- May 20, 2005
- 9,697
- 3,209
We’ve tried and failed to replace Carrick. Zokora isn’t a good enough football and the Hudd isn’t sufficiently experienced yet and also has mobility problems. I think we need to stop trying to replace Carrick and simply change the way our CM operates. Last season we had Carrick holding and therefore JJ was able to play further up the pitch. That worked, but it was largely because of how good Carrick is. JJ wasn’t brilliant in the more advanced midfield role last season and whilst he has improved this year, he is still well short of top quality. I don’t believe he ever will be as he isn’t a particularly creative player. He was touted as the next Vieira, but since he has come to us, he has played in front of a holding player and therefore been used as our main attacking threat from CM. I don’t think his game suites this role.
The trouble with Zokora is he is a great athlete, but not a great footballer. The Hudd’s problem is the opposite. He is a great footballer, but poor athlete. Therefore Zokora can get around and protect the back four, but uses the ball really poorly and therefore we lack fluency. The Hudd uses the ball well, but can’t get about to protect the back 4 so well and due to his inexperience can’t read the game like Carrick. We need a combination of the two, to play as our defensive midfielder. Someone who has the speed to close the opposition down and then use the ball when he has possession. JJ is the answer. I’m not suggesting he plays the holding role, but that it is made clear to him that he is our primary defensive midfielder.
We also have the ideal candidate to play in the more advanced midfield role. Again, I’m not suggesting this player has no defensive duties, as JJ won’t be simply sitting in front of the back 4, but just that he knows his main job is to create. That player is Malbranque. I like what I’ve seen of Steed since he’s been with us, but feel how he is being used at the moment; he is more of a hindrance than help. Nearly all the good creative work he does is when he drifts inside. Therefore he isn’t really helping provide width on the left, but he is making us more vulnerable there. If he played in the middle his lack of pace wouldn’t be exposed as much and he’d be able to do more damage. He is a tenacious little tackler and again being in the middle will make it easier for him to get stuck in, as on the wing players tend to just fly past him. They won’t be able to do that in the hustle and bustle of the middle of the pitch. We replace Steed on the left with TT. Now I know he isn’t a favourite at SC, but the fact remains he played there for most of last season and we finished 5th. If he plays on the left we will be much more solid, so we will gain from a defensive point of view. However, we wont be losing anything from an attacking point of view as Steed doesn’t really provide much width anyway, and he tends to come inside to do his best work.
We have better defensive options, with the additions of Chimbonda and Rocha, than last season. Attack wise we have improved with the addition of Berbs and the further development of Lennon. Our main trouble is, that we have been considerably worse in the CM. I believe the midfield I have suggested would make us even stronger than last year. JJ would offer just as good defensive cover as Carrick did. Malbranque will offer even more creativity than Carrick did, only he’ll be able to do it further up the pitch, so we should be more dangerous, yet equally defensively solid. BMJ needs to accept we don’t have the players to play how we did last season. We need to play to the strengths of our current squad, not our past squad. I think if we play the 4 I’ve suggested we will finish 5th. If we stick with things how they are at the moment I can’t see us qualifying for the UEFA Cup via the league. Opinions?
The trouble with Zokora is he is a great athlete, but not a great footballer. The Hudd’s problem is the opposite. He is a great footballer, but poor athlete. Therefore Zokora can get around and protect the back four, but uses the ball really poorly and therefore we lack fluency. The Hudd uses the ball well, but can’t get about to protect the back 4 so well and due to his inexperience can’t read the game like Carrick. We need a combination of the two, to play as our defensive midfielder. Someone who has the speed to close the opposition down and then use the ball when he has possession. JJ is the answer. I’m not suggesting he plays the holding role, but that it is made clear to him that he is our primary defensive midfielder.
We also have the ideal candidate to play in the more advanced midfield role. Again, I’m not suggesting this player has no defensive duties, as JJ won’t be simply sitting in front of the back 4, but just that he knows his main job is to create. That player is Malbranque. I like what I’ve seen of Steed since he’s been with us, but feel how he is being used at the moment; he is more of a hindrance than help. Nearly all the good creative work he does is when he drifts inside. Therefore he isn’t really helping provide width on the left, but he is making us more vulnerable there. If he played in the middle his lack of pace wouldn’t be exposed as much and he’d be able to do more damage. He is a tenacious little tackler and again being in the middle will make it easier for him to get stuck in, as on the wing players tend to just fly past him. They won’t be able to do that in the hustle and bustle of the middle of the pitch. We replace Steed on the left with TT. Now I know he isn’t a favourite at SC, but the fact remains he played there for most of last season and we finished 5th. If he plays on the left we will be much more solid, so we will gain from a defensive point of view. However, we wont be losing anything from an attacking point of view as Steed doesn’t really provide much width anyway, and he tends to come inside to do his best work.
We have better defensive options, with the additions of Chimbonda and Rocha, than last season. Attack wise we have improved with the addition of Berbs and the further development of Lennon. Our main trouble is, that we have been considerably worse in the CM. I believe the midfield I have suggested would make us even stronger than last year. JJ would offer just as good defensive cover as Carrick did. Malbranque will offer even more creativity than Carrick did, only he’ll be able to do it further up the pitch, so we should be more dangerous, yet equally defensively solid. BMJ needs to accept we don’t have the players to play how we did last season. We need to play to the strengths of our current squad, not our past squad. I think if we play the 4 I’ve suggested we will finish 5th. If we stick with things how they are at the moment I can’t see us qualifying for the UEFA Cup via the league. Opinions?