Aquilani..

[keniget]

[quote author=grjt link=topic=36589.msg972321#msg972321 date=1256633883]
However, I think youre right in that whatever the cause of Aquilanis injury issues, it is less likely that he will get bashed quite as often playing a little further up the pitch
[/quote]

Who got 'bashed' more on Sunday... Masher or Torres?

I was under the assumption that a DM is the one doing the bashing on the opposition's attacking players.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972081#msg972081 date=1256585991]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=36589.msg972080#msg972080 date=1256585734]
Petit? Apt? Built? What?

I know english isn't your strong point, and I do like the spidey, but sometimes what you post is a bit, well, QUACKQUACKQUACKQUACK
[/quote]

so petit had a big build? seriously? I thought petit had a athletic build rather than muscular?

petit

not slender but not exactly muscular is is he?

[/quote]

Petit and Vieira were both big lads and they worked well together, though granted, Petit could be a bit of a shithouse at times. But your point isn't really that correct. Generally in the Premiership, whether you play the holding role or the more attacking of the two, if you're any way 'slight', you're generally going to fail. Even the likes of Lampard and Scholes are in no shape or form 'lightweight', they know how to put themselves about.

Of course, the attacking player is often going to be less physical than his defensive partner, that's just the nature of the type of player isn't it? But it's marginal stuff and generally in this league you have to be made of stern stuff to play either role.

 

[dossena]

Would you be concerned if Aquilani, so slender that he is, is being played by Rafa at holding mid?

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=36589.msg972318#msg972318 date=1256633713]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972315#msg972315 date=1256633361]
[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=36589.msg972313#msg972313 date=1256633044]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972310#msg972310 date=1256632860]
bullshit I picked out the examples of petit and vieira who to me look slender there are a fucking shit load of examples I could of used so instead of sticking to the fucking issue of the original point people went after the bad examples used (2 out of the 5 examples I posted). Thread well and truly fucked up rather than having an interesting debate. Bravo!
[/quote]Neil. If its you vs EVERYONE, its probably not them.
[/quote]
I just people to stick to the original issue and say why I'm wrong if they think I'm wrong instead of going after petit and vieira, bad examples to which I've already have admitted were wrong. Much more fun to ridicule than debate


[/quote]Dude! You started by saying Aquilani ISNT a holding midfielder and then argue that people shouldnt worry about him because theres been plenty of other small-ish holding midfielders (which of course he isnt) then you ignore obvious choice of Mascherano and skip through to the giant Vieira and the equally brutish Petit who ironically is or isnt aptly named. You may as well have said dont worry about Aquilani because Schmeical was a midget and he did ok.
Youre being ridiculed because youre being ridiculous.
Chalk it up and move on kid.
[/quote]

First of all I said aqualini was and attacking midfielder, the subject of physique came up, I said you don't need a big physique to be an effective holding midfielder. I then listed some holding midfielders who to 'me' don't look muscular of which two were poor examples (though they still don't look big to me) people then proceeded to focus on the bad examples an completely ignore the original point I was trying to make even though I admitted my error of some of the examples used. Each to their own but if someone else did the same I personally would have stuck to the issue I perfer debate but that just me.
If someone said 'tall keepers are more effective than short keepers' picked out 5 examples two of which were tiny I would of course have said 'hey, of those guys are short' but I still debate the original point whichout focusing on the two bad examples.

 

[grjt]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=36589.msg972322#msg972322 date=1256634007]
[quote author=grjt link=topic=36589.msg972321#msg972321 date=1256633883]
However, I think youre right in that whatever the cause of Aquilanis injury issues, it is less likely that he will get bashed quite as often playing a little further up the pitch
[/quote]

Who got 'bashed' more on Sunday... Masher or Torres?

I was under the assumption that a DM is the one doing the bashing on the opposition's attacking players.
[/quote]

Okay, bashed was a bit of a catch all term.

DMs will be making more man to man contact, including hustling and jockeying, and making tackles at full stretch. This tends to be where the knee, ankle and groin niggles kick in if youre suceptible to them. Add to that the emphasis on competing in 50-50 situations, and youre far more likely to pick up injuries than an AM/ striker who can often go down at far less contact, and is permitted to compete less in the tackle.

