Central Midfield

[nidge]

In the aftermath of the game tonight against Man Utd I got thinking about our Central Midfield area and how it very often leaves our defensive 5 very exposed in that our defenders don't know whether to press the ball or stay with the runners. (Utd's second goal is a prime example) Part of the problem is the type of central midfielders we actually have on our books, of all of them only Sandro appears to be able to play a more screening role and even then I doubt that, that is his best use of his talents.

Then there is the issue of pace in the centre or as I should say the lack of pace. Tonight really highlighted to me that we lack players that have that 5-10 yard burst of pace that either allows them to break past the defending midfield or when we are defending allow the player to get back into position to keep our shape better. We must have the most one paced collection of central midfielders in the league (oddly enough the much maligned Jenas is about the only one that has that burst of pace.)

That being said pace isn't completely essential if the pace that lacks it has the other attributes that can mitigate the issue of pace. It can also be mitigated by how the team are setup to play and as I see at this moment we really don't have the ideal collection of CM's require to play a 4-4-2 (or 4-4-1-1 with VDV in the side) and that was part of the problem after the changes after we went a goal down tonight.

I guess the jist of what I am getting at is that without Modric (can't include him in any discussion at the moment with his situation) is that I can see why we are seriously looking at Diarra from Real and were/are looking at Parker from West Ham.

 

[The Apprentice]

If we sign Diarra, we should play Diarra and Sandro every game.

We have too many soft creative players who struggle to keep shape.

 

[stemark44]

We need to be playing 4-3-3,scrap this crappy 4-4-1-1 and 4-4-2,we will get nowhere fast playing those systems.
Get a few quick players with technique and some fucking football intelligence.

 

[mpickard2087]

In the aftermath of the game tonight against Man Utd I got thinking about our Central Midfield area and how it very often leaves our defensive 5 very exposed in that our defenders don't know whether to press the ball or stay with the runners. (Utd's second goal is a prime example) Part of the problem is the type of central midfielders we actually have on our books, of all of them only Sandro appears to be able to play a more screening role and even then I doubt that, that is his best use of his talents.

Then there is the issue of pace in the centre or as I should say the lack of pace. Tonight really highlighted to me that we lack players that have that 5-10 yard burst of pace that either allows them to break past the defending midfield or when we are defending allow the player to get back into position to keep our shape better. We must have the most one paced collection of central midfielders in the league (oddly enough the much maligned Jenas is about the only one that has that burst of pace.)

That being said pace isn't completely essential if the pace that lacks it has the other attributes that can mitigate the issue of pace. It can also be mitigated by how the team are setup to play and as I see at this moment we really don't have the ideal collection of CM's require to play a 4-4-2 (or 4-4-1-1 with VDV in the side) and that was part of the problem after the changes after we went a goal down tonight.

I guess the jist of what I am getting at is that without Modric (can't include him in any discussion at the moment with his situation) is that I can see why we are seriously looking at Diarra from Real and were/are looking at Parker from West Ham.

Agree with your point RE. lack of pace, although I think Sandro, Palacios and Jenas (possibly although seems to have lost his engine) have it on the defensive side, and Livermore is positionally raw but also has a good engine.

Agree more about the formation, tried to make this point the other week though not very well :lol: We do have a problem in our team that our centre mids and VDV (and maybe our fullbacks eg. Walker and Rose) would probably be more effective in a 4-3-3, whilst our Wingers and strikers are definately better in a 4-4-2. The only way I can see it being solved is Harry deciding how he is going to play and then being ruthless and buying/playing players who fit the system, even if it means some 'star' names are dispensed with.

 

[double0]

4411 is a good system dependant upon the main striker...Defoe played OK but we're clearly in need of a striker, a cut above.

We also need more pace in the team.

 

[Rackybear]

Fickle. I know people dont wanna hear it. But modric really isnt going anywhere, and the sooner he realises it (will be pretty soon I should think.. about a week lets say?), then with him, sandro, huddlestone and potentially diarra, we have a midfield which is more then capable, as it has been in past seasons in which we've outplayed more or less everyteam we've played at some point or another.

We need a striker who will hold the ball up and let those midfielders support him aka Adebayor.

Things will look positive very soon. Suddenly Adebayor and Diarra are in our team and everyone will stop moaning.

 

[Krafty]

The midfield was a bit make shift, but I do think we have a problem (and it becomes clear against Utd) when a striker drops off or wingers start roaming inside. The midfield four and the defensive 4 can get too stretched across the pitch, leaving holes for players to pass and run through.

