Poll What is Emre's best position?

[Modo]

From what I've seen he's not a defensive midfielder. To me he's something between a box to box midfielder and a classic CM.
As I've said before, I don't think Emre has the brains to play in the anchor role.
His positioning is suspect and he makes up for it with his agility and pace.
But he's a ball winner unlike Henderson for instance.

Can he become a DM? Sure, he's definitely got what it takes but it's going to take time.

 

[Windom Earle]

I think, if you are going to try and label his position, then he is most likely a box-to-box midfielder.

Shoehorning him into a DM role exposes some of his flaws while suppressing some of the better parts of his game. His athleticism often gets picked out but I think there is more to him than that, look at that assist last year against Southampton - that was real vision and ability to pick out the pass.

 

[Mystic]

I think he's a holding midfield, he's probably our only player with the touch and passing range to dictate tempo, he also needs a license to surge forward at times as he can be very dangerous when he does, so for that he needs someone able to cover alongside him too.

 

[keniget]

I think he'd be best alongside someone who sits and "holds" the midfield.... in more of a Rafa style 4-2-3-1 formation.

 

[Ossi]

From what I've seen he's not a defensive midfielder. To me he's something between a box to box midfielder and a classic CM.
As I've said before, I don't think Emre has the brains to play in the anchor role.
His positioning is suspect and he makes up for it with his agility and pace.
But he's a ball winner unlike Henderson for instance.

Can he become a DM? Sure, he's definitely got what it takes but it's going to take time.

Pace? Really?

 

[Mystic]

Pace? Really?

Maybe not over the first 5 yards, but when he gets going he's pretty rapid.

 

[Judge Jules]

Spot on, and that's one reason why I'm not convinced about his long-term prospects as a DM. If he gets turned while sitting deep, he's not got the time to get up to top speed before the opposition player gets his shot or pass away.

 

[Rosco]

I think he'd be best alongside someone who sits and "holds" the midfield.... in more of a Rafa style 4-2-3-1 formation.

Yup.

I think thats his future. Unless Grujic is going to be that player we don't have anyone good enough to do it.

 

[Windom Earle]

Yup.

I think thats his future. Unless Grujic is going to be that player we don't have anyone good enough to do it.

I tend to think Grujic might end up being the same kind of player - not quite attacking midfielder, not quite holding player.

 

[Mystic]

Spot on, and that's one reason why I'm not convinced about his long-term prospects as a DM. If he gets turned while sitting deep, he's not got the time to get up to top speed before the opposition player gets his shot or pass away.

Thats why I call him a holding midfielder as opposed to a defensive midfielder, because as you say that's a weakness in his game. He's positionally astute and a good tackler, but he can get turned for pace, how much of an issue that is, i'm not sure, but he's closer to Alonso than he is Mascherano or Makelelelelelele, he's a playmaker. To be honest, I'm fine with that, I think the playmaking aspect of the position is far more important than the defensive terrier side, thats what we lacked on Saturday, and thats what we will continue to lack if Henderson stays in that position.

 

[SummerOnions]

For the main reason that we don't have such a player in our squad (barring Lucas, whose general ineffectiveness rules him out, and Stewart who still has a lot to prove at 23), I think we should stop playing like we need one.

To me our best team last year had Henderson and Can as a midfield two, working in tandem as both pivots and more attacking players. This works best as the one holding player isn't then targeted by the opposition so much as we vary the play up more.

When there's one holding mid, and he isn't an Alonso/Pirlo type, other players have to create the space for the team to move up the pitch. Henderson is a good player, but he's wasted further back on his own.

We have a whole host of midfielders that I reckon can dovetail well enough... Can Henderson, Grujic and Milner can all offer that, and Wijnaldum also resides somewhere in that mess.

I worry that Klopp has no idea what his best team is, and will spend the next couple of months finding out whilst we carry on making silly mistakes. If FSG will allow him to do that, it augurs well for the future, but he'll need a lot of patience to get it right. I hope he gets it

 

[Rosco]

I tend to think Grujic might end up being the same kind of player - not quite attacking midfielder, not quite holding player.

Two of those working in tandem would be perfect

 

[Brizzle]

Best position is on the pitch, not on the bench. At least that much is certain.