Easy.

 

[madmax]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=36589.msg972322#msg972322 date=1256634007]
[quote author=grjt link=topic=36589.msg972321#msg972321 date=1256633883]
However, I think youre right in that whatever the cause of Aquilanis injury issues, it is less likely that he will get bashed quite as often playing a little further up the pitch
[/quote]

Who got 'bashed' more on Sunday... Masher or Torres?

I was under the assumption that a DM is the one doing the bashing on the opposition's attacking players.
[/quote]

an Am plays between the defense and midfield, and there have been a whole lot of tiny number 10s.....so its reasonable to conclude that they get bashed up a little less.

Neil's point is that as Aqui is not going to play DM, he won't be bashed up as much.

Neil you agree to above?

Lets stop this bitching...

 

[doctor_mac]

[quote author=dossena link=topic=36589.msg972325#msg972325 date=1256634547]
Would you be concerned if Aquilani, so slender that he is, is being played by Rafa at holding mid?
[/quote]

I'll handle this if I may.

If you think about it, Aquaman is a veritable monster in comparison with the aptly named and utterly puny Emmanuel Petit, so I'm sure he could cope just fine.

 

[Stulikesdrums]

Neil =

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=36589.msg972323#msg972323 date=1256634257]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972081#msg972081 date=1256585991]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=36589.msg972080#msg972080 date=1256585734]
Petit? Apt? Built? What?

I know english isn't your strong point, and I do like the spidey, but sometimes what you post is a bit, well, QUACKQUACKQUACKQUACK
[/quote]

so petit had a big build? seriously? I thought petit had a athletic build rather than muscular?

petit

not slender but not exactly muscular is is he?

[/quote]

Petit and Vieira were both big lads and they worked well together, though granted, Petit could be a bit of a shithouse at times. But your point isn't really that correct. Generally in the Premiership, whether you play the holding role or the more attacking of the two, if you're any way 'slight', you're generally going to fail. Even the likes of Lampard and Scholes are in no shape or form 'lightweight', they know how to put themselves about.

Of course, the attacking player is often going to be less physical than his defensive partner, that's just the nature of the type of player isn't it? But it's marginal stuff and generally in this league you have to be made of stern stuff to play either role.
[/quote]

Didi was one of the most effective holding midfielders to play the game and he had a slender build (no debate about didi's build surely?) the holding role is about positioning, Reading the game knowing when to shield the defense and when to join the attack. Obviously being built like essien would help but it wouldn't be a game changer if you were slim but had ability. IMHO

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=madmax link=topic=36589.msg972330#msg972330 date=1256634701]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=36589.msg972322#msg972322 date=1256634007]
[quote author=grjt link=topic=36589.msg972321#msg972321 date=1256633883]
However, I think youre right in that whatever the cause of Aquilanis injury issues, it is less likely that he will get bashed quite as often playing a little further up the pitch
[/quote]

Who got 'bashed' more on Sunday... Masher or Torres?

I was under the assumption that a DM is the one doing the bashing on the opposition's attacking players.
[/quote]

an Am plays between the defense and midfield, and there have been a whole lot of tiny number 10s.....so its reasonable to conclude that they get bashed up a little less.

Neil's point is that as Aqui is not going to play DM, he won't be bashed up as much.

Neil you agree to above?

Lets stop this bitching...
[/quote]

Well that's like saying Lucas doesn't get bashed as much as Masher. The demand on our midfield two, in terms of workrate/teamwork, is practically the same. Both have to do their fair share of the defensive duties, while one sits and protects more and the other is given a bit more license to attack (not much it seems).

How many times have teams forced errors by targetting Lucas? His defensive frailties have been highlighted on many occasions this season, so suggesting that one is less likely to be 'bashed' is wrong.

In even more simplistic terms, the more attacking of the two is likely to come up more against the opposition defensive players, whereas Masher is more likely to be comfronted by attacking players (who are, by virtue of recent points on this thread, more 'lightweight), so none of this point about one being able to be significantly more lightweight than the other, really holds any water.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972336#msg972336 date=1256635102]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=36589.msg972323#msg972323 date=1256634257]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972081#msg972081 date=1256585991]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=36589.msg972080#msg972080 date=1256585734]
Petit? Apt? Built? What?

