We Aren't Using Modric Wisely

[Bus-Conductor]

Okay it's one of our problems, but why move Modric out of the centre and play him in an unfamiliar role?

I'm not questioning it I'm just curious about the reasoning.

Personally in your formation I'd be more inclined to swap Bale and Modric over.

To be honest, there's a shit load of explanation throughout this thread as to why I would move Modric out of CM, so I won't go into detail, feel free to browse. But in summary:

I feel it would address multiple issues. We are lacking creatively, lacking intelligence in the final third, we have too many flyweights who are making us vulnerable from both flanks which in turn pull out of shape our CM's and leave us vulnerable in the centre, we can't play two out and out wingers.

It's like Redknapp feels he can get away with anything as long as he can stand there post match every game and say "we are an open side" like he's tapping in to the tottenham way, and as long as he tells everyone that he's covered.

As Timberwolf said above, Modric would look good no matter where you play him, because he is our best footballer. This time last year we'd scored 55 goals to this seasons 32. We'd also conceded a couple less.

Bale is a bit like a more powerful version of Lennon, his end product still lacks intelligence at times, Lennon's is very wasteful. I feel we would balance some of our defensive deficiencies and at the same time put something different, more intelligent into our attack if we put Modric in Lennon's place. He'll still roam and come inside like he always did on the left, but he can also beat men - better than Lennon who relys purely on pace and is easily blown off the ball - and when Modric is around the box he gets his head up, unlike Lennon. As a bonus by-product he will also give us more defensive effort and more ball retention as well. Lennon for impact or injuries elsewhere.

 

[stemark44]

I really do hope Harry revisit's the formation from last year and hopefully the win at Blackburn might actually be a turning point in our season.

 

[felmani26]

I think the major plus point in utilising Modric higher up the pitch is that it should bring about a much greater ball rentention in the last third - a problem that has been consistent all season with all our strikers incapable of holding up play for more than a couple of seconds and more often than not, giving possession back.

That being said I think even more so than our current system employed is that we need a physical presence up front as a foil for the likes of Modric, VdV etc and that's why despite a quite ridiculous price tag, I did like what Carroll would bring to us as an individual and as a key cog in making us function fully as a team.

There's been several instances this season of dominating teams which stems from winning the midfield battle in which Modric centrally does so well, but in saying that our final ball has been lacking somewhat which is indicative of poor decision making and poor movement from our strikers - Modric further up the pitch would add some needed nous where we can hurt teams albeit we still require someone to stick the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis.

 

[THOWIG]

I certainly wouldn't play Modric on the right side of midfield where I've never seen him play. Square peg round hole springs to mind.

I think two major things would improve us. One would be a world class defensive midfielder and the other would be a world class centre forward who would give us that ball retention we crave in the final third.

I'd be tempted to play a front three of Van Der Vaart, Bale and Pavlyuchenko(For the time being). Plus a midfield three of Huddlestone, Palacios and Modric just in front.

 

[SpurSince57]

This time last year we'd scored 55 goals to this seasons 32. We'd also conceded a couple less.

In fact, it was 45, and the difference can easily be explained; Defoe has been missing for most of the season and, in the league at least, Crouch would struggle to score in Dwight Yorke's jacuzzi, as they used to say of Heskey (and probably still do). We've conceded one goal more, and are one point worse off.

And despite Redknapp's total incompetence, we've gathered better than two points a game over the past twelve. That's absolutely shocking.

Don't you all just long for those halcyon days of 2008, when Juanque Wendy Random was doing things in the style we Spurs fans love?

 

[werty]

This time last year we'd scored 55 goals to this seasons 32. We'd also conceded a couple less.

Just out of curiosity, where did you find these stats B-C? The stats from this season seem to be league only(we actually have 33, but I'm assuming the stat wasn't updated from last night), but it looks like you've included all competitions for last season, which is obviously going to skew the results. I don't have the stats for what we scored in the league this time last year, but we ended with 67 goals, and I'm pretty certain we scored more than 12 goals in our last 14 league games. If you include all competitions for this season, the totals are pretty much the same, assuming the 55 is correct.

For the record, if we were started the team from scratch I'd prefer Modric to play on the left in a 442. I think we have a better balance when he cuts in from the left and looks for the space. Lennon and Bale aren't the best and coming more central to find space and can be quilty of playing in straight lines at times, if you know what I mean. We're generally more solid with Modric on the left too.

