It struck me like a bolt from the blue – there is one change that Slaven Bilic can and MUST make on Saturday.
He will need to grow a pair because it will mean that he replaces the bloke who Southampton rinsed us for when taking £8 million for feeble flop Mr Fonte.
I never believed I would remove the player I’m about to mention from the midfield but such is the appalling form of the Portuguese defender (a generous description) that I believe Cheik Kouyate needs to partner Ginge at central defence and the very good Fernandes is drafted into the middle.
Kouyate had never played at right back until Slaven decided to put him there but he is very much a central defender and a good one from his days in Belgium.
With the defence looking as big a shambles in the second half against Arsenal as it did in the previous defeats the big fella looks the perfect answer to the problem given the injury crisis.
Ayew has to go as well and with Sakho available, his departure from the team looks natural after another incredibly ineffective performance.
Sak needs to play through the middle with Carroll allowing Antonio to go out wide again where he does incredible damage.
But here’s the problem: Both Fonte and Ayew most DEFINITELY were Bilic signing at a collective price of £28 million.
Will he be prepared to admit after the likes of Tore and Zaza “I’m afraid I’ve got it wrong on two more”?
Perhaps we should use a 4-4-2 formation, with Carroll and Sakho up front.
Lanzini should be the more central of the attacking midfielders with Antonio slightly lateral
Fernandes and Kouyate in midfield.
If you want to drop Fonte (which I’m not sure about), put Nordveit as a center-back.
Time for Adrian to be re-instated!
The Swansea game is a must win affair..
Whatever he does, Slav must stop using a lone wolf (4-2-3-1) striker.
Oxford, Cullen and Burke should have been in the squad this year but we ended up with Tore, Fonte and Snodgrass which says it all 😂😂😂
Why drop Fonte.Is it scapegoat time,it seems the way it works.
***^ me we really do have the sites with the biggest tarts on them.
Every screaming girls blouse appears on our sites to have a kitten while other fans suck it up and get on with supporting the boys.
After going to every home and away game this season just like the last 25+ years think I’m allowed to have a bit of a moan now and again 😀😀
No it’s not a scapegoat argument at all – he gave away pens at Bournemouth, his clearance led to Ozil’s goal and he’s well off the pace.and has admitted himself he’s nit at his best
No it’s not a scapegoat argument at all – he gave away pens at Bournemouth, his clearance led to Ozil’s goal and he’s well off the pace.and has admitted himself he’s nit at his best
Why drop Fonte? You obviously haven’t seen him play for us
Something has to be done, we are sleep walking into the championship. Some people are pointing at the board saying it’s their fault for trying to do things on the cheap, others are saying Bilic is not up to it & is clueless.
Not one single signing in the last two windows have made us better in any way what so ever. In my book it has been a collective fk up all round.
Watching the first game against Chelski & you could see we were s**t & there was something missing, that something still hasn’t been found. We thought it was Payet but barring a small goodish run nothing has really changed. We are just as bad as we were
Essex agree mate all in all it’s just a massive collective **** up 😩😩
I remember coming on here after the 4-0 loss to Man City & Fonte was a statue I got slated well since then nothing as changed my mind got what he wanted a pay out of the £8 million not bad for a 33 year old dinosaur.apart from Lanzini & Kouyate the rest are championship players at best & most of the blame as to go to Slav talked a good game on the Euros last year but as come back to bite he’s arse big time oops I meant to mention Antonio in with Lanzini & Kouyate
Same as every performance good players looking bad because they are undertrained and poorly coached. We have to beat Swansea thank god the spuds hit them with a massive body blow. Someone needs to get hold of that changing room and put some iron into the spine of our team. Swansea have been playing well, Byram was exposed tonight because nobody in midfield is tackling he ended up out of position several times and was exploited especially in the second half. All of the players in front of defence need to get a grip and help out their teammates in defence, let’s hope for a big one on Saturday COYI !!!
Oxford, Cullen and Burke should have been in the squad this year but we ended up with Tore, Fonte and Snodgrass also what about Samuelson these 4 better than present incumbents
Burke Samuelson Cullen Oxford these 4 better than present incumbents
With all the injuries should we revert back to a back 3 with Kouyate between the OAPs? our fullbacks are better going forward than defending so it may suit them better? Noble and Fernandes central. And as I’ve mentioned countless times I would like to see Calleri with Carroll
—————- Adrian —————-
—- Fonte – Kouyate – Collins —-
Byram ——————— Masuaku
——- Noble — Fernandes ——–
————— Lanzini —————–
——— Calleri — Carroll ———-
Subs
Randolph
Nordtveit
Antonio
Snodgrass
Ayew
Sakho
Fletcher
You can’t defend Fonte and Fonte can’t defend! how he gets in the side before Ginge is another Bilic mistake…I love Andy Carroll but his effort and work rate tempt managers into playing up front on his own rather than treat him as 1 of a strong 2 up front, going forward we are no more entertaining than Sam now but worse at the back..I hated Sam and I want to love Slav but truth is he’s not up to the job!
theres no point in putting AC in your teams as he was withdrawn last night because of his groin injury…he is as reliable as austin allegros were, he will always be another injury waiting to happen unfortunately
We need to start again from the ground up..owners, manager (who insists on playing players out of position for no known reasons) and players…we are nowhere near as good as some people think we are or should be…
I agree with everything Cut Throat says. I’m not sure why I just have an inclination to do so. Talks a lot of sense Cut Throat. Probably a lovely bloke too and good to his Mum.
Fonte is a good defender he is just used to playing in a team where everybody helps each other out, in our team everyone wants to play attack and no one seemingly in the midfield or forward line wants to play defence. its time to put Nordveidt in central midfield, alongside Noble I guess at least they will try and tackle, Antonio in front of Byram but tell him if Byram breaks forward you cover behind him, put Fernandes on the left in front of Masuaku to help shore up the left side and play Sakho and Carroll up front. I would stick with Fonte at the back alongside Ginge because there aren’t any better options imho shame Oxford isn’t with us… I would also put Adrian back in goal, 5 defeats in a row its time for a change, if Llorente doesn’t play crosses shouldn’t be as much of a threat.