I know english isn't your strong point, and I do like the spidey, but sometimes what you post is a bit, well, QUACKQUACKQUACKQUACK
[/quote]

so petit had a big build? seriously? I thought petit had a athletic build rather than muscular?

petit

not slender but not exactly muscular is is he?

[/quote]

Petit and Vieira were both big lads and they worked well together, though granted, Petit could be a bit of a shithouse at times. But your point isn't really that correct. Generally in the Premiership, whether you play the holding role or the more attacking of the two, if you're any way 'slight', you're generally going to fail. Even the likes of Lampard and Scholes are in no shape or form 'lightweight', they know how to put themselves about.

Of course, the attacking player is often going to be less physical than his defensive partner, that's just the nature of the type of player isn't it? But it's marginal stuff and generally in this league you have to be made of stern stuff to play either role.
[/quote]

Didi was one of the most effective holding midfielders to play the game and he had a slender build (no debate about didi's build surely?) the holding role is about positioning, Reading the game knowing when to shield the defense and when to join the attack. Obviously being built like essien would help but it wouldn't be a game changer if you were slim but had ability. IMHO
[/quote]

I just thought they were a bad example but I hadn't read the whole of the thread, so apologies. I've got no argument with the above Keni, but Didi was made of 'stern' stuff, as I said.

 

[doctor_mac]

But Spidey, you didn't seem to think along these lines in this very thread, as Dossena has already intimated. Let's look at it again, shall we.

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972050#msg972050 date=1256584486]
I don't think his physique is an issue as he is an attacking midfielder, if he were a holding midfielder I'd be concerned. I think yossi is showing a bulky physique is neither here nor there for an attacking midfieder.
[/quote]


So here you're saying *you do* need a bulky phisique to be a holding player!! Fucking hell man!!

 

[Oncy]

Where does a mad woman piss?

 

[grjt]

[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=36589.msg972342#msg972342 date=1256635418]
Where does a mad woman piss?
[/quote]

All over the place?

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=madmax link=topic=36589.msg972330#msg972330 date=1256634701]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=36589.msg972322#msg972322 date=1256634007]
[quote author=grjt link=topic=36589.msg972321#msg972321 [/qoute]

I agree aqualini will play further up field so isn't really an issue. I think my original point was if we had spent 20 mil on a holding midfielder and he was built like aqualini I wouldn't be concerned but I've seen holding midfielder who aren't hulking perform effectively within their team.
I was under the assumption that a DM is the one doing the bashing on the opposition's attacking players.




Neil's point is that as Aqui is not going to play DM, he won't be bashed up as much.

Neil you agree to above?

Lets stop this bitching...
[/quote]

 

[keniget]

[quote author=grjt link=topic=36589.msg972328#msg972328 date=1256634643]

Okay, bashed was a bit of a catch all term.

DMs will be making more man to man contact, including hustling and jockeying, and making tackles at full stretch. This tends to be where the knee, ankle and groin niggles kick in if youre suceptible to them. Add to that the emphasis on competing in 50-50 situations, and youre far more likely to pick up injuries than an AM/ striker who can often go down at far less contact, and is permitted to compete less in the tackle.

Easy.

[/quote]

It's all a bit catch all though, isn't it?

Alonso was often classed as a DM and he suffered far more crunching tackles than Masher.

Nasri and Rosicky are two examples of more lightweight attacking midfielders, yet they've both been out on the sidelines.

Carra and Masher both slam into 50-50s regularly but (touch wood) don't often get injured.

Torres gets hacked down regularly whereas someone like Kuyt doesn't.

There are too many exceptions to make these sort of generalizations.

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=grjt link=topic=36589.msg972343#msg972343 date=1256635478]
[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=36589.msg972342#msg972342 date=1256635418]
Where does a mad woman piss?
[/quote]

All over the place?
[/quote]You fucking know it bre.

 

[dossena]

lol @ doctor mac's reply.

