We Need Athleticism In Midfield

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warksclaret
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We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by warksclaret » Fri May 03, 2019 10:46 pm

We desperately need tio strengthen midfield, Cant remember last time Jack played well.He gets pushed off the ball too easily but never gets subbed. Hendrick seems out of favour (though I prefer him in the team than out) and Westwood is tenacious but needs support

Aclaret
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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Aclaret » Fri May 03, 2019 10:53 pm

You're right Warks and weve been saying it all season.

Spijed
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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Spijed » Fri May 03, 2019 10:55 pm

Is this why we've been one of the best performing teams in the Prem since Boxing day?
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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by HunterST_BFC » Fri May 03, 2019 11:05 pm

Spijed wrote:Is this why we've been one of the best performing teams in the Prem since Boxing day?
No.
But it's why we can't push forward through midfield and end up passing back and then launching it.

D4 is not the answer - if anyone thinks he will ever play any games?
We needed another one (2?) last summer....

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Spijed » Fri May 03, 2019 11:12 pm

HunterST_BFC wrote:No.
But it's why we can't push forward through midfield and end up passing back and then launching it.
Plenty of games where we have played some very good football this season through the midfield, most notably against Spurs at home.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Bin Ont Turf » Fri May 03, 2019 11:17 pm

HunterST_BFC wrote:No.
But it's why we can't push forward through midfield and end up passing back and then launching it.
It isn't. It's because how we are set up and having limited players in all positions at this level.

Depending on how you think, or what you think we should achieve at this level, then we need better players all over the pitch, in every position.

I think Everton would have blown most teams away (from 7th down) in that first half hour tonight.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Tinribs » Fri May 03, 2019 11:23 pm

Poor tonight
Lowton,Wood and Cork should all be looking over their shoulder in the summer.
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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by HunterST_BFC » Fri May 03, 2019 11:29 pm

We Do need better signings for Midfield Centre without doubt.
SD has had to play this way to get points.
With little scope to change.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by claretspice » Fri May 03, 2019 11:46 pm

I would say that what tonight showed is that we need a midfielder with a better range of passing and a bit more composure to help us keep the ball under pressure. That was our problem in the first 20 in a nutshell.

On the assumption that a midfielder with that and athleticism is going to be 30 million quid to expensive for us, I'd be prioritising quality over athleticsm (although a bit of height wouldn't go amiss).

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by ElectroClaret » Fri May 03, 2019 11:56 pm

We're missing Defour like a heart valve.

Only hope he's back next season, though I doubt it.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by KlyBfc » Fri May 03, 2019 11:59 pm

I’ve been considering Cork these last few weeks and I do think we need someone to challenge him. What jack does well is hold the centre. If we had another Westwood we’d be dangerously open and corks discipline really does allow Ash to go hunting and harrying. My big issue with Jack is a tired look which we’ve seen at times this year and being too slow to shift the ball, he tends to have one extra touch/pause a fraction longer than most other midfielders.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Goody1975 » Sat May 04, 2019 12:11 am

So basically what we needed twelve months ago when we had a Belgian midfielder recovering from a long term injury.......and repeat.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Bordeauxclaret » Sat May 04, 2019 12:15 am

Like any transfer window you need to improve on what you have.
Let’s hope this Rigg guy knows his stuff and can pull us an unhidden gem from somewhere.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Vegas Claret » Sat May 04, 2019 12:41 am

we need PACE

Not only physically but in speed of thought. Westwood is tenacious, runs for miles and can pick a pass, he needs a partner who is going to run at players and pick a pass more often than not. Our lack of quality in midfield at this level is horrifying but hopefully Mr Rigg will have some answers. Our lads give their all and for the most part have been superb, but they desperately need some help
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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by cricketfieldclarets » Sat May 04, 2019 12:45 am

Im afraid as good as he has been in his various spells and roles for us, Corks days are limited for me. As first choice at least.

He offers so little. Especially when it comes to urgency, creativity, energy or physicality. Which are probably the key ingredients for a midfielder!

While we have done well to finish as we have, we cant afford to get complacent. We need at least one, probably two new bodies in there.
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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Burnleyareback2 » Sat May 04, 2019 1:04 am

I’d like to see Jeff back in there.

Agree though we need a. Burnley version of Ya Ya or Viera. On a burnley budget

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by CaptainClaret » Sat May 04, 2019 1:34 am

Thinking of our midfield options, wonder if Aiden O’Neill might get a bit of a look next season? He’s just won player of the year for Central Coast Mariners (admittedly for a terrible side in a poor standard league).
* I’m not suggesting he should as I’ve barely ever seen him play but just thought worth a mention

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by cricketfieldclarets » Sat May 04, 2019 1:36 am

CaptainClaret wrote:Thinking of our midfield options, wonder if Aiden O’Neill might get a bit of a look next season? He’s just won player of the year for Central Coast Mariners (admittedly for a terrible side in a poor standard league).
* I’m not suggesting he should as I’ve barely ever seen him play but just thought worth a mention
He looked promising. Good and composed on the ball in the little chance he had here. But who knows.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by IanMcL » Sat May 04, 2019 1:47 am

The one thing we are guaranteed is athleticism!

