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Midfield three

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LadyRed

LadyRed

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With the three that played on Sunday, it doesn't work. You have to have a DM, especially away from home against a team like West Ham, who were physical and we couldn't cope.

I hate nothing more than when in situations like that Gerrard finds himself so deep that he cannot influence our offensive play, it's such a waste. Meireless, Gerrard and Lucas give you too much of the same (albeit at very different standards). The best DM we have is Spearing. I think it would have been a very different game on Sunday if the CM three had been Spearing, Meireless and Gerrard. Gerrald would feel enough assurance to push further up, with these two he has to take the responsibility and stay deep.

I know Spearing isn't the best players in the world, but he's definitely the best DM we've got. My first choice CM three would be him with Meireless and Gerrard. It's what we need against Utd, imo.
 
Meireles has been doing the busines in the advanced role for the last 6/8 weeks so I'd keep him there. His tackling leaves a lot to be desired so playing him further up really gets the best out of him. Gerrard just had an off day at West Ham and Lucas was Lucas.

The only thing is Carrick & Scholes are a worse CM pairing then Parker & Noble so we should be ok. It's Nani going up against our LB that worries me as Aurelio looks like he's going to miss this game.
 
Gerrard couldn't influence any play against West Ham. I think his days as a CM are finished - it looks like he doesn't know what to do.

Gerrard should be moved to the right now Carroll is returning, with Lucas and Meireles in the middle. I think it will leave us with a balanced side.

Not convinced Spearing is any better or more effectual than Lucas, but I will there isn't as much between them as many believe.
 
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=44415.msg1294061#msg1294061 date=1299156998]
Gerrard couldn't influence any play against West Ham. I think his days as a CM are finished - it looks like he doesn't know what to do.

Gerrard should be moved to the right now Carroll is returning, with Lucas and Meireles in the middle. I think it will leave us with a balanced side.

Not convinced Spearing is any better or more effectual than Lucas, but I will there isn't as much between them as many believe.
[/quote]

Stevie had one bad game and you think he's finished as a CM? 😱
 
Unless he has a two man protection behind him, yes. And it's not based upon one game.

Really we need a DM good enough to allow Gerrard and Meireles to go and do their thing in the attacking areas, and we have nobody of that calibre at the club.

Getting the DM signing right is crucial for next season.
 
I think he was excellent in the games just before his injury. I agree he does need more protection but we don't need two men behind him, just one good one.
 
Squiggles: your first post caused me physical pain, there is no way Gerrard is finished as a CM, and I would hate to see him moved to the right, as would he, no doubt.

I agree with the second post you made, he does need a DM behind him because without one he will always be the one to take the responsibility and stay deep, where he tries to influence the game by playing hollywood balls that will never come off.

City play a midfield three of two CM's that are more defensive and one offensive, so the full backs can get forward.

I like that Kenny has this idea of 5 stay back and 5 go forward. It's just not clear who the defensive ones are and who the attacking ones are.
 
I want someone to be able to cross the ball for Carroll. If we're not going to shift our tactics to get the ball into the box more then I think signing Carroll for £30M+ is a joke.

Who else is going to supply them - Kuyt, Maxi, Cole, Jova, Johnson? Not convincing at all.

4-4-2 also allows us to to pair Suarez and Carroll together up front, something we're all desperate to see.

It makes a lot of sense.
 
For the zillionth time, 4-3-3:

---- Suarez ---- Carroll ---- Kuyt
---- Meireles --- Lucas --- Gerrard

Do it Kenny, you know it makes sense.
 
[quote author=LadyRed link=topic=44415.msg1294082#msg1294082 date=1299158083]
Squiggles: your first post caused me physical pain, there is no way Gerrard is finished as a CM, and I would hate to see him moved to the right, as would he, no doubt.

I agree with the second post you made, he does need a DM behind him because without one he will always be the one to take the responsibility and stay deep, where he tries to influence the game by playing hollywood balls that will never come off.

[/quote]

I agree with this, especially the bold part.
 
Gerrard had a poor game against WHU simply because he was returning from injury and had no protection.

He is by no means finished, not by a long stretch.
 
Uncharacteristically hyperbolic there, from Squigs. Gerrard is still a fine central midfielder, and that will become apparent as his fitness returns (if it hasn't on about a zillion occasions before now). I expect him to finish his career there.
 
