Best Midifled Options?

[danperkins]

Just thinking of the combinations we can use in midfield:

1. Kuyt--Poulsen--Merieles--Gerrard
--------------Cole------------------
--------------Torres---------------

2. Kuyt--Poulsen--Gerrard--Cole
--------------Merieles---------------
--------------Torres-----------------

3. Babel---Gerrard--Merieles--Kuyt
--------------Cole------------------
--------------Torres---------------

4. Cole--Poulsen--Merieles--Kuyt
--------------Gerrard---------------
--------------Torres-----------------


5. Johnson--Gerrard--Merieles--Kuyt
--------------Cole------------------
--------------Torres---------------

(Personally i like this one)

------------------
Hard to know, suppose all comes down to how well Merieles adapts to the pace and tempo of the league, that poxy LM position is yet again a massive issue, IMO Joe Cole seems like the only really creative option that could play out there but maybe thats taking him away from his better positions centrally or on the right, Kuyt would offer the same work rate and enthusiasm on the left, maybe an option.

Really like to see Johnson used at RM instead of RB, maybe not now but against weaker sides, lad looks a top prospect and should be bedded in more and more this season along with Pacheco.

Any thoughts?

[Fierce]

Johnson is a RB, not a midfielder. Twas my immediate thought anyway

Also, you've left out Lucas

[kev776]

Kuyt---Gerrard--Merieles--Janononowichchch
--------------Cole------------------
--------------Torres---------------

[DannyMan2006]

Johnson is a RB, not a midfielder. Twas my immediate thought anyway

Also, you've left out Lucas

Thankfully

[DannyMan2006]

I like 2+4.

Cole left and Kuyt on the right.

Poulsen at DM with one of Gerrard/Meireles with the other of Torres.

[Arn]

----------Lucas---Mereiles----
-----Kuyt-----Gerrard----Cole-----

I doubt that a combination of Gerrard and Mereiles will work. You need an out and out defensive midfielder in the team or else the gap between the defenders and the midfield often becomes a problem.

[danperkins]

Johnson is a RB, not a midfielder. Twas my immediate thought anyway

Also, you've left out Lucas

I disagree mate i don't think he can defend to save his life and IMO would be much better served at RM, he is fantastic at getting forward and has great delivery. Just my opinion but loved= to see him tried in that position.

Haha and yeah Lucas is not there, thankfully

[danperkins]

I like 2+4.

Cole left and Kuyt on the right.

Poulsen at DM with one of Gerrard/Meireles with the other of Torres.

Wonder would COle be happy playing out left after being promised a central role? But he is the best option we have unfortunately.

[elrichio86]

We lack genuine wide players. Perhaps we would be better with 433 :-

Gerrard - Lucas/Poulsen - Mereiles

Kuyt - Torres - Jova/Babel

Might leave us a bit narrow, but it fits our squad better. Surely round pegs in round holes is more important?

Plus that roughly the sort of positions Kuyt and Jova play for their national teams.

Not sure where Cole fits into that though....

[DannyMan2006]

Wonder would COle be happy playing out left after being promised a central role? But he is the best option we have unfortunately.

I've not read anything that says he was promised a central role. He'll have been told he will be a key player for the team and will play most games, but that would be all.

I'm sure Joe wants to play central and I'm sure Roy would like to play him there. But if Jova can't cut it on the left then we don't have much choice if we're treating Babel as a striker.

Needs must.

[danperkins]

We lack genuine wide players. Perhaps we would be better with 433 :-

Gerrard - Lucas/Poulsen - Mereiles

Kuyt - Torres - Jova/Babel

Might leave us a bit narrow, but it fits our squad better. Surely round pegs in round holes is more important?

Plus that roughly the sort of positions Kuyt and Jova play for their national teams.

IMO Babel and Jovo are not LM's, suppose whatever way you look at it we literally have no natural wide men or wingers as such so we have to put round pegs in square holes, not a good thing for sure mate.

Woul dyou not have Cole in your team dude?

[DannyMan2006]

We lack genuine wide players. Perhaps we would be better with 433 :-

Gerrard - Lucas/Poulsen - Mereiles

Kuyt - Torres - Jova/Babel

Might leave us a bit narrow, but it fits our squad better. Surely round pegs in round holes is more important?

Plus that roughly the sort of positions Kuyt and Jova play for their national teams.

Not sure where Cole fits into that though....

Cole could play left or right no problem in the front three. Pacheco also played that system with the Spain U20's where he was player of the tournament.

But I think we'll play 4411 or 4231.

[danperkins]

I've not read anything that says he was promised a central role. He'll have been told he will be a key player for the team and will play most games, but that would be all.

I'm sure Joe wants to play central and I'm sure Roy would like to play him there. But if Jova can't cut it on the left then we don't have much choice if we're treating Babel as a striker.

Needs must.

Fair points, just conjecture i'm sure. IMO even though i'm just as sick of Babel as many are he should definitely get a chance to show us what he can do at CF, surely he has to and then once and for all we will know his capabilities, he's been banging on about that CF role for long time now, be nice to give him a shot at it maybe on Thursday or in the domestic Cups and see how he gets on.

[elrichio86]

IMO Babel and Jovo are not LM's, suppose whatever way you look at it we literally have no natural wide men or wingers as such so we have to put round pegs in square holes, not a good thing for sure mate.

Woul dyou not have Cole in your team dude?

I wouldn't use them as LM's, more LF's if that makes sense. Up level with Torres really. I would NOT be relying on them for width. More like an old-fashioned 433 using three true strikers than Chelsea's 433 for example.

Forgot Cole, see edit (). Not entirely sure how he would fit into it

[DannyMan2006]

Fair points, just conjecture i'm sure. IMO even though i'm just as sick of Babel as many are he should definitely get a chance to show us what he can do at CF, surely he has to and then once and for all we will know his capabilities, he's been banging on about that CF role for long time now, be nice to give him a shot at it maybe on Thursday or in the domestic Cups and see how he gets on.

I think Babel fancies the ST role, but with Torres there it's not a starting berth that will come open when everyone is fit.

When we play the lesser teams in the cups I'm more than happy for N'Gog to occupy that ST spot.

So where does that leave Babel? Well for me we need to be putting him wide left or behind the striker.