As we sit here a week away from the first game of pre-season, I have honestly no clue as to how Le Boss will play it, and I’m sure many of you are the same

This article is inspired by Mean Lean’s MyVision blog . I initially typed it up as a comment but it was too hefty so I thought I’d post it as an article in its own right:

Every now and then I try and predict my lineup for next season, but I always get stuck when deciding on Cesc’s partner. As we sit here a week away from the first game of pre-season, I have honestly no clue as to how Le Boss will play it, and I’m sure many of you are the same. Maybe Denilson, maybe Diaby, maybe Song, maybe the boy Ramsey, maybe a new signing??

It’s difficult to tell what type of player is suited to Cesc: in 04/05 him and Gilberto started the season and looked very good – but this may have been because the whole team was flying. On the contrary, Cesc and Vieira didn’t gel too well mid-season, which was probably a factor in AW allowing Vieira to leave as he didn’t want Cesc to be held back. But again their relatively unsuccessful partnership could have been because of the general post-Old Trafford 50th game malaise that had set in to the entire team.

In 05/06 Cesc and Gilberto didn’t do the business as a duo in my opinion – only in the CL run when a third midfielder joined them in the centre did they look their best. This was surely a factor in us barely scraping 4th place in the league.

And in 06/07, both had very good individual seasons, but as a pair seemed to be lacking in steel/power/urgency. We suffered an inordinate amount of away defeats, and I don’t think it was a coincidence. That season truly was the height of us getting bullied by the northern monkeys.

Hence 07/08, when AW partnered Cesc with an all-action midfielder like the Flam and it blossomed beyond belief as the northern monkeys were quelled. The only problem was that it did not lend much aerial help to the relatively diminutive Gallas and Toure, which cost us dear at the end of the season.

In my eyes, there are three potential types of partner for Cesc: the holder (Gilberto); the big bruiser (Vieira); and the action man (Flam). I’m not sure which category Denilson and Diaby fall into here, and whether they are suited to Cesc. The following questions arise in my mind:

1. Will an anchorman (Song?) result in Cesc having to do all the attacking?

2. Can Diaby be disciplined enough to perform defensive duties?

3. Does Denilson have the energy of Flamini?

From the above questions, unless we sign someone (Yaya Toure?), my conclusion is that Kolo might be the man. As a defender by nature he can be disciplined (like Gilberto), he is energetic (like Flamini), and he is strong in the tackle and can drive forward (like Patrick). All very Michael Essien-esque. Maybe Kolo’s passing is lacking (he’s no Manu Petit), but it has definitely improved – check back to the end of last season and his assists for Ade against Reading and RvP against Derby, both lovely dinked balls.

And it would also free up a spot at the back for a big hefty defender alongside Gallas. But that’s another issue altogether…

What are your thoughts folks?