Poll Attacking midfielders

[rurikbird]

Most of the stats provided by the incomparable Binny

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Henrikh Mkhitaryan, 24 - Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine Premier League (avg 2.55 goals per game)
95 app
7343 mins played
36 goals (avg a goal every 204 mins)
19 assists (avg an assist every 386 mins)
CL experience: 21 games, 2 goals, 0 assists

Alan Dzagoev, 22 - CSKA Moscow, Russian Premjer-liga (avg 2.37 goals per game)
167 app
12535 mins played
39 goals (avg a goal every 321 mins)
51 assists (avg an assist every 246 mins)
CL experience: 16 games, 4 goals, 4 assists

Christian Eriksen, 21 - AFC Ajax Amsterdam, Dutch Eredivisie (avg 3.26 per game)
151 app
10977 mins played
27 goals (avg a goal every 407 mins)
56 assists (avg an assist every 196 mins)
CL experience: 16 games, 2 goals, 6 assists

Keisuke Honda, 26 - CSKA Moscow, Russian Premjer-liga (avg 2.37 goals per game)
96 app
7137 mins played
23 goals (avg a goal every 310 mins)
24 assists (avg an assist every 297 mins)
CL experience: 5 games, 1 goal, 1 assist

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[hmmmmm1]

3 players from Russia/Ukraine league isn't exactly exciting.

More South Americans required or someone like Munrian.

 

[Rosco]

Any one of then would be great, they're all scoring 2 or 3 times every game!

 

[King Binny]

I chose Honda.

- He's Asian: Ok, I'm biased but the marketing aspect alone is attractive
- Experienced: Played in Dutch & Russia leagues, established international player with Japan
- Contract expiring Dec 2013: can be signed for lower fee/free transfer
- Turning 27 this yr: Should be reaching peak of career soon

 

[rurikbird]

I always liked Dzagoev's style of play, he is a bit like Coutihno: very direct, always trying to create a goal-scoring chance at every opportunity. He also has lots of experience playing in high-pressure games for CSKA and Russia. The only big drawback with Dzagoev is his temper - if provoked, he has a tendency to lose his cool for a few seconds and earn red cards and lengthy suspensions. He has a very humble, hard-working, focused personality otherwise, but the temperament issue is something that is most likely genetic and probably will never completely go away.

I think he feels ready to move abroad in the summer and 15-17 million pounds should be enough to get him.

I also like Eriksen a lot, he is probably the best from this group in terms of pure technical skill. Eriksen would be a great addition as long as we keep Suarez. Without a top-class goalscorer all his elegant and subtle midfield work simply will not result in enough goals.

Honda is the oldest of the lot, but he will be free, because his contract expires in the summer. Good goal-scoring record, can play in any attacking or midfield position (even as striker), great set piece delivery, a consummate professional who never strays from the strictest rules he developed for himself, from diet to sleep and exercise. There will be no shortage of suitors for his in the summer and his signing-on fee will be substantial.

I like Mkhitaryan a lot too, he reminds me a bit of young Stevie G in the way he plays. A goal-scoring CM like that can really give our midfield 3 a better balance. However I'm afraid Mkhitaryan will cost too much now because everyone is on notice after his big break-out season and Shakhtar will do everything to keep the player. It's much better to invest in players before their break-out season, which usually means before age 23.

 

[rurikbird]

I think players coming from Russian and Ukrainian leagues have a big advantage in that they usually get A LOT of Champions League experience, from the early age. Like Dzagoev who played in 16 CL games before he turned 22 - this is really invaluable for a young players' growth. This makes it less likely that they will be intimidated by a step up to a higher level of competition.

Also, they are less likely to complain about the weather 🙂

 

[Rosco]

I chose Honda.

- He's Asian: Ok, I'm biased but the marketing aspect alone is attractive
- Experienced: Played in Dutch & Russia leagues, established international player with Japan
- Contract expiring Dec 2013: can be signed for lower fee/free transfer
- Turning 27 this yr: Should be reaching peak of career soon

I reckon most AMs peak earlier than 27. (Particularly the Brazilian ones)
Gerrards peak was 04-08 (age 23-27/28).
Sneidjer at 28 now has already had his peak with Inter.

 

[rurikbird]

Honda is a training freak, he will not do Sneijder anytime soon.

I don't particularly like his attitude towards his current club though. 6 months after signing the 4-year contract with to CSKA he had the break-out tournament in 2010 WC which made many big clubs interested. Since then he quickly lost his interest in playing in CSKA, which resulted not only in his agent doing everyone possible (but ultimately failing) to arrange a transfer away from Russia, but also affected his performances on the pitch, which for me is much worse. He is playing very well in his final months of his contract now, but he never really fulfilled his potential in CSKA because after the WC his heart was not there.

 

[King Binny]

I reckon most AMs peak earlier than 27. (Particularly the Brazilian ones)
Gerrards peak was 04-08 (age 23-27/28).
Sneidjer at 28 now has already had his peak with Inter.

