Wishlist Hulk

[Superblue 6,372]

Real Madrid and Man Utd play the same 4-2-3-1 system and I don't see them having this problem.

You're basing this opinion on three games - two against the best possession team in the world (and one of those with ten men) and another against a top european team playing at home, whilst we had 4 suspended and 2 centre halves who had only trained 3 days in the last month. We couldn't afford to open up in any of those games.

A new formation takes time to implement but I thought the team took it on board pretty well. With the exception of games like Arsenal and Liverpool in the league which involved resting an enormous amount of players, the formation I thought made us look more threatening going forward - Spurs and Liverpool in FA Cup, QPR, etc.

IMO the 4-3-3 formation had become too rigid and predictable. We had to evolve. It's one of the reasons Man Utd have done well for so long under Fergie because he isn't afraid to change the side every few years and evolve it. We must do the same because the 4-2-3-1 formation is the new popular hybrid of the 4-3-3 to allow for a more fluid style of football. Have faith.

[Strike 7,487]

Parker might be a better tackler than Mikel but he's incapable of passing the ball at all. Mikel's standout atibute is the accuracy of his passing. Gerrard isn't as good as Lampard, in any context. I understand you were trying to compare the teams but I think you chose a pretty poor example in England, because they're not very good

that's mainly because he passes the ball straight back to the defenders

[capriccioso 2,545]

that's mainly because he passes the ball straight back to the defenders

But that's the hallmark of an excellent midfielder. Short simple passes that maintain possession.

[Rahul Haque 57]

you seem confident that our overall play will be very effective next season. well, even i was until i saw england at the euros. they played the same system as Chelsea but with pacy players in attack but still got owned by pretty much all the teams they played.

Welbeck

Young Rooney Walcott/Milner

Gerrard Parker

is comparable to

Torres

Hazard Mata Marin/Ramires

Lampard Mikel

if we continue with the same system, i fear we will be chasing the ball even against swansea, everton etc...

mate you could not be more wrong. it's not comparable at all. have you seen chelsea all of last season? or have you only seen 2 games? i wonder.

england started deep against every single team they came up against. we didn't. we did it against superior opposition like barca and bayern at their own stadium. we played or atleast tried to against qpr, liverpool, birmingham and other inferior oppositions until we took a comfortable lead. also the likes of young, rooney and whoever is nowhere near the quality of mata and ramires is far ahead of milner as a defensive minded winger.

still your point is wrong and misguided. the team will play better football this season because they have better attacking midfield players simple. the philosophy will change through out the season according to the opposition, but the quality is better and the football will inevitably be better.

also not one of parker and gerrard can hold onto the ball, nor can they dictate the play. lampard might not be xavi or ineista, but he is a far better, more intelligent CM then gerrard and parker (who are engines, not playmakers), he can keep the ball most importantly and is not afraid of the ball.

now onto concluding the hulk deal.

[Strike 7,487]

But that's the hallmark of an excellent midfielder. Short simple passes that maintain possession.

disagree. the hallmark of an excellent midfielder is making defence-splitting passes not delaying an attack by passing to his own defenders. mikel does well in his CDM role but hailing his passing ability is like saying that Kalou dribbles well (couldn't resist )

[Marvin123 530]

What?! They're not at all comparable!

Wellbeck-Torres

Young-Hazard

Rooney-Mata

Walcott/Milner-Ramires/Marin

Gerrard-Lampard

Parker-Mikel

Wellbeck is better than Torres and Rooney and Mata are roughly the same talentwise. We're better than England everywhere else.

.

Welbeck better than Torres haha no way

[Strike 7,487]

mate you could not be more wrong. it's not comparable at all. have you seen chelsea all of last season? or have you only seen 2 games? i wonder.

england started deep against every single team they came up against. we didn't. we did it against superior opposition like barca and bayern at their own stadium. we played or atleast tried to against qpr, liverpool, birmingham and other inferior oppositions until we took a comfortable lead. also the likes of young, rooney and whoever is nowhere near the quality of mata and ramires is far ahead of milner as a defensive minded winger.

still your point is wrong and misguided. the team will play better football this season because they have better attacking midfield players simple. the philosophy will change through out the season according to the opposition, but the quality is better and the football will inevitably be better.

also not one of parker and gerrard can hold onto the ball, nor can they dictate the play. lampard might not be xavi or ineista, but he is a far better, more intelligent CM then those two, he can keep the ball most importantly and is not afraid of the ball.

now onto concluding the hulk deal.

Are u blind mate? we played deep against Tottenham, Arsenal, Wigan Athletic(look at the way Diame scored), Fulham, Benfica - both HOME and AWAY - plus ALL THE BIG GAMES (Barca, Bayern, City). i wonder what YOU were watching last season when we were actually toiling against all the teams i mentioned above - Under di matteo.

Apart from the Napoli and QPR games we barely came in with attacking intent mate. I don't know what u have been watching . And here's a Stat for you - AT HOME to Benfica we had only 40% possession. that's not attacking mate. we maybe better than England but not MUCH better. i only took England as a rough example because of the pace they have on the wings.

[Strike 7,487]

Real Madrid and Man Utd play the same 4-2-3-1 system and I don't see them having this problem.

You're basing this opinion on three games - two against the best possession team in the world (and one of those with ten men) and another against a top european team playing at home, whilst we had 4 suspended and 2 centre halves who had only trained 3 days in the last month. We couldn't afford to open up in any of those games.

A new formation takes time to implement but I thought the team took it on board pretty well. With the exception of games like Arsenal and Liverpool in the league which involved resting an enormous amount of players, the formation I thought made us look more threatening going forward - Spurs and Liverpool in FA Cup, QPR, etc.

