Fellaini CM

[EFC Si]

He does work as an attacking midfielder but only against certain teams, Moyes should rotate him between CAM and the deeper CM when playing teams with different styles

This is the answer effectively. Play him in CM or AM against certain teams. He was unplayable against United and that was his best performance of his career probably. Also against Fulham, Arsenal etc. He's such a great attacking asset it could be a waste pplaying him too deep. Although, sometimes this would be the better option against certain teams .

 

[Walken]

This is the answer effectively. Play him in CM or AM against certain teams. He was unplayable against United and that was his best performance of his career probably. Also against Fulham, Arsenal etc. He's such a great attacking asset it could be a waste pplaying him too deep. Although, sometimes this would be the better option against certain teams .

I would say his performance against City the other year, when he played deep was the best I've seen him play, the fact that he can dominate games from a different position, in two very different ways is testament to what a talent he is.

 

[Only-Blue-toffees]

I would like to see Fellaini back in CM and Mirallas behind Jelavic. Even though i like seeing Mirallas cutting in from the wing i think if Fellaini is at CM we will play the ball to feet more. Hard to say if it will be better because the way we have it now is working. But would like to see it though.

 

[TomDixie]

Fellaini behind Jelavic, I understand, Fellaini in front of Gibson and behind a two man attack I understand but Fellaini behind the entire midfield? That's just mad.

I'd envisage him slightly deeper than Gibson (difficult to show in a formation on here), picking up the high balls. At the very least you'll see him there whenever Stoke have a goal kick.

He can rotate forwards if need be within the game, I just think dropping him a tad deeper to mitigate Stoke's primary route of attack would be effective.

 

[tim cahill]

I would like to see Fellaini back in CM and Mirallas behind Jelavic. Even though i like seeing Mirallas cutting in from the wing i think if Fellaini is at CM we will play the ball to feet more. Hard to say if it will be better because the way we have it now is working. But would like to see it though.

Think Mirallas would be good behind Jelavic but then who would go on the right?

 

[Allezfan]

I'd envisage him slightly deeper than Gibson (difficult to show in a formation on here), picking up the high balls. At the very least you'll see him there whenever Stoke have a goal kick.

Playing him behind Gibson would I think hurt both of them, Gibson needs to be the deepest lying midfielder in order to get the time on the ball he currently enjoys and Fellaini likes being able to chase the ball forwards to break up play or take down long balls and win it high up the pitch. You put Gibson in front of Fellaini and defensively it's Fellaini's job to watch runners and hold a zone while Gibson is free to challenge for the high balls and pressure the man on the ball and that's just not either of their games.

When we played Arteta and Fellaini together, it was always Mikel who was the furthest back positionaly even if Fellaini did the most destructive work (tackling, challenges etc). It's the Pirlo and Gatusso thing where it sometimes works better for the destructive player to be further up the pitch than the constructive player.

 

[chicoazul]

Fellaini is so yesterday. It's all about Gibson. He's ace.

 

[Allezfan]

Fellaini is so yesterday. It's all about Gibson. He's ace.

I love our entire team right now, to be honest. That team that started yesterday anyway, I don't love the albino.

But as long as I focus on Jelavic's good days, ignore Pienaar's off the field tittery and try to pretend we don't have a goalkeeper, it's just player after player I adore and have confidence in. Haven't really felt like this since Kanchelskis, Limpar and Ferguson and that was mostly because I was like 8 and too young to really hate craig short.

 

[mkrudden]

Not from the start of a game i don't think. He's done it when the CAM option hasn't worked though, like Wigan away.

The key thing really is that Fellaini himself thinks he's a defensive midfielder. When the player actually comes out and says that it's an indicator that you might be best playing him there.

I remember seeing quote after quote years ago from David Beckham saying he was a Centre Midfielder...

Everyone on the planet knew he was the best right 'winger' on the planet and thats where he played pretty much every game.

Sometimes players saying what they are best at is irrelevant. Felli is doing the business up top. Leave him there.

 

[Tree13]

Not sure how you think this will work.

If we switch Ossie and Fellaini, how many headers will Ossie win?

That would only work if we switched Jelavic and Velios.

Why would you launch a succession of high balls from distance towards Ossie and Jela? This is not playing to their strengths, even more so when you consider the big grocks they'll deploy at CB. The idea behind playing Ossie (or Naismith) just off the striker is to make use of their movement and to employ a quick passing game with the ball on the floor. Combine it with pace on the flanks and you have a problem for Stoke.

If we play Fellaini behind Jelavic in this one it could easily turn out like the WBA game all over again. By all means start that way, but I hope Moyes has the stones to shift things around 20 minutes in, if the Stoke back four are swamping Felli and negating the direct tactics we use when he's further forward. Hopefully we'll see big performances from Pienaar and Mirallas this week, their pace should cause havoc against Stoke's big (and slightly slow) defenders.

 

[toffee-fellaini]

Found this on youtube, great little video

[video=youtube;W9BmACLct0o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9BmACLct0o[/video]

 

[The T-Dex]

I speak quite a lot of French but did not get much of that. I love the guy though.

 

[silk_e7]

i tried the subtitle translator on that youtube video and have no idea what was being said... anyone care to translate?

 

[Essex Blue]

I like the idea of Landon Donovan taking the second striker role behind Jelavic, with Fellaini and Gibson behind him in CM.

We could then have Pienaar and Mirrallas on the wings.

 

[Bigmaclad]

Let's just play Fellaini in every position