Midfield

[tinman]

1 hour ago, sunnyhill60 said:

Sadly you ignore the fact that McClaren, in both his stays, won football matches. Rowett will only be dreaming he can reach such %

Rowett's win % and points per game is better than McClarens second spell. 

[Sith Happens]

I hope I am wrong, but can't help feeling a tad underwhelmed with our midfield options now.

Really feel only one of butters/bryson should have been allowed out considering Hughes went too.

[Anag Ram]

Playing 'hoof ball' with the forwards we have would be madness. I think we have beefed up the midfield to give the likes of Lawrence, Vydra and Russell (if he remembers how to play) free rein to attack, even if they lose the ball occasionally.

At least that's what I hope!

[toddy]

Even with Hughes Bryson and Butterfield we were light in midfield especially the creative side of things, this season we now have lost all three of those mentioned and brought in CM that blues were happy to offload.

We now have Huddlestone and Johnson and Kieftenbeld as our only 3 midfielders, Yes I now we also might have Thorne back shortly. But come on how long will he last before he is out injured again? And Hanson, FFS he is not up to the job at this level. Baird you say, FFS he is ok as a defensive covering player [RB] -  but not a midfielder!

So the problem arises when we lose either Huddlestone, Johnson or Kieftenbeld to injury or suspension, or god for bid we lose 2.

As Hardy used to say '' another fine mess''

[Sparkle]

I think we are short of one midfield man but is there a route for one of the youngsters? - well I hope so

[BramcoteRam84]

Had a red dog at work moaning about the Leeds game, how they had 60% of the ball and did nothing. I'd told him weeks ago Warburton only plays one way and when sussed it can be ineffective, just like Derby under McClaren.

We are not going to play hoofball, we now have a squad who can mix it up, compete physically, play possession football when it needs to and go long when it needs to. All the attributes required to be successful in the championship!!

So can people stop saying hoofball please. It's a crap argument for those who have already judged Rowett, and think he's turning us into Birmingham or Burton - he isn't.

[toddy]

44 minutes ago, Sparkle said:

I think we are short of one midfield man but is there a route for one of the youngsters? - well I hope so

If that was the case then surely they would have have playing this season in the first team, rather than sell our complete midfield trio and hope a youngest or 2 comes through and are actually good enogh to hold their own....

[lrm14]

2 minutes ago, toddy said:

If that was the case then surely they would have have playing this season in the first team, rather than sell our complete midfield trio and hope a youngest or 2 comes through and are actually good enogh to hold their own....

Maybe the plan is to use them as cover? Four CM's in contention for a place is more than enough when the system we play only uses two of them. Huddlestone is clearly the first choice, with the other three of Thorne, Johnson and Kieftenbeld fighting for the other spot. We have depth in Hanson and Guy, both of whom are young and at a level where they're able to cover our first teamers.

We were overfilled in CM for the past season or so and that was with a three man system. I'm glad he's trimming it down and using the kids as further cover.

[Curtains]

3 minutes ago, lrm14 said:

Maybe the plan is to use them as cover? Four CM's in contention for a place is more than enough when the system we play only uses two of them. Huddlestone is clearly the first choice, with the other three of Thorne, Johnson and Kieftenbeld fighting for the other spot. We have depth in Hanson and Guy, both of whom are young and at a level where they're able to cover our first teamers.

We were overfilled in CM for the past season or so and that was with a three man system. I'm glad he's trimming it down and using the kids as further cover.

That's fine as long as they are good enough. 

Big gamble I'd say .

[lrm14]

11 minutes ago, curtains said:

That's fine as long as they are good enough. 

Big gamble I'd say .

You generally want 1 player for every position with regards to cover (unless you currently have some long term injuries). Beyond that you're managing your team wrong if you have players who are good enough to displace the starters.

Hanson and Guy are still developing and with our current depth they'll have chances to get minutes under their belt, that's a good situation for us. Blooding the youth is something we've really over looked in the recent seasons and it has hurt is a fair bit. Giving players a chance is how you know if they're good enough and we haven't done that since Hendrick and Hughes (bar Lowe, who appears to be horrifically injury prone).

[DCFC1388]

We play 4231 so how many players do we actually need to be fighting for the 2 places considering Rowett wanted a smaller squad as well as a pathway for the U23's if needed.

First team - Huddlestone, Kieftenbeld, Johnson, Thorne, Hanson, Baird (if required)

U23's - Guy, Bird

So 8 possible players for 2 positions are more than enough.

[WystonRam]

If Kieftenbeld has the same impact as Van Der Laan did I will be happy.

[Premier ram]

8 hours ago, Paul71 said:

I hope I am wrong, but can't help feeling a tad underwhelmed with our midfield options now.

