No Real Target Man + Better Centre Mids = 4-4-2?

The Fat el Hombre

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Ok so the transfer window is shut and personally I'm pretty fucking relieved we didn't spend £25 million on RSC, but we are now left without a quality experienced target man which is surely what we need if we're to continue with our current formation? Bellamy has said himself that he isn't mad keen on playing up front on his own and I don't really think he's got the qualities that are needed to play there particularly well as he doesn't hold the ball up and won't bring Robbie Swp and Superman into play enough. I think Caicedo might be a decent bet but he's too young to be putting so much pressure on and I hardly think Hughes is gonna stick Bellamy on the bench for Robocop

Now that we've got de Jong in the engine room does anyone think we might be better off switching to a 4-4-2 with Nige and Stevie in the middle? Hughes tried playing 4-4-2 at the beginning of the season but we didn't have the central midfielders to pull it off (Hamann no legs, the crab is shit and Johnno's head is stuck up his arse) and I think it that, at least against the shitter teams, that 4-4-2 might be the way to go with what we have.

I also think the lack of a forward target man raises questions about the signing of Bellamy (if there weren't enough already). Does Bellamy really bring that much to the table?

The 'proven prem players' thing Hughes was going on about was a total cop out for me. The idea was that the new players would hit the ground running but Bridge has cost us 2 goals in two games so you could argue that he's put the 'proven prem players' thing to bed. I would have rather we signed a couple more players in the de Jong mould (youngish internationals) but I'm prepared to wait and see how it pans out and hope we raise the bar come the summer. It pissed me off when Hughes complained about not having enough physical presence against Stoke - you're the once who signed Bellamy Mark, you knew exactly what his physical presence was

No excuses for MH now, he's got his own players in and the excuses have got to stop. I'm still behind him but in truth have lost a little faith in him after this transfer window (I was well impressed with the earlier deals of Zab and Vinnie obviously) but I'm prepared to support him and see how well he does til the end of the season.
 
If we play 4-4-2 where would we play Robinho? If we play him up front who do we play on the left? I can't see us playing him on the left of midfield in a 4-4-2 as he needs to play further forward than 4-4-2 allows to get the best out of him
 
Fair post blue.

To be honest, I'm glad RSC didn't come in this window but by the same token I'm more excited about the (slowly) return of the Boj. It'll be like a new signing and do believe he is the target man we've been lacking.

PLaying along caicedo and/or bellamy looks like a good partnership, I hope.

MH has done his business lets see what they can do
 
With the midfielders we now have available this is the first time in years I've thought we could go 4-4-2, would like to see it tried in some home games.
 
The Fat el Hombre said:
The 'proven prem players' thing Hughes was going on about was a total cop out for me. The idea was that the new players would hit the ground running but Bridge has cost us 2 goals in two games so you could argue that he's put the 'proven prem players' thing to bed.

No excuses for MH now, he's got his own players in and the excuses have got to stop. I'm still behind him but in truth have lost a little faith in him after this transfer window (I was well impressed with the earlier deals of Zab and Vinnie obviously) but I'm prepared to support him and see how well he does til the end of the season.

To be fair I think Bridge is suffering from a lack of games... he's got the quality we need but having been a benchwarmer at Chelski for so long means it'll take a few games for him to get his sharpness back. Once he does I am confident he will be quality with a capital Q.

You're right about MH not having many excuses now... we've strengthen in some key areas and we should expect a marked improvement in our performances. Yes the new players will take a short while to settle in but THIS is when our season really starts. Personally i think a UEFA cup final or a top 6 finish + UEFA quarter final is the ONLY way MH will save himsellf from the getting the boot at the end of the season.

I'm not saying I agree with that as I think MH was in a very difficult situation at the start of the season but I think it's the way it's going to go.
 
Robinho is quality like, but when you weigh up the price paid and goals scored, Jo was on a par..... at the present time
 
Failsworth_Blue said:
If we play 4-4-2 where would we play Robinho? If we play him up front who do we play on the left? I can't see us playing him on the left of midfield in a 4-4-2 as he needs to play further forward than 4-4-2 allows to get the best out of him

How far off is Petrov from returning again? I thought he was due back around Feb. or maybe early Mar. but that could free up some options in the midfield... We would certainly be one of the faster teams in the Prem with Bellamy, Rob, SWP, Petrov running around! As for the 4-4-2 how about....

------------Given-----------
Zab---Kompany--Dunne---Bridge
-----------De Jong-----------
SWP---------------------Petrov/Rob
------------Stevie-----------
-------Bellamy/Boj----Rob/Boj
 
bornblueegg said:
Fair post blue.

To be honest, I'm glad RSC didn't come in this window but by the same token I'm more excited about the (slowly) return of the Boj. It'll be like a new signing and do believe he is the target man we've been lacking.

forgive me for being cynical but i said the same thing this time last year and he didnt play at all, and... he aint really a target man
 

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