The Midfield Toilers

Perkins, Dawson and Etuhu have 6 (six) goals between them in 158 games. What an absolutely disgraefeful record. When did it become acceptable for midfield players to contribute so little towards the goals for column? People will probably try and defend them by saying they bring other things to the team or it's not their job to score goals - which would be complete ********.

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. Unbelievable really.

 

How many are Dawson?

 

4 for Dawson, 2 for Perkins and Etuhu yet to get on the Scoresheet.

 

Isn't that the reason we brought in Jennings and McCourt?

 

Etuhu scored the other week. Sadly it was in the wrong net.

 

Claude Makelele

 

I'm lowering the total to 5... 4 Dawson, 2 perkins, -1 etuhu.

 

Lucas Leiva

 

Good call.

 

It is an interesting point raised by CT though and one that was discussed on football heaven by a reds caller the other night. I do agree that midfield must be expected to contribute goals than our current crop. You can get away with one goal shy midfielder but not three, not when they are all regular starters so I do agree that their contributions to the goals for column, or lack of to be accurate, are just not good enough.

 

Owen Hargreaves
Darren Sheridan
Didier Deschamps

If you take Dawson's example he's scored 4 in 52. Which contrasts favourably against a winger, Jim O'Brien, who has 5 in 95. Or Martin Devaney who scored 15 in 159.

 

The point is absolutely correct and shows why they can't all be in the same midfield. Equally telling is that Dawson has assisted zero goals since he arrived, Perkins 2 and Kelvin 2. Though to be fair Dawson has scored 5 if you count his one against Southampton.

If you have 3 midfielders who can't score or create playing together this actually invites pressure as the opposition realise you offer little or no threat and attack you

 

I agree it should be two from three. Maybe one from three in a 4 man midfield (which we aren't good enough to play). But I'd be asking more questions of the goals (or lack of) that our wingers and attacking midfielders score than perpetuating this myth that there is no place for defensive midfielders in modern football and that the ones we've got aren't very good

 

None of our attacking players even get to start to find out. We should be playing one defensive midfielder. Mellis for all his ups and downs last season assisted and scored more league goals 6 and assisted more goals (11) than the others have put together in their time at the club. A quality defensive midfielder is needed in the long term. In the short term pick one from 3 alongside Digby.

 

I thought that was a cracking call.

 

Whenever a flair player is introduced

To the line up, it's usually followed by a volley of abuse along the lines of " Doesn't tackle", "Doesn't run around much", "Heart of a pea", "Not fit enough". It's conveniently ignoring their goalscoring, chances created (whether they're converted, or not) and generally doing things differently to the norm. Jacob Mellis is a classic example. Let's ignore his goalscoring, let's ignore his record of being one of the best in the Championship at creating goalscoring chances for team mates. Let's criticise him for not doing exactly the same as Dawson, Etuhu, & Perkins. However, let's not criticise the lack of creativity of these individuals.
I'm not saying these players, the toilers, make no contribution to the team. I AM saying the flair player, the creative player can and does also make a contribution.

 

Mellis is our key man, and I rate him very highly. But I don't think he's played well at all this season and failed to influence and dictate games like he is capable of. Personally, given that we had no other option in that role I would have just stuck it out with him until he came good. But McCourt showed enough in his cameo on Saturday that suggests an off-form Mellis might not be our best option.

And unfortunately we can't get Digby fit enough to start week in week out yet.

 

Neil Refearn
Craig Hignett
Bryan Robson
Frank Lampard

 

I really must stop posting on my ipod. Or start proof reading.

 

Re: Whenever a flair player is introduced

Absolutely, and I wouldn't criticise them for failing to do any of the above (as lots do). In the same way I wouldn't criticise a player whose workrate and tackling provides the platform and freedom for those creative players to influence the game.

Of course in an ideal world we would have a defensive midfielder who did both, like Xabi Alonso or Michael Carrick. But if we did they wouldn't be playing for us for very long. Digby may well be able to do that moving forward and if he does he will be a very exciting player. Until we sell him.