Midfield (2 Viewers)

[junglej13]

Needs a major overhaul. We needs goals in there. Fleck, O'Brien, Thomas dont offer anywhere near enough threat and wont score 5 goals between them. Only one of them should play at any time. Once Pressley sees sense and goes 4-4-2 I actually think the back 4 has enough options. I think our strikers cant even be judged too much as we dont create enough chances.

 

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[Otis]

Needs a major overhaul. We needs goals in there. Fleck, O'Brien, Thomas dont offer anywhere near enough threat and wont score 5 goals between them. Only one of them should play at any time. Once Pressley sees sense and goes 4-4-2 I actually think the back 4 has enough options. I think our strikers cant even be judged too much as we dont create enough chances.

Very fair point about the lack of goals. Can't see many goals at all coming from those 3.

 

[sw88]

Very fair point about the lack of goals. Can't see many goals at all coming from those 3.

Which is another reason to question how Pressley sees this years squad as being better than last seasons, yet we've lost Moussa and Barker just to name two who provided us a fair amount if goals in the past

 

[stupot07]

2 of fleck, Thomas or o'brien are not defensively good enough to play in a central midfield 2 in a 442


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[Evo1883]

We could start by playing obrien in his natural position and swanson when he returns , we need a good authoritive figure in the middle

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

2 of fleck, Thomas or o'brien are not defensively good enough to play in a central midfield 2 in a 442


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They don't do anything offensively either, how many goals/assists do they provide?

 

[stupot07]

They don't do anything offensively either, how many goals/assists do they provide?

Very few...but you're not allowed to criticise fleck, only Thomas.


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[stupot07]

We could start by playing obrien in his natural position and swanson when he returns , we need a good authoritive figure in the middle

Swanson is gash. Would rather play o'brien one side and coulibaly the other, but only if we sign 2 new central midfielders


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[Evo1883]

Swanson is gash. Would rather play o'brien one side and coulibaly the other, but only if we sign 2 new central midfielders


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Most wingers that play centrally , seem to have issues ...

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Swanson is gash. Would rather play o'brien one side and coulibaly the other, but only if we sign 2 new central midfielders


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I'm no sure what Pressley was thinking when he decided not to sign any central midfielder, then signing 5 strikers when he will won't be able to use them all an signing 2/3 wingers and then not using wingers. Signed no wing backs and decided to play with wing backs. Nuts

 

[wingy]

I'm no sure what Pressley was thinking when he decided not to sign any central midfielder, then signing 5 strikers when he will won't be able to use them all an signing 2/3 wingers and then not using wingers. Signed no wing backs and decided to play with wing backs. Nuts

Confusion around the move back and two differing budgets IMO.

 

[wingy]

Did that Petrasso lad go anywhere else In the end?

 

[stupot07]

Most wingers that play centrally , seem to have issues ...

true, but i can only judge on what i've seen....that a a peak at his career stats which tells me he's struggle to be first choice everywhere he's been.

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

true, but i can only judge on what i've seen....that a a peak at his career stats which tells me he's struggle to be first choice everywhere he's been.

So what? 2 or 3 games? Glad that we're again writing a player off after very little play time, always good that. Maybe we can start booing him next time he plays too!

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Did that Petrasso lad go anywhere else In the end?

Leyton Orient

 

[stupot07]

So what? 2 or 3 games? Glad that we're again writing a player off after very little play time, always good that. Maybe we can start booing him next time he plays too!

yeah, its now up to him to prove me wrong. I have never boo'd any of our players, but from what i have seen he's not the answer. and a quick look back at his career suggests he's never been a regular starter
(league only)
berwick 23 starts 19 subs
Dundee 48 starts 60 sub
Peterborough 35 starts 27 subs
CCFC 5 starts 3 sub

career league 111 starts 109 sub appearances

 

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

It seems like O'Brien gets marked out of most of the games he plays in cus the other team know how much of a danger man he can he. He doesnt suit the 532. He's a wide man. As is Swanson. Fleck has been top this season. Great passer, never stops running, gets stuck into challenges, whats not to like? Thomas needs to be kept out of the team at all costs. Dreadful this season. Absoloutley woeful. Seems like the potential he once had is gone. League 2 becons for him. Who to bring in tho? Daniels cant tackle for shit so I wouldn't put him in. Barton has been pushed out so I cant see him being brought back unless he wows Pressley in training (I hope he does, he deserves another go). I think Lawton could be in with a shout for the next game seeing as Finch is suspended. Also Coulibaly could be a shout. Does he suit a central role tho? Decisions decisions

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

It seems like O'Brien gets marked out of most of the games he plays in cus the other team know how much of a danger man he can he. He doesnt suit the 532. He's a wide man. As is Swanson. Fleck has been top this season. Great passer, never stops running, gets stuck into challenges, whats not to like? Thomas needs to be kept out of the team at all costs. Dreadful this season. Absoloutley woeful. Seems like the potential he once had is gone. League 2 becons for him. Who to bring in tho? Daniels cant tackle for shit so I wouldn't put him in. Barton has been pushed out so I cant see him being brought back unless he wows Pressley in training (I hope he does, he deserves another go). I think Lawton could be in with a shout for the next game seeing as Finch is suspended. Also Coulibaly could be a shout. Does he suit a central role tho? Decisions decisions

Fleck hasn't been top this season at all

 

[cornoccfc]

Fleck & O'Brien were the only two to put in a half decent shift today albrit not fault free.

