Rafa in Modric's role?

[Sweatybum]

In my mind Modric has played his last game for Spurs, irrespective of the result in the Allianz Arena on Saturday. Which got me wondering, couldn't VDV play Modric's role? He's creative, has an eye for a pass, has a football brain a la Teddy Sheringham and has played the game at the highest level all over Europe.

Surely we could implement a system whereby we build a team around Rafa the playmaker, and use the £30 + million that Daniel will squeeze out of Modric's suitors to strengthen the team in other areas?

 

[spurs mental]

No, Rafa is our best finisher, and our best player all around in my opinion, because he seems to have the mentality none of the others do. Can't drop him back into midfield. It'd leave us too open in a 4 man midfield as well, so you'd be weakening us in two areas. Not worth it.

 

[spurs mental]

Funny that Netherlands got to the World Cup final playing him deep

Only because they have Sneijder playing further forwar though. Rafa would play there if he didn't.

 

[yido_number1]

I agree with you any way think he is best used further forwards dropping in...

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

Who would play where vdv plays. We'd be reducing one of our only 3 goal scoring threats. Think I'd rather play sandro and parker and give vdv even more license to attack.

 

[Kingellesar]

For now I think he needs to stay forward because he is the best finisher and he can also see things other players can't, I mean look at the pass to Adebayor at the weekend. Maybe when he gets a bit older he will slip back into a CM role but for now, the best finisher at the club needs to start as far forward as possible.

The question should be, Modric in Rafas role? Could Modric do it? A lot of people on here seem to think so and we all know Rafa doesn't play a full season (although this season was pleasing) so would like to see Modric have a go there next season.

 

[tRiKS]

ina 4231 YES he could in a 442 never. Personally i think we've done well with Luka but this would be one summer too much to hold onto him. Set a high price and let them come looking for him.

 

[ravo]

Rafa is good where he is. In a 4-2-3-1, which I hope we will keep playing, I would like to see this sort of set up.

Hudd - Sandro​

Lennon - Rafa - Bale​

Striker​

 

[mattylad77]

If Modric does go, I'd play Pienaar, with Sandro alongside him.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

No.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Never in a 4-4-2, if we play 4-3-3 he could be part of a 3 man midfield definitely.

This suggestion reminds me of when alot of people said Kranjcar and Modric should play together in a CM in a 4-4-2. That turned out well.

 

[brasil_spur]

I think Rafa should definitely be a candidate for taking Modric's role. His passing and ball retention are as good as Modders IMO and he offers that forward threat that Modders doesn't.

I don't think Modric offers much on the defensive front and in games where we need a more attacking line up then we play just one midfielder behind him.

So a formation of either:

--- GK ---​

--- RB --- CB --- CB --- LB ---​

--- DM --- DM ---​

--- RW --- Rafa --- LW ---​

--- ST ---​

​

Or:​

--- GK ---​

--- RB --- CB --- CB --- LB ---​

--- DM ---​

--- RW --- Rafa --- LW ---​

--- ST --- ST ---​

​

I actually think if we use Sandro as our main DM and then for the other DM:​

​

Parker - for games when we need a solid tackling presence (away games to tough teams)​

Hudd - for games when we need some creativity and passing from the back​

Livermore - in games where we want to play a bit more open in midfield.​

​

Providing fitness of the above. Sandro should also be rotated out every 5 or so games for a rest with Parker coming in for him.​

​

That way in the league assuming full fitness throughout the season Sandro is playing 85% of our games, Parker is playing 50%, Huddlestone is playing 35% and Livermore is playing 30%.​

​

Obviously you can get more game time for Parker, Hudd and Livermor by playing them as subs later on in the games and also they'll get a good amount of league and UEFA/CL cup time, so overall everyone i think will be pretty happy with this (less so Parker perhaps).​

​

Then you need to bring in a back-up/rotation player for VdV.​

​

 

[hoodlum]

If Modric does go, I'd play Pienaar, with Sandro alongside him.

That's not too bad. Where does Pienaar play with Everton? I know he's in the middle, dictating play more, but is he higher up like VDV or back like Modric?

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

I think Rafa should definitely be a candidate for taking Modric's role. His passing and ball retention are as good as Modders IMO and he offers that forward threat that Modders doesn't.

I don't think Modric offers much on the defensive front and in games where we need a more attacking line up then we play just one midfielder behind him.

So a formation of either:

--- GK ---​

--- RB --- CB --- CB --- LB ---​

--- DM --- DM ---​

--- RW --- Rafa --- LW ---​

--- ST ---​

​

Or:​

--- GK ---​

--- RB --- CB --- CB --- LB ---​

--- DM ---​

--- RW --- Rafa --- LW ---​

--- ST --- ST ---​

​

I actually think if we use Sandro as our main DM and then for the other DM:​

​

Parker - for games when we need a solid tackling presence (away games to tough teams)​

Hudd - for games when we need some creativity and passing from the back​

Livermore - in games where we want to play a bit more open in midfield.​

​

Providing fitness of the above. Sandro should also be rotated out every 5 or so games for a rest with Parker coming in for him.​

​

That way in the league assuming full fitness throughout the season Sandro is playing 85% of our games, Parker is playing 50%, Huddlestone is playing 35% and Livermore is playing 30%.​

​

Obviously you can get more game time for Parker, Hudd and Livermor by playing them as subs later on in the games and also they'll get a good amount of league and UEFA/CL cup time, so overall everyone i think will be pretty happy with this (less so Parker perhaps).​

​

Then you need to bring in a back-up/rotation player for VdV.​

​

We would get raped in that second formation.

