First choice midfield...

[squaddie]

Benayoun Mascherano Gerrard Kuyt would be my midfield. Time for Stevie to settlt into a middle of the pitch role imo.

Deffo.

Benni's wasted on the wing imho. Far more effective down the middle. Plus a fit (on his day) Riera gives us alot more width.

[dww]

but then havent we seen all season that Masher and Lucas is just not a viable midfield solution?


Your right aquiliani has offered **** all and without going over old ground Lucas has done well this season but its just an awful midfield pairing.

I'm not sure that is how I would interpret it. I would say that much like Mascherano and Alonso a couple of seasons ago Lucas - Mascherano is a pairing which doesn't get the most out of the players around them and the players around them don't get the most out of them.

This season a major problem has been that Gerrard the usual dynamic link between midfield and attack has been poor. In this context I don't think that Mascherano and Lucas are good foils for our best wide players last season - Kuyt and Riera who thrived on us playing well directed longer passes to them in space. Ideally players like Benayoun and Maxi offer a more suitable short passing/control based solution. Unlike many others I think Benayoun has had a poor season and, obviously, Maxi has only just arrived.

To a degree I will accept that the L-M partnership puts more emphasis on other arts of the team such as fullbacks to add width and options but I don't think it is necessarily a bad partnership. Just one we need to adapt the team to use, as we did in many ways for Alonso and Mascherano last season.

I would have been tempted to put Gerrard in Centre mid but with torres back hoopefully them 2 can get us motoring again with both up top.

All the above said I think early in the season Lucas - Gerrard looked excellent against poorer teams and maybe we need to vary things depending on the opposition.

Wigan do look like a team who can be worn down though so I would still favour Lucas and Mascherano in the middle with Gerarrd in behind Torres.

[the rev leeroy brown]

at moment in time going on form etc....

kyut - lucas - mash - babel

[SB]

At the moment:

Kuyt Gerrard Mascherano Riera

Maxi comes into the equation also but I like that 4

[Craig_H]

but then havent we seen all season that Masher and Lucas is just not a viable midfield solution?


Your right aquiliani has offered **** all and without going over old ground Lucas has done well this season but its just an awful midfield pairing.

I would have been tempted to put Gerrard in Centre mid but with torres back hoopefully them 2 can get us motoring again with both up top.

For some games, it's useless to us, because those two offer hardly any attacking threat.

That's why i'd play 442, at home especially, with Gerrard alongside Mascherano, and Benayoun/Maxi/Babel in the wide areas. Torres and Kuyt up front.

Alternatively, Kuyt wide right and Babel or N'Gog upfront with Torres.

[the rev leeroy brown]

at moment in time going on form etc....

kyut - lucas - mash - babel

change of mind.....

for home games switch mash for ste and for away games lucas for ste.

[Kenneth]

For some games, it's useless to us, because those two offer hardly any attacking threat.

That's why i'd play 442, at home especially, with Gerrard alongside Mascherano, and Benayoun/Maxi/Babel in the wide areas. Torres and Kuyt up front.

Alternatively, Kuyt wide right and Babel or N'Gog upfront with Torres.

[JohnDoe]

Benayoun is a starter every game for me when he's fit. Our third most important attacking player after Torres and Gerrard. Aquilani needs to be given a run with the team, it's ridiculous that people have given up on him already.

Based on that:

Aquilani Mascherano
Kuyt Gerrard Benayoun

[dww]

Benayoun is a starter every game for me when he's fit. Our third most important attacking player after Torres and Gerrard. Aquilani needs to be given a run with the team, it's ridiculous that people have given up on him already.

Based on that:

Aquilani Mascherano
Kuyt Gerrard Benayoun

I agree that it seems premature to give up on Aquilani but I do think he needs to do more when given a chance to earn a run.

Maybe Wigan are the sort of team that he should be getting a chance against though.

[Craig_H]

Certainly not 'giving up' on AA, but for this season, he's not to be relied upon.

After a proper summer and preseason under his belt, i'd then expect him to be ready.

As long as he can shake off the AIDS, that is

[Kenneth]

I cant honestly say that i've seen enough from Aquilani to justify putting him in ahead of Lucas Leiva.

Seriously depressing.

[JohnDoe]

I agree that it seems premature to give up on Aquilani but I do think he needs to do more when given a chance to earn a run.

Maybe Wigan are the sort of team that he should be getting a chance against though.

For me, he starts on default. Lucas and Masch in the middle is awful. We always bypass the midfield when they play because they can't do anything with the ball. If he doesn't start against Wigan, then I'll be convinced that Rafa has once again made a monumental **** up and has probably seen he's **** in training or something and we have another Keane situation on our hands. He has to get a run in the team.

[lickedlollipop]

that would be like second BIG **** up.

[Exiled_red]

I think I'd go Maxi, Gerrard, Mascherano, Riera in midfield with Kuyt and Torres up front

It's quite tough on Lucas but we need more creativity in the centre and Aquilani isn't rady for that role yet, hence why Gerrard is in there. Aquilani would get brought off the bench where possible and Benayoun and Babel also give us options from the bench

[Imy]

Benayoun is a starter every game for me when he's fit. Our third most important attacking player after Torres and Gerrard. Aquilani needs to be given a run with the team, it's ridiculous that people have given up on him already.

Based on that:

Aquilani Mascherano
Kuyt Gerrard Benayoun

I like that formation

mine would be:

Aquilani Mascherano
Maxi Gerrard Benayoun

However I don't think Benayoun is very good when he is stuck on the left, so with the 3 attacking midfielders i'd have them rotate positions as the game goes on.

Against 'lesser' teams i'd change Mascher for Lucas.