Midfield

[Camden Blade]

We haven't got one. It starts and ends there. It was the same problem last season. Fleck and Norwood just haven't got it anymore. There is no creativity or solidity in the centre of the park. We get overrun time and again. There is no supply to the forwards, nothing on the wings. The defence are always under pressure and there's nothing coming through the middle to the forwards either. No engine, no spark. It's been obvious for 18 months and it hasn't been addressed. I thought Hourihane would help? Berge? Seems a bad signing in retrospect but we didn't think that at the time. MGW is excellent but there's nothing behind him. Ditto Ndiaye.

 

[Danblade]

I mean I don’t disagree but did we need another thread on this?

 

[AnstonBlade1]

We haven't got one. It starts and ends there. It was the same problem last season. Fleck and Norwood just haven't got it anymore. There is no creativity or solidity in the centre of the park. We get overrun time and again. There is no supply to the forwards, nothing on the wings. The defence are always under pressure and there's nothing coming through the middle to the forwards either. No engine, no spark. It's been obvious for 18 months and it hasn't been addressed. I thought Hourihane would help? Berge? Seems a bad signing in retrospect but we didn't think that at the time. MGW is excellent but there's nothing behind him. Ditto Ndiaye.

100% agree, Fleck and Norwood we’re crap all last season, You can only assume there are no better options at the club.
The midfield is non existent, no one can run with the ball take anyone on, never mind dare to have a shot from range.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

I’ll summarise & say what midfield

 

[Bergen Blade]

I reckon Bash will get a lot of blame for their first. But... A ball is half cleared and picked up by Khadra. Nobody is there to close him down, so Bash goes to do it. Bash's defensive mates Bogle and Egan are miles apart (yellow line), and Norwood, rather than covering for Bash, jogs out, past the pair in the challenge.

So when Bash buys the first dummy there's nobody to help him out. Bash manages to get goalside, but is at full stretch. Norwood has got himself into a poor position (orange arrow) and can only make a pathetic challenge, meaning Khadra gets enough space to shoot with power. Egan deflects it in.

In my opinion Norwood should either have bombed out to challenge Khadra (leaving Bash to cover), or at the very least taken up a covering position (red arrow) behind Bash. For me, another example of our midfield not giving the defence enough protection.

 

[Corkblade]

Stuck with them till January unfortunately

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Been back from Blackburn for a bit - still disappointed.

I've texted/whatsapp'ed a couple of mates throughout the game - the recurring theme since the START of the game was "we are so open".

When we have the ball it's OK - but when we lose the ball, we are so high up the pitch that we look open all over the centre of the pitch.

All Blackburn did 2nd half, was the front 3 running at us with pace after our tippy tappy football broke down.

Our 2 central defence pairings and 2 central midfield players are just getting destroyed game after game after game.

We've had 61% possession AGAIN on someone else's pitch and the OPPOSITION ARE QUITE SIMPLY MORE EFECTIVE WITH THEIR MINIMAL POSSESSION !!!!!

Are you fucking watching Mr Jokanovic? - It's a recurring theme, game and game after fucking game.

Your continuing process or style of play will not work with 4 at the back and fullbacks that push on and with two small, slow, ineffective central midfield players like we presently have.

I cannot fault the effort or commitment to the cause that you have brought - we just ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH in the spine of the team.

We've actually got behind or through Blackburn quite a lot, but we haven't the quality to finish or provide once again, decent quality on balls into the box - balls into the box continue to be absolutely abysmal - it's lack of quality when needed at key times or only 1 in the box to receive as no one is busting a gut to make it into the box.

As the first line - just another disappointing game watching United.

UTB

 

[Seth Rollins]

Stuck with them till January unfortunately

Until they’re out of contract you mean. Nobody in their right mind would sign them.

 

[Corkblade]

Until they’re out of contract you mean. Nobody in their right mind would sign them.

Yes, unless we can sign replacement's

 

[Bergen Blade]

Been back from Blackburn for a bit - still disappointed.

I've texted/whatsapp'ed a couple of mates throughout the game - the recurring theme since the START of the game was "we are so open".

When we have the ball it's OK - but when we lose the ball, we are so high up the pitch that we look open all over the centre of the pitch.

All Blackburn did 2nd half, was the front 3 running at us with pace after our tippy tappy football broke down.

Our 2 central defence pairings and 2 central midfield players are just getting destroyed game after game after game.

We've had 61% possession AGAIN on someone else's pitch and the OPPOSITION ARE QUITE SIMPLY MORE EFECTIVE WITH THEIR MINIMAL POSSESSION !!!!!

Are you fucking watching Mr Jokanovic? - It's a recurring theme, game and game after fucking game.

Your continuing process or style of play will not work with 4 at the back and fullbacks that push on and with two small, slow, ineffective central midfield players like we presently have.

I cannot fault the effort or commitment to the cause that you have brought - we just ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH in the spine of the team.

We've actually got behind or through Blackburn quite a lot, but we haven't the quality to finish or provide once again, decent quality on balls into the box - balls into the box continue to be absolutely abysmal - it's lack of quality when needed at key times or only 1 in the box to receive as no one is busting a gut to make it into the box.

As the first line - just another disappointing game watching United.

UTB

I think we looked a bit surprised to be in front so early, and the game was more open than we may have liked. But we didn't take control of the game by packing the midfield and preventing the opposition space to play in - like a lot of team do when 1-0 up in an away game.

We tried slowing things down by decreasing our own tempo. Which meant we passed it backwards and sideways, and the good initiatives and runs up front stopped. We gradually got players forward, then lost possession and Blackburn bombed forward, causing havoc for us defensively. We never looked comfortable despite our good start.