Ancelotti's diamond won't be Joe Cole's best friend

[the wes 7,212]

Carlo Ancelotti's midfield diamond seems to be here to stay but it leaves a big question mark over Joe Cole's future at Chelsea.

Manager Ancelotti insists Cole is a player he admires and someone capable of slotting into his preferred formation on either the left or right, or behind the strikers.

But the England midfielder has been out injured since January, missed the intensive pre-season work on the new system and, not for the first time since joining from West Ham, faces a fight for his place.

Ancelotti said: 'I like football, so I know everything about Joe Cole. He is perfect to play behind the strikers, the same position as Frank Lampard, for example.

'He can also play on the left or the right and, when he's well, I want to try this. He is very good at playing in a small space and is a good dribbler. I will wait until he's recovered from injury and then try him.'

Cole is still three weeks away from action after more knee surgery last month. His contract runs out next year and talks on a new one have been delayed by Chelsea's US tour. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, who nurtured Cole at West Ham, will watch events unfold with interest.

Cole, 27, insists he has no desire to leave Chelsea and is keen to sign a new deal. He has faced similar situations before and forced his way back into the reckoning, most notably when he converted himself into a hard-working left winger to win a place in Jose Mourinho's line-up.

Realistically though, he is not going to oust Lampard from the tip of the diamond, the natural place for his undoubted talents.

Ancelotti has decided this is the best place to use Lampard's tireless running and goal touch and has given him considerably more game time in pre-season than others to get used to the role.

'Lampard is very good behind the strikers,' said Ancelotti. 'He moves well without the ball and works hard defensively.'

Michael Essien, John Mikel Obi and Michael Ballack, when he resumes training after a toe injury, will compete for the positions at the diamond's base and on the right, and rumours are rife in Milan that Chelsea are moving for Andrea Pirlo. Milan coach Leonardo last night denied knowledge of any mooted deal involving £8.6million, plus Claudio Pizarro and Michael Mancienne on a year's loan.

Franck Ribery remains another big-money Chelsea target, which cannot help Cole's prospects, while on the left, a position he once made his own for club and country, the England man faces stiff competition from £18m new boy Yuri Zhirkov and the reborn Florent Malouda.

Read more: http://www.dailymail...0#ixzz0MbQazJTQ

Edited July 29, 2009 by the wes

[Shane 2,275]

Mikel and Essien can rotate it, Joey on the right and Zhirkov on the left.

[the wes 7,212]

I would put Zhirkov ahead of Malouda in the starting line-up

[Kez 2,727]

Joe Cole should be ahead of Malouda!

[Steve 10,227]

I would put Zhirkov ahead of Malouda in the starting line-up

He still needs time to adapt to the League i think in the first few games of the season we might see a rotation between the two of them but to start with i can See Malouda keeping his position. And also we dont want Malouda flopping like he did for the first season and half. We need to keep his confidence up.

Joe Cole should be ahead of Malouda!

We still need to wait and see how Joe will come back from this injury. Its alot different compared to the broken leg he suffered the last time. I guess we will have to wait and see when he is back at full fitness.

[JT26 0]

1st Choice

---Essien---

---Cole---Zhirkov---

---Lampard---

2nd Choice

---Mikel---

---Deco---Malouda---

---Ballack---

[Term-X 7,891]

I would put Zhirkov ahead of Malouda in the starting line-up

not on gods earth!

joe cole is hardly a young man anymore either would love to see us buy a jesus navas type of player to replace him

joe cole's always injured anyway so this discussion is irrelevant.

[warnie_666 1,081]

not on gods earth!

joe cole is hardly a young man anymore either would love to see us buy a jesus navas type of player to replace him

joe cole's always injured anyway so this discussion is irrelevant.

He spoke of Zirkove...not Joe Cole...

[Term-X 7,891]

lmao i quoted the wrong reply, but you see what i'm getting at either way.

[thejolta 1]

I think to start the season our formation is going to be solidified with frank at the top of the pyramid, mikel at the base, malouda on the left, and essien on the right with a heavy rotation at LM of Malouda/Zhirkov/J Cole, and a rotation at CAM of Lamps, Deco, J Cole. CDM will be a mix of Mikel Essien and Ballack with Essien Ballack and J Cole rotating at RM.

