False Nine 12:01 - Feb 4 with 6123 views | MerthyrHoop | With conjecture circulating that Remy might be out for the season, and Zamora seemingly decrepit these days, it might be time to think about a tactical shift. In my opinion, we struggled to get going on Saturday mainly because of hit and hope long ball tactics (I lost count of the number of times Samba hoofed it long whilst Adel watched a Norwich player head clear completely unchallenged), and as Taarabt was unable to get close enough to Mackie to put together any threatening exchanges. At times Taarabt seemed to have to do it all by himself, and Mackie seemed to lack the movement of a Remy-type up front. The solution, in my book, is to play Taarabt up-front in that 'false-nine' position he played in against Chelsea and Spurs. I know it was previously used as a defensive measure, but it would mean Adel will get plenty of the ball in dangerous areas rather than dropping deep looking for it and leaving our centre-forward isolated, and with the likes of Townsend, Mackie and a hopefully fit-and-firing Hoilett playing off him then it should give us a bit more attacking impetus. We then also have the option of Zamora from the bench for the last 30 minutes if required, along with alternative defensive options if we managed to edge our noses in front. Team for me would be: Cesar Fabio, Samba, Hill, Traore Derry, Jenas Mackie, Hoilett, Townsend Taarabt Subs: Green, Onuoha, Mbia, Granero, Park, SWP, Zamora | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 12:05 - Feb 4 with 4525 views | Gloucs_R | Mine would be Cesar Fabio, Samba, Hill, Traore Derry, Mbia Mackie, Taarabt , Townsend Betty [Post edited 1 Jan 1970 1:00]
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False Nine on 12:11 - Feb 4 with 4480 views | Gloucs_R |
False Nine on 12:08 - Feb 4 by WallyRanger | Mbia is playing DM and is on the bench at the same time? |
Dont know what you are talking about | ![](/images/avatars/1527.gif) |
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False Nine on 12:13 - Feb 4 with 4469 views | WallyRanger |
False Nine on 12:11 - Feb 4 by Gloucs_R | Dont know what you are talking about |
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False Nine on 12:16 - Feb 4 with 4445 views | WestbourneR | How can ANY of you think Bothroyd is the answer? He is totally ineffectual and has proved it over and over again, even in the Championship. He's not going to suddenly work it out. The only striker we have who is a goal threat of any sort is DJ Campbell. | ![](/images/avatars/1429.gif) |
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False Nine on 12:18 - Feb 4 with 4427 views | Northernr | The problems with starting Bothroyd as a lone striker are 1 - He's not very good. 2 - He consistently drifts into a wide area, presumably looking for space to work in but actually rendering himself totally ineffective. If he did this as a lone striker we'd effectively have no striker at all. | ![](/images/avatars/1005.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 12:18 - Feb 4 with 4416 views | adhoc_qpr | Adel upfront has worked, DJ isn't the player he was but might get his spark back with a prolonged run in the team - either of those are worth a try. A half fit Zamora or a going through the motions Bothroyd are not the answers. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 12:45 - Feb 4 with 4312 views | QPunkR | The prob with playing Tarbs up top by himself is - how the hell would he ever get the ball?!! Not only is he our biggest goal threat (not from 12 yards though, obv! ) but he's also by far our most creative player, setting up chances and through-balls for others. I think we can't afford to leave him secluded up front by himself game after game | ![](/images/avatars/5500.gif) |
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False Nine on 12:49 - Feb 4 with 4290 views | wombat |
False Nine on 12:45 - Feb 4 by QPunkR | The prob with playing Tarbs up top by himself is - how the hell would he ever get the ball?!! Not only is he our biggest goal threat (not from 12 yards though, obv! ) but he's also by far our most creative player, setting up chances and through-balls for others. I think we can't afford to leave him secluded up front by himself game after game |
how about houilett if hes fit up front with adel behind him ? he scored a few goals at blackburn has pace nothing to lose by trying him | ![](/images/avatars/1321.gif) |
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False Nine on 12:52 - Feb 4 with 4275 views | MerthyrHoop |
