Defence? More Worried About Central Midfield

[SimplyRed]

There's been a lot of posts about how poor our defence was yesterday, and while I concur to a degree, I have to say, we look very weak in central midfield.

With Skuse being stretchered off very early yesterday, we didn't really have anyone to replace him, though Johnson came on and did a competent job (I don't subscribe to those raving about his performance - for me, it was typical Johnson). My real concern is that we haven't really replaced Hartley - we don't have a good, holding midfield player to protect the defence. Hopefully, Cisse will plug the gap, but certainly Johnson and Williams aren't the answer.

Skuse's partner in the middle, Elliott, also had an unremarkable game, apart from the goal.

With regard to our defence, Hunt seems to be off the pace and off form (unfit?), McAllister has always had a problem with his distribution, maybe we should be giving Tom Williams a shot there? I think Fontaine needs a comforting arm every now and again to let him know he's has a future - I think sometimes he suffers from a lack of confidence and concentration (a bit like Carey's lapses) but I think he's a decent centre back. Stewart has come in and done a job, but nothing spectacular - a big, tall, defender who earns his crust.

So, for me Millen needs to address central midfield and the loss of Hartley, then look for another Centre back because Carey's not getting any younger and will not hold his place for much longer. Ribeiro could do a job there, but I see him as a right back.

As for wingers/wide midfield and strikers, we now seem to be well represented!

[Guest MC Risk]

agreed, and lack of creativity is a problem.....im really hopeful cisse will be a good signing, and i know i will get shot down i thought we looked more creative then we have done all season so far when lee johnson came on, played a couple of lovely balls and looked to change the angle of attack when he could

[_Bristol-City_]

Hartey is going to sign on monday

I'll get my coat.

[Superjack]

IMO the problem with playing Skuse and Elliott in the middle is that Skuse 'sits' and therefore Marvin tends to go forward more. When Marvin first joined us (when we saw the best of him) he was the player that would 'sit' in front of the back four and break up the oppositon play with his long legs. I still believe that if he were to be given the instruction to do this and not venture forward he would be the best option and we may see the Marvin of old (In saying this, I have not yet seen Cisse play).

The problem with this is that for Elliott to sit back you would need a 'diamond' situation in the middle with an attacking creative midfielder (Johnson, Williams, JCR? - oh, for David Noble!) behind the front two and therefore you would have to sacrifice Skuse and Cisse or change the formation.

[Roger Red Hat]

Hartey is going to sign on monday

I'll get my coat.

Eh?

[Nibor]

IMO the problem with playing Skuse and Elliott in the middle is that Skuse 'sits' and therefore Marvin tends to go forward more. When Marvin first joined us (when we saw the best of him) he was the player that would 'sit' in front of the back four and break up the oppositon play with his long legs. I still believe that if he were to be given the instruction to do this and not venture forward he would be the best option and we may see the Marvin of old (In saying this, I have not yet seen Cisse play).

The problem with this is that for Elliott to sit back you would need a 'diamond' situation in the middle with an attacking creative midfielder (Johnson, Williams, JCR? - oh, for David Noble!) behind the front two and therefore you would have to sacrifice Skuse and Cisse or change the formation.

IMO neither of them sits in front of the back four (the way Makelele did), they are both pretty high energy midfielders and get forward a lot too. Elliott doesn't have quite the same finesse as Skuse but is stronger. It's true that both break up play more than create though.

The problem is the lack of creativity, we could do with moving on the fringe players like Williams and LJ and getting a playmaker there.

I don't see it as a huge priority though if we're playing with proper wingers, at least I think the left side is a more pressing concern.

I'm not sure why we're signing two forwards unless there's one moving out. Injury troubles are transient - how are we going to keep Maynard, Haynes, Pittman, Clarkson, Stead and Akinde all match sharp and happy and at the same time give the occasional opportunity to the next generation from the academy?

[seebokseduction]

I really think the management and coaching staff need to be a bit harder on the players. For example, i've been to every game this season, including friendlies, sweden etc. and Jamie hasn't looked himself at all, lacked fitness, lacked match sharpness and really does not look a championship player to name one of a few.

There are enough players waiting in the wings for an oppurtunity and I can't see why this isn't being applied. For example this is the starting 11 i'd like to see at Portman Road, may be a bit controversial but players need to understand they can't just underperform week in week out and get paid for it :----

-------------------------------Gerken---------------------------------

Edwards----------Stewart----------Carey--------------Fontaine

------Sproule --------------Skuse-----------Johnson----------

---------------------------------Albert---------------------------------

------------------Pitman-------------------Stead--------------------

[Nibor]

With only one player who does any defensive work in the midfield and no width whatsoever down the left we'd get absolutely murdered.

[hinsleburg]

I really think the management and coaching staff need to be a bit harder on the players. For example, i've been to every game this season, including friendlies, sweden etc. and Jamie hasn't looked himself at all, lacked fitness, lacked match sharpness and really does not look a championship player to name one of a few.

