[Danny]

That's a bigger facepalm decision than starting Essien

So far Saponara has shown no indications that he could actually play in midfield, he's just too lightweight and doesn't really work all that hard either.

WTF do we have Bonaventura and Van Ginkel for if he's not going to use them

Bona's injured apparently.

[X-Offender]

Why not play van Ginkel, I ask?

[Danny]

Beats me.

[han2503]

I'm really starting to scratch my head at these selections.

So he doesn't even want to try Honda in midfield, but he's okay with starting a kid with barely any Serie A experience there, who's a CAM/winger. Just boggles the mind.

Why did we even bother taking Van Ginkel? At least sitting on Chelsea bench will most likely earn him some silverware, sitting on ours only earns him an extra fat @ss.

This midfield issue is something that I feel Pippo looks over completely, I wonder when do they teach them in coaching school that this is the most important area on the pitch for any team, and was Pippo taking some sick days during that lesson?

[X-Offender]

Or maybe he was just daydreaming about playing Honda on the wing...

This post has been edited by X-Offender: Nov 2 2014, 12:46 PM

[Danny]

Latest:

Lopez, Abate, Alex, Rami, MDS, Poli, De Jong, Saponara, Honda, Torres, Menez.

[han2503]

Latest:

Lopez, Abate, Alex, Rami, MDS, Poli, De Jong, Saponara, Honda, Torres, Menez.

That seriously worries me.

[X-Offender]

Let's be honest here. Better give Saponara a try than have Essien play.

[Danny]

Bona out injured so he's not an option.

Only creative player we have available for midfield in Bona's (and dare I say it Muntari's) absence sadly is Saponara.

Poli, De Jong and Van Ginkel is just too flat. No spark in there.

That said Saponara remains a rather 'unknown' quantity - he's hardly played and has never really impressed, but he hasn't really flopped either really. I don't remember him making too many errant passes in midfield which have directly led to a goal, unlike Essien.

Let's also be honest, he cannot be worse than what we've been seeing in a creative sense from midfield recently. IE nothing.

[X-Offender]

However, the annoying part here is that Saponara is a pure trequartista, but Pippo is willing to play him in midfield whereas Honda keeps being relegated on the wing. Sometimes I really think he plays him there just because he's left-footed.

[X-Offender]

Poli, De Jong and Van Ginkel is just too flat. No spark in there.

If that's the case, then NDJ-Poli-Muntari is... what's flatter than flat?

[Fillipo Simone]

However, the annoying part here is that Saponara is a pure trequartista, but Pippo is willing to play him in midfield whereas Honda keeps being relegated on the wing. Sometimes I really think he plays him there just because he's left-footed.

No, he plays him there because he's the only player that can effectively (aside from Menez) cover that spot. He also scored goals from that position and is overall doing good work with Abate as well.

[han2503]

However, the annoying part here is that Saponara is a pure trequartista, but Pippo is willing to play him in midfield whereas Honda keeps being relegated on the wing. Sometimes I really think he plays him there just because he's left-footed.

Bingo

[X-Offender]

No, he plays him there because he's the only player that can effectively (aside from Menez) cover that spot. He also scored goals from that position and is overall doing good work with Abate as well.

Poli - De Jong - Honda
Menez - Torres - El Shaa

No?

[Danny]

That lineup has been reconfirmed in the last half hour. Not official yet, but looks 90% sure unless it's a red herring.