The left side of midfield..why not A Cole?

[Dark Savante]

With Bridge behind him? Cole attacks and is out of position on the Left alot of the time so what is the difference between just letting him have free reign in that spot as a Left midfielder rather then a LB and have the more defensively capable Bridge in behind him?

[sinner78]

Bridge /A cole would be a good left wing combination IMHO..
shame sven doesnt see it that way.

[Andy Bennett]

I saw Sven being interviewed over the weekend and he was saying that it's probably going to be Gerrard on the left. Later on in the programme someone then asked him why now Bridge behind and Ashley Cole in front and he said that you'd then have a defender being played out of position.

But, hang on, isn't Gerrard being played out of position???

Maybe the thinking is that swapping positions across midfield isn't as great a gap as moving from defense to, basically, attack.

He's tried it once - can't really remember how it went, to be honest... but since then Wayne bridge has developed as a player so I would have thought it's worth another try. Actually, didn't bridge start off as a midfield player before moving back?

Maybe the other point is, who are we going to leave out of midfield if we play both Bridge and A. Cole. I wouldn't like to drop Lampard or Gerrard on their form and I also wouldn't like to drop Scholes or Beckham, either, because of what they've done before.

Ah, well. see what happens, I suppose.

[jonny]

I like Cole but he is too erratic..a sub is where he should be...play Bridge

[Dark Savante]

I saw Sven being interviewed over the weekend and he was saying that it's probably going to be Gerrard on the left. Later on in the programme someone then asked him why now Bridge behind and Ashley Cole in front and he said that you'd then have a defender being played out of position.

But, hang on, isn't Gerrard being played out of position???

Maybe the thinking is that swapping positions across midfield isn't as great a gap as moving from defense to, basically, attack.

He's tried it once - can't really remember how it went, to be honest... but since then Wayne bridge has developed as a player so I would have thought it's worth another try. Actually, didn't bridge start off as a midfield player before moving back?

Maybe the other point is, who are we going to leave out of midfield if we play both Bridge and A. Cole. I wouldn't like to drop Lampard or Gerrard on their form and I also wouldn't like to drop Scholes or Beckham, either, because of what they've done before.

Ah, well. see what happens, I suppose.

Yea, the last time Sven tried it they were both very raw. Alot has happened to both of them since then and they are alot more developed. I don't get it, with regards to what Sven says about A.Cole, he's like another R.Carlos as far as I can see, he loves to attack and he would hold the middle of the park well.

-----------James
-----Campbell--Terry
-G.Neville---------Bridge
----------Gerrard
---Beckham-----A.Cole
------Scholes/Lampard
------------Rooney
--------Owen

Doesn't look to bad does it? Everyne plays in the role they know and A.Cole must surely be able to play LM it is not far removed from LB, especially when you play the spot like he does.

[AjaxGunner]

Everyne plays in the role they know and A.Cole must surely be able to play LM it is not far removed from LB, especially when you play the spot like he does.

Probably too late in the game to change from diamond to a flat four, but it would help with the tendency for whoever's been played there (natural central mids) to drift to the middle/forward and leave Cole exposed. Actually, he's become much more disciplined and improved greatly defensively this year, and FWIW Bridge has been much more of an attacking threat this year, so you might be better off with Bridge in front of Cole instead of the other way around.

What about a five-man mid?

[its called football]

The difference between playing left back and left mid is a lot bigger than you all seem to suggest. A full back who goes forward on an overlap has a very different job from a winger who needs to beat men on his own. when have you ever seen either realy run at a defence? Cole plays behind Pires, and Bridge behind Duff, both example of people who run well with the ball, and create openings. England lack this type of player on either wing, so it makes sense to play a diamond with Beckham and Gerrard or Lampard playing on the side, this also, as sven says, allows for the use of our best Midfielders, the place where we have the most depth and strength. Th eonly other option I see at left mid is putting Heskey there, he did a great job for Leicester out wide as a youngter. I know how popular that call would be.

[Case]

Probably too late in the game to change from diamond to a flat four, but it would help with the tendency for whoever's been played there (natural central mids) to drift to the middle/forward and leave Cole exposed. Actually, he's become much more disciplined and improved greatly defensively this year, and FWIW Bridge has been much more of an attacking threat this year, so you might be better off with Bridge in front of Cole instead of the other way around.

What about a five-man mid?

There is a shout for a 5 man mid, but with our injuries etc, mebe pushing it expecting the few CB's we got to play as a 3 for the whole tourney.
Besides, defn. not the way to play the French! They'd wet themselves outwide (with joy) if they saw only a back3.

But as for Bridge being a threat, im not overly keen on the boy, perhaps due to my love of Ashley, but c'mon on, the Monaco 2nd leg, Bridges crossing was atrocious, which seemed to be his preferred option over passing.
Besides, any1 see Cole's goal in Keown's testimonial? Quality, and it was still nearly competitive at that stage!

