The Carling Cup Semi-Final Second Leg 24/25 January *** Spoilers ***
- Thread starter Cosimo
- Start date
so to combat Silva and to a lesser extent Augero dropping deep your advocating putting defender who turns 34 in a couple of days, with all the mobility of a snail in there? Might work if he doesnt have to move out of the center circle....
I understand some people have a soft spot for Carra, but sounds like footballing suicide.
I understand some people have a soft spot for Carra, but sounds like footballing suicide.
Didi Hamann had the mobility of a snail yet was one of the best defensive midfielders around. The most important thing is positioning and reading of the game and I'd rather have Carragher in there than go into the game with Gerrard and Adam in CM. We saw how well those 2 done at tracking the runs of Reo Coker and Davies at the weekend.
And I certainly don't have soft spot for Carra. I do however believe that at this stage of his career, Carra will be more useful reverting back to playing as a defensive midfielder (where he got his first run in the side) than playing at cb.
Well there is a reason I wouldn't have Downing or Adam anywhere near the line up, and that's becuase they both aren't good enough. Hence why imo, a 4-3-3 with, if not a specialist DM, then someone with athletism sholud be there.
Didi played DM his entire career, and no whilst not quick he had years of experiance to fall back on in that position. Carra hasnt played DM in what, over a decade? And there's a reason the he never made the position his own and was shunted all over the place until Rafa came along too, he was average at best there.
I think Man City would be rubbing their hands in glee if Carra is anywhere near the starting line up personally.
This could go round and round though, I think we both want the right result, regardless of personal and thats ending up with us in our 1st 'Wembley' final since the spice boys
Soldato
- Joined
- 10 Apr 2006
- Posts
- 7,853
- Location
- North West
Biggest worry if he does play Carra as DM is that he will just fall further and further back into a back 5 when they're putting the pressure on and it will end up like the last game towards the end.
Is Aurelio out, he's played DM before hasn't he? If Agger/Skrtel weren't doing so well together I would've like to have seen Agger DM and Carra/Coates partner Skrtel but it's not the time to split up Agger/Skrtel.
Is Aurelio out, he's played DM before hasn't he? If Agger/Skrtel weren't doing so well together I would've like to have seen Agger DM and Carra/Coates partner Skrtel but it's not the time to split up Agger/Skrtel.
Well there is a reason I wouldn't have Downing or Adam anywhere near the line up, and that's becuase they both aren't good enough. Hence why imo, a 4-3-3 with, if not a specialist DM, then someone with athletism sholud be there.
Didi played DM his entire career, and no whilst not quick he had years of experiance to fall back on in that position. Carra hasnt played DM in what, over a decade? And there's a reason the he never made the position his own and was shunted all over the place until Rafa came along too, he was average at best there.
I think Man City would be rubbing their hands in glee if Carra is anywhere near the starting line up personally.
This could go round and round though, I think we both want the right result, regardless of personal and thats ending up with us in our 1st 'Wembley' final since the spice boys
I'm not saying Carra would be great there but he'd do the basics and who else is there? Whenever we've played a 3 man midfield, Henderson's always been the most advanced so he's not going to play there and neither is Shelvey. So unless you're going to give Coady his debut then you're out of midfielders.
The reason why Carra was moved out of midfield was because of his limited ability on the ball, not the defensive side of his game. And while he's not played there in a while, knowing Carra, he'll still know the job. You regularly see Carra barking orders at players, telling them where they should be and what they should be doing.
Like you say, lets hope we get the result and can break out the cream suits again.
Unless he's picked up a knock in training then Aurelio's fit. Him as a DM wouldn't be a bad shout although the only time I can recall him playing as a DM for us was away to Fiorentina and it didn't go well. I can still remember Pepe grabbing hold of him and shouting at him to sit in front of the back 4.
What happened to Aurellio is he injured or he left us? He used to play that DM role and i think if i am mistaken he used to do some descent role there.
Also i wouldn't mind Carr taking that position because in such games positioning and game reading come first even before the skill after all who do we have to much Mcity's skilled MF.
But am confident as long as Adam doesn't Play then we will be to the finals My God he has become a total liability of recent looking worse every game.
In absence of Lucas and Spearing then its only some body from defense that can take up the DM role rather than our advanced Midfielders.
Also i wouldn't mind Carr taking that position because in such games positioning and game reading come first even before the skill after all who do we have to much Mcity's skilled MF.
But am confident as long as Adam doesn't Play then we will be to the finals My God he has become a total liability of recent looking worse every game.
In absence of Lucas and Spearing then its only some body from defense that can take up the DM role rather than our advanced Midfielders.
Aurelio had been injured but played vs Oldham in the Cup the other week. He supposedly played a fair bit in midfield for Valencia but I have no idea whether that was as a DM specifically. He's played a few games in midfield for us but the only time I can recall him playing as a DM was vs Fiorentina and he had a shocker. I wouldn't write him off after 1 game though; technically he's more than capable of playing in midfield and he does seem the sort of player that can adapt his game to different positions.
