Creativity Needed

[keveh]

Yesterday showed how little creativity we have in centre mid without Holden and especially Mark Davies.

Which combination do you think would work in the centre? Yesterday showed what everybody thought would happen with Cohen and Muamba, but there is no other central midfielder to take their place.

For me we need to get Chungy back in the starting line up, he's had enough of a rest now and we need him badly. Coyle is determined to stick with Elmander on the right so it makes to put Chungy in the middle with Muamba.

Do we risk bringing in an academy player, some people have suggested it already. The reserves have been doing brilliantly well recently and you know they will put in 100% and will have the fitness over Cohen.

[Lord Kangana]

I'm in the anyone but Cohen camp tbh.

Yesterday took me back over 12 months. We regularly used to have a midfield containing Cohen, Muamba and Taylor. Its quite frightening that that used to be our first pick aswell. Glacial, uninspiring, uncreative. Its no surprise we used play direct and leave everyone on our side of the halfway line. Considering he's had so little time to change the make-ip of the squad, its a minor miracle we've made it this far before a lack of creativity surfaced.

Anyway, moving forwards..... I think either CYL or Elmander are perfectly capable of playing centrally in the interim, for a game or two. But I can also see why Coyle is re-introducing Chungy slowly, the guys probably knackered. We don't need to suddenly get all knee-jerk and discuss formations, the one we have has worked perfectly well this year, we've just had a bit of an injury crisis at the wrong time. A fourth quality midfielder is a must in the summer to help prevent it happening again. His wages can be made up from the outgoing Gardner, Cohen and O'Brien. Amongst others.

[truewhite15]

Gotta be Taylor or Gardner for me. Elmander turns anonymous too often to play CM, and CYL doesn't have the strength - plus he plays better on the wing.

[malcd1]

Gotta be Taylor or Gardner for me. Elmander turns anonymous too often to play CM, and CYL doesn't have the strength - plus he plays better on the wing.

I'm not sure Taylor has the engine or vision to play CM. Gardner would be a better choice than either Elmander or Taylor but we all know he can be a headless chicken at times.

[BWFC_Insane]

I'd not be surprised if most of our games this season haven't been won/recovered by having game changing players on the bench.

If we go into the semi final with Lee, Petrov on the pitch, where do we go from there? In the quarter final, LCY coming on against tiring legs turned the game. As did Mark Davies. We've lost the option to bring Mark Davies in realistically, but I think LCY should for that game at least be used as a game changing option.

I'd actually think about Taylor on the right, Petrov on the left with Elmo and Kev up front. Klasnic being another game changing option if we need him, he doesn't play as well for 90 IMO anyways!

[wanderers_on_tour]

In all honesty i thought Elmander did alright for the last 20 minutes yesterday as an attacking midfielder, the only problem is by that time birmingham were all but defending so it wasn't a completely fair assessment. For wembley it's almost certain he'll start up front with kevin davies which leave's me to believe we'll start with mark davies/muamba as the first choice centre mid's, lee on the right and petrov starting on the left.

Anyone else think there's a chance we could play Elmander just off Kevin Davies against stoke, almost a 4-4-1-1? I think he plays well behind the attack, has tons of energy and can be surprisingly good defensively. It's a role he's played a handful of times such as when we've gone 4-3-3 after Klas has come on (i.e Blackpool second half) but never over 90 minutes so would be somewhat of a risk..

[Tombwfc]

If we're talking next week, then I'd start Cohen. Regardless of what people think of him, he's one of our only three recognised central midfielders and it'd do to have him as close to full fitness as possible.

[thebish]

If we're talking next week, then I'd start Cohen. Regardless of what people think of him, he's one of our only three recognised central midfielders and it'd do to have him as close to full fitness as possible.

also - he has scored goals from midfield.... (Liverpool??)

[seanworth]

I think it was a lot to expect much from Cohen in that game due to his lack of fitness and playing time.

[Lord Kangana]

And ability.

Sorry, couldn't resist. But it is a problem that needs fixing in the future. Trying to play the more expansive game we do requires 2 quality central midfielders with some pace and plenty of stamina. Neither are really gifts that Cohen possesses in spades.

Are there any more yanks like Holden? Where's HP when you need him....

[Tombwfc]

If we're talking next week, then I'd start Cohen. Regardless of what people think of him, he's one of our only three recognised central midfielders and it'd do to have him as close to full fitness as possible.

also - he has scored goals from midfield.... (Liverpool??)

Indeed, I believe he still has (by quite a distance) the best scoring record of any of our midfielders.

Regardless of whether you think he has a place here further than this season, he has a part to play over the next few weeks.

[plymouth wanderer]

i know one thing taylor should play left back against west ham
alonso is not ready (or shit)

[Lord Kangana]

Best scoring record as in goals/game?

Again, thats not really a true reflection of his manifest deficiencies. Players like Cohen and Taylor (to a lesser degree) change the dynamic and style of the team, because they don't have the energy, pace or stamina to be getting up and down all day.

[William the White]

Give Muamba cuddles, bollockings, close attention in training, whatever he'll respond to, because he is going to be absolutely vital for the rest of the season. Until Mark Davies is fit only Cohen makes sense to me - which is pretty scary...

[hisroyalgingerness]

4-5-1

Fab plus 1, where the 1 isn't Holden or Davies isn't good enough

Let Fab sit and do what he does best

Then let Elmander roam with Chungy on the right and Petrov on the left, supporting Davo

[truewhite15]

4-5-1

Fab plus 1, where the 1 isn't Holden or Davies isn't good enough

Let Fab sit and do what he does best

Then let Elmander roam with Chungy on the right and Petrov on the left, supporting Davo

That might be a plan, that. Alternatively, if we're also talking outside the FA Cup, then you could maybe have Sturridge as your midfield roamer?

[William the White]

4-5-1

Fab plus 1, where the 1 isn't Holden or Davies isn't good enough

Let Fab sit and do what he does best

Then let Elmander roam with Chungy on the right and Petrov on the left, supporting Davo

It's a thought...

[BWFC_Insane]

4-5-1

Fab plus 1, where the 1 isn't Holden or Davies isn't good enough

Let Fab sit and do what he does best

Then let Elmander roam with Chungy on the right and Petrov on the left, supporting Davo

It's a thought...

Probably a decent thought at that. Having said that its not too different to the 4-4-2 we play where one of the front two drops into midfield every so often. Usually Elmander.

[officer_dibble]

I think it was a lot to expect much from Cohen in that game due to his lack of fitness and playing time.

He didn't know how we play - his firt league start this season? Where we've markedly changed our playing style. He literally stood with the centre halves whilst they punted it over his head.

I do see Toms viewpoint - I really cant see Mavies being fit for every game in the run in - so it would be good to get Cohen with it. But I really would be tempted to try Matt Taylor in there next week,

[Il Pirate]

But I really would be tempted to try Matt Taylor in there next week,




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