Defensive midfielder

[smooth 114]

With many posters agreeing that this is a position to fill with potentially a high valued/priced new signing, have we only been linked to 3?

Mikel, Phillips (Leeds, never going to happen) and Bakalorz (staying in germany).

Just wondered if there were players we saw last year or can discuss in that position.

TT is going to push whoever would come in, but you need a dominant player with great upside. I think TT may be close to his upside so think we need an improvement there.

[BroadstairsR 2,138]

Louis Thompson?

Wouldn't know as I do not recall seeing much of him.... but write ups in the past have surely been as good as those for Godfrey?

Then there's this injury bug.

Some talk of loaning him out for match time and fitness but I am inclined  think that if he is fit he should be ready, on a now or never basis.

Whether this "ready" is up to PL level is also to be resolved, but you can say that about many of the squad.

[Indy_Bones 441]

A fully fit and on form Thompson could possibly do a good job there, the problem is that he hasn't been fully fit for the past 2 years...

[Christoph Stiepermann 1,131]

With Thompson I'd try to get him a loan in somewhere like Holland where it's less physical and he can hopefully get a full season under his belt, he'll just get kicked about in England/Scotland and I doubt he's up to the pace of The PL after such a long lay off. Our DM signing will no doubt be someone we've never heard of who turns out to be brilliant but i think for the start of the season at least Trybull has earned the chance to make that position his. Who knows, he's improved constantly as long as he's been here, he might improve even more next year.

[smooth 114]

Yes that's a fair point. He is almost a forgotten man, but as noted he should be ready to reach a peak and he could show us what he can do.

I think he would have a good battle with TT, so good to mention those within with AT a great squad player.

Certainly an option but with those injury concerns I could see an addition.

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,777]

Thompson has barely played at Championship level over the last few years so the chances of him suddenly jumping to the front of the queue and playing regularly in the Premier League are slim to none. I fear that his injury problems mean that he'll always struggle in professional football, and the next step to prove otherwise would be a season on loan somewhere at a Championship club.

Considering that this is a priority position we should probably be prepared to spend a large portion of the budget here. Erick Pulgar of Bologna has a €12m release clause and although bigger clubs than us are looking at him, he may fancy a move to the Premier League; who knows? 

[KeiranShikari 1,409]

We need somebody of Leitner or Buebdia's class in defensive midfield, as much as I think Thompson looked pretty good a couple of years ago I doubt that's him.

[Coneys Knee 941]

I see Thompson being shaped into a right back personally. He’s not going to be the answer to the DM position in the PL

[wcorkcanary 4,329]

2 hours ago, Coneys Knee said:

I see Thompson being shaped into a right back personally. He’s not going to be the answer to the DM position in the PL

He's one hell of a unit for RB. You may be right. We'll see.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

Thompson is good as an energetic DM who covers a lot of ground, but Norwich need someone who can keep the ball moving with short passing like Trybull. 

Finding a player who can mix the two is going to be the real challenge - but that is what is needed to really improve the midfield. 

 

[PurpleCanary 5,554]

2 hours ago, Bethnal Yellow and Green said:

Thompson is good as an energetic DM who covers a lot of ground, but Norwich need someone who can keep the ball moving with short passing like Trybull. 

Finding a player who can mix the two is going to be the real challenge - but that is what is needed to really improve the midfield. 

 

Bethnal, I haven't seen enough of McLean, but could he not move back and do that job? I had the idea he sometimes played that far back for Aberdeen. He just looks the kind of player who would be disciplined enough to stick to his brief. Plus, we do have Leitner and Vrancic who could play further forward.

[smooth 114]

I recall McLean sat deeper to allow Maddison do what Maddison does.

But McLean is probably a player for a little further up the field, in the partnership with TT he did exactly that.

Not sure McLean is the answer for the defensive midfield position.

I could see Leitner picking the ball up and pinging it around and then that defensive midfielder moving the ball to our creative four ahead and slipping deeper when the full backs go forward. I can't see McLean being that player.

[Surfer 1,547]

McLean looked lightweight when the opposition ran at our defense last year, so not sure he's the right player for that position.Then again who would have thought that Stiepermann would make a great No.10 after his performances at left back the previous year?

 

Edited June 22, 2019 by Surfer

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

McClean took the Trybull role against Villa due to Tommy being injured. 

