If You Were Manager

Simple thread to focus away from the infighting. . . I hope. If you were manager - What formation and philosophy would you set out. Who would you play and why. What targets would you set for January and why. Just to get a feel for what principles and focus people have. Personally I would play a 4-1-2-3 system. High up the pitch pressing with pass and move footbal returning. Long balls to be integrated when breaking down teams that park the bus and not before then. Team when fully fit. Pepe - Johnson, Dagger, Soto, Aurelio - Lucas - Raul, Stevie - Dani, Torres, Maxi. Transfer targets. Llorrente - Target man to support Torres. Young - Quality wide player. Hazard and Suarez - Cause I'm greedy

Looks like you said it all. 

Seems very experimental, but I feel we need change and attack minded football, it does fall into a similar bracket as the 4-5-1 formula. I feel that generally we are missing supply to the front men, as we all know Stevie can put a great pass through and create from the back, if need be swamp Raul in with Stevie for a better partnership with Nando.

As for expectations in the new year, top 5/6 would be a 'reachable' target and push through the rest of the season for at least a CL spot, that would stop the blushes and hopefully retain some top talent.

                Reina
Kelly   Dagger Sotos  Aurelio

              Gerrard
Johnson                  Cole             
          Dani      Raul     
           
              Torres

If the likes of Hazard and Suarez were brought it would shuffle around a bit

The way we are set out at present with this 4-4-2 is so rigid it is untrue.

The 2 wide midfielders are not wingers.  They play about 15 yards in front of the defence and are brought in to the middle of the park to protect the midfielders.  So when, eventually, we do get the ball we're like a big pack of schoolkids all following the ball.

I don't know many succesful clubs in Europe who still play this tired rigid, predictable, 4-4-2.

Go back to the 4-2-3-1.  It is ultimately what the players know.  It allows us to dominate midfield, it ensures our wide players actually play like attackers.

Torres has played every single league game this year. He's almost played more league games than he did last season.  But if the 1 isn't working or playing well.  Change him.  It's not rocket science.

And I'd probably put Paul Konchesky on the transfer list.  I'd own up to a shockingly bad choice there.

I'd have 4 attacking players on the bench for every game, if I had to make the numbers up from our talented youngsters I would.

And I'd stop the long punts upfield to Torres and encourage a group of international footballers to start playing football on the deck again rather than treating them like some kind of pub side.

Finally, I'd ensure the fans knew I was well aware of the history of the club, it's importance, my determination to succeed for the fans over my personal success.  My humility at having the greatest honour of my career.  I probably wouldn't make out every team we were about to play were 1970's Brazil - and I'd aim to install belief and confidence in the players.

I'd probably make some tactical substitutions as well if we were losing or drawing games, and provide some instructions to the players if needed whilst they were playing.

Speaking as if I was manager now and without the power to spend, this is what I would change in way of who takes to the field.

GK - Reina
RB - Johnson. Gets into attacking positions, links well and scores goals. But would needs cover from Carragher.
LB - Aurelio. Not the risk taker that Koncheskey is and a more intelligent footballer, Great left foot.
CB - Carragher. OK, losing his pace but his organisation in defence is vital.
CB - Kyriagkos. Much improved and an extra option at set pieces. Also less of a liability and not as clumsy as Skrtl.
HM - Lucas. Much improved and distributes the ball well but must pick up his sense of urgency.
LM - Cole. Still has a lot to prove in the red shirt but a class act on his day, just needs to be consistent.
CM - Gerrard. No explanation needed but has to allow other players to do their bit.
CM - Mereiles. Hard worker. Can pick out the defining pass. safe on the ball.
RM - Babel. To get forward and feed Torres. Needs his chance and his pace is going to waste.
ST - Torres. But Hodgson needs to allow him to play the way he knows best.

For me, once Gerrard and Carra are fit, is the best attacking side we can put out.

