Just re-watched Sundays match and can't help but feel that we are really lacking muscle in midfield and attacking midfield. Flair we have, vision we have, pace we have but any 50/50 ball at head height is a lost cause and unless we get the run on an opponent, we get muscled off the ball quite easily. I thought this last year too, although Suarez used to drop deep and help out a lot. Now we're even more lightweight. Lallana and Markovic won't improve this. Can might but not sure if he's ready. I fear getting bullied off the ball against better, stronger opposition as the season progresses. Am I alone in being concerned about this?
As long as the players out there have the tenacity and mental strength then we won't be outdone in there, take the games against City last season as an example where Hendo, Allen and Lucas out fought the City midfield. However your point is valid and I agree that Can will improve this part of out game.
Yep,fair point.This was evident at times last season. Can looks like the one to add muscle to our midfield
Not sure strong midfielders are too important any more, so many players drop to the floor regardless of the size of their opponent or the extent of contact that out muscling someone rarely happens. Can and Henderson are good enough though, if we need such players. We just don't play Lucas and Gerrard together. Ever. that was the biggest midfield problem we had on Sunday.
One of our strongest players (if not the strongest) is Sterling, he happens to be our smallest too #weird Must be that yardie blood in him Can is big fella, I'm sure once he's settled and becomes a regular, he'll give us the muscle required in the middle. Hendo doesn't mind getting stuck in either, the way he just shrugged off 3 players yesterday and put a sublime pass into Sterling was MUSCLE and SKILL combined
It's not all about strength. Intelligence plays a huge part in it too. you don't nee to be 6 foot 4 and build like a god know what to be able to win and keep the ball. Some of the best players at keeping the ball away from players are those like Coutinho, Iniesta, Xavi who just use their body and put that in the way of the opposition and the ball. that way the only way to get tto the ball is through the player which would be a foul.
Which is why I also highlighted the bit in brackets..."if not the strongest". Pound for pound, definitely
It's not the personnel - it's the setup. We float like a butterfly, but rarely sting like a bee. Allen is the best bee we have. Can is a question mark for now. Sterling has other tasks outside of CM. We need the brains (Coutinho) to be protected by a thick skull. He's an easy target for opposing DMs. Several things we could do. For once Sterling can come in and take number 10 mantle for a brief spell, as Coutinho turns into a false 10. Also, Coutinho may want to pop up in the front line dragging their DM back, or switch side to side. Silva does this effectively. Also, Hendo should really think about stepping outside the box and take up a more forceful role down the middle. He's capable of it.
I thought we were trying to do things a little to quickly in the game and the sharpness wasn't there yet with passe's going a stray. It was good to see Ford saw lots of the ball but he struggled to find that killer pass, although i thought he had a decent shout for a pen. Sterling was also a little wasteful but great work for both the goals. There were glimpses of the fluid football we saw last season but we just weren't getting it right in the final 3rd, Hendo looked really good again in parts also thought Sturridge was good the few times he saw the ball. When Allen/Lambert came on and we moved to the diamond I thought we were much better in terms of build up play we slowed it down and built up some pressure which paid off with the goal and it was good to see us implement a plan B. The best part of the game for me was seeing Manquillo at RB! he looked composed on the ball, good link up with Hendo, tracked back well against a difficult tatic who had a good game and all at 20, he could be a great player. Worst part was the fact Sturridge looked isolated most of the game and wasn't afforded the same amount of space he got when Suarez was playing alongside him. He got more involved when Lambert came on but still had to come deep or wide to get the ball. Think we need to find him a strike partner asap.
Is Leroy Fer still at Norwich btw? Would be worth a punt, Dutch international whose nickname is the bouncer.
Is he fit? Am not sure that it is, have a feeling that he's a shoe in for Gerrard when he doesn't play
Lot's of different perspectives here and for sure, the game is less physical than 10 or 20 years ago so it's a valid argument that they don't have to be as physical as then.....but we still lack a degree of it in my opinion.....and we definitely lack height: Sterling, Coutinho, Lallana, Markovic, Allen et al aren't going to win many Arial duels....although Sterling's assist was pretty nifty on Sunday! It's about balance. There's a reason why the best teams in the world have big lads and little lads mixing it up. Just saying.
Imagine the following midfield: --------------Can-------------- -Henderson----------Gerrard---- -------------Coutinho----------- ----Sterling------------Sturridge- That's fine IMO. Plenty of strength there if we need it and the front 4 (including Hendo in this) are mobile and quick enough to pose a threat.
