The Midfield Toilers

As someone who backs the manager

I wish I could say you're wrong, mate. But I can't. The home game against Charlton is a classic example.

 

Was he? I've reread it and it doesn't say anything about the three of them but talks about the role of a midfielder and scoring goals.

And again i agree! I seem to be getting lots of responses that suggest I am arguing for all 3 to play which I don't think i've ever put anywhere. Just saying that all 3 played a massive part in our success last year at different parts and all looked very good players, and none of them were scoring then either.

For me the more valid critcism of them is that they are defensive minded players and we are letting in lots of goals! But that comes back to our inability to retain the ball because we are too direct.

For me the perfect balance was under Keith. Perkins Drinkwater Butterfield, the latter two being better version of Dawson and Mellis

 

Re: Again, I agree

Again, completely agree!

 

We need the flair player

But that doesn't mean we have to play a particular individual when they are the only flair player in the squad just because they are the flair player. Before Jennings and McCourt arrived, it could be argued that Mellis was THE flair player at the club. Being the author of the "heart of a pea" comment, my criticism of this player is not because he is a flair player and doesn't do his bit for the team defensively, but more because he cannot be relied upon. He goes missing far to often and this unbalances the team collectively and then we have to sub before we should. In other words, he has it but doesn't apply it often enough. I can see what the likes of Chelsea saw in him and I can also see why they got shut (the "dressing room incident" was just the reason they needed) IMO.

I for one am hoping that Jennings and/or McCourt do the biz. Weren't here Saturday so not seen McCourt yet and the last I saw of Jennings he didn't look fully fit, but I am hopeful.

 

If you're saying

He's been inconsistent, I agree. If you relate his lack of consistency to having the heart of a pea, then I don't. If he's the only player likely, or capable, of creating goals & chances, then I'd play him all the time and give him the opportunity to strike a higher level of consistency. The alternative is simply to select toilers who create nothing, rarely score (if at all), but do so consistently. As I said earlier, the goals and chances Mellis produced last season were impressive (being near the top of the Championship listings for chances created), especially when we were struggling at the wrong end of the table. At the age of 22, he's nowhere near his prime and should be developing both as a player and as a person.

 

What has happened to midfielders who can do the lot, attack and defend? They seem a rare breed these days. Midfielders are all pigeon holed as AM or DM instead of Redders for example who was a CM. Modern football is gash.

 

Couldn't agree more. Problem is, we're moving away from the defensive midfielder to the "holding" midfielder who doesn't even need to tackle and is only expected to play six yard square balls from the centre circle. Absolutely fecking pointless.

 

Re: Again, I agree

GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!

Back of the net. Well said.

IMO Mellis has improved the defensive side to his game under Flitcroft but he is never gonna be Perkins or Dawson in that department and neither would I want him to be.

 

Not sure if Drinkwater is the best comparison as far as goals go..a career total of 6 and only 3 in 61 since he joined Leicester

 

They've become very expensive.

Redfearn would not have been here for more than 2 seasons these days. He probably wouldn't have even joined us.

 

Redfern was being used as a winger at Oldham when we first got him on loan....

 

So managers have always been bell ends, then.

 

No, only since internet bulletin boards came into existence.

 

Isn't that around the same time as defensive midfielders were invented?

I distinctly remember Darren Sheridan being a dynamic box to box creative dynamo.

 

Ooh, I wish we still had the 'like' button.

 

"Was he? I've reread it and it doesn't say anything about the three of them but talks about the role of a midfielder and scoring goals."

Are we reading the same post?

"Perkins, Dawson and Etuhu have 6 (six) goals between them in 158 games."
"Not long since people were saying they wanted to midfielders contribute about eight goals per season. These three haven't managed that between them in two years."

I might have got my wires crossed and we're referring to a different posts. I'm referring back to the opening post where Conan made the quotes above. He's clearly talking about all three of them there and what they've managed between them. Seems obvious to me, therefore, that they're not a good unit. Each could be OK on his own with a goalscoring midfielder at the side of them, but clearly not together like we've been playing them recently.

 

Shez could pass the ball forwards though.

Mick McGuire couldn't.

Mick McGuire would've been toast on here.

 

That's because he usually had someone in front of him.

 

#betterthandawson

That will trend, thee watch.