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The 12th Devine

Central midfield

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There''s no doubting our success this season, Lambert has been a revelation and the board is as strong as we''ve seen for what seems like an eternity, so this is not a criticism of the way things are going but a nod to the Championship and how we can step up.

Looking back over the past three months, we have continued to win matches despite on repeated occasions struggling to impose ourselves on - in particular - the first half of a number of games. We have kept on winning because of a) clinical finishing and capitalising on possession to create chances from nothing b) last gasp defending and Forster''s heroics and c) lousy League One finishing from rival sides.

The possession stats against Swindon tell their own story - 58% versus City''s 42% – and it is something we have seen a number of times this season, especially from December onwards.

So, in terms of priorities for improvements to the squad I can''t help but think we need to be better able to dominate central midfield, to control the game for larger periods of time and not give such possession to Championship teams which will be better able to exploit opportunities. Russell and Korey have had good consistent seasons but having one of them sat so deep may be part of the cause of the problem, and equally,while both are strong chasers, harriers and competent distributors, neither is the sort of player to dominate box to box and dictate the play.

Any thoughts on who might fit the bill to come in alongside these players to enable us to compete more effectively at a higher level in the middle of the park? And will this necessitate ditching the diamond?

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I 100% agree with you.  Going into the championship i think we need to add a bit more quality into ouur midfield.  As for centre midfielders who may be able to come in and do a good joob for us in the championship, i can think of 5 off the top of my head:

- Chris Lines - Bristol Rovers
- Abdul Osman - Northampton
- ''Jimmy'' Abdou - Milwall
- Hugo Colace - Barnsley
- Ryan Harley - Exeter

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This is definitely one of the main areas that will need strengthening if we go up. Hopfully we can poach someone from a league 1 club who wants to make the step up someone like Lines or Wordsworth would be ideal.

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The diamond formation leaves us short on midfield width and teams exploit that.

personally I do like the deep midfielder sat in front of the back four and with hoolie playing in his best position, The diamond has to be our best system.

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To be blunt i think your rather stupid, Swindon were the home team they are bound to press and have more of the ball cause the mind set of the players are geared that way. Check the home and away stats for the season and you will see a trend develope. Korey Smith is the brightest youth prospect to come through the ranks since Bellamy and the last thing he needs is to be sat on the bench while some over paid drip comes in and does nothing. He cares about the club as does Russel, something we needed last season but never had! We have more than enough in the middle of the park with Russel, Smith and Hughes as back up. Although I would like to see Gill and OTJ shipped out and a more experianced head come in. But realisticly one who will really only be on the bench. On your other note, Russel is being played as a defensive midfeilder, now read that back and just note the word before midfeilder. I suppose its a bad idea for Liverpool having Masherano in there team or Chelsea in days gone by with Makelele and now Essien. I mean after All France won the world cup with the formation we play now, and Chelsea two titles in two seasons but whats does that matter. I guess you know best after all!

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Jeez it''s only people''s opinions! I happen to agree with the OP. I think we would lack quality in the centre of midfield in the Championship. It is all well and good playing people who care for the club but the quality has to be there as well. I think Korey is a little way off still but would be useful as backup. One day I fully expect him to be commanding the midfield and it is promising that players like this are coming through our ranks. However, a certain England number 1 is surely the best thing we have produced since Bellamy!

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[quote user="The Duke"]Although I would like to see Gill and OTJ shipped out and a more experianced head come in. But realisticly one who will really only be on the bench. [/quote]Heaven forbid we try to sign players who actually improve our team [*-)]

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woah Duke, not sure there''s any need for such robust criticism, OP is just asking a valid question about how we change out team for the next division up and voicing his opinion.and to be honest, one of the points you make backs up the OP''s point. Chelsea with Makelele only played one striker, so there was an extra man in midfield in any case. That could be an option for us (with a slight variation on the old Chelsea formation): one defensive midielder, one in the centre, two wider players and then Hoolahan behind an out and out striker. Don''t think that would necessarily work for every game, but for the ones where we need to keep possession more it''s a potential option.Either way, Lambert''s success next season will rest on being able to take the best bits of this season and keep them, whilst adapting to the different demands of a higher division and the ways that better teams will come at us. It won''t be easy, and the trick will be to not change too much unecessarily, whilst recognising that some teams next season will be much more ruthless and doing enough to counter that.

