Is our midfield good enough?

[eldo 868]

thats why i said dembele and hazard or pastore are needed, two out of this three players... i told everybody dembele would be great for our midfield two years ago, nobody belived me, so let fullham grab him for 7 MIO POUNDS

What do you think about Marko Marin?

[Clevemayer 764]

What do you think about Marko Marin?

never say never but marin is nothing more than a decent bundesliga dribbler, he wouldn't do it here, wrong decision makeing, overtakeing it, trys tso mutch too often sanchez is millions of years ahead of him...

[DYC. 7,542]

No our midfield isn't good enough. Ever since January 2009 i've been hoping the club would sign creative midfielders (or make use of the academy) and everytime the club ended up disappointing me. It's been a obvious problem for years, lack of creativity, but it seems like no one at the club recognises it.

Like LDN said, 4-3-3 works but you need pacy wingers who can get past players, provide width, provide great movement and who also get behind the opposition defence, run behind their defence, from time to time (when players do that, the opposition defence drop deep which creates space for the team in possession.

None of our current winger options fit that bill, they're all midfielders (yes current Anelka is a midfielder, he's been playing like one for over a year). Well except for Kalou, he can play like a winger but he's (supporting) striker and he's just not good enough.

And two midfielders, well at least one, with great passing ability, technique, vision and intelligence is key (Fabregas and Wilshere, Xavi and Iniesta) in our current 4-3-3 system with two centre midfielders.

If you have those players, the 4-3-3 system with two centre midfielders will without a doubt work but we would have to spend big time. And either Mikel, Ramires or Essien would have to go since they would only be useful as a DM.

4-2-3-1 would also be good option but we would still need two new wingers and a attacking midfielder (someone like Özil would be ideal, someone who has pace, great ball control and can provide the killerpass).

One thing is for sure, we will need to spend. Squad simply isn't good and big enough to compete for all competitions.

Even though I don't like the diamond formation, I fully understand why he wants to play it. Our wingers are just too poor. But he should play Josh (more) to save our season. He's the type of midfielder we desperately need and he's the only one in his kind we have. I don't see why Josh can't do what Wilshere did for Arsenal.

Cech

Bosingwa Ivan/Luiz Terry Cole

Mikel/Luiz

Essien/Ramires - Lampard/Josh

Josh/Anelka

Torres/Drogba - Anelka/Kalou

*No Ivanovic at RB, he doesn't provide us enough width (crucial for this system), lacks ball skills and is of a too defensive nature.

*When you look at Luiz' game, he could be a excellent DM.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Malouda/Zhirkov/Sturridge - Torres - Alexis Sanchez ???

Well, yes.

That way we can cope with having a midfield that's more possession based than creative. Mikel, Ramires, Essien & Lampard can rotate, Josh can come in & maybe Clifford. The management must decide on the formation they'll proceed with next season, and buy accordingly.

But I don't want them to go on a spending spree. Buy the players where we have gaps, but make sure they're young for a long-term future. The clubs should says a maximum 2 players above £20million, or 4 players above £15million. Anything more and we run a risk of breaching this FFP.

[eldo 868]

never say never but marin is nothing more than a decent bundesliga dribbler, he wouldn't do it here, wrong decision makeing, overtakeing it, trys tso mutch too often sanchez is millions of years ahead of him...

Good dribler yes.

I watched Lille on Sunday. And i wasn't really impressed by Hazard, although he can play well, but he made some silly mistakes too. He is young and developing, but imo he isn't worth 20m.

I saw only little of Sanches and he was ok.

[Styles 9,790]

No, definitely not. With Lampard so poor this season, we need more creativity.

We could really use a Xavi right now...

Put Josh in, please Carlo!

Even at his best he isn't/wasn't very creative. Lampard is like Vdv, his game is about running and finding space and arriving unexpected to the box. We need to move away from this style of play and find ball playing midfielders with technical ability to pass interact well with their forwards. Lampard is a great player but if this is his last season as a Chelsea player I wouldn't shed a tear.

[eldo 868]

We don't need runs in the box. We need a player who will make that final pass for striker.

Just like Yossi passed that ball for Sturridge.

[Styles 9,790]

We don't need runs in the box. We need a player who will make that final pass for striker.

Just like Yossi passed that ball for Sturridge.

Exactly my point.

[steve5221 91]

Josh Mc could do that if he was just given a chance

[Krypt 241]

The worrying thing is could this be Frank's last season ? who could possibly come in and get 20 goals a season (bar this) from midfield.

[Term-X 7,891]

Well, Lampards wages are too high for him to be a bench player.

[steve5221 91]

Yossi if he can get fit???

[Krypt 241]

Yossi if he can get fit???

His not going to get us 15/20 goals a season. Aslo he is no spring chicken himself he will be 31 in may.

[Styles 9,790]

The worrying thing is could this be Frank's last season ? who could possibly come in and get 20 goals a season (bar this) from midfield.

We have to move away from our reliance on one player to score goals. It is a team game. Xavi rarely ever scores but I would take him over Lampard 10/10 because he is simply a better midfielder and would improve the team.

Look at Lampard's passing stats from last night - http://oi51.tinypic.com/i71vdv.jpg

20 misplaced passes. Why is he giving away the ball that often?

[Kostas 1,468]

Very interesting topic.

While I firmly believe that with our best midfielders in form and playing our 4-3-3 our midfield is good enough for what we need it to do its rather a question of style rather than ability.

