The Great Midfield Debate

[Netty]

Lennon Heddleston Jenas Bale. Think for us to start breaking into the top four, we really need a top class CM (amongst other things but this position is my greatest worry), someone to get hold of the game & control it, a Gerard type player.

 

[whendayearendsin1]

The management have made a huge error in not improving the middle of the park, therefore until the window opens again we have to do with what we have.

For me Steed-Hudd-JJ-Bale is our best comb - very lightweight but the best we have at the moment.

 

[tony0379]

lets see what midfield the big man puts out tonight

 

[Fancypants]

:drool: :supered: ray:

that'd be my midfield from left to right :wink:

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I like the Steed in the middle idea. It was his most influential position for Fulham, and surely is our most creative midfielder aside from the mammoth Hudd.

Jenas has gone off the boil again, as he does now-and-again, so why not put Steedo in his place? (He's probably been the best performer - if not, the most consistent - this season and I believe Lee and Bale has potential on the left; despite them both being left backs.

Despite Zokora's 1%-hill improvement wink: - that one's just for you slothy) I still favour a Hudd sitting and a Jenas/Malbranque pusher-on-er. If not Hudd then Tainio can offer the blocker position, but his passing lets him down on occasion even if he does go back for the second, third and fourth challenge.

So with Bale and Lennon a foregone conclusion (it would seem) it has to be the choice between Hudd/Tainio and Jenas/Malbranque. Of course caveated by 'opinion'.

Stoof, this is absoloute rubbish. he fell out with Coleman because he wanted to play there. Coleman played him there a couple of times and Fulham got beat nearly every time so Coleman refused to play him there any more and henc Malbranque refusing to sign a new deal etc.

The last two away games that Zokora has played (Bolton and liverpool) he has been outstanding/very good depending on perspective. So why drop him.


The answer, as has been muted for a long time now by me and others, would clearly be to play a proper midfield 5 away from home. It would compensate for the individual dificiencies in the midfield whilst playing to the individual strengths, it would offer more protection for the real problem area - the defence - and with Bale/Malbranque/Lennon we can attack from the flanks and with Jenas/Zokor/Hudd/KPB/Taarabt we have the ability to support the centre attacks.


I am still amazed that "what to do about problem midfield" threads are popping up ahead of "what to do about our shocking defence" threads. We have a terrible goalkeeper, dawson is slow and reads and reacts slowly, Kaboul is inexperienced in this league and young and Chimbonda has lapses in concentration.

This worries me far more than our midfield which out plays Liverpool at anfield.

 

[Stoof]

Stoof, this is absoloute rubbish. he fell out with Coleman because he wanted to play there. Coleman played him there a couple of times and Fulham got beat nearly every time so Coleman refused to play him there any more and henc Malbranque refusing to sign a new deal etc.

I really wish you'd stop claiming my stuff as absolute rubbish, when it patently, blatantly, flagrantly isn't. He influences the game more from central positions. As he has done in his entire Spurs career. He spends more time drifting in towards a central position than he does anything else. So why not give him a headstart by putting him in there.

I'd like to try it. That's all I'm saying, that's all anyone in this thraed is saying. And I don't see you having a go at them? Hmmm, can't think why?

The last two away games that Zokora has played (Bolton and liverpool) he has been outstanding/very good depending on perspective. So why drop him.

We were talking ideally. I was talking ideally. I caveated it with my opinion, I don't want Zokora in the team. It's my choice, and I'm allowed to make it. And do.

The answer, as has been muted for a long time now by me and others, would clearly be to play a proper midfield 5 away from home. It would compensate for the individual dificiencies in the midfield whilst playing to the individual strengths, it would offer more protection for the real problem area - the defence - and with Bale/Malbranque/Lennon we can attack from the flanks and with Jenas/Zokor/Hudd/KPB/Taarabt we have the ability to support the centre attacks.

And it should be muted too. No volume. Can't hear you.

I don't want us playing a 4-5-1 - it doesn't work. You think we're bad at sitting back in a 4-4-2, you wait til that happens with a 5 man midfield.

The fact you're advocating Taarabt and KPB is laughable. Based on what they've played and interest level, it's ridiculous. They're kids - even more kiddish than the kids we have in there already!

I am still amazed that "what to do about problem midfield" threads are popping up ahead of "what to do about our shocking defence" threads. We have a terrible goalkeeper, dawson is slow and reads and reacts slowly, Kaboul is inexperienced in this league and young and Chimbonda has lapses in concentration.

This worries me far more than our midfield which out plays Liverpool at anfield.

And what a great time to bring up your anti-Dawson and anti-Robinson agendas. I was getting worried then. I'm frankly pissed off with you and your lack of knowledge on this subject. You call Robinson poor without any sort of coaching expertise, any football experience beyond Sunday morning down Hackney Marshes (*assumption*) with all the other Big-Time Charlies that stroll around like they could step into a Premiership team, for them to get mugged off by a 16 year old with good feet. I've seen your type before and they think they know better than everyone else.

Here's news mate: you don't. I don't claim to know more than you, but to refute the claims of others that do - including my mate who's had trials for our club in that very position who now coaches kids in that position; my former boss who played at Conference level as a 'keeper and this site's very own collection of experienced goalkeepers, let alone the Professionals coming out in defence of him - including our own management - is just beyond arrogant

Well it's bollocks. And your condescending, patronising, ageist manner just pisses me off. Your age doesn't equal your knowledge.

 

[Northernspurs]

Tonight I'd go:- TT
Jena Hudd
Malbranque

That should confuse Big Sam

 

[Northernspurs]

By the way that's meant to be a diamond that went wrong!!!!