To be honest guys this is a great problem to have. Granted it's frustrating to have world class midfielders sitting on the bench, but if anyone goes down we've got 2 backups that are world class at the least. I think Joe's going to be one of the first guys off the bench for us because he's capable of playing 3 of the 4 midfield positions. I'm just hoping Joe hasn't lost much pace after the major and minor knee surgeries. ACL take a long time to heal and to have on top of that some issues with the MCL just doesn't sound promising that he'll be 100% in 3 week/a month as they've been saying he'll be ready. We could definitely use his skills though, so let's hope Joey heals fast.

[warnie_666 1,081]

We have got abundance in the midfield. We could even do by selling Deco.

Lampard wont be rested much and thats a given. If at all he gets injured Joe Cole could play there. Other wise, its Essien and joe Cole on the right, Ballack and Mikel in the DM along with Mancienne and Belleti. Zirkov and Malouda on the left.

Zirkov could also back up for A.Cole.

[Clevemayer 764]

I don't understand your Problems...

Malouda/Zhirkov/Sinclair------------Lampard/Deco/Ballack------------------Joe Cole (MAINLY!!! Cause Essien is no wide player!!!)/Essien/Kakuta

----------------------------------------Mikel/Essien/Ballack/Belletti--------------

who else should play Joeys Pos? Essien? Are you kidding me? He is a great Midfielder, one of the top 5 in the World, but hasn't the pace at all for a wide Player, you could see that perfectly against Barca where we was missing Joe Cole so hardly...

Essien for wide Player is only a Backup solution imho! We have no wide player for the right side, except maybe our Strikers (Kalou) but thats not a solution at all...

The only two that I'm worried about are Mikel and Ballack, if essien blossoms again in the DM than our Talent would see it hard to come Through, and lets be honest, Ballack is a fighter, but hasnt the passing qualitys and Technique of a Deco or Lamps.

so joey has no problem at all

greets

Edited July 29, 2009 by Clevemayer

[warnie_666 1,081]

I don't understand your Problems...

Malouda/Zhirkov/Sinclair------------Lampard/Deco/Ballack------------------Joe Cole (MAINLY!!! Cause Essien is no wide player!!!)/Essien/Kakuta

----------------------------------------Mikel/Essien/Ballack/Belletti--------------

who else should play Joeys Pos? Essien? Are you kidding me? He is a great Midfielder, one of the top 5 in the World, but hasn't the pace at all for a wide Player, you could see that perfectly against Barca where we was missing Joe Cole so hardly...

Essien for wide Player is only a Backup solution imho! We have no wide player for the right side, except maybe our Strikers (Kalou) but thats not a solution at all...

The only two that I'm worried about are Mikel and Ballack, if essien blossoms again in the DM than our Talent would see it hard to come Through, and lets be honest, Ballack is a fighter, but hasnt the passing qualitys and Technique of a Deco or Lamps.

so joey has no problem at all

greets

OK....Firstly we are playing a Diamond formation which requires RCM and LCM as its a narrow formation. We dont need a wide player who runs up and down the flank in the diamond midfield. Hence Essien is the right choice.

Secondly, Essien shouldnt be wasted playing in DM as he has abundance of energy and is at his best going forward.

[Clevemayer 764]

@warney

diamond here and there, diamonds everywhere... just kidding.

I think u dont understand what the tasks of the RM and LM are. Theyre both there to support the Strikers on and the CM ON THE FLANK, they have to do the same thing like a RS and LS, run down the line and give em crosses into the box, they only have to stand a little bit deeper in order to support the defence more than an RS and LS... they are called WIDE MIDFIELDERS or WIDE PLAYERS respectivly.

sry your wrong.... a classical diamond is what i have said, RM and LM are deeper playing RS and LS, you can read about that everywhere...

greets

Edited July 29, 2009 by Clevemayer

[Clevemayer 764]

P.S.

before we missunderstand each other, its down to the Coach how he uses The Midfielders, Gattuso and Ambrossini where DMs, so they didnt push forward, but like u will agree, Malouda and Zhirkov are offensive Players and Malouda is a LW too.

Greets

[Mungii 3]

I think that Essien should play as DM and Joey on that right side that's teh only way it can work for all of them...

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Should have Essien/Cole on the right, Lampard/Ballack attacking, Mikel/Essien holding and Malouda/Zhirkov on the left.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Its nice that we have a player like Malouda at the club , someone good enough to fill in on the elft wing while Zhirkov adapts to the league. Personally I think that Zhirkov and Cole will play on the wings with Essien as the holding player and lampard in the attacking role of the diamond.