Who's best for our CM/CDM role?

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Who's best for our CM/CDM role?

  • Norwood

    Votes: 68 38.9%
  • Berge

    Votes: 24 13.7%
  • Ampadu

    Votes: 72 41.1%
  • Other

    Votes: 1 0.6%
  • The midfield set-up needs changing

    Votes: 10 5.7%

  • Total voters
    175

LondonBlade89

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Disclaimer: First time doing a poll, so if there are any errors, my apologies and I'll try and fix.

This arguably been the most important role in the side ever since CWAK took over. Paul Coutts was the guy who kept us ticking in the early days. When he got injured, we looked lost. Lee Evans and John Lundstram just weren't up to it and the team suffered massively. In steps Oliver Norwood and essentially overnight we're a better side. Forget "the Duffy role", this is the one that makes us tick. Last year in the Premier League we looked at our best when Norwood was on song. When he wasn't given as much time on the ball, he didn't play as well and we suffered.

Fast forward to this season and CWAK clearly envision Berge in this role. As good a playmaker as Norwood is, there are questions over his athleticism. In those games where we're being over-run in midfield, or they stick men on Norwood, we came unstuck last year. I reckon Berge must have been seen as the answer. A player with strength, power and athleticism, and most importantly an ability to drive past the press and (hopefully) dictate.

The very early evidence suggests to me that Berge isn't ready for the job. Our CM/CDM role requires the player to absolutely be the one of our main players on the pitch. Dictating play, taking responsibility. For me, Berge already looks a serious player, and so I don't want to knock his quality, but right now I'm not sure he's got the mindset or confidence to take everything on his shoulders from kick-off (arguably he did against Leeds but that was only when legs were tiring, IMO).

These are very early days, particularly for Berge in the role, but the question is what do you do?

Get Norwood back in the side, accept the slight drop in athleticism but hope we can find a way to free him up and dictate?

Stick at it with Berge, hoping he'll settle into his role under the guidance of CWAK.

Go with Ampadu. He played at CDM last night against Wales and he looked seriously confident on the ball against Leeds. At the very least, he seemed to have the mindset of a player who was keen to dictate.

Or do you go with someone else, or tweak the midfield all together? Go wild and play Norwood and Berge together. Berge winning the ball, driving forward with runs, Norwood dictating play.
 

I've gone Ampadu, but was really 50/50 between him and Norwood. Oddly enough, I think Berge would be best but right now I'd play him on the right instead of Lunny and give him licence to roam.
 
In order to be more expansive, we are gonna have to think about 2 in the centre.

Which would be Sander and Amps for me.

UTB
 
I've gone Ampadu, but was really 50/50 between him and Norwood. Oddly enough, I think Berge would be best but right now I'd play him on the right instead of Lunny and give him licence to roam.


You've gone for a player who has a toal of 120 minutes premier league experience, none of it in the central midfield role?
 
All three have their different qualities.

Norwood makes us tick when he’s on his game. He’s obviously the best we have at collecting from deep and dictating play by switching it wide to the overloads. That’s so important to our system. Teams seemed to work that out and stopped him playing though, which isn’t too difficult as he’s not the most athletic. When that happens, he’s very ineffective, as he doesn’t offer much more.

It might be Berge’s natural position but he’s probably more useful to us right now playing on the right of the three. Gives him license to roam forward as he’s good at carrying the ball. The only downside of that is that he doesn’t get into the box enough, like Lundstram.

I want to see what Ampadu is like there in a Berge-Ampadu-Fleck trio. I think he’s good enough on the ball (maybe doesn’t offer the long pings like Norwood does) and can track men and tackle, as someone who can play as a defender.
 
i think a huge problem is that teams have worked us out and will press Norwood out of the game, thus rendering our creative outlet useless.