The problem(not the best choice of words) is I don't think we can play VDV in midfield in a 442. Yes, we won with it last night, but every time he plays on the right we've always lopsided defensively. Therefore, we're going to go to a 451 to accomodate him. I don't like Modric on the left and particularly the right in that formation. If memory serves me correct, we played like that against West Ham, WBA and Fulham. We were poor in all those games offensively and defensively. We might have tried it a few more times than that with better success, but those ones stand out.

I think there's only a few tweeks needed to be made to our 451 formation to get us playing better. Offensively, we obviously need to get more goals from whoever is up front. We also need to start getting players running in behind and support whoever that may be. Lennon and Bale should be making more diagonal runs across the fullbacks and trying to get in behind, especially if Crouch in up front because teams will tend to push up more. We're also a but guilty or being reactive rather than proactive. Lennon's goal against Liverpool is a good example. When BAE had the ball, Lennon should've been looking to make a run across Konchesky before he played the pass. Instead he reacted after the pass, although thankfully we still scored.

Defensively we just need to demand more from Lennon, Bale and VDV. I don't think it would matter who the two other midfielders beside them are, they and we as a team will struggle to be hard to break down if we don't demand more. We were fine at the end of last season with a midfield of Bale - Modric - Hudd - Lennon because Lennon and Bale were doing their bit. This season they haven't been and we should be getting more from them.

Still though, the results have been good so far this season. If one of our strikers can get into some goalscoring form then I think we'll match last seasons points tally, which should/hopefully will be enough for CL again.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

In fact, it was 45, and the difference can easily be explained; Defoe has been missing for most of the season and, in the league at least, Crouch would struggle to score in Dwight Yorke's jacuzzi, as they used to say of Heskey (and probably still do). We've conceded one goal more, and are one point worse off.

And despite Redknapp's total incompetence, we've gathered better than two points a game over the past twelve. That's absolutely shocking.

Don't you all just long for those halcyon days of 2008, when Juanque Wendy Random was doing things in the style we Spurs fans love?

You're really obsessed with Ramos aren't you. You must have felt really dirty when you were singing his praises at the start of 2008 eh ?

 

[jonathanhotspur]

I agree with BC and Timberwolf. I don't think we have the right blend of players to adopt a 4-2-3-1 formation just now because of our limited striking options but Modric is wasted in his current position.

 

[Bill_Oddie]

Personally in your formation I'd be more inclined to swap Bale and Modric over.

Me too. Although Bale would have to work hard to improve his right foot. Putting him on the other side would negate his tremendous bursts to the byline because every time he did one he'd fail to cut it back or put it out of play.

I suspect he's a season or two away from being able to be fully convincing as a right sided player.

I certainly wouldn't play Modric on the right side of midfield where I've never seen him play. Square peg round hole springs to mind.

I think two major things would improve us. One would be a world class defensive midfielder and the other would be a world class centre forward who would give us that ball retention we crave in the final third.

I'd be tempted to play a front three of Van Der Vaart, Bale and Pavlyuchenko(For the time being). Plus a midfield three of Huddlestone, Palacios and Modric just in front.

This would certainly be my preferred option. Hutton and BAE would make this work, I feel. And Walker certainly would be in his element were he here.

Imagine a defensive unit for the opposition trying to plan how to deal with Bale and VDV hitting you in the channels, crosses coming from deep and passes being threaded into the feet of our intelligent frontmen with Pav on hand to feed off the scraps. Plus the squad players would very easily rotate into positions if injuries or suspensions dictated.

-----Huddlestone-----
--Modric----Palacios--
---------------------
----VDV------Bale----
---------Pav---------

could easily become:

-------Sandro------
--Jenas----Pienaar--
--------------------
---Lennon---Niko----
------JD/Crouch----

 

[stevenurse]

As someone mentioned before, the problem we have is a top striker and a quality defensive midfielder. modric has been class in centre midfield this season and bale has proven himself to be one of the best left wingers around at the moment. when he is pushed back it seems that despite his ability to get up and down we dont look as dangerous. You cant legislate for pace and with bale/Lennon on the wings we have that. I'd be tempted to just play vdv as a striker in a 442 rather than a 4411.

And why do so many people write Lennon off? In so many of these fantasy teams he is omitted, he has been class recently and we would miss him if he wasnt there, much like we miss bale

 

[Kendall]

Wow. With Bale being the best, Modric being top class, Lennon being on form and VDV being immense, surely we should be picking teams off left right an centre?

