Modern day midfielders Defensive or Attacking ?

Why do they have to be one or the other what's happened to the box to box midfield players, in this day and age footballers are fitter then ever so why can't they do two things at once, why are coaches only teaching players one aspect of there job, it can't be right

 

Too chuffing right. Well said that man.

 

I don't think they are, it's just some are better at one thing than the other, so are asked to operate in that role. I don't think it's a new thing.

The team that everyone harks back to, the Norman Hunter side of the early 80s, had attacking and defensive midfielders as well as players that could do everything. McHale was defensive and sat back, Glavin and Barrowclough were the attacking elements, but pretty useless in defence, while Banks was box to box (before he got fat) although his tackling was never up to much.

Wilson's promotion side: Shez sat back, Redfearn was box to box, Bullock/Marcelle attacked.

I don't think the players we are producing are any different to they've always been, it's just that managers these days tend to pick more of the defensive type. You used to get one in a side, now you often get two and sometimes three or four.

Imho Perkins would be described as a box to box player although he really should get more goals.

 

^^This^^

 

What happened to wingers? Ive never seen a Barnsley side lack so much width, I used to love the cross field balls to a Bullock/Marcelle etc and watch them run at the defenders

 

I've been saying this for ages.

Problem is that Etuhu, Dawson, Perkins and Fox are neither attacking or defensive.

 

Thing is, my two favourite 'defensive' midfielders were Shez and O'Connell. But both of them had quality, too. Scored goals. Fine goals. Hell, even Eric Tinkler scored a few and I thought he was gash.

 

I wouldn't describe O'Connell as a defensive midfielder, he was definitely box to box. I don't think you could find a better example of such a player.

I think Shez averaged one goal a season, if that.

Just checked, Shez scored 5 league goals for us in 171 appearances.

 

Only five? Seriously?

Surprised at that. Remember him scoring some beauties, didn't realise that 'sum' was only five, mind. Memories eh?

You're right about Brendan being box-to-box. But I'd say that O'Connell would be classed as defensive these days. Flicker would certainly class him as such. Play him wide right, probably.

 

They just lack any sort of threat to the opposition.

 

Im not just talking about Barnsley its all teams, you can be watching a match and if a certain player get the ball you know its going side ways or back because its been drilled into him to do that, that's what he's been told to do so that's what he dose, but why ain't he been tout the other midfield duties i just can't understand the thinking behind this, since coaching badges have come in players seen to be more limited in their abilitys to me, as though there is one way and one way only to play the game

 

Shez got a couple of cup goals too, so 7 in total.

If I'm being honest, I can only remember two of his goals. The first was in Wilson's first season in charge, when Shez played left wing back. Chipped it over the 'keeper from about 20 yards. A beauty but I can't remember the game. The other was at home to Wolves in the promotion season. We lost 3-1. Their 'keeper came out to collect a corner, got properly clattered by one of our players, was down on the ground injured, but the ref waved play on and Shez stuck it in to an empty net. Didn't help us in that game, but it was funny.

 

I've been saying that too. Case in point - Scott Parker, James Milner, Gareth Barry.

 

I think the problem with several of our current players if that they offer zero threat to the opposition in any way. No goal scoring threat. No creativity. No ability to pass the ball quickly and to more offensive players in good positions. I have never really experienced this before as a Barnsley fan. Taking Paddy as the exception and anomaly that he his we have only Mellis if in form and confident able to score or create.

I think our current midfield is as lacking in creativity as I can ever remember.

Some of the players mentioned although primarily defensive could pick a decent pass. Sheridan of example and McHale didn't offer much goal threat but were very capable of making speedy incisive passes to players in offensive positions in space.

Perkins it's our box to box player but offers no threat offensively which pretty much makes him redundant.

 

You certainly get crap player nowadays, I wouldn't argue with that, but you always did. I don't think the roles they play in the team is any different to it has always been. The defensive midfield players in our present team are nowhere near as good as Shez and McHale, but they're two of the best we've had in that position since I've been watching.

How would you compare our current midfield to Wayne Goodison or Gary Jones or Nicky Wroe or Dino Connelly or Jimmy Mann or Alex Neil or Billy Ronson or Carel Van Der Velden or Warren Godfrey or Leo Bertos or Clayton Blackmore?

 

I always liked Van Der Velden he had a cool name.

Billy Ronson his name always reminded me of one of the comedians here from the world famous Batley Frontier club it's Billy Ronson

Nicky Wroe at the level he played at for us a decent player.

Clayton Blackmore I'd always hated this didn't change when we signed him

Gary Jones was the Keith Hill signing of his day promoted above his ability.

None of the rest played regularly because they were pretty crap.

 

Wayne Goodison played 36 games. Anyone who thinks the present midfield is crap don't know they're born if they haven't see Wayne Goodison play.

My point was that if you compare our current midfield to some of the best players we've had in the last 30+ years they're going to come up way short. But we didn't have players like McHale and Shez all the time anchoring the midfield. When we did we had two of the best teams in our history. When we didn't, which was most of the time, we were pretty ordinary.

If we're going to compare our defensive midfield players to Shez and McHale then we're going to be disappointed a hell of a lot of the time, because they come around about once every 15 years.

 

Jay i see what your saying and i agree to an extent, but in years gone by the defensive minded midfielder used to still be able to give and go and make themselves am option and give the opposition another body to worry about nowadays the only place they go after they give it is backwards

 

I thought Perkins was bang on, when he was played in a central three with Butterfield/Drinkwater 2011. And with Etuhu/Mellis last season.

But let's stick him in a two and see what happens, eh Flicker?

 

You're right about Wayne though I think his appearances were over something like 4 years. I take the point you're making but we had in most of those teams 1 only 1 player of very limited ability. I mean Gwyn Thomas is twice the player of any our current lot. Offensive midfielders someone like John McDonald when we converted him was better than our current toilers such as O'Brien. I think I'd rather gave Julian 'Marty Feldman' Broddle or Stevie Lowndes than this lot. Not the greatest of players but did possess a threat to the opposition occasionally or were just randomly entertaining. I think non players like Fox, Dawson, O'Brien lack any sort of entertainment value not bad enough to be memorable or good enough to make a mark.