Modric in the middle

[ravo]

From left to right:

Jenas - Palacios - Modric - Lennon

There, that was easy.

Yes :clap:

 

[gibbs131]

He is our most techinically gifted and cleverest player and you don't put such players out of position to keep them out of trouble.

If you think that we were bottom because we played Modric in the middle then you don't understand football or just plain logic. But I sense you are being provocative in such a facile statement.

Okay, where and when was this TECHNICALLY GIFTED CLEVEREST PLAYER you are talking about? So far he hasn't showed us ANYTHING that resembles this player.

Bentley has showed us more flashes of genius and he is having his most dire season in his footballing career.

Bentley can do it from the halfway line against Arsenal, so far Modric can do it if the ball ricochets onto his head while he is sliding along the floor looking the other way.

If you put Bentley, in Modrics many..MANY choice creative roles this season, you would see a crap load more goals and assists than the paltry amount Modric has provided. And that is while Bentley is playing (by his own admission) a shocker of a season.

 

[gibbs131]

Why is he lightweight, because he lacks presence? Can you be less vague?out of trouble.

He lacks presence because he is short, waif like, weak, can't tackle for shit and can't even track and intercept.

He also lacks presence defending set pieces, and goes missing up front too when we have a counter.

You can't be everything as a player, but I have to laugh at people saying that Modric isn't lightweight.

 

[Coyboy]

Okay, where and when was this TECHNICALLY GIFTED CLEVEREST PLAYER you are talking about? So far he hasn't showed us ANYTHING that resembles this player.

Yes he has in the games I mentioned and in virtuall everything he does with and without the ball.

Bentley has showed us more flashes of genius and he is having his most dire season in his footballing career.

Bentley can do it from the halfway line against Arsenal, so far Modric can do it if the ball ricochets onto his head while he is sliding along the floor looking the other way.

How the hell is Bentley doing that. He scored once against Arsenal and that's it. If you just look at goals scored and don't care about what a player does over the course of a game then we don't have language for debate. Even so if you want to go by shallow statistical standards, Modric has scored three goals- one was not a richochet but a good reflex header, one was a calm and smooth finish (Newcastle) and the other a good poacher's goal (Moscow).

Modric wasn't bought to score goals, he should score more but unlike you I can see the potential to excel after six months and not dimiss him because he hasn't induced a juicy stat. Modric oozes class in everything he does. He has a better first, second and seventeenth touch than Bentley. He gets all over the pitch, he looks up when he has the ball, he tries the audacious things Bentley does but pulls them off. He links up play, he passes and moves and he puts himself about more than his size would suggest.

If you put Bentley, in Modrics many..MANY choice creative roles this season, you would see a crap load more goals and assists than the paltry amount Modric has provided. And that is while Bentley is playing (by his own admission) a shocker of a season.

Like we did against Udinese and the mercifully few other games Bentley was played centrally? Bentley has been our worst midfield player this season and Rednapp and Ramos both recognised this by dropping him. Modric has not been dropped because it would be lunacy. Having a debate over who has been better this season Bentley and Modric is like saying who has done more for humanity Mother Teresa or Josef Stalin.

He lacks presence because he is short, waif like, weak, can't tackle for shit and can't even track and intercept.

So because he is not six foot six and win every ball in the air he is lightweight. Was Scholes lightweight. So he will be eternally lightweight now as at 23 he is too short. Waif like? I don't care what he looks as like as such physique belies good strength probably conditioned in playing in Bosnia which was no kick around in the park. He wasn't signed to tackle and yes he can track (back I assume you meant) and does this constantly.

He also lacks presence defending set pieces, and goes missing up front too when we have a counter.

You are repeating yourself. He is not Yao Ming get over it. He often starts and engenders counters so unfortunatley he is not Carl Lewis so cannot finish off attacks also.

You can't be everything as a player, but I have to laugh at people saying that Modric isn't lightweight.

You really should watch football more closely, you will get more out of it and can spare us your misplaced and frankly absurd conceit.

 

[gibbs131]

Like we did against Udinese and the mercifully few other games Bentley was played centrally? Bentley has been our worst midfield player this season and Rednapp and Ramos both recognised this by dropping him. Modric has not been dropped because it would be lunacy. Having a debate over who has been better this season Bentley and Modric is like saying who has done more for humanity Mother Teresa or Josef Stalin.



You really should watch football more closely, you will get more out of it and can spare us your misplaced and frankly absurd conceit.

Lol. I called it before he even kicked a ball for us mate.

http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=30471&highlight=modric

I already said Bentley had the worst season in his career. And his stats are almost identical to Modrics in the Prem as in goals tally and assists.:rofl:

But yeah, Modric is a genius and isn't lightweight. Sure buddy.

Strange how we went on a crazy Jan spending spree when we had such a genius runing the show.

 

[DarT]

Haha. Modric would have been DESTROYED if he was in the middle of the park last night.

