I have thought for a while with Tarks passing ability he could play further forward.In front of Gibson and Mee thoughts?

No ablue.

No he is an England cb. However his distribution would be very useful from the rhs of a back 3.

Actually is it really such a bad idea? Tarks in a kind of sweeper role and as Woodley says his distribution is great. Not saying it's going to happen but I wouldn't fall off my chair in surprise if it did.

Why would our best defender play in midfield when Defour, Cork, Westwood and Hendrick are all better midfielders than him?

Maybe in emergency but there is a huge difference in playing centre half and midfield.

At the back you are facing the play and came see what is happening. In midfield the ball is pinging about in all directions and I doubt Tarks has the flexibility or mobility to adapt. Bikey didn't and ala Edgar you may turn a centre half into a midfielder out of his comfort zone.

Can’t see Tarks being happy with that either. He had a great season last year and almost made the World Cup squad.

He’s hardly likely to be enamoured being pushed into an unfamiliar position just when his career is really taking off.

Tarks has good distribution for a CH, it's nowhere near good enough for a CM. Besides, why would anyone want to move someone we have turned into an England international. Do you think he is going to play for England as a CM.

Didn’t he come on and play here a few times when Keane was playing Chelsea away being one I thought

In an emergency perhaps.
Otherwise absolutely not. He doesn’t have the mobility, range of passing and skill to play midfield.
Leave him where he is.

No. Our success is built on our defence and we need our best defenders defending. In any case he would be bypassed with ease in cm. He is a good ball playing cb and should stay that way.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I reckon 188.

As an emergency measure in an injury crisis, its an option. As is Ward in midfield. Weve done it before.

As our regular plan, or even our principal contingency at the first injury or suspension, its a non starter.

Rileybobs wrote:Why would our best defender play in midfield when Defour, Cork, Westwood and Hendrick are all better midfielders than him?

It wouldn't be an out and out midfield role, it would still be predominantly defence. As I said like the old sweeper role playing free in front of Mee and Gibson. I only thought about it as it had been mentioned and because some were saying not a chance but I actually think it could work. If Gibson is as good as it is said then why not have Tarks in that role, it would be worth a try anyway.

He who dares and all that.

Hes already played for us in CM and was quite useful if memory serves me well , I think it was Birmingham away

Hes already played for us in CM and was quite useful if memory serves me well , I think it was Birmingham away

houseboy wrote:It wouldn't be an out and out midfield role, it would still be predominantly defence. As I said like the old sweeper role playing free in front of Mee and Gibson.

Ahem....... the old sweeper role played exclusively behind the center backs

On Claretsmad someone was asking if he could play the Hendricks role!!!!

Let's go a step further and play 3-5-2 with Tarks in midfield.

A quick-fire way to get relegated.

And I LAUGHED.

Burnley Ace wrote:On Claretsmad someone was asking if he could play the Hendricks role!!!!

Isn`t that a horribly out-of-position role? I could do that so pretty sure Tarkowski can ably manage!

How would this team fare?

Lindegaard
Long Taylor Mee
Lowton Tarkowski Westwood Ward Barnes
Gudmundsson
Wood

HiroshimaClaret wrote:How would this team fare?

Lindegaard
Long Taylor Mee
Lowton Tarkowski Westwood Ward Barnes
Gudmundsson
Wood

Is that some kind of twisted sick joke?

Burnley Ace wrote:On Claretsmad someone was asking if he could play the Hendricks role!!!!

Why would he be drinking gin?

NRC wrote:Ahem....... the old sweeper role played exclusively behind the center backs

Sorry yeah my mistake (it's been a while). Anyway playing as a free role in front of the cb's (whatever name you want to give it). A defensive midfield role to break up play before the defence gets over run (as sometimes happens the way we play). He then has the option to use his distribution skills in a more positive way going forward.

Hey nobody is saying it would work out but just playing a thought game here to keep an open mind.

HiroshimaClaret wrote:I reckon 188.

I'm going 186

Centre half in midfield? Well it was a roaring success the last time we tried it with David Edgar.......

HiroshimaClaret wrote:How would this team fare?

Lindegaard
Long Taylor Mee
Lowton Tarkowski Westwood Ward Barnes
Gudmundsson
Wood

We'd drop like a hotpot.

Herts Clarets wrote:Centre half in midfield? Well it was a roaring success the last time we tried it with David Edgar.......

Hardly the attitude!!!!!!

David Edgar........Fulham away.
I still have the nightmares.

Touchline wrote:David Edgar........Fulham away.
I still have the nightmares.

You`re missing the big picture. He was carrying out a role for the team

Pep Guardiola was recently discussing giving John Stones an opportunity in a CDM role should Fernadhinio get injured - he thought he could do it. Amazing how so many of you dismiss Tarks for a similar role.

Vegas Claret wrote:Pep Guardiola was recently discussing giving John Stones an opportunity in a CDM role should Fernadhinio get injured - he thought he could do it. Amazing how so many of you dismiss Tarks for a similar role.

TBF Vegas Claret the demands of a CDM role at Burnley and Man City are vastly different,in nearly all their games last season City dominated the ball,so the defensive qualities are not so essential,our most effective results have been achieved soaking up pressure and breaking,or making the game disjointed and nicking something from a set-piece.

Tarks could do a job in dire straits,but we really don't want to be putting square pegs in round holes again.In addition that would mean the two ben's playing as a CB pairing and both are left-footed which would immediately unbalance the shape.

tiger76 wrote:TBF Vegas Claret the demands of a CDM role at Burnley and Man City are vastly different,in nearly all their games last season City dominated the ball,so the defensive qualities are not so essential,our most effective results have been achieved soaking up pressure and breaking,or making the game disjointed and nicking something from a set-piece.

Tarks could do a job in dire straits,but we really don't want to be putting square pegs in round holes again.In addition that would mean the two ben's playing as a CB pairing and both are left-footed which would immediately unbalance the shape.

funny then how Guardiola often says that Fernadhinio is City's most important player as he allows the attacking players to do what they do. Now, i'm not comparing Fernadhinio to Tarks obvisously but I don't see a colossal difference between Stones and Tarks. I also wouldn't convert Tarks into a cdm on a permanent basis but I think he could do that job if we were desperate.

185

Approx 6ft 2

Woodleyclaret wrote:I have thought for a while with Tarks passing ability he could play further forward.In front of Gibson and Mee thoughts?

No. He's a centre back. We need a specialist for that position.

We tried this, late on, a couple of times in the Champions season. He didn’t look comfortable to me.

How about Kevin long upfront. He’s a great headerer of the ball. Get some balls into the box and he’ll challenge for the Golden Boot.

No seriously - Tarks could play in midfield but only if we really had to.

piston broke wrote:We tried this, late on, a couple of times in the Champions season. He didn’t look comfortable to me.

On a couple of occasions last season late on when we were needing a goal he picked the ball up deep and ran with it nobody could get near him , I actually think he could be useful late on in games given the option to push on really puts the oppo under pressure

Ooogeorgeorgeoghani wrote:On a couple of occasions last season late on when we were needing a goal he picked the ball up deep and ran with it nobody could get near him , I actually think he could be useful late on in games given the option to push on really puts the oppo under pressure

I’d be guessing they were games we were chasing and the oppos were sitting in. Giving him the space he needed. Slightly different from playing in MF but SD knows best.

People seem to be looking for an excuse to get rid of Cork. I think it would be a huge mistake. All he does is work his a*se off and score important goals.