Pivot is the issue?!?

[BlueLyon 9,359]

So guys, I think its pretty much clear that our pivot is one fucking huge mystery and issue.

Currently we have Mikel-Rambo pivot with Lamps as sub. BUT there are also Romeu, Ake, possibly Kdb, Oscar and Josh who can play there.

But the current pair of Rambo-Mikel makes our team very slow, there is no connection, no control and no long ball passes. Both players have very restricted play, Mikel has no working identity, while Rambo lacks tehnique.

So who to be replaced? Or should we stick with this pair to gel and gain some experience? OR maybe change formation to 4:3:3 with Rambo-Mikel-Kdb/Oscar/new guy* line-up?

There was interest in Modric, Song, Witsel, Moutinho, Capoue, Benat,...should we sign one or two and get perfect midfield? Or give chance to Kdb, Ake, Chalobah, Mikel to prove?

Obviously there are two problems because of pivot;

1.) pass movement is not fast, no control. Hazard is oftenly alone and Mata needs to run back for ball, geting tired.

2.) Luiz nature is to roam forward when he gets the ball. Teams who have such CBs often have a DM wh replaces CB at the time of his position departure. Mikel never covers Luiz, leaving huge open space/gap for opponent. Luiz loses the ball (or team-mate while Luiz still hasnt returned to his position). Such action ends up with opponent scores goal or creates very good chance.

So should we replace Mikel with someone who can cover better? Capoue or De Rossi perhaps? And should we buy a CB who wont roam forward to replace Luiz? On other hand, deep playmaker issue still remains.

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Personaly I would keep Mikel and get hard working all round playmaker, Xabi Alonso esque. Secondly, we should buy either another CB or restrict Luiz role. Or buy a CB to work along with Luiz, Terry is not the youngest anymore...

Your thoughts?

[Spike 12,049]

I agree. A new CB is a must.

I don't think Chalobah should be recalled from Watford, because it's likely they will be promted and Premier League experience with them is a must. Besides he looks better in the midfield.

What about Kalas? He has been the standout defender in the Eredivisie for a couple of years.

[Backstreet09 499]

I agree. A new CB is a must.

I don't think Chalobah should be recalled from Watford, because it's likely they will be promted and Premier League experience with them is a must. Besides he looks better in the midfield.

What about Kalas? He has been the standout defender in the Eredivisie for a couple of years.

Totally and we need to shop for a proper defending midfielder someone like Busquets ? And a deep playmaker like Modrich .

[BlueLyon 9,359]

I agree. A new CB is a must.

I don't think Chalobah should be recalled from Watford, because it's likely they will be promted and Premier League experience with them is a must. Besides he looks better in the midfield.

What about Kalas? He has been the standout defender in the Eredivisie for a couple of years.

Ake, Chalobah, Kalas are obviously not ready next season, but buyin top midfielder or CB would limit their chances in future...that is what i meant...

Therefore should we either buy new players or patiently wait for youth to mature?

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Totally and we need to shop for a proper defending midfielder someone like Busquets ? And a deep playmaker like Modrich .

So CB, DM and CM?

What happens to Mikel, Rambo, Luiz then? We know that as much whole midfield/defense needs change, two players are max we will buy in that area this summer. Third one is striker for sure. Besides, buying three players as you mentioned and dumping MIkel, Rambo,...will completely destroy harmony and chemistry of team. This is not fifa...also think about young players like Chalobah, Ake,...even Kdb...they wont have any chance to get into starting team if we buy all top class players in summer...

[Santiago. 1,500]

Kalas and Benat.

/Thread

[Backstreet09 499]

So CB, DM and CM?

What happens to Mikel, Rambo, Luiz then? We know that as much whole midfield/defense needs change, two players are max we will buy in that area this summer. Third one is striker for sure. Besides, buying three players as you mentioned and dumping MIkel, Rambo,...will completely destroy harmony and chemistry of team. This is not fifa...also think about young players like Chalobah, Ake,...even Kdb...they wont have any chance to get into starting team if we buy all top class players in summer...

We were like in 8 competitions this season and we could have won half of them if we had a proper squad and we are really lackin the bench power . We are so predictable with our XI.

Mikel is pretty useless I don't really want him on the bench aswell . I'm pretty sure no top team would buy him even if we tried to sell him cheap.

Ramires well he can be an impact sub .