I know Sandro is good but he can't do the work of 3 men! Modric doesn't defend but he puts up more of a show than Rafa. Plus Rafa can't get up an down the pitch. He is best used closer to the opposition goal.

 

[brasil_spur]

Never in a 4-4-2, if we play 4-3-3 he could be part of a 3 man midfield definitely.

This suggestion reminds me of when alot of people said Kranjcar and Modric should play together in a CM in a 4-4-2. That turned out well.

I don't think anyone is suggesting we play VdV as part of a 4 man midfield, certainly it seems that we as a team are better suited to the 3 man midfield and i think this is where we've seen less of Modric influencing the play.

It's also a role which is pretty much spot on for VdV, he likes to be at the centre of play from an attacking perspective and we all know he can produce the goals needed in that role.

Far better than playing him off the main striker or out wide as we have done a lot previously.

 

[RJ1882]

He scores too many important goals for us to move him back there. He drop too deep as it is for me. I think, with the right centre forward VDV would be superb for us. Would score even more planing off someone like Llorente.

 

[brasil_spur]

We would get raped in that second formation.

I know Sandro is good but he can't do the work of 3 men! Modric doesn't defend but he puts up more of a show than Rafa. Plus Rafa can't get up an down the pitch. He is best used closer to the opposition goal.

I don't think we'd get raped all the time, but it very much is a second formation, that we play we either we need a goal and have nothing to lose or are playing against opposition that we think we can beat with a strong attacking line-up.

Bale has shown he can cover LM in a defensive way and whilst Lennon perhaps can't on the right so well, i would imagine we'll be singing a player for that position this summer who might be able to do this better than Lennon.

Like i said, formation 1.) is our main bread and butter, formation 2.) is for when we need goals or feel we can dominate enough to play it.

 

[ravo]

We would get raped in that second formation.

I know Sandro is good but he can't do the work of 3 men! Modric doesn't defend but he puts up more of a show than Rafa. Plus Rafa can't get up an down the pitch. He is best used closer to the opposition goal.

People say that, but he covers more ground on the pitch then any other player!

 

[adiepf]

In my mind Modric has played his last game for Spurs, irrespective of the result in the Allianz Arena on Saturday. Which got me wondering, couldn't VDV play Modric's role? He's creative, has an eye for a pass, has a football brain a la Teddy Sheringham and has played the game at the highest level all over Europe.

Surely we could implement a system whereby we build a team around Rafa the playmaker, and use the £30 + million that Daniel will squeeze out of Modric's suitors to strengthen the team in other areas?[/quote]

right this bothers me...

i remember when people said "sell berba & use the £30m to stregthen other areas"....we were 5th, we had finished 5th the season before & then we took this route (forced as Berba was in the last embers of his contract) & what happened???

we couldnt replace Berba (because he was bloody brilliant, hence utd wanted him) & lost our world class frontman....oh & our european status via the league for 2 seasons finishing 11th & then 8th!

so lets take the £40m yeah & then buy a striker cos we need one, say i dunno adebeyor for £15m...then we need vertonghen as well & probably another striker...oh & cover for left back...oh & then lets try & replace our one truly world class player in modric also!!!!!!!

if we sell Luka, we are gonna directly strengthen a rival (cos he will stay in the prem), it is a false economy, we cant replace our world class players with other world class players because we dont have the budget....

we simply have to keep our world class players to have any chance of competing for 4th every year & therefor getting the champions league millions...

if we take the quick buck for Luka mark my words we will fall away in the league, you cant replace Luka Modric`s or Dimitar Berbatov`s just like that...you have to wait years for a player to emerge from promise to a worldy....

Bale & Modric are simply not worth entertaining offers for becaue we will never replace them....

we dont need the money ffs, lets just keep our team together & we may have a shot at something great....u sell Luka & imo we wont finish in the top 4 for years....

 

[brasil_spur]

He scores too many important goals for us to move him back there. He drop too deep as it is for me. I think, with the right centre forward VDV would be superb for us. Would score even more planing off someone like Llorente.

I'm not sure, if he has 2 DM's behind him then he won't need to drop back too much.

I don't think he's ever really shown he can be a prolific striker either, a good one yes, but not a 20+ goal a season striker that we would need in a classic 4-4-2 formation. Frankly i think Defoe would net as many as VdV over a season as the second striker option to a big front man.

Also this has to be about minimum investment in the summer in new players. If we play a formation that needs two DM's then that suits us as we have Sandro & Parker with Livermore and Huddlestone as back-up. If we switch to playing with two midfielders only, then either our midfield will be very defensive and lacking in attacking capability or we'd have 4 players competing for one position and would need to sign two players for the other role, neither of which would be as good as Modric and would likely weaken our overall play.