What formation against Rangers?

[venegoorstrokes]

Originally Posted by gary b

I was going to add to my previous post,that we got overrun in midfield the previous two games at Ibrox playing with a 5 man midfield.I think the problem last time was the personnel,not the formation.

yep we had O'dea at RB, I think Naylor got injured early and them Mick had to go off too. Im midfield we didnt play Aidan (who was off form then) or Hartley (injured) and I think Naka was barely fit. Sno played. There were huge problems with injuries then. I think we would now be able to put out a very talented 11 in a 4-5-1 that would be far better than Rangers man for man. If guys like Naka, Broon, Aidan, Samaras etc play to top form Rangers will be outclassed as they have no similar talent. We certainly have the better players, now its up to them to stand up and be counted.

[Feed the bear]

The game will be won or lost in the middle of the park.....we need to close down Ferguson and Davis and stop them spraying passes around. If we keep them quiet and we can get the flair players space to play we'll do them. An early goal and sustained pressure will open them right up I reckon. This isn't Bremen or Barca, the hun fans will not allow them to play deep, they'll be going for the win.

[Hammer]

No chance he'll play 4-5-1 imo every time we've tried it it's failed us. Playing Sno and Donati in midfield at ibrox killed us they were both rank and Jarosik was actually our best player. I hope the referee has a better game than he did as well we were picked on fairly blatantly, there was no more aggression from us than them yet we clocked up 9 bookings if my memory serves me correctly.

[Leone Naka Fan]

Rangers will crowd the midfield, leaving one forward. We can try 3-5-2, but is our defense good enough to play that? Naka and McGeady must play.

[celtypaul]

The whole point of a 5 man midfield is to control the play and win the midfield battle. Is there any midfield bar Hartley that you could see Wantint to stamp his authority on the play?

Also when the ball gets caught in no-mans land between defence and midfield, we're weak. The defence run to clear the ball and the midfield turn round facing goal to cler it. Most of the time this means Scott Brown has to track back because of a lack of pace from anyone eles(McGeady can't be expected to cover the centre.)

This means he has the ball facing his own goal with a group of oppisition running in on him. Not his favored situation. He hates not having space to work so a 5-man midfield would make this worse as Robson tries to do the same.

A 4-4-2 what we play with every other game so we should't change. You don't win games by trying to beat teams at their own game. You win by playing your game.

Boruc
Hinkel Caldwell McManus Naylor

Robson Hartlley Brown McGeady

Sameras VOH

Brown on the left centre for me as Robson on the right will often run 20 odd yards then turn and pass back so we nedd Hartely there to pick up that ball, meaning Brown doesn't have to track back and sit deep. Also When McGeady runs at men theres often times when a short ball to a man running inside could rip them open as the the right back and the right side defenter are often both dragged to defend against him leaving a gap.



3 IN A ROW....HERE WE GO.

[fernhillthistle]

4-3-3 go at the cunts
boruc
hinkel mcmanus caldwell naylor would love bobo but wont happen
brown hartley donati
mcgeady
samaras jvoh

[celtickieran89]

I want to see us ditch the slow build up and play a higher tempo game at ibrox. I think we have more pace than they do more or less all over the park. We'll need to roll our sleeves up and fight the huns for the right to play our football. I dont think Naka and donati would be up for the fight so i would go for...
Boruc
Hinkel Caldwell Mick Naylor
McGeady Brown Hartley Robson
JVoH/Skippy Samaras

The midfield has a bit of pace and the protection Hartley gives the team is valuable. It is also interchangeable. Robson and McGeady can switch wings, Robson can play in the middle, Brown can go wide...plenty of options.
Up front i would have to play Samaras, the pace and physical aspect of the game might be too much but i would take that risk. Of the three strikers he is the best at coming short and linking the play which i think we will need. I would probably play Big Jan with him given the midfield i have chosen. McGeady and Robson will offer width and get balls into the box, Jan and Samaras have both shown they can score with their head.

I think Naka would be great to come on if we were leading. I would take off Jan and put Naka on with about 15-20 mins left and go with 5 in the middle. I would play him further on and just try and knock the ball around in their half. He showed in the Nou Camp how good he is at keeping possession. Would love to see us win at mordor, would love a good old fashioned OF game.

[Leone Naka Fan]

Well, that might work...Robson's passing will have to be twice as effective, seeing McGeady isn't the best crosser. I hope Hinkel will cross often, because Aiden's crosses don't always go as planned.

[celtickieran89]

Aidens crossing isnt always great but he set up two goals vs Gretna with his crossing. Also he is a goal threat and so is Robson. We will have to make set pieces count, which we havent done recently.

[Leone Naka Fan]

Well, I hope his crosses will be like those against Gretna. Eh...set pieces. Only one man in your formation can score them often:Robson.

[slippinghusband]

for me it has to be 4-4-2.

we will be playing into their hands if we go 4-5-1 imo.

jan and skippy have scored 42 goals between them this season.there is no way any of them should be dropped imo.

naka,mcgeady,hartley and brown should be the midfield four.

the full back's imo will be a key part of the game.papac and broadfoot do not get forward well.hinkel and naylor can force them back even more and at the same time take mcculloch and novo out of the game.

[ChampionsElect]

Same team as Sunday for me with Hartley in for Naka. Therefore putting Robson out on the wing.

[celtickieran89]

Originally Posted by Leone Naka Fan

Well, I hope his crosses will be like those against Gretna. Eh...set pieces. Only one man in your formation can score them often:Robson.

Iv seen Aiden bang in a couple, and Hartley scored a few in his Hearts days. But its not just direct free kicks, its free kicks from wide areas or corners. We havent seen enough goals from these types of positions considering we have good free kick takers and decent aerial ability (Mick, JVoH, even caldwell). We will need to make these count on saturday.

[jhimbhoab]

five guys wi clubs...three wi knives.... two wi steel toe caps and wan wi a big samurai sword.... lets have the fucks.

[Leone Naka Fan]

If we want FK goals, we need Robson, Nakamura, and the newcomer Mizuno. Those can regularly score FK-s. In terms of corners and indirect FK-s, Balde has to play if we intend on making a threat. JVoH and Samaras are big, but we need more height. McManus might be useful, but Caldwell isn't.