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Midfield strength and pace


jono

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Gerrard is one of the finest complete midfield players in world football over the last 20 years. He ran Pirlo and co ragged in Istanbul and constantly showed up in big games for Liverpool repeatedly. Lampard a top class player as well, but not as complete as Gerrard. The travesty for me isn't how many caps they both have. Both deserve that amount without question and proved in the Champions league time after time. The travesty is that no England manager at the time had the tactical nous to play Carrick as a sitter behind Gerrard and Lampard. Instead they were forced to play together in a 4-4-2 limiting both players influence on the game.

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11 hours ago, cannable said:

Might surprise you but for our 13/14 run in it was George, Bryson and Jeff more than it was with Hughes. 

Think we probably looked so good then because teams were unaware of Thorne and thus he was dictating the game which allowed us to have another runner/goal scorer. 

I agree Cannable, Thorne was running the show. I think they were aware of him but, when fully fit, he's just too good. In the 'olden days' he'd have been the player targeted for a good early kick to slow him down. Nowadays though you'd get sent off.;)

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11 hours ago, ariotofmyown said:

Did anyone else apart think Gerrard was massively over-rated?

He epitomised the tactically naive English player who ran around a lot and got stuck in. Often overhit passes and positionally wayward.

He had a good long range shot on him though and scored a few.

He was great in a few chaotic games such as the champions league final 2nd half. Was usually poor in any games that were more cagey ie most England games.

He should have gone abroad and learned how to play a different sort of game.

Not particularly, but I think he fitted the Liverpool team/system of the day. I don't think he was a patch on Bryan Robson though

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I might have been better to title this thread as midfield balance 

the Thorne / Bryson / Hendrick/ Martin core was balanced but nothing remains the same. 

Now we have had changing DM's because of injury, Will coming as the finished article rather than boy genius and Brysons fading powers/injuries. The recipe is different and not always well mixed 

who is the best midfield mix/choice/desire ...to go with Will Hughes, that will allow us to feed the front line more successfully from midfield without necessarily always needing a striker to come deep to find the ball ? 

 

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I agree and I think you raise a good point with Shackell which for me is being replicated in the midfield area.

Butterfield seems incapable of making a forward pass these days, his energy cannot be doubted but he's really disappointed me.

Remember the Chris Baird pass between the centre half and full back for Ince to race through and score? So many opportunities for that type of pass but he appears nervous to take the risk, he's certainly capable.

In a nutshell we know what Hughes requires alongside him, that's easy, the hard part is who can fill that role.

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You either need a striker who can drop deep and receive the ball to feet, allowing for an AM to break forward and beyond into the vacant space...

Or an AM who can carry the ball into an AM position and play in a striker who likes to play on the shoulder.

We currently have neither combination. We lack balance.

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17 hours ago, Bris Vegas said:

You either need a striker who can drop deep and receive the ball to feet, allowing for an AM to break forward and beyond into the vacant space...

Or an AM who can carry the ball into an AM position and play in a striker who likes to play on the shoulder.

We currently have neither combination. We lack balance.

Yes, spot on and I would like a midfielder who can carry a ball forward rather than a forward who can only drop deep.

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8 minutes ago, Ram a lamb a ding dong said:

A 4-2-3-1 of Hughes, De Sart, Vydra, Ince, Russell would work for me. Benty up top.

The problem arises when there is no Hughes or he is off his game ......... and De Sart is not our player...

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