But seriously spider, if

Didi was one of the most effective holding midfielders to play the game and he had a slender build (no debate about didi's build surely?) the holding role is about positioning, Reading the game knowing when to shield the defense and when to join the attack.

was the case,

Why would you be concerned if Aquilaini was played at holding mid?

I'm just a bit puzzled really. You were the one who said that Aquilain's size won't matter since he's an attacking mid not a holding mid.

One page later you're arguing that "There are LOAD of grand slender holding mids!! LOADS I TELL YA!!"

So really Spider, you've been arguing with yourself and everyone else is trying to point that out.

 

[grjt]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=36589.msg972339#msg972339 date=1256635212]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972336#msg972336 date=1256635102]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=36589.msg972323#msg972323 date=1256634257]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972081#msg972081 date=1256585991]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=36589.msg972080#msg972080 date=1256585734]
Petit? Apt? Built? What?

I know english isn't your strong point, and I do like the spidey, but sometimes what you post is a bit, well, QUACKQUACKQUACKQUACK
[/quote]

so petit had a big build? seriously? I thought petit had a athletic build rather than muscular?

petit

not slender but not exactly muscular is is he?

[/quote]

Petit and Vieira were both big lads and they worked well together, though granted, Petit could be a bit of a shithouse at times. But your point isn't really that correct. Generally in the Premiership, whether you play the holding role or the more attacking of the two, if you're any way 'slight', you're generally going to fail. Even the likes of Lampard and Scholes are in no shape or form 'lightweight', they know how to put themselves about.

Of course, the attacking player is often going to be less physical than his defensive partner, that's just the nature of the type of player isn't it? But it's marginal stuff and generally in this league you have to be made of stern stuff to play either role.
[/quote]

Didi was one of the most effective holding midfielders to play the game and he had a slender build (no debate about didi's build surely?) the holding role is about positioning, Reading the game knowing when to shield the defense and when to join the attack. Obviously being built like essien would help but it wouldn't be a game changer if you were slim but had ability. IMHO
[/quote]

I just thought they were a bad example but I hadn't read the whole of the thread, so apologies. I've got no argument with the above Keni, but Didi was made of 'stern' stuff, as I said.
[/quote]

Didi also smoked 20 a day, so maybe thats a contributory factor?!

"Yes smoking definitely helps...but then again not really....here are a few examples of other midfielders who are good and smoke...except some of them arent very good....and some of them dont smoke....why wont you just stick to the original debate, children"

 

[Oncy]

lol.

 

[doctor_mac]

haha@Grjt

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=36589.msg972340#msg972340 date=1256635308]
But Spidey, you didn't seem to think along these lines in this very thread, as Dossena has already intimated. Let's look at it again, shall we.

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972050#msg972050 date=1256584486]
I don't think his physique is an issue as he is an attacking midfielder, if he were a holding midfielder I'd be concerned. I think yossi is showing a bulky physique is neither here nor there for an attacking midfieder.
[/quote]


So here you're saying *you do* need a bulky phisique to be a holding player!! Fucking hell man!!

[/quote]
I said it helps but isn't a game changer. Height and pace will help a striker but isn't the be all and end all.

 

[grjt]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=36589.msg972345#msg972345 date=1256635544]
[quote author=grjt link=topic=36589.msg972328#msg972328 date=1256634643]

Okay, bashed was a bit of a catch all term.

DMs will be making more man to man contact, including hustling and jockeying, and making tackles at full stretch. This tends to be where the knee, ankle and groin niggles kick in if youre suceptible to them. Add to that the emphasis on competing in 50-50 situations, and youre far more likely to pick up injuries than an AM/ striker who can often go down at far less contact, and is permitted to compete less in the tackle.

Easy.

[/quote]

It's all a bit catch all though, isn't it?

Alonso was often classed as a DM and he suffered far more crunching tackles than Masher.

Nasri and Rosicky are two examples of more lightweight attacking midfielders, yet they've both been out on the sidelines.

Carra and Masher both slam into 50-50s regularly but (touch wood) don't often get injured.

Torres gets hacked down regularly whereas someone like Kuyt doesn't.

There are too many exceptions to make these sort of generalizations.


[/quote]

Maybe so.

