertan as the out and out winger.

Krul
Janmaat-Saylor-Coloccini-Haidara
Obertan-Sissoko-Tiote-Cabella
Riviere-Cisse

Riviere playing as a "false 9" while Cisse being a poacher.

5.) 02 Oct 2014
Spot on Tigerwhenroused, Sissoko through the middle to attack and defend and pace out wide, best to try something different and fail rather than stick to what we already know is not working 4231.

6.) 03 Oct 2014
Thanks for the positive feedback guys - some good view there.

Jtoon do you really think Cabella would make it as an inside forward? He's not really cutting it at all for me - except maybe as an impact sub later on. Riviere is an out and out striker - not sure if he has the physicality to play a support role or the false 9.

Jimmy I agree a 442 diamond would be good; if we have de Jong back. He's historically the only AM we have with a goalscoring history.

Anyone know who our best deadball specialists are now? Not including RTaylor? Another neglected area imo by the coaching staff.

7.) 06 Oct 2014
Colback has been used as a LB before by safc, but never his strongest position and reason he never signed new contract for safc, he is a tidy player and will give his all as he used to playing for teams involved in relegation battles, if selling cabaye is the reason for nufc demise, and getting rid of pardew is the answer, who will be the fans choice to replace him, hoddle cockney, moyes scottish boring style of football, pulis considering how you treat Big Sam , so maybe Lee clark or Steve Bruce of the toon, I doubt Shearer would fancy another shot, and please don't say king kev, mike ashley might let you go down and take his loan from tv money at end of season, and then you could be left in admin and get deducted 10 points at least, then see if anyone wants to buy you, a ideal place for a city centre development your ground would become and at a good price, plus ashley would be able to relocate the club name he still owned and relocate to Glasgow Rangers and gain entry to english football league, this is all just a domesday scenario, but its not impossible