Our best central midfield pairing?

Don't get me wrong, I like the Gouf. A good player who I think will improve as he gains more stamina and experience of the league. We just need more options. Obviously we must get a striker, and I think it would be preferable to have someone who can hold the ball better than Cisse if we are gonna go with formation. I like Cisse but I don't think we have a natural number 10 to make him play. Sissoko can play there but its not his game. The fans cried for Cabaye to be pushed on, he was at various stages and simply went missing.

 

I mean come on look at these formations. The team seriously needs to pull their fingers out next year. We have a proper decent group of first team players. Easily top 10 and should be pushing for better. Cover is fine in CM. We need a good back up CB, a true wide man would be good and a striker is essential. These 3 would give us good options.

I agree to an extent tho with 4-3-3 if your playing like this I think that you probably need players up there who are able to bring people around them into play. Cisse although has his qualities is no drogba thats for sure.

 

would love to see a diamond in midfield.

Cissé--Gouff

----HBA----

Cabaye-Siss

---Tiote---

Would be very strong mid field 4 and would allow the full backs to push on and provide the width.

 

like so... ( http://www.eplindex.com/tacticsboard/ )

 

This **** it too central guys. We'll end up with the same problems we had last year.

We need a change and we need some good wingers that can deliver a ball.

 

And your solution?

 

To who, exactly?

 

The new striker that we haven't got yet.

 

If we were to switch back to 4-4-2 using wingers to whip crosses in... For it to be successful we'd need to sign too many new players, and many of our current players wouldn't suit. The squad we've got is geared towards formations like those being discussed.

 

Ah, but here's the problem. All Pardew really understand is 4 at the back and 4 in the middle and at least one up front. His idea of being forward thinking is trying to do something interesting with the single remaining player. Is that another central midfielder, another defensive midfielder, or a number 10? For me, doesn't fcking matter as 4-1-4-1, 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 all end up looking like 4-4-2 with Pardew in charge. Which, as you righty say, doesn't suit the players we have, especially as none are ever played in the right position (Tiote going forward, Ben Arfa right midfield, Sissoko in the hole....argh, the memories are flooding back!!!)

 

Ok, so if Motherwell is anything to go by, it's 4-2-3-1 for the new season. And, thankfully, it appears Pardew does know Sissoko's best position, in that he was one of the two holding midfielders alongside Anita. I rate Anita ahead of Tiote, so wouldn't be upset to see this from the start. Question is, where does Cabaye fit in? He's not a DM, is he the number 10 we crave? Could he do that role?

 

He looked really good there at the end of 2012 season. Looked really poor there at end of 2013 season... But then he was looking poor wherever he played.

Think, if his head is in the right place, he could be very effective playing in the number 10 role. If he is having his head turned by the PSG rumours then he seems the sort who may let it affect his performances.

 

Am I the only 1 to rate Marv? :S Cabaye is anonymous in 30 of the 38 games of the season, Tiote is the biggest liability since the start of time (when he's not on form(100% of the time over last season)), Sissoko will be great hopefully but you cant expect miracles so soon!

 

He's good, is Marv, but he can't be relied on. Cabs can be, from an injury perspective, but needs a solid foundation to perform well. I'm actually quite confident that a midfield three of him, Sissoko and Anita/Tiote could be excellent, with the latter two holding more. If he's got runners like Benny, Cisse and Gouffran ahead of him, plus one other, could see great things this year. Assuming we keep him. If we don't, SDJ's the only alternative but if it's £25m in, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't balk at £12-14m for the Ajax captain.

 

We all know Tiote can play - - he has just become too self indulgent and indisciplined.

Start the season with Anita playing Tiote's role. After a couple of games watching from the bench, Tiote will put in the work to dislodge him from the starting 11. Whether he can or whether he can't, it's got to be good.

 

Cabaye can't play number 10 for me. Or at least he has never looked like he can when put there. The thing is it really should suit him. I know he likes to play deeper, and obviously has spent the majority of his career playing deeper. However he has a good shot, knows where the net is and can pick a pass. The problem is, are we not just doing what everyone is complaining about by playing him there - trying to fit all our best players into the side so we don't upset anyone?