But i actually think your Alonso example supports my point...when your sitting deeper, and/or operating predominantly in and around the centre circle there is greater opportunity for the opposition to put it to you/ leave their foot in on a regular basis.

My impression is that Aqua is firmly on the Nasri-Rosicky end of the Carra sliding scale (though to be fair a 7year old supporter could let out a wet fart and Rosicky would rupture something) - ergo, you want to keep him out of too many 50-50 challenges, and away (as much as is actually possible) from the rough and tumble in the centre of the park

 

[gkmacca]

And so, a very small, fragile nut has been smashed by a hammer, then a bigger hammer, then an enormous hammer, then a large house, then a freshly excavated massive land mass, then a nearby planet and then by a god-like fist. Well done. So back to Aquilani...

 

[doctor_mac]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972354#msg972354 date=1256636119]
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=36589.msg972340#msg972340 date=1256635308]
But Spidey, you didn't seem to think along these lines in this very thread, as Dossena has already intimated. Let's look at it again, shall we.

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972050#msg972050 date=1256584486]
I don't think his physique is an issue as he is an attacking midfielder, if he were a holding midfielder I'd be concerned. I think yossi is showing a bulky physique is neither here nor there for an attacking midfieder.
[/quote]


So here you're saying *you do* need a bulky phisique to be a holding player!! Fucking hell man!!

[/quote]
I said it helps but isn't a game changer. Height and pace will help a striker but isn't the be all and end all.
[/quote]

*faceplam*

Spidey, why can't you just admit you've talked a lot of absolute nonesense in this thread and be done with it. You fucking said, and I know because I'm reading it,[size=14pt] if he were a holding midfielder I'd be concerned[/size].

And why the fuck are you talking about strikers now? What, what the fuck are you talking about?

 

[Oncy]

Aquilani is the shit Macca.
Hes going to be our Cantona. Fact.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=grjt link=topic=36589.msg972351#msg972351 date=1256635721]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=36589.msg972339#msg972339 date=1256635212]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972336#msg972336 date=1256635102]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=36589.msg972323#msg972323 date=1256634257]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972081#msg972081 date=1256585991]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=36589.msg972080#msg972080 date=1256585734]
Petit? Apt? Built? What?

I know english isn't your strong point, and I do like the spidey, but sometimes what you post is a bit, well, QUACKQUACKQUACKQUACK
[/quote]

so petit had a big build? seriously? I thought petit had a athletic build rather than muscular?

petit

not slender but not exactly muscular is is he?

[/quote]

Petit and Vieira were both big lads and they worked well together, though granted, Petit could be a bit of a shithouse at times. But your point isn't really that correct. Generally in the Premiership, whether you play the holding role or the more attacking of the two, if you're any way 'slight', you're generally going to fail. Even the likes of Lampard and Scholes are in no shape or form 'lightweight', they know how to put themselves about.

Of course, the attacking player is often going to be less physical than his defensive partner, that's just the nature of the type of player isn't it? But it's marginal stuff and generally in this league you have to be made of stern stuff to play either role.
[/quote]

Didi was one of the most effective holding midfielders to play the game and he had a slender build (no debate about didi's build surely?) the holding role is about positioning, Reading the game knowing when to shield the defense and when to join the attack. Obviously being built like essien would help but it wouldn't be a game changer if you were slim but had ability. IMHO
[/quote]

I just thought they were a bad example but I hadn't read the whole of the thread, so apologies. I've got no argument with the above Keni, but Didi was made of 'stern' stuff, as I said.
[/quote]

Didi also smoked 20 a day, so maybe thats a contributory factor?!

"Yes smoking definitely helps...but then again not really....here are a few examples of other midfielders who are good and smoke...except some of them arent very good....and some of them dont smoke....why wont you just stick to the original debate, children"
[/quote]

Oh yes very funny. Didi is an example of an effective slender built holding midfielder. There are other examples, carrick. Think of something funny to say about him as well

 

[keniget]

It's just a shame Aquilani isn't a holding midfielder then because with his slender build, he'd be perfect.

