2 incidents that sum up our central midfield

R

ricicles

Well-Known Member
I know there were many more than just the two, but, these were the ones that, for me, we're beyond being amateurish.

Lundstram - I think it was maybe about the 75 minute mark and he inexplicably headers the ball to the feet of the Dundee attacker from inside our own 18 yarder.
Primary school stuff.

Lawrence - That passage of play in the last minute. We have one last chance to break, Matondo has made the run early, you're talking a 20 yard pass but no, the imposter takes a touch too many and then flaps at the pass and puts it straight out of play.

That was our central midfield tonight. Two 'players' who cannot do the absolute basics of either defence or attack.
 
WinkieWATP said:
Lundstram let the manager down big time at the weekend imo. Chucked the second and the failed to compete for a bouncing ball at the third.
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Our whole system was wrong in that game. the second worst team in the league were playing right through us with ease. That was on the manager first and foremost.
 
ricicles said:
I know there were many more than just the two, but, these were the ones that, for me, we're beyond being amateurish.

Lundstram - I think it was maybe about the 75 minute mark and he inexplicably headers the ball to the feet of the Dundee attacker from inside our own 18 yarder.
Primary school stuff.

Lawrence - That passage of play in the last minute. We have one last chance to break, Matondo has made the run early, you're talking a 20 yard pass but no, the imposter takes a touch too many and then flaps at the pass and puts it straight out of play.

That was our central midfield tonight. Two 'players' who cannot do the absolute basics of either defence or attack.
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Or when we were on the attack and Lawrence takes the time to pull up his socks instead.
 
brain said:
Our whole system was wrong in that game. the second worst team in the league were playing right through us with ease. That was on the manager first and foremost.
Click to expand...
The sickening thing is we match 99% of the teams we have to play for effort then we win the game. Sunday reminded me of when Hearts knocked us out the cup and was followed up by Hamilton beating us at home. Lesser players getting a result for their teams through nothing more than competing more than you.

It’s absolutely unforgivable
 
ricicles said:
I know there were many more than just the two, but, these were the ones that, for me, we're beyond being amateurish.

Lundstram - I think it was maybe about the 75 minute mark and he inexplicably headers the ball to the feet of the Dundee attacker from inside our own 18 yarder.
Primary school stuff.

Lawrence - That passage of play in the last minute. We have one last chance to break, Matondo has made the run early, you're talking a 20 yard pass but no, the imposter takes a touch too many and then flaps at the pass and puts it straight out of play.

That was our central midfield tonight. Two 'players' who cannot do the absolute basics of either defence or attack.
Click to expand...
It was a touch too many the whole game ! Our midfield was a shambles….Lawrence was far too deep. Diomande drops out….shit show, tells you everything you need to know, piss poor.
 
The fact that lundstram is the first one people blame in there is a shambles. He’s been poor for the past couple of games after 6 months of giving 7/10 most games. Tom Lawrence is a pitiful football player and quite literally offers nothing. He doesn’t defend, he doesn’t create and he doesn’t attack. He’s just shite.
 
Fergie90 said:
Midfield made up of Norwich, Derby and Sheff Utd cast offs.

Our best CM is at LB and Raskin as poor as he has been doesn't get a chance ahead of Dowell or Lawrence after the pish they have served up recently.
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That’s something that has been bothering me.

We know Raskin can play at a decent level, we’ve seen it.

Ok he is off form, but surely leaving him cast out and on the bench, with no prospect of playing and persevering with a grossly under performing player who is out of contract, rather than trying to work with his younger replacement, on a long contract is simply wromg?

If nothing else, what does this say about our player trading model?
 
WinkieWATP said:
Lundstram let the manager down big time at the weekend imo. Chucked the second and the failed to compete for a bouncing ball at the third.

Should he have started the game tonight? Is his heart still in it with his contact situation seemingly up in the air?
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That was it, the second against Ross County is just staggering. Complete negligence with fatal results.
 
Sh3230 said:
Yup you wonder if we have rejected his agents most recent proposal and they've decided to start looking elsewhere. A few months ago he could run the midfield by himself but now he looks lost.
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Shouldn't even talk to his agent, there shouldn't be anything to say, other than, tell John he won't play the rest of the season
 
The centre of the park is just not good enough unfortunately. For me it’s been a problem for years, particularly the deep lying midfielders.

I have consistently said Lundstram is not up to the job. He’s been played in a pivotal position, imo the most important position in the team, and he doesn’t have the ability, brains or the legs for it.

Goldson, decent servant but is definitely out of form or in decline.
 
It's totally mental that Clement stumbled upon Sterling as a good central midfield option due to lack of numbers, he brought energy, physicality and drive to that area, which is needed especially away from home in our league, yet now plays him in his least effective position throwing the balance of the team out the window.:mad:
 
GazzaLegend said:
That’s something that has been bothering me.

We know Raskin can play at a decent level, we’ve seen it.

Ok he is off form, but surely leaving him cast out and on the bench, with no prospect of playing and persevering with a grossly under performing player who is out of contract, rather than trying to work with his younger replacement, on a long contract is simply wromg?

If nothing else, what does this say about our player trading model?
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It's crazy to be playing Dowell and Lundstram ahead of Raskin or even Rice if they are playing this bad and won't be here in the summer.

Much better to try get something out of players that have potential than guys that are what they are.
 
WinkieWATP said:
The sickening thing is we match 99% of the teams we have to play for effort then we win the game. Sunday reminded me of when Hearts knocked us out the cup and was followed up by Hamilton beating us at home. Lesser players getting a result for their teams through nothing more than competing more than you.