We really should go and get a specialist. Marveaux is a natural number 10. He is very talented. He can score goals, he can pick a pass. Unfortunately he is also a bit of a fairy, can go missing for long periods and more than anything is extremely injury prone. Making him your fulcrum is essentially managerial suicide. He is a good player to have in the squad though.

I know a lot of people are feeling very negative, but personally I'm pretty excited by this season. Anita will be better for his first season, Santon can put the 2nd half of last season behind him (I know he was turd but the lad is very talented), and our 5 new boys have had a chance to settle. If we can get a couple of strikers I honestly think we'll be a menace to any side. Sissoko tailed off badly. People try to blame Pardew, formations etc but to me he just looked tired and a bit disinterested. I think when you get him flying and fit he will be a massive asset to the side. He has natural talent. I honestly think we can have a good season and get in the top 10.

 

I'm with you on the positivity. I never really got too distracted by the Kinnear thing, which has subsequently died a death in light of the ManU-Chelsea-Rooney developments (bigger fish to fry). I don't subscribe to the panic stations around buying players - Spurs, Everton, and a number of others haven't invested, so we're just taking our time. I was starting to get worried about the whole Pards "can he cut it?" situation, but he's done a good job of presenting a united front to the club and you have to credit him for that. Furthermore, I am massively buoyed seeing Sissoko in his proper position against Motherwell. Yes, it's only one game, but I think Pardew is going to be tougher this year and rather switching players around to accommodate the "best XI", I suspect it's going to be more about saying "right, we're playing 4-2-3-1, and these are your positions". We may need to cover when light (eg. Anita at RB), because we're not Chelsea, but that's why you have all-rounders. So when I look at this squad, regardless of the Summer transfer inactivity, I see a lot to be hopeful about.

MYM coming on, Haidara with a half a year under his belt, surely a fitter version of Gouffran, Anita seems to be in the manager's thinking, Debuchy with experience, perhaps even a fit Benny. We've got a very, very, enviable squad. Take the top four away, and I put us there with anyone (not saying we'll finish 5th, btw!!!).

I wonder now whether Pardew is going to either see if Cabs can do this job, or whether the club is fairly certain they are going to sell him? I reckon Man U are interested and now, with Thiago heading to Bayern, they aren't getting Fabregas. I also think Blanc wants a midfielder as his last buy of the Summer. Those two head-to-head = £££££££'s for Newcastle and I am certain we'll replace. I'm leaning towards the fact that maybe Cabaye isn't right for our set-up, UNLESS he becomes the number 10. I mean, he's no Zidane, but he displays those kinds of qualities (bar the mind-numbing dribbling). The issue, as you rightly say, is that Cabaye tends to have too much of an idea of where he wants to play! I think he sees himself as more of a Xabi Alonso, deep lying "quarterback" - which is a phrase Pardew hasn't shied away from either. But having such is all well and good if you have a front line of Benzema, Ronaldo and Di Maria, with Ozil dropping off....but when you're talking about Gouff and Cisse....well, I don't know that we can carry that type of QB player. Kind of wants all the luxuries of passing the long bombs but isn't interested in putting the shift in. And heaven help us if two or three passes go astray...bit too fairweather for me. He'd do exceptionally well at Man U or PSG, though. I mean, playing with RvP or Zlatan - would suit him down to the ground. I'm probably just applying the silver lining, but it could be a win-win - he either steps up and becomes our playmaker, through and through, or is sold for bucks and we bring in the dedicated number 10 we need. Fact is we've got around £20m to spend as it is - the offer of £15m for PEA was real. So add Cabaye's into that and we could be furnished with three or four "purples" if he left.

Marv will never be more than a squad player - it's down to him to prove it, like you say it's a helluva risk putting stock in him because you don't know what's coming out the other side.

I'll throw another name in there....Haris Vuckic. Constantly had Man U tracking him, if he can put his injuries behind him and live up to the expectation, he really is a Number 10.

 

can I just put this out there ...drop cisse ? Were all craving his good form to come back but I just don't see it happening

I would suggest
------gouf
marv-----Benny
------cabs
Tiote------sissoko
then the obvious back four, think this would really work , I remember last season gouf looked like a good header of the ball and in the role cabs would be free to be as creative and attacking as he wants and I think it would bring the best out of the front three