our next season mid?

ASSUMING we stay up, who would you ideal realistic midfield be for next season? i know its the strongest part of the squad but do you think it needs improving? and what formation would you play? a dont know who id change cause without nolan and barton we never win, tiote (need i say more?) and you could easily look at jonas as the weak link but i think he plays a vital part with his constant running, relationship with enrique and his work rate! your thoughts?

 

Need a winger (Gervinho) and that's probably about it.

Barton-Tiote
Gervinho-Nolan-Ben Arfa

With Gosling, Guthrie, Jonas, Raylor and a few youngsters as back up. Possibly sign Ireland.

 

Having not seen Gosling and no confirmed new signings yet:

---------Nolan---------Tiote
Barton---------Ben Arfa---------Jonas

 

But we wont have a set midfield all season, Nolan and Tiote collect yellow cards as if they're paid bonuses, Barton also gets a few because of the name on his back, Ben Arfa and Gosling could end up being injury prone after such serious setbacks.

 

I think it has been mentioned Ben Arfa is going to be used in a more forward role as a second striker. im think Pardew has mentioned this but then again i could possibly be imagining it haha

 

Am I the only one in thinking Gosling will be a nothing player for us? For some reason, he doesn't interest me at all.

 

--------------Tiote--------------
--- Barton --- Nolan --- Jonas ---
-------------Ben Arfa------------
---------------Sow--------------

To replace Nolan, we'd need someone who is a better overall CM (he isn't great) and can still score goals. Perhaps not as many, but a fair few. Then again, with such a strike force, we might not rely on that so much anymore.

Some tough decisions would have to be made if we wanted to drastically improve though. Tiote rules, Barton rules, Ben Arfa rules and so would a top class striker. Nolan and Jonas are good, but they're the weakest there. If we replaced Nolan, it would have to be someone who could make up for what Nolan offers with some real top class CM work. We'd also need a top class winger who could do everything Jonas does, but with a superior end product. They do exist, but they're expensive.

PS: Smudgers also looks real good. Perhaps better than mine actually.

 

I think he could be a really good player, needs to get a full pre-season and hopefully will put his injury nightmare behind him.

 

Pardew said he will play behind a striker, imagine he is planning something like this

Barton Nolan Tiote Jonas
Ben Arfa
Sow

 

Barton-Tiote-Nolan-Jonas
--------Ben Arfa---------

Midfields been our strongest are this season no need to change it too much

 

---------Nolan---------Tiote
Messi---------Ben Arfa---------Jonas
--------------Shola----------------

 

Based on Pardews comment that he plans to play Ben Arfa behind a lone striker;

-----Barton------Tiote------
NewRW ----Ben Arfa-----Jonas
------------New Striker-------

Hopefully Gervinho will be New RW, and would be happy with Sow as New Striker. But who knows?

 

With the current squad, this would be it ^

 

---------Tiote----------

Gervinho-Barton--Ireland

--------Ben Arfa-------

 

Put Jonas on the right, Nolan AMC and Ben Arfa on the Left and Barton to CM.

 

Ben Arfa will "play a central role next season" though, so I cant.

 

Depends whether it's a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-4-1-1 but pretty similar going forward

 

If we play 4-2-3-1

----Barton------Tiote-------

Gervinho---Arfa------Ireland

 

Messi and Shola in the same team would be unstoppable. But I though the only way we could get Messi was if we traded Shola.

 

Diamond midfield with:

----------Tiote------------
Barton----------------Jonas
----------Nolan--------------

Assuming we don't buy anyone in.