We could of course have just started with Anderson instead of Fletcher in the first place, that'd be a start.
Central midfield this season...
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We could of course have just started with Anderson instead of Fletcher in the first place, that'd be a start.
That was bewildering, as I said in the match day thread Anderson has been our best CM for weeks now.
We had two perectly capable ones sitting pointlessly on the bench...again. For no fecking reason.
What's the point in buying another one if Fergie thinks Fletcher is a better partner to Carrick than either Anderson or Scholes?
We are deep, thats why the game was end to end, when the attack breaks down they can easily take control of the ball, we couldn't sustain pressure.
Have a look at zonalmarking.com tomorrow and you'll see that you are overstating that point.
We lack drive, creativity, technical abitlity on the ball and pace in CM, especially when we field a 4 men midfield with Carrick and Fletcher in the middle.
Not a good game from both of them, although Carrick got better in the second half.
Not a good game from both of them, although Carrick got better in the second half.
whats so hard for people to understand that none of our players seemed to be able to pass to another when they ventured over the half way line
arguing about who was or wasnt on the pitch today is pointless
arguing about who was or wasnt on the pitch today is pointless
Not true.
The 2 or 3 times he got forward he didnt lose it.
Should have started, he gives us something both Carrick and Fletcher don't.
We should look for better players.
It's not only about this game though.
This season both failed to impress as a partnership imo. Today was another example.
You are right though, our passing was shit today. Giggsy was shockingly poor.
The problem was that we couldnt hold the ball when they were pressing us.. they pressed us high on the field.. and Fletcher and Carrick cant dribble past..so they didnt know whom to pass... so we hoofed it... What we needed,was a midfielder that was not scared to carry the ball... Giggs had s good game because of that... He could get into central positions and he could keep the ball..
For this reason.. we should have brought Anderson before when the game was wide open around the 55-60 minute time..
For this reason.. we should have brought Anderson before when the game was wide open around the 55-60 minute time..
There is something which annoys me everytime which the slopinness that seems to affect our defence whenever we have the ball and we try to build our attacks. How many times do you see the defenders and the goalkeeper exchanging the ball until a mistake is made and we are into unnecessary trouble ? Well, the blame for me goes to the central midfield, which is most of time not making the effort required to link up. Apart from when Scholes or at times Anderson are playing, we just seem lost and sloppy. For instance, you could see how Modric played today, getting all the time in the area between the central defenders and the midfield and actually trying to take the ball forward. This for me is one of the biggest flaws we have in our game, along with a lack of creativity.
I dont think we lack creativity... If we can feed Nani, Berbatov, Rooney early.. But the problem is like you said.. the player that links defence with midfield...
One reason we tend to play so well when Scholes plays beacuse he is so good at it..
One reason we tend to play so well when Scholes plays beacuse he is so good at it..
Bite.
Think Anderson did better than Fletcher and Carrick.... He made some good runs towards the Spurs defence two-three times...
Think once Berba was off side when he receieved the ball..he was good today
Well you can't deny that.
To actually run at defenders, go past players, giving our midfield drive with his great pace.
Needs to become more consistent though.
Even SAF mentioned that.
Carrick seems more comfortable when partnerred with him too.
Tha ability to move forwards with the ball and actually contest the midfield?
We spent the first 60 minutes playing with 4 centrebacks.
and then we fecked around with everyone elses positions just so we could spend the last 30 minutes doing the same thing.
Luka Modric would be ideal, he's got everything that we lack in the midfield department.
I was referring to the creativity of the midfield, of course when you have players such as Nani and especially Berbatov, creativity is the least of your problems in the attack. However, as you pointed out, when Scholes is not playing we seem to suffer in terms of link up between defence and midfield, and in terms of proper service to the forwards.
You can't justify starting Anderson alongside Carrick in that formation because he's just not good enough when we don't have the ball. If you put him next to Fletcher with Carrick sitting behind them in a 4-3-3 then you obviously can't play both Rooney and Berbatov through the middle.
The balance of the side away from home in a 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2 formation at times, just hasn't worked this season. We're not able to control games or build possession from the back because the two in central midfield are often outnumbered. I also thinks it prevents our full backs from getting forward and attacking the wide areas which is normally where the most space can be found.
