Charlie Adam

[Arn]

Funny this because you didn't suggest the same thing with Dossena and Keane.

I never said that Rafa got every signing right. If a manager get 50% of his signings right then he is doing a very good job.

Rafa made mistakes in the transfer market so will Kenny. If someone asked me then I would say that Carroll, Enrique, Coates, Bellamy, Suarez is good signings and Adam and Downing should be sold.

Five out of seven is very good figures. That is my opinion.

[Craig_H]

Who do you think will miss out when Gerrard is ready to start? It sure as hell isn't going to be Lucas. Do you think all three might play?

John Doe doesnt agree with this. He thinks it's nailed on that Lucas wont be first choice.

[Craig_H]

If you play for a team that want to finish in the top four and maybe win the league then every central midfielder must be great in defence and attack.

Michael Carrick, Anderson, Darren Fletcher, Tom Cleverley...to name just 4.

And before them, Scholes and Hargreaves....

None of those 6 players are 'great' in defence AND attack. Not a single one of them.

[Craig_H]

Yet another supporter that think that Kenny can do no wrong

Oh my god, the irony....

[Mostar]

Michael Carrick, Anderson, Darren Fletcher, Tom Cleverley...to name just 4.
And before them, Scholes and Hargreaves....

None of those 6 players are 'great' in defence AND attack. Not a single one of them.

Fair point but if you could choose would you take Adam over all those players though.

[el matador]

maybe against utd we go with a midfield 3 of lucas, henderson and gerrard. last 30 take off gerrard and bring on adam. he'll have more space to play in and will be able to hopefully create a couple of openings for the forwards.

[Craig_H]

Fair point but if you could choose would you take Adam over all those players though.

Based on now, i'd probably take him over all 4 of them. Carrick's a spent force, Fletcher's not been playing for a while, Anderson's ****e and Cleverley's played about 4 games, nowhere near proven.

But back to the original point, it wasnt about who i'd take, it was about the ridiculous claim that a top four/title challenging side needs all of its CMs to be 'great' at both defending and attacking. It's quite clearly not true.

[el matador]

its amazing how quickly mata has become the main man for chelsea. quality quality player.

[Craig_H]

maybe against utd we go with a midfield 3 of lucas, henderson and gerrard. last 30 take off gerrard and bring on adam. he'll have more space to play in and will be able to hopefully create a couple of openings for the forwards.

If you want to go for a CM 3 to battle them and form a central solidity, then i wouldnt argue - but i'd have Spearing ahead of Henderson just at the moment.

[Daniel 7]

Fletcher offers far more than Adam. You can see that when they play together for Scotland. Fletcher plays as a destroyer for Man Utd but is actually a pretty good footballer as well. His passing and vision isn't much behind Adam, but his fitness levels and the ground he covers over a game, to compare the two, is like night and day.

Carrick though? I'd rather have Adam. Carrick is slow and sideways.

[el matador]

Based on now, i'd probably take him over all 4 of them. Carrick's a spent force, Fletcher's not been playing for a while, Anderson's ****e and Cleverley's played about 4 games, nowhere near proven.

But back to the original point, it wasnt about who i'd take, it was about the ridiculous claim that a top four/title challenging side needs all of its CMs to be 'great' at both defending and attacking. It's quite clearly not true.

i thinks its more true if you only play 2 in midfield so both central midfielders have to be able to defend and attack to varying degrees. in a trio you can get away with having a specialist at either attacking or defending.

[Daniel 7]

We're not going to line up with three though, are we?

[Craig_H]

i thinks its more true if you only play 2 in midfield so both central midfielders have to be able to defend and attack to varying degrees. in a trio you can get away with having a specialist at either attacking or defending.

On paper, that makes sense, but Man Utd have played 442 traditionally for the most part, and clearly have always been challenging for the title.

Arn's claim was nonsensical and proven wrong within a nano-second.

[Craig_H]

We're not going to line up with three though, are we?

Could do...

Spearing Gerrard Lucas
Kuyt............................Downing
Suarez

Not suggesting we should, but that's how it can be done.

[el matador]

craig... utd are very open at the minute and i would go for midfield domination. i disagree that spearing is ahead of henderson because jordan has some serious quality but currently its not being used correctly.

but playing in a few positions will only help his development as an allround top notch midfield player. he needs to be less afraid and just go for it sometimes. i know its tough because our fans are demanding but we appreciate effort committment and players going for it.