Glenn Murray's scorng record since Forster has not been in the team

[Mellotron]

Not a chance is he one of the best in the league

Give it up mate. Murray has the talent to be a good Championship striker.

 

[Perkino]

the formation in a sense is 433, Lua Lua and Bennett being the other strikers, it is a formation that Man U were using last year with Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs

Although they didn't. last year Berbatov played a large number of games and when he didn't play Tevez did. They had a 4-4-2 last year and for the last few years that they have won the League.

This season, since Ronaldo left, they have been playing, a lot more often, with a 4-5-1 formation with 3 central midfielders and Nani and Valencia as wide men with Rooney up front on his own. This has brought the best out of Rooney as he now starts and ends most of Man Utd attacking moves with their counter attacking formation.

LuaLua and Bennett are both Wingers not strikers. the formation is a 4-5-1 and there nothing wrong with playing that formation if it gets us results. but lets not try and pretend that its an attacking formation when it clearly isn't

 

[Mendoza]

Orient (a) 1-1 Murray 1 goal
Huddersfield (h) 0-0 no Murray goal - came on as sub with 20 mins to go
Norwich (h) 1-2 No Murray goal
Leeds (a) 1-1 Murray 1 goal
Charlton (a) 2-1 Murray didn’t play, Forster started
Exeter (h) 2-0 No Murray goal
Colchester (a) 0-0 No Murray goal
Swindon (h) 0-1 No Murray goal

So he has scored 2 goals in 6 games and one sub appearance whilst playing upfront alone, but working 10 times harder and linking up play really well. At least the goals have been coming from midfield to balance it out

 

[Danny-Boy]

We've got 2 ... when they play together.

In fairness to Poyet thought, the 4-5-1 does look MILES more secure, and since we've switched to it, my relegation fears have been completely dismissed.

After Saturday? You'll need over 50 points to stay up this time for sure.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

the formation in a sense is 433, Lua Lua and Bennett being the other strikers, it is a formation that Man U were using last year with Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs

Not sure I agree. The formation is 4-3-3 when attacking, but it is Crofts and Dicker who are making up the three up front and Lua Lua and Bennet who are getting the crosses in. The problem at Colchester and against (a weakened) Swindon was that all too often, the corsses didn't come in and when they did, the two central midfielders didn't push on to make up the "front three".

4-5-1 has worked well at stopping top sides getting at us, but we don't seem able to make it work when going forward. It worked against Exeter - who were poor and so our wingers beat their men and our midfield were able to get forward. Some of the lower sides will find the 4-5-1/4-3-3 fluid formation impossible to contain. But against the top sides it really puts pressure on the "1" if Crofts/Dicker don't/can't get forward.

On Saturday I wonder if Dicker had to spend too much time shoring up Navarro (who had an off day) to get forward?? And did the whole side look a bit jaded?

 

[Mellotron]

On Saturday I wonder if Dicker had to spend too much time shoring up Navarro (who had an off day) to get forward?? And did the whole side look a bit jaded?

Dicker was having to work his arse off because Navarro was having a bit of a mare and Crofts was anonymous. Dicker was clearly getting exasperated with his midfield partners and shouted "what the f**k is going on" at one point a few moments before they scored.

Crofts has GOT to start contributing more in all round play.

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

we are not Man Utd however.

Ive gone on about this before till i am blue in the face.
Its simple the 4-5-1 is an away formation in my opinion, despite people calling it 4-3-3 it isnt.

at home we should always play 4-4-2 except maybe against top sides when we need more possesion. but 95% of the time 4-4-2 at home please.

Ps Murray is a very good striker at this level and i think would score goals in the championship.

That sounds good on paper but the evidence is aginst you. Over the last few years mostly we played 4-4-2 at home and our record is awful so not convinced switching to this is going to make any difference.

Gus's point is that at the mo we have to play three in centre midfiled with an anchor man. That means playing without wingers or with only one striker. That or not have any full backs.

 

[pork pie]

That we need Bobby Z back?