Central Midfield

Albertz_Was_King

Albertz_Was_King

Well-Known Member
The weakest part of our team.

Also the biggest difference between us and our competitors domestically.

The engine room is so important and I think Aribo is the only one who is of the quality required to take us to the next level.

The lack of passing ability, control, speed and strength in Jack, Kamara, Davis and Arfield is worrying. Always a side ball or playing backwards, rarely do they offer anything different to one another.
 
We 100% need more in that area, we need more goals & assists coming from the central midfielders, hopefully Ross Wilson & Gerrard have their eye on at least two new players for the middle
 
We either need to bring in 2 midfielders, 1 to start ahead of Davis and Kamara and 1 to push Jack.

Or we could finally put in Hagi there as an AM with a 4231 of Jack and Aribo with Kent and Roofe either side of him behind Morelos / Itten / Defoe.

Switching the formation prevents you using the combination of Davis & Kamara, Davis & Jack or Kamara & Jack which can create us issues.

Either we renovate the midfield or we switch to a tactic that doesn't rely on it as much.

We seem hamstrung on the 2 No 10's tactic so it's spending any Morelos money on 2 quality midfielders.
 
Tonight the central midfield gave us nothing, the weak point between the defense and attack, very little positives to give to jack. And Davis. We need an upgrade.
 
Albertz_Was_King said:
The weakest part of our team.

Also the biggest difference between us and our competitors domestically.

The engine room is so important and I think Aribo is the only one who is of the quality required to take us to the next level.

The lack of passing ability, control, speed and strength in Jack, Kamara, Davis and Arfield is worrying. Always a side ball or playing backwards, rarely do they offer anything different to one another.
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Always one of the first with the negatives.
Tonight though, I agree with you.
I’ve said similar all summer.
 
Says it for months, for the gaffer being a midfielder and world class one at that he can't see the blatant requirements we need and have needed since last season.

Jacks too slow, Davis legs look gone and Kamara is like a double decker bus doing a 3 pointer. Arfield gives us added bite and Aribo is on a diff level but they can't do it all alone!!!!!!
 
Albertz_Was_King said:
The weakest part of our team.

Also the biggest difference between us and our competitors domestically.

The engine room is so important and I think Aribo is the only one who is of the quality required to take us to the next level.

The lack of passing ability, control, speed and strength in Jack, Kamara, Davis and Arfield is worrying. Always a side ball or playing backwards, rarely do they offer anything different to one another.
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Arfield, Kamara, Jack and Davis took us from the first round of Europe to the last 16.
 
Jaws II said:
I have been saying the exact same thing for months and that we needed to get 2 quality signings here.
If we need to sell anyone it should be either Jack or Kamara.
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I'd sell Kamara he's the biggest asset outwith Aribo.

Davis and Arfield are clearly squad players next season and Jack will be starter unless someone comes in to push him.
 
Jacks a good presser and all effort but when a game gets technical he’s like a lost sheep, Davis is too old and kamara enjoys more technical games but doesn’t stamp his authority on a match. All of them are more than good enough for us but we still need a quality addition to help them
 
We were up against quality operators in Palacios & Aranguiz tonight but as a midfield 3 we looked miles off it.

Aribo’s technical ability is really impressing me and it’s clear he’s improved physically from last year. We still need someone who can really dominate the middle third of the pitch.
 
I agree it is currently our weakest position and that isnt a reflection of tonights game tbh. Its been obvious since january that we are too slow moving the ball when it goes to our midfield and has a distinct lack of drive to take us forward. Its full of tidy players who keep the ball passing back and sideways but it encourages the opposition to press us.
 
Jacks injuries will start to bit eventually. We need to think about next season and building through as I can't see Kamara progressing much further. Need someone else to push them and not overplay Davis and Jack.
 
Albertz_Was_King said:
The weakest part of our team.

Also the biggest difference between us and our competitors domestically.

The engine room is so important and I think Aribo is the only one who is of the quality required to take us to the next level.