Even Palacious was getting bullied by their destroyer. Zayatte was a maniac.

Obviously too late to know factually, but i suspect you are wide of the mark. One of Modric's best attributes is his ability to make decisive passes and one-two under tight marking, his impact generally only gets restricted when others in the team are simply lazy and remain static thereby not making angles for him.

I saw enough of Polacios in the first few games, to indicate that he is intelligent in terms of movement and showing for passes, to make a partnership with Modric work.

If anything last night Modric's willingness for the ball (something JJ didn't do enough of last night for me) would have forced Zayatte to try and get at him, from what i saw of Zayatte yes he did well, but i could also have seen him restricted by a yellow or off if he had been against Modric.

 

[DarT]

I don't think Modric has proved he's our best player (as far as the prem goes) -

HR has ben wise in the last two games to have JJ & WP in the middle - it's worked wel and I expect that will be the typical formation - so it won't be chopping and changing cos LM won't be playing CM much in a 4-4-2 is my prediction

fitness/suspension etc permitting of course

Do you really believe it has worked well in the last two games DC, because i thought that the blend is not right.

Yes on first look you could think that WP & JJ is more combatative, but i think that in terms of influence on the game it is not effective enough as both the last two games have shown, even with the 4 points.

Nobody can state with certainty whether the WP & LM partnership would work, i suspect that it would, but we just don't know until it is tried.

 

[DarT]

But. Modric IS LIGHTWEIGHT.

We tried him in every choice position already and the end result was we were BOTTOM of the Prem.

It is best to put him in our problem area IMO. Almost like Arry is putting him there to keep him out of trouble. And building up his confidence by giving him every set piece. It worked, he got another assist. And even though he spent a lot of time on the floor, and missing tackles, he DID show us that he is capable of creating.

You can not possibly think that breaking up Pal and JJ partnership to put in Modric is a good idea on his complete utter lack of presense.

To be fair modric is small, and lightweight only in terms of lack of bulk, your second paragraph would lead people to believe that Modric was the reason for our current demise, which is clearly not correct.

I do clearly believe that Modric should be in centre midfield, because he is much more effective in this position, and influences the game and sets the tempo, something that he can't do effectively when wide. Your comment on presence is clearly so shortsighted i would wear a hard hat on the way home mate.

 

[gibbs131]

To be fair modric is small, and lightweight only in terms of lack of bulk, your second paragraph would lead people to believe that Modric was the reason for our current demise, which is clearly not correct.

I do clearly believe that Modric should be in centre midfield, because he is much more effective in this position, and influences the game and sets the tempo, something that he can't do effectively when wide. Your comment on presence is clearly so shortsighted i would wear a hard hat on the way home mate.

Modric is good with the give part of the "give and go", but he can't go because he is always on the ground after the challenge. And we don't have good set pieces to justify him going to ground when his skill wins us a free kick.

Him on the ground = gap in attack and defense. So we get pulled all shapes.

As for playing Modric in the middle, this means he will be next to Lennon. Little girls side and less power in midfield and zero heading tackling = why we are in this mess.

 

[Thesoccershrink]

How come no-one on this thread to my knowledge has suggested that O'Hara play on the left? O'hara is a solid left -footed player, who tackles, tracks back and actually gives balance. No,he isn't a superstar but then again many of the teams above us are full of hard-working non superstars who know their job and give the their team balance.

 

[thfcsteff]

Am I the only who think we are wasting his talent on the left. Would like to see him in the middle with palacios, lennon on the left and jenas on the right.

Also I would like to see Zokara on the right back, with corluka in the middle with woodgate.

What do You think ? Are we wasting Modrics talent ?

It's one of the reasons I think we'll realy enjoy Sunday. Luka will be in the middle!!!!

And when we sign a leftie in the summer, look forward to a Palacios/Modric central pairing next season, which would be superb IMHO...

 

[jamesc0le]

How come no-one on this thread to my knowledge has suggested that O'Hara play on the left? O'hara is a solid left -footed player, who tackles, tracks back and actually gives balance. No,he isn't a superstar but then again many of the teams above us are full of hard-working non superstars who know their job and give the their team balance.

because o'hara has been injured and out of sight out of mind. before that people suggested that modric could work better in the middle if o'hara was on the left adding bite and balance to the midfield four , as opposed to say ,bentley, whose form and tenacity has been, erratic, to say the least.

i'd have o'hara on the left and sacrifice jenas from the midfield, all day long.

that's not to say jenas could not switch from a defensive role in the middle of a game if a mid is playing poorly, jenas tends to play better when trying to impress.

 

[gibbs131]

How come no-one on this thread to my knowledge has suggested that O'Hara play on the left? O'hara is a solid left -footed player, who tackles, tracks back and actually gives balance. No,he isn't a superstar but then again many of the teams above us are full of hard-working non superstars who know their job and give the their team balance.

I have in the past. Lets face it, O Hara gives you MUCH more than Modric in balance, and will probably score even more anyway.

