We're all talking about him in every other thread, so maybe he deserves his own. He's very much a controversial figure around here at the moment and I get the impression, and it's kind of the feeling I'm having about him, that whilst people like the idea of him (a cool classy passing midfielder), in reality it just isn't working. What's the problem? Well it's obvious, Adam and Lucas couldn't tame two toddlers yet alone a premiership midfield. There's an obvious lack of fight there, Lucas isn't exactly passive in the middle, however he's always going to require someone next to him who's going to do half the fight as well, the problem being it seems, that Adam requires someone that will do the whole lot, ala Mascherano.
So what's the solution? Most people seem to be knocking around the idea of Spearing around the boards. Sure why not, he'll run for England, is a good tackler, will definitely provide that combative edge we're lacking. I'm not sure though, whilst I think Spearing is a tidy little player, who has grown in confidence, a midfield of Lucas/Spearing or Adam/Spearing or even Gerrard/Spearing just doesn't feel me with confidence. Quite frankly it looks shite, what I'd give for a Martinez, Matuidi or M'Villa in there...
However back to the actuality, I'd like us to line up with three in midfield again. We've done it lots over the years and it's worked to our advantage, and to be honest I think it suits our players and our play a lot better than a 4-4-2, especially now Stevie is on his way back. For me we'd line up something like this.
--------Adam----Lucas-------
------------Gerrard------------
Suarez---Carroll--Downing
It's a good line up for me and it's very flexible. Drop Downing or Carroll bring in Bellamy or Kuyt (or Maxi). Want a bit more fight in middle? Drop in Spearing. However with a combination of Adam, Lucas and Gerrard (assuming Gerrard plays a little more withdrawn than he did with Torres) there would be plenty of bodies/fight to dominate the midfield and bring out Adam's qualities by allowing him a bit more support/time on the ball. It also in my mind solves the Henderson puzzle. For me he should be on the fringes of the first team, not an automatic starter that he seems to have become, however not the maligned "squad player". In this formation he could drop into Gerrard's position (I quite like him there) with Gerrard pushing back, or play on the right like he has been in the games so far. I think this would be for his benefit, there has been to much pressure placed on him so far and to be fair, he looks petrified. Like I mentioned a moment ago, it also allows us to play with a combination of attackers who, barring Carroll (despite Kenny's thoughts at the weekend), can quite easily play in any of the positions across the front three. Suarez, Kuyt, Bellamy can easily play all three and Downing and Maxi could play either wing. It provides us with a good amount of options and could allow some nice interchanging play. For me, this is really the way we need to go forward.
Chances of Kenny lining up like this? Minimal, but it would be nice, it's our strongest line up in my opinion, and on paper, it looks fantastic.
So what's the solution? Most people seem to be knocking around the idea of Spearing around the boards. Sure why not, he'll run for England, is a good tackler, will definitely provide that combative edge we're lacking. I'm not sure though, whilst I think Spearing is a tidy little player, who has grown in confidence, a midfield of Lucas/Spearing or Adam/Spearing or even Gerrard/Spearing just doesn't feel me with confidence. Quite frankly it looks shite, what I'd give for a Martinez, Matuidi or M'Villa in there...
However back to the actuality, I'd like us to line up with three in midfield again. We've done it lots over the years and it's worked to our advantage, and to be honest I think it suits our players and our play a lot better than a 4-4-2, especially now Stevie is on his way back. For me we'd line up something like this.
--------Adam----Lucas-------
------------Gerrard------------
Suarez---Carroll--Downing
It's a good line up for me and it's very flexible. Drop Downing or Carroll bring in Bellamy or Kuyt (or Maxi). Want a bit more fight in middle? Drop in Spearing. However with a combination of Adam, Lucas and Gerrard (assuming Gerrard plays a little more withdrawn than he did with Torres) there would be plenty of bodies/fight to dominate the midfield and bring out Adam's qualities by allowing him a bit more support/time on the ball. It also in my mind solves the Henderson puzzle. For me he should be on the fringes of the first team, not an automatic starter that he seems to have become, however not the maligned "squad player". In this formation he could drop into Gerrard's position (I quite like him there) with Gerrard pushing back, or play on the right like he has been in the games so far. I think this would be for his benefit, there has been to much pressure placed on him so far and to be fair, he looks petrified. Like I mentioned a moment ago, it also allows us to play with a combination of attackers who, barring Carroll (despite Kenny's thoughts at the weekend), can quite easily play in any of the positions across the front three. Suarez, Kuyt, Bellamy can easily play all three and Downing and Maxi could play either wing. It provides us with a good amount of options and could allow some nice interchanging play. For me, this is really the way we need to go forward.
Chances of Kenny lining up like this? Minimal, but it would be nice, it's our strongest line up in my opinion, and on paper, it looks fantastic.
