so Rafas plan...

[floyd the barber]

im talking about his real first choice 11 one that is built on foundations to win the premiership , we saw how important it was keeping a consistent side after christmas last season.....

 

 

-----------------reina----------------

deggen----agger-skrtel----dossena

----------------masch----------------

--kuyt---------gerrard--------barry----

------------------keane---------------

------------------torres---------------

 

 

with the width coming from both full backs....lots of goals in that side, good defensive cover, kuyt and barry will provide excellent cover for both attacking full backs and both give 100%every game and can of course get forward and get you goals.......they are also both superb crossers of the ball.

 

Of course it means us actually landing barry, if so then i reckon we might see Carra slowly being moved to the bench.......this will give us the higher line at the back..so important for the above formation.

 

If Carra starts, i see us more as a straight forward 4-4-2 with babel/another winger on the left.

Edited July 29, 2008 by Lets get Masched

[Amit83]

-----------------reina----------------

deggen----agger-skrtel----dossena

------------masch----barry----------

------gerrard------------babel-------

------------------keane---------------

-----------torres----------------------

 

 

I think a formation similar to this is what the Rafa would want. This would allow Barry (can play left Back) to act as cover when Dossena bursts forward and Masch to cover the right side.

 

also what a forward line of Gerrard, Babel , Torres and Keane

 

Think i just came

[Rich Gobey]

There's about as much chance of Deggen being first choice right back as there is Voronin being ahead of Torres. He's here to provide cover and tactical options, Carra will play right back more often than Deggen.

[So Cal Red]

There's about as much chance of Deggen being first choice right back as there is Voronin being ahead of Torres. He's here to provide cover and tactical options, Carra will play right back more often than Deggen.

 

agreed... everyone keeps leaving Carra out of their formations & putting in Degen (the physio's new pet) instead... i find it a little (maybe to compensate for the lack of pure width?)

[sean]

Carra will play majority of games this season, certainly all the big ones. Experience and organisation isn't something the others in our backline have got, apart from Sami who will provide cover. Carra might play RB more than CB as Skrtel and Agger are potentially excellent as a long term partnership. Both can dominate and are decent with the ball at feet.

[Rimbeux]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Skrtl at full back. One of the main reasons for him coming into the Carra-Sami partnership was to get some pace there, now with Agger back...

[yuriska]

I think if Rafa is going for an agressive line-up it will be a 4-1-2-2-1 with the wingbacks 'bombing' on and as has been mentioned keeping a highline with the centrebacks to compress play.

 

---------------Reina------------------

Degen---Agger---Skrtel----Dossena

-------------Mascherano--------------

------Gerrard------------Barry--------

------Keane------------Babel---------

----------------Torres-----------------

 

But equally if we want to be a bit more cautious we can go 4-2-3-1

 

---------------Reina------------------

Arbeloa---Carra---Agger----Aurelio

------Mascherano---Lucas-----------

----Kuyt------Gerrard------Babel----

----------------Torres-----------------

 

And we also have 4-4-2

 

---------------Reina------------------

Finnan---Hyypia---Skrtel----Dossena

Pennant-Gerrard---Barry---Benayoun

------Keane-----------Torres---------

 

I've mixed and matched our players 'according to rotation' but just to show how we could line up for different games.

[Woodsyla]

There's about as much chance of Deggen being first choice right back as there is Voronin being ahead of Torres. He's here to provide cover and tactical options, Carra will play right back more often than Deggen.

If you actually listen to what Rafa has said in interviews you will find that is not the case. When asked if the players he had signed (Degen and Dossena) were going into the first team he said yes. He also said that as he couldn't afford to buy wingers we would use other options for width and have attacking full backs. Carra is great but he is not an attacking full back.

 

My prediction (when all are fit) for our starting back 4

 

Degen Carra Agger Dossena

[Mullah_Owen]

I wouldnt at all be surprised if we saw this formation:

 

Reina

 

Carra Agger Skrtel

 

 

Deggen Masch Dossena

 

 

Stevie G Barry

 

 

Keane

[Mullah_Owen]

I wouldnt at all be surprised if we saw this formation:

 

----------------------------------------Reina-----------------------------

 

-----------------Carra-----------------Agger------------------------Skrtel

 

 

Deggen-------------------------------Masch---------------------------------Dossena

 

 

-----------------------------Stevie G--------------Barry

 

 

-----------------------------------------Keane

 

 

-----------------------------------------Torres

[Woodsyla]

I wouldnt at all be surprised if we saw this formation:

 

----------------------------------------Reina-----------------------------

 

-----------------Carra-----------------Agger------------------------Skrtel

Deggen-------------------------------Masch---------------------------------Dossena

-----------------------------Stevie G--------------Barry

-----------------------------------------Keane

-----------------------------------------Torres

It was bobbins the first time it really didn't need a second effort

[Rory Fitzgerald]

It was bobbins the first time it really didn't need a second effort

 

It looks better with Torres in it the 2nd version, though not much

[Eskimo]

I think that the only thing that we can assume is that Keane and Torres will both start, as for the rest who knows?

[floyd the barber]

I think that the only thing that we can assume is that Keane and Torres will both start, as for the rest who knows?

 

 

well you can assume when fit.....reina,agger,dossena,masch,gerrard,keane,torres and barryif he signs) are all certain starters

[Spike]

I'm thinking more of

 

----------------------------------------Pennant-----------------------------

 

-----------------Dossena-----------------Stevie G------------------------Kuyt

Alonso-------------------------------Torres---------------------------------Keane

-----------------------------Skrtel--------------Barry-----------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------Carra

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

I'm thinking more of

 

----------------------------------------Pennant-----------------------------

 

-----------------Dossena-----------------Stevie G------------------------Kuyt

Alonso-------------------------------Torres---------------------------------Keane

-----------------------------Skrtel--------------Barry-----------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------Carra

 

oh yes!

[Swan Red]

well you can assume when fit.....reina,agger,dossena,masch,gerrard,keane,torres and barryif he signs) are all certain starters

 

no you can't

[David Hodgson]

no you can't

 

 

I think, all being fit, against a decent team, that wasn't a bad shout. He's basically listed our best players, who all things being equal, should all be on the pitch at the same time, when it counts.

[fred milne]

I wouldnt at all be surprised if we saw this formation:

 

----------------------------------------Reina-----------------------------

 

-----------------Carra-----------------Agger------------------------Skrtel

Deggen-------------------------------Masch---------------------------------Dossena

-----------------------------Stevie G--------------Barry

-----------------------------------------Keane

-----------------------------------------Torres

There's not enough goal threat there. Its not as if Barry is the new Terry McDermott.

 

P.S. If we did go 3 at the back I'd have though Skrtel would play in the middle with Carra on the right and Agger on the left.

[Wardy]

Not enough goal threat with Keane and Torres up front with Gerrard in behind?

 

With 78 goals between them last season?

[sean]

If Keane, Torres and Gerrard all reach their tallies for last season, we'll go very close to winning the league this season.

[floyd the barber]

no you can't

 

errrr yeah you can..

Reina - definete

Dossena - rafa has already said hes first choice

agger - we all know how good he is and how important he is to our formation

masch - definete

gerrard - definete

torres - definete

keane and barry - well you dont pay the money we have paid for keane and possibly for barry for players who are not going to start the majority of league games.

 

id also add that all the above(except maybe Reina in chelseas case and dossena, we shall see) would WALK into either arsenal, the mancs or chelseas teams.

[Guest the Dude abides]

No clues so far in pre-season.

[Guest spk]

er ... first team != starting line up

[budgie]

er ... first team != starting line up

 

 

??