Starting Team.

[ulsterchelsea 3,221]

Josh, Josh, Josh.

Wake up, Josh wont play more than 50 minutes in the whole season.

50 minutes the whole season! Of course he will, in fact I fully expect to see him starting some games this season

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Josh will get 10 starts and about 20 substitute appearances.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is either deluded or thinks they support Arsenal.

At a club that demands silverware, you can't play a youngster every match, as good as he may be.

I have great faith in Josh but even I don't think he is fully ready yet - he needs to go on loan for the second half of the season, like Sturridge did.

[DYC. 7,542]

No way can we use Miereles and Ramires in the same team. It will have to be:

Mikel

Ramires/Miereles - Lampard

Otherwise, it's simply too negative. If ever there was a time for Lampard to step up..

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.

Since we didn't bring in a creative midfielder, how about this?

--------Cech----------

Bos--Iva--Terry--Cole

--Meireles----Mikel--

Ramires-----------Mata

---Sturridge---Torres---

Let Mata run around the pitch and do whatever he wants in terms of positioning.

My thoughts exactly, though I'd play like that in (most) away games, especially against stubborn teams who will mostly defend and try to hit us on the break, and a serious option against Utd and Spurs (because they also play 4-4-2).

[jmarlow 458]

I really want to see Drogba and Torres start together in the same team as Mata and Meireles, as I feel that partnership will have much better chance of working with those two playing behind them. If it still can't work with two quality creative players behind them then Drogba and Torres should never start together again. I would like to see something like this

.......................................Cech.......................................

........Bosingwa.......Luiz............Terry..............A.Cole....

........................................Mikel.......................................

...................Meireles.........................Lampard.................

........................................Mata.........................................

....................Drogba.............................Torres...................

or

...........................................Cech.......................................

.....Bosingwa.............Luiz................Terry...............A.Cole.

.............Ramires............Meireles............Lampard................

..........................................Mata...........................................

........................Drogba.........................Torres.......................

if this still can't work then we have to play 4-3-3 with Mata and Sturridge out wide and Torres through the middle and Meireles in a three man midfield, so it will be either Mikel or Ramires being dropped out the team.

[Naked Mole Rat 437]

-----------------------Torres------------------------

Mata--------------------------------------Sturridge

------------Meireles----------Mikel----------------

----------------------Ramires-----------------------

Cole-------Terry--------------Luiz------Bosingwa

------------------------Cech-------------------------

I'd like to see Mikel play in a more advanced position and someone speedy take on his role. Mikel's just too slow if we are to play high. Also, Mikel passes and shoots the ball very well, and was impressive during preseason when he played higher up the pitch, so I say why not give it a go.

[jmarlow 458]

Since we didn't bring in a creative midfielder, how about this?

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!

[xPetrCechx 13,570]

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.