Our front line

[Whosthedado 1,670]

Boyd only scored a couple of goals after January last year for us if memory serves me right. Kenny Miller was one of, if not the main reason we secured our 2nd Title last season. In my opinion if we are to win a 3rd on the bounce he will be absolutely vital again and I for one certainly do not want to see him heading anywhere near the exit door any time soon

[Totti 0]

We have a bit of a problem in 2 of our (likely) best players being Jelavic and Beattie, who are both big out and out strikers and won't work together (it never does!). Luckily we have Miller and Naismith who will link up fine with either. Lafferty again is another big striker who will need supplemented by a different player.

 

Another concern is Smith isn't afraid to defy logic and stick 2 big guys up front, even when it consistently doesn't work. He did it several times with Boyd and Lafferty and it always went badly.

 

Personally I'd like us to play a 4-5-1/4-3-3 , which we can play both in Europe and the SPL. We will perform better in Europe if we stick to the same general side and shape week in week out IMO, players will know their roles. With the signing of Weiss this can really work and Naismith could play on the other side. I'm getting deja vu though, I've spent so much of Smith's tenure wanting to see 4-3-3 when we had seen Naismith, Cousin and Burke work well against Hibs (one of the few occasions of fast, attacking, short passing - the way we should play IMO).

 

With 2 big strikers capable of playing on their own and a seemingly very talented winger signed, 4-3-3/4-5-1 becomes a good option, considering it;s what we will definitely play in Europe. The only way we have a hope in the CL of getting any minor success is if the side is ultra organised and everyone knows their role.

 

4-3-3 in the SPL, then a 4-5-1 in CL becoming a 4-3-3 on the counter. But a las, we can but dream

[Guest Flying Hippo]

4-3-3 would mean only 1 from Miller, Jelavic, and Beattie starting, which is never going to happen. Not unless Miller is sold anyway

 

I'm happy enough with a 4-4-2 so long as Davis isn't played as a winger

 

My first choice team right now would be:

 

McGregor

Whittaker Bougherra Weir Papac

Naismith Davis Edu Weiss

Miller Jelavic

[Totti 0]

4-3-3 would mean only 1 from Miller, Jelavic, and Beattie starting, which is never going to happen. Not unless Miller is sold anyway

 

I'm happy enough with a 4-4-2 so long as Davis isn't played as a winger

 

My first choice team right now would be:

 

McGregor

Whittaker Bougherra Weir Papac

Naismith Davis Edu Weiss

Miller Jelavic

IF you play two out and out attacking players wide in a midfield 4, you need 2 holding players in the middle, or else any remotely decent side will rape you in midfield.

 

Two attacking wide players in a 4-4-2 isn't that common anymore, despite it often working for us last season. Usually one wide player will be a less offensive player who can tuck in.

 

If we are to play a midfield 4 it has to be Davis or Whittaker on the right IMO.

[Guest Flying Hippo]

IF you play two out and out attacking players wide in a midfield 4, you need 2 holding players in the middle, or else any remotely decent side will rape you in midfield.

 

Two attacking wide players in a 4-4-2 isn't that common anymore, despite it often working for us last season. Usually one wide player will be a less offensive player who can tuck in.

 

If we are to play a midfield 4 it has to be Davis or Whittaker on the right IMO.

 

We beat Dundee United 3-0 and 7-1, Motherwell 6-1, and Hibs 4-1 by playing 4-4-2 with 2 wingers and Davis in the centre

 

Bring on some more of that

[Totti 0]

Wouldn't work against any European opposition, Celtic or some sides away.

 

Sometimes in the SPL the old firm could pick themselves and gub the opposition, such is the standard.

[Guest Flying Hippo]

If McCulloch can be moulded into a holding midfielder, i'm sure Davis could easily just 'sit' in some of the tighter games. McCulloch and Edu doesn't fill me with confidence as a partnership

[Super_Ally 0]

He's obviously not irreplaceable but he was one of THE most important players in the team last season, and if he went, he would be a huge loss.

 

I'm interested to know what more important players we have lost and not suffered?

 

I should have written something like not collapsed then rather than not suffered.