I thought it would be interesting to get people’s thoughts on our starting eleven against Middlesbrough.
I know there could be a player or two brought in by then and possibly Berbatov could be gone but here’s what I fancy.
GK Gomes
LB Bale
RB Hutton (probably won’t be fit, maybe Zokora)
CB Woodgate
CB King (again, may not play this game, probably Dawson)
LM Lennon (Bale may play here and Ekotto at left back)
RM Bentley
CM Modric
CM Jenas
AM Giovani
CF Bent
I like the idea of Bent on his own up front in away games and Giovani playing in behind but I’m worried about the strength of that midfield away from home. I’m sure we can get away with those four at the Lane and hit teams fast and early like we always do but it just seems too lightweight for tough away games against lesser teams where they will get kicked all over the place.
I’d appreciate your thoughts, even if it’s to dig me out or reply anonymously saying I’ve made mistakes like some of you love to do (could be a few Arsenal fans in disguise but I like the banter!)
Changes to come…
I’ve registered the whitehartpain.com domain so the address will probably change in the next few days. I’ll let you know when it will happen and you should get re-directed if you go to the usual address anyway but just a heads up.
Hutton wont start even if fit he has had no pre season – Zakora played well there in the friendlies so far – he wont stay there for long tho! i think he may play Thudd somewhere – i can see ramos playin him a bit this seaosn as he seems to like his range of passing. I hope Bale plays left back – he is decent left wing but i think he prefers to bomb on from deep positions. i think Benty will score against boro! i dont think there is another striker like him in the league who can strecch a defence with such pace!
team will be
gk gomes
rb zokora as hutton not fit
lb bale
cb woodgate
cb dawson as king not ready
rm bentley
cm jenas
cm modric
cm huddlestone
lm dos santos
stk bent
this team will be subject to arshavin arriving and replacing hudd and modric given free role and dos santos to get up and support bent.
I would expect to see Gilberto at left back, and then Bale at left wing. If the game gets stretched later on then expect Lennon to be introduced. I can’t see him starting many away games.
It also sounds like Modric may be injured (unconfirmed), so I would expect Tommy H to be the deeper lying of the two central midfielders and Jenas to roam as always. GDS can drop into midfield when we haven’t got the ball. If Modric is fit then I don’t expect GDS to start.
It will be interesting to see what role Berbatov plays if he is still there – I expect he will come on as a second half sub if he is still around.
All in all, I can’t wait!
isnt modric out for the start of the season? thought i heard something about that.
anyway i cant wait to see johnny two saints baffle defences and hopefully lead to some more easy finishes for bent.
itll be interestin to see how lennon falls into the team now.
team will be
gk gomes
rb Gunter
lb Gilberto
cb woodgate
cb King
rm bentley
cm jenas
cm Zokora
lm Bale
BStr dos santos
stk bent
————-Bent————–
Bentley—-Dos Santos—-Lennon
——-Jenas—–Modric——–
Bale—King—Woodgate—Hutton
————-Gomes————-
4-2-3-1 looks like Ramos’ formation of choice. But let’s face it, this bunch of crocks will never all be fit at the same time.
agree with above, Toms gotta be in there, but seeing a coupla games in preseason, we’ve been playing tom and zokora defensive mid, which could be a better opening game option and giving youth a chance with gunter again at right back.
dos santos attacking mid with modric and either lennon or jenas forming 3 behind a lone bent. this way, we can diversitise dos santos and switch positions between him, modric and lennon/jenas, and if we switch quick to 4411, he can occupy left wing.
4231 for me with a flexibility of 442, which modric can play as the play linkup between bent and mid.
bobs your uncle.
Surely is would be better to play Gunter at right back if Hutton is not fit. Zokora at right? Your havin a laugh!
