Starting Team.

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

Cech,Cole,Terry,Luiz,Bosi,Ramires,Lampard,Meireles,Mata,Sturridge,Torres.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Cech,Cole,Terry,Luiz,Bosi,Ramires,Lampard,Meireles,Mata,Sturridge,Torres.

I agree with this, because you have two starting line-ups there.

1: 4-3-1-2

Cech

Bosingwa - Luiz - Terry - Cole

Ramires/Meireles

Lampard - Meireles/Lampard

Mata

Sturridge - Torres

2: orthodox 4-3-3

Cech

Bosingwa - Luiz - Terry - Cole

Ramires/Meireles

Lampard - Meireles/Lampard

Sturridge - Torres - Mata

[Ramox 246]

4-3-3

Cech

Bosingwa - Luiz - Terry - Cole

Ramires

Meireles\Lampard - Mata

Sturridge - Torres - Malouda

I just want to try out this... Why I want to see Malouda in starting line-up?

If Mata and Malouda could work with each other, it would be amazing! Just like did Mata with Lamps against the Norwich!

Edited September 2, 2011 by Ramox

[Kieran. 6,317]

What??? we bought in Juan Mata who is one of the best creative midfielders in the country! and also Raul Meireles who is a box to box midfielder who can also create chances! we now have more than enough creativity in the team to feed the strikers! Im baffled by that comment!

OMG, obviously I know Mata's a fucking creative player. We're gonna use him on the wing.

[HRiver 1,512]

Cech

Ivanovic - Luiz - Terry - Cole

Mikel

Ramires - Meireles

Sturridge - Torres - Mata

or

Cech

Ivanovic - Luiz - Terry - Cole

Meireles

Ramires - Lampard

Sturridge - Torres - Mata

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Now we've missed out on Modric I don't think Mata is exclusively going to be used as a winger. I expect him to play CAM with Malouda and Sturridge out wide just as much as I expect to see him in a winger's berth.

[jmarlow 458]

OMG, obviously I know Mata's a fucking creative player. We're gonna use him on the wing.

calm down! so your basically contradicting yourself?

If you think we are just going to stick Mata on the wing and tell him to just get on with it then you are mistaken! Mata will surely get the freedom to drift from left to right and through the middle! thats the only way to get the best out of him, he may even start matches in the middle playing behind the strikers!

[zolayes 14,489]

will depend who comes back free from injury after the internationals..

Yes ,,this stop ...start to the season has seriously pissed me off

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I think you've got wrong impression of Meireles. Overall he's pretty balanced but he's definitely more offensive-minded than defensive-minded. Not like Ramires at all, unless AVB gives him a defensive role which I doubt and hope won't happen.

I thought I had. I always thought he was a DMF so I was thinking "why's everyone using him up there?!"

But if he's more offensive-minded then I'm happier with his signing.

[Superblue 6,370]

Rather than play 4-3-3 as standard I have always thought, in particular when playing at home and in Europe, that we should play 4-2-3-1. It's a formation very popular on the continent, and I believe Hiddink was trying to play something similar when he was in charge of us.

GK Cech

LB A Cole

RB Bosingwa/Ivanovic

CB David Luiz/Alex

CB Terry

CM Meireles

CM Ramires

AM Lampard

RW Sturridge

LW Mata

ST Torres

By playing two deeper midfielders you don't necessarily need a sitter, and you can utilise the energy and drive of both Meireles and Ramires running from deep. The formation still doesn't shackle Lampard. Although if Lampard does not pick up his form I would replace him with McEachran or move Mata into the centre and play Malouda out wide.

IF we were to continue playing 4-3-3 with a holding midfielder I would love AVB to give David Luiz a go there, just to add some dynamism to that position, and to improve the pressing game that he's trying to bring in.

[HNKS 508]

Rather than play 4-3-3 as standard I have always thought, in particular when playing at home and in Europe, that we should play 4-2-3-1. It's a formation very popular on the continent, and I believe Hiddink was trying to play something similar when he was in charge of us.

GK Cech

LB A Cole

RB Bosingwa/Ivanovic

CB David Luiz/Alex

CB Terry

CM Meireles

CM Ramires

AM Lampard

RW Sturridge

LW Mata

ST Torres

By playing two deeper midfielders you don't necessarily need a sitter, and you can utilise the energy and drive of both Meireles and Ramires running from deep. The formation still doesn't shackle Lampard. Although if Lampard does not pick up his form I would replace him with McEachran or move Mata into the centre and play Malouda out wide.

IF we were to continue playing 4-3-3 with a holding midfielder I would love AVB to give David Luiz a go there, just to add some dynamism to that position, and to improve the pressing game that he's trying to bring in.

Looks good, except id replace Lampard with Meireles.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I would expect AVB to choose:

Cech

Bossingwa - Luiz -Terry - Cole

Mikel

Ramires - Lampard

Anelka - Torres - Mata

[dodojojo 510]

I thought I had. I always thought he was a DMF so I was thinking "why's everyone using him up there?!"

But if he's more offensive-minded then I'm happier with his signing.

He does play deeper for Portugal while he was more AM for Liverpool. I'm happy if he can do either well since Chelsea need improvement in both areas.

[Styles 9,790]

We rarely have our best 11 players fit and on form. It's up AVB to pick players on form and rest when needed. If he plays favourites like Carlo did then we're done for.

[J.F. 1,484]

I would be more than happy with us putting this team out....

this.

[Sheva. 5,373]

As long as Ramires and Mikel are not playing together, im happy.

[Styles 9,790]

Ramires as a DM?

Ramires can run all day but his passing is rubbish. It would be suicide to play him there.

[dodojojo 510]

Ramires as a DM?

Ramires can run all day but his passing is rubbish. It would be suicide to play him there.

I agree. I know he's done well in some areas for the first three games but he's also a big reason why the midfield struggles. He's got great pace, stamina and attitude and those things shouldn't be dismissed so easily. But he's also technically and tactically limited and these shortcomings means a dysfunctional midfield when you have two other not so technically gifted midfielders. I think Ramires would work if Modric was around and allowed him to make use of his pace. But that doesn't work with Lampard and Mikel.

Ramires works well for a counter-attacking team or situations but he's not so great for keeping possession, building attacks and controlling the tempo of the games. He simply doesn't have the skills to do those things. Check out the stats for the Norwich games where Hilario attempted more passes than Ramires did. That scenario shouldn't happen to a midfielder.