Keane play him so he can learn his trade....
I'd rather see Smith make mistakes than some has-been from Sunderland.

I agree rubberblood

Paper talk on this one I reckon, just because he played with Nelsen at the world cup-lazy jouralism again!

Would love to see us adopt the New Zealand back three defensive system though with Mac, Delaney & Smith playing there-I think like England our 4-4-2 system we play is easy to play against, a 5-3-2 with the speedy wing backs of O'Conner & Peters I think is defintely worth a try!

Must keep Smith though, he is definitely one for the future along side Wickham who we should build the team around, if Blackburn do come knocking its not going to be a massive bid as they are broke so tell them to sod off!

Meanwhile it is rumoured that Kevin Lisbies phone battery has died from all the calls he has been receiving with regards to his availability.

Great point seasonticketsteve - it's worth a shot

I agree Seasonticketsteve. The only issue might be back-up. If any of those three are injured, who would come in? Apart from Tom Eastman (who is very green), who else would be reserve?

Good point rubberblood. The trouble if he makes any mistakes the boo-boys will get on his back

Too cultured for you, Sam.

I like the sound of 3-5-2 or 5-3-2 or 3-2-3-2, etc I think a lot of International teams have adopted that formation with Brazil being a prime example. Ok we don't have Maicon or Alves as wing backs but we could play 3 at the back two holding midfielders two wing backs and one behind the front two.

Something along the lines of....

---------------------Murphey---------------------
-----------Mca-----Delaney-----Smith------------
Peters/Edwards---Leadbitter---Norris---Civelli/O'Conner
--------------------Counago-----------------------
--------------Priskin--------Wickham-----------

I think you get the picture, and that could work quite well with wing-backs bombing on and Leadbitter and Norris holding. I put in Counago as alot of fans say, he could work well behind the front two and quite possibly be the playmaker we all crave.

But what do I know!!!

Liking it Moisha, that way you can drop to a 5-4-1 defensively and attack with a 3-4-3 with real venom.

You may have finally found a way we could incorporate a way of getting Counago into the team as well, quick someone get on the blower to Keano!

Liking that Moisha

Yeah, I like that formation and given the current lack of full backs and the attacking attributes of Peters, Edwards, Civelli and O'Connor, it would be a sensible way to go with the players available. I've alawys thought Pablo might be worth a go behind the front two. No room for Walters?

Just seen O'Conner has signed a new contract keeping him here till 2012-good news I reckon. Keane clearly is thinking he is going to be our number one left back this season.

Thers's a lot of hype around tommy at the moment, had it not been for the world cup would we think of him as anything other than a Pim double? I doubt it.

1981 Tommy is young and will make mistakes but I don't think he's over-hyped he and young Tom Eastman are the future pairing as centre backs IMO and we need to keep them at the club.
Oh & Big Fat Town hating Sam f*** Off, you ain't getting him!!!!

i like that stuff moisha, especially because we seem not to have full backs anymore but all of our wing players can fit in that formation... it's an asking formation though, requires lot of running and anticipation, especially when transforming into 3-4-3 attaking style, but it's tough to play against that's for sure... i like it :)

why dont the players ?

Some of these formations look good and well suited to the type of games the players like to play, however as we have witnessed from the world cup, British players are brought up to play 442, anything is impossible in their eyes. Remember Harry asking Pompey CBs to play with three CBs and Sol Campbell and the others said they wouldn't do it. If Keane can sell it to the players and get them to be open minded and give it a go it could work.

---------------------Murphy---------------------
-----------Mca-----Delaney-----Smith------------
Peters/Edwards---Leadbitter---Norris---Civelli/O'Conner
--------------------Priskin-----------------------
------------Stead/Walters------Wickham-----------

would be my preferred choice ... although Walters does not score many goals he is the same type of physical presence as Wickham and the two of them might pull the opposition defences wide enough to allow Priskin or the midfield to score the odd goal ... hopefull the last year will have brought Wickham on enough that he can work well with Walters.... or is that the other way round?
Does Stead feature in here? Not sure.
None of our strikers inspires complete confidence. Wickham's a great potential but still learning and as for everyone else we seem to be requiring one of them to go on a confidence fuelled scoring spree based on the questionable support of a manager who uses public criticism and transfer lists to motivate....
... I'm not calling for Keane to go, I'd like to believe, but I'm not looking forward to next season.

Very pleased to see Tommy perform so well at the World Cup. Is he ready to make the step to first team regular? Hopefully so. Certainly better than Pim who was rightly released.

Re the Blackburn story - well it's inevitable I am afraid. He plays well in the world cup, so he will be linked to other clubs. It's all paper talk though.

Loving how many people are going with the 3-5-2.

I think the most important position is the hole behind the strikers, you need someone who can run at defenders with the ball, someone who can break late or someone who can feel those delicate balls through to the striker. Counago was suggested for that position and with the hold up play and balls through we could play there, not sure about running at defenders or breaking late as his pace is non existint!

Any suggestions whether it be a player already on the books or a potential new signing for that position???

Tractorog - I think you could pool any 3 from four or five players that could work through-out the season for the front 3, I'm just going by we don't buy or sell anyone and Counago would give us more guile. With Walters, Priskin and Wickam we could end up going direct, but then that could still be utilised if we are chasing the game, as long as the 2nd ball is won and spread wide for the wing-backs to get the ball into the box and then of course into the net.....

Hey this football lark is simples!!

As Smith isn't a first team regular, if a decent bid comes in we would have to consider it. However, I don't like the idea of selling players when we cannot get anyone to come in.

With the players we have, I agree 3-5-2 makes sense with O'Connor and Peters as wing backs. However, as Keane seems to prefer a defensive line up I guess 5-3-2 or 5-4-1 are more likely formations if we don't play 4-4-2.

@ Seasonticketsteve
here's a name for you Steve - Wade Elliott from Burnley. Very good on the ball, knows Championship inside-out, huge expierience, and still got pace.
Or, if we spill some more cash - Pete Whittingham of Cardiff.

Good shout with both itfcserbia. Elliott is if im correct the wrong side of thirty though? Whittingham though at 26/27 is a very decent shout as well-double swoop for him & Chops perhaps?

For me though and cant believe no one else jumped on it-Darren Ambrose, is the position he played for Palace last season.

Any other suggestions anyone?