Midfield

If they’re all fit who and how do you play…

Ralls
Mannsverk
Ramsey
Chambers
Rinomhota
Turnbull
Robertson
Colwill
Alves has also played 10 in his career

Do you play 2 holding 1 in front or even one holding two pushed forward… flat 2 in a 442…

If I had to rank the holding midfielders I would say:

Chambers
Ramsey
Mannsverk
Turnbull
Robertson
Ralls
Rinomhota

At 10 it would be…

Colwill
Robertson
Ramsey
Turnbull

Given this ranking I would play:

Chambers and Ramsey with Colwill forward

What do you think?

It's nice to actually be able to have this kind of debate as we actually have multiple different options in midfield now

For me though everything good today went through mannsverk until Ramsey came on so for me it would be mannsverk Ramsey and Robertson but would be happy with mannsverk chambers colwill or any combination of them 5

We need a run of games without making 4/5 changes each week to the starting 11

How do you even considering putting Colwill above Ramsey? Crazy

How do you even considering putting Colwill above Ramsey? Crazy

I agree. Particularly as we’re assuming all players are fit.

If you compare the above list with what we've had to choose from over the previous 3 seasons, it's almost unbelievable that we find ourself in the lower reaches of this division.

Nothing against Riza but even if we survive this season, we really need to look for someone a level or two above him to give ourselves the best possible chance of being where we want to be.

Mannsverk will play whenever he's available. In terms of technical ability, he's the best holding midfielder at the club. I'm not including Ramsey in that because I think his role now is as a substitute. His fitness was mismanaged and that lead to long term injuries. He can't play 60 minutes on a regular basis.

The other automatic starter in midfield is Robertson. He always plays when he's available and rightly so in my opinion. Probably as the ten.

Chambers would then play alongside Mannsverk.

It'll come as no surprise to anyone that I don't see Rubin as a starter.

The same can be said about Turnbull.

How do you even considering putting Colwill above Ramsey? Crazy

Ramsey has to sit or come off the bench. As a ten earlier in the season he can’t press as he hasn’t got the legs or pace to do so, teams were killing us.

Look at the press in the Swansea away game…

Also do you want him wasting his legs on a high press

How do you even considering putting Colwill above Ramsey? Crazy

Ramsey has to sit or come off the bench. As a ten earlier in the season he can’t press as he hasn’t got the legs or pace to do so, teams were killing us.

Look at the press in the Swansea away game…

Also do you want him wasting his legs on a high press

I've made my views quite clear on lots of threads. His fitness needs to be managed but all being fit he is head & shoulders above Colwill.

I may have misread the original post & just seeing Colwill above Ramsey in any list makes me not think straight. If so, yeah I agree & apologize.

Mannsverk Chambers

Ashford Robertson Alves

How do you even considering putting Colwill above Ramsey? Crazy

Ramsey has to sit or come off the bench. As a ten earlier in the season he can’t press as he hasn’t got the legs or pace to do so, teams were killing us.

Look at the press in the Swansea away game…

Also do you want him wasting his legs on a high press

I've made my views quite clear on lots of threads. His fitness needs to be managed but all being fit he is head & shoulders above Colwill.

I may have misread the original post & just seeing Colwill above Ramsey in any list makes me not think straight. If so, yeah I agree & apologize.

No need to apologise, we all have our views!

I feel like we have a really good variety to choose from when fit. And this comes down to management in how we utilise that, and it allows us to tweak it based on the opponent and freshness. Riza has got this wrong on many occasions but nowhere near as much as Bulut. I believe a better and more experienced manager would be getting the absolute best out of this midfield and the options available.

Mannsverk and Ramsey are the best midfielders we have. Robertson not far behind and with big potential. Then Chambers. Then Ralls and Turnbull as back up.

Then theres Rubin. He remains the magnet for criticism yet still manages to produce that bit of magic and break the central lines and interplay with the wingers that can make a difference more than any other player in the team. I believe with Ramsey in the team with him, he will play better and with Salech and Alves ahead of him giving him more quality to aim for with his intricate passes, unlike previously with Meite, Kanga, Tanner etc.

I am happy with bench players for our midfield to be slowly rotated around Mannsverk, Ramsey, Robertson, Chambers and Colwill.

My first choice all being fit would be

Mannsverk and Ramsey as a central 2 with Colwill as the 10. Good subs with Chambers and Robertson awaiting their chance. If we are behind and time running out Colwill in behind a front 2 of Salech and Robinson.