If we lose Berba we should play 4 3 3 as follows
RB Zakora,CB Woody,CB King, LB Bale
Bentley,JJ,Modric
Lennon Santos
Bent
If Berba stays we will play 442
same back 4 as we are away in the middle of the park I say Bentley JJ Modric Santos, up front Bent and Berba.
i admit that zokora has a good change of pace however whoever keeps puttin him in their first 11 is just stupid… he clearly isnt a right back as he lacks any kind of vision, even a 2 yard pass pushes him. The only place he can offer cover is maybe defensive midfield but he is so clumsy in challenges he is more of a threat then anything… to put it plain and simple he is a liability and an average player as much as i love his attitude towards spurs he has to go for us to progress
Gomes
Ekotto/Bale
King
Woodgate
Hutton (Gunter if not fit)
Lennon/Bale
Modric
Jenas
Bentley
Dos Santos
Bent
Im still keeping my fingers crossed for arshavin, but he sisnt a target man so id question who would start after that and obviously if he wants to pull his finger out berba has to get the nod.
I’m going with the 4-2-3-1 scenario:
GK: Gomes
LB: Bale
CB: King if fit, Dawson if not
CB: Woodgate
RB: Hutton if fit, Zokora if not (or Corluka if signed)
Holding midfielders: Huddlestone/Zokora and Jenas, with Jenas allowed to push forward
Attacking midfielders:
GDS (left), Modric (Middle, with the option to switch places with Jenas in the game), and Bentley (right)
Striker:
Bent or Berbatov if he’s still here)
what a pointless topic, just wait and see what happens and then do this next friday
cuntchops
gomes
Gunter king woody Gilberto
Huddlestone
Jenas Modric
Bently Bale
Bent
————–gomes————–
—Gunter–king–woody–Gilberto–
———-Huddlestone———-
——-Jenas——– Modric —
–Bently——————– Bale
—————-Bent———–
————-gomes————–
——————————–
hutton—king—woody—-gilberto
———————————
bentley—modric—jenas—-bale
——dos sandos—————–
————–bent—————
—————Gomes————–
Corluka(Zokora)—Woody—King—AE
————–Modric————
—Bentley——Gio———Bale
————Berba–Bent(Arshavin)
what about BIG TOM people?????
We did build our team around him last year, and now you wanna ditch him? no no no no!!
He is the future!!!
Gomes
Zokora Woodgate Dawson Bale
Hudd
Bentley Jenas Gio
Berba Bent
When full team is healthy, replace Hutton for Zokora, KIng for Dawson, and Modric for Jenas.
————Gomes————-
Gunter—-Woody—-Daws—-Bale
————-hudd————-
—Bentley—-JJ—–O’Hara—
———-GDS—————–
————–Bent————-
*Based on Hutton, King and Modric being injured. Bench;
Sanchez
Dawson
BAE
Zokora
Lennon
Pekhart/Bostock/Smith
Berbatov
—————gomez—————
huttom—–woody—–king—-ekotto
bentley————————Bale
————-modric—————-
—-dos santos———lennon——
—————bent—————-
ive decided this is how we are rolling so all other suggestions are unaccounted for or gay !!!
Would rather see Dos Santos on left wing.
Lennon has proven he is not able to fulfil Left wing role.
Huddlestone and jenas will swap alot. But to claim spurs midfield is weak(in strength) is insane, have you see the tackles and strength that Modric can offer for a small guy, bit like Scholes in that manner.
Also Jenas, as much as i hate him, actually is brilliant at tackles. Its a aspect of his game that he does not use enough.
1. GK GOMEZ
2. RB HUTTON
3. LB EKKOTO
4. CB WOODGATE
5. CB KING
6. CM JENAS
7. RW BENTLEY
8. CM HUDDLESTON
9. LW BALE
10.ST DOS SANTOS
11.ST BENT
THAT SHOULD START IF BERBY AINT THERE I THINK HE WILL THOUGH. LIKE TO SEE VILLA UP FRONT TOO. GOOD RIDENCE TO THE SCOUSE LEPRACHAUN!!!!
