Midfield options

[Ramarena]

Franks clearly struggling to find the right blend in here and I think that creates extra pressure on the defence.

Our best form came playing Mount, Wilson and Hudds as a three. But those three seem to off the boil at the moment.

Personally I’d be tempted to give Hudds, Mount and BJ a run of games. Try and get Mount closer to Marriott and have BJ behind him ratting and covering for him ahead of Hudds allowing us to defend/close down the oppo from a higher point (don’t want Hudds and BJ sitting deep together as it doesn’t work), yes BJ is an agricultural player but he would certainly have given us that  physicality and drive in midfield that we so desperately lacked today 

If we sort the midfield blend out, along with the movement and pressing we benefit hugely!

[Mafiabob]

Absolutely this mate

[Boycie]

I think we’ll get a new face in midfield in jan. 

[Inglorius]

Isn't that what the managers paid to do? Would be concerned if he still doesn't know his best midfield combination half way through the season.  

[Ramarena]

8 minutes ago, Mafiabob said:

Absolutely this mate

One thing I forgot to add is BJ is usually pretty good at winning those second balls that went in challenged today. He also wins a lot of headers in that midfield area that again today were either lost of went unchallenged

[Sparkle]

Actually we are doing absolutely nothing down the flanks with either the widemen or full backs 

[RoyMac5]

Huddlestone is a Rowett hangover. Over-rated, what did he do today? 

[Ramarena]

5 minutes ago, Inglorius said:

Isn't that what the managers paid to do? Would be concerned if he still doesn't know his best midfield combination half way through the season.  

Agreed but the variables change, I think he was settled on the Wilson, Mount and Hudds trio but loss of form, opposition tactics and injuries have changed the dynamic of the team and the midfield. 

[Alph]

He tinkers too much with the whole team imo but I think our best midfield has been Hudders, Mount and Wilson. But with the constant changing the only consistent partnership has been at the back. 

Early on in the season (when Johnson was playing) the back 6 defended well enough. I know some will say but we conceded this this and this but I would say the lack of defensive support for our full backs and the clumsiness of some of the midfield passing exposed our defence. 

Yes, Tomori can't judge anything in the air but his pace and strength have rescued us many times. Bogle needs support.

But the constant tinkering with the front 5 has made it difficult for anyone to find form. Not just the midfield. 

It's hard to develop the team when the team keeps changing. It's hard to have those instinctive partnerships when you have different teammates every week. 

I get he wants high energy but he's not getting that now. The pressing has dropped off. 

Injuries haven't helped but he will drop a player out the squad after they've started and pull a player that's not had a kick for 3 weeks and start him in back to back games while also changing players around him. 

[Alph]

I'm not saying Johnson should start btw. Just saying Lampard built a settled back 6 and was able to introduce players.

The front 5 have not really had that yet. Came close but then the tinkering started again. Or Waghorn got injured and then the tinkering started?

[TuffLuff]

1 minute ago, RoyMac5 said:

Huddlestone is a Rowett hangover. Over-rated, what did he do today? 

100% with you on this, the DM role is pivotal if you want to control games and Huddlestone isn’t the answer there for me. Defensively you have to positinally sound, cover the space and stop the passes going forward even if you aren’t making tackles. Huddlestone doesn’t impose himself and leaves gaps because positionally he’s not controlled enough. 

Give him time on the ball then he’s class, the ball through to Wilson was one such instance but you can’t carry a player in such an important role for that one bit of magic. In the champ you don’t get the time he needs, so part of the pedestrian sideways passing comes from him not moving the ball quick enough.

I genuinely think if we got a replacement for Huddlestone it could be the answer to a lot of our current problems.

[Ramarena]

4 minutes ago, TuffLuff said:

100% with you on this, the DM role is pivotal if you want to control games and Huddlestone isn’t the answer there for me. Defensively you have to positinally sound, cover the space and stop the passes going forward even if you aren’t making tackles. Huddlestone doesn’t impose himself and leaves gaps because positionally he’s not controlled enough. 

Give him time on the ball then he’s class, the ball through to Wilson was one such instance but you can’t carry a player in such an important role for that one bit of magic. In the champ you don’t get the time he needs, so part of the pedestrian sideways passing comes from him not moving the ball quick enough.

I genuinely think if we got a replacement for Huddlestone it could be the answer to a lot of our current problems.

We haven’t seen much of Evans but would he be a better fit in your eyes?

[Big Trav]

I think next game we start Holmes and mount and put Wilson left woth waggy right 

[Rampant]

If we're sticking with one DM then I'd like to see Evans given the nod too.

How good are Bird and Sibley relative to say Johnson and Bryson? My tuppence-worth is that Bryson needs to be released if possible or certainly no nearer the first team than Butterfield. Johnson's lack of technical ability depresses me no end. We have loads of CM's but the best two aren't our players.

Happy Xmas.

[TuffLuff]

4 minutes ago, Ramarena said:

We haven’t seen much of Evans but would he be a better fit in your eyes?

He’d be more suited to the role, let’s put it that way? After 20 mins at home and a bit of time today it’s hard to say for sure at the minute. Huddlestone has had some good games there which can’t be discounted but over a season I feel Evans will be a better fit as DM

[Jourdan]

The midfield balance hasn't been right all season.

What may have worked with Huddlestone, Mount and Wilson, we stumbled upon. And let's be honest, there is no guarantee that it would have been successful for a prolonged period of time. I suspect it caught teams out, but teams would have eventually figured out a way to shut us down.

Personally I don't think Johnson is the answer. On paper, him alongside Huddlestone sounds perfect, but whenever we've tried it out, it hasn't worked. It should be Huddlestone, Thorne, Evans, and Johnson fighting for one position.

I don't think Bryson is the answer. Honestly, I've never been his biggest fan, not even at his peak. But he is years past his best, and even then there were multiple times when we would get absolutely slaughtered with him in a passive midfield.

And quite honestly I am not even sure Mount is the answer. He seems undroppable. But are we even getting the best out of him? Can we afford for him to be a passenger in the physical games where he is heavily marked, crowded out and can't influence the game?

I don't think there is a quick fix there in all honesty. We can fall back on what worked, but what happens when we get overrun in midfield and people are complaining that Huddlestone is too static, Mount too lightweight and Wilson too mercurial?

I think it is going to take Frank 2-3 windows to find the perfect blend.

 

[falconram]

Time for Huddlestone's and Bryson to be dropped, doing nothing.

What about 4231 with Johnson and Evans as the two, can't see Thorne getting a game as a holder or a 2.

Mount in front with Wilson and another ( take your pick) plus Marriott up top.

We haven't been winning any second ball and when Carson kicks long we don't win it from the kick or second ball, this has to change if we want to be successful

[Richard246]

I think its the best option 4-2-3-1 we need to be more solid.

Need to look at Evans but would be with Huddlestone for me and the 3 being mount, Wilson, Lawrence so Marriott would get good service.

 

[bcnram]

11 hours ago, Jourdan said:

 

I think it is going to take Frank 2-3 windows to find the perfect blend.

 

On evidence of his current purchases I don't really trust him to get it right. Marriott is the exception, but I have seen nothing from the others.

[Derbylad92]

We need to lose the defensive mids it doesn't work for us at all any more better having 3 mids but all so they work back and forward and cover each other like Hughes hendrick bryso was!