Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
tom cavendish

Scouting thoughts of midfielders

Recommended Posts

1. I often said that I didn''t like Redmond being selected to play on the left. He has done well since being played regularly on the right.2. Since AN became the manager, Wes has been playing some of the best football of his career.3. Tettey is vital to the way the team plays. He was by far the best defensive midfielder in the Championship.4. O''Neil''s experience really shows when the team is trying to tighten-up to see out the end of a match.5. Johnson has been outstanding on the left where the weakness in his passing ability hasn''t been so easily exposed.6. Howson doesn''t create many chances nor is he particularly good at winning challenges. He can be largely anonymous during most matches but he is good at making late runs into the box to score.7. Dorrans gets stuck-in a bit more than Howson but he doesn''t create much.8 Elliott Bennett still hasn''t recaptured his best form since his last serious injury.9. Thompson, Andreu, King, Reece Hall-Johnson, McGrandles are unlikely to start any Premier League matches.10. Murphy bro''s are exciting creative players to watch but their lack of experience sometimes shows when selecting passing options.11. It will be interesting to see whether Odjidja-Ofoe can even get fit enough to challenge for a first-team start. If he does then the system AN uses could suit him.I think the midfield priority is to find a defensive midfielder (to challenge for Tettey''s position), a creative midfielder who scores goals (to challenge for Wes'' position), and a winger. I would then look to get those listed in points 8, 9, 10 & 11 out on-loan.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

I''m very excited by the thought that there will be a ''Scouting thoughts on Goalkeepers'', should be a cracker.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Tom, are your qualifications for being a scout based on the fact you have two eyes? My cat shows more impressive insight on a scouting level than your time-wasting state the obvious efforts.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1. Redmond on the left doesn''t allow him the unpredictablility playing down his natural right does. He switches between going to the byline cutting in now. Full backs have a harder time coping. Also, he''s learnt better positional awareness and to make late off the ball runs both to the edge of the area and to the back post now. His goal at Wembley was testament to that.

2. Agreed. It''s a big test for Wes next season now as he often goes missing in premiership games. He''ll need a creative rival. This will either be us playing 2 wingers and 3 solid and mature centre mids or another linkup man, perhaps someone better at holding the ball up.

3. Tettey is our most important player in that we miss him most when injured. He covers our marauding full backs and both steadies the midfield and defence with his excellent qualities as an anchor man. His passing is solid but not spectacular but he''s premiership quality. Hopefully Mulumbu will join to help when Tettey is in need of rest but I could even see a tactical change with them both screening the back 4 and Tettey being more box to box with his energy (think Matic and Ramires at Chelsea).

4. O''Neil will be an important squad member to deputise if one of Tettey or (hopefully) Mulumbu need a rest. A wise head who know how to close out games. We really missed him in that disaster of a Brentford game. Glad he''s staying a year and deserves a go in the prem again after 3 promotions in a row!

5. Somehow we stumbled across a great tactic with him playing on the left! I wonder if the tactic will hold out in the prem? He''s had an excellent season and his decision making has improved drastically.

6. Howson is the glue that makes it tick in the middle. Bundles of energy, but as you say he''s more a jack of all trades, master of none type. He will be important to make sure we don''t get overran in the middle.

7. Dorrans is similar to Howson but with a bit more attacking prowess and a bit less mobility. A clever addition to our squad. He also can operate right mid effectively which Howson on evidence of previous can''t do. If we get a left winger doing well for us, Dorrans can provide defensive balance down the right.

8. Agree with your point here, not sure we need him anymore but i''d like a winger brought in first before we offload. Ironically his best appearance for us was the fateful game against Everton when he got his injury.

9. Not sure what the future holds for these guys but it''ll be a tough job for them to make sure it''s at Norwich. Time to upgrade these.

10. A full season loan to the championship needed for both. Clearly talented enough but need to get experience in men''s football as under 21''s is beneath their level now and they will just stagnate there.

11. Hard to tell what will happen here with VOO. He''s clearly a talented player but it remains to be seen where he''d fit in for us. I can''t see us having much more patience to find out and he may well be one that leaves if we get a reasonable bid. That being said, i''m sure AN will look how he''s going in preseason and if he''s good enough there, he may still surprise.