 

[Del Boy 82]

Out of the 3 midfielders I'd play o'brien an fleck in a 442 an drop Thomas to the bench. Thomas has been very disappointing this season an slows down play completely, poor passing an negative. Flecks not exactly set the league alight an deverstating like pressley said. However has applied him self well at times tho plays at least 5 shocking passes per game. An o'brien has shown he's got the ability but ends up dropping too deep to try an create. I said in another post that this 352 is not working in midfield, teams drop back an let us play making small passes in triangles not creating an wait for our mistakes, an their in. Need to create more chances

 

[spider_ricoh]

I said on here at the start of the season that unless we signed more midfielders, we'd struggle. I foresaw 352 not working in League One and said that if we get overpowered in midfield and/or the flanks, as now seems to be happening, we'll be lacking in squad depth for 442 as we don't have the players for it. And this is exactly what has happened.

The reality is that we don't have a pair of "break up the play", box to box DCMs like Michael Brown - right now, I'd take back Jennings, Bailey, Norwood or possibly even Clingan. Thomas is dire and needs to be moved on once his contract expires, or earlier if possible.

 

[steveo1987]

Thomas was very poor today. Ran around giving countless free kicks around today.

 

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

Like virtually every game this season

 

[Gazolba]

Very fair point about the lack of goals. Can't see many goals at all coming from those 3.

We've gone from a 25-goals a season midfield to a 10 goals a season midfield. Not to mention how many chances the previous midfielders created. Let's not forget last season we were one of the top-scoring teams in the division until Clarke left and Wilson got injured. This season all of our goal-scoring midfield and strikers are gone. You reap what you sow.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

We've gone from a 25-goals a season midfield to a 10 goals a season midfield. Not to mention how many chances the previous midfielders created. Let's not forget last season we were one of the top-scoring teams in the division until Clarke left and Wilson got injured. This season all of our goal-scoring midfield and strikers are gone. You reap what you sow.

10 goals? Someones optimistic

 

[Gazolba]

I think our strikers cant even be judged too much as we dont create enough chances.

12 shots today, 6 on target. Two sitters missed. Had to rely on an own-goal for our score. All against the bottom club in the division.

 

[johnwillomagic]

I think Fleck & Thomas can play in 4-4-2 formation and were great against Wolves away last season to prove it, whether they are consistent enough to do it constantly is the main issue. For this reason needed to sign another central midfielder to provide competition for places.

I think 5-3-2 was working when we had the solid central three at back of Willis, Webster & Reda - if all fit would keep formation with these three centrally. However if not would go 4-4-2 and give Hines a go for Thomas in 4-4-2 formation.

If central defenders fit would go 5-3-2 against Bristol City a game we may actually need to play defensively in.

Alsopp
J.Clarke RWB
Haynes LWB
Webster CB
Johnson CB
Willis CB
Hines DCM
Fleck CM
O'Brien CM
Nouble CF
Mc Quoid CF

Subs: Burge, Pugh, Phillips, Thomas, Coubillay, Jackson, Tudgay

 

[Lord_Nampil]

It's interesting how te CM has evolved this season, from O'Brien being a threat hard working potential goal scorer. to a lost wasted player in the cm who yet again for the 3rd time in 3 games been carried for almost all the time he was on the pitch! Fleck is out muscled, out fought and doesn't even do his passing well! He IMO is being targeted and ruffled up as the opposition know in doing so he doesn't run the game! Thomas is just not good enough, Robins never played him and brought Bailey.... It seems he was right after all!

although finch played CB yesterday, which he's not, against Rochdale in midfield he did everything we needed, him plus another, at the moment would be one of my two CM players in a 442. The scarry thing is I don't think we have the type of midfielders we need!

All other league 1 sides have tall hard midfielders who can pass as well! We don't, and that isn't the owners, that's the manager who has brought in players and has a philosophy that at the moment is dyeing on its arse!

If Reda comes bk and it works brilliant, but if it doesn't.....

 

[stupot07]

It's interesting how te CM has evolved this season, from O'Brien being a threat hard working potential goal scorer. to a lost wasted player in the cm who yet again for the 3rd time in 3 games been carried for almost all the time he was on the pitch! Fleck is out muscled, out fought and doesn't even do his passing well! He IMO is being targeted and ruffled up as the opposition know in doing so he doesn't run the game! Thomas is just not good enough, Robins never played him and brought Bailey.... It seems he was right after all!

although finch played CB yesterday, which he's not, against Rochdale in midfield he did everything we needed, him plus another, at the moment would be one of my two CM players in a 442. The scarry thing is I don't think we have the type of midfielders we need!

All other league 1 sides have tall hard midfielders who can pass as well! We don't, and that isn't the owners, that's the manager who has brought in players and has a philosophy that at the moment is dyeing on its arse!

If Reda comes bk and it works brilliant, but if it doesn't.....

Thomas was injured for pretty much the whole of 2012/13 season.....and Robins never played Fleck either (or Barton).

We had a base of

Jennings Bailey

Then

Baker moussa/sheff Sheff/moussa

DMC/Clarke


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[Lord_Nampil]

Thomas was injured for pretty much the whole of 2012/13 season.....and Robins never played Fleck either (or Barton).

We had a base of

Jennings Bailey

Then

Baker moussa/sheff Sheff/moussa

DMC/Clarke


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we said we had Jennings and Bailey in the pocket and that we never played Fleck or Barton either! I think Bailey was brought in to cover Thomas injury and then always played Thomas never got a look in, played 13 times that season, majority of which were under SP....

Can't blame Moussa for going he had an option, but the Baker situation will come back to haunt him! Offer him a new deal if it was about money, he wont be on top wages at MK...... But our midfield at the moment is not good enough, and that falls on SPs shoulders passings fine but if you create nothing, u don't score goals and if u make a mistake you concede goals and loose games, something we have got into a habit of!

We need toughening up! Its a big couple of weeks id say and we need to turn the corner and quick!