Roeder Happy with the midfield

[blahblahblah 2]

GR talking about possible recruits in the Jan window :“I''ve been quite honest about it. We need a couple of defenders. We''ve

got one in, so we''re still looking for another one, and a couple of

strikers,” he said.Should I take this to mean that he is happy with the midfield ?  And should he be ?

[Coelho 0]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]GR talking about possible recruits in the Jan window :“I''ve been quite honest about it. We need a couple of defenders. We''ve

got one in, so we''re still looking for another one, and a couple of

strikers,” he said.Should I take this to mean that he is happy with the midfield ?  And should he be ?[/quote]Yes to both questions IMO. With our limited means, it is imperative to strengthen defence and attack. With Bell, Croft, Clingan, Pattison, Russell, Fotheringham and Hoolahan competing for four (or possibly five) places, and with Lappin, Eagle and Spillane in the wings with Sibierski, Bertrand and Lupoli also able to operate in midfield, we''ve got plenty enough options there.

[ncfcstar 287]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]GR talking about possible recruits in the Jan window :“I''ve been quite honest about it. We need a couple of defenders. We''ve

got one in, so we''re still looking for another one, and a couple of

strikers,” he said.Should I take this to mean that he is happy with the midfield ?  And should he be ?[/quote]I think so Blah, we keep the ball well in midfield but have no-one to offload it too.  The need for some strikers is paramount, and I don''t think many people would argue against Clingan and Croft being our top performers this year.  And despite the knocks that Bell gets, he is our leading assister.

[Salopian 1]

I think not. Bell and Croft provide width, but not much else. Hoolahan and Clingan can be excellent, but that''s about it, - we can''t expect much from Russell, Fozzy or Patty, so if one or more of the Irishmen is injured or off form there is little to replace them. (A returning Spillane, or Bertie, but at the moment you wouldn''t count on them.)

[Beauseant 0]

[quote user="Coelho"][quote user="blahblahblah"]GR talking about possible recruits in the Jan window :

“I''ve been quite honest about it. We need a couple of defenders. We''ve got one in, so we''re still looking for another one, and a couple of strikers,” he said.

Should I take this to mean that he is happy with the midfield ?  And should he be ?
[/quote]
Yes to both questions IMO. With our limited means, it is imperative to strengthen defence and attack. With Bell, Croft, Clingan, Pattison, Russell, Fotheringham and Hoolahan competing for four (or possibly five) places, and with Lappin, Eagle and Spillane in the wings with Sibierski, Bertrand and Lupoli also able to operate in midfield, we''ve got plenty enough options there.
[/quote]

 

While we certainly have a plethora of midfield players the disappointing thing is that we haven''t got a true gamebreaker in the sense of a creative playe that can unlock the best defences. Like many posters I thought Hoolahan might be that player, but he has largely flattered to deceive and is worrying one- footed, making him easier to defend against. I would have liked to have Sibierski given a go in the hole, but that''s not to be.

Having said all that I totally agree that defence and attack are greater priorities at present.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

we still need someone to partner clingan in centre mid, fozzy and russell are just not up to it.

[Coelho 0]

[quote user="lincoln canary"]we still need someone to partner clingan in centre mid, fozzy and russell are just not up to it.[/quote]I think Pattison could do it. His performances have improved greatly in recent months – he''s clearly not a wide player, and whenever I see him play more centrally in a 4-5-1 formation, he''s always the one busting a gut to get into the box and get on the end of crosses. If Clingan can sit deeper and try to open the game up, then Patty can bomb forward when we''re in possession, and you know you''ll still get 100% effort and energy from him when we''re defending. A genuine playmaker would be wonderful, but there are greater weaknesses in our squad at the moment that need addressing first.

[Thecanaryfan 0]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]GR talking about possible recruits in the Jan window :

“I''ve been quite honest about it. We need a couple of defenders. We''ve got one in, so we''re still looking for another one, and a couple of strikers,” he said.

Should I take this to mean that he is happy with the midfield ?  And should he be ?
[/quote]

 

I think Roeder is spot on. The midfield is by far our strongest part of the pitch.

[ZLF 271]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]GR talking about possible recruits in the Jan window :

“I''ve been quite honest about it. We need a couple of defenders. We''ve got one in, so we''re still looking for another one, and a couple of strikers,” he said.

