Why is it that every season we never seem to sign anybody in midfield who is mobile and can keep the ball.
Every year we go into the season where we see teams just running past us the middle of the park yet nobody in charge seems to notice.
We seem incapable of identifying anybody from the lower leagues or abroad who can do the job (who isn't going to break the bank). It's always lets throw the wages at a injury prone 30+ year old who can barely move that has been on the list of players for the last 5 years.
That's just it though, isn't it?
Of the prominent five first squad CMs at the moment, who is the playmaker?
Peck: Greatly lauded but frankly nowhere near as good as the press headlines make him. Limited in creativity, anchored to the centre circle, gash distribution and easily bypassed.
Rothwell: A clogger. Struggling with mobility and reading the moment (turned into a clay statue for their second yesterday), can't hit the target with a shot and again, limited in capability. Unlikely to get 'a' goal this season, never mind five or six.
Riedewald: An international and demonstrably capable when the rub of the green is going his way. Propensity to disappear for long spells however much like Soumare or Berge.
Arblaster: Another player who if you read the graffiti on here, should be the next Kante or Pirlo. Long term injury, long term recovery, even longer term grace period to re-hit his capability. Currently looking way, way below standard.
Philips: Back here on loan, and possibly because no other club would cash their chips in on him. We've seen what he can do ... he has played deservedly at the top of the pile and for England. But even a game in, everyone has worries about him given he soiled his kecks against Wednesday and never appeared after that. And - like Gus - he can't do it all on his own. He sits deep and starts the attack from his passes. After it leaves his feet he isn't responsible for what happens next unless he gets the ball straight back. Saw him heading out from defence yesterday and being the blocker around the box. Water carrier he isn't.
So we are where we are. We need one of them to step up and help O'Hare go on the attack and make defences work, because with three of those lot stretched across the pitch and not venturing forward, we remain habitually impotent and shy of attempts on goal.
