Anyone else feel we lack a centre mid who can grab the game by the scruff of its neck and dictate play etc. We was crying out for someone to take positive responsibility last night and lead the way but no one stepped up to the plate. I know Snodgrass is out and he is possibly the best suited to this but dont see any evidence of anyone else up to it , thoughts ?
I don't know why people say this so much. In Huddlestone and Livermore we've got about as good as you can get for a team our size. There's not many players out there who can dictate play like Huddlestone. Is it just the standard reaction when we lose to blame the lack of an Ashbee replacement in CM?
I never mentioned Ashbee or am looking for a player similar type. Someone with a bit of a spark in their play who can open teams up from centre mid.
I think Huddlestone is our general, but other teams know this so he gets man marked frequently making it more difficult for him to dictate play. There have been games, for example Fulham at the KC last season where he as controlled the entire game from start to finish!
Huddlestone and Livermore are great together, the problem is games like last night where they're not playing together. Huddlestone is the only player we really have who's able to open teams up with passes. Meyler is not that sort of player.
I'm with you on this. I really am not just saying this as a reaction to last night (indeed Huddlestone wasn't even playing) but I have felt there's a problem in midfield since about Christmas really. I do think Huddlestone at his best can dictate play, but not sure he is the man to stop others playing. Problem there is I am not sure we have room for Huddlestone and an Ashbee or Medel type. Further forward in midfield, I think Livermore is great when he can go box to box but I'm really not sure what his role is at the moment, and we do lack some one to really go past defenders from midfield. Feel really sorry for Snodgrass, but when Quinn came on at QPR to replace him and started to run at people, the whole team seemed to go up a gear. Really hope Quinn gets a decent run
Quinn has been that player recently, makes so much space and creates gaps with his driving play from midfield. Aluko did the same when we played Sheffield Utd at Wembley.
Huddlestone was our typical general last night. The one who can really take control of the battle to be found nowhere near the field. We have field Marshall Bruce to thank for that, orders from above.
I don't think we need a general when we've got the ball, it's getting the ball back where we struggle. Thudd is not the quickest, quinn isn't defensive at all (which isn't an insult), meyler fouls anything with a limb and Jake can't do everything. Last night was a prime example of us not being able to get the ball back defensively in the middle of the park. We could do with a harrier, someone who runs all day and is just there to break up the oppositions play. Doesn't need to do much going forward, we have Thudd, ince, quinn etc to do that, but to many times are we just watching our opponents and waiting for a mistake, rather than causing them.
I've been saying it for months, but I think Meyler is our weakest CM. Quinn (what I'd have given for him to play last night) has overtaken him and he didn't take his opportunity last night. He was great in the Championship, but he just doesn't bring enough to the table for me. I'd be happy to see him leave in January, which I think he will.
Meyler looks like he is going to fall over every time he starts running. Again he has played his part but not good enough for regular premier league football in my eyes. That lad Ki at Swansea who impressed at Sunderland looks a good all round player , just saying like.
I thought we looked infinitely better with huddlestone on... too ****ing late though he would of had a field day if he started, I do like meyler but he was just ****e, although why couldn't bloody tommy hit the net in the last kick off the game
My mate said that about THudds late effort - at least he kept it down and he hit the target though I replied, suppose with the clock running down he maybe realised he had to get his shot off quickly rather then controlling it and taking it further towards goal.
I think this is why Bruce has opted to play 3-5-2 in the majority of games, to allow us to have 3 in the middle to try and control games. It did seem a bit odd to change it for last night from the outset. I can understand that you do sometimes change systems depending on the opposition, players available or during games to try and change things if the game is slipping away but usually if you have a system, it is utilised at all levels throughout the club and is only usually changed to try and alter the course of a game. For me the 4-4-2 didn't help last night and especially with Livermore and Meyler as the central 2, as they are similar players and we never really got any hold in the midfield until Huddleston came on when it was already too late really.
I thought quinn was brilliant in the fa cup final I do think he is our best ever buy, at least in the last 10 years
So Huddlestone is our midfield general , we just didn't play him from the start , without him on the pitch Livermore looked clueless
We lack someone in midfield to protect the defence. Way too many times in games the opposition midfielders run with pace at our back line, because all our midfielders like to move forward. We need someone with discipline to play there and add the protection