Yeah, but imo, with the 6 seasons of European football, moving to an arguably 'bigger' league, there should be room for improvement to hit his peak

 

[Modo]

Andriy Yarmolenko

Full name​

Andriy Mykolaiovich Yarmolenko

Date of birth​

23 October 1989 (age 23)

Place of birth​

Saint Petersburg, Soviet Union

Height​

1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in)

Playing position​

Forward / Left winger

2008 – Dynamo Kyiv 112 (37)

2009 – Ukraine 30 (11)

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[rurikbird]

Good player, but he is very much a front 3 winger/striker. I don't think he belongs in this discussion. Maybe you can start a new thread?

 

[red_maradona]

I always liked Dzagoev's style of play, he is a bit like Coutihno: very direct, always trying to create a goal-scoring chance at every opportunity. He also has lots of experience playing in high-pressure games for CSKA and Russia. The only big drawback with Dzagoev is his temper - if provoked, he has a tendency to lose his cool for a few seconds and earn red cards and lengthy suspensions. He has a very humble, hard-working, focused personality otherwise, but the temperament issue is something that is most likely genetic and probably will never completely go away.

I think he feels ready to move abroad in the summer and 15-17 million pounds should be enough to get him.

I also like Eriksen a lot, he is probably the best from this group in terms of pure technical skill. Eriksen would be a great addition as long as we keep Suarez. Without a top-class goalscorer all his elegant and subtle midfield work simply will not result in enough goals.

Honda is the oldest of the lot, but he will be free, because his contract expires in the summer. Good goal-scoring record, can play in any attacking or midfield position (even as striker), great set piece delivery, a consummate professional who never strays from the strictest rules he developed for himself, from diet to sleep and exercise. There will be no shortage of suitors for his in the summer and his signing-on fee will be substantial.

I like Mkhitaryan a lot too, he reminds me a bit of young Stevie G in the way he plays. A goal-scoring CM like that can really give our midfield 3 a better balance. However I'm afraid Mkhitaryan will cost too much now because everyone is on notice after his big break-out season and Shakhtar will do everything to keep the player. It's much better to invest in players before their break-out season, which usually means before age 23.

i think it is dzagoev's temper which could be the making of him - give him the fire to come here not be pushed around and fight to the death like Suarez.

 

[rurikbird]

i think it is dzagoev's temper which could be the making of him - give him the fire to come here not be pushed around and fight to the death like Suarez.

I think you're right. Leonid Slutskiy, the CSKA manager, said that if he tired to "tame" Dzagoev's aggression, he would not be the same player (he also quoted Fergusson who said something similar about Scholes). Now he just wisely accepted it as a fact of life. Alan had a big bust-up with the coach last year, when he shouted a few choice words at him because he was not happy to be substituted - of course he soon apologized and accepted the full blame for the incident, but he had to play a few games in the reserves after that to cool off and get his head in order.

 

[red_maradona]

I think you're right. Leonid Slutskiy, the CSKA manager, said that if he tired to "tame" Dzagoev's aggression, he would not be the same player (he also quoted Fergusson who said something similar about Scholes). Now he just wisely accepted it as a fact of life. Alan had a big bust-up with the coach last year, when he shouted a few choice words at him because he was not happy to be substituted - of course he soon apologized and accepted the full blame for the incident, but he had to play a few games in the reserves after that to cool off and get his head in order.

i love it - who wants to be substituted, so long as of course you apologise afterwards. tell me however, I note he did not play against Brazil, any reason why?

 

[rurikbird]

Everybody in Russia is talking about that right now. Dzagoev is considered to be the best and the most talented playmaker in Russia and he played like a real team leader in Ukraine and Poland, but so far Cappello surprisingly is building his team around different players and there are many theories why. Some people think he wants to teach Dzagoev a lesson because in the first game he played in Russian NT under Capello he had a bad game. Some people think it's because other players defend better (although it's debatable) or that somehow he doesn't fit the playing style Cappello tries to install. The most influential sports journalist wrote that he thinks Capello keeps Dzagoev like a trump card in his pocket and will definitely start reintegrating him to the national team in the future.

I think this might be another reason why Dzagoev will want to try to move to a high-profile European club this summer and prove to Capello that he can't be overlooked.

 

[King Binny]

2012/13 compilation


All CSKA goals compilation

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1U7MiZD600

Keisuke Honda

 

[red_maradona]

Everybody in Russia is talking about that right now. Dzagoev is considered to be the best and the most talented playmaker in Russia and he played like a real team leader in Ukraine and Poland, but so far Cappello surprisingly is building his team around different players and there are many theories why. Some people think he wants to teach Dzagoev a lesson because in the first game he played in Russian NT under Capello he had a bad game. Some people think it's because other players defend better (although it's debatable) or that somehow he doesn't fit the playing style Cappello tries to install. The most influential sports journalist wrote that he thinks Capello keeps Dzagoev like a trump card in his pocket and will definitely start reintegrating him to the national team in the future.

I think this might be another reason why Dzagoev will want to try to move to a high-profile European club this summer and prove to Capello that he can't be overlooked.

thanks - appreciate the info