New central midfielder needed

[Mister Chops 7]

In the summer, we must sign someone who can pass the ball forward.  Someone who can link the midfield to the strikers.   Someone who doesn''t pass it sideways (Fotheringham) or backwards (Gibbs, Pattison) all the time.  Someone who can be the box-to-box player we''ve missed since (dare I say it?) Francis or even Holt.

Right now, our game plan is ...

Defenders win the ball

Defenders pass it to midfield

Midfield pass it square, then give it back to defenders

Defenders (usually the Doc, who was good today) hoof it up to the strikers

We desperately need someone in midfield who can create.  Blackpool linked up beautifully in the first half and were unlucky to only be 2-0 up at half time.  Headless chickens are NOT what we need.  What about some smart passing?

 

[Thecanaryfan 0]

I would agree that the player you describe is exactly what we need. An out an out play maker who has an eye for a quality pass. Though I also believe we would have to change our tactics to accomodate him (whoever he may be).........

I dont understand this constant instruction of Roeders to always play the ball square out to the flanks. Believe it or not, goals can be created through the middle as well. It might actually surprise our oppenants if we tried it and we might score a few more goals as a result. Our game plan is starting to look a bit predictable of late.

[we8wba 0]

liam miller

[chicken 0]

[quote user="Mister Chops"]

In the summer, we must sign someone who can pass the ball forward.  Someone who can link the midfield to the strikers.   Someone who doesn''t pass it sideways (Fotheringham) or backwards (Gibbs, Pattison) all the time.  Someone who can be the box-to-box player we''ve missed since (dare I say it?) Francis or even Holt.

Right now, our game plan is ...

Defenders win the ball

Defenders pass it to midfield

Midfield pass it square, then give it back to defenders

Defenders (usually the Doc, who was good today) hoof it up to the strikers

We desperately need someone in midfield who can create.  Blackpool linked up beautifully in the first half and were unlucky to only be 2-0 up at half time.  Headless chickens are NOT what we need.  What about some smart passing?

 

[/quote]I would have said this is quite elementary. Look at the permanent squad and you have Russell, Fotheringham and Pattison. I would never be happy with that number. We need at least four players that can play that position and that will be fighting for it on a day to day basis.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Been needed for some time.

[sam 0]

Completetly agree, i would have Russell in there all of the time, he can go forward and is very good at tracking back, but Fotheringham is terrible, like you say, all he does it pass it sideways, it''s almost like a hot potato with him, also he doesn''t score enough goals from his position, reminds me of Robinson, just passes it sidewards and doesn''t create anything.

[The Voice of the Thorpe Area 0]

Don''t agree.

Fozzy and Rusty have proved without doubt that they, together, are a very solid midfield duo. Our worries lie up front, and finding a new left winger.

[Lincs CR 0]

Im inclined to agree we need a strong passing midfielder. I dont really rate Fotheringham, if we bring in a midfielder to play snappy accurate passes through defences and into strikers, he should play alongside Rusty. Russell does a MUCH better job than Fotheringham when it comes to tackling and making himself known, and also likes to play the ball square to wingers like Fotheringham (always) does.

Also i never seem to see Fotheringham lifting the side. Dublin constantly passes on words of encouragement and like todays game, held a huddle midgame to get it together. Fotheringham needs to learn from the master. And...hes good at freekicks? I think not, he clearly sees an Ipswich fan in row Z every time.

[Trent Canary 0]

Agreed, my player ratings summary says as much. We have never replaced francis.

Who to go for though?... Thats the tough part..

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="The voice of the Thorpe Area"]

Don''t agree.

Fozzy and Rusty have proved without doubt that they, together, are a very solid midfield duo. Our worries lie up front, and finding a new left winger.

[/quote]

Yes but in addition to solid, we need a creative link... or at least a driving force.  Cast your mind back to days of yore and think about the job David Platt did for England - linking midfield and attack.

If we buy new strikers just to hoof it up to them, what''s the point?