Really feel only one of butters/bryson should have been allowed out considering Hughes went too.

think Callum Guy will be in and around the squad now

[toddy]

On ‎01‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 08:36, DCFC1388 said:

We play 4231 so how many players do we actually need to be fighting for the 2 places considering Rowett wanted a smaller squad as well as a pathway for the U23's if needed.

First team - Huddlestone, Kieftenbeld, Johnson, Thorne, Hanson, Baird (if required)

U23's - Guy, Bird

So 8 possible players for 2 positions are more than enough.

I do remember GR saying he wants the change formations to suit each game, so having really only having Huddlestone, Kieftenbeld, Johnson, Thorne, as our first team midfielders there lays the problem when we lose one or two to injury or suspension. Hanson FFS he is not good enough to hold his own in midfield and Baird FFS he was never a midfielder in his best years.

So if we are now only ever going to play 4-2-3-1 becuase of our linited midfield - I wonder how the opposition manager will set up against us, when they know we will be only capable of playing only one way.

They Derby way seems to have gone out of the window the same as GR's talk of being able to change formations each game.

 

[DCFC1388]

34 minutes ago, toddy said:

I do remember GR saying he wants the change formations to suit each game, so having really only having Huddlestone, Kieftenbeld, Johnson, Thorne, as our first team midfielders there lays the problem when we lose one or two to injury or suspension. Hanson FFS he is not good enough to hold his own in midfield and Baird FFS he was never a midfielder in his best years.

So if we are now only ever going to play 4-2-3-1 becuase of our linited midfield - I wonder how the opposition manager will set up against us, when they know we will be only capable of playing only one way.

They Derby way seems to have gone out of the window the same as GR's talk of being able to change formations each game.

 

The whole idea was to work with a smaller versatile team and to give chance to the U23s, cant keep hold of players incase certain things happen otherwise all teams would have a first team squad of 30 odd players.

I have no issue with us having to use Guy or other U23 players if we are short on numbers, id rather him get a chance than Bryson or Butterfield anyway.

[toddy]

2 hours ago, DCFC1388 said:

The whole idea was to work with a smaller versatile team and to give chance to the U23s, cant keep hold of players incase certain things happen otherwise all teams would have a first team squad of 30 odd players.

I have no issue with us having to use Guy or other U23 players if we are short on numbers, id rather him get a chance than Bryson or Butterfield anyway.

Then why let someone like Elsnik a midfielder breaking into the first team go out on loan?

Nope, I personally think we had to offload players [selling them if possible - get the wage bill down etc] Nothing happening so they let one of the promising midfielders go to swindon  - then Wednesday and Cardiff come knocking last minute and bingo we now have a very light midfield. lets be honest here how long will it be before we lose Thorne again? Huddlestone is not getting any younger....

We lacked a creative midfielder prior to the window closing now we have lost Hughes, Bryson, Butterfield too - remember GR said he was replacing Will Hughes!!

 

 

[Gritty]

On 01/09/2017 at 00:45, RamsFan10 said:

We now have Huddlestone, Keiftenbeld and Johnson for the two central positions. 

Thorne when he's back, probably for 2 weeks before he breaks something. And Baird if we're very desperate. Hanson if almost everyone else is broken. 

Don't we seem short, with 3 players for 2 positions.

Well you've mentioned 6....plus guy

[RiddingsRam]

8 minutes ago, toddy said:

Then why let someone like Elsnik a midfielder breaking into the first team go out on loan?

Nope, I personally think we had to offload players [selling them if possible - get the wage bill down etc] Nothing happening so they let one of the promising midfielders go to swindon  - then Wednesday and Cardiff come knocking last minute and bingo we now have a very light midfield. lets be honest here how long will it be before we lose Thorne again? Huddlestone is not getting any younger....

We lacked a creative midfielder prior to the window closing now we have lost Hughes, Bryson, Butterfield too - remember GR said he was replacing Will Hughes!!

 

 

When did he say he was replacing Hughes ? Ince yeah , Hughes no ! Huddlestone can create things in a different way.

Best thing for Elsnik probably not quite there for the first team yet if will do him a world of good. 

[Gritty]

 

On 01/09/2017 at 00:45, RamsFan10 said:

We now have Huddlestone, Keiftenbeld and Johnson for the two central positions. 

Thorne when he's back, probably for 2 weeks before he breaks something. And Baird if we're very desperate. Hanson if almost everyone else is broken. 

Don't we seem short, with 3 players for 2 positions.

Well you've mentioned 6....plus guy

Wherever Hanson has played in midfield he's done well. He's only really struggled when played out of position at full back

[needles]

Huddlestone, Johnson, Thorne, Kieftenbeld. Baird, Hanson and Guy as cover. Looks alright to me. 

A couple of silky passer and a grafter combo's. Reminds me of John Gregory and George Williams.

E I E I E I O.....