 

[The Apprentice]

Nothing that Riquelme and Arteta wouldn't sort out.

In their absence, I guess it's the usual suspects away from home. TT- JJ- Zokora - Bale.

 

[jimbo]

I'm not confident in our defence, I think it lacks confidence and obviously we miss King, there aren't many clubs that wouldn't. I don't think a five man midfield is the answer though, because if the defence is our prime weakness then surely our attack is our prime strength, so playing with only 1 striker would, to my mind, be a bad choice.

A 3-5-2 would be better if that's what we wanted to do, I can't think of a time that formation has succeeded in the Premiership and in the middle of a dodgy run of results, if not performances, wouldn't seem to be the best time to go changing the formation.

 

[dontcallme]

We've a few options

Lennon--Zokora--Huddlestone--Bale

Very attack minded, the central midfielders holding and sweeping up while the wingers are given license to attack and run at defenders at all opportunities.

Tainio----Huddlestone---jenas
Lennon

The three central midfielders holding back and linking up play while Lennon has free role to run at defenders all over the pitch and not consigned to hugging one wing where he is constantly double teamed.

There are more options and combinations but whatever we play our midfielders aren't as good as the top four both individually or as a unit.

 

[Real_madyidd]

I don't think this debate is that great. Can the thread be renamed? How about "the same old midfield debate"?

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I really wish you'd stop claiming my stuff as absolute rubbish, when it patently, blatantly, flagrantly isn't. He influences the game more from central positions. As he has done in his entire Spurs career. He spends more time drifting in towards a central position than he does anything else. So why not give him a headstart by putting him in there.

I'd like to try it. That's all I'm saying, that's all anyone in this thraed is saying. And I don't see you having a go at them? Hmmm, can't think why?

We were talking ideally. I was talking ideally. I caveated it with my opinion, I don't want Zokora in the team. It's my choice, and I'm allowed to make it. And do.

And it should be muted too. No volume. Can't hear you.

I don't want us playing a 4-5-1 - it doesn't work. You think we're bad at sitting back in a 4-4-2, you wait til that happens with a 5 man midfield.

The fact you're advocating Taarabt and KPB is laughable. Based on what they've played and interest level, it's ridiculous. They're kids - even more kiddish than the kids we have in there already!

And what a great time to bring up your anti-Dawson and anti-Robinson agendas. I was getting worried then. I'm frankly pissed off with you and your lack of knowledge on this subject. You call Robinson poor without any sort of coaching expertise, any football experience beyond Sunday morning down Hackney Marshes (*assumption*) with all the other Big-Time Charlies that stroll around like they could step into a Premiership team, for them to get mugged off by a 16 year old with good feet. I've seen your type before and they think they know better than everyone else.

Here's news mate: you don't. I don't claim to know more than you, but to refute the claims of others that do - including my mate who's had trials for our club in that very position who now coaches kids in that position; my former boss who played at Conference level as a 'keeper and this site's very own collection of experienced goalkeepers, let alone the Professionals coming out in defence of him - including our own management - is just beyond arrogant

Well it's bollocks. And your condescending, patronising, ageist manner just pisses me off. Your age doesn't equal your knowledge.

You stop writing it i'll stop claiming it. How many times have you actually seen malbranque play CM ? 1 ? 2 ? The rest of his career played mostly wide right. And yet you claim it's his best position.

Your age does. It also seems to preclude you from arguing anything on a logical, evidenciary basis. "Robnson is brilliant because my mate says so".

Your ignorance and bias pisses me off.

 

[Stoof]

You stop writing it i'll stop claiming it. How many times have you actually seen malbranque play CM ? 1 ? 2 ? The rest of his career played mostly wide right. And yet you claim it's his best position.

Your age does. It also seems to preclude you from arguing anything on a logical, evidenciary basis. "Robnson is brilliant because my mate says so".

Your ignorance and bias pisses me off.

If you miss the point of my posts any more you might actually go full circle and hit them from the other side.

When did I say "Robinson was brilliant"? You said he was shit - I countered with "he isn't" based on a lot of people a hell of a lot more informed than you or I. But in BC World (where in the world? BC World) that he isn't shit means he's brilliant. I suppose that's why you got your fares in a befuddle when I found middle ground between Zokora being shit and good. Because apparently there's no grey in between black and white.

Bias is something you really need to look up and apply to yourself. At least I admit to my bias, you just stomp on with the ol' holier than thou.

When I post something to counter you, I rarely attack your intellect. However you constantly attack mine. It's a fantastic inferiority complex, just itching to ask me what I do and how clever I am. :lol:

Chin up ol' bean and whatwhat.

 

[SpursManChris]

Well all I know is that last night our midfield looked like nothing more than a bunch of idiotic jokers running around on a football pitch not knowing what to do. With the exclusion of Bale of course. They didn't look like they could create a thing and the number of balls they were giving away! Long passes into ludicrous positions, where there were no white shirts for miles! Lee was a major culprit of this when he pushed forward which I'm sure you all noticed. Now... Boateng. I mean really, if he's as talented as he's cracked up to be, he'd be playing, right? It's my understanding that he was playing regularly for Hertha, so why is he not being used? His marriage is surely out of the way now. I have fears that he could end up being a total flop, but I suppose there is a fair bit of hope with his 'Young German Player of the year" award.

 

[easiman]

None of them is playing with pride, or for the manager at the moment. So whatever way we perm them together it won't work well. There has to be a fundemental mindset change, and the coaching staff do not appear to be able to achieve anything like a balanced performance out of our midfield.

 

[The Apprentice]

We NEED two central midfielders come January. Don't give a shit who we offload. Another leftie wouldn't go amiss.