Midfield Balance

[Carl Sagan]

At the moment I think our best midfield is Hudds, Mount and Wilson. Holmes is staking a claim. So far Evans hasn't made the case to me for stepping into the defensive role. I would love to see Tomori tried there - I think his pace and tackling would really allow him to dominate there, and we need some midfield domination. 

Then, a more dominant midfield general and powerhouse should take Wilson's place (still keeping Wilson in the team). I presume we can't afford Drinkwater on loan, but I'd do it if we could. 

Of the little I've seen of the U23s, I think Sibley has the most potential to be that player. But it may be he's more Harry Wilson. 

[LeedsCityRam]

18 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

? Huddlestone is neither of those things.

Are you trying to describe him as lightweight!?!

He is far more physical than any other midfielder we have on our books - apart from Bradley Johnson, who is nowhere near as technically gifted.

 

[northantsram]

I suspect the way Lampard wants us to play means we are missing a few key pieces of the puzzle. The midfield balance hasn't quite been there. I think we only have one genuine CM in the whole squad and that's Bryson who's not the same player he was a few years back. We desperately need to invest in a quality physical CM this Jan ... more so than a CB imo.

[Mafiabob]

Missing BJ physically 

[Parsnip]

5 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

I presume we can't afford Drinkwater on loan, but I'd do it if we could. 

Have we actually been linked to Drinkwater or is it just because of the Chelsea link? 

You'd think there would be 15 Premier League teams who would want him on loan ahead of us.

[Waffle]

I’d drop Mount in our current formation. I’ve said since the start of the season he’s not a box to box. He never played there in Holland nor did he in the youth team. Better as a number 10. 

tactically we’re very easy to beat. Leeds stretched us by playing their wingers as wide as possible, leaving a huge gap in midfield. 

[jono]

49 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

? Huddlestone is neither of those things.

That’s true Roy, Tom is imposing but actually not that gutsy in the tackle. He makes up for it by being incredibly composed and can pass well, but he isn’t that good at going and getting the ball. The truth is in some games we need a player who is both mobile, can tackle and come away with the ball. ... GT at his best was like that and Will was just arriving at the point in his physical development when he could have been that player. He could always tackle but he’d gained some toughness after his injury. 

Apparently Brian Clough’s instructions to a young Roy Keane were “get the ball and pass it to our Nigel .. that’s your job”  that’s what we need. 

[Richard246]

I think are our 3 best players are Marriott, Wilson, Mount so play those 3 up front and play 3 midfield players who can defend and one who can get forward 

Midfield 3  Holmes, Huddlestone and Evans or is it really too simple.

Use Wilson and Mount what they are good at Creating.

Surely the system you use is to get the best out of your attacking players we don't have box to box midfielders  so don't look for it 

 

 

[RoyMac5]

1 hour ago, LeedsCityRam said:

Are you trying to describe him as lightweight!?!

He is far more physical than any other midfielder we have on our books - apart from Bradley Johnson, who is nowhere near as technically gifted.

He hasn't as much physicality As Holmes FFS!

[Marriot Ram99]

I think Mount could play as a LW , he played there in Holland for a bit and he isn't doing enough defensively for me in a 433 so this is how I would line up in future:

                                       Carson

 Bogle   Tomori (new solid player to replace one of the two)  Keogh Malone /lowe

                                      Huddlestone

                                Bryson (New player ideally)      Holmes 

                       Wilson         Marriott     Mount 

 

[Gone]

1 hour ago, Mafiabob said:

Missing BJ physically 

Me to, espically since I’ve been married

[Ramarena]

I said it on another thread but this is the correct place for it.

Its controversial but I’d be tempted to give a midfield three of Evans, BJ and Mount a go. BJ is the only midfielder we posses that can do the dirty work and you need that in this division, he wins the 50/50s we lose out on at the moment and allows us to regain possession further up the pitch instead of of having the opposition stroll through us as happens at the mo. Yes his passing is poor but it’s no worse than what was on display on fri night. Id let him play the Bryson role and let him get forward when he can too.

The other two would play the roles they are currently but Mount needs to do more to eveade his markers.

i like Hudds and Bryson but the balance is all wrong at present and the above is a blend we haven’t tried. 