[kdncfc 0]

We have missed Russells energy in the last 2 games, for me he is the only midfielder who is deserving of a more or lesss guaranteed start and people don''t realise how much he does until he''s not playing. Don''t really rate Fotheringham, works hard but doesn''t really create enough, Pattison was ok yesterday but he does have a tendency to give the ball away far to often, so yes we do need at least 1 creative midfielder, we''ve got the graft but very little craft.

[Old Shuck 183]

Agree.

Simplistically, I always thought a good side had players that complemented each other through the middle. For example, two centre backs-one a stopper/"bruiser" in the tradtional sense & great in the air/set pieces (Malky?), t''other a bit more football nous about him, can play the ball out and pick the pass if he has to. Similarly, in centre midfield, one "terrier" who snaps and bites away at the opposition, harries and worries, wins the ball, breaks up moves and then, crucially moves the ball on, ideally to his CM partner who is the creative half of the duo, plays the killer ball, gets forward, scores a few goals. Finally, in attack-the big, strong striker and the smaller, more mobile strike partner playing off him.

Can we do that with our current squad?

I''m thinking of the Leeds team that won the title in 1992-they had the "bruiser" at the back (Chris Whyte) and the footballing centre back (Chris Fairclough), the terrier in midfield (David Batty) and the creative player (Gordon Strachan) as well as the targetman (Lee Chapman, who, on the strength of that midfield got nearly 30 goals that season) and the mobile player (Eric Cantona) alongside him.

We''ve done the same. Butterworth and Polston at the back, Crook and Megson in midfield, Sutton and Robins in attack.

Even Man Utd today-Vidic and Ferdinand, Scholes and Hargreaves, Rooney and Tevez-though Rooney is physical in stature rather than size!

But it seems to work well, if we could base something alongside that, we might have the sort of balance that seems missing at the moment-and I think we''re probably missing at least three of the components at the moment!

But its easy to knee jerk after yesterday. All Roeder had to do when he came onboard was keep us up. Period. And that looked unlikely. So to be where we are now, its a bonus. The real challenge next season will be getting a new and ''permanent'' squad-and no more than one loanee if at  all possible, but a bloody good one perhaps!?-together next season and there being the resources to do that. We have a Manager who has made a few Chairman aware of his capabilities as well as two very talented and ambitious coaches, its no good the board resting on the laurels of their appointment now, they have to build on it, if they don''t, then there really and truly will be no hiding place for them. Absolutely crucial times lie ahead and defining moments beckon. OTBC.

[jetstream 0]

Fozzy and Rusty may well be a decent midfield pairing (thoug that is arguable) but what happens when one or both is injured/suspended/in a run of poor form?

[we8wba 0]

paul ince you need lol

looking around theres not to many these players any more, the new breed midfielders seem to be

time on the ball keeping the ball mould - shame really

talking from my experiences we had alex rae and paul ince, prob two best midfielders in the battling role i ever seen

bring more through the youth please

[Buncey 1]

You may have all hated him but how much do we miss Etuhu now?

[chicken 0]

[quote user="Trent Canary"]

Agreed, my player ratings summary says as much. We have never replaced francis.

Who to go for though?... Thats the tough part..

[/quote]I think people should forget Francis. He hasn''t really achieved as highly as when he was with us. As for replacing him we did but the players were not totally up for it but were more than capable.I think in Russell we have a capable player who is committed, 100% and a good team player. Francis was prone to sulks - although for the most part gave it his all. I think what people forget about Francis is that he wasn''t the most creative of players - not like Safri or Crook, he didn''t pull the strings that brilliantly. It was more of the fact that him and Holt were super fit and would battle hard all game long. Teams couldn''t beat us because they were getting very little from us. Huckerby was the creativity that got us up along with some of the other players we signed on loan etc.I think that season was a bit of a one off in the way that so many good players became available at the same time and some hit form. We had at least four strikers capable of at least 15-20 goals a season at this level in Iwan, McKenzie, Crouch and Huckerby - not to mention Svensson who arrived later on. All of that on top of one of the meanest teams in the league when it came to giving up points.

[jetstream 0]

We hardly set the world on fire with Etuhu, Robinson, Jason Jarrett or Andy Hughes in the centre of midfield did we?

We miss Safri more, in my opinion.

Or (on his day) a Damien Francis.