Luiz Lad is pretty inconsistent , he seriously need to get his shit together . He's taken too much for granted . Some competition and series of games on the bench would either make him or break him .

About the kids uhm well KDB is ready for me . We'd have to be careful , not tryna rush him . Start him a game after a couple of games . Regularly sub someone for him after 60 minutes or something . He'd develop pretty good .

Chalaboah well he needs some premier league experience and since watford are looking likely to be promoted . I don't think we'll have to recall him.

Ake and Josh , they both got great potentials and are already knocking. Should loan them to a premier league side till january and see how that goes before promoting them to our senior XI .

Oh and Bertnand well I don't really like him , you can say it's biased but he's not good . Not a chelsea material . IMO we shouldn't really waste time on him .

Piazon well he deserves game time which I don't think he'll get here since Lukaku has been so great . Really confused about him lol

Oh now where'd we get money for a CB , DM , DLP and a striker ? I don't think that's a problem , we have the great ROMAN

Squad harmony lol ? I don't think we'd have a rift on mikel xD

[BlueLyon 9,359]

We were like in 8 competitions this season and we could have won half of them if we had a proper squad and we are really lackin the bench power . We are so predictable with our XI.

Mikel is pretty useless I don't really want him on the bench aswell . I'm pretty sure no top team would buy him even if we tried to sell him cheap.

Ramires well he can be an impact sub .

Luiz Lad is pretty inconsistent , he seriously need to get his shit together . He's taken too much for granted . Some competition and series of games on the bench would either make him or break him .

About the kids uhm well KDB is ready for me . We'd have to be careful , not tryna rush him . Start him a game after a couple of games . Regularly sub someone for him after 60 minutes or something . He'd develop pretty good .

Chalaboah well he needs some premier league experience and since watford are looking likely to be promoted . I don't think we'll have to recall him.

Ake and Josh , they both got great potentials and are already knocking. Should loan them to a premier league side till january and see how that goes before promoting them to our senior XI .

Oh and Bertnand well I don't really like him , you can say it's biased but he's not good . Not a chelsea material . IMO we shouldn't really waste time on him .

Piazon well he deserves game time which I don't think he'll get here since Lukaku has been so great . Really confused about him lol

Oh now where'd we get money for a CB , DM , DLP and a striker ? I don't think that's a problem , we have the great ROMAN

Squad harmony lol ? I don't think we'd have a rift on mikel xD

Mikel is very uncomplete but apart from work ethic you cant say he doesnt love the club. You cant just dump such players...he is better than Tiote,...also his position requires experience and guy is only 25. At age 28 he will be realy on top and since he never used pace, he could stay on top for long time (28-32+).

Also if you think we lost all competitions because of small team, you are wrong. Its not about quantity but quality. The more team work, the better results. There are 11 players vital to win you biggest tournaments, not 30. Take barca as example. The reason why we are so shit in competitions its not that we have small bench, but we dont have team work. Sure a player or two are required in summer, but you need team chemistry, hard work to win games, not just wide bench.

[Backstreet09 499]

Mikel is very uncomplete but apart from work ethic you cant say he doesnt love the club. You cant just dump such players...he is better than Tiote,...also his position requires experience and guy is only 25. At age 28 he will be realy on top and since he never used pace, he could stay on top for long time (28-32+)

Football's a WAR . It's a matter of life and death . We can't have players in our squad , just because they love our team lol. Sorry mate but I don't really think he's better than Tiote . He's not even like him and you're willin to give a guy 3 years who doesn't have any quality except passing back to the keeper or sideways to his mates cause he loves them so much ?

EDIT : I agree on that thing you said bout havin quality not quantity but well we sure looked tired in some crucial matches and some help from the bench would have really worked lol . We have paulo and benayoun on our benches lol , that really needs to change

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Football's a WAR . It's a matter of life and death . We can't have players in our squad , just because they love our team lol. Sorry mate but I don't really think he's better than Tiote . He's not even like him and you're willin to give a guy 3 years who doesn't have any quality except passing back to the keeper or sideways to his mates cause he loves them so much ?

EDIT : I agree on that thing you said bout havin quality not quantity but well we sure looked tired in some crucial matches and some help from the bench would have really worked lol . We have paulo and benayoun on our benches lol , that really needs to change

Well United doesnt have brilliant midfield but they wont buy 3 players just because Cleverly is bad or something...

