beloved_aunt

We don't, we go long to Fletcher whenever we can.

I don't feel anything like as nervous as I normally do tonight. The last two games vs United have been an embarrassment as Jos set us up like a 3rd division side going away to Manchester City. In the game this season in particular we played like it would be a bad idea to have a shot because we might give away possession. That won't be the case tonight. Bruce will have us acting like a big club and not taking a backward step. That is almost more important to me than winning.

I'm not sure two up front is the best way to stop over lapping wing backs. I think its having pacey wingers stay high and wide. This means we'll either be able to find them in acres of space on the counter attack or they'll just decide to stay home and not venture out. Either way we've disrupted their game plan.

Boyd is a cross country run masquerading as a professional footballer

I always bemused that people blame refs when their team goes on a long run without a pen. Prime example is Burnley where Dyche has had some epic moans. But a team like Man City are always going to get loads more penalties because, they play with trick wingers who defenders have down, they run through on goal with pace, and most simply of all they attack so they're in the opposition's half/box more. Unfortunately, we're more likey Burnley.

Champions league final last year: Bale/Ronaldo cutting in with Carvajal/Marcelo overlapping vs Salah/Mane cutting in with Robertson/Arnold overlapping. Other great recent sides: Barca: Messi/Neymar cutting in, Alba/Alaves overlapping. Bayern: Robben and Ribery with Kimmich and Alaba etc and so on. There is a reason for this.

If you play two right footers on the right and two left footers on the left, then you're making it quite clear that your main strategy for scoring a goal is crossing into the box as this is the instinct of all four of your wide players. However, in the modern game this is a really inefficient way of scoring a goal. Studies of the PL have indicated that only one in every 92 crosses produces a goal. They're very easy to defend against and predictable. Read more here: https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/whats-point-crossing There are far more efficient ways of scoring goals such as through balls, long shot etc. So if you have someone cutting in from the flank and another providing width you are giving yourself these other options and a better chance of scoring and ultimately winning. English football's antiquated obsession with crossing is one of the main reasons our "golden generation" totally bombed. We didn't utilise the attacking instincts of our brilliant centre mids because the ball always had to go wide for Beckham to swing it in. Also the weird assumption that our left winger had to be left footed resulted in years of waste trying the likes of Guppy, Thompson et al on the flank. If we'd abandoned the 4-4-2 and gone for a modern formation and modern style (oh for someone like Southgate to have been manager back then) we'd have done much better.

Please not 4-4-2.

Ok, so why does every almost elite side of the last 10 years play that way?

What is IPTV? I really want to know.

I always feel that if you play both on the same side you're really predictable. Eg a right footed full back who wants to overlap and cross and a right footed right winger who want to go wide and cross the you're really predictable and easy to stop. You've only got one way of attacking down the flanks, eg go wide and cross. If you have a mix (eg Hunt goes wide and Wallace comes inside to shoot) then you've got more ways to attack and give the defence more questions to answer. Of course you've got to have the right players as well but its they way most elite sides and no reason we should emulate.

At one time it was traditional for the new manager to get a special introduction at their first Hillsborough match. They get announced and walk out of the tunnel to acclaim from the crowd just before kick off. I can remember doing this for Turner and Sturrock I think but we've not done for ages. That's understandable as most of our appointments since have been underwhelming but with the excitement around Bruce could that change on Saturday?

Another player messed about massively at the start of the season. Centre back in 3 one week, not in the 18 the next, starting as a wing back the next, on the bench next. No one is going to find their best form treated like that. Maybe he'll be the new Lewis Buxton?

Finally got a settle back four and keeping clean sheets and loads posting on here that we should go to a back five or switch the full backs etc. Should keep them all playing together IMHO.

One change from Ipswich. Boyd to make way for Aarons.