Do we really need HBA to track back?

Saw a piece in Daily Mirror , with AP saying most players think about defence and doing things that don't get them into trouble 70% of the time, whereas players like HBA think about attacking 80% and in his opinion that creates a challenge in managing them.

In the great tradition of Ginola, Robert and Asprilla, these flair players never tracked back. They were obsessed with attacking and scoring goals from anywhere they could. Obertan seems to have been selected over HBA ( having said that so has Sammy .......so I will keep it to attackers) because one of his key attributes is to cover Simmo.

I know with Ba off to ACON, HBA will get more chances, but I'm thinking for the rest of the season.

Do we keep the flair in the team every game we can , or go with the more pedestrian selections because they offer defensive qualities?

 

If he keeps bombing forward and creating chances/goals then no he doesn't. But if we are under pressure and he's stood on the half way line with his hands on his hip we aren't going to be happy.

 

I mentioned this the other day as a reason for him not being on the wing, and this is why im better on football manager than all of you lol

 

Play him in the middle, play Raylor on the right. Problem solved.

 

This.

 

I think Pardew is being harsh on Ben Arfa. And every time I have seen him play on the wing he has tracked back and defended well. I know it is a bad example for obvious reasons, but look at the Man City game he tracked back with Richards all the way to our own box (and yes, sadly did give away a penalty in the meantime).

On Saturday he tracked back a decent amount albeit against a team that didn't really attack us.

 

are you better at football manager than me though??? i think not, mwahahahahahahahaaaa

 

aye, that would be sweet. and befere anyone pulls out the isolated upfront bit, apparently that was because Abeid dropped way too deep causing a knock on effect.

 

I was watching Rooney yesterday and he always runs into space to receive the ball. Plays a lot of one touch football which tbf both HBA and Jonas could do. I really don't think I've seen Jonas run into space to collect a simple ball!

 

My main problem with this is, when everyone is available, that is Demba Ba's roll. Linking the midfield to the striker and running at defences from deep. And he has been very effective doing it! I would play HBA right mid and have Ba and either Best or Ameobi upfront.

 

Will only work if we play a passing game - we saw how badly 4,4,1,1 works when he play long ball stuff against Liverpool!

 

But watch Rooney. Always runs into space to collect a ball. Plays a lot of one touch stuff. HBA could do this standing on his hands. HBA could well be our new Peter Beardsley ( and I idolise Beardsley).

 

We are capable of playing a passing game so I think that's not really an issue?

 

Problem is HBA's best game, arguably, was Everton away last year. When he played on the wing. His best game this season was on Saturday when he played on the wing. And he used to always play on the wing in the French League. For me, he should be on the wing. This is mainly because he naturally drifts infield and if he is on the wing drifting in...people don't tend to pick him up. That means he has more space to attack. I would start HBA at right mid every game. But that's just my opinion.

 

I think your right, but the really effective players create space was the point I was making.

 

he was pretty good against city in the middle mind.

 

I do like him in the middle. My only problem is that the striker can get very isolated. There was a few occasions in the first half where crosses were being whipped in and there was only Best in the middle. Personally, I just want HBA to start, because technically he is our best player by a country mile.

If he doesn't start against QPR...imagine how pissed off he will be!

 

Even if it's CM

 

Even CB

 

.