In a perfect world Clack yes you would have Mattias Sammer or Lothar Matteus stepping effortlessly in central midfield. But in the prem I don't think so, the key is your wing backs. Pearce Ruddock Stimac was hardly ball playing but we had Trevor Sinclair. The ultimate wingback.

If cress well and Downing could put the yards in we could so benefit from having the extra striker without losing a body in central midfield.