Seri and Bird is the same issue as Seri and Woods or Seri and Slater. It offers little protection for the back 4 against counter-attacks. Boro and Sunderland away tore us a new arsehole because of this as nobody in midfield was willing or capable to win the ball back in the middle third of the pitch or at the very least, make a tactical foul in a less dangerous area. Our back 4 is quite solid and Ingram and Darlow saved our skins a few times with their great saves but that only tells half the story. We may concede fewer goals since Rosenior came in which is a huge improvement. However, we still concede quite a lot of chances by the opposition. Even against West Brom at home when we won 2-0, West Brom had 21 shots and 6 on target compared to our 8 shots and 2 on target. If West Brom were better at finishing on the day we might've drew or even lost that game.
I would argue that midfield was more balanced and solid than our current one. I think prime Ashbee in 2008 would get in this current team.
That's exactly my point. People repeatedly refuse to learn from history when it shows us that you don't need a team of stars, and often it's players who've been written off at this level previously who go on to get promotion from it.
He may well, but at the time nobody was saying he's a top end championship player and that's the point. People can and routinely do break out of these pigeon holes fans give them. Based on what we've seen already from them, Seri, Slater and Traore being part of a promotion-winning midfield is no less likely than it was for those guys in 2008.
Well, I'm not saying Seri, Slater and Traoré aren't good enough. I'm saying that midfield lacks physicality and aggression. Having 60% possession is all well and good until the opposition gets the ball back and bypasses our lightweight midfield like they aren't there.
It must be blindingly obvious to LR that he needs an aggressive midfielder. Failure to bring one in would be a concern both on the team and the thinking behind the decision.
. Birds defensive stats are actually better than Bieliks who you seem to be clamouring for. He’s also done that in a side who dominate the ball more than Birmingham so it’s even more impressive. He’s not as physical as a typical defensive midfielder, but as long as he gets stuck in it shouldn’t matter too much
But in a league below. I take your point though and if that's the style of player he is then that's promising.
No they aren't. Not sure where you got that from. In the 22/23 season, Bielik had 1.8 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1.8 clearances per 90 across all competitions. Across his entire career, it's 1.9 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 2.2 clearances. Compare that with Bird in the 22/23 season which is 1.6 tackles, 1 interception/s and 0.7 clearances. Across Bird's entire career it's 1.5 tackles, 1 interception/s and 0.7 clearances. Besides, stats don't paint the entire picture. Bird is similar to Woods and Seri in how they play. Bird would be a much better option than Woods as Seri's back-up but he's not the solution to our lightweight midfield.
Still? Christ. "We never replaced Ashbee" is basically a meme at this point. Who was the Ashbee in 2013 I wonder.
We need someone like Ashbee in midfield. Most of the other clubs in the league have one; even the ones who play possession-based football like us. West Brom have Yokuşlu, Luton had Nakamba, Brum had Bielik on loan last season, Stoke had Ben Pearson on loan from Bournemouth, Coventry have Ben Sheaf, Blackburn have Travis, Swansea have Fulton etc. etc.
Meyler and Evans weren't afraid of a challenge. IIRC we pretty much replaced Evans with Livermore (and Cairney with Thudd) after promotion.
And yet Fulham smashed the league with Seri at the base of their midfield, and someone posted that article the other day about how Busquets redefined the role showing it doesn't have to be about physicality.