[quote author=keniget link=topic=44415.msg1294107#msg1294107 date=1299159971]
For the zillionth time, 4-3-3:

---- Suarez ---- Carroll ---- Kuyt
---- Meireles --- Lucas --- Gerrard

Do it Kenny, you know it makes sense.
[/quote]

That midfield three doesn't make sense. Who's your man breaking up the opposition play? Who's offering support to the front men and who's offering protection to your CB's?
 
[quote author=LadyRed link=topic=44415.msg1294139#msg1294139 date=1299162113]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=44415.msg1294107#msg1294107 date=1299159971]
For the zillionth time, 4-3-3:

---- Suarez ---- Carroll ---- Kuyt
---- Meireles --- Lucas --- Gerrard

Do it Kenny, you know it makes sense.
[/quote]

That midfield three doesn't make sense. Who's your man breaking up the opposition play? Who's offering support to the front men and who's offering protection to your CB's?
[/quote]

Arrrrrrrrrhahahahahaha you just got badly had off by a bird abaa footie. ON YOU.
 
[quote author=QUADRASPAZ link=topic=44415.msg1294147#msg1294147 date=1299162798]
Arrrrrrrrrhahahahahaha you just got badly had off by a bird abaa footie. ON YOU.
[/quote]

Haha... it stings.

It'd be a fluid midfield... Lucas would probably be the one that sat back more than the other two, simply by the nature of the way he plays, but all would be expected to defend and all would be expected to attack when we were in possession.
 
[quote author=keniget link=topic=44415.msg1294155#msg1294155 date=1299163385]
[quote author=QUADRASPAZ link=topic=44415.msg1294147#msg1294147 date=1299162798]
Arrrrrrrrrhahahahahaha you just got badly had off by a bird abaa footie. ON YOU.
[/quote]

Haha... it stings.

It'd be a fluid midfield... Lucas would probably be the one that sat back more than the other two, simply by the nature of the way he plays, but all would be expected to defend and all would be expected to attack when we were in possession.
[/quote]

Ming.....tackling.......hahahaha
 
[quote author=refugee link=topic=44415.msg1294184#msg1294184 date=1299168704]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=44415.msg1294155#msg1294155 date=1299163385]
[quote author=QUADRASPAZ link=topic=44415.msg1294147#msg1294147 date=1299162798]
Arrrrrrrrrhahahahahaha you just got badly had off by a bird abaa footie. ON YOU.
[/quote]

Haha... it stings.

It'd be a fluid midfield... Lucas would probably be the one that sat back more than the other two, simply by the nature of the way he plays, but all would be expected to defend and all would be expected to attack when we were in possession.
[/quote]

Ming.....tackling.......hahahaha
[/quote]

Ming would shit out of a 99/1.

Mr 50/50. The baldy pork an cheese quim.
 
Exactly, it sounds good in theory, but doesn't really work in practice. As we saw during the West Ham game.
 
Essentially, what everyone's saying is that Lucas needs to replaced with a proper DM, right?

I agree.
 
[quote author=keniget link=topic=44415.msg1294155#msg1294155 date=1299163385]
[quote author=QUADRASPAZ link=topic=44415.msg1294147#msg1294147 date=1299162798]
Arrrrrrrrrhahahahahaha you just got badly had off by a bird abaa footie. ON YOU.
[/quote]

Haha... it stings.

It'd be a fluid midfield... Lucas would probably be the one that sat back more than the other two, simply by the nature of the way he plays, but all would be expected to defend and all would be expected to attack when we were in possession.
[/quote]

It's not really that different to how we set up alot of the time anyway, the only issue has been the absense of Carroll in allowing us to revert to it (ie if Torres was there then it'd probably be the same, Suarez left, Kuyt right), the issue regarding the midfield three is a fair and important one, it's been proven over the course of the season.

I don't really want to come down hard on Lucas because it's a role he wasn't used to playing and he's done his best to change his game (and occasionally he's been successful at it), but especially away from home against teams who will either pack or press the midfield, or both, he's the Achilles heal, or rather our lack of a REAL dynamic defensive midfield is. We're not physical enough in there, nor defensively disciplined enough. Meireles and Gerrard like to roam too much. And while Lucas is good at sitting alongside a partner who will help him out defensively, when he's isolated he's horribly exposed.

Quality wise, even with Lucas it's not THAT bad a midfield at all, because of the ability of Gerrard and Meireles, but it counts for fuck all because as a combination it's just not right at all.
 
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