Midfield

[CornwallBlade]

I thought we put in a fantastic containing performance against City. Defensively rock solid and largely cut off their attacking supply well. However, recent games have highlighted that we need an injection of attacking creativity if we’re going to win games against the better sides. I’m sure that opposition managers are working out how to neuter our attacking threat. Norwood doesn’t figure as highly as he did before Christmas and the overlapping play, particularly down the left flank isn’t happening at the moment. To get Mousse firing again he needs someone to play him
in from closer range. This isn’t in any way a criticism of the current squad, who have done brilliantly, just my view that a couple of signings in the summer to cover Norwood and Didzsy would be my priority. One final observation, I’ve not been convinced by McBurnie but thought he was terrific last night - turning into a first class player.

 

[Cheesebored]

I thought we put in a fantastic containing performance against City. Defensively rock solid and largely cut off their attacking supply well. However, recent games have highlighted that we need an injection of attacking creativity if we’re going to win games against the better sides. I’m sure that opposition managers are working out how to neuter our attacking threat. Norwood doesn’t figure as highly as he did before Christmas and the overlapping play, particularly down the left flank isn’t happening at the moment. To get Mousse firing again he needs someone to play him
in from closer range. This isn’t in any way a criticism of the current squad, who have done brilliantly, just my view that a couple of signings in the summer to cover Norwood and Didzsy would be my priority. One final observation, I’ve not been convinced by McBurnie but thought he was terrific last night - turning into a first class player.

We signed one called Luke Freeman.

 

[Torrix1889]

we were over-run in Midfield last night, (hardly surprising given what we were up against) and the fact that card happy Mason booked all 3 as soon as he could didn't help things at all...

Agree though, we need a proper physically imposing CAM player, someone to pick the ball up and drive forward.

 

[Jon Bon II]

We signed one called Luke Freeman.

Was just about to say the same thing. Who would you drop for him though? Not Norwood, not the workhorse Lunny/Besic. It would have to be Fleck. Or could he play the.'number 10' role behind one up top?

 

[LondonBlade89]

I think Besic's performance last night showed why we should maybe pump the brakes a little on the "sign him permanently" bandwagon. Playing against Man City is probably the toughest test you can get, so I'm not saying we shouldn't sign him based on last night's performance alone. But I think we still don't fully know what we have in him. Granted he didn't have his greatest game, but if we had a player of the quality of Fleck on the right hand side, we'd have fared a lot better.

 

[Cheesebored]

Was just about to say the same thing. Who would you drop for him though? Not Norwood, not the workhorse Lunny/Besic. It would have to be Fleck. Or could he play the.'number 10' role behind one up top?

It's a difficult one as regards where to play him and who to drop but the OP was about attacking creativity. I believe he has it.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

We are where we are, and some would say higher than we should be given the players we have. We were only ultimately undone last night by arguably the best midfielder in the world and one of the best strikers in the modern era.

Our midfield is currently built to contain rather than destroy, quite rightly and they've done a brilliant job thus far whilst still managing to break down teams and win games. This Summer will be Tufty's most difficult by far as he'll want to step up and the fact we've done so well this season will make the job much harder. It's also interesting that 2 of the 3 are alledgedly the ones with the contract 'issues' so his hand might be forced anyway.

 

[Cheesebored]

I think Besic's performance last night showed why we should maybe pump the brakes a little on the "sign him permanently" bandwagon. Playing against Man City is probably the toughest test you can get, so I'm not saying we shouldn't sign him based on last night's performance alone. But I think we still don't fully know what we have in him. Granted he didn't have his greatest game, but if we had a player of the quality of Fleck on the right hand side, we'd have fared a lot better.

Thought he was one of our better performers on the night.

 

[finlaytheblade]

I thought we put in a fantastic containing performance against City. Defensively rock solid and largely cut off their attacking supply well. However, recent games have highlighted that we need an injection of attacking creativity if we’re going to win games against the better sides. I’m sure that opposition managers are working out how to neuter our attacking threat. Norwood doesn’t figure as highly as he did before Christmas and the overlapping play, particularly down the left flank isn’t happening at the moment. To get Mousse firing again he needs someone to play him
in from closer range. This isn’t in any way a criticism of the current squad, who have done brilliantly, just my view that a couple of signings in the summer to cover Norwood and Didzsy would be my priority. One final observation, I’ve not been convinced by McBurnie but thought he was terrific last night - turning into a first class player.

