How important is it to have a DM?

[DJS]

I would just like a hard bastard midfielder really, sometimes we are just too nice.

Excuse me can I have the ball please?

I'd like a snarling mean fucker in there who enjoys a tackle and screaming / scaring the shit out of his team mates.

 

[nicdic]

I would just like a hard bastard midfielder really, sometimes we are just too nice.

Excuse me can I have the ball please?

I'd like a snarling mean fucker in there who enjoys a tackle and screaming / scaring the shit out of his team mates.

In times gone past I think that was true, but I think theres a much better attitude in the squad these days, and Bentaleb and Mason probably have the most fire in them in the squad.

 

[DanielCHillier]

I'm sorry if you feel that way about yourself but there you go, for me neither Mason or Bentaleb are good enough to be first team regulars in a two man central midfield in a team that's looking to qualify for the CL

I can maybe understand Mason, but not rating Bentaleb . . . WTF!?

 

[DanielCHillier]

If we do sign an out and out DM I'd like to see a midfield 3 of him, Alli and Bentaleb. As both Bentaleb and Alli can contribute going forward, but also seem to have the positional and tactical ability to defend when needed.

 

[GetSpurredOn]

The Germans seem to be passing us by.
Next stop, Illarramendi or Camacho for me. The former is quite openly for sale, and just because he hasn't quite cut it there, that's far from a failure. Get Bale to have a word, let's get him in. Good all round game, tenacious tackler, good technique on the ball.

 

[ralphs bald spot]

What is meant by a DM ?

Sandro to me was a pure DM. Brilliant at winning the ball and preventing the opposition from playing but very limited at any other facet of the game.

People will say Matic and Schniederlin are DM's but that is not quite right, what I would call them is Uber CM's. They are superb defensively, but they are footballers too, clever, technically excellent on the ball with good passing (range, economy, progression etc).

We've seen the blueprint against Arsenal and Liverpool, we need that team ethic extracted on a more regular basis by the coach.

Its an interesting point about Matic and Schneiderlinn - I think the role of a defensive midfielder is a flawed one generally they add little to the team and all but the very best of them are relative passengers especially in lesser sides. Somebody replied to an earlier post I wrote and mentioned the signing of Palacios who in his first season was a huge success but a lot of that was that he allowed Modric to develop as a player who could dictate the tempo of or game. Palacios then became a positive influence and largely sort out the ball further forward rather than just filling holes

I believe what we need is a player who sets up play and dictates the tempo of a game a Michael Carrick clone would be nice. So often our play stagnates coming out of defence into midfield with a series of negative or sideways passes which allows sides to set themselves defensively and be more progressive in turning over procession further up the field. Defensively we would improve by being better offensively and having a pattern of play that is dictated and organised by a so called deep play maker

 

[crokey]

I think DM (along with striker) is the most important position on the pitch. There's so many different ways to play DM (almost all of which can be effective) that it's difficult to really discuss the position as a whole; probably better to discuss individual players and the effect their play has on the game.

 

[Barry Mead]

I can maybe understand Mason, but not rating Bentaleb . . . WTF!?

Sorry but I fail to see what's so good about Bentaleb, he's not great defensively and is pretty negative in his passing. Sure he works hard but skill wise he's just not that good defensively or offensively and he slows so much of our game down in midfield with his negative passing.
He's still young and can develop but it's tough developing weaker parts of your game when you only have two in central midfield and both are tending to run around trying to put out fires and it's not as if our advanced players are providing much support

 

[Lilbaz]

If we do sign an out and out DM I'd like to see a midfield 3 of him, Alli and Bentaleb. As both Bentaleb and Alli can contribute going forward, but also seem to have the positional and tactical ability to defend when needed.

Agree. If a dm comes in he would take bentalebs place. I can't see bentaleb and a dm offering enough going forwrd.

 

[DanielCHillier]

Agree. If a dm comes in he would take bentalebs place. I can't see bentaleb and a dm offering enough going forwrd.

I've watched Bentaleb playing for Algeria a few times and he actually very good going forward, just needs a DM to allow him the freedom

 

[Lilbaz]

I've watched Bentaleb playing for Algeria a few times and he actually very good going forward, just needs a DM to allow him the freedom

I'm not saying as in him scoring goals, i just think he goes for the safe pass to often compared to mason or alli.