IMO the 4-3-3 formation had become too rigid and predictable. We had to evolve. It's one of the reasons Man Utd have done well for so long under Fergie because he isn't afraid to change the side every few years and evolve it. We must do the same because the 4-2-3-1 formation is the new popular hybrid of the 4-3-3 to allow for a more fluid style of football. Have faith.

Even in the 5-1 demolition of Spurs, we had lesser Possession. So, NO, i am not basing this on just 2-3 games. i am basing this on

1. Wigan - home

2. Fulham - away

3. Spurs - home

4. Spurs - neutral

5. Benfica Home

7. Benfica Away

in addition to the Big games - i.e Barca x 2, Bayern, Arsenal, Newcastle etc. that's more than 10

But yeah, i am optimistic now after reading some of kof's posts but not entirely convinced

[Tricky 301]

Jesus, people are seriously suggesting we are going to struggle next year.

I for one love the approach the club have taken this year. The deadwood has gone, they have invested in youth and building a team which can fight for the next decade. They have finally addressed the problem of width, which should enable us to win those games we were only drawing last year, also think it should free up space in midfield.

A decent RB and a CM or RW and that's it shut up shop and watch the team grow. I'll leave City to spend and offer silly money for players who are 28+.

This is the most optimistic I've been in years.... Only way I could feel any more excited is if the club managed to agree a deal with the Malaysians regarding Battersea.

[Rahul Haque 57]

Are u blind mate? we played deep against Tottenham, Arsenal, Wigan Athletic(look at the way Diame scored), Fulham, Benfica - both HOME and AWAY - plus ALL THE BIG GAMES (Barca, Bayern, City). i wonder what YOU were watching last season when we were actually toiling against all the teams i mentioned above - Under di matteo.

Apart from the Napoli and QPR games we barely came in with attacking intent mate. I don't know what u have been watching . And here's a Stat for you - AT HOME to Benfica we had only 40% possession. that's not attacking mate. we maybe better than England but not MUCH better. i only took England as a rough example because of the pace they have on the wings.

http://www.uefa.com/...<br /><br /> we averaged 52 % last season in the champions league with the attacking midfielders at our disposal. we will do a lot better this year. it's a natural transition. i have nothing to prove to you. stats speak for themselves really. enough said

[Leif 6,006]

Why do I get the feeling that we'll sign Krasic instead of Hulk, then everyone on here will riot?

[Strike 7,487]

http://www.uefa.com/......<br /><br /> we averaged 52 % last season in the champions league with the attacking midfielders at our disposal. we will do a lot better this year. it's a natural transition. i have nothing to prove to you. stats speak for themselves really. enough said

Well done mate. Hiding behind a single stat to press your argument. You should be proud. I thought i was in a rational debate here.

well, here's some stat for you. Under di matteo we had only 1 game(CL) where we had more possession (4-1 napoli) AND we had lesser possession in the 5-1 win over Spurs as well (according to BBC). Your argument doesn't really hold when our possession stat is helped by home games against Genk and Leverkusen back in September/October

edit: Breakdown

-All we did in the first half was sit deep and block the Spurs attacks until that Drogba special.

-vs Wigan - invited pressure by sitting deep

- vs Fulham - likewise

vs Benfica - sat deep and got the away goal and then Sat deep at home letting Benfica play around us.

vs Spurs - Premier League - in a must win game in the Premier League, back when we were in contention for the top 4 AND AT HOME - we had only 45% possession in that drab game and our attacking threat - Zip, Zilch, Nada.

[Rahul Haque 57]

Well done mate. Hiding behind a single stat to press your argument. You should be proud. I thought i was in a rational debate here.

well, here's some stat for you. Under di matteo we had only 1 game(CL) where we had more possession (4-1 napoli) AND we had lesser possession in the 5-1 win over Spurs as well (according to BBC). Your argument doesn't really hold when our possession stat is helped by home games against Genk and Leverkusen back in September/October

only issue here is that possession doesn't equal wins.

it's how effectively you attack when you have the ball. we will inevitably have more possession next season against weak teams in the premier league. but in the champions league, defensive shape is more important.look at what bilbao did to united, united are used to having possession and when they didn't they were baffled and outclassed. de matteo hardly if ever got anything wrong tactically last season and against cultured players if you don't keep your shape- you will suffer. in the champions league, that has to be the priority.

in the premier league, we will have more possession- because we have better players in the final third now.

mata, hazard, marin, bruyne, benayoun, ramires and hulk/moses all offer better qualities and more inventive qualities (ramires aside) then kalou and malouda and that's going to automatically push us further up the pitch because the current players have more invention and ability.

[Spike 12,049]

THIS THREAD IS ABOUT HULK NOT POSSESSION

TAKE IT ELSEWHERE LADIES

[Strike 7,487]

only issue here is that possession doesn't equal wins.

it's how effectively you attack when you have the ball. we will inevitably have more possession next season against weak teams in the premier league. but in the champions league, defensive shape is more important.look at what bilbao did to united, united are used to having possession and when they didn't they were baffled and outclassed. de matteo hardly if ever got anything wrong tactically last season and against cultured players if you don't keep your shape- you will suffer. in the champions league, that has to be the priority.

in the premier league, we will have more possession- because we have better players in the final third now.

mata, hazard, marin, bruyne, benayoun, ramires and hulk/moses all offer better qualities and more inventive qualities (ramires aside) then kalou and malouda and that's going to automatically push us further up the pitch because the current players have more invention and ability.

di matteo was spot on in using the Deep 4-2-3-1 tactics last season but I really hope he changes it for this campaign. other wise we will be drawing way too many games just like liverpoop last year