CW is well aware of this which is why i think he will persevere with Berge, he has the technical ability to get out of a press to create chances, however he doesnt quite have the ping yet and seems to opt for a sideways pass. another big problem is that then playing Berge in the centre, we struggle for a creative outlet either side in the 3 as LCM/RCM doesnt seem quite up to it atm.

So the question is do we persevere with developing Berge as a highly mobile deep lying ping-maker, or do we use Norwood flanked by the more decent rcm/lcm pairing of Fleck/Berge but risk getting pressed out of the game?

I think we should go with both options to some extent. Norwood against teams where we see more possession, and Berge against high pressing opposition. However atm i think Berge should start every game no doubt, so rotate him between RCM/CDM
 
Home games - Norwood. Range of passing and ability to switch quickly is key to our attacking play.

Away I'd go with 2 sitting in with a back 4. So Berge and Ampadu/Bash. Norwood can play ahead of these with two wider (Burke and Fleck/Osborn) with one man up top.
 
At the moment - Ollie Norwood.

In the long term, it's probably a position to improve, either through Berge stepping up and learning the role, or recruiting.

Bring back some f'ing ping!
 
I think Berges best in the role, i dont agree at all he doesnt look ready for it. But the deficiencies we have currently at both RCM and LCM mean its probably best for the team if he plays RCM for now.

Lets be honest, he would probably be our best midfielder in any of the roles.
 
You've gone for a player who has a toal of 120 minutes premier league experience, none of it in the central midfield role?
Yes. A lot of people here seem to have become obsessed with PL experience as a prerequisite for trying anything. We had next to no PL experience at the start of last season and did pretty bloody well. Ampadu has got international experience there if that makes you feel better.

In terms of my logic, from what I've seen of him (which is admittedly not a lot), he looks very assured in carrying the ball out from the back, has a decent pass and can also defend. It may not work out, but personally I think he's worth a look.
 
I'd drop Stevens for Osborn/Lowe, play Ampadu next to Norwood and/or Berge in Flecks position, bring Robinson back in, and start Didzy and Sharp new game.
 
Considering how much emphasis CWAK usually put on balance, the issue for me is that it's difficult to find a formula with our better midfield players where they all play in their preferred positions.
 

Norwood every day of the week and twice on Sundays ,stats dont lie ,when he doesnt play we lose.
 
It’s Ampadu’s shirt to lose now, I think. Chelsea will need a tweak as I don’t think he can play, but he deserves to keep it against Man City.
 
Norwood every day of the week and twice on Sundays ,stats dont lie ,when he doesnt play we lose.

Wilder mentioned "mobility" as his reason for picking Ampadu yesterday. I don't think Norwood is in his plans anymore.
I also think Jack Robinson badly let him down against Fulham.

I don't think either player will be at the club next season if we stay up.
 
No way can I judge on this one....

I've only ever seen Norwood play that role in flesh.

The others just on TV and I don't think you can judge anyone just watching it on the box, you don't see the bigger picture or the little things like them getting caught in the wrong place or how much they shouting and directing play.
 
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We get hit on the break far too easily with Norwood in the team. Ampadu gave us much more movement in the middle yesterday.
 
Depends doesn’t it...if we need to contain the opposition, play Ampadu to protect the defence. If we need to be creative and take the game to the opposition then play Norwood.
Problem we’ve got is the lack of creativity from any other position in our team.
Ampadu’s shirt to lose now and the city game should suit him. If he has the passing range of Norwood, then we’re set for the season...if he doesn’t, then those overloads down the sides better start to materialise soon.
 
Ramsdale
Baldock Basham Egan Stevens lowe
Berge ampadu
Mcgoldrick
Mcburnie brewdog
Good shout - I would go for this. May swap McGoldrick with Osborne (or Fleck when he's fit again) if we feel we need a bit more width.
 
Ampadu and Berge are both elite level potential, so we should probably try and play them.

I think these two combined in midfield gives us the option to play a 10 and not shit the bed defensively, which could be huge.
 

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