Should I take this to mean that he is happy with the midfield ?  And should he be ?
[/quote]

 

Good god no.   We have a centralmidfield that can be good,  but rarely is;  we have fozzy, clingan, pattiso & russell who are identikit midfielders who offer no sheilding ability and less attacking threat.  They can do small passes across the pitch yet have no penetration - we are missing the consistent drive from holt and and goal scoring threat.  OUt wide croft doesnow worry other teams until he relases the ball and the left flank is as mucha no mans areas as the right has been.    Without protection the defence will always be stretched and without a threat and creativity the forwards will rarely score.

The centre midfield in particular needs to be better;  and I personally dont think it can wait until we are in league one,,  I mean the summer to address it.  

Thats not to say we have to get a striker and central defender;   but the centralmidfield clowns are not good enough to keep us up.

[JJ 0]

[quote user="Beauseant"]

[While we certainly have a plethora of midfield players the disappointing thing is that we haven''t got a true gamebreaker in the sense of a creative playe that can unlock the best defences. Like many posters I thought Hoolahan might be that player, but he has largely flattered to deceive and is worrying one- footed, making him easier to defend against. I would have liked to have Sibierski given a go in the hole, but that''s not to be.

Having said all that I totally agree that defence and attack are greater priorities at present.

 

[/quote]

Totally agree.  For me, Russell, Pattison and Clingan are decent enough but a bit samey (Clingan is the best of the 3) while Hoolahan has struggled to find his best position (again, I thought he''d be the man for the job).  There were times last season when I thought Fozzy might be the person for that, but for some reason has not performed this season.

If anyone creative comes in, then someone of the above has to go.  Not that creative players are easy to find...

 

 

[blahblahblah 2]

An interesting range of views here.  I think we need a veteran midfielder who can lead from the front, get stuck in with some tackles when the game is going against us, keep heads up and open up defences with a slide-rule pass.Does anyone know where we can get one of those cheap ?  Do we already have one in Sibierski ?  Can we keep him, and play him in midfield if we can land a striker or 2 ?

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]An interesting range of views here.  I think we need a veteran midfielder who can lead from the front, get stuck in with some tackles when the game is going against us, keep heads up and open up defences with a slide-rule pass.

Does anyone know where we can get one of those cheap ?  Do we already have one in Sibierski ?  Can we keep him, and play him in midfield if we can land a striker or 2 ?
[/quote]

 

no we dont, can you imagine sibierski getting "stuck in" maybe get his studs stuck in the ground, thats about it!

blah if we could who would you like out of    1. tugay   2. campo 3. scimeca 4. lee hendrie, all have that experiance, possible all would join

[Mark .Y. 351]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]An interesting range of views here.  I think we need a veteran midfielder who can lead from the front, get stuck in with some tackles when the game is going against us, keep heads up and open up defences with a slide-rule pass.

Does anyone know where we can get one of those cheap ?  Do we already have one in Sibierski ?  Can we keep him, and play him in midfield if we can land a striker or 2 ?
[/quote]

Did I hear something about Kavanagh being released from Sunderland........... not sure how old he is now but I suspect he would be good for at least this season and would probably make a good captain too.

 

Mark .Y.

 

[blahblahblah 2]

1. Tugay - funny name, 34.  Does he still have the legs for a 10k run of a Saturday ?2. Campo - funny hair, 35, now with Them.  They can keep him.3. Scimeca - 35, never played above championship level after his move from Aston Villa. Not quite an "inbetweenie" at his age ?4. Hendrie - 31, decent enough footballer I thought, but why is he getting loaned out by the Blades ?

[JJ 0]

[quote user="Mark .Y."]

[Did I hear something about Kavanagh being released from Sunderland........... not sure how old he is now but I suspect he would be good for at least this season and would probably make a good captain too.

[/quote]

 

Not now. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/carlisle_united/7819768.stm

In any case he was good in the past but a bit injury prone now.

 

[The Voice of the Thorpe Area 0]

For me, our midfield is not the problem. We''ve got decent enough players from left to right in the middle.

We must concentrate on getting a centre-back and two centre-forwards.