The lack of passing ability, control, speed and strength in Jack, Kamara, Davis and Arfield is worrying. Always a side ball or playing backwards, rarely do they offer anything different to one another.
Click to expand...

I think/hope that Gerrard will be using the money from Morelos for that area. And I hope a decent wedge of it as well
 
Albertz_Was_King said:
The weakest part of our team.

Also the biggest difference between us and our competitors domestically.

The engine room is so important and I think Aribo is the only one who is of the quality required to take us to the next level.

The lack of passing ability, control, speed and strength in Jack, Kamara, Davis and Arfield is worrying. Always a side ball or playing backwards, rarely do they offer anything different to one another.
Click to expand...
I agree with almost everything your saying there, except I believe there is a lot of ability in that midfield. The biggest problem is that they lack the leader that allows these guys to Play with confidence, knowing full well they can dominate a game with the undoubted ability they do have. It’s a matter of confidence with these guys I think. We desperately lack a leader, I’ve said that for years. Even before gerrard came in and transformed the whole club, we still needed that proper leader, the guy who drags you along when your on your arse, the guy who lifts the whole team when the chips are down.
I genuinely hope and pray that the gaffer has pinpointed this problem and he has a suitable player lined up. If he hasn’t then he is going to have a problem this year.

the rest of the side is, in the main, suitably adequate to perform in a manner that delivers a title this year, we have good creativity and attacking intent, we just lack the leader to compliment the obvious talent we do have.
 
Slow and ponderous, same at the weekend. I thought our tactics were wrong too. Our midfield were constantly over run and outnumbered.
 
Agree. 2 seasons at least where I've been shouting for a new no.8 (or a 6 if Jack could rekindle the 1st half of last seasons form which took me by surprise).

At the moment & particularly against the weaker spl opposition, we need to play Arfield as the 8 with Aribo in front & either Jack, Davis or Kamara behind

He has loads of flaws but no one links our midfield better with attack than Arfield & he is willing to break through the lines.

If we replaced him with a similar but better player, it would make the world of difference
 
No point in people saying this is only based on tonight where we faced a very good outfit, it's not.

It's based on last season, after January and even this pre-season where it has has been talked about so often. It was mentioned against Coventry but shot down, it was a clear weakness at Pittodrie but again people were told to shut up as it was a comfortable 1-0 win - that lacked creativity, forward thinking balls and a bit more urgency.

The midfield lacks creativity, bite and authority. It lacks a player willing to get on the ball, play with their head up and hit that pass - long, short, diagonal, forward.

It's too predictable, ponderous, flat and one paced. No one is willing to play that early forward thinking ball. Tonight Jack had possession in numerous areas across the park. He always took the safe option, he always went back the way or instead of lifting his head, played it into a congested area and lost possession.

The options are too similar. Neat and tidy, can hold their own in the bigger games but don't have the ability to take us to the next level or contribute to attacking waves of play against teams who sit in, are disciplined, frustrate us, the low block.

There is a reason as to why Kent, Morelos, Hagi come deep. We don't move the ball quick enough when players find space in wider areas or space in general. By the time we've shifted the ball, the opposition are back in position. We've got to play to Aribo, Tavernier, Barišić, the striking options, Kent, Hagi strengths - which is intelligence, pace, movement.

Thankfully Gerrard mentioned to Carragher on Saturday that he looking at midfield. It's a must!
 
is anyone still offering £8m for Kamara? would take that and recycle the funds into the midfield..
 
We haven't spent any money in there. Arfield ? Free. Jack ? Free. Davis ? Free ? Kamara ? 50k ? If you could build a top-class midfield for buttons alone everyone would be doing it. You need a mix of bargains and top dollar. We need to go and get a 5 or 6 million ready for now top player.A Gio or a tugay.
 
supersonic said:
is anyone still offering £8m for Kamara? would take that and recycle the funds into the midfield..
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Was just about to post that. I like Kamara but he’s not particularly effective against the jobbers and is also prone to switching off against inferior opposition. Great for Europe and that mob but I wonder if we need someone with more drive in their game for the bread and butter matches.
 