Good call that one Cornwall I'm sure Wilder is aware and will try to improve the team in those areas.
As you say no criticism of present squad.

 

[S5Blade]

Thought he was one of our better performers on the night.

I agree, I thought Besic was really good last night.

 

[Carlton Blade]

I thought we put in a fantastic containing performance against City. Defensively rock solid and largely cut off their attacking supply well. However, recent games have highlighted that we need an injection of attacking creativity if we’re going to win games against the better sides. I’m sure that opposition managers are working out how to neuter our attacking threat. Norwood doesn’t figure as highly as he did before Christmas and the overlapping play, particularly down the left flank isn’t happening at the moment. To get Mousse firing again he needs someone to play him
in from closer range. This isn’t in any way a criticism of the current squad, who have done brilliantly, just my view that a couple of signings in the summer to cover Norwood and Didzsy would be my priority. One final observation, I’ve not been convinced by McBurnie but thought he was terrific last night - turning into a first class player.

I think the time to evaluate the team is at the end of the season. We've just played Watford (form team outside Liverpool), City, Liverpool, West Ham, Arsenal, Liverpool. The one game in there where we should create chances (West Ham) we did. City and Liverpool destroyed the team currently 3rd which demonstrates the gap between them and the rest of the league. This is the first season in the top division for all our starters. They've improved a lot already. I think there's still scope for them to improve again before the end of the season.

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

I think the lack of creativity of late might have something to do with our last 5 fixtures.

Just a hunch.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Besic played well last night, however we lost some of the threat down the right without Lundstram, I think the trio of Baldock, Basham, Lundstram works really well. Besic played more defensively (I know it was Man City so perhaps to be expected) and didn't hug the touchline like Lundstram does, he also pressed a lot less aggressively (apart from the yellow card).

The main annoyance I had with the midfield last night was that with 3 yellow cards for a lot of the game they just weren't able to put their foot in when we needed them to. There were a few times that they could have just stopped city in their tracks with 'professional' fouls in the same way that they didn't allow Fleck to run through in the 2nd half.

It's a hard balance to strike for Wilder between attacking intent and defensive solidity, to me last night I'm not sure we got it right. I thought the defenders and forwards were superb, however the midfield didn't really keep possession and due to the yellows didn't really stop them playing, weird game.

 

[LondonBlade89]

I agree, I thought Besic was really good last night.

Wilder apparently did too. So I'll defer to his greater knowledge. But for me, while he was undoubtedly very solid, we lacked a threat on that side of midfield. I'm undecided whether he's more of a Norwood back-up or one for Lundstram.

 

[CornwallBlade]

Was just about to say the same thing. Who would you drop for him though? Not Norwood, not the workhorse Lunny/Besic. It would have to be Fleck. Or could he play the.'number 10' role behind one up top?

I agree and that is the issue I was highlighting. The current situation, including Jan arrivals, means that we are juggling similar levels of ability. For next season it would be great to think we are able to make a step change by bringing in players who are raising the bar. I’m certain that would have the double benefit of also bringing more from who we have now.

 

[Edinblade]

They miss having McGoldrick linking everything up.

 

[Sheffsteel]

They miss having McGoldrick linking everything up.

Agree....since the defeat away at Liverpool where they taught us a lesson
We’ve lost our confidence and composure with the ball and gone more direct/ long ball.
I’m hoping that now we have an (on paper) easier set of fixtures coming up we’ll see much more of the ball and regain our confidence.

I think McGoldrick’s instant control, calmness, awareness and link play helps us keep much more possession in advanced areas.
McGoldrick is great at playing the Duffy role, he often comes deep (almost into midfield) to find space and he often loses his marker.
Of course the big issue with McGoldrick is he’ve never going to score much....he even struggles to get much power behind his shots.

 

[ThatJa]

We signed one called Luke Freeman.

Did we?

 

[Trafford]

There's clearly something wrong with Lunny at the moment. He came on and the commentator specifically mentioned his speed over 400m. A City player then proceeded to accelerate away from him and Lunny didn't even get close to giving him a chase - he would have gobbled him up at the start of the season. I remember us saying something similar about Brian Deane before he was diagnosed with glandular fever....