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Author Topic: The Midfield  (Read 4561 times)

Offline Ads

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The Midfield
« on: May 31, 2015, 07:33:31 PM »
The midfield has been very poor for half a decade now, since we allowed our good quality players in Barry, Milner, Young and Downing to leave and sadly, Stan with his illness, all departing without replacement.

Yesterday more than any game highlight just how brittle and completely hollow it is. We were chronic and it was typified by the absent midfield.

To take stock we have;

Attacking/Wide
Grealish
Gil
N'Zogbia
Sinclair

Box-to-Box
Delph
Cleverley

Sitting/Defensive
Westwood
Gardner
Sanchez
Sylla

Sherwood has mainly used a diamond, but has also used a three and on occasions two deep lying players.

Really, when you look at that and compare it to somebody of modest means, such as Swansea and the balance their midfield three offers compared to that lot, then it's no wonder we get completely out classed by somebody as good as Arsenal.

So what do we do? If we have, for arguments sake, £20 million out of a potentially Benteke sale to spend on this area (assuming the usual £10 million and the balance of £12 million is spent up front and on the defence), who would you buy? Who would you keep?

Sylla is going to leave and for me the time is up for Charlie. He's failed to deliver anywhere close to what a £10 million player should. A Sigurdson type the help Jack, who despite yesterday, has been a massive positive, would really benefit our forwards.

I like Sinclair, direct and carries a goal threat.

Cleverley I would try and keep, but if not, we need a high energy midfielder to replace him and I feel a third type would benefit the squad, as both he and Delph have looked tired of late.

There is a place in every team for a water carrying metronome passer like Westwood. For our current mid table aspirations, I think he's fine. I'm not convinced on Sanchez. For every bit of good he does, he drops a rick. Getting in a real commanding central player would massively stiffen the spine. We need more leaders out there too.

I would love to see Gardner get another crack at it and see what he can do as a squad player.

Your thoughts? Is three/four midfielders enough? Would £20 million, even if spent wisely, do the trick to increase the quality of the midfield? Is four coming in and two/three going out to high a turnover?

Suffice to say, if we are going to end this half decade of struge, then this area of the pitch, more so than anywhere else, requires huge improvement in quality of we are to compete.

Online rob_bridge

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2015, 07:48:01 PM »
Keep Grealish and Sinclair. Clearly doesnt rate Gil.

Keep Delph.

Keep Sanchez - rest of year.

The rest can go.

20m aint near enough unless we have a great scouting network, hithrto hidden for the last couple of decades.

Offline Tom_Mc9?

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2015, 08:25:47 PM »
Surely you'd try to keep Cleverley?

Online rob_bridge

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2015, 08:32:12 PM »
Surely you'd try to keep Cleverley?

No.

Offline pauliewalnuts

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2015, 08:33:46 PM »
Surely you'd try to keep Cleverley?

No.

I dont know if I agree with that or not.

Part of me thinks, he was fucking awful under Lambert - and by awful, I mean godawful - then under Sherwood he was really good for a bit, then at the end, poor again.

In the good bits, he was very good. The problem is, that's a period of about 8 games we're talking about.

Is that enough? I don't know.

Offline ozzjim

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2015, 08:37:44 PM »
Been back to anonymous the last 3 games. 60k a week on him is quite a lot considering his impact across the whole season.

Offline Holte L2

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2015, 08:38:03 PM »
Surely you'd try to keep Cleverley?

No.

I dont know if I agree with that or not.

Part of me thinks, he was fucking awful under Lambert - and by awful, I mean godawful - then under Sherwood he was really good for a bit, then at the end, poor again.

In the good bits, he was very good. The problem is, that's a period of about 8 games we're talking about.

Is that enough? I don't know.

As he wouldnt require a transfer fee, I'd attempt to sign him.

Offline ozzjim

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2015, 08:39:24 PM »
Sorry Paulie was posting at the same time and didn't see your post. I think about 6 games though... 

Offline supertom

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2015, 09:41:55 PM »
I would have Cleverley on a free. I think he's a good player. But he'd be a rotation player for me. I think we need a touch of class in the middle to play with Delph.
Westwood still doesn't convince me entirely, but he's good enough as a squad option. I'd be looking to sign one established quality midfielder, and perhaps one up and coming option to complete our options.

I'd get rid of Sanchez. I think we're well passed the stage of patience with players here. We need players who will adapt quickly. He's also 29 soon. I don't think he'll have be quick enough of thought at this level. Too many errors. Plus he's got the Copa America so will undoubtedly be worn out by half way through next season and revert back to being useless after 60 minutes.

Keep Grealish and Sinclair. Shame about Gil but he's clearly not rated. So we need to ideally get in two replacements for Gabby, Weimann and Zogbia

For me-
Cleverley Free
Decent midfielder. Technically able.
A young replacement for Sanchez.
Two attacking mid/forwards.

That would be a push, but 3 of the above is the absolute minimum we need in.

Then we just need a whole new backline, a keeper and possibly a replacement for Benteke.

So not much.

Offline ChicagoLion

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #9 on: May 31, 2015, 09:51:52 PM »
Grealish- Keep
Gil- Keep but if he has upset TS no point
N'Zogbia - Get rid
Sinclair- Keep
Delph -Keep
Cleverley-Keep
Westwood- keep/squad
Gardner- keep/squad
Sanchez- Get Rid
Sylla-get rid


Its the Dominant Central Midfielder that we lack and none of the above can do that.
If we just bought in that one player and managed to get rid of Zog, Sylla, Sanchez then I think we have enough. I would rather us spend £10mil + on a really decent player rather than lots of fillers.

Online Richard

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #10 on: May 31, 2015, 10:03:01 PM »
Oh for a midfielder to have a shot when near the penalty area ! Lost count of the number of times in the second half yesterday when Westwood, Grealish, Delph etc just lamely passed the ball sideways - hoping Gardner might at least have a pop if in such positions if he's given a chance

Offline silhillvilla

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #11 on: May 31, 2015, 10:04:50 PM »
Credit to MON but he built a great midfield . Crap defence but great midfield .

Offline curlytailavfc

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #12 on: May 31, 2015, 10:06:42 PM »
the whole teams shite need big clear out

Offline Tony Erdington

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #13 on: May 31, 2015, 10:37:51 PM »
Keep Delph, Richardson, Sinclair Hopefully Cleverley, the rest P45

Offline tomd2103

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Re: The Midfield
« Reply #14 on: May 31, 2015, 11:02:19 PM »
Credit to MON but he built a great midfield . Crap defence but great midfield .

I'm not a fan of MON at all, but didn't we have the best defensive record in the league at one point?

 


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