Most liked posts in thread: Central midfield

Absolutely agree.

We need a bit of bite in there, definitely, but we don't need to 'protect the defence'.

Gary Jones gave a bit of bite, so did Stuart - but neither were there to sit in front of a back four.

No thank you.

Bowyer confused ultra-defensiveness with possession football, so it might have suited him to have a midfield anchor, but I don't remember McCall ever using one before. The only player that came close was Vincelot, but he played a lot in central defence anyway.

 

So true. Ngolo Kante is one of the best defensive midfielders in the World and he’s only 5 feet 6.

 

Yes, you could definitely make the case that Bowyer's tactics failed because his wing backs simply weren't good enough as wing backs.

And while you make the case very well for sitting a midfielder in front of the defence in similar formations, I don't think it's a prerequisite for Stuart - I don't think it's required at all, depending what formation he plays.

As for the evolution of tactics at the elite level, the true fad for me is League Two managers mindlessly copying those tactics unnecessarily.

I get that whatever works at the top will trickle down the divisions, but in my opinion Bowyer and his ilk who speak about studying the sport are the most at risk of imitating tactics that simply aren't suitable. Bowyer could have set up his side exactly as Liverpool do, could have coached them each to understand their individual roles, and we'd probably still have had 10 shots on target in 8 games.

 

The problem with Henley, is that he thinks he is a wing back. He goes off on Meredith type runs, with little or no outcome. Wood is the only one who looks to get as far down the pitch as he can before crossing it. Doesn’t always come off. As I’ve said before, Mellor often looks lost once he’s in their final third. Definitely we should have signed a RB/WB in the window.

 

@dodge33cymru we could start with getting men into the box and getting our wide players to get closer to the box

Liverpool switch play from full back to back extremely well and work so hard for the ball. We can play 5-3-2 as we don't have the players too. 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 we need to play.

We just need more of a Swindon approach which is get bodies in the box when attacking and make sure the central forward is in the box in a central area to pass to to so he can shoot.

Our CM sit too deep and forwards came far too deep to collect the ball.

 

Tough.

Reeves can't play in a 2.
Devitt is better at AM.

So unless he wants to play he adapted. He's needed in the side for me but along side Devitt.

 

Play all three of them, none can play in a 2 with each other.