I''d rather avoid loaning out our experienced players. We''d be better cashing in and getting them off the wage bill if possible.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I think its time the Wes for Celtic rumours resurfaced.He has been fantastic this back end of the season, but we saw last time, that he can''t quite get away with it in the Premiership, or at least against better Premiership teams.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

[quote user="mrs miggins"]I think this will be his last season with us[/quote]Depends if he is happy with being a bit part player or not I guess. Which was probably the reason for his kerfuffle about wanting to join Villa.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="mrs miggins"]tbf I think he''d be a bit-part player wherever he went in the PL[/quote]Celtic it is then!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="morty"]I think its time the Wes for Celtic rumours resurfaced.He has been fantastic this back end of the season, but we saw last time, that he can''t quite get away with it in the Premiership, or at least against better Premiership teams.

[/quote]
If he continues his form from the back-end of last season, he will be fine in the Premiership. It does require a manager to trust him though - and i think Alex Neil will deliver that.
Worth remembering the pocket of spaces he works in happens to be where he''ll find more time and space on the ball in the PL.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Lambert and now Neil have go the best out of Wes and he''s played some of the best football of his career.

If used in the right circumstances he will shine.

Wes will continue to prove his yawn-inducing doubters wrong yet again.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Its not that I doubt him, its just everyone knows his limitations. I feel Wes will be a valuable player for us this season, just from the bench in half the games, he still has an important role to play this coming season.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
The point with Wes is to use him cleverly and on a match-by-match basis. He''ll easily be one of the division''s most unique and unpredictable players on his day.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

[quote user="Wes Hooly Fan"]Lambert and now Neil have go the best out of Wes and he''s played some of the best football of his career.

If used in the right circumstances he will shine.

Wes will continue to prove his yawn-inducing doubters wrong yet again.[/quote]

The problem is Hooly Fan, that the right circumstances tend to be when we have dominated the midfield and are queuing up on the edge of the box looking for that crucial through ball or moment of magic. That happened a lot last season but at premiership level, I can''t help but think we may be forced to play a more counter attacking, direct game as we won''t have as much possession.

In the right games at the right time, he will still be useful to us though so i''d keep him and find him someone to challenge for his spot in the 11 who may be more suited to the more direct, counter attacking football we will be playing without Wes on the pitch.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="hogesar"][quote user="morty"]I think its time the Wes for Celtic rumours resurfaced.He has been fantastic this back end of the season, but we saw last time, that he can''t quite get away with it in the Premiership, or at least against better Premiership teams.

[/quote]
If he continues his form from the back-end of last season, he will be fine in the Premiership. It does require a manager to trust him though - and i think Alex Neil will deliver that.
Worth remembering the pocket of spaces he works in happens to be where he''ll find more time and space on the ball in the PL.
[/quote]I was talking to someone over lunch today and I have finally worked it out.Wes plays well when we are dominating a game, and we are high up the pitch, he needs to be in a position to take one or two touches and produce the pass that puts a player in, or creates a goal.Now if we aren''t dominating a game, and he has to drop 10 yards deeper to get the ball, he is no longer in the position to do what he does best, and it really, really shows.Now if Alex wants to play a high tempo pressing game and try and dominate teams, then it could well work, but if it doesn''t we are going to end up with a very ineffective Wes.So I guess its down to how many games you consider we''ll dominate in the Premiership.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
"Wes plays well when we are dominating a game, and we are high up the pitch"

I don''t want this to be like one of those questions people ask when completely stoned, but is the above true, or is it that we dominate games high up the pitch when Wes is playing well?

I''m not sure if Wes isn''t the cause rather than the effect you describe.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
This list is a fantastic combination of stating the obvious (Tettey is good, Wes has played well) and stuff that is wrong (Dorrans doesn''t create much). Strong work.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Bor Bor Bor"]"Wes plays well when we are dominating a game, and we are high up the pitch"

I don''t want this to be like one of those questions people ask when completely stoned, but is the above true, or is it that we dominate games high up the pitch when Wes is playing well?

