Where Can Can Play?

[doctor_mac]

Just think Mark's post in the other thread could kick off another thread:

Mark suggested....

-----------------Mignolet------------------
Clyne-----Skrtel----Sakho----Moreno
------------------Can----------------------

Which would open up as:

----------------Mignolet-------------------
---------Skrtel----------Sakho-----------
Clyne-----------Can------------Moreno


How do other people think we might best make use of Can? I must say,I don't think he will need to sacrifice making his marauding runs. Well, not if we can actually get our midfielders to take some responsibility and fill in when he goes on a charge. Back in the day a certain Jocky Hansen used to be partial to a sashay up the pitch when we were the best defensive team in the league. However, given that just isn't in our DNA these days, would he be best in a deeper 2?

 

[Oncy]

On the bench

 

[Squiggles]

I think he would be best deeper. He's the physically strongest player we've got and you can't underestimate the difference that makes in them middle of the park. He needs to learn to release the ball faster, though, and ensuring his first touch always moves the ball away from the press. He's going to have a lot less time than last year so I'd expect him to be caught out occasionally.I wouldn't restrict him from going forward when the space opens up. He needs to be our Yaya Toure.

 

[Mystic]

On the bench

This, I don't think he's got the discipline for a DM role yet, and I'd rather have Milner and Henderson as our first choice central midfielders.

 

[Frogfish]

Yep as Oncy and Mystic said. He's not ready to be a 1st team starter though I've seen many include him in what may be our first team to start this coming season.

He's not a FB, not a CB and not a DM. He must be played at CM but he is not going to supplant Henderson/Milner and maybe say Kovacic or whoever we end up with there. At the moment he's going to remain a spare part.

 

[Athens]

In nets.

 

[keniget]

He needs to be our Yaya Toure.

In which case we don't want to play him deep.

We've definitely got our Gerrard replacement in terms of having a midfielder we don't quite know what to do with.

 

[peterhague]

Only a fucking moron would see Can's potential and build a squad that sees him on the bench and Skrtel, Moreno and Benteke in the team.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Brendan 'Fuckwit' Rodgers.

 

[mark1975]

Only a fucking moron would see Can's potential and build a squad that sees him on the bench and Skrtel, Moreno and Benteke in the team.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Brendan 'Fuckwit' Rodgers.

I'm not sure about the personnel you've quoted, I mean they're there because it's all we have, and I'm not sure that's particularly fair on Rodgers, given he eased him into the side and then stuck with him. There's absolutely no suggestion that he's ready to be dropped, according to a few ITK's he's going to be put in midfield this season and given the deep role, so the "fuckwit" bollocks is unwarranted. Or is this you off on your "Milner" tirade again?

I agree that it's rubbish to say that he's not ready, he was one of our few shining lights last season, people just look at the last handful of games where we and he lost it. He's ready, and I don't buy that he can't play the DM role just because he likes the odd flurry forward. This is probably coming from posters who've moaned for years about Lucas/Hamann/Mascherano offering nothing going forward.

 

[cloggypop]

I don't think he's ready either. I have not moaned about a DM offering nothing going forward.

 

[cloggypop]

He is gonna be boss though.

 

[mark1975]

I don't think he's ready either. I have not moaned about a DM offering nothing going forward.

I don't get why people don't think he's ready, sure he's a bit naive at times, but he's physically strong, good on the ball, has an eye for a pass and is a good defender in the right role. He's never gonna be ready unless he gets game time and a run. He's always struck me as the type of player who needs confidence from playing constantly and not feeling like he's one duff performance away from the bench. He'll have experience alongside him in Milner and a captain in the making in Henderson. He deserves a shot at it. And people do moan about DM's not doing this and that, so it seems a bit daft to then be playing down his chances of playing there because he likes to occasionally run forward when the rest of the team is looking devoid of ideas.

 

[cloggypop]

He is going to be boss. No idea what position in though.

 

[peterhague]

He is going to be boss. No idea what position in though.

