Stevie and Raul in the middle?

[Fox]

Is this a bit Lampard/Gerrard?

Has Stevie being out given Raul an opportunity to shine that he will take with both hands.

Is it possible to play both or do we need a Lucas type player (shut it you, he is playing better) with either of them

Could this work or is it too much ambition?


---Kuyt---------Raul----------Stevie-----------Maxi

------------------------Cole----------------------------

----------------------Nando---------------------------

 

[WhyAlwaysMe?]

Stevie must play behind Fernando. Its tried and tested success and got us to 2nd in the league.

Lucas' form of late has been very impressive and i'd rather have him alongside Raul with Cole on the left.

 

[Rafiagra]

You never need a Lucas-type in the team.

I dont think its as unbalanced as Gerrard/Lampard as both like to make late runs into the box, whereas I'm not sure Meireles is that type of player. However, he does look to play further up.

I reckon they can play together, particularly at Anfield

 

[King Binny]

After Raul's performances in his preferred central midfield in the absence of Gerrard, I don't know how Roy can justify playing him out of position when Stevie comes back. I think it was pointed out before, that Raul plays in a more withdrawn midfield role for Portugal, esp during the period when Pepe (himself played out of position by Carlos Quieroz as DM) was out injured.

As some members mentioned, Roy isn't as "inclined" to stick to Lucas as compared to Rafa and for all that he has said about Poulsen, thankfully, he hasn't backed up his words by stubbornly picking him in the starting lineup. Thus, I'm optimistic this is possible. I do feel that the central trio of Raul, Stevie, Cole will go some way towards easing the goal scoring burden of Torres. Certainly much more potent then Lucas, Raul, Ngog. Give them game time together and those 2 signings by Roy might well 'save' and repay him.

 

[manwithnoname]

Not sure it is much like 'Lampard/ Gerrard' because Ming isn't really much like Lampard. Not least because it would take him about 10 seasons to score as many as Frank does in one.

Ming is a fine midfielder, and easily capable of playing in CM with Gerrard, or anyone else we buy to replace the Cunt Twins.

He seems able to play intelligently enough to accommodate various styles of partner.

 

[Richey]

What is a 'Lucas-type' anyway? A player who doesn't really offer much but occasionally surprises everyone by doing the simple things competently?

 

[SaintGeorge67]

[quote author=Richey link=topic=42993.msg1226136#msg1226136 date=1291052815]
What is a 'Lucas-type' anyway? A player who doesn't really offer much but occasionally surprises everyone by doing the simple things competently?
[/quote]

Someone summed it up nicely, he's like the 1st round of Harrison vs Haye. No massive mistakes or highlights etc, because basically they just didn't do anything.

 

[TheBunnyman]

I think a Ming-Gerrard CM has to be tried out. It may not work against the best teams, in the same way that Gerrard-Xabi didn't work against Milan, but against the West Hams and Wigans it seems an obvious tactic. It's kind of astonishing that, 15 league games into the season, we STILL haven't even fucking tried it. Especially when the only 'competition' at CM is Lucas and Poulsen.

 

[LadyRed]

Why is Meireless 'Ming'?

 

[doctor_mac]

[quote author=LadyRed link=topic=42993.msg1226177#msg1226177 date=1291056907]
Why is Meireless 'Ming'?
[/quote]

Ming the M.....

 

[the_dude]

---------------------new DM------------------------
------------meireles------gerrard-----------------
kuyt---------------------------------------------cole
--------------------torres---------------------------

that would work well IMO. need for better wingers but not so sure how likely this is for the time being.

 

[dmishra]

Stevie is of course an excellent central midfielder. That goes without saying and when the alternatives are Lucas and Poulsen, Stevie should be playing in midfield. Having said that, if we do have two competent central midfielders, I'd always put Stevie in the final third as he's the most creative player in the team and also the 2nd most likely to get goals.

Therefore, the ideal midfield would be Meireles and a new DM (someone like Diarra maybe). Until then, it really should be Gerrard and Meireles. While Lucas has put in some much better performances recently, I still don't want him in the first team. If Gerrard is played in the final third, I would insist on trying out Meireles and Shelvey.

