I really felt that the players felt uncomfortable in this 4 3 3 shape.Furthermore Hazard completely neglected his position ,the movement was completely missing and to be fair to Torres he looked hungry but received no service. Seems like we've got a bunch of creative midfielders playing out wide that just wanna come inside which makes it tight and congested. Our passing did look a lot better when Mikel was introduced and we have got key players missing I would've liked to see us get to terms with a comfortable shape against Brighton. We keep saying its pre seaon but we're 1 week away and that was close to our starting 11. I hope this pre seaon is just a wake up call.

I hope so man it's a wake up call for the blues

No surprise to me Hazard neglected his defensive duties it would be exactly the same with Hulk on the the side if he were to join.I hate 433 when your wingers are not natural wingers but 433 is the best formation for Lamps imo.I see RDM playing 4231 most of the time and i think that suits us the best especially with our new signings.Imo I would like to see us play a 4321 xmas tree formation and play Hazard and Mata behind Torres and it gives them both the freedom to play off the striker and also it gives them the freedom to go out wide.

I think 4321 would suit us the most.

I thought we looked poor all over the pitch, we didnt create much & i cant see where our goals are going to come from, i know it was only a friendly but we seriously need to improve with City next week in the CS then the PL a week a later.

I know it was only a friendly but we've only won once in pre season havent we?

Pesonally I don't see all the fuss about a few pre-season results that have no bearing on our season.

We have seen countless times players who 'miss pre-season' fail to get to the required fitness levels and

never capture their form until late in the season or not even at all.

It's all about fitness and not results in my opinion.

Ok we shouldn't lose to Brighton, the performance was disappointing and Robbie has said as much.

(Man City ? Let's not forget they lost 2-1 to Oldham !)

We have no injuries, Mata is due back and Oscar is going to be as fit as a butcher's dog.

We will be playing 4-2-3-1

Hazard has been tried left and right, we have Marin, Mata and Ramires and Oscar to come in.

If Torres isn't top premiership scorer this season I will run bollock naked down the Kings Road

to Sloane Square !

Pesonally I don't see all the fuss about a few pre-season results that have no bearing on our season.

We have seen countless times players who 'miss pre-season' fail to get to the required fitness levels and

never capture their form until late in the season or not even at all.

It's all about fitness and not results in my opinion.

Ok we shouldn't lose to Brighton, the performance was disappointing and Robbie has said as much.

(Man City ? Let's not forget they lost 2-1 to Oldham !)

We have no injuries, Mata is due back and Oscar is going to be as fit as a butcher's dog.

We will be playing 4-2-3-1

Hazard has been tried left and right, we have Marin, Mata and Ramires and Oscar to come in.

If Torres isn't top premiership scorer this season I will run bollock naked down the Kings Road

to Sloane Square !

I wouldn't risk clothes on Torres being the top scorer.........

Someone mark this page!

I admire your blind faith but I think you are being a bit too optimistic.

I think the shape all depends on what RDM is going to do with Lamps.

I've only seen bits of pre-season, but from what I've seen Lampard has still been getting forward a lot, and has often found himself in the opposition penalty box.

If Lampard is playing in a double pivot role he would have to be more disciplined and stick to his job, otherwise there will be big gaps in the middle (as he won't be able to get up and down like he used to) and it will leave the holding midfielder isolated, and we will also find teams breaking on us with speed as Brighton did yesterday.

If RDM wants Lamps to play further up the field then that would create problems in what to do with Mata, Hazard and Oscar. We all know Lamps like to get forward, but the real question is RDM the man to break it him that his days of running up and down the park are slowly coming to an end.Otherwise we could see people like Hazard etc being played out of position to accommodate Lampard.

The 3rd option for RDM is how often will Lampard actually play, and how does he phase him out, and would he leave him out of the really big matches (Man.Utd, Man City, Champions league matches etc..)

I just think how he handles Lampard could hold the key to how we play, and what formation we play this season.

Edited August 5, 201213 yr by 2211