Midfield, alongside a DM. The position Milner and Henderson will start ahead of him in.

 

[cloggypop]

Midfield, alongside a DM. The position Milner and Henderson will start ahead of him in.

Quite possibly yeah.

 

[peterhague]

I'm not sure about the personnel you've quoted, I mean they're there because it's all we have, and I'm not sure that's particularly fair on Rodgers, given he eased him into the side and then stuck with him. There's absolutely no suggestion that he's ready to be dropped, according to a few ITK's he's going to be put in midfield this season and given the deep role, so the "fuckwit" bollocks is unwarranted. Or is this you off on your "Milner" tirade again?

I agree that it's rubbish to say that he's not ready, he was one of our few shining lights last season, people just look at the last handful of games where we and he lost it. He's ready, and I don't buy that he can't play the DM role just because he likes the odd flurry forward. This is probably coming from posters who've moaned for years about Lucas/Hamann/Mascherano offering nothing going forward.

I refer to him as a fuckwit in a general sense, independent of this particular matter.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Box to box CM

 

[juniormember]

Hook to line CM.

 

[Best Believe It]

False 8

 

[Frogfish]

It would appear, since it was an important factor in negotiations, that Milner is not going to be used wide very often, that means a central position alongside Hendo. So for Can that leaves only DM or RCB (which assumes we remain with a Back 3), thankfully Clyne's arrival, and with Flanno due back in January, warding off any more sorties into the RB/RWB area.

However if we are going to pay a lot for Kovacic (or someone else as 'Gerrard's Replacement') then there is no dedicated DM and we have already filled our 3 CM slots. Meaning Can either reverts to the bench to act as a potential sub for one of those three or he's played at RCB again (same assumption as above).

 

[Ryan]

Box to box CM

THERE'S NO SUCH FUCKING THING.

 

[Ryan]

He's not a centre midfielder yet.

 

[Oncy]

What about Goalie.
Just putting it out there.

 

[Rafiagra]

We're not in a position where we can rely on having the finished article in all positions. We're based around getting young, promising talents while they're affordable and helping develop them to end up with a top player.

Can fits that mould and so we need to get him in the team in the preferred position and let him learn. Sure, there'll be mistakes but we just have to accept that as we're not going to sign a Matic.

 

[peterhague]

Yep. Honestly, a slightly raw but very talented CM like Can is the least of our problems. We should have built the team around players like him, Coutinho, Sakho, and Sturridge. Instead we've looked to strengthen 3 of those 4 positions and left other areas untouched.

Another wasted summer, I fear.

 

[mark1975]

Even if we end up with Benteke, the team and squad are arguably stronger, we didn't really lack the players in certain positions, we just lacked the tactical nous to get it right. At the minute we will probably go into the season starting something like this:

-----------------Mignolet-------------------
Clyne----Skrtel-------Sakho---Moreno
-------------------Can----------------------
----------Milner---------Hendo-----------
----Firmino----Striker----Coutinho----

With a bench from:
Bogdan
Lovren
Flano
Toure
Ilori
Lucas
Allen
Ings
Origi
Sturridge
Ibe
Markovic

Then whichever youngsters come through too plus the ones we're buying. I'd personally have cut our losses on Lovren and bought a centre back, but that's about it. I think we might bring in an option at left back too.

 

[leftpeg]

Yes...a striker and left back and we're good to go.

 

[mark1975]

I'd have bought a keeper aswell to displace Mignloet.

 

[leftpeg]

I'd have bought a keeper aswell to displace Mignloet.

Eventually...or with unlimited resources but for now I think the priorities are LB, striker and those positions we've already filled. It's been a good window so far.

 

[mark1975]

Eventually...or with unlimited resources but for now I think the priorities are LB, striker and those positions we've already filled. It's been a good window so far.

It has. We seem to have changed our strategy a bit over bringing in kids aswell, they all really talented and largely been brought in for a pittance (Gomez aside, who looks a good investment).