You're The Manager: Joe Cole

[Fierce]

Reina

Johnson Carra Agger Someone

Masher

Gerrard ----------- Aquilani

Cole

Torres ------Kuyt

Copyright AC Milan, 2005

Subs:

Cavalieri
Skrtel
Kelly
Lucas
Maxi
Babel
Jovanovic

[lancinleeds]

At home anyway.

Agreed, depends if we replace Mascherano as well. Would be happy just to stick Lucas in for Aqualani away.

Think there is enough about us to really push on next season. Amazing how one signing has changed things already, not for the thrill of signing a left back that isn't Konchesky!

[Parr_Zee]

Reina

Johnson Carra Agger Someone

Masher

Gerrard ----------- Aquilani

Cole

Torres ------Kuyt

It lacks a bit of width but that is some team...

[Exiled_red]

throw cole in behind torres with ste moving back to centre mid like this:

ste - - - lucas - - aqua

-------cole--------

------torres - -----

thats cause i would play a 3 - 5 - 2

reina
carra / skittles / agger
johnson - - - - - babel
--ste / lucas / aqua---
------cole-------
----torres----

assuming mash leaves of course.

Babel as a wing back

[chavo]

I think Jovanovic will get some game time this year. he is naturally a left footed striker so we may try and play him further left. I think the arrival of cole means that if he has been promised a regular start in central mid then we have a problem.

Gerrard
Lucas
Masch
Cole
Kuyt
Aquillani
Maxi
Riera
babel

These are all player that will expect a regular first team place. unless we play 1-9-1 then we are defo gonna lose some player.
Maxi, babel and lucas would be happy(ish) for a bench start for most of the time. Masch wants to go.

That means we got to make Gerrard Cole and Aquaillani fit in to the mid. I would like to see Riera stay and prove his worth. cole and gerrard i think will take it in turns to fill the hole. although a great bunch of players they dont really fit together. there are better positions, if cole would play on the left it would be perfect, riera could go masch could stay. aqu and masch with SG in the hole....

Just thinking aloud

[Mostar]

Reina

Johnson Carra Agger Someone

Masher

Gerrard ----------- Aquilani

Cole

Torres ------Kuyt

Copyright AC Milan, 2005

Subs:

Cavalieri
Skrtel
Kelly
Lucas
Maxi
Babel
Jovanovic

I personally would play Maxi more instead of Kuyt. For me Maxi last year, especially at the end of campaign, was very impressive.

Kuyt will get his fair share of playing time but he wouldn't be my first choice all year around.

[The Birdman]

Personally I'd play -
Reina
Johnson, Carra, Agger, New LB
Mascher/Lucas
Kuyt, Gerrard, Maxi
Cole
Torres

But I wouldn't be surprised to see
Reina
Johnson, Carra, Agger, New LB
Kuyt, Gerrard/Aquilani, Lucas, Jovanavic/Cole
Cole/Gerrard
Torres.

Based on Mascherano going, can see Hodgson using Cole similar to Gerrard playing for England, on the left with licence to roam.

Either way we need a solid, dependable left back who can actually defend

[BillobShaisley]

...............Reina
Johnson Carra Agger ??????
.....Gerrard....Masch
Maxi.........Cole...........Jova
..............Torres

=======================
B-Team
...................Reina
Darby..Kyrgiakos...Ayala...Robinson
.........Shelvey........Lucas
Babel..........Aquilani.........Riera
.................Kuyt

- Get a new 1st Chioce LB
- Swap Babel and Riera for Turan, use Cole on the wings in emergency and Pacheco can come in the squad.
- Swap Lucas, Spearing and Plessis for one decent holding midfielder to cover Masch
- If we have enough money left then get another striker, possibly swapping Kuyt who I love but is getting on and we can probably rinse Inter.

[kris90210]

Will be interesting to see where he plays - I reckon it depends how much Roy rates Kuyt, Jovanovic, Aquilani and Maxi.

In my opinion we now need 1) first choice left back, 2) a striker

So far this summer, so good

[BobTheCharmer]

Reina

Johnson Carra Agger New Left Back

Maxi Cole Gerrard New Left Sided Player

Kuyt Torres

I think he'll play this at home.

[kris90210]

Reina

Johnson Carra Agger New Left Back

Maxi Cole Gerrard New Left Sided Player

Kuyt Torres

I think he'll play this at home.

Really? No defensive midfielder? Can't see it.

[BobTheCharmer]

Really? No defensive midfielder? Can't see it.

I'd like to turn the clock back and make Gerrard that player again. He can still make the forward runs as long as someone fills the gap.

I want to see Gerrard the man involved again, not the Gerrard where the game passes him by. I want him making crunching tackles and shooting from 35 yards. Sadly we've turned him into an inferior Scholes.

[JohnDoe]

That Gerrard still had Hamann next to him.

[kris90210]

I'd like to turn the clock back and make Gerrard that player again. He can still make the forward runs as long as someone fills the gap.

I want to see Gerrard the man involved again, not the Gerrard where the game passes him by. I want him making crunching tackles and shooting from 35 yards. Sadly we've turned him into an inferior Scholes.

Can you imagine the press? Gerrard himself has said he wants to play as an attacking midfielder. Most people would agree that's his best position. Hodgson has already said that he wants to fit round pegs into round holes.

We want Gerrard to have as much freedom to impose himself as possible on the game. To do that, if he's playing in central midfield, he needs a defensive partner.

That's what I think anyway!

[andrewces38]

Nah. I think Maxi and Jovanovic will both be impact subs most of the time.

Assuming we hold onto our current players (which I think is a big assumption), front six of

Lucas-Mascherano

Gerrard-Aqua-Cole

Torres

The three to play a bit narrower and interchange with each other with the full backs bombing on to provide width and Lucas and Mascherano providing a solid platform in the middle.



If Mascherano goes as looks likely, Gerrard seems the obvious player to drop back with Dirk on the right.

But Im never convinced with Gerrard in the middle. I just dont think he controls games enough from there.

*ducks*

I like your thinking but the trouble is all our left backs ARE bombing on ............Straight out the gates of melwood and all the way to JL Airport