We're not, because individual performances are different to what creates a winning machine of a team.

 

[cusop]

To be honest, there's a shit load of explanation throughout this thread as to why I would move Modric out of CM, so I won't go into detail, feel free to browse. But in summary:

I feel it would address multiple issues. We are lacking creatively, lacking intelligence in the final third, we have too many flyweights who are making us vulnerable from both flanks which in turn pull out of shape our CM's and leave us vulnerable in the centre, we can't play two out and out wingers.

It's like Redknapp feels he can get away with anything as long as he can stand there post match every game and say "we are an open side" like he's tapping in to the tottenham way, and as long as he tells everyone that he's covered.

As Timberwolf said above, Modric would look good no matter where you play him, because he is our best footballer. This time last year we'd scored 55 goals to this seasons 32. We'd also conceded a couple less.

Bale is a bit like a more powerful version of Lennon, his end product still lacks intelligence at times, Lennon's is very wasteful. I feel we would balance some of our defensive deficiencies and at the same time put something different, more intelligent into our attack if we put Modric in Lennon's place. He'll still roam and come inside like he always did on the left, but he can also beat men - better than Lennon who relys purely on pace and is easily blown off the ball - and when Modric is around the box he gets his head up, unlike Lennon. As a bonus by-product he will also give us more defensive effort and more ball retention as well. Lennon for impact or injuries elsewhere.

I have read many of your posts with interest and I believe that you and even the late Gibbsy have something important to discuss about the value of Modric as a CM.

I have been personally impressed by Modric from the beginning, I also would take issue with the comparison with Fabregas as Modric seems to stay fit and free from injury which is also a massive bonus to spurs considering Wengers poor and unsportsmanlike remarks.

But the question that should be asked is?
Where should Modric play in a Spurs first 11.. and who gives way and what needs to change player wise to support this position change?

 

[Paolo10]

He's so good he could pretty much play anywhere, although for me he'd be best for us on the left of a 3 man midfield, with all the talk of Parker etc. I'd live to see something like this...

---------------------------------------Gomes/Friedel----------------------------------------------

-------Walker-----------------King------------------Dawson/Gallas--------------Ekotto---------

-------------------------------------------Sandro--------------------------------------------------

--------------------Parker------------------------------------------Modric-------------------------

-----VdV/Lennon-------------------------------------------------------------------Bale-----------

----------------------------------------------Striker-----------------------------------------------




Also gives us loads of options depending on form and injuries etc. Would especially like this away from home.

 

[TwoSaintsComeMarching]

Its simple really...

Thudd Sandro
VDV Modric Bale​

... is our best midfield.

EDIT> with attacking, overlapping fullbacks ofcourse. (lack of attacking fullbacks has really been detrimental to our play I feel.)

 

[tooey]

.............................................Gomes..................................................

Walker......................Dawson................Gallas..................................Bale

..............................Parker....................Sandro.....................................

Lennon......................................VDV...........................................Modric

..............................................Striker..................................................

 

[TwoSaintsComeMarching]

.............................................gomes..................................................

Walker......................dawson................gallas..................................bale

..............................parker....................sandro.....................................

Lennon......................................vdv...........................................modric

..............................................striker..................................................

bingo!

 

[tooey]

:up:

We have a wealth of options to choose from. We have a squad of versitile players, and I bloomin' love it.

 

[brett.spurs]

*with Palacios in for Parker.

 

[MikeCOYS]

I keep reading news that Fergie keeps trying to negotiate with us for Modric and it's not good when rumors are so heavily linked with a player, something is bound to happen I fear.

I hope it's one of those Fabregas situations where no matter how much Barca comes Fab/Arsenal just keep refusing them.

Before I was positive that Modric won't leave us, then after his interview saying 'who knows' I'm starting to doubt whether we'll keep him or not, I know Levy is keen on keeping him; but the friendship between Fergie and Harry is bad, it'll only decreases Modric's value - if we do sell him.

I think Modric will move if a week before the end of transfer we still haven't signed any top strikers/players to improve our chances of getting 4th+

We got a new GK that will instill much confidence in our players unlike Gomes who's always nerve-racking to watch, you always have a feeling he'll mis-catch, barge someone over or do something stupid. My heart just can't take that anymore... Now just 2 strikers to convince Modric/Bale others to stay (not the deadwoods).

 

[tooey]

*with Palacios in for Parker.

That would also work.