ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

4-5-1 Million Dollar Question

We are not widely known for playing expansive cultured football these days... pity as it was once the currency of a football club who prided itself on playing the beautiful game gracefully. These days the likes of Arsene Wenger and his 3rd-generation football team in the making continue to prove that football is still an art-form and is spectacle designed to entertain and inspire.

Needless to say this particular brand of football is as ever both enterprisingly successful and commercially endearing to the masses, and certainly the antidote to the old fashioned 'boring-boring Arsenal'. In close quarters the two Manager's on Merseyside have began the season with the somewhat perrenial problem of the Blues over-reliance on hoofball, lack of retention, and a defence that has leaked like a sieve. Benitez's archilles heel remains his inability to play a consistent team, chopping and changing week to week and donning an almost Ranieri persona to squad rotation.

The million-dollar question on our current form is how do we approach the weekend's derby and how do we beat them? I would suggest that we rekindle an old formula that has served us well in the past, the old 4-5-1 chesnut, obviously depending on available personnel. The key to this strategy will the availability of Cahill and Gravesen, and the pertinent question of who play's the target man up front. My hunch would be to play Anichebe up front, Carlsey, Gravesen, Cahill, Arteta and McFadden in Midfield. Tactics as ever will win the game, beautiful football excepted, let's avoid the hoofball.
Peter Laing, Liverpool Posted 15/10/2007 at 15:55:58

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David Barks
1 Posted 15/10/2007 at 17:57:56

Seeing as we have really struggled to keep the goals out this season, I would like to see us go back to a 4-5-1, IF, Cahill and Gravesen are fit. Otherwise, our midfield will just be too small. If we could have a midfield of Pienaar Gravesen and Arteta, with Carsley in the holding role and Cahill up front supporting the striker, who I would have as McFadden, then I could see that working to get us a result. I do not see this as the formation we should play throughout the season though. But against Liverpool I could see this work well and work against the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea to get points off of them as well. Look, there’s nothing wrong with doing this. United do it for away games in Europe and against other top teams, it keeps the midfield tight and provides support for defense.

Steve Ferns
2 Posted 15/10/2007 at 18:11:45

It’ll be 4-4-2, we’ll play defensive long ball football. The back four will be built for strength not technique. The midfield will be all about protecting the defence and creativity will be tidily confined to the wings out of harms way. McFadden will start and he can’t play up front on his own (I hope Moyes has watched France v Scotland in full and just the highlights as McFadden cannot play the target man and needs to feed off runners and we certinaly wouldn’t have those without playing Cahill). Moyes will then have an excuse to play Yakubu and continue the Yak’s transformation in Beattie Mark II.

philip mcavoy
3 Posted 15/10/2007 at 18:13:28

Definitely start with anichbe up front - hyppia has been struggling with physical players this season. If cahill’s fit play him behind otherwise go for mcfadden as his strike partner.

Seamus Murphy
4 Posted 15/10/2007 at 18:01:39

Agree totally Peter. 4-5-1 for the Derby with Cahill off Yakubu

Gavin Ramejkis
5 Posted 15/10/2007 at 19:38:11

Yakubu isn’t a target man, playing him as one makes him look shite

Steve Hopkins
6 Posted 15/10/2007 at 19:28:23

Yakubu will almost certainly play, partly because Anichebe has yet to produce a decent performance when starting, although what a great opportunity to put that right, and because I think Moyes really doesn’t have the bottle for the big decisions particularly when an 11 million quid purchase needs justifying.

Sometimes Moyes’ decision making reminds me of Sven when in charge of England although Moyes’ defence he is 11 million times more passionate.

Tony Marsh
7 Posted 15/10/2007 at 20:03:44

Cant believe these fans who are slaughtering Yakubu.His goal record speaks for its self.Dont you think its a little bit strange that all the strikers we play suffer the same fate. ie lack of goals.Before you keep chewing Yakubu up take alook at the managers tactics and then you might realise what the problem is.
Horses for courses is what its all about.
Asking Yakubu to do an Andy Johnson will not work.It doesnt work for AJ either and he has pace to burn.Please shut the fuck up if you dont know what you are talking about.Yakubu second top scorer in his premier league carrer and now he joins Everton the goals dry up but its nothing to do with the manager.I dont believe some of our lot at times.

Brian Waring
8 Posted 15/10/2007 at 20:27:35

Got to agree with Tony on the subject of the Yak.It’s too much of a coincidience that Beattie never done the bizz for us with the tactics Moyes employs and now the same can be said about the Yak and AJ.I know it’s only early days concerning the Yak,but judging his body language he looks pissed off already.On the derby,I think the shite are there for the taking on saturday.I just hope we approach the game like the home side,and not go out with negative tactics.

Roy coyne
9 Posted 15/10/2007 at 22:25:08

Tonys got a point on the Yak,and Victor is to volatile to play from the start,hed properly get sent off much as it pains me I have to agree on 4-5-1 formation trouble is who to play the lone striker I think its a toss up between Faddy &Yak as neither are really right for the role but who else?

Bill Goodall
10 Posted 15/10/2007 at 23:34:53

How about a 5-3-2 with Baines and Neville as wing backs Yobo Lescott and Jags in centre def Arteta Carsley and Pienaar in the middle with Yak and McFadden up front. i think this would make for an entertaining team, also it sends a message we are not trying to hold them, they need to try and stop us. Also we would finally see Yak get some service he deserves. This is a great chance to make a statement. Problem is i dont think Moyes has the brass ones to do it

Graham Rathbone
11 Posted 16/10/2007 at 00:16:22

Have to agree with Tony Marsh’s comments about Yakubu and managers tactics. James Beatie leads the championships goalscorers at the moment with 8 goals. He attributes this sucess to the use of wingers, now theres an idea!!

Dana Barrett
12 Posted 16/10/2007 at 11:20:48

I have about as much of a clue about tactics and formations as moyes himself. Surely 4-5-1 sounds more defensive than attack minded. With vaughan unavailable and johnson looking doubtful, yakubu looking about as much use as a chocolate fireguard i would go for the tried and tested 4-4-2 with maybe anichebe and mcfadden to start. What annoys me is that James can do wonders north of the border but when it comes to domestic matters he sometimes falls short. Best kept as a super-sub who can come on when needed and pull a rabbit out the hat. Just ask the french if you dont take my word for it.

Brian Waring
13 Posted 16/10/2007 at 13:38:54

Problem is Dana, I can’t see McFadden being happy on the bench and being used as a super-sub.I think it’s a banker that he will either be at Celtic or Rangers in January.

Dana Barrett
14 Posted 16/10/2007 at 14:23:44

Fair enough brian but james really is a good young talented player but still another five years at the top level. Moving up to the scottish premier league which has been a farce since the 1980s with about eight relevant fixtures a season is maybe not what faddy wants. OK, as i pointed out he is better used as a sub than a starter, but we all know he has his moments. Suppose for arguments sake that johnson and yakubu depart in january or soon after then james will have more scope to show what hes about. I remember in the recent past a player called Greenacre who was scoring for fun at preston. I would have like to have seen him at goodison, as we also missed out on nugent.