I''m not sure if Wes isn''t the cause rather than the effect you describe.[/quote]I prefer my version. But it could be true, or it could just be my opinion. And my opinion could be bollocks.Wes doesn''t attack on his own, he is higher up the pitch, because the whole midfield is.He launches his attacks from well in the opposition half, I could be wrong but I don''t ever remember him picking the ball up near our own box, and running the length of the field with it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I love Wes but he needs a strong base to play from- issues arise if he has to come too deep to get the ball as he is prone to getting too fancy when sometimes he needs to keep it simple in his own half.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="tom cavendish"]1. I often said that I didn''t like Redmond being selected to play on the left. He has done well since being played regularly on the right.2. Since AN became the manager, Wes has been playing some of the best football of his career.3. Tettey is vital to the way the team plays. He was by far the best defensive midfielder in the Championship.4. O''Neil''s experience really shows when the team is trying to tighten-up to see out the end of a match.5. Johnson has been outstanding on the left where the weakness in his passing ability hasn''t been so easily exposed....8 Elliott Bennett still hasn''t recaptured his best form since his last serious injury.9. Thompson, Andreu, King, Reece Hall-Johnson, McGrandles are unlikely to start any Premier League matches.10. Murphy bro''s are exciting creative players to watch but their lack of experience sometimes shows when selecting passing options.11. It will be interesting to see whether Odjidja-Ofoe can even get fit enough to challenge for a first-team start. If he does then the system AN uses could suit him. ...[/quote]In other news, bears sh*t in the woods and the Pope is Catholic.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
What we''ve seen wes do since AN came in, into his 4141 system, is he''ll pick the ball up from deep to start the move and create time and space for the team to start an attack, he''ll then receive the ball again in key areas on the edge of the box to create goal scoring opportunities. Therefore his job isn''t to just be a normal number 10 and hang around in-between the pocket between defence and midfield of the opposition, it''s to also start the move as well and to become part of the transition between defence and attack; something which he''s done really well at in the last few years compared to when he first joined us. His defensive work used to be so poor, now the only thing to imp roe on is his scoring/ability to shoot more often.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

[quote user="mrs miggins"]What we''ve seen wes do since AN came in, into his 4141 system, is he''ll pick the ball up from deep to start the move and create time and space for the team to start an attack, he''ll then receive the ball again in key areas on the edge of the box to create goal scoring opportunities. Therefore his job isn''t to just be a normal number 10 and hang around in-between the pocket between defence and midfield of the opposition, it''s to also start the move as well and to become part of the transition between defence and attack; something which he''s done really well at in the last few years compared to when he first joined us. His defensive work used to be so poor, now the only thing to imp roe on is his scoring/ability to shoot more often.[/quote]I don''t disagree with that, but that system falls down if you can''t get him on the ball, or he is denied it.I''m not convinced it will work against teams in the Premiership that we can''t dominate.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
So basically tom.

Nobody in the team is any good. We will get 0 points all season because you said so.

Although some points I agree with. Don''t write us off before we even start

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I agree with you M and that''s the reason why we won''t see him feature in every game, I expect him to start a lot of games on the bench.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="mrs miggins"]I agree with you M and that''s the reason why we won''t see him feature in every game, I expect him to start a lot of games on the bench.[/quote]Which brings us back to why he was a bit part player last time, and his subsequent dummy spitting, which begs the question, will he be happy being on the bench a lot of the time?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It also didn''t help that Chris Hughton adopted a rigid and ambition free system. It wasn''t just Wes Hoolahan''s game that was worsened as a result.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="morty"][quote user="mrs miggins"]I agree with you M and that''s the reason why we won''t see him feature in every game, I expect him to start a lot of games on the bench.[/quote]Which brings us back to why he was a bit part player last time, and his subsequent dummy spitting, which begs the question, will he be happy being on the bench a lot of the time?[/quote]
I have a feeling he will play more under Alex Neil than he did under Hughton. I also don''t think it''ll require interest from Villa to start playing him!
I agree re Morty saying we have to be high up the pitch for Wes to play his best. It''s true in the sense that the pockets of space i mentioned earlier are in that space between the oppositions midfield and defence. However, I think Bor is correct in saying you''re perhaps being a bit unfair to say Wes plays well when the team plays well. It''s just as equally plausible that Wes is what makes the team tick. It''s also fair to say he''s incredibly good in possession and whilst some people bemoan the amount of turns etc he does to beat a player, he is very good at keeping the ball which will allow time for the midfield to join the attack. This will be important in a league where we will be defending more than attacking. It''s also fair to say that Wes'' workrate under Alex Neil has been similar to that under Lambert and is very good at defending from the front.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...