 

[PaulGorst]

I've never subscribed to the idea that you can only have one good midfielder in a central pairing. The Lampard/Gerrard thing has been done to death, but I see no reason why Raul and Gerrard can't flourish. Both can do a bit of everything quite well and in Gerrard's case he does a bit of everything better than anyone else in the league.
I'm all for it myself.

 

[Pesam]

[quote author=LadyRed link=topic=42993.msg1226177#msg1226177 date=1291056907]
Why is Meireless 'Ming'?
[/quote]

1940's (I think) comic book hero Dan Dare's arch enemy was Ming The Merciless. The fact that Meireles is almost an anagram of Merciless and the fact they are both slap-heads also helps..............................


Raul Meireles

Emperor Ming

 

[the count]

eeeeh
Wasn't Ming, Flash Gordon's enemy?


Awaits arrival of comic geek.

 

[Mamma Mia]

[quote author=Richey link=topic=42993.msg1226136#msg1226136 date=1291052815]
What is a 'Lucas-type' anyway? A player who doesn't really offer much but occasionally surprises everyone by doing the simple things competently?
[/quote]

I know I'll get slaughtered for making the comparison, but what Lucas offers us on a good day is similar to what Didi offered us on a regular one.
He's also 23, and improving.

While he may never reach the heights of the Kaiser and obviously there are some differences in the way they play, that's what I think he can offer us.

I wouldn't blink if he was dropped or sold for a better player, but he is nowhere near as bad or as superfulous as suggested on here.

 

[Pesam]

[quote author=the count link=topic=42993.msg1226704#msg1226704 date=1291134537]
eeeeh
Wasn't Ming, Flash Gordon's enemy?


Awaits arrival of comic geek.
[/quote]

Haha, I spent all last week on a major drinking session in Czech and have lost my remaining brain cells. The Mekon was Dan Dare's slap-head enemy and indeed Meireles was Flash Gordon's nemesis.

 

[manwithnoname]

But you're consistently wrong about everything, in every Forum, on every topic

 

[Rosco]

The out and out defensive midfielder became the answer to the number 10 free role that was popular in the 90's. There isn't such a need for it these days so I see no reason why Meireles and Gerrard can't play together quite a bit in the middle.

 

[manwithnoname]

The Mekon was a green slaphead with a huge swede and was the leader of the Trigan Empire, from Venus ( I think). Dan Dare was his nemesis. I think they were called Trigans anyways.

Ming The Merciless was an evil Galactic despot who wanted to destroy Earth. He was from the planet Mongo (yes, really) and Flash Gordon was his nemesis.

Not sure who hated Buck Rogers (Buster crabbe version).

 

[Rosco]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=42993.msg1226711#msg1226711 date=1291135587]
The Mekon was a green slaphead with a huge swede and was the leader of the Trigan Empire, from Venus ( I think). Dan Dare was his nemesis. I think they were called Trigans anyways.

Ming The Merciless was an evil Galactic despot who wanted to destroy Earth. He was from the planet Mongo (yes, really) and Flash Gordon was his nemesis.

Not sure who hated Buck Rogers (Buster crabbe version).
[/quote]

 

[Avmenon]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=42993.msg1226711#msg1226711 date=1291135587]
The Mekon was a green slaphead with a huge swede and was the leader of the Trigan Empire, from Venus ( I think). Dan Dare was his nemesis. I think they were called Trigans anyways.

Ming The Merciless was an evil Galactic despot who wanted to destroy Earth. He was from the planet Mongo (yes, really) and Flash Gordon was his nemesis.

Not sure who hated Buck Rogers (Buster crabbe version).
[/quote]

Are we talking about the Gil Gerard 'Buck Rogers'?

Forgot who the baddie was; but there was one baddie with great tits who was horny for the big ape.

Ans there was a good guy called 'Hawk' who had a cool ship.

 

[manwithnoname]

My mistake. Wikipedia states that they were called "Treens".
Interestingly, if you google "Trigan Empire" you will see that this very thread is at number 5 in natural search.

It would also appear that The Trigan Empire has nothing to do with The Mekon, Dan Dare, or Treens. Silly me.

 

[HC]

Both are extremely talented with the ball at their feet.

I'd like to see a mascher type athletic destroyer sat behind the pair of them.

Unfortunately neither lucas or poulsen are this (incidently I remember thinking at the time in the spurs match,mascher wouldve been all over that modric run for the skrtel og like a rash)