And to ANY1 dare blame Cole for Englands goals conceeded, they have nbo idea about Football. True, many have come from midfielders getting in behind Ashley, but the notion that he's "caught out of position" (as commentators and the media kept suggesting) never takes the context/preceeding circumstances into account. We do not play with a LM, whomever is out of position and forced to drifts in, or simply offers no penetration out wide, Ashley is encouraged/forced to overlap, and more often that not play breaks down due to sloppy passing in our CM (when we have Lampard's, Gerrards, Becks etc do we put up with Hargreaves, P.Nev's etc???), and the muppet ignorant jump on a bandwagon who believe any1 who hasn't played 50 internationals aren't tactically estute.

No1 blames Strikers for being out of position if they chase a ball down the wing, then aren't in the box for the cross, so why should Wing Backs get so much stick? I learn't to hold/cover when I was a kid, so surely if ie Ashley's doing the LM's running forwards, why should he get blamed for the LM not doing his work in return?

Rant of the day, sorry!

Case

[Andy Bennett]

Where would these boards be without a rant once in a while. No worries...

I think you're wrong, however, and I did so before Wayne Bridge joined my lot, Chelsea. I've never liked A. Cole as a fulback. You say it's just the media but, frankly, everyone can see he drifts out of position too much. Well, everyone, except one of us, that is ;)

I accept that the diamond formation places him under greater strain - that's why he has to concentrate on his defensive duties more and, when I've seen him, sometimes he doesn't.

As I've already said, though, I'd try him left side midfield another couple of times, (friendlies and so on), because I think he can do a job there.

[sendorange]

Sven has already ruled out playing Bridge and Cole together, and I think that's the right decision. It makes the team too linear.

As for the individual merits of the two.... it must be said that Bridge has improved enormously in the second half of the season. He is a super player now, I hope that Sven gives him the nod over Ashley, who has himself improved defensively a lot over the past year but Bridge still has the edge in terms of the quality of their final ball.

[Andy Bennett]

Well, yeah - I wouldn't like to try it in a game we have to win without having done it a few times beforehand.

[its called football]

But as for Bridge being a threat, im not overly keen on the boy, perhaps due to my love of Ashley, but c'mon on, the Monaco 2nd leg, Bridges crossing was atrocious, which seemed to be his preferred option over passing.
Besides, any1 see Cole's goal in Keown's testimonial? Quality, and it was still nearly competitive at that stage!

And to ANY1 dare blame Cole for Englands goals conceeded, they have nbo idea about Football. True, many have come from midfielders getting in behind Ashley, but the notion that he's "caught out of position" (as commentators and the media kept suggesting) never takes the context/preceeding circumstances into account. We do not play with a LM, whomever is out of position and forced to drifts in, or simply offers no penetration out wide, Ashley is encouraged/forced to overlap, and more often that not play breaks down due to sloppy passing in our CM (when we have Lampard's, Gerrards, Becks etc do we put up with Hargreaves, P.Nev's etc???), and the muppet ignorant jump on a bandwagon who believe any1 who hasn't played 50 internationals aren't tactically estute.

I see your point about not blaming Cole if a move on the left breaks down and leaves him stranded. My questions about him mre concern the way he can sometimes dive in and miss challenges. Still a quality player. I see little to split him and Bridge, but would give him the nod for now due to his greater experience. The most important thing is as settled a defence as possible, and with a forced change at centre back we need as few other changes as possible.

[Case]

True, mebe he can lunge in a bit, but I guess I just like that in my defenders, brings back the good ol'days of "blood guts & glory defending" of Terry Butcher et al. Guess thats why im such a big JT mark. My original defence woulda had the club connections of Glenn Johnson & JT with Campbell and Cole (providing familiarity whilst avoiding any potential Neville related calamities, tho. I do understand that our Captain prefers playing with his bestman behind him), but given Johnson's exclusion from the squad, I guess it'd be sensical to play Bridge with Terry, but if Sven chooses on those grounds HE CANNOT leave Lampard (monsterous all season) out of the starting 11.

It's easy to see Ashley as great, as at club level he got Pires & Henry ahead of him, so if he doesn't get the ball when he overlaps (say they lose possession/pass intercepted), the frenchmen make it a personal mission to get the ball back, taking offence to the insolent opponent who dare ruin their creativity etc.
If only our lads could think like that!

Quick side note: whomever plays LB, pace is an issue. For those who saw the France-Brazil, Carlos simply got skinned by the French no3 (M. sum1, never heard of him yet he blistered Carlos over 15yards!). 2 questions: where do the french get these guys from? and is it worth even trying to match up speed wise???

apologies for not ranting today!

[rob88]

He has the necessary velocity.

[essie]

Now we have Joe Cole :)