Don't Bottle it on the back 4

[fulhams_finest]

lets hope that Rene takes a chance on the back 4 from last night against the gooners - there is no risk whatsoever, we expect to get nothing from the game and saw visible flaws from the back 4 on Saturday, this could be the start of building a sturdy back 4. Also I hope he doesn't bottle it and play Berbac*ck, brings nothing to the squad, slow lacks effort has too big an ego and his lack of effort puts pressure on our aging midfield

[Slaphead in Qatar]

I agree with you, but it would not surprise me to see senderdross in the first eleven v arsenal. Our Brains Trust seem to like him.

[nose]

if richardson plays V arsenal he will be targeted in the same way liverpool targeted him. we will be shredded on his side of the pitch. JAR is far superior so needs to play.

I also think that hughes and hangerland will be a far more balanced central partnership. Burn played well but against better opposition it would seem to me he and hangerland are too similar, not that he isn't good enough but just to similar.

So basically i agree keep the same back 4 with two changes as outlined above.

[JackyFulham90]

My back 4 against Arsenal would be

Riether Hangeland Burn Amorebieta

[Vinnieffc]

My back 4 against Arsenal would be

Riether Hangeland Burn Amorebieta

I'll live with that  049:gif

[Pluto]

Riise is dreadful. I wouldn't have him anywhere near the team. The likes of Gnabry and Oxlade-Chamberlain will eat him alive for speed. We need a player with pace at LB to play against those sort of players and that's Richardson.

[alfie]

I agree with you, but it would not surprise me to see senderdross in the first eleven v arsenal. Our Brains Trust seem to like him.

Is it absolutely necessary for you to insult the mans name, you don't rate the guy thats fine but he is playing in a Fulham shirt and that should get some respect, i am sure if you look at the stats we have had more success with the Hangeland/Sendeross partnership this season that anyone else.

[fulhamben]

I agree with you, but it would not surprise me to see senderdross in the first eleven v arsenal. Our Brains Trust seem to like him.

Is it absolutely necessary for you to insult the mans name, you don't rate the guy thats fine but he is playing in a Fulham shirt and that should get some respect, i am sure if you look at the stats we have had more success with the Hangeland/Sendeross partnership this season that anyone else.

100% win record with hangeland and burn with a 100% clean sheet record. how does the senderos hangeland one hold up to that?

[YoungsBitter]

My back 4 against Arsenal would be

Riether Hangeland Burn Amorebieta

I'll live with that  049:gif

Me too. Riise is both slow and retreats deeper and deeper and he is why teams get the ball in behind us, Arse would love to see him start. I would also have Richardson in front of Amorebieta and of course Dejegah in front of Riether. If we see Senderos instead of Burn its not unexpected, he can step up for the big games. If we see Duff and Dempsey start we are in big trouble....

[Primate]

I'd like to see Hangeland playing, but it wouldn't stun me if he didn't. He is still coming back from injury, and if he isn't 100% fit, it's not a good idea risking him having a reocurrence of something in a game where likely he'll have to bust his hump to get a result. No reason why Burn shouldn't play though, and I'd like to see that.

Lucky they don't have Walcott though, I shudder at the idea of him running at riise. Don't know who they'll have there now though. Probably Gnabry again.

[jmh]

Riise is dreadful. I wouldn't have him anywhere near the team. The likes of Gnabry and Oxlade-Chamberlain will eat him alive for speed. We need a player with pace at LB to play against those sort of players and that's Richardson.

Except Richardson got beat time and again by Snodgrass yesterday, so why should we expect him to do any better against Arsenal's players? 

[filham]

My back 4 against Arsenal would be

Riether Hangeland Burn Amorebieta

I'll live with that  049:gif

Yes, seems the obvious choice, not sure that Lovebite has the pace needed at fullback but then neither has Riise.

[Black, White and Fred]

My back 4 against Arsenal would be

Riether Hangeland Burn Amorebieta

+2

[hovewhite]

Left back is the problem position and don't think we have the awnser in the squad as there all in there own way not up to it.Now a 23 version of JAR that's the awnser.any suggestions people?
I can think of buttner man u
Suggestions please!

[Pev]

Left Back is a tough one to call, I would personally go with Richardson as on his day can be a real handful to contain.

However any defence without Senderos in will do fine.

[Northern Cottager]

Richardson was poor the other day until we went 1-0 up then he seemed to find some form. Still doesn't fill me with condfidence but is the best of ab ad bunch. Riise was incredibly poor against Sunderland.

[ToodlesMcToot]

I agree with you, but it would not surprise me to see senderdross in the first eleven v arsenal. Our Brains Trust seem to like him.

Is it absolutely necessary for you to insult the mans name, you don't rate the guy thats fine but he is playing in a Fulham shirt and that should get some respect, i am sure if you look at the stats we have had more success with the Hangeland/Sendeross partnership this season that anyone else.

100% win record with hangeland and burn with a 100% clean sheet record. how does the senderos hangeland one hold up to that?

1 game against a less than full strength side with an attack that had just a little bit more bite in it than a Jol Fulham side isn't much of a record.

Hangeland's presence improves the performance of our other defenders. Senderos is much more composed when he's paired with Brede than with Amorebieta for instance.

I'll be pleasantly surprised if we see Hangeland/Burn again this weekend, but I'll still be surprised. I would expect Hangeland/Senderos or Hangeland/Hughes. That puts Brede in the best possible position to succeed and help the defense.

[ToodlesMcToot]

Richardson was poor the other day until we went 1-0 up then he seemed to find some form. Still doesn't fill me with condfidence but is the best of ab ad bunch. Riise was incredibly poor against Sunderland.

I personally believe that, if we are going to try and fight for points against the likes of Arsenal, ManU, etc, then we have to play Richardson in front of Riise on the left and try to lock that side down as much as possible.

[alfie]

Richardson was poor the other day until we went 1-0 up then he seemed to find some form. Still doesn't fill me with condfidence but is the best of ab ad bunch. Riise was incredibly poor against Sunderland.

I personally believe that, if we are going to try and fight for points against the likes of Arsenal, ManU, etc, then we have to play Richardson in front of Riise on the left and try to lock that side down as much as possible.

I think you are correct with this, i cannot see Kaca being able to track back to help Riise. quite often if you look Riise has 2 players to mark and he can only mark 1 of them, he gets a lot of stick, but he tries without much support.

[ToodlesMcToot]

Richardson was poor the other day until we went 1-0 up then he seemed to find some form. Still doesn't fill me with condfidence but is the best of ab ad bunch. Riise was incredibly poor against Sunderland.

I personally believe that, if we are going to try and fight for points against the likes of Arsenal, ManU, etc, then we have to play Richardson in front of Riise on the left and try to lock that side down as much as possible.

I think you are correct with this, i cannot see Kaca being able to track back to help Riise. quite often if you look Riise has 2 players to mark and he can only mark 1 of them, he gets a lot of stick, but he tries without much support.

What I'd personally like to see this weekend is for us to take one risk (Burn) in defense with Sacha, Brede, and John Arne. I'd like for us to have Richardson and Dejagah wide with Parker, Sidwell, and Kara in their midfield triangle. I'd put either Berba or Adel up top as both have their own way of holding the ball long enough to bring others into any attack we happen to create.

That ought to give us the best chance to hold Arsenal at bay for the first 60 minutes. Then I'd suggest dropping Kara at 60' or so for Kasami, Dejagah for Duff, and then either sub on Kaka for Richardson or sub out whoever is playing up top.

Dejagah and Reither will have to run their socks off for us to generate any sort of attack, but I believe that this openting formation and roster are the best shot we have at taking any points from the game.