Agree 100% that JD can play this role. He's physically got stronger in the last year or so and his positional sense has improved enormously. If you look at Crouch trying to play the same role (e.g against Stoke) then, yes he can get the ball and pass off to a midfielder, but he's never a scoring threat.
I'd hope to see us playing the 4-5-1 formation away from home, and probably at home in the Champions League.