Barclay's Premier League discussion '13-'14

They'll likely play together in a 4-4-2.

Whilst that is true, still think Jozy will have to play the "SS" role in the '2'. Fletcher will just be a poacher, I think.

Haven't seen anything of S'land in pre season though, so this is just me guessing. Do you think Wickham will have his break out season this year? Think we dodged a bullet there when Comolli was still the DoF...

Having a supporting striker would make it a 4-4-1-1, which is not the 4-4-2 I'm suggesting.

A 4411 is basically a 442, though.

Like Rafa has said, formations don't really mean anything. It's the role the players have to play which determines the real 'tactics'. Formations are only really generated by Fox Sports/Sky Sports etc.

That's not really true, in the sense that we (fans) and pundits alike tend to use formations as labels to describe the general game plan and roles for each player. A 4-4-1-1 implies a SS and CF. A flat 4-4-2 implies that the forwards have much more straightforward, and similar, roles as they're likely to be operating along the same level on the pitch.

It's more so for the general game plan, rather than the actual role of each player that they want to analyse. Sky had has us playing 442 at times with Suarez and Sturridge up top, that wasn't exactly true though. Suarez was more a SS.

Fletcher is a different player to Jozy Altidore. He's not really that great with the ball at his feet. He can hold the ball up, but he's not the greatest in possession and running with the ball. Jozy is a different player. So Jozy will have have to come deep to collect the ball in that '2' man forward line. We'll soon find out. Like I said, I haven't seen much of S'land this pre season to declare it as a fact, so I'm not "stating facts".

Jozy as SS will not work I'm afraid. I'm more inclined to lean towards what Red is saying where both Fletcher and Jozy playing next to each other as per the traditional 442

Who from the S'land midfielders can link the attack to midfield, though? Colback? Gardner? They'll struggle to touch the ball. lol

something-red wrote:Who from the S'land midfielders can link the attack to midfield, though? Colback? Gardner? They'll struggle to touch the ball. lol

Sessegnon most likely, even if he is deployed on the wing will surely cut inside 99% of the time. But I'm also just speculating as I only watch Sunderland around 5/6 times a year when Pool and other top teams play them so my opinion wouldn't be worth much.

Classy player is Sessegnon. Thought he was sold for some reason.

something-red wrote:Classy player is Sessegnon. Thought he was sold for some reason.

Will be more difficult for him to link mid to attack when playing in a wide position. Unless they only play one of Fletcher/Altidore, Sessegnon will likely be playing LW.

Natalie Portman wrote:And a new season begins. First week fixtures include:

Liverpool vs. Stoke
Arsenal vs. Aston Villa
Norwich vs. Everton
Sunderland vs. Fulham
WBA vs. Soton
West Ham vs. Cardiff
Swansea vs. Man Utd

Palace vs. Spurs
Chelsea vs. Hull

City vs. Newcastle
----------------------------------------------------------

My predictions. If neither is highlighted it's a draw.

Also, Altidore is going to boss it in the PL. Like Red said, he's a different player now, and he's playing with the utmost confidence right now.

Sunderland will likely rely on their wide players to link midfield to attack in any case. They've signed several wide attackers/wingers if memory serves, and both Altidore and Fletcher are at their best when being fed consistently by wingers' crosses and passes into them.

Altidore isn't a supporting forward. If that's Di Canio's plan then I feel sorry for both Altidore and Sunderland, because it won't work out. Jozy isn't a dribbler or a creator or really a passer. He's a more traditional forward who knows where the goal is and can hold up the ball to bring others into play if he doesn't have a look for a shot, but he's not going to drop deep regularly or look to get on the ball and create plays.

Louise Taylor thinks Spurs will win the league for the first time in 50+ years.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/aug/16/premier-league-predictions-guardian-writers?CMP=twt_gu

Due to Fletchers injury we wont see him and Jozy link up for a wile yet.  I think the plan is eventually to play 4-4-2 with those 2 upfront.

To start off we will probably have Jozy upfront on his own with a 5 man midfield, with Sess playing just behind Jozy offering support.

We will have Giaccherini and Johnson on the wings feeding balls in.  Larsson who can also put a decent ball in has been playing more central recently.  Cabral will play along side him. I originally thought Cabral was more of a defensive CM but he seemed to link up quite well with Altidore in the friendlies.

The Sess role will be supplemented with the option of Ji & Wickham.

Newcastle will finish above you lot again.

I'm really excited to watch. Still trying to figure out which matches to watch/record. I think I'll start with Liverpool and Stoke City since I've never seen either of these teams. Also interested in Arsenal and Aston Villa.

Looking forward to watching.

Have you never seen Liverpool play? Whaaat?

Swansea - ManUnited is the best match by far. I think Palace vs Spurs on sunday will be interesting. I can see a potential upset.

How long until Blackburn sack their first manager of the season, Gary Bowyer? They've started the season with a draw and two defeats in the Championship and got knocked out of the League Cup by a lower-league opposition. I reckon it'll happen before September.

BigNewFan wrote:I'm really excited to watch. Still trying to figure out which matches to watch/record. I think I'll start with Liverpool and Stoke City since I've never seen either of these teams. Also interested in Arsenal and Aston Villa.

Looking forward to watching.

NiallQuinnsdiscoPants wrote:Due to Fletchers injury we wont see him and Jozy link up for a wile yet.  I think the plan is eventually to play 4-4-2 with those 2 upfront.

To start off we will probably have Jozy upfront on his own with a 5 man midfield, with Sess playing just behind Jozy offering support.

We will have Giaccherini and Johnson on the wings feeding balls in.  Larsson who can also put a decent ball in has been playing more central recently.  Cabral will play along side him.  I originally thought Cabral was more of a defensive CM but he seemed to link up quite well with Altidore in the friendlies.  

The Sess role will be supplemented with the option of Ji & Wickham.

Thanks for the insight. That sounds more realistic for getting the best out of Altidore than attempting to play him as an SS behind Fletcher or another forward.

AltoZ wrote:Have you never seen Liverpool play? Whaaat?

Swansea - ManUnited is the best match by far. I think Palace vs Spurs on sunday will be interesting. I can see a potential upset.

hehe...

I'm an American. New soccer fan. Watched World Cups and the big tournaments. Now that EPL is on NBC Television I'm getting in on all the action!

Well sign in for the chat when you're watching, you'll be able to ask questions in real time and hopefully it'll help you enjoy what you're seeing more.

While its a bit selfish of me, I think that from a NT standpoint, it was kind of a mistake for Jozy to go to the PL in a WC year.

He is in the form of his life right now. He absolutely tore up the erevidisie, and he has grown so much as a player. But im not too confident that growth is compete. The Netherlands is, compared to other european leagues at least, easy to score in.

However, being a striker, is all about confidence, which Jozy has now. Will he have that a year from now after being at sunderland? I don't know. It seems like a risk. Especially with the manager they have at helm making all the decisions who is "unstable" to say the least.

I wish all the best to him but its hard for me to see him hit this kind of form he is in now a year after being in the PL, when it really counts in the World Cup.

stevieg8 wrote:Well sign in for the chat when you're watching, you'll be able to ask questions in real time and hopefully it'll help you enjoy what you're seeing more.

Fantastic.

Where is the chat forum?

Toure So close... Huth that volley