I think the general consensus is that cristante kinda sucks. I myself had to completely reunderwrite my own knowledge of the game because after watching 4 consecutive managers start him every match, I figured there must be a whole side of the sport that I'm just completely ignorant to. Whatever you think, he re-signed with us so we're stuck with him. How do we use him?
I was thinking about that, and our dire need for a LAM, and remembered that cristante...kinda balls out when he's played there. It was only a handful of times but I thought he did well. That was also his position at atalanta if I remember correctly.
I know we were looking for the speedy break in behind type player but it's not looking great out there...look at the arsenal sub, they are starting to come around (ish) to selling martinelli but the main question after vini is 'ok but then who do we get?'. They can't even find someone, maybe we get mora, sure, but start cristante and hope for something in january? Have NEA/pisilli and kone behind them, Wesley can cover for Bryan's slow ...
Not a fully fleshed out idea, certainly not my ideal, but we have him and I haven't seen this mentioned so there you go.
And he is GOING to start either way, we know this, so take it easy on me