N'gog is too similar to Torres and Babel hasn't had enough of an opportunity with Torres.

Our subs bench would look a little more impressive with -

Jones, Skrtl, Koncheskey, Maxi, Kuyt, N'gog.

Come on Roy, listen to me lad!

JD you sound just like Roy......have you read his book thats out this Christmas "35 years of Management & Tactics".....sounds so familiar with what we are currently seeing.

Simple answer for me is Id have them enjoying having the ball, wanting the ball and not afraid to try things out of the ordinary. Id also have them adapted to several formations so that I could change tactics easily in a game without it taking 15 minutes to get across to them what I want

Oh and Id defo play from the back. Nothing on keep it or bring it out (Agger be defo in my back 4) NO HOOFING ALLOWED!

I would pack my bags and bail.

4-3-3

Push higher up and command midfield.

Drop sh*t players.

Reina

Kelly   Sotis   Agger   Insua

Lucas

Meireles   Gerrard

Maxi                            Pacheco

Torres

And then rotate the starting XI with some of the bench as so:

Gulacsi, Carragher, new left back/Insua, Shelvey, new winger/Pacheco/Maxi, another central/defensive midfielder, new striker.

Integrate the young with the experienced. That would mean selling Skrtel, Konchesky, Poulsen, Kuyt, Babel and Milan and promoting Eccleston, Pacheco, Shelvey, recalling Ayala and Insua then going on the hunt for a striker, defensive midfielder, left back and winger.

Then you have a pool of quality from the reserves and u18s to pick from if need be. Suso, Ince, Ngoo and Silva but to name a few.

And let them train at the same spot as the senior team FFS!

Very good Crouchy. Get the CV in

Very good Crouchy. Get the CV in

And be harassed on forums by you lot day in/day out? No thank you

If I were Manager....

Today?



































I'd resign.

I'd hold a press conference in which I would tell "that group of people" that "these are hawd times and even though they might think they awe all top class managews on some computew management game, that does not measuwe up to 35 yeaws of management expewience in the toughest of scandanavian leagues, holding official Uefa wan coaching couwses and neawly winning a major Euwopean twophy.

"And quite fwankly I think that gwoup of people have faw too high expectations, just because in the past they have fed at the vewy highest table of success, I think they might have to get used to a few leanew years undew my stewawdship, but I hope they come to like my pwagmatic appwoach as we aim to finish in the top half of the table."
 
And with that I would swoop down from my perch, catch a dead mouse and fly off home for tea!

If I was manager... There would be a lot of changes made to our current squad!
This is me starting as manager in the summer:

OUT:
Degen          £1m                   Loans Out:
Skrtel           £5m                   Spearing
Konchesky    £2m                    Pacheco
El Zhar        Release                Eccleston
Poulsen         £2m                    Ayala
Aqualani        £12m
Jovanovic      £3m
Babel            £7m
TOTAL          £30MILLION

IN
A.Young       £12m                                                                        Reina
Suarez         £15m                                                 Johnson    Verthongen   Agger    Taiwo             
Turan          £10m                                                     
Taiwo          £8m                                                                 Mereiles   Gerrard
Defour         £10m                                                     Turan           Suarez         Young
Verthongen  £8m
TOTAL        £63MILLION
                                                                                                 Torres

I'm not sure about the centre back Verthongen but I have heard very good things about him and hes only 23. He is alos very good in FM 11

Turan and Young are both proven quality I think, even if Turan has not played in a top league and they would offer us width that we have seriously been missing.

Suarez can play up top or drop pffthe front man if an extra man nearer the midfield is needed. He is young and would chip in with 15-20 goals.

Steven Defour is a top quality midfielder who I have seen before and who I think will be top quality and again is very young so may need time to develop.

We would make a loss of around £30million in transfers but that is grand. The new owners know we need to strengthen and if we can bring in money for players like i have guesstimated above, then it is not too unrealistic.

