- Jan 20, 2013
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I would say that's a massive reason why we're conceding goals.
The midfield 2 are weak in that area.
A DM would help enormously in that area.
A DM would help, but it wouldn't be enough.
Due to the nature of the high line and high press, we open up considerably more angles to play in behind and get around our CM's, regardless of how good they are. The problem is we're simply not pressing well enough at all and not cutting out those passing lanes, so even if we had Mascherano in there it wouldn't mean a rat's ass difference if we continue to fail at pressing the ball adequately higher up the pitch.
If you look at interviews from players at Saints while under Poch, they keep referring to a "trigger man." The whole point is that everyone must press -and quickly- if the whole system is to work. The less parts there are doing their job higher up the pitch, the more angles are opened, and the more exposed the double pivot and CB's are.
The logic that a DM would entirely solve our defensive issues would apply if we were playing a traditional format with a deeper-lying back line, but in this unique system you shouldn't be fooled by the fact we have no genuine DM in our setup. That is an illusion over the genuine problem which is further upfield.