How do we fit

[Zapater]

I think he was played there because he is fairly new, also probably tactically to match up against scholes who has had a good start to the season. Shutting him down would have left all the work to Fletcher who isn't the most creative player around.

Yes, I made reference to that, but what about against Brum? We need a goal so on goes Meireles. Taking Gerrard further away from the goal. When we need a winner. It's not like we're really concerned about the creative talents of Barry Ferguson and Craig Gardener.

Normally I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and also fresh legs etc clearly. But the way in the press conferences how Roy said "he can play 3 midfield positions" like he's a natural number 10 is a concern to me.

[little dave hedgehog]

was he hoping to plunder someone for it?

[el matador]

Or alternatively play Gerrard off the striker get your 20 goals from him and half a dozen from Cole playing on the left and maybe the same from Meireles from midfield

this is the way to go for me. Both lec and shaggy are right in that gerrard has to play behind torres and if cole can get 10 goals and 15 assists from the wide areas then we're onto a half decent system. Gerrard and torres have a telepathic understanding and you really dont want to break that up.

Meireles will score goals from midfield because he has a good engine and a decent shot and if can reach 7 - 8 then we'd all be happy with that but neither he nor cole should displace gerrard from his role in behind torres - it just doesnt make any sense to do otherwise.

[danperkins]

Gerrard behind Torres is prob best option, but i don't like to see the talent and ability of Cole sacrificed either, if he gelled nicely on the left or the right it would be fantastic. Our problem is getting the ball up to Torres, Gerrard has been put back in there to get on the ball and try of get some distribution up top, he has a fantastic range of passing so he fits the role perfectly, the guy is just so versatile but that Torres/gerrard partnership is golden.

Roy has mentioned twice now about Merieles and Stevie switching and interchanged roles, i reckon this might happen for a while and Roy will wait and see what suits the team best.

In keeping with our bad start to the season, its somewhat experimental at this stage which is not Roy's fault, he is still trying to discover what is his best team and which players are best in certain positions, remember the World Cup rightly ****ed up preparations too so time with the players was limited and with the late additions to the side there's obviously still unknowns or question marks.

Anyways there a few margins for error now, Roy must be close to his first choice team. Questions marks are where to play Cole and where to play Merieles? Once that is settled i reckon we'll push on.