Our gutless, ineffective midfield

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Pretty sure @davek posted something at the start of the season saying our midfield was grim and would cause us problems.

 

[davek]

Pretty sure @davek posted something at the start of the season saying our midfield was grim and would cause us problems.

I'm not one to boast...

Our gutless, ineffective midfield

 

[Goat]

Pretty sure @davek posted something at the start of the season saying our midfield was grim and would cause us problems.

Pretty sure Dave says the same every summer.

 

[street end]

If only we had a young Steven pienaar and Tim Cahill, that’s the type of players we need in our midfield

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Pretty sure Dave says the same every summer.

A stopped clock is right twice a day....

Bang on here though. But not a surprise really, our midfield has been godawful for a few seasons by and large.

 

[collymcd]

I think it's very important to consider each players role too.

Andre Gomes is playing so deep, almost like a defensive midfielder which is a position he's never played in before. He was at his best for us when dictating play, spraying balls and driving forward with it at his feet. I don't know if it's a tactical decision from Ancelotti to have him here or if his legs have gone.

Sigurdsson, again, isn't a CM or a LM. He's a number 10 and we got the best out of him when playing there last season when he was arguably one of our better players. He's never played in a two in the middle of the pitch - I know this doesn't excuse his heartless performances, but still.

It seems like there's a bit of an identity crisis at the moment, I recognise that DCL plays better in 4-4-2 with support but that really doesn't suit the team elsewhere going forward. There's no creativity and we don't have the wide players (aside from maybe Walcott) who can run at a defender and get a ball into the cross. Even Digne has struggled getting forward with the 442.

Damage limitation until the Summer, finish as high as possible and build a proper formation/team. We need 2x CM and a Winger or two in my opinion and they should be priority above every other position.

Definitely agree with all of that. Damage limitation until we get to the summer.

Add two midfielders and a good winger to the team and we'll be much more competitive. I can see us getting Europe next season with that.

 

[kenada_blue]

Also shows why we never replaced Barkley.

GROUP 1 CM
André Gomes - 42 games - 1 goal - 1 assist.
Tom Davies - 100 games - 5 goals - 4 assists.
Delph - 16 Games - 0 Goals - 0 assists

These group aren't there to provide ridiculous goals and assists. More to link defence and attack, keep possession, win the ball back.

This is missing a ball winner. Ruling out Delph as a unreliable crock...we have basically 2 central midfielders in the 1st team. Desperately needing something. Not getting "rid". Apart from Delph

GROUP 2 ATTACK
Bernard - 57 games - 4 goals - 5 assists.
Sigurdsson - 95 games - 19 goals
Iwobi - 22 games - 1 goal - 0 assists
Walcott - 72 games - 9 goals - 5 assists.

This is where the problem stems in general. There's only 1 actual footballer in that 2nd group and that's Bernard. Everyone else can go.

 

[davek]

Pretty sure Dave says the same every summer.

 

[street end]

Any clips of the ‘challenge’ sig pulled out of?

 

[Leylo]

No leaders or winners no pace no bottle,been like the for years baring an odd player here and there.

 

[blue1948]

I think the commentator comments on the game, the ex-pro is there to give a critique and analysis of what’s happening on the pitch. I don’t think Neville was out of order, I agree with what he said and maybe it will speed up the Icelandic sloth out of the team.

So you think a commentator calling him rubbish to the nation is going to ensure he is sold quickly? Hmmm.

 

[Groucho]

I’d give Baines and Digne up the left side with Holgate CM, with Mina sliding in as CB.

 

[MondayHater]

I think when you look to where we want to be next year in places such as the Foxes or Wolves chasing top four, I don’t think one of our MF would get in to there first teams which is a worry.

 

[AsiaAsia82]

So you think a commentator calling him rubbish to the nation is going to ensure he is sold quickly? Hmmm.

nah, I said the ex pro analyser

I didn’t mention him being sold

doh..

 

[Lloydystark]

We once had midfielders like Arteta, Pienaar, Fellaini, Cahill, etc.

Sad times.

Don’t forget ozzie