Best midfield in the division?

Phillips and DKD have ability, but only show it sporadically. Craig and Connell put the effort in, but are very limited technically.

None of them are anywhere near championship standard from what I can see unfortunately. Craig might get there due to his age, maybe.

Time for Russell & Benson?

 

Can't understand why Russell isn't playing. We're better defensively with him in the side and more coherent as a group.

 

Connell is limited technically?

 

All our midfielders have their strengths and weaknesses. The fact that we have so many that are at a similar level is what is bloody annoying. Especially when areas of the pitch in which we are in dire need haven’t been adequately addressed.

 

To be fair, DKD started off playing alongside/ just behind Cosgrove and I thought we looked more dangerous for it for the opening five minutes or so. After that, we seemed to revert to type with the aimless passing along the back and middle line.

 

You claim that Connell is 'limited technically' and your proposed solution to this is Jon Russell?

I strongly disagree.

 

Fair enough, Connell was decent in his first year when he was surrounded by far better players. I still feel technically he is way behind either Benson or Russell. He's vastly overrated, just an average L1 player. Opinions eh?

 

I'm wondering if the responsibility of being captain affects his play. He is certainly a gifted player. But so was Moncur. Wasted talent. I hope Luca doesn't go the same way.
Needs to be imo one of the Defenders. And at the mo I'm not sure which one. Probably Robert's as I dont think it would affect him.

 

The reality is so oly that Connell and Craig cannot play together in the system we're currently using as they're too similar and Phillips is extremely weak as an all round footballer and a luxury player that we can't afford to carry without the others being in their game.

We need to play three actual midfielders who can actually play together.

 

Connell and Craig need to be a lot more effective if we are going to challenge for promotion, hopefully this will happen when the team finds some rhythm.

 

Benson has shown enough to get a start in that midfield.

 

We have some great midfielders. Stockport & Wycombe , I couldn't have named a player.
But both teams look so much better in the middle because it looked as if they'd actually practiced playing together.

 

Maybe controversially, I think Russell is technically very good (not saying he’s better than Luca). He’s just slower than my grandma, who recently had knee surgery.

 

For me Benson has to get more minutes. He’s one that will look for space and pass it forward. I like Connell and Craig but they seem too similar for me.

 

I would argue that in Connell, Craig, Phillips & DKD we have 4 players who technically are good enough to play in the Championship.
The issue currently isn’t their ability is the great big hole in the park we leave due to formation/tactics.

 

Oli Norwood played midfield for Stockport, playing in prem last season

 

He did and got subbed because he was ineffective and they were chasing the game.
I’d put Norwood in the same bracket as Hourihane. Experienced but doesn’t have the legs anymore.

 

I honestly think Connell is a very good spoiling defensive midfielder. But he’s not being played to his strengths and probably player too far forward.
We have zero creativity in the midfield, as soon as Jalo came on with a bit of creative ability we scored.
I’ve never got the Philips hype, he flatters to deceive, just doesn’t seem to be effective as a midfielder. Scores goals granted but his all round game seems to be anonymous.

 

you don’t need to play Connell and Craig you pick one in this case Luca. Phillips all round game is irrelevant he’s amongst the best in all the league at scoring or setting up goals. He does that once every 2 games or less which at any level is phenomenal

 

We have nobody that can make a creative or defence splitting pass. Only Connell can drive us forward out of the midfielders but we haven’t seen much of that. We have three centre halves who can’t feed our midfield, and resort to lumping it. We don’t have any pace through the middle to cause problems, which is why we’re predictable.