False Nine on 12:45 - Feb 4 by QPunkR | The prob with playing Tarbs up top by himself is - how the hell would he ever get the ball?!! Not only is he our biggest goal threat (not from 12 yards though, obv! ) but he's also by far our most creative player, setting up chances and through-balls for others. I think we can't afford to leave him secluded up front by himself game after game |
The problem for me with Taarabt in this team currently is that he often has to come deep looking for the ball leaving the lone-forward isolated. If it's Remy thats fine as he will play on the last shoulder and feed off those through balls...Mackie or Zamora won't do that unfortunately. My thinking was that that if the ball is fed into Taarabt's feet, and Mackie, Hoilett and Townsend are implored to run beyond him with Fabio and Traore providing the width, then he can still create chances and have a positive effect on the game | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 12:59 - Feb 4 with 4242 views | baz_qpr | I'm of the view that the false 9 will work with Adel very well, but we must get bodies forward and overlapping. Part of our problem on Saturday was that if SWP is hiding, the CM partnership of Derry and M'bia leaves us very little attacking options so at best we have one man in the box. 4-3-3 with False nine might fix that. 4-2-3-1 needs a real 9 IMHO and clearly Zamora is not fit nor looks likely will get fit. God Hughes royally fked this up | ![](/images/avatars/1533.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 13:02 - Feb 4 with 4227 views | HollowayRanger | id just play samba up front | ![](/images/avatars/1268.gif) |
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False Nine on 13:04 - Feb 4 with 4225 views | Gloucs_R |
False Nine on 12:18 - Feb 4 by Northernr | The problems with starting Bothroyd as a lone striker are 1 - He's not very good. 2 - He consistently drifts into a wide area, presumably looking for space to work in but actually rendering himself totally ineffective. If he did this as a lone striker we'd effectively have no striker at all. |
But you can say the same thing for them all..... The problem with Mackie is....he cant hold up the ball The problem with DJ is....he cant hold up the ball The problem with Adel is....who is going to pick him out The problem with Zamora is....he is injured The problem with Hoilett is....he is injured The problem with AJ....he is injured The problem with Cisse is....he is out on loan The problem with Hulse is ....he is sh it | ![](/images/avatars/1527.gif) |
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False Nine on 13:20 - Feb 4 with 4189 views | daveB |
False Nine on 12:18 - Feb 4 by Northernr | The problems with starting Bothroyd as a lone striker are 1 - He's not very good. 2 - He consistently drifts into a wide area, presumably looking for space to work in but actually rendering himself totally ineffective. If he did this as a lone striker we'd effectively have no striker at all. |
thats where coaching has to come in, he's done it before at cardiff where he stayed in the middle and was a beast of a forward for 18 months before he decided to be Thierry henry and he's been rubbish ever since. Work with him, tell him his job is to hold the ball up and stay in the middle for crosses, he has an hour every game to work his arse off up front then we bring fresh legs on. We should at least be working with him in training. I doubt he'd end up being good enough but it's something to try at least | ![](/images/avatars/1922.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 13:24 - Feb 4 with 4179 views | hoops_legend |
False Nine on 13:02 - Feb 4 by HollowayRanger | id just play samba up front |
I actually think thats a good idea! We have an issue with heading - Samba can be our target man (to head down to Taarabt) and also score some corners and free kicks Maybe we can get Shittu in as well to really intimidate the defenders | ![](/images/avatars/1479.gif) |
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False Nine on 13:25 - Feb 4 with 4166 views | kingo | Harry set up a formation against City that could easily be made more attacking. Unfortunately Nedum was ill for Saturday, but if we have 3 at the back (Nedum, Hill and Samba) with Traore and Fabio pushing up more in winnable games then we can have Mbia and Derry providing midfield cover and Townsend plus Hoilett/Granero or Mackie and Adel in the false nine. That system can be changed during a game with Traore/Yun and Fabio either sitting back or pushing on. | ![](/images/avatars/2211.gif) |
