Any respect I had for West Brom for their good start evaporated after this match. They are kind of a dirty, desperate team at this point.
3 points, but at a big cost what with losing Defoe. 20 mil for Leandro starting to seem like a better deal now. Still, let's enjoy the win. Lovely goal from Bale.
There are about four others that can play the role though. Personally, I'd like to see Dembele and Dempsey up there like they were at Fulham.
I'm being very hopeful it's just a badly sprained ankle and the crutches are just to take pressure off that ankle.
Do we slot Holtby where Dembele is if that was to occur? Only option I can see well unless you bring in the big teddy bear.
Parker can be the DM with Holtby as the CAM in some sort of diamond formation 4-1-2-1-2. Generally Bale and Lennon play too far up to make this practicable against any team with an effective counterattack. Or you could make Dempsey withdrawn on the left side and experiment with Bale as lone striker.
Shameful that West Brom have more depth at striker at us. Still, good win away from home and back to 1 point from Chelski and a cushion from 5th.
Not the point. Shoe-horning in players who _can_ play as striker is poor planning from a club that claims to have top 4 aspirations. Going a full season with senior strikers is inexcusable.
I've always seen striker as an overrated position. If you can get goals from elsewhere, like Spurs do from Bale, then what does it matter if you have another overpaid player sitting on the bench? What matters is having a steady supply of chances and some bit of finishing.
We were talking about Benteke yesterday, another Belgian forward Lukaku looking good here. Not that Chelski would ever sell him to us. We just need some depth. Puzzling why Kane was not on the bench. At least Ade will be on his way home soon...
just watched the game. Bale looked good playing in the middle. Unfortunately it left the left side considerably downgraded. Was Dempsey supposed to be filling in for him out there, or... where was he playing? I don't think losing Defoe is as big of a deal as some people are making it out to be. He hasn't been in very good form lately, and when he's not scoring goals he really isn't doing anything.
Dempsey was out left until the Defoe injury, but in typical fashion, was pinching in alot and letting BAE overlap.
Just in case I haven't mentioned it before: I love Steffen Freund. (That West Brom fan in the bottom corner though...whiplash )
only problem is we are not scoring goals - we are scoring a goal. that's not gonna do it I am afraid.
well if you're talking about the traditional big CF who can get on the end of Bale and Lennon's crosses, then yes we need one. But we also haven't used one all season.
Possibly. I could see AVB wanting to rest him. Perhaps now is the time for 4-3-3 with Bale as our Fake #10? ---Dempsey------Bale-------Lennon--- -------------------Holtby---------------- ------------Dembele------Parker-------- BAE------Vert--------Dawson---Walker -----------------Lloris-------------------- could be VERY interesting, especially since Bale is running at people down the middle getting his goals now
The one that just signed with Anzhi. I just had a look at the Popov spitting incident. The play by play I was reading didn't make it sound too bad but after I saw it, I just thought that he should get an additional 3 match ban for idiocy. Funny how he put his brushes it away like he does it all the time.