People sometimes forget that JJ and O Hara are bloody good in front of goal for midfielders.

 

[DarT]

Modric is good with the give part of the "give and go", but he can't go because he is always on the ground after the challenge. And we don't have good set pieces to justify him going to ground when his skill wins us a free kick.

Him on the ground = gap in attack and defense. So we get pulled all shapes.

As for playing Modric in the middle, this means he will be next to Lennon. Little girls side and less power in midfield and zero heading tackling = why we are in this mess.

Disagree, only needs to end up on the ground a couple of times then the opposition will be forced to stand off him or get sent off.

Do you really believe that power = success, those times have gone i am afraid, and to continue to suggest that Modric is the reason we are in this mess is not rationale. There are several reasons, one clearly is the inability of the club until January to buy a defensive midfielder who could actually do the job and rely on the likes of Zokora who has so little technical ability or JJ who is simply not that type of player, or any other square peg we could try and fit in that round hole!!

 

[DarT]

I have in the past. Lets face it, O Hara gives you MUCH more than Modric in balance, and will probably score even more anyway.

People sometimes forget that JJ and O Hara are bloody good in front of goal for midfielders.

Granted they have ability in front of goal as does Modric, but quite frankly all three have been shite in front of goal in terms of actual goals, which is another reason we have struggled this year when we couple that with the loss of our first choice forward line.

i.e. lack of goals from midfield + reduced goals from strikers = less goals for

 

[gibbs131]

Granted they have ability in front of goal as does Modric, but quite frankly all three have been shite in front of goal in terms of actual goals, which is another reason we have struggled this year when we couple that with the loss of our first choice forward line.

i.e. lack of goals from midfield + reduced goals from strikers = less goals for

Modric barley scored 5 a season in the Croatian league let alone the Prem. JJ does that season in season out normally.

Lets face it, Modric was brought into to CREATE goals for people like Bentley, JJ, Bent etc. Suddleny our strikers JJ and Bentley are misfiring isnt a coincidence IMO.

 

[gibbs131]

Disagree, only needs to end up on the ground a couple of times then the opposition will be forced to stand off him or get sent off.

Do you really believe that power = success, those times have gone i am afraid, and to continue to suggest that Modric is the reason we are in this mess is not rationale. There are several reasons, one clearly is the inability of the club until January to buy a defensive midfielder who could actually do the job and rely on the likes of Zokora who has so little technical ability or JJ who is simply not that type of player, or any other square peg we could try and fit in that round hole!!

Modrics inclusion means 3 of the following will have to make way due to the overall size of the squad:

Bentley, Dos Santos, Keane, Lennon, Defoe and others.

I am not saying you can't have a small midfielder. I'm just saying you can't have 3 midgets in midfield. Modric, COMPOUNDS our issue, rather than solves it.

 

[bomberH]

Anyone else disappointed that this thread wasn't about a new Croation TV show airing on Sunday evenings....

 

[Coyboy]

Lol. I called it before he even kicked a ball for us mate.

http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=30471&highlight=modric

I already said Bentley had the worst season in his career. And his stats are almost identical to Modrics in the Prem as in goals tally and assists.:rofl:

But yeah, Modric is a genius and isn't lightweight. Sure buddy.

Strange how we went on a crazy Jan spending spree when we had such a genius runing the show.

You really are having trouble putting stats into perspective aren't you? They may tell you scientific truths but they don't tell you the intangible, artistic element of football. Bentley scored one unique goal and may have got the odd assist but he has been nowhere near the same player Modric has. Anyone can tell you that. When he did play in a central role, he was poor because he doesn't have the physical or mental dexterity, he doesn't have the same touch and he doesn't have the same agility.

But you just insist he is a lightweight because statstically he is small and thin. He must be weak then. You would know I take it how strong a central midfielder has to be to not be qualified as lightweight? Do you have a stat that can unequivocally prove that. I didn't think so.

We signed a defensive/box to box midfielder in the window, a goal keeper, a right back and two strikers. How would that suggest that Modric was not performing well enough? Has he been relegated to the bench. Explain that observation. It means nothing in the context of Modric except that Rednapp, by his own words, wants to build the team around him.

Unlike you, I don't need stats to make an argument. Modric has not been clinical this season. It is his first season in this country. Do I need to provide you with a list of foreigners who struggled in their first season? Bentley has played here all his career and has still been poor this season as he is limited. Modric, while not scoring goals, has shown the class he intrinsically possesses and once we get a balanced and performing team it will manifest itself even for simpletons who need stats to show them something.

 

[stemark44]

How come no-one on this thread to my knowledge has suggested that O'Hara play on the left? O'hara is a solid left -footed player, who tackles, tracks back and actually gives balance. No,he isn't a superstar but then again many of the teams above us are full of hard-working non superstars who know their job and give the their team balance.

Yes, you are correct I think we should play O'Hara on the left and sub Modric who is way over rated by SC members!