The right side of midfield problem is back!

SD has unsuccessfully (imo) tried Pieters, Brownhill is definitely better in central midfield, Rodriguez does seem to have utility/adaptability skills but would that extend to right midfield, has Lowton ever played there?

I presume Brownhill and Lowton have been practicing their right sided link play this week and I’m sure SD will choose this option. If it isn’t working then I’d be tempted to try Rodriguez on the right.

What would YOU do?

He joined Newcastle

In answer to the question how many would you like to see? The right side of midfield has been a problem for so long now that it shouldn't require utility players to play there. Not much choice for filling that position tomorrow, though. Brownhill seems favourite.

Being a utility player is seen as career destroying particularly for those with International ambitions, the game has got incredibly specialised and if you play multiple roles you do not have the opportunity to truly develop your expertise and can make you open to being easily replaced by specialists.

Having said that Pep is famous for taking a player and re-inventing his specialism

Even Lowton in front of Bardsley is an option. Whatever problems we have the results keep coming.

I think Vydra has played on the right side whilst in the championship.

I used to love the old fashioned utility players. In the days where everyone had smaller squads, it was essential to have a handful of players who could deputise in a number of different positions. They were the glue that held teams together during the harsh winter months. I always remember our visit to Bramall Lane in Coyle's promotion season where we had Elliott at right back, Jordan at centre back, Alexander at left back, and still came away with a 3-2 victory up against James Beattie and Billy Sharp.

The game seems to have changed though and you don't often see it anymore, or if you do I'm just not noticing it as much. As for our right midfield problem, surely it's Josh Brownhill.

This is why a fit Phil Jones would make sense as a signing, just not on the wings. Lingard is a good example of a more attacking utility player, and has settled in well at West Ham.

Maybe we could have gone harder for Snodgrass, but how much do you get into a bidding war for a 33yr old?

This really is where we need to be scouting rather than doing the transfer equivalent of emptying drip trays

If you split positions in to Full Back, Centre Back, Wide Midfield, Centre Midfield & Forward most Premier league teams will have at least 5 players for each position.

Its unlikely that you are gonna get 4 players injured for a particular position and therefore the need for utility players just isnt there anymore compared to the days you might have had a first team squad of 18 players.

Nevertheless you get players who can naturally cover different positions and provided they are good enough in every position on merit they are good players to have.

A player who can cover, in FM terms, DRL WBRL and MRL, with possibly DC DM and MC is bloody gold dust

I’d say it's laziness by the coaching staff. If your a good footballer you can play any position within reason. Just needs a good few sessions on the training pitch.

i really do think Lowts in front of Bards is a good option as a stop gap measure

ŽižkovClaret wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 19, 2021 1:45 pm

This is why a fit Phil Jones would make sense as a signing, just not on the wings. Lingard is a good example of a more attacking utility player, and has settled in well at West Ham.

Maybe we could have gone harder for Snodgrass, but how much do you get into a bidding war for a 33yr old?

This really is where we need to be scouting rather than doing the transfer equivalent of emptying drip trays

We are short of players because of injury why would we risk getting another treatment room regular like Jones

4-3-3 would seem to be the solution

Gone are those days-Peter Noble being one of our best ever utility players

As for outside our club Paul Madeley of Leeds (played in about 8 positions)

both Mourinhio and Guardiola have long banged on about having specialist players for each position, there is a good reason for that obviously - although it hasn't stopped Pep playing midfielders in defence or up front !

Bring back Graham Branch and David Edgar!

To play in the system we have with very strict tactics for each role it's no easy feat. Pieters did really well considering..

People will mention things like Barnes, Rodriguez or Vydra on the wing but they are far more suited to play in those positions in a 443, not a 442.

David Edgar ... *shudders*

Jay is an option.
His turn and cross for Barnes the other night was sublime.
He played out wide for Saints, although the other wing, and might suit it better than Brownhill.
I like Brownhill, but he is better in the middle, and both Jack and Westy are playing well together at the minute.