I’d also look to sit Mount out for a couple of games in the near future and replace him Wilson or Lawrence just to give him a breather and analyse his role from he bench, all young players need a few games out from time to time and Mount is no different 

Oh and start waghorn out wide

[Coneheadjohn]

Barry Bannan,Ryan Woods(not really),a fully fit George Thorne clone.

[cannable]

Mount is a weird one - he consistently shows that he’s the best player on the pitch without putting in anywhere near the best performance 

You can see he’s got the lot

[Shuff264]

I think we've got enough midfield options to find a balance, yes there are better players out there but we dont need to go crazy.

Playing we two defnesive players would help cover defence better, allow for for options to pass out from the back and let Mount push forward and support Marriott for closely. Plus the extra defensive cover would probably help the full backs push on more comfortably.

You could look at Evans, Huddlestone and Mount as a three with two holding. More like a 4-2-3-1.

[Carl Sagan]

1 hour ago, Parsnip said:

Have we actually been linked to Drinkwater or is it just because of the Chelsea link? 

You'd think there would be 15 Premier League teams who would want him on loan ahead of us.

No link as far as I know. Just the Chelsea connection. And a hope he might want to return to the East Midlands. I think lower Prem teams would want him, but not sure about 15. So I'm also clutching at the straws of the Frank Factor. 

[Carl Sagan]

39 minutes ago, Ramarena said:

I said it on another thread but this is the correct place for it.

Its controversial but I’d be tempted to give a midfield three of Evans, BJ and Mount a go. BJ is the only midfielder we posses that can do the dirty work and you need that in this division, he wins the 50/50s we lose out on at the moment and allows us to regain possession further up the pitch instead of of having the opposition stroll through us as happens at the mo. Yes his passing is poor but it’s no worse than what was on display on fri night. Id let him play the Bryson role and let him get forward when he can too.

The other two would play the roles they are currently but Mount needs to do more to eveade his markers.

i like Hudds and Bryson but the balance is all wrong at present and the above is a blend we haven’t tried. 

I’d also look to sit Mount out for a couple of games in the near future and replace him Wilson or Lawrence just to give him a breather and analyse his role from he bench, all young players need a few games out from time to time and Mount is no different 

Oh and start waghorn out wide

I've wondered about this with Bradders, but haven't been able to bring myself to say it. I don't want players lacking technical ability in the team. That said, he did seem to improve from the coaching earlier in the season. Might it work? 

He has been to see Lampard this transfer window to ask about his future in the team. I have no idea what was said. Wednesday's teamsheet might give us some answers.

[RamNut]

So what are we saying?

bradders would add a bit more bite to the midfield? ?

personally i think we need to be able to play at a higher tempo.

For all of his undoubted technical ability i don't think Tom can do that. Lets face it he was signed by growett as the missile launcher with Ledley installed to do the fetching and carrying. Whether Evans is the answer remains to be seen but Tom doesn't fit. That Kamara geezer from Dundee might have been the answer but at the moment we are handicapped by financial paralysis. 

[Ramarena]

28 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

I've wondered about this with Bradders, but haven't been able to bring myself to say it. I don't want players lacking technical ability in the team. That said, he did seem to improve from the coaching earlier in the season. Might it work? 

He has been to see Lampard this transfer window to ask about his future in the team. I have no idea what was said. Wednesday's teamsheet might give us some answers.

I understand the reservations and if we were in the prem I’d fully agree with the technical ability side of things. But in the Championship you need that gritty grafter in your team. We’ve  all been at a match where a full blooded tackle, etc can lift the team and crowd we don’t have anyone capable of that. We need to start winning the midfield battles to let our technical players play. The reason the midfield looks so disjointed is because we don’t have a ball winner and with a presence in there. bJ is the closest we do have until we buy someone.

As to his future he’s in an odd position, expensive player in FFP terms but potentially not a player that would be handed a new contract. Personally I don’t think FL would want to offer him a new deal.

[Ramarena]

4 minutes ago, RamNut said:

So what are we saying?

bradders would add a bit more bite to the midfield? ?

personally i think we need to be able to play at a higher tempo.

For all of his undoubted technical ability i don't think Tom can do that. Lets face it he was signed by growett as the missile launcher with Ledley installed to do the fetching and carrying. Whether Evans is the answer remains to be seen but Tom doesn't fit. That Kamara geezer from Dundee might have been the answer but at the moment we are handicapped by financial paralysis. 

Maybe so.....hence why I think BJ is the best of a bad bunch of options