Luka Modric

We'd get overrun in midfield if that happened.
 
And when we wouldn't have possession we'd get overrun.

He'd be the worst centre mid in our team defensively, that's why he plays on the wing.
 
So, you'd want us to drop Berbatov for Modric?
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
How come he rarely gets over run in the center of Croatia's midfield?
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Because he rarely plays in the centre for Croatia now.

He did play in the middle against Ukraine though, and the midfield did get overrun, so he got pushed out to the left at half time and played much better as did Croatia overall as they had a proper centre mid in the middle who could win the ball back in Leko.
 
He's been shunted out wide at Spurs because it wouldnt work with him as part of a midfield 2. Definitely with Brwned on this one.

He's a good player but i don't see him fitting into the way we're going to be playing.
 
Well he has played more than three good games there, so yes, he must be one of the best CMs in the league. Or ever.

'Kinell.
 
vuc said:
He was good a year ago and he has got better since. I fail to see how you think this is an observation based on 3+ games..
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He hasn't been playing in centre-midfield week-in, week-out. I fail to see how he can be one of the best central-midfielders in the league when he doesn't play there regularly.
 
vuc said:
After looking into this thread again I promised I would bump it and sure enough here we are.

Would you now agree that Modric is one of the best CM's in the league?
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No chance.

He's still not getting his game as a CM. For fecking Spurs. He got shunted out wide as soon as Palacios came back from his suspension. How can he be one of the best CMs in the league when his own manager doesn't even think he's the best at Spurs?

I thought he was excellent against Arsenal and Chelsea, mind you. Definitely got potential.
 
Say what you will but Modric was far from a success in a two-man midfield last season. Teams just seemed to run past him leaving his midfield partner to clean up the mess. He was imply a liability more often than not.
Yes, he's been surprisingly good in that role the last couple months, but let's not go overboard.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
No chance.

He's still not getting his game as a CM. For fecking Spurs. He got shunted out wide as soon as Palacios came back from his suspension. How can he be one of the best CMs in the league when his own manager doesn't even think he's the best at Spurs?

I thought he was excellent against Arsenal and Chelsea, mind you. Definitely got potential.
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After just looking back at the original comment, it was more a case of you thinking he couldn't 'make it' in the PL.

So, I would say that he has done more than enough to show he can do it in the PL. Not to say he can't get better because he will, but its safe to say he has adjusted to the PL, would you agree?
 
vuc said:
After just looking back at the original comment, it was more a case of you thinking he couldn't 'make it' in the PL.

So, I would say that he has done more than enough to show he can do it in the PL. Not to say he can't get better because he will, but its safe to say he has adjusted to the PL, would you agree?
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Definitely.

I would say he's having a very good season and looks right at home in the PL.

Still not sure if he can take it to the next level (or what position he would play) but if I predicted he wouldn't cut it in England then I was wrong.
 
Top said:
Say what you will but Modric was far from a success in a two-man midfield last season. Teams just seemed to run past him leaving his midfield partner to clean up the mess. He was imply a liability more often than not.
Yes, he's been surprisingly good in that role the last couple months, but let's not go overboard.
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He played left midfield most of last season. Occasionally played behind the one striker in a 4-3-3.

I cant remember him playing in a two man midfield last season.
 
I think it's clear he's better than Kranjcar. Remember someone telling me the latter was definitely better.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Definitely.

I would say he's having a very good season and looks right at home in the PL.

Still not sure if he can take it to the next level (or what position he would play) but if I predicted he wouldn't cut it in England then I was wrong.
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Fair enough Pogue. I feel he will just get better next year in terms of end product. He is great at dictating play and general play-making but he could do with getting on the scoresheet more.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
No chance.

He's still not getting his game as a CM. For fecking Spurs. He got shunted out wide as soon as Palacios came back from his suspension. How can he be one of the best CMs in the league when his own manager doesn't even think he's the best at Spurs?

I thought he was excellent against Arsenal and Chelsea, mind you. Definitely got potential.
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To be fair we shunted Rooney out to the left wing enough times, so that argument doesn't always apply.

Been very impressed by Modirc recently, and apparently Fergie was raving about him in his match notes on Saturday. I think he could do very well in our team if he keeps up his current level of performance, I think he definitely has the talent. But then Berbatov excelled at Spurs, and he definitely has the talent but has largely underwhelmed. Where as Valencia was a bit out of the blue and I wouldn't say he had a particularly standout season at Wigan, so you never can be sure.
 
Scholesy said:
He played left midfield most of last season. Occasionally played behind the one striker in a 4-3-3.

I cant remember him playing in a two man midfield last season.
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No exactly, he very rarely played in a 2-man midfield and when he did, it didn't turn out well, so people were well in their right to suggest he couldn't play in a 2-man midfield.

Still, like I said, pleasantly surprised by his performances against Arsenal and Chelsea - but I'm still not fully convinced about his positional sense and discipline.
 
SmashedHombre said:
To be fair we shunted Rooney out to the left wing enough times, so that argument doesn't always apply.

