There is still the issue of Ireland dependence!

[Somud]

Well, people are buzzing over the Vieira transfer, rightly or wrongly, it is too soon to tell who is right, but what is quite clear, even with this transfer is that we still have an issue when Ireland is out. Vieira is not that type of player clearly.

Sure, we have loads of creativity down the flanks, with SWP, Petrov, Weiss, Robbie, and it will eat of those players' playing time if we get a playmaker type, but since we went for a more defensive midfielder instead of an attacking midfielder, I feel we are still vulnerable should Ireland be injured.

What do you guys think?

 

[Corky]

Ireland is injured and not played well this seaon.

In the medium term it would be good to see fit and on form Ireland and Johnson battling for that role.

 

[Spider]

We could do with another Benarbia (but preferably stronger) in conjunction with the likes of de Jong and PV.

 

[hilts]

not so sure i think citys problems have been to attack minded sometimes, we could play vieira de jong and barry and leave the front three to cause problems, i think mancini will bring more one nils to the team which is needed to win something

 

[Somud]

Ireland is injured and not played well this seaon.

In the medium term it would be good to see fit and on form Ireland and Johnson battling for that role.

But let us assume that Mancio will stick to 3 players in central midfield, whether through a 4-3-3 or a diamond with Ireland in the hole. This means our backups for those 3 in central midfield are Kompany, Zab and one of Vieira/DJ/Ireland/Barry. There is a lot of defensive players there, perhaps too much for my liking. Mancio has to switch formations to a 4-4-2 if Ireland is out unless we play a 4-3-3 with DJ-Barry-Vieira. I suspect he will do the latter as it is important to have a fixed system and gel our players in that system, and such a midfield 3 is quite defensive!

 

[wrongun73]

IMO this is the one position i really wanted to see filled and wasnt!
ireland is good but i want to see a real ball player in the middle who does it on a more consistant basis. a 20 year old benarbia would be nice ;)

 

[Corky]

Depends if SWP plays is a midfield 3. With 3 up top you need the middle 3 to be solid. 4 4 1 1 on Saturday with Petrov playing a free role behind Benjani an Silvinho in midfield, who knows what he will settle on formation wise?

 

[Somud]

Depends if SWP plays is a midfield 3. With 3 up top you need the middle 3 to be solid. 4 4 1 1 on Saturday with Petrov playing a free role behind Benjani an Silvinho in midfield, who knows what he will settle on formation wise?

That's nuts!

And I don't like SWP in central midfield at all! He is not the type to dictate the pace and movement of the ball at all. Sure, we need the midfield 3 to be solid, but an Ireland type of player plus two of Vieira, Barry, DJ would be the way to go IMO.

 

[Two's Kompany....]

True that we are lacking some creativity from the middle of the park.

I'd go for Juan Roman Riquelme. Im sure he would love to prove himself in the premiership.

 

[Brendan110_0]

Can see us playing 3 - 5 - 2 formation now.