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False Nine on 13:25 - Feb 4 with 4163 views | daveB |
False Nine on 13:24 - Feb 4 by hoops_legend | I actually think thats a good idea! We have an issue with heading - Samba can be our target man (to head down to Taarabt) and also score some corners and free kicks Maybe we can get Shittu in as well to really intimidate the defenders |
Bring back Santos | ![](/images/avatars/1922.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 13:43 - Feb 4 with 4109 views | baz_qpr |
False Nine on 13:02 - Feb 4 by HollowayRanger | id just play samba up front |
Or even the other Samba, Diakte he's got good feet, he "tackles like a striker" and has mean shot on him. | ![](/images/avatars/1533.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 13:45 - Feb 4 with 4100 views | loftus77 | Sorry if already said - but we can't recall the on-loan Cisse, right? No emergency clause etc? | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 13:46 - Feb 4 with 4085 views | baz_qpr |
False Nine on 13:45 - Feb 4 by loftus77 | Sorry if already said - but we can't recall the on-loan Cisse, right? No emergency clause etc? |
He's not in the 25 man squad | ![](/images/avatars/1533.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 15:09 - Feb 4 with 4021 views | BerkoRanger |
False Nine on 13:02 - Feb 4 by HollowayRanger | id just play samba up front |
And me - he HAS played this role for Blackburn in the Prem before , when they were winning games. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 15:30 - Feb 4 with 3972 views | kensalriser | Bodies in the box, as Baz says. One of our biggest problems is we don't break in numbers quickly enough. There was one instance on Sat where Mackie's badgering left him with the ball by the edge of the area a yard or two from the touchline; he got the ball across the goalmouth but there was literally no-one there. All it needed was a toe to it and most teams would have scored there. Now we have Townsend who looks capable of putting the ball in danger areas, we really need people challenging in the box. | ![](/images/avatars/3082.gif) |
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False Nine on 16:02 - Feb 4 with 3932 views | QPR_Jim | I would go with Cesar Fabio, Samba, Hill, Traore Mbia, Jenas Mackie, Townsend, Hoilett Taarabt We need to win games now so perhaps Derry needs to be sacrificed for a player more capable of causing a threat. I'm not entirely convinced that's Jenas but he's what we've got. In Samba our defence is slightly more mobile and will hopefully be able to survive without Derry being their to protect them. I know dropping Derry hasn't worked before but with HR bringing in these players I would hope they have a better attitude than a previous signings and will make a better job of it. Adel up top on his own is probably our best option at the moment. It's a bit of a risk, but like Remy's legs, it will either work well or not at all. | ![](/images/avatars/1382.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 16:08 - Feb 4 with 3911 views | daveB | We can't drop Derry, the upturn in results and performances have come since he sat in front of the back four, once he gets dropped we are back to square one | ![](/images/avatars/1922.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
False Nine on 16:37 - Feb 4 with 3871 views | Antti_Heinola |
False Nine on 13:20 - Feb 4 by daveB | thats where coaching has to come in, he's done it before at cardiff where he stayed in the middle and was a beast of a forward for 18 months before he decided to be Thierry henry and he's been rubbish ever since. Work with him, tell him his job is to hold the ball up and stay in the middle for crosses, he has an hour every game to work his arse off up front then we bring fresh legs on. We should at least be working with him in training. I doubt he'd end up being good enough but it's something to try at least |
Bothroyd has never, ever, been a 'beast'. Always said the way to deal with him is hit him hard once, maybe twice. Then he loses interest. Having said that, whether he's 'the answer' or not, is now irrelevant, because we have no one else. We possibly need to find a way of getting Mackie, Adel, Townsend, DJ and Bothroyd in the same team. We need goals. We're all but down, so we might as well go for it now. | ![](/images/avatars/5743.gif) |
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