Been very impressed by Modirc recently, and apparently Fergie was raving about him in his match notes on Saturday. I think he could do very well in our team if he keeps up his current level of performance, I think he definitely has the talent. But then Berbatov excelled at Spurs, and he definitely has the talent but has largely underwhelmed. Where as Valencia was a bit out of the blue and I wouldn't say he had a particularly standout season at Wigan, so you never can be sure.
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We did that to accomodate the best player in the world.

Modric was shunted out left to accomodate Wilson Palacios.
 
Top said:
No exactly, he very rarely played in a 2-man midfield and when he did, it didn't turn out well, so people were well in their right to suggest he couldn't play in a 2-man midfield.

Still, like I said, pleasantly surprised by his performances against Arsenal and Chelsea - but I'm still not fully convinced about his positional sense and discipline.
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In January 2009, Spurs beat Stoke 3-1. Modric played in a 2 man midfield.

After the game Pulis said:
"We were bloody awful in the first 25 minutes. I would have liked us to get a second goal just to see Harry twitch a bit! Modric ran the game."

Redknapp said:
"Modric was absolutely fantastic, he ran the game tonight,"
"He showed that not only is he a great footballer, but that he has a massive heart as well. He never shirks receiving the ball, he is a top, top player.
"I thought that Modric was like Eyal Berkovic, but he was a fragile lad and this fella is different altogether. He is as brave as a lion."


There is no doubt that he can play in a 2 man midfield. He would not play here against the big sides anyway, because Fergie plays 3 in midfield.
 
Scholesy said:
In January 2009, Spurs beat Stoke 3-1. Modric played in a 2 man midfield.

After the game Pulis said:
"We were bloody awful in the first 25 minutes. I would have liked us to get a second goal just to see Harry twitch a bit! Modric ran the game."

Redknapp said:
"Modric was absolutely fantastic, he ran the game tonight,"
"He showed that not only is he a great footballer, but that he has a massive heart as well. He never shirks receiving the ball, he is a top, top player.
"I thought that Modric was like Eyal Berkovic, but he was a fragile lad and this fella is different altogether. He is as brave as a lion."


There is no doubt that he can play in a 2 man midfield. He would not play here against the big sides anyway, because Fergie plays 3 in midfield.
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That's one game. One game. Add it to the other three or four decent games he's had in the middle of late.

And you've conveniently ignored the reason he played in the middle. Was he first choice? Or were other players missing?

It was also against Stoke.

He needs to play consistently in there, and do consistently well before you can start praising him as a CM the way you lot do. The last few weeks have been a very good start.
 
Scholesy said:
I mean in the last 18 months.

After the game on Saturday, Im sure most people were saying Modric should have played in the middle, with Bale on the left.
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They were, and he should.

But that had quite a bit to do with how middling Bale is defensively, how lower-than-middling Ekotto is, and Modric's own good form in the last few weeks, which will always influence fans.
 
Scholesy said:
I mean in the last 18 months.

After the game on Saturday, Im sure most people were saying Modric should have played in the middle, with Bale on the left.
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That's the whole point, though, he didn't. His own manager thought Palacios would do a better job than him in the centre, even though this meant shifting one of their most in-form players (Bale) back to a position where he would be less influential on the game.

All of which confirms that Modric is not shunted out left just because they don't have any other options. Redknapp clearly has doubts about his ability to hack it in central midfield against the best teams in the country. Which is why some of us still have doubts about him playing in central midfield for the best teams in the country.

FWIW, I thought he was brilliant against Spurs/l'Arse but one swallow does not a summer make.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
That's the whole point, though, he didn't. His own manager thought Palacios would do a better job than him in the centre, even though this meant shifting one of their most in-form players (Bale) back to a position where he would be less influential on the game.

All of which confirms that Modric is not shunted out left just because they don't have any other options.
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Why didn't he leave Modric out of the side then? And play Bale LW.

Modric has also played many times this year in the FA Cup in the centre, when Bale has been in the side, wide left. He was also motm against England at Wembley, in a 2 man midfield.
 
Scholesy said:
Why didn't he leave Modric out of the side then? And play Bale LW.

Modric has also played many times this year in the FA Cup in the centre, when Bale has been in the side, wide left. He was also motm against England at Wembley, in a 2 man midfield.
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Are you serious?

Why on earth would he do that?
 
Scholesy said:
It has nothing to do with form. He is simply a great player.
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His form over the past few weeks has everything to do with the sudden tidal-wave of praise that has come his way. Particularly with regards to his abillity to play in the middle at the top level.

Otherwise you're suggesting that all of those people who wanted him in the middle did so on the basis on always thinking he was brilliant in the centre, and nothing's changed in the sense of the fans' perceptions of him.

Which would be an incredibly stupid thing to suggest, to be fair.
 
Brophs said:
His form over the past few weeks has everything to do with the sudden tidal-wave of praise that has come his way. Particularly with regards to his abillity to play in the middle at the top level.

Otherwise you're suggesting that all of those people who wanted him in the middle did so on the basis on always thinking he was brilliant in the centre, and nothing's changed in the sense of the fans' perceptions of him.

Which would be an incredibly stupid thing to suggest, to be fair.
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He has always had the ability, hes just never been given a run of games to do this, in this position.
 
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