Central midfield

[RedLars]

In a number of matches this season I’ve found the central midfield a bit lacking. The opposition seems to run straight through us at time. Obviously there can be lots of reasons for this which may vary from match to match. What do you think are the main issue? Is it physical, tactical, consistency, quality of players, types of players...

 

In my opinion the midfield does not score enough. Goals from midfield so far this season is: Gerrard(2), Hendo(1), Sterling(1), Moses(1) from 12 matches.

[Flight]

Is it physical, tactical, consistency, quality of players, types of players...

 

Tactical for me. Last season Skrtel was a scape goat for poor defensive tactics. This season the tactics are making Lucas and gerrard especially look poorer than they are.

[Dan]

Tactical for me. Last season Skrtel was a scape goat for poor defensive tactics.

 

No he wasn't.

[Flight]

No he wasn't.

 

Player of the season year before last. Looking good again this year.

 

Our defensive tactics were crap for large portions of last season.

[Romario]

Tactical for me. Last season Skrtel was a scape goat for poor defensive tactics. This season the tactics are making Lucas and gerrard especially look poorer than they are.

Totally agree.

[Dan]

Player of the season year before last. Looking good again this year.

 

Our defensive tactics were crap for large portions of last season.

 

Quite often s**** prior to the season before last too. Manager fancied Carra over him who was arguably better in the end. No big deal.

[Cisse]

A combo, actually think Gerrard has started this season much better than last. Allen should get a chance on Saturday and we need 1-2 New ones in January

[Couldbe]

What about playing 4-2-2-2 ?

 

Put Toure along side Lucas in front of back 4 as holding midfielders , with Gerrard and Henderson or Allen in centre , with support from full backs .

 

Long term still need more pace and dynamism in midfield.

[surf]

4-3-1-2 is the way to go. coutinho in behind sturridge and suarez, width from the fullbacks.

[Couldbe]

4-3-1-2 is the way to go. coutinho in behind sturridge and suarez, width from the fullbacks.

 

Yeah , it really is, just don't have a strong unit of 3 in centre midfield . Balance not right.

[Kite]

What about playing 4-2-2-2 ?

 

Put Toure along side Lucas in front of back 4 as holding midfielders , with Gerrard and Henderson or Allen in centre , with support from full backs .

 

Long term still need more pace and dynamism in midfield.

 

Was thinking something like that myself, but 4-3-3, and not bothering with Lucas, just playing the back four and Toure in as a pure defensive mid, Gerrard and Hendo/Allen ahead in central midfield and then Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez dazzling their way though defences up top...

[surf]

has toure played in midfield before?

[Drexl]

Lucas is our best DM by far. He plays until we buy someone better. If we are looking for someone. We should.

[quibs]

4-3-1-2 is the way to go. coutinho in behind sturridge and suarez, width from the fullbacks.

Agree with this.

 

3 in mid Gerrard Lucas and Hendo or Allen.

 

Gives you protection and let's the front 3 run riot.

[Ronnie#5]

It's tactical and it's made worse by the personnel.

 

I think it's becoming glaringly obvious that the skippers legs are completely gone. He needs to play 30 games MAX a season. This isn't insulting him, more recognizing his limitations and making the most of his contributions over a season.

 

We need to find a 'play-maker' in midfield. Someone who can dictate the rhythm of a game and can score 5-10 goals a season. This guy needs to start with a combination of Allen/Hendo/Lucas/Gerrard depending on the opposition in a midfield 3 with Coutinho/Alberto as the play-maker ahead of him to benefit from his incisive passing and clever movement.

 

This player will cost £20-£25m and command £6-£8m a year in wages as they're very hard to get.

 

Closest I can think of is Modric. Is he getting his game at Real? if not, we need to interrupt Johnny Henry's Red Sox victory parade and tell him to open the purse strings in Jan.

 

We can still make top 4 with the existing personnel but we'll get no-where beyond of we don't sort out our midfield.

Edited November 4, 2013 by Ronnie#5

[Kite]

Lucas is our best DM by far. He plays until we buy someone better.

Or we play different surely. Or we try someone who proves more effective in there.

[Flight]

Was thinking something like that myself, but 4-3-3... just playing the back four and Toure in as a pure defensive mid

 

Like the sound of this.

[New York Red]

Toure doesn't have the engine to play CM.

[muleskinner]

Who is Sergio Roberto at Barcelona ? Bbc gossip reckons us and spurs are chasing him at 17mil.

[épieur]

Who is Sergio Roberto at Barcelona ? Bbc gossip reckons us and spurs are chasing him at 17mil.

 

right....

[muleskinner]

right....

Who is he? Is he any good?

[matlfc]

Who is Sergio Roberto at Barcelona ? Bbc gossip reckons us and spurs are chasing him at 17mil.

 

 

Not like spurs to be after one of our targets is it

[Ed the Wool]

I think we need a stop gap in Jan, not sure we'd get a player of calibre for the long term in this window.

[chiliking]

Tactics are not working in Gerrard or Lucas' favour. They are both too slow. Both can't do their job through reading the game. We need someone to run, hassle and press.

Masch/ Alonso, I think, would've been a perfect set-up, and not least a good example on what we need. Alonso wasn't fast, but his reading of the game and the passes and set ups he made worked from all over the field. To stifle us you had to stifle Alonso at midfield, Gerrrard and Torres . Nowadays our opponents can focus "solely" on the strikers

MAscherano bullied and harrassed opponents, and never gave up.

The fall from "the best midfield in the world" to the most pedestrian in the league is sure hard to watch. I would, if given the choice, tried Hendo as 1 of the two, the other being Stevie, Lucas or Allen.

[yellow jumper]

the pressing's the major issue. rodgers talks about knowing when to go and when to sit in this sense. i don't think any of them are handling it really. but for me the problem starts ahead of lucas.

 

i think the need for legs is overstated if you're organised. henderson's got legs, but got near no one on saturday. for me lucas is the best reader of the game defensively/positonally, if three runners are coming through that space though it makes no different if you're switched on tactically or an incredible athlete. teething problems with the three at the back doesn't help.

 

we have imposed our game on sides that press at times in the past, but we've done it by being much better on the ball first off, and with more intent generally.

Edited November 5, 2013 by yellow jumper