The wingers need to do a bit more defensively, not just tracking their opposing full backs but getting alongside the central midfielders when they start getting dragged apart.

Hudd and Vdv really lacked pace in the centre and we got over run. Our best central midfield performance, in terms of defence, was AC Milan away when Wilson and Sandro complemented each other perfectly plus had a clear game plan (to close down Seedorf)

 

[stemark44]

4411 is a good system dependant upon the main striker...Defoe played OK but we're clearly in need of a striker, a cut above

So you are happy to depend on a single striker to score all the goals we need and a midfield 2 that will get over run on a regular basis providing very little support to our defenders?

We need GFTS and we need to bring in 3 players,a striker to lead the line and two wingers/strikers who can ask some serious questions from defender's by pulling them all over the place.

 

[Kendall]

I think this has been an issue ever since we brought Bale into the team at left midfield. As soon as we sacrificed a proper CM for Modric and took him off the left to accomodate Bale, we reverted to beind extremely open.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

We need to be playing 4-3-3,scrap this crappy 4-4-1-1 and 4-4-2,we will get nowhere fast playing those systems.
Get a few quick players with technique and some fucking football intelligence.

Agree with this, the midfield needs bolstering in terms of numbers imo. While we do lack pace there too we make it easy for teams to get at our back 5. Alot of times Utd had good shooting positions just outside our box with no midfielders anywhere to be seen.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

I think this has been an issue ever since we brought Bale into the team at left midfield. As soon as we sacrificed a proper CM for Modric and took him off the left to accomodate Bale, we reverted to beind extremely open.

This is another good point, both Bale and Lennon hug the touchline and prefer to go on the outside. So this leaves the middle 2 extremely exposed usually. And considering today we had Krancjar who can't really run that left most dirty work to be done by the inexperienced Livermore.

 

[eddiebailey]

Isn't the fix to play Pienaar as a tucking-in right midfield, and using Walker for width, with a proper screening midfield to cover his runs, presumably Diarra (though I would still like to see Corluka tried in that role).

 

[Kendall]

It'd be a fix if Pienaar wasn't well below the standard of footballer required.

 

[Rackybear]

4-5-1 is fine. Turning into a 4-3-3 when we attack. We juts desperately need a Sandro / Diarra / Palacios in that midfield...and a seemingly fitter VDV to help out as much as well when we dont have the ball.

Bale on the left is not a problem, although yes we did have more balance when we had Modric out on the left.

 

[double0]

In certain games we can still play 4411, ideally I'd like for us to play 4231. But TBH we got some of our better results playing 4411, with wins away to Liverpool and Arsenal. For 60min against Utd we matched them, then caved in.

ManU played the same system 4411 the difference was there forwards, that's our big problem.

 

[shyfx2k2]

Playing 4-4-2 with 2 out and out wingers is very hard to pull off. IMO we have to have Modric playing in order to make it work effectively. Very easy to read, made harder by Lennon who might as well be standing out there having a smoke half the time!

The Real Madrid style 4-2-3-1 with 2 deep lying midfielders providing cover for attacking full backs would provide more balance I think. We could then have VDV, Modric and Bale behind a striker.

2 wingers might work well in Europe, where full backs simply aren't used to being beaten on the outside but in England, where teams have been playing 4 across the middle for years, players like Bale and Lennon are getting marked out of games easier and easier I'm afraid.

 

[kishman]

I tell you what doesn't help in central mdifiel, a referree tjat doesn't send Jonny Evams off for a clear second bookable offence.

PS: Nani is a rat shit Michel Jackosn.

 

[shyfx2k2]

Oh and it's obvious that Harry wants to get someone like Parker in, judging by him wanting 'characters'.

 

[kdspur]

we have alot of not very bright players playing for spurs. lennon is clueless and shit for brains. deofe is even worse

way to go with diarra signing is to have snadro and diarra shielding the back 4 in any way possible and having option of bale at left full bale and walker as right back with modric vdv and a.n other and a. n other up front on his own and way it looks like is this -


walker dawson kaboul ekotto
sandro diarra

vdv modric bale
adebayor

no room for idiioits like lennon and defoe. cant believe their performances tonight. shocking.

 

[kernowspur]

I ind it hard to believe that some here still think that Hudd should be first choice in CM. He is far too slow and for the 15 minutes he was on tonight once again showed how limited he is.What we need is a fit Sandro with either Diarra or Parker backing up Modric, if he is still here. We realy need him to stay and be at the top of his form.