And with that I would swoop down from my perch, catch a dead mouse and fly off home for tea!

 

1) I'd rid the squad of deadwood.
2) I'd realize I was deadwood.
3) I'd get turkey-neck removal surgery.
4) I'd sell: Kuyt, and Konchesky.
5) I'd pay any team to take Poulsen.
6) I'd use the fund from the two sales plus whatever NESV is giving to buy a proper left back and Ashley Young.
7) If there was money left, I'd buy a young striker with bags of potential (i.e. Lukaku).
I'd move Kelly in as our starting Right Back, and push Glen up to Right Wing.
9) I'd play this (assuming all players are healthy):

                                                  Reina

Kelly                      Skrtel                         Agger                                Left Back

Johnson                    Meireles                     Lucas             Aurelio/Maxi (if no Young)

                                                Gerrard

                                                Torres

Push higher up the field, buy a decent left back and striker... maybe play a 4231 formation and tell the lads to rememebr who they play for and attack and go for it.

 With this current bunch of players, assuming we can get Gerrard fit, I'd drop Kuyt and play Stevie wide right. I'd play Babel up top with Torres and pretty much go for it. If come January we were only allowed to spend small and buy perhaps one player, I'd have a look at Piccione from West Ham for the best part of feck all. The striker situation (assuming Babel doesn't suddenly come good) is marginally more pressing than the left back/centre half one.   

With this current bunch of players, assuming we can get Gerrard fit, I'd drop Kuyt and play Stevie wide right. I'd play Babel up top with Torres and pretty much go for it. If come January we were only allowed to spend small and buy perhaps one player, I'd have a look at Piccione from West Ham for the best part of feck all. The striker situation (assuming Babel doesn't suddenly come good) is marginally more pressing than the left back/centre half one.   

Nope, we still need a half decent left-back in case Aurelio breaks and Konchesky still isn't and will never be any good.

By the way why no mention of N'Gog who is our top goalscorer at the moment?

With this current bunch of players, assuming we can get Gerrard fit, I'd drop Kuyt and play Stevie wide right. I'd play Babel up top with Torres and pretty much go for it. If come January we were only allowed to spend small and buy perhaps one player, I'd have a look at Piccione from West Ham for the best part of feck all. The striker situation (assuming Babel doesn't suddenly come good) is marginally more pressing than the left back/centre half one.   

Piccione is not good enough. Jesus we should sign Carlton Cole so.

This is not about disagreements about posters views on players. Dont turn it into that. Glynn

If I was manager, first sort out the back-room staff, have to build for the future yet, I'd bring back Thommo as assistant manager and have Kenny with a more hands on role within the club, possibly assistant manager with Thommo. Handfirst team coaching and training over to Sammy Lee. The players have said that he is a great coach, I reckon he would be better suited in that role.

In terms of players, Konchesky and Poulsen just have to go don't they. I'd remind players such as Cole, Babel and Torres just who they play for, what the club is about and the fans and tell them to pull their socks up fairly lively. Give them the kick up the ass they deserve.

The young players that are performing well showed be rewarded, not ignored as they currently are, let them train with the first team occasionly. Make them work and reward accordingly.

Signings, I would go for a left back and a winger/striker. Hazard or Suarez would be very nice.

Get playing proper football, on the floor, pass and move. none of this long ball sh*t. its awful to watch and is ineffectual. Its outdated by 20 years, 4-4-2 was last seen winning titles back in the early 00's, its dead, the many variations of 4-5-1 are they weay forward and have been for the last 5 years.

I would break the bank to sign a genuine top quality creative second striker (Tevez would be ideal if he wasn't such a grabbing kunt). Someone who can play with his back to goal and play the subtle pass through for Torres. Our clubs success has been built on such players (Stjohn/Keegan/Dalglish/Beardsley) if we have any money left over I would buy a fast tricky winger that can actually run with the ball and beat a player.