I agree it would be great to see pair of Gonalons/Capoue/Xxx-Moutinho/Benat/Xxx but that is just highly unlikely. Or do you realy believe Roman will buy two such players + striker and possibly CB?

[Backstreet09 499]

Well United doesnt have brilliant midfield but they wont buy 3 players just because Cleverly is bad or something...

I agree it would be great to see pair of Gonalons/Capoue/Xxx-Moutinho/Benat/Xxx but that is just highly unlikely. Or do you realy believe Roman will buy two such players + striker and possibly CB?

I'm pretty sure Roman will if his advisors will tell him to and that's where the problem lies lol

[Blue Gino 377]

The answer may already be there within the club with Oscar, KDB or McEachran but it would help if there was a good director of football and a staff that can find a successful bargain out there and not get bent over a barrel by other clubs' stupid buyout clauses.

[Blue Gino 377]

Of course a simple change in FORMATION that actually benefits several current players would greatly improve the team, but then there's too many "expensive cars sitting in the garage" and it's more fun to jam square pegs into round holes apparently with the board.

[Stingray 9,441]

We are close to a solution!

I think we need a good, reliable DM. This way he can partner in the pivot with KDB who has the passing range, precision, technique, vision and speed of execution we lack now in the pivot area.

Also partnering im with a true DM - powerfull, range, ball recuperation and a reliable passing game. - will stabilise us more defensively.

Oscar can take the cm role in rotation with KDB, maybe ...

Above else, we will need a manager that dares to switch that pivot around.

[Mundaka 243]

Yeh same, pretty sure KDB is ready, seeing how hazard is doing.

So guys, I think its pretty much clear that our pivot is one fucking huge mystery and issue.

Currently we have Mikel-Rambo pivot with Lamps as sub. BUT there are also Romeu, Ake, possibly Kdb, Oscar and Josh who can play there.
But the current pair of Rambo-Mikel makes our team very slow, there is no connection, no control and no long ball passes. Both players have very restricted play, Mikel has no working identity, while Rambo lacks tehnique.
.

.

.
---
Personaly I would keep Mikel and get hard working all round playmaker, Xabi Alonso esque. Secondly, we should buy either another CB or restrict Luiz role. Or buy a CB to work along with Luiz, Terry is not the youngest anymore...

Your thoughts?

For me , with the current players we have its (im going to simplify now..):

DM: Mikel / Romeu / Ake

DLP/Box to Box (depending on the game): KDB / Rambo / Lampard/ Josh(if you think he's ready?)

Always a DM with DLP/BoxToBox and no 2 DLP/BoxtoBox together with this team for sure to keep balance (see manu first half vs 2nd)...

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Now as for signing one, i would go for 1 top midfielder that can be both, DM and DLP/Box to Box... of the players you named in that list Witsel/Modric and DeRossi come closest to what i feel we need.

About Luiz, he tends to play the best in games we have lots of possesion in, so when the team gets better he will get better i feel. On signing another CB, i dont know, do we have someone in the youth that can play some games at CB next season? Also if we buy a CB i would take a left footted one that can also play at LB so we also have a good cover for A.Cole.

[Mundaka 243]

Wouldnt buy 2 midfielders btw or else we can send KDB back on loan...

[The only place to be 11,313]

Ake, Chalobah, Kalas are obviously not ready next season, but buyin top midfielder or CB would limit their chances in future...that is what i meant...

Therefore should we either buy new players or patiently wait for youth to mature?

In what way is Chalobah not ready to be part of our first-team? What is he lacking in his game?

The answer may already be there within the club with Oscar, KDB or McEachran but it would help if there was a good director of football and a staff that can find a successful bargain out there and not get bent over a barrel by other clubs' stupid buyout clauses.

In the last two years we've actually changed our transfer policy to going after young players on cheaper fees with lower wages.

Who bent us over a barrel?

We just need a Modric or someone similar. He's the ideal choice because he knows the league, does what we'd need him to do and might be available. Then we could look at alternating him with De Bruyne and maybe Oscar whilst Mikel, Romeu and Chalobah fight for the other spot.

[mediator 2,026]

I think a pivot like this could be really strong :

---- Capoué / Witsel - KDB / Oscar ----

Capoué and wW`itsel are DM or CM, they are versatile and really strong at defending.

KDB and Oscar as DLP (they are also versatile and can play AM RW LW...)