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Whilst I partially agree with the OP the thing is that on saturday we were hugely improved second half without actually changing the system significantly. I think the difference was that rusty sat too deep first half and therefore too much territory and possession was ceded to the opposition. Additionally it appeared to me that the fullbacks and micheal rose in particular over lapped with much greater regularity in the second than in the first. This allowed us to compete more in midfield and spread the ball into wide areas. The problem with the OP''s suggestion is that in our current system Rusty occupies the space that the "box to box" midfielder would take up but because we play a diamond he has to sit deep or leave us extremely exposed at the back. We will need to revert to 4-4-2 to allow this to occur and to accomodate a player of that ilk.

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"Chelsea two titles in two seasons but whats does that matter"

Er...

We play a 4-1-2-1-2 effectively... a diamond 4-4-2 with no wingers and two strikers leading the line and an attacking midfielder in the hole. Chelsea played 4-5-1/4-3-3 - a lone striker leading the line and two support wingers/strikers....

Totally different and couldn''t be more so.

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[quote user="First Jedi"]"Chelsea two titles in two seasons but whats does that matter" Er... We play a 4-1-2-1-2 effectively... a diamond 4-4-2 with no wingers and two strikers leading the line and an attacking midfielder in the hole. Chelsea played 4-5-1/4-3-3 - a lone striker leading the line and two support wingers/strikers.... Totally different and couldn''t be more so.[/quote]

I think if you pay any attention to the way we play when we don''t have the ball 2 of the 3 will drop back making it a 451. Then again i bet you probably just sit and listen to Radio Norfolk don''t you....Well hello Neeeal......Bore off

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"I think if you pay any attention to the way we play when we don''t have the ball 2 of the 3 will drop back making it a 451."

You er... really are totally missing the point aren''t you...? Different formation, different roles... it''s very complicated, so don''t let it worry you.

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[quote user="First Jedi"]"I think if you pay any attention to the way we play when we don''t have the ball 2 of the 3 will drop back making it a 451." You er... really are totally missing the point aren''t you...? Different formation, different roles... it''s very complicated, so don''t let it worry you.[/quote]

The only point being missed is that we are top of the league and still some pedantic little drips are not happy with the way we are playing. Not a pop at you but it really pi**** me off when people who probably have never played football at a decent level are moaning about the way we are playing. Its unrealistic to expect to have more of the possesion in an away game than at home especially to a team 4th in the league. its not how oftern you have the ball its what you do with it that counts!

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Playing the diamond formation has shot us up this league, if it''s not broke don''t fix it !

All opinions expressed by swindoncanary on this website are those of the individual author, he does not criticize opinion and does not expect to receive it. thank -you

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"The only point being missed is that we are top of the league and still some pedantic little drips are not happy with the way we are playing. "

I''m happy with the way we are playing, but I also believe a certain amount of stagnation has come and the first 11 could do with a bit of a shake up. Lambert has his own ideas - and the man has proven to be pretty right most of the time (understatement of the year!) and hence I have faith in the dude and have faith in what we''re doing... but I can still see the advantages of a mini-shake up... ultimately; in Lambert We Trust.

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[quote user="The Duke"]

[quote user="First Jedi"]"I think if you pay any attention to the way we play when we don''t have the ball 2 of the 3 will drop back making it a 451." You er... really are totally missing the point aren''t you...? Different formation, different roles... it''s very complicated, so don''t let it worry you.[/quote]

The only point being missed is that we are top of the league and still some pedantic little drips are not happy with the way we are playing. Not a pop at you but it really pi**** me off when people who probably have never played football at a decent level are moaning about the way we are playing. Its unrealistic to expect to have more of the possesion in an away game than at home especially to a team 4th in the league. its not how oftern you have the ball its what you do with it that counts!

[/quote]

 

What annoys me is when people don''t listen to valid points and take the post off on a different tangent than intended because they just want to get angry for some unknown reason. OP is talking about NEXT SEASON...calm down and see the logic of the argument.

This board is getting ridiculous

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