No, it's... Friedel Emerton Short Amoruso Gray Ferguson Matteo Gresko De Pedro Yorke Stead

I'm not sure we'd play 3 strikers in the same team after what Souey has said about being harder to play against. I'm expecting us to line up like this: Friedel Neill Amoruso Johansson Gray Emerton Ferguson Matteo De Pedro Stead Yorke Matteo may possibly play centre back and either Flitty or Gresko (yes, it could happen ) in centre midfield with Ferguson.

1. Arsenal 2. Manchester United 3. Chelsea 4. Newcastle 5. Liverpool 6. Aston Villa 7. Middlesbrough 8. Birmingham City 9. Charlton Athletic 10. Tottenham Hotspur 11. Fulham 12. Southampton 13. Portsmouth 14. Manchester City 15. Blackburn Rovers 16. West Bromwich Albion 17. Everton 18. Crystal Palace 19. Bolton Wanderers 20. Norwich City

Sleep is for the weak. Souness sleeps every night. So there.

Have we been playing decent opposition with him there? Has he played well there before? Did Leeds recognise him playing there was a major problem? Has he got the attributes to be a midfielder? Blah Blah Blah Matteo = Rubbish in Midfield

Rovers 2 - 0 WBA Emerton Dickov

I'd say it's far more like The Jam than The Smiths, still a very good album though.

Good News For People That Love Bad News by Modest Mouse is an excellent album. There's a good mix of songs on there, admittedly some are quite weird, but the singing is great and keeps you fixed throughout. Highly recommended.

I know there's little chance of this happening, but assuming Moore signs I'd line up with this: Friedel Neill Moore Matteo Gray Emerton Thompson Ferguson De Pedro Stead Jansen Still not 100% convinced by Amo, our improved defence at the end of the season happened at the same time we switched to the narrow midfield, but he'd still provide excellent back-up and competition. Personally I don't see how we can't start with that central midfield partnership. Ferguson is a guaranteed starter and Souness has already said that he sees Thommo playing a big role in the centre this year, I can't see why he'd say that if he wasn't going to start. If, after a few games, he thinks that it's leaving us too exposed then Matteo may well move in there, but I think it's something he has to try because if we can get it to work it is potentially the most effective partnership. Finally...Jansen up front with Stead. We don't know if Jansen is up to it, but I think we have to find out and, unless we bring in another striker, now would be the best time to do it because we don't have proven quality to play with Stead whoever we put there. Again, if it doesn't work then switch to Dickov or Gally.

Dean, your stance on this beggars belief. Matteo has been playing well in midfield, we have been solid by all accounts and have conceeded a grand total of 0 goals this pre season with him playing there. It couldnt have gone any better. Some of you may pre conceived notions about certain players, but Matteo for one is proving them to be wrong. No it doesn't, I posted something similar in a relegation topic last season about why Leeds would go down...I said something along the lines of "if you play your best 2 central defenders in midfield then you're asking for trouble". Even the Leeds manager himself has said him and Radebe playing there was the main reason Leeds went down. What more do you want? He's a quality centre back, I'm not doubting his ability as a player, but he's First Division standard as a midfielder...he's peforming ok against First Division opposition so why should I change my opinion? If he can play there against Premiership standard attacking midfielders and play well then I may revise my opinion, playing well against teams with midfield grafters won't change my opinion at all though.

Pre-season friendlies aren't about that though, are they? The more Matteo plays in midfield, the more worried I get. My optimism for the new season is starting to wobble somewhat, I'll wait until after the final friendly before I start getting out the knives though...I'm hoping that the absence of De Pedro and a fully fit Thompson is the reason for the formations we're playing.

Dickov 10? I know it doesn't really matter, but they are very weird to say the least.

I posted this in another topic but it's worth posting again; SSN interviewed Kevin Blackwell (Leeds manager) a couple of weeks ago asking about new signings, he said he needs lots of midfielders because the reason they went down last year is because Matteo and Radebe were playing in central midfield. I really hope we don't make the same mistake, Matteo is a Division One standard player in that position, it's not the right move to make at all. I know a few people have mentioned this already, but why on earth has Souey only just started playing Gray and Gresko together when it was painfully obvious to everyone that we needed to do this last season? The man is just baffling sometimes, truly baffling.

Oh thats a good one. Oh wait, you weren't joking He's good! Well, as a defensive midfielder anyway, not as a centre back.

Big Sam has said for a few years now that he only gets around 10% of his transfer targets, it's highly likely that people like Larsson and Davids were among those he tried to get, it's no suprise he failed. He works by the 'if you don't ask you don't get' theory, he'll get turned down a lot but when he gets an Okocha or a Campo then it's worth it.

I'm not doubting the qualities of Ferguson, I'm just trying to guess at what this tactical change will be. The system you talk of is the one that we've played for the last few years, both Flitty and Tugay were allowed to go forward as long as the other sat, so if that were to be the formation then it wouldn't require any tinkering at all...

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo why? He just wan't to try him on that position, it's what the pre season games is all about. He's just not a central midfielder though, he's barely First Division quality in that position. I don't know if anybody saw SSN today, but they interviewed Kevin Blackwell about possible midfield signings and he all but blamed their relegation on the fact that Matteo and Radebe were playing in midfield. I just hope Souey doesn't make the same mistake. It's not a dig at Matteo, I think if we keep him fit then we've got one of the best central defenders we've had in a long time, he's just not a midfielder...unless you fancy getting relegated.

I agree....but the only way around that would be to play with 3 central players...and from the following comment I don't think that's something we'd do: Changing to a 3 in midfield, either by 3-5-2 or 4-5-1, would be more than tinkering a little bit I think. I'm convinced it will be a 4-4-2 with Thommo and Ferguson in the middle... ...and after reading that, it's fairly obvious that Thommo is going to be the forward running player. Even if it's not a diamond, Ferguson is still going to be the holding player. And anyway...doesn't he play a holding role for Scotland?

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Well no, but that's because England didn't do it properly and had at least two players out of position. Czech Republic used the diamond formation and it worked well for them, as long as you play with a disciplined holding player and wide players who won't stay too narrow then it can be a very effective formation. It's just my guess anyway, to me it just seems to most feasible out of the lot considering the players we have and the signings we've made.

I'm quite interested to know what this change of tactics will be. I can't see it being a 3-5-2 because we wouldn't have needed to sign De Pedro if that was what Souey was planning...I can't see it being a 4-5-1 either because he has said he would like an experienced 5th striker, again I don't think we would need one of those if we were planning to play just one up front. The only thing I can think of that seems feasible is a 4-4-2 diamond with Thommo at the top, like this: Friedel Neill Amoruso Matteo Gray Ferguson Emerton De Pedro Thompson Stead Dickov I can't see Souey doing anything drastic, it would be far too a big a risk. Maybe he's taken a liking to the more compact midfield that we used at the end of last season and is thinking of the above...

Maybe the journalist should have fielded more interesting questions?

Wasn't it West Ham?

All he wanted was a pat on the back now and again.

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