For West Brom I would set up like City do against us. McNeil and Jay getting their boots white from the touchline. Stretch their defence and make more room for Barnes and Vyds to operate. It also opens gaps for Charlie and Lowton to run into.

Paul Madeley was the player who immediately came into my mind too - in are era when shirt numbers were 1-11 every week I think he wore them all - have a distant memory of him subbing for an injured Gary Sprake - or that could just be my age

Graham Branch is our nearest modern equivalent

I'd be tempted to play Jay on the right tomorrow and pair Vydra with Barnes but as this is a must not lose rather than a must win game assume it will be Brownhill and we'll try and keep it tight

To those saying that either Jay or Vyds could play right side of midfield need to remember that our framework (if that is still the 'in' word) requires much more of a defensive mindset to the role than would be natural for either of them. Of the players available the only real options are Brownhill in front of Lowton or Lowton in front of Bardsley

Peter Noble (mentioned above) was one of the best utility players. Played at right back for one season before being used as an emergency striker. He was top scorer in Division one at one stage in 1973-74 season. From memory he scored hat-tricks against Newcastle, Middlesbrough and 4 against Norwich during his time playing up front. Another name not mentioned too often these days is "Billy Ingham" who played in many positions for Burnley including full back, midfield and up front. To be fair in the 1972-73 promotion season he made the number 12 shirt his own.

Arthur Bellamy? I think he was one.

bfcmik wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 19, 2021 4:28 pm

To those saying that either Jay or Vyds could play right side of midfield need to remember that our framework (if that is still the 'in' word) requires much more of a defensive mindset to the role than would be natural for either of them. Of the players available the only real options are Brownhill in front of Lowton or Lowton in front of Bardsley

Yep, namely what I mentioned above. They usually play out wide as inside forwards in a 433 setup, with players supporting them both in the middle, and at the back.
Its not the same role as Dyche asks for our wingers...and I guess that's generally why he rarely plays our strikers there.

[quote=beeholeclaret post_id=1506667 Another name not mentioned too often these days is "Billy Ingham" who played in many positions for Burnley including full back, midfield and up front. To be fair in the 1972-73 promotion season he made the number 12 shirt his own.
[/quote]
Interesting, when looking back at CT's latest review of the 1972/3 season on here, where the latest game has Billy Ingham deputising for Paul Fletcher in attack yet (an admittedly young) Ray Hankin was on the bench.

claretfern wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 19, 2021 5:36 pm

[quote=beeholeclaret post_id=1506667 Another name not mentioned too often these days is "Billy Ingham" who played in many positions for Burnley including full back, midfield and up front. To be fair in the 1972-73 promotion season he made the number 12 shirt his own.

Interesting, when looking back at CT's latest review of the 1972/3 season on here, where the latest game has Billy Ingham deputising for Paul Fletcher in attack yet (an admittedly young) Ray Hankin was on the bench.
[/quote]

I think the heyday for utility players was when the one substitute rule first came in. you couldn't do better than have a truly versaile player on the bench.

didn't Andy Farrell play in every position and wear every matchday number at some point except No 1 though he did play in goal too on occasion - or is my mind playing tricks

beeholeclaret wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 19, 2021 5:14 pm

Peter Noble (mentioned above) was one of best utility players. Played at right back for one season before being used as an emergency striker. He was top scorer in Division one at one stage in 1973-74 season. From memory he scored hat-tracks against Newcastle, Middlesbrough and 4 against Norwich during his time playing up front. Another name not mentioned too often these days is "Billy Ingham" who played in many positions for Burnley including full back, midfield and up front. To be fair in the 1972-73 promotion season he made the number 12 shirt his own.

Fully agree-I mentioned Peter Noble in an earlier post. His last phase was midfield and he was exceptional at full back, midfield and striker

The other one is Martin Dobson-signed from Bolton as a striker on a FREE, became for me the best all round midfielder I have seen in a BFC shirt. Then played centre half, and eventually sweeper