It’s absolutely unforgivable
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I always say this if you give 100% effort and have an off day fair enough but 11 players aren’t going to have an off day.

We show that attitude we win the last two games comfortably.

100% should be the bare minimum when you pull on that jersey.
 
Never been a fan of Lundstram, a mediocre footballer who has no positional awareness or general footballing attributes that make him a decent midfielder. For being considered a protecting midfielder he is shocking at it - unwilling to track runners or fill in to cover full back areas for counter attacks.

It's no coincidence the only meaningful game we have won v them is the Scottish Cup Semi where coincidentally he was taken off for Davis before we went on to win.

A ridiculously awful downgrade in the midfield options we had previously and if there is any positives to take from the last week it may be that his contract will not be renewed- potentially freeing up wages for more capable footballers.
 
ricicles said:
I know there were many more than just the two, but, these were the ones that, for me, we're beyond being amateurish.

Lundstram - I think it was maybe about the 75 minute mark and he inexplicably headers the ball to the feet of the Dundee attacker from inside our own 18 yarder.
Primary school stuff.

Lawrence - That passage of play in the last minute. We have one last chance to break, Matondo has made the run early, you're talking a 20 yard pass but no, the imposter takes a touch too many and then flaps at the pass and puts it straight out of play.

That was our central midfield tonight. Two 'players' who cannot do the absolute basics of either defence or attack.
Click to expand...

Totally agree OP and Lawrence not getting a pass away to Matondo when they were pressing and left spaces in behind and Lawrence held onto the ball for too long and misplaced the pass

Not a hard pass to make and let us see if Matondo could create a chance but he didn’t receive a good pass

Lawrence needs punted if we can find a buyer but doubt we will be able to shift him
 
WinkieWATP said:
Lundstram let the manager down big time at the weekend imo. Chucked the second and the failed to compete for a bouncing ball at the third.

Should he have started the game tonight? Is his heart still in it with his contact situation seemingly up in the air?
Click to expand...
Totally agree, he came into some form, but noe he's gone

Opposition must love coming up against him
 
I’m wondering whether Lundstram has been told recently that he’s not getting a new contract. These last two games there’s been a noticeable change in his effort/attitude.
 
Lawrence is a ten and the way we've playing him recently is baffling. It's Cantwell or him - can't shoe horn both into the same team.

At one point he's dropping in to CB to cover souttar. Absolutely pointless.

Lundstram - the less said about him the better. That clearing header BACK ACROSS OUR OWN BOX - what in holy hell was that
 
WinkieWATP said:
Lundstram let the manager down big time at the weekend imo. Chucked the second and the failed to compete for a bouncing ball at the third.

Should he have started the game tonight? Is his heart still in it with his contact situation seemingly up in the air?
Click to expand...
I have noticed that a lot about JL, he will never stick his head in no matter how favourite he is.

While I’ve got the scatter gun out, was Matondo playing in his stilettos tonight and at the weekend, constantly slipping and falling on his arse!

I even thought we were in for a long night when Butland put a tame shot out for a corner 5 mins in when it was about a yard wide.
 
Our midfield looks completely disjointed at the minute. Square pegs in round holes.

IMO we need to go back to using two 'sitters' in Lundstram and Raskin. Lundstram cannot play the holding midfielder on his own, as he gets overrun and Lawrence/Dowell don't have the discipline for it.
 
Los Pollos Hermanos said:
It's totally mental that Clement stumbled upon Sterling as a good central midfield option due to lack of numbers, he brought energy, physicality and drive to that area, which is needed especially away from home in our league, yet now plays him in his least effective position throwing the balance of the team out the window.:mad:
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This for me he gives so much that our midfield needs I would rather some one else tried left back and Sterling in midfield! As soon as he was taken out of midfield our midfield disappeared!

Winning midfield is more than half the battle!
 
Don't forget Roofe dropping deeper than any of the midfielders and passing the ball to Lundstram at the halfway line, who then hooks it blindly back towards Butland.

Striker has ball followed by goalkeeper booting the ball up the park in 5 seconds. It's fucking bizarre.
 
douzpwa said:
This for me he gives so much that our midfield needs I would rather some one else tried left back and Sterling in midfield! As soon as he was taken out of midfield our midfield disappeared!

Winning midfield is more than half the battle!
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Even then let’s be honest he is just an honest jobber with plenty enthusiasm. He probably doesn’t have the actual quality to be a long term
CM. His use of the ball is average. We need someone who controls a game in there long term. Said at the time when we played USG we were crying out for a player like their captain but we still have midfielders that don’t like a football at their feet
 
DerHammer88 said:
Our midfield looks completely disjointed at the minute. Square pegs in round holes.

IMO we need to go back to using two 'sitters' in Lundstram and Raskin. Lundstram cannot play the holding midfielder on his own, as he gets overrun and Lawrence/Dowell don't have the discipline for it.
Click to expand...
It’s a mystery why we have to play with two defensive mids, in Scotland anyway.

As you say Lundstram hasn’t the discipline for this and that’s why you see him drop in to basically make it a three who then pass the ball between them, slowing things down and letting the opposition get their shape.

He does this to disguise his shortcomings.
 
How about the one where Lundstram on the last 10 minutes loses the ball to the Dundee player midway inside our half, and then stops to complain for a foul as the Dundee player breaks toward our goal, instead of actually trying a leg to stop him
 
The balance in midfield isn't right. Lawrence is an attacking player who has played as a ten or a left winger the vast majority of his career but he's being asked to play deeper and dictate play. We had the same issues at the weekend with Dowell in there. The choice is either Lawrence or Cantwell in the ten with two behind. Injuries and the manager not trusting certain players (Borna, Raskin) is also obviously part of the problem.
 
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