Juanito2 said:
We haven't spent any money in there. Arfield ? Free. Jack ? Free. Davis ? Free ? Kamara ? 50k ? If you could build a top-class midfield for buttons alone everyone would be doing it. You need a mix of bargains and top dollar. We need to go and get a 5 or 6 million ready for now top player.A Gio or a tugay.
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This puzzles me to the extreme one of the best midfielders of all time forgets to spend money on midfield.

Baffling and needs addressed pronto.
 
MSF said:
He was good for 6 months, and Morelos was better. Jack got it for being staunch.
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I agree that Morelos was better (even though he was arguably only good for 6 months too :p)

But the fact that Jack was even in the mix for POTY shows that he’s good enough.
 
BahamasBear said:
Jack was voted our player of the season last year. To suggest he isn’t good enough is mental. Obviously tonight wasn’t his best game but I definitely do think he is good enough going forward.
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I think he’s good enough but one thing that’s certain is that he doesnt last a full season.

Consistently picks up wee jiggles and injuries here and there so defo a few players needed for midfield for me.
 
Juanito2 said:
We haven't spent any money in there. Arfield ? Free. Jack ? Free. Davis ? Free ? Kamara ? 50k ? If you could build a top-class midfield for buttons alone everyone would be doing it. You need a mix of bargains and top dollar. We need to go and get a 5 or 6 million ready for now top player.A Gio or a tugay.
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I think this is the key point.

We need a Helander/Kent/Roofe level of player in there, that obviously costs money but by god does it transform this team for me.

It’s so bleeding obvious where our main weakness is.
 
Ger572 said:
Says it for months, for the gaffer being a midfielder and world class one at that he can't see the blatant requirements we need and have needed since last season.

Jacks too slow, Davis legs look gone and Kamara is like a double decker bus doing a 3 pointer. Arfield gives us added bite and Aribo is on a diff level but they can't do it all alone!!!!!!
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Arfield is nowhere near good enough to be anywhere near our first 11.
 
Albertz_Was_King said:
The weakest part of our team.

Also the biggest difference between us and our competitors domestically.

The engine room is so important and I think Aribo is the only one who is of the quality required to take us to the next level.

The lack of passing ability, control, speed and strength in Jack, Kamara, Davis and Arfield is worrying. Always a side ball or playing backwards, rarely do they offer anything different to one another.
Click to expand...


Davis looked short of match fitness tonight and Arfield definitely gave us more energy when he came on.

Kamara was a huge miss for me and is a cert to start on Sunday.

I know we don't agree on this mate, but that's the beauty of a forum.
 
Albertz_Was_King said:
I think we need 2, a passer/scorer and a physical beast.

We don’t have either.
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Agreed. If we could get a good fee for Morelos and invest in two good quality players for these roles, we would be on the next level.

We do have far too many around the midfield area not of the standard required.
 
It's probably why when linked with Niklas Dorsch, people started watching him live and getting excited, irrespective of the level - which tbh is of a good standard with good players.

Box to box, tenacious, good on the ball, gets his team up the park, dribble and passing stats were positive. Had the ability to spot that early pass.

The CM doesn't have to be a goalscorer. We don't have the money for a goalscoring, box to box midfielfer.

Zungu was another player linked. I think the main attributes of his game were comfortable in possession, head up and liked to move the ball about with a bit of urgency.

I know many hate it but I've not a problem with Goldson trying that early long ball - square or diagonal - from the back. It can be affective and opens the opposition up.
 
Coplandbear said:
Tonight shows we need two solid quality additions.

A DM with mobility and strength who can quickly pick a forward pass.

And a box to box creative midfielder who will drive us on.
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Sometimes it’s not possible to pick a forward pass, especially if there’s a huffy striker in the team.
 
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