 

[dossena]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972362#msg972362 date=1256636747]
[quote author=grjt link=topic=36589.msg972351#msg972351 date=1256635721]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=36589.msg972339#msg972339 date=1256635212]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972336#msg972336 date=1256635102]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=36589.msg972323#msg972323 date=1256634257]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972081#msg972081 date=1256585991]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=36589.msg972080#msg972080 date=1256585734]
Petit? Apt? Built? What?

I know english isn't your strong point, and I do like the spidey, but sometimes what you post is a bit, well, QUACKQUACKQUACKQUACK
[/quote]

so petit had a big build? seriously? I thought petit had a athletic build rather than muscular?

petit

not slender but not exactly muscular is is he?

[/quote]

Petit and Vieira were both big lads and they worked well together, though granted, Petit could be a bit of a shithouse at times. But your point isn't really that correct. Generally in the Premiership, whether you play the holding role or the more attacking of the two, if you're any way 'slight', you're generally going to fail. Even the likes of Lampard and Scholes are in no shape or form 'lightweight', they know how to put themselves about.

Of course, the attacking player is often going to be less physical than his defensive partner, that's just the nature of the type of player isn't it? But it's marginal stuff and generally in this league you have to be made of stern stuff to play either role.
[/quote]

Didi was one of the most effective holding midfielders to play the game and he had a slender build (no debate about didi's build surely?) the holding role is about positioning, Reading the game knowing when to shield the defense and when to join the attack. Obviously being built like essien would help but it wouldn't be a game changer if you were slim but had ability. IMHO
[/quote]

I just thought they were a bad example but I hadn't read the whole of the thread, so apologies. I've got no argument with the above Keni, but Didi was made of 'stern' stuff, as I said.
[/quote]

Didi also smoked 20 a day, so maybe thats a contributory factor?!

"Yes smoking definitely helps...but then again not really....here are a few examples of other midfielders who are good and smoke...except some of them arent very good....and some of them dont smoke....why wont you just stick to the original debate, children"
[/quote]

Oh yes very funny. Didi is an example of an effective slender built holding midfielder. There are other examples, carrick. Think of something funny to say about him as well
[/quote]
What. The. Fuck.

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972362#msg972362 date=1256636747]
[quote author=grjt link=topic=36589.msg972351#msg972351 date=1256635721]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=36589.msg972339#msg972339 date=1256635212]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972336#msg972336 date=1256635102]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=36589.msg972323#msg972323 date=1256634257]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=36589.msg972081#msg972081 date=1256585991]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=36589.msg972080#msg972080 date=1256585734]
Petit? Apt? Built? What?

I know english isn't your strong point, and I do like the spidey, but sometimes what you post is a bit, well, QUACKQUACKQUACKQUACK
[/quote]

so petit had a big build? seriously? I thought petit had a athletic build rather than muscular?

petit

not slender but not exactly muscular is is he?

[/quote]

Petit and Vieira were both big lads and they worked well together, though granted, Petit could be a bit of a shithouse at times. But your point isn't really that correct. Generally in the Premiership, whether you play the holding role or the more attacking of the two, if you're any way 'slight', you're generally going to fail. Even the likes of Lampard and Scholes are in no shape or form 'lightweight', they know how to put themselves about.

Of course, the attacking player is often going to be less physical than his defensive partner, that's just the nature of the type of player isn't it? But it's marginal stuff and generally in this league you have to be made of stern stuff to play either role.
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Didi was one of the most effective holding midfielders to play the game and he had a slender build (no debate about didi's build surely?) the holding role is about positioning, Reading the game knowing when to shield the defense and when to join the attack. Obviously being built like essien would help but it wouldn't be a game changer if you were slim but had ability. IMHO
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I just thought they were a bad example but I hadn't read the whole of the thread, so apologies. I've got no argument with the above Keni, but Didi was made of 'stern' stuff, as I said.
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Didi also smoked 20 a day, so maybe thats a contributory factor?!

"Yes smoking definitely helps...but then again not really....here are a few examples of other midfielders who are good and smoke...except some of them arent very good....and some of them dont smoke....why wont you just stick to the original debate, children"
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Oh yes very funny. Didi is an example of an effective slender built holding midfielder. There are other examples, carrick. Think of something funny to say about him as well
[/quote]He's a cunt?