Vermaelen fit for Chelsea - where does he play?

[Syn]

The signs are that Vermaelen will play against Chelsea.

Speaking after the game, he [Vermaelen] said:

Personally I don’t believe in that. If I have an injury for a long time I don’t believe in coming back and getting rhythm. I think it’s just in your head, it’s just a mental thing. If you’re a footballer player, if you’re a pro, you have be there straight away, and that’s why I wanted to play today.

I know it’s early days, and there’s been no indication of this from the manager, but I think he’ll play Vermaelen in the centre with Mertesacker and move Koscielny out to right back for this one. When you’re facing a team as good as Chelsea, you need your best players out there and Vermaelen is one of our best players. More on this tomorrow but I think Koscielny, for all his effectiveness in the middle, will provide us with more solidity and pace at right back than Djourou.

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Sounds like a recipe for disaster playing Kos at RB. He doesn't have pace and isn't much going forward.

Kos and Mertesacker have been good in recent games. Vermaelen at RB sounds like the better choice?

Also, Rosicky or Ramsey for the 3rd CM position? Both have shown decent form, but I'd put money on Rosicky being the more likely to stick a foot in and annoy their midfield.

The rest of the team picks itself, I guess.

[dazthegooner]

Along side Van-Persie

[Marc Overmars]

Leave him out.

Keep Kos in the side for the time being, he's worked well with Merts.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

RB tbh is best for him, Merts and Kos have done well, TV 5 in CB would be silly for this game he needs to bulid up a partnership with merts but not yet.

[server too busy!]

RB for a left footer...that is retarded. Keep Djourou there, done nothing wrong. Lets not rush him back just yet.

[LDG]

Bench for me.

Why change a winning formular?

Plus, we'll get more joy at corners than usual. We always do against Chelsea, as they can't defend them for shit. Kos and Merts are the best for that.

[Niall_Quinn]

It's a step up in quality, tempting to see if Kos can cope but safer to play TV and leave Kos on the bench. He's 3rd choice so let's use him as 3rd choice. TVs leadership qualities will be required.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

It's a step up in quality, tempting to see if Kos can cope but safer to play TV and leave Kos on the bench. He's 3rd choice so let's use him as 3rd choice. TVs leadership qualities will be required.

Yeah but TV 5 has not played many games this season and could make a mistake, kos has been playing well so far don't see thge point changing it now.

[Niall_Quinn]

Yeah but TV 5 has not played many games this season and could make a mistake, kos has been playing well so far don't see thge point changing it now.

Let's just do it my way shall we? Thank you.

[Syn]

RB for a left footer...that is retarded. Keep Djourou there, done nothing wrong. Lets not rush him back just yet.

It's not about rushing him back - he says he's ready, Arsenal say he's available...looked ok against Bolton. You have to play your best players if possible. Djourou isn't really a RB either. He hasn't done anything wrong is no selling point when the match was against Stoke who don't have any pacey/quality wingers to trouble him.

It all comes down to whether you think Vermaelen would do a better or worse job than Djourou when up against - who plays on the left for Chelsea? Mata? Malouda?. I think Verm would. Also agree with NQ that aside from his defending ability, Verm has a presence on the pitch which would help the rest of the players.

But it would be the wrong move to split KosMert at the moment. They actually have been tested well and Kos - in particular - has been absolutely superb. Single-handedly limited the opponents to 0/1 goals, depending on the match.