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by claretspice » Sat May 04, 2019 8:07 am

Burnleyareback2 wrote:I’d like to see Jeff back in there.

Agree though we need a. Burnley version of Ya Ya or Viera. On a burnley budget
That's the point. They don't really exist. Hendrick is as you rightly say, as close as we're going to get. He's 6 foot, covers the turf quickly with long strides, and moves the ball faster than Cork, say. But he's not as good in the defensive/tactical side of the game as Cork.

The one thing we can sacrifice in midfield is pace/out and out mobility, and in a sense our form post Christmas has demonstrated that. The best midfielder on the park last night was Schneiderlein and he's not remotely quick.

If we can find someone of Cork's sort of build and that holding midfielder intelligence, but who is more of a quarterback in their passing, then that would be perfect. Even with the sort of compromises that entails, they're not easy to find. But if we can, then we can add the extra pace the team needs in other areas (out wide/at full back/up front - take any two).

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Zenwisdom » Sat May 04, 2019 9:18 am

We need to find a creative midfield as we have not replaced Defour and Westwood is not the answer anybody can run round like headless chickens . Check the stats with shots on targets this season the city game zero .

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by mdd2 » Sat May 04, 2019 10:12 am

Unless we lose some of our better players we have a maximum of 4 or maybe 5 "vacancies" and that assumes we lose one of Pope, Heaton Hart and let Lindegaard go as he is OOC. Mitchell is also OOC but Legzdins has a year to go so may be the third choice. We will lose Crouch, Walters, and need to lose Ward, Wells and maybe Bardsley and Agyei. That leaves us with 19 from a 25 sized squad and I imagine Ward and Bardsley will stay- so there is room for 4 incomings.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Jakubs Tash » Sat May 04, 2019 11:06 am

Ball retention/creativity over athleticism, for me. Jack Cork is the one we need to look at replacing in the starting XI right now and one thing you can't knock Cork for is his athleticism. He gets about the pitch really well....but he's too slow in movement and thought so regularly loses the ball when he finally gets it. I think players like Cork are usually referred to as 'water-carriers'.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by SalisburyClaret » Sat May 04, 2019 11:38 am

We need to play 5 in the middle - it has to come at some point

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by ElectroClaret » Sat May 04, 2019 11:41 am

Zenwisdom wrote:....Westwood is not the answer anybody can run round like headless chickens....
:roll: Westwood runs around like a headless chicken?
:lol: :lol:

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Jakubs Tash » Sat May 04, 2019 11:49 am

SalisburyClaret wrote:We need to play 5 in the middle - it has to come at some point
We certainly played our best football over recent years with 5 across the middle the first half of last season. 4-4-2 was/is ok to 'get back to basics' but we are constantly out numbered in the middle of the pitch and if the ball isn't sticking up front (like last night!) then it's a constant struggle to retain possession.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Stayingup » Sat May 04, 2019 4:59 pm

Spijed wrote:Is this why we've been one of the best performing teams in the Prem since Boxing day?
No dont be daft. In which games have dominated midfield? Its a miracle our strikers are in double figures for goals

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Spijed » Sat May 04, 2019 5:18 pm

Stayingup wrote:No dont be daft. In which games have dominated midfield? Its a miracle our strikers are in double figures for goals
Where have I said we've dominated midfield?

The point is it's not been an issue in the second half of the season as our points total suggests. And as for your last comment are you suggesting we've been lucky to score the goals we have?

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by boatshed bill » Sat May 04, 2019 6:44 pm

Spijed wrote:Where have I said we've dominated midfield?

The point is it's not been an issue in the second half of the season as our points total suggests. And as for your last comment are you suggesting we've been lucky to score the goals we have?
Our ball retention through midfield is the problem in my opinion. Athleticism would be handy winning possession in midfield, but Cork and Westwood have done pretty well.
I thought Hendrick and McNeil were badly missed as we gave away the ball very easily in the first quarter of the game last night.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by warksclaret » Sat May 04, 2019 6:50 pm

When I opened this post by athleticism I meant as much power and physical strength. No criticism of Corks stamina, running and showing for the ball, but he really gets knocked over easily invariably losing us possession. Do people on this Board remember Djemba Djemba. He came on loan from Villa. A modern day version of him would be an immense asset to our club. Sitting in front of the back four and spraying it around and keeping it simple

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Stayingup » Sat May 04, 2019 7:42 pm

Spijed wrote:Where have I said we've dominated midfield?

The point is it's not been an issue in the second half of the season as our points total suggests. And as for your last comment are you suggesting we've been lucky to score the goals we have?
The defence not the midfield has been mainly reponsiblw for our resurgence and of course oue young winger. Our two strikers havs somehow managed double figures in spite of not being creative from midfield.

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Firthy » Sun May 05, 2019 9:05 am

Most of us have been saying that we need a strong creative midfielder, a right wing with pace and an alternative striker with pace and most of these attributes point to bringing in younger players. Let's hope SD reads this board so we can all point him in the right direction. We're all good managers at heart, it's like playing any sport, it's easy from the sidelines :)

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Re: We Need Athleticism In Midfield

Post by Nipples » Mon May 06, 2019 1:18 am

Victor Camarasa

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