To understand the reasons that caused such a question I feel we need to dwell in this squad's history ('istoree for you lurking Scousers). Ever since Mourinho we've been playing a brand of football that suits midfielders like Essien and where technical ability isn't vital. Our direct football brought results more often than visually attractive play.

Roman's wish for a more attacking style was one of the reasons he hired Scolari who for all his faults turned us into a pretty impressive side in his first few months only to be let down by a squad that didn't match his vision. One of the main reasons behind Hiddink's success was that he opted to switch back to Mourinho's more defensive and direct tactics which our squad (read: midfielders) was designed and build for.

Ancelotti, to his credit, took a far more attacking approach than his predecessors and (again to his credit) managed to get results out of that team along with very impressive football at times. While last season he did succeed in marrying our squad and his football I believe that at the end of the day our current midfield options don't suit the football he tries to play (not good enough, if you will). It'll only become even more painfully obvious if the switch to a midfield diamond isn't temporary.

What's interesting now is what our club (Football Board + Ancelotti) plans for the future. While signing an Essien clone in Ramires probably points towards us continuing utilizing the "runner" type of midfielders its worth noticing that the majority our our young mids (Mikel, Kakuta, McEachran or even Matic who was a CFC player only a month ago) are technically at least equal to anyone we had in Mourinho's days.

[Styles 9,790]

Very interesting topic.

While I firmly believe that with our best midfielders in form and playing our 4-3-3 our midfield is good enough for what we need it to do its rather a question of style rather than ability.

To understand the reasons that caused such a question I feel we need to dwell in this squad's history ('istoree for you lurking Scousers) Ever since Mourinho we've been playing a brand of football that suits midfielders like Essien and where technical ability isn't vital. Our direct football brought results more often than visual attractive play.

Roman's wish for a more attacking style was one of the reasons he hired Scolari who for all his faults turned us into a pretty impressive side in his first few months only to be let down by a squad that didn't match his vision. One of the main reasons behind Hiddink's success was that he opted to switch back to Mourinho's more defensive and direct tactics which our squad (read: midfielders) was designed and build for.

Ancelotti, to his credit, took a far more attacking approach than his predecessors and (again to his credit) managed to get results out of that team along with very impressive football at times. While last season he did succeed in marrying our squad and his football I believe that at the end of the day our current midfield options don't suit the football he tries to play (not good enough, if you will). It'll only become even more painfully obvious if the switch to a midfield diamond isn't temporary.

What's interesting now is what our club (Football Board + Ancelotti) plans for the future. While signing an Essien clone in Ramires probably points towards us continuing utilizing the "runner" type of midfielders its worth noticing that the majority our our young mids (Mikel, Kakuta, McEachran or even Matic who was a CFC player only a month ago) are technically at least equal to anyone we had in Mourinho's days.

Fantastic post.

I agree with pretty much everything you have said there. Under Mourinho we were an athletic counter-attacking team that would play at break-neck speed. You do not need ball-playing technical midfielders with this approach, you simply require athletic box-to-box midfielders. With wingers that stretched play they excelled with the extra room.

I highlighted the bit in bold because that is specifically relevant to the point I was making. Ancelotti's mandate seems to be to provide a free-flowing, easy on the eye football. If that is the case then many of our players are unsuited to this style of play.

The area that seems to be suffering with this the most is the midfield. Other than Mikel I don't think any of our senior midfielders are cool under pressure, able to receive the ball while marked, pass the ball accurately and move into space to receive a pass.

Of the young players McEachran is by far the best because he plays football with his head up and passes the ball one or two touch. More importantly he is able to dribble with the ball in central areas and opens up options for himself and teammates. Honestly I was salivating at the mouth when I saw the video of McEachran against Newcaslte in September. He was doing things Essien and Lampard for example would never in their wildest dreams attempt to do. Some of the dribbles between Newcastle players was incredible. The most important thing that the club can do is bring in a similar player for him to play with. He doesn't need runners beside him he needs another technical football to play and pass with.

This is the video I'm talking about -

Honestly I can't wait to see what he will be like in 2-3 years time. I just hope he gets enough games to nurture him properly.

[eldo 868]

We have to move away from our reliance on one player to score goals. It is a team game. Xavi rarely ever scores but I would take him over Lampard 10/10 because he is simply a better midfielder and would improve the team.

Look at Lampard's passing stats from last night - http://oi51.tinypic.com/i71vdv.jpg

20 misplaced passes. Why is he giving away the ball that often?

2010/11 La Liga

Messi 20 games 15 assists

Xavi 20 games 5 assists

Imo Messi is the vital link in Barca. He connects their midfield and attack. Besides scoring goals he sets up Villa and Pedro. Pedro looks ten times better and much more effective player just because of Messi.

[Styles 9,790]

2010/11 La Liga

Messi 20 games 15 assists

Xavi 20 games 5 assists

Imo Messi is the vital link in Barca. He connects their midfield and attack. Besides scoring goals he sets up Villa and Pedro. Pedro looks ten times better and much more effective player just because of Messi.

No that a simple mistake to make if you look purely at goals and assists. Look at the games, look who is controlling and dictating play. Look who is dominating midfield and making pinpoint passes to almost everybody on the field. We don't have a midfielder fit enough to lace Xavi's boots in terms of vision and passing.

Here are some videos for you to watch and see what I mean;

,

,

Messi a great footballer but Xavi is just as important to Barcelona's success as Messi.