Personally I'd drop Berbatov and play Anderson in a 4-3-3 away from home but then there's still an issue with a lack of goal threat from midfield which is presumably why Fergie hasn't changed things.
The balance of the side away from home in a 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2 formation at times, just hasn't worked this season. We're not able to control games or build possession from the back because the two in central midfield are often outnumbered. I also thinks it prevents our full backs from getting forward and attacking the wide areas which is normally where the most space can be found.
Personally I'd drop Berbatov and play Anderson in a 4-3-3 away from home but then there's still an issue with a lack of goal threat from midfield which is presumably why Fergie hasn't changed things.
I agree!
If we have the money is time to think about a new midfield player. It's obvious we need to strengthen.
Play Rooney from the Left..with Anderson.. ahead of Fletcher and Carrick
I'm sure we're thinking about it but whilst Scholes (and Hargreaves to some extent) are still with us then it makes it unlikely which is why we need Anderson to continue his development.
Definitely could do with some strengthening in midfield. Spurs looked so much more lively than us it was amazing. Real zip about their play, real 'ponder' about ours.
The can't pass beyond the center line disease in our midfield is getting chronic. It's like they are all taking lesson from Makelele
It's a case of ability, chief, not tactics or training. Anderson was immediately to take the game to Spurs with some aggressive runs.
Our midfield is the worst of all the top PL and CL sides. We are in desperate need of two quality midfielders, especially if we are going to achieve anything in the CL.
It's a testament to the quality of our defence and strikers that we are top with our dreadful midfield. Fletcher has been a shadow of himself.. Gibson is a one trick pony and very limited. Carrick's contribution has been weak since 2009. Anderson has been promising but is still young and learning.
Again, on the positive side our defence is as good as in Europe.
It's a testament to the quality of our defence and strikers that we are top with our dreadful midfield. Fletcher has been a shadow of himself.. Gibson is a one trick pony and very limited. Carrick's contribution has been weak since 2009. Anderson has been promising but is still young and learning.
Again, on the positive side our defence is as good as in Europe.
I know. We have no choice but to sort it out this summer. We need 2 more midfielders with superior passing skills to the ones we started today.
He was the only midfielder who looked dangerous further forward apart from Giggs. But even he was also victim of the chronic illness that has plagued us once again since we faced Birmingham.
The same midfield that has won 3 PL's, 1 UCL in the last 5 years and has reached another final?
Though I do agree that maybe we need some fresh blood
When did he ever look dangerous? He really frustrated me today. So many counter attacks and moves were ended as soon as he got the ball today.
I suppose that, like it or not, that midfield is an area that could do with being addressed. At the start of the season, I was one of those that proposed that we didn't need a centre midfielder on the basis that what we had was enough for one more season. I underestimated the extent to which losing Scholes to injury (or having to rest him) would be a problem and, had we signed decent cover for him, we would've pissed this league.
That argument has surely run its course by now. These guys are simply not churning out the same performances as they did back then. They have been poor for the best part of two seasons now and the fact that a 36 year old Scholes still remains our main man should tell you exactly how devoid of quality our midfield is.
The same midfield has been outplayed by opponents at both home and away grounds this season, even been outdone by the legendary West Brom (twice), Bolton, Stoke, Birmingham, Villa, Sunderland to mention but a few.
Well we do know for a act SAF is looking around for attack minded midfielder's with serious passing skills. So maybe he could shock us and bag one this January.
Has he said that?
I thought he was better than both Carrick and Fletcher. However, at the end of the day his forward runs didn't create anything, which is my point, he didnt create anything more than the 2 others. He just ran forward and ran into a defender. Still, at least he tried. It was just one of those games
Not that way at all. I've just assumed that when he said he recently he was looking around for an attack minded central midfielder, that is the type he'd be going for.....
Not that way at all. I've just assumed that when he said he recently he was looking around for an attack minded central midfielder, that is the type he'd be going for.....
Ah I see, all I had heard was he might buy a player in January, no mention of the position he was looking to fill.
When you have Ronaldo in attack supported by Tevez and Rooney, and Vidic, Evra and Rio all at their peak in defense, and VDS is goal, it can mask some flaws.
Absolutely. That's why we're not that exciting a team to watch these days. Because you have pretty much no creativity from the heartbeat of the team. The one guy whose got it in him to be all of that still needs a year or two to completely refine his game (Anderson).