Kenny has produced very good defensive numbers this season, which is often overlooked. He would certainly be an option to drop deeper - however I think he is a bit like Trybull in the sense he is a good distributor of the ball, but maybe lacks a certainly level of physicality to cover the ground and mop up danger. 

 

[smooth 114]

Yeah I agree bethnal. I do, as posted before, find it hard to see McLean as a starter next year however. His stats may say something, but with only a few positions available he has some stiff competition that I think beat him hands down.

I believe next year if we are to stay up then a new defensive midfielder will be one of the reasons for doing so. Hence why I think we need that new signing who is going to be as stand out as buendia is at the moment.

So TT is cover with AT there in the squad with Louis T.

Leitner and vrancic are ahead of McLean in the other midfield berth and Marco holds the number 10 position with, hopefully, a new player pushing him.

[smooth 114]

Surfer I agree, our style changed with the new midfield dynamic with McLean in. But I think it did him good and competing against vrancic and leitner will make him better but may be not a starter

[pete 318]

Harrison Reed would be a cheap option was fairly proficient season before last when on loan, can cover RB as well.  May be coming to end of Saints contract.  An experienced DM likely to bust our budget.  Thompson on the few times we saw him didn't play as DM and only once against Leeds 3 seasons ago needs to get himself fit and playing to prove fitness.

Tom T must be given opportunity but cover needed but Slimline Tettey impressed often last season but needs passing to improve not likely at his age.  

[lake district canary 4,531]

We are going to keep the ball so well and be so good at getting it back when needed that the DM position will not be necessary. We are going to wow the PL next season - the opposition won't get a look in and we will sail to the title on a wave of total football the kind of which not seen in this country before. 

[lake district canary 4,531]

Well, maybe.....

[splendidrush 699]

Harrison Reed had a good season with us but even Saints don't think he's good enough for the Premiership. I like ldc's take but we do need more than what we have currently. 

[Petriix 2,834]

Obviously it's that time of year where we all imagine things work just like in Football Manager and we look at trying to improve the team in the weakest areas. People seem to have identified the DM role as the main weakness, but there has also been plenty of talk about the defence too. This seems to be based on the notion that we conceded loads of goals last season and need to sure things up otherwise we'll get mullered every week in the prem. I really don't agree with this.

In my opinion, for reasons which are fairly obvious and previously covered at length, we have the best defenders ever seen at the club. I also believe that the DM position is well covered with Trybull and Tettey, and Thompson to compete if fit enough. We also have options for playing more creative or attacking players in that area where required.

Thompson is the one who fits best with the recent strategy of bringing through and developing young players. This is more of a medium to long term concept which accepts the possibility that we may not wind up spending the next decade basking in the riches of the premier league and might need to sell players to remain successful. This is definitely paying off when you look at recent player sales and the assumed astronomical increases in value to our young defenders.

I don't expect many signings this window. Possibly a few more youngsters with potential and hopefully a striker (ideally a combination of the two). We are unlikely to be able to improve our squad without spending silly money or blowing the dressing room harmony by paying much higher wages to the new players. That won't happen. 

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,777]

18 hours ago, Surfer said:

McLean looked lightweight when the opposition ran at our defense last year, so not sure he's the right player for that position.Then again who would have thought that Stiepermann would make a great No.10 after his performances at left back the previous year?

 

Whilst I agree with what you're saying, you have to remember that Stiepermann is, was and always has been a central attacking midfielder. You can't judge him at all on a season when he was playing out of position at full back- it would be like sticking Aarons in midfield or Pukki on the wing. McLean however, to the best of my knowledge, has never been a holding midfielder so changing his position is unlikely to reap the rewards like Stiepermann, who was simply returning to his best position.

15 hours ago, pete said:

Harrison Reed would be a cheap option was fairly proficient season before last when on loan, can cover RB as well.  May be coming to end of Saints contract.  An experienced DM likely to bust our budget.  Thompson on the few times we saw him didn't play as DM and only once against Leeds 3 seasons ago needs to get himself fit and playing to prove fitness.

Harrison Reed seems to be the new Dani Pacheco. He did alright on loan in the second tier, and then for years afterwards people still kept calling for his return even though we had moved on as a club. Reed isn't the man to come in and be a first choice in the Premier League.

Edited June 23, 2019 by Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man