Midfield

Gary67

Well-known member
For me this is where the main issue is with the team just now. Ange has a specific system he wants to play and, rightly or wrongly, won't waiver or compromise. His system requires a deep lying playmaker, a No.6 in modern parlance, and 2 box to box midfielders, No.8s, who can turn defence into attack quickly by moving forward at pace and supporting the front 3.
The problem is other than McGregor, who is the most suited to play the No.6 role and is the only No.8 we have, none of our other 4 midfielders fit into the system. McGregor cannot play in 2 positions at once, and his injury absence at the moment exacerbates the problem.
Neither McCarthy (at least to date) nor Soro are good enough to play the deep lying role well enough, and cannot play in the more advanced role at all.
Neither Rogic nor Turnbull can play the No.8 role, they don't have the stamina, speed nor defensive instinct to do it. They are traditional No.10s, at their best playing behind a striker and drifting wide and deep to receive the ball, creating chances and scoring goals. We got away with these 2 playing together against lesser opposition at CP when McGregor was behind them dictating play, without him, and their lack of fitness now catching up with them, we are being exposed.
When McGregor returns from injury we have to play him in the more advanced box to box role rather than the deep lying playmaker, play Rogic or Turnbull, not both, and either hope McCarthy gets up to speed and can do a job in the deep lying role, or give Bitton an opportunity to return to play there. Bitton at least can make the forward passed and can act as a third CH when the full backs bomb forward.
We need to sign 2 x midfielders in January, we lost 3 from last season (Brown, Ntcham, Christie) and only signed 1 (McCarthy), these 2 additional midfielders should already be at the club now but our usual negligence in recruitment has left us short in a period of the season we play weekend/midweek for 4 months without a break and with no options in the midfield (and attack).
 
Spot on. This is a direct consequence (one of many) of having absolutely no visible football strategy. Buy to sell.is a business, not a football, strategy. It's killing us on the pitch. It's not the answer off it either: one day the music will stop and there will be no more chairs left to take away.
 
Any Manager who only knows one way to play the game will not survive. You HAVE to be able to adapt to 1, the players you have available, 2, the opposition you are facing.
Think a general going into battle, all he does each battle is throw all his troops forward in an all out attack. How many battles do you think he would win? Maybe his 1st 2 or 3. After that his opposite number would let him attack, draw his best soldiers in then outflank him leading to total annihilation.
Ange HAS to adapt to who he has and what's in front of him. When he has a full strength team fair enough, go for it. Not when we are half a team down. If we go for it tomorrow night we will get annihilated.
 
For me this is where the main issue is with the team just now. Ange has a specific system he wants to play and, rightly or wrongly, won't waiver or compromise. His system requires a deep lying playmaker, a No.6 in modern parlance, and 2 box to box midfielders, No.8s, who can turn defence into attack quickly by moving forward at pace and supporting the front 3.
The problem is other than McGregor, who is the most suited to play the No.6 role and is the only No.8 we have, none of our other 4 midfielders fit into the system. McGregor cannot play in 2 positions at once, and his injury absence at the moment exacerbates the problem.
Neither McCarthy (at least to date) nor Soro are good enough to play the deep lying role well enough, and cannot play in the more advanced role at all.
Neither Rogic nor Turnbull can play the No.8 role, they don't have the stamina, speed nor defensive instinct to do it. They are traditional No.10s, at their best playing behind a striker and drifting wide and deep to receive the ball, creating chances and scoring goals. We got away with these 2 playing together against lesser opposition at CP when McGregor was behind them dictating play, without him, and their lack of fitness now catching up with them, we are being exposed.
When McGregor returns from injury we have to play him in the more advanced box to box role rather than the deep lying playmaker, play Rogic or Turnbull, not both, and either hope McCarthy gets up to speed and can do a job in the deep lying role, or give Bitton an opportunity to return to play there. Bitton at least can make the forward passed and can act as a third CH when the full backs bomb forward.
We need to sign 2 x midfielders in January, we lost 3 from last season (Brown, Ntcham, Christie) and only signed 1 (McCarthy), these 2 additional midfielders should already be at the club now but our usual negligence in recruitment has left us short in a period of the season we play weekend/midweek for 4 months without a break and with no options in the midfield (and attack).
We have Nir Bitton who can slot in, ping a pass or shoot from long range, but ange doesn't seem to favour him since he lost the plot in the Euros
Hopefully the big man gets a look as he's a decent midfielder, and he doesn't shirk it ,when the tackles start flying in, plus he can last the 90 minutes
 
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Astute observation from the op,I agree very much.if ange cant be flexible with his formations we are gonny need replacements for turnbull and rogic.bitton could slot in at no.6 pushing callum up to one of the "8" positions. Dont know if ewan Henderson would be a good temporary fix ,4-2-3-1 would be the answer imo with current personnel,calum and nir sitters ,front 3 as now -but with the Greek up top n kyogo floating behind?
 
Any Manager who only knows one way to play the game will not survive. You HAVE to be able to adapt to 1, the players you have available, 2, the opposition you are facing.
Think a general going into battle, all he does each battle is throw all his troops forward in an all out attack. How many battles do you think he would win? Maybe his 1st 2 or 3. After that his opposite number would let him attack, draw his best soldiers in then outflank him leading to total annihilation.
Ange HAS to adapt to who he has and what's in front of him. When he has a full strength team fair enough, go for it. Not when we are half a team down. If we go for it tomorrow night we will get annihilated.
U need the correct players to play the correct way mate rogic and turnbull are not it
 
For me this is where the main issue is with the team just now. Ange has a specific system he wants to play and, rightly or wrongly, won't waiver or compromise. His system requires a deep lying playmaker, a No.6 in modern parlance, and 2 box to box midfielders, No.8s, who can turn defence into attack quickly by moving forward at pace and supporting the front 3.
The problem is other than McGregor, who is the most suited to play the No.6 role and is the only No.8 we have, none of our other 4 midfielders fit into the system. McGregor cannot play in 2 positions at once, and his injury absence at the moment exacerbates the problem.
Neither McCarthy (at least to date) nor Soro are good enough to play the deep lying role well enough, and cannot play in the more advanced role at all.
Neither Rogic nor Turnbull can play the No.8 role, they don't have the stamina, speed nor defensive instinct to do it. They are traditional No.10s, at their best playing behind a striker and drifting wide and deep to receive the ball, creating chances and scoring goals. We got away with these 2 playing together against lesser opposition at CP when McGregor was behind them dictating play, without him, and their lack of fitness now catching up with them, we are being exposed.
When McGregor returns from injury we have to play him in the more advanced box to box role rather than the deep lying playmaker, play Rogic or Turnbull, not both, and either hope McCarthy gets up to speed and can do a job in the deep lying role, or give Bitton an opportunity to return to play there. Bitton at least can make the forward passed and can act as a third CH when the full backs bomb forward.
We need to sign 2 x midfielders in January, we lost 3 from last season (Brown, Ntcham, Christie) and only signed 1 (McCarthy), these 2 additional midfielders should already be at the club now but our usual negligence in recruitment has left us short in a period of the season we play weekend/midweek for 4 months without a break and with no options in the midfield (and attack).
Excellent analysis. Seems to me we actually need 3 box to box guys, just with slightly different starting positions. I said previously Man City v PSG played the Ange way but their midfield was up and down the park as a unit, not leaving two behind as PSG attacked.
in short agree we need two more mobile footballers.
Enjoyed the read, well done
HH
 

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