The "defensive midfielder" situation - could Elliott Bennet be the answer?

[Jim Smith 2,610]

Much has been made on here of our need for a DM to play alongside Howson. Johnson has shown glimpses of being able to do this job when on form but thinking about it recently is there any reason why E.Bennett couldn;t play alongside Howson in the middle? He''s quick, athletic, works hard and can tackle. Personally I think he could do well as a central midfielder.

[Gingerpele 0]

Then we need two right wingers...

He probably could play in the middle, but he doesn''t need to. We have Howson, Surman, Hoolahan, Butterfield, Fox, Johnson, Crofts, K.Smith.

Out wide we only have two out and out wingers, Pilks and Bennett. Surely is those positions that need cover/competition more than CM?

[priceyrice 133]

No i don''t think Bennett could do that role, however i think he could have a future as a RB, quite similar to Naughton in style and attributes.

[star_manic 0]

[quote user="priceyrice"]No i don''t think Bennett could do that role, however i think he could have a future as a RB, quite similar to Naughton in style and attributes.[/quote]........i posted exactly that thought last season. when he filled in at right back or just tracking back, he was always in the right place and doing the right thing. seemed a natural position for him and fullbacks don''t have to be all that tall so his stature is not a drawback.

[Indy_Bones 444]

I''d be more interested to see if Adeyemi could do a job there than I would about moving Bennett inside.

[Move Klose 303]

Adeyemi needs to impress this summer or we could see the end of his Norwich career. Unfortunately for him we got better and better quicker than he could. He needs a full season in the championship with someone but i don''t know if hes even ready for that level.

[chicken 0]

We''re not doing too badly in terms of wide players at the moment. Not sure why people think we need more?

Pilkington is right footed - so I am lead to believe, but doesn''t mind playing on the left. As it stands we have: Surman(L), Butterfield(L?), Pilkington(either), Bennett(R), Lappin(L), Hoolahan(L).

So we should be fine in that department.

As for defensive midfield. Makalele proved you didn''t have to be tall, but he was pretty strong. I''m not sure that Bennett would be best in that role. Infact I think you would be loosing a good wide player for the sake of applying some elements of his ability to a more central role.

What will make more of a difference for me next season is how often we play the diamond midfield if at all. That formation tended to cost us goals as much as the players playing in it.

[lake district canary 0]

Eliott Bennett is our Dale Gordon, our Ruel Fox, our Jimmy Neighbour (if you can go back that far).   Why would he need to move infield?  His ability and potential is on the wing.  Get him with his confidence up and he will fly this season  - down the wing [:)]

 

 

 

[Mahogany 0]

I''m kind of hoping that Bennett and Pilkington as the two wide men in a 4231/433 will be the basis our team is built around, Bennett would be somewhat wasted at DM.

I think the Makalele type player is a bit unnecessary. The euros showed that what you really need is more of a quarterback who can dictate play. That role seems perfectly suited to Fox though I''m not sure who else we have that could compete for that place.

[smooth 114]

EB is not the answer to our defensive midfield issues, in the premier league you cannot move a winger in to that role.I do think we need a winger, the other midfield options do not have premiership pace or never staked a claim last season to that wide position.One quick other point, I think Adeyemi still has more of a chance than Korey Smith. Adeyemi has all the attributes, had a great preseason last year and I also remember Lambert saying if we had not gone up then Adeyemi would have had a lot of playing time in the first team. He really is a player I think can prove that this season.But I do think we need that defensive midfield position who can still string the odd pass, but it is the defensive positioning, tracking, positioning that is vital. I still feel Fox needs to work this into his game, it is not premiership class yet. So I do think we need to look at it with a player acquisition

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

We''re well stocked in terms of attack-minded midfielders; Howson/Hoolahan/Surman/Butterfield but we do lack a commanding player. Johnson covers a lot of ground & puts himself about but very limited when in possession. Fox is great at dictating the play from deep but just doesn''t get around the park or protect the back 4.

We only have 2 wingers; Bennett & Pilkington. Others such as Surman can play wide but not as an out-and-out winger. I''d quite like somebody who offers another dimension, Miyaichi fits the ball from what I''ve seen of him.

[Salopian 1]

Howson can play near the back four, is often the outlet used by the defenders to start movements. Is it possible that Butterfield can also do the same. They are both very mobile, and I am sure that they could work something out, for example one holding back a little when the other starts a movement and moves upfield.

 

CH is spoiled for choice in the midfield, with Howson and Butterfield likely to be in the middle of four, with Wes wide perhaps or else behind a single striker, or will that be Butterfield''s task? Perhaps things will emerge un an unexpected way. He has certainly created options!

 

It could be that Johnson will not play too often, and even Surman, and Crooks hardly at all. We CH go for two wingers, or one? The shapes and permutations possible will give CH a tactical weapon.

[Gingerpele 0]

[quote user="chicken"]

We''re not doing too badly in terms of wide players at the moment. Not sure why people think we need more?

Pilkington is right footed - so I am lead to believe, but doesn''t mind playing on the left. As it stands we have: Surman(L), Butterfield(L?), Pilkington(either), Bennett(R), Lappin(L), Hoolahan(L).

So we should be fine in that department.

As for defensive midfield. Makalele proved you didn''t have to be tall, but he was pretty strong. I''m not sure that Bennett would be best in that role. Infact I think you would be loosing a good wide player for the sake of applying some elements of his ability to a more central role.

What will make more of a difference for me next season is how often we play the diamond midfield if at all. That formation tended to cost us goals as much as the players playing in it.

[/quote]

We have TWO OUT AND OUT WINGERS, we have ''wide players'' but if we want to play WINGERS we need another player at least. Surman, Hoolahan, Butterfield are all better in the middle. Lappin is cover at best. Pilks and Bennett are the only players we have who play out wide, beat there men and whip crosses in. We don''t have any other wide men like that. If were fine out wide, then were more than fine in the middle.

[smooth 114]

I''ll say it again with Holt and Morison as our number one and two striker do not need tricky little balls through the middle or us going slowly across our midfield. We need the ball played out to wide men who have genuine premiership pace and then can deliver a cross.The quality of the cross is key for Holt and Morison scroing us the goals to keep us up, not little clever play through the middle as that did not really work for us last season.

[I am a Banana 0]

He is a winger, possibly could be used as a wing back but they are his only positions IMO.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

[quote user="Indy_Bones"]I''d be more interested to see if Adeyemi could do a job there than I would about moving Bennett inside.
[/quote]

 

I''d agree with this. Adeyemi has always looked the real deal to me. I think he just has to have the self belief that he can realise his potential. Sending him on loan has been good for him but we will not really know if he can step up without him being tried at our level.

 

 

[Norfolk Mustard 106]

Elliott Bennett is an extremely well-focussed footballer and can do most things asked of him. He ''could'' do a job as a defensive midfielder, but that would be a bit of a waste considering his ability on the flanks. I believe there''s much more to come from him next season...

[star_manic 0]

[quote user="Norfolk Mustard"]Elliott Bennett is an extremely well-focussed footballer and can do most things asked of him. He ''could'' do a job as a defensive midfielder, but that would be a bit of a waste considering his ability on the flanks. I believe there''s much more to come from him next season...[/quote]...........totally agree, he could be a major player for us this season, took some time to adjust to the higher class of the premier, but by the end of the season had begun to look the real deal, with much more confidence.