ONE ABOVE SWAP HUDDLESTONE AND MODRIC
Robbo
Chimbonda Gardner Kaboul Stalteri
Malbranque Tainio Ghaly
Defoe Keane Berba
I think he’ll go with 4-3-2-1 away from home. I would personally go with:
Gomes
Hutton
King if fit/Dawson
Woodgate
Bale
Bentley
Huddlestone
Jenas
Lennon
Dos Santos
Bent
Strong Midfield with Huddlestone holding and dropping back when required. Lennon and Dos Santos give the pace required to break quickly away from home – and Bent has the pace to keep up with them and get into space.
Bentley and Jenas will feed balls into them as well as crossing from deep.
I would be tempted to flog Berbatov if he’s keen on going, as Pekhart definitely needs his chance now. If we don’t try him out in the first team, we’ll never know how good he can be – like any reserve player!
I heard that Ramos is going to pack the midfield….?
————-Gomes——————Zokora–Dawson–Woodgate–Bale—————-Huddlestone————-Bentley–Modric-Jenas-Dos Santos————-Arshavin———————–Lennon——Berbatov———————Bent——————
Would be nice tho…
Guys, what about jamie o’hara left mid if we have a problem there!?
he had a good 1st season last yr n his pre-season hasnt been that bad so if he plays against roma and does ok why cudnt we use him? then we could play bale at left back with the two of them interchanging!
🙂
gk – gomes
lb – bale
rb – hutton
cb – woodgate and king
rm – bentley
lm/fl – dos santos
cm – huddlestone and Jenas
am – modric
fw – berbatov
bench-
alnwick or sanchez
dawson or gunter
zokora
taarabt
o’hara
lennon
bent
Gomes
Gunter
Woodgate
King
Gilberto
Modric
5 more from:-
Eto’o
Owen
Ashton
Arshavin
Pavluchenko
Villa
Capel
Milito
Corluka
naa midfield is good weve got
options jenas huddlestone etc, taarabt bostock all quality, i think taarabt could shine this season
For ‘Boro
Gomes
Gunter Woodgate King Bale
Jenas Huddlestone
Bentley Modric Dos Santos
Bent
I would like to see Bale and hutton given more licence to go forward by puting a defensive midfielder or another centre back sitting just in front of the CBs.
————-GOMES—————
——–WOODGATE—KING———-
HUTTON——-ZOKORA———-BALE
—-BENTLEY–JENAS–MODRIC——-
———BENT——BERBASULK—–
————-Gomes————-
——-King/Corluka Woody ——–
Hutton———————–Bale
——Modric Kaboul/Huddlestone—-
Bentley——-Arshivin—–Dos Santos
———-Berbatov/Bent———–
Gomes
Ekotto-Rocha-Dawson-Gunter
O’Hara-Zokora-Kaboul-Bentley
Peckhart-Bent
—————GOMES—————
–HUTTON—CORLUKA—WOODY—BALE–
———–JENAS—MODRIC———-
-BENTLEY—————-DOS SANTOS-
———ARSHAVIN——————
——————BENT————-
This is if corluka n ashavin come to spurs!
GOMEZ
HUTTON/ KING WOODY BALE
GUNTER
MODRIC JJ
BENTLY GDS
ARSHAVIN
BENT
If Arshavin does not come, Modric will play in his position and Huddlestone alongside JJ.
I hope Lennon gets a lot of playing time as I still think he has a lot to offer and links up very well with Dos Santos
GK gomes
RB corluka
CB king(if fit)
CB woody
LB bale
DM veloso
CM jenas
RW bentley
AM modric
LW dos santos
CF bent
Yido Dan, good point about O’Hara.
Don’t get me wrong I like him… I just ran out of space in my line up…lol
He’d be battling for a place in left mid or left back – but I thought on the bench in the first game as we’ll need a lot of pace on the break against boro to really shake them up a bit, and Bale is good at running at people at pace 🙂
so when did Veloso sign you cunt?