The issue we have is that I think we have to play an out an out DM but we don't have one available (unless Spearing recovers in time).
The issue we have is that I think we have to play an out an out DM but we don't have one available (unless Spearing recovers in time).
But any one can do a better job than Adam. Henderson would have taken over but he likes going forward even more that SG so a defender like Carr can take over. May then Agger (Who was our best attacker against Bolton) can get a chance on header from dead ball as Carr watches the back.
Some of our fans go way ott with their criticism of Adam. He was bought for £7m to give us another CM option in our squad, and as a £7m squad player, he's far from bad. Unfortunately because of injuries to Gerrard and then Lucas, he's played every week. Despite that though, he was beginning to form a decent partnership with Lucas and put in some excellent performances in some difficult games (motm vs Utd and very good vs Chelsea and City). The injury to Lucas was bad for us as a team but huge for Adam specifically. Adam's now having to play a role even more unnatural to him and he's struggling.
Although we've not used him there yet, I think Henderson could do a job in place of Lucas. He's got the energy to get around the pitch and one thing that's always impressed me with him since joining us (I first noticed it at the under-21 euros) is his discipline; when somebody moves out of position, he's the first to fill in for them.
Although we've not used him there yet, I think Henderson could do a job in place of Lucas. He's got the energy to get around the pitch and one thing that's always impressed me with him since joining us (I first noticed it at the under-21 euros) is his discipline; when somebody moves out of position, he's the first to fill in for them.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 33,188
Agreeing with Baz shocker, yes, I said at the time and say now, Adam's IS and was a great signing, for 20mil it would be a joke, for 10mil or under you've got a guy who can certainly play well, will get goals, can take a decent corner/set piece, can be a bit of a git in midfield in games you want to have that.
I mean, Utd have sucked in central mid, while he's no scholes replacement, for 7 mil he'd have improved their midfield through most of their "crap" spell.
He's a bit of a dirty git though and fouls far too often, putting him in that Song category of likes to stick his leg out when tracking back for some stupid reason, which is unsurprisingly why he sucks when you ask him to play deeper and more defensively.
Personally I'll never understand why people won't push a fullback into DM when required. You've got a defensively minded guy who usually has pace, who can tackle but also has a bit more attacking flair, passing ability and potential to get forward.
I would say Johnson as DM and Kelly in as right back would actually improve the back four, but Johnson is a bit too, stupid, and unpredictable for DM..... but would he be better than Adam.... probably.
I mean, Utd have sucked in central mid, while he's no scholes replacement, for 7 mil he'd have improved their midfield through most of their "crap" spell.
He's a bit of a dirty git though and fouls far too often, putting him in that Song category of likes to stick his leg out when tracking back for some stupid reason, which is unsurprisingly why he sucks when you ask him to play deeper and more defensively.
Personally I'll never understand why people won't push a fullback into DM when required. You've got a defensively minded guy who usually has pace, who can tackle but also has a bit more attacking flair, passing ability and potential to get forward.
I would say Johnson as DM and Kelly in as right back would actually improve the back four, but Johnson is a bit too, stupid, and unpredictable for DM..... but would he be better than Adam.... probably.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 33,188
Caporegime
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2005
- Posts
- 41,305
- Location
- Cornwall
Hard to see what Kenny can do with the team tonight but after going mental at the weekend I really hope he doesn't play the same midfield again because we'll deserve to lose if he does. Poulsen would've improved that mess.
I hope and suspect we'll need to take the game to City. Assuming City can't be as poor going forward as they were 2 weeks ago and assuming Silva is playing, we can't afford to sit off them as we did in the 2nd half of the last game.
Don't joke about things like that.
Don't joke about things like that.
I missed the game but saw the high lights and they were bad enough but i said this couple weeks ago Gerrard/Adam DONT play well together at all it didnt work when KD first tried it id be half tempted to try this tbh, What do you think? I ask as we were on about this at work today.
Reina
Kelly-Agger-Skrtel-Enrique
Johnson-Henderson-Gerrard-Bellamy
Carroll-Kuyt
I know both Carroll/Kuyt done nothing all year but hell none of our strike options are amazing other than Suarez/Gerrard
I'd be surprised to see Bellamy starting after playing Saturday and with Utd at the weekend and I really can't see us playing a 4-4-2 either. I think we'll play the usual back 4 and Kuyt, Carroll, Downing in attack but the midfield is anyones guess. I wouldn't rule out some kind of 3-5-2 either.
Dont want Downing any were near the pitch tbh, I havent even been remotly impressed with him.If KD doesnt spend on the right players and positions this window i cant even see us doing well in second half of the season at the moment