The Midfield

[Clampy]

There was a gaping big hole in the middle of the midfield yesterday where a holding player should have been. He needs to address that against Swansea otherwise we'll just let in more goals again.

[PaulTheVillan]

We should look into loan deals for players like Yossi Benayoun and Wilson Palacios.

Both not going to get games at their parent clubs.

[Ads]

If Herd, as poor as he is, was in the midfield yesterday then that useless shite Boyce would not have drifted through us for the second.

[Dante Lavelli]

We need an aggressive ball winning midfielder and a creative midfielder to go alongside Westwood. Wanyama would be ideal but he wouldn't join us.

You're almost certainly right Paul but I hope that we still try.  Man U have said they're not signing anyone significant and there aren't many clubs that could offer the wages that we could.  We got Petrov off them when we in a similar position so there is hope.

[barrysleftfoot]

  For me.

    Keep Westwood, KEA, Holman.

   Release Bannan, Ireland Delph.

  Ideally for me, buy a big bastard and play Westwood alongside him.Kea and Holman are more versatile and stronger  than the other 3, and the only reason why i would keep them as reserves.

[Ad@m]

The midfield needs a ugly ball winner (Nolan would be ideal but he'd never leave Allardyce) but more than that it needs a captain.

The midfield yesterday played like three individuals.  No-one was on the pitch taking charge and as a result the three of them ran around like headless chickens and Wigan took the piss.  We need someone to tell these kids what to do and I'm sure that if that person was in place the rest of them would look better than they currently do. 

[PaulTheVillan]

Nolan is the exact street wise type of midfielder that we need.

[ez]

Is Makoun still on the books?

[cheltenhamlion]

Our midfield is hopelessly crap. It doesn't matter what the cost is, we need a big bugger in to run it in January.

[onje_villa]

You need look no further than a comparison between yesterday's team sheet and one from a couple of years ago to see why we're deep in the shit.
Milner, Barry, Petrov, Young, Downing - every one of them a good/very good Premier League player.

That said:

I loved seeing Albrighton show some passion out there yesterday when he came on, he looks to me that he's ready to come back in from the wilderness.

Holman is utterly baffling, cannot think of another player like him, he goes from the sublime to the ridiculous from one game to the next, sort of like a poor man's Arshavin. I don't agree with others that he is pish, he has showed plenty of good this season (including goals) alongside plenty of average.

Like others I'm 50-50 on Bannan, put him in the right place on the pitch, he certainly has the quality to succeed, he also at least tried yesterday.

As for Ireland, see above. Seems like he starts out wanting to do well, gets upset that it's not going his way then fade badly. Not a sign of being an arse if you ask me but a sign of a lack of mental strength and confidence. He'll have to be moved on.

Agree with others that Nolan is exactly the sort of player we need now and perhaps a couple of them

[old man villa fan]

You need look no further than a comparison between yesterday's team sheet and one from a couple of years ago to see why we're deep in the shit.
Milner, Barry, Petrov, Young, Downing - every one of them a good/very good Premier League player.

That said:

I loved seeing Albrighton show some passion out there yesterday when he came on, he looks to me that he's ready to come back in from the wilderness.

Holman is utterly baffling, cannot think of another player like him, he goes from the sublime to the ridiculous from one game to the next, sort of like a poor man's Arshavin. I don't agree with others that he is pish, he has showed plenty of good this season (including goals) alongside plenty of average.

Like others I'm 50-50 on Bannan, put him in the right place on the pitch, he certainly has the quality to succeed, he also at least tried yesterday.

As for Ireland, see above. Seems like he starts out wanting to do well, gets upset that it's not going his way then fade badly. Not a sign of being an arse if you ask me but a sign of a lack of mental strength and confidence. He'll have to be moved on.

Agree with others that Nolan is exactly the sort of player we need now and perhaps a couple of them

That midfield never happened.  Downing did not arrive until Barry left.

You obviously saw something in Albrighton yesterday that I did not see.  The directness of when he first came into the side has gone.  He has still not learned how to play the game when he does not have the ball.

Your right about Holman, although you have over stated his better things.  His odd good shot and a lot of running is not enough.  Perhaps as a late substitute maybe.

Ireland, I have given up on and starting to think he had that great season at Man City because he had some very good players around him and that suited his game.

Can't disagree on a Nolan type player

[Chris Smith]

Our midfield is hopelessly crap. It doesn't matter what the cost is, we need a big bugger in to run it in January.

He doesn't have to be big, a Scot Parker type would do us fine.

[garyshawsknee]

That's a great shout Chris,i think he'd go really well with Bannan and Westwood,a good leader and organiser,not affraid to get stuck in as well,but i suppose our chances of getting him aren't too good,but we need someone of his type.

[onje_villa]

You need look no further than a comparison between yesterday's team sheet and one from a couple of years ago to see why we're deep in the shit.
Milner, Barry, Petrov, Young, Downing - every one of them a good/very good Premier League player.

That said:

I loved seeing Albrighton show some passion out there yesterday when he came on, he looks to me that he's ready to come back in from the wilderness.

Holman is utterly baffling, cannot think of another player like him, he goes from the sublime to the ridiculous from one game to the next, sort of like a poor man's Arshavin. I don't agree with others that he is pish, he has showed plenty of good this season (including goals) alongside plenty of average.

Like others I'm 50-50 on Bannan, put him in the right place on the pitch, he certainly has the quality to succeed, he also at least tried yesterday.

As for Ireland, see above. Seems like he starts out wanting to do well, gets upset that it's not going his way then fade badly. Not a sign of being an arse if you ask me but a sign of a lack of mental strength and confidence. He'll have to be moved on.

Agree with others that Nolan is exactly the sort of player we need now and perhaps a couple of them

That midfield never happened.  Downing did not arrive until Barry left.

You obviously saw something in Albrighton yesterday that I did not see.  The directness of when he first came into the side has gone.  He has still not learned how to play the game when he does not have the ball.

Your right about Holman, although you have over stated his better things.  His odd good shot and a lot of running is not enough.  Perhaps as a late substitute maybe.

Ireland, I have given up on and starting to think he had that great season at Man City because he had some very good players around him and that suited his game.

Can't disagree on a Nolan type player

You're right Old Man but that was the calibre of players we had over the last few years in midfield.
I did honestly think Marc looked half decent yesterday and I'd add Bowery to that list too, was impressed with him in his little cameo.
I still think the system and shape needs looking at, fit the pieces together better, we're still not top 6 but we ought not be getting beat in the way we are.

[SoccerHQ]

I think the biggest indicator of our midfield woes is with our frequent management changes and Delph always seems to pop up in the starting line up for the first few games.

He's the first one I'd get rid of, preferably to Sunderland as to me he's a nothing midfielder who just lungs recklessly into tackles.

KEA I thought looked good the first few games but has declined since then.

Bannan, on record as not a fan but he does work hard. Just don't think the quality is consistantly there.

Holman. Went OTT in calling him a revelation but he has still contributed to some of our recent good results, goals at QPR and Norwich and set one of Benteke's goals up at Anfield. But he should be a squad player, not a regular starter.

Ireland- Was a fan but would happily get rid after that disgrace of a perfomance yesterday.

Westwood. Good player. Comfortable on the ball. I think like Lowton he's started to struggle a bit, wasn't great first half against Spurs so can understand giving him a breather but we needed him against Wigan.

In 09-10 we had a starting midfield of Young-Milner-Petrov-Downing with o.k back up in Sidwell, NRC and Gardner.

It's laughable how bad the midfield options are now compared to then especially as midfield is such an important postion in football.