There are enough players waiting in the wings for an oppurtunity and I can't see why this isn't being applied. For example this is the starting 11 i'd like to see at Portman Road, may be a bit controversial but players need to understand they can't just underperform week in week out and get paid for it :----

-------------------------------Gerken---------------------------------

Edwards----------Stewart----------Carey--------------Fontaine

------Sproule --------------Skuse-----------Johnson----------

---------------------------------Albert---------------------------------

------------------Pitman-------------------Stead--------------------

no james in goal?

[WellRedPhil]

With only one player who does any defensive work in the midfield and no width whatsoever down the left we'd get absolutely murdered.

Well said. Don't like the look of that. Keep Albert and Sroule out wide, they've proved that they can be very dangerous.

[havanatopia]

There's been a lot of posts about how poor our defence was yesterday, and while I concur to a degree, I have to say, we look very weak in central midfield.

With Skuse being stretchered off very early yesterday, we didn't really have anyone to replace him, though Johnson came on and did a competent job (I don't subscribe to those raving about his performance - for me, it was typical Johnson). My real concern is that we haven't really replaced Hartley - we don't have a good, holding midfield player to protect the defence. Hopefully, Cisse will plug the gap, but certainly Johnson and Williams aren't the answer.

Skuse's partner in the middle, Elliott, also had an unremarkable game, apart from the goal.

With regard to our defence, Hunt seems to be off the pace and off form (unfit?), McAllister has always had a problem with his distribution, maybe we should be giving Tom Williams a shot there? I think Fontaine needs a comforting arm every now and again to let him know he's has a future - I think sometimes he suffers from a lack of confidence and concentration (a bit like Carey's lapses) but I think he's a decent centre back. Stewart has come in and done a job, but nothing spectacular - a big, tall, defender who earns his crust.

So, for me Millen needs to address central midfield and the loss of Hartley, then look for another Centre back because Carey's not getting any younger and will not hold his place for much longer. Ribeiro could do a job there, but I see him as a right back.

As for wingers/wide midfield and strikers, we now seem to be well represented!

You say there is a bigger problem in midfield but you are actually being more critical, more names discussed, with our defence.

Personally i think we are indeed light in midfield, i.e., missing the control or fulcrum midfielder as hartley was but the defence, imo, needs serious surgery. Build from the back, always. Coppell started it and Millen needs to finish the job or we will leak goals all season. Its all very well having a plethora of strikers who will score bags of goals but, with a porous defence, we are gonna need those goals week in, week out.

Hunt is a cause for concern but we just have to hope he settles down and does a job for us. McCalister, Fontaine and Nyatanga, i think, need serious competition and right now they do not have it. Perhaps when Carey is back we will be better, probably stating the obvious considering our performances so far, but is that the solutiuon and only reason? I doubt it.

[Superjack]

IMO neither of them sits in front of the back four (the way Makelele did), they are both pretty high energy midfielders and get forward a lot too. Elliott doesn't have quite the same finesse as Skuse but is stronger. It's true that both break up play more than create though.

The problem is the lack of creativity, we could do with moving on the fringe players like Williams and LJ and getting a playmaker there.

I don't see it as a huge priority though if we're playing with proper wingers, at least I think the left side is a more pressing concern.

I'm not sure why we're signing two forwards unless there's one moving out. Injury troubles are transient - how are we going to keep Maynard, Haynes, Pittman, Clarkson, Stead and Akinde all match sharp and happy and at the same time give the occasional opportunity to the next generation from the academy?

Agreed, we desperately need a playmaker. Although I would hesitate to get rid of both Williams and LJ when the other three central midfielders are in my eyes more defensive and cannot be all accommodated (unless Cisse is to play CB).

With regard to the strikers, I would assume that at least one will be leaving by the end of the month (even if only on loan) with one more to depart in January. With Maynard out until Christmas I don't see signing two to be an issue, particularly if the Vokes loan is cancelled which I would imagine will be the case.

[seebokseduction]

no james in goal?

Deano showed some spirit, fight and leadership at Southend, James just hasn't looked interested from the start, lets give deano his chance in the league, we've got nothing to lose, might wake DJ up aswell

[SimplyRed]

You say there is a bigger problem in midfield but you are actually being more critical, more names discussed, with our defence.

Personally i think we are indeed light in midfield, i.e., missing the control or fulcrum midfielder as hartley was but the defence, imo, needs serious surgery. Build from the back, always. Coppell started it and Millen needs to finish the job or we will leak goals all season. Its all very well having a plethora of strikers who will score bags of goals but, with a porous defence, we are gonna need those goals week in, week out.

Hunt is a cause for concern but we just have to hope he settles down and does a job for us. McCalister, Fontaine and Nyatanga, i think, need serious competition and right now they do not have it. Perhaps when Carey is back we will be better, probably stating the obvious considering our performances so far, but is that the solutiuon and only reason? I doubt it.

I take your point, but what I was trying to get across is that, while the defence has its shortcomings (hence my descriptions), the lack of a decent holding midfield player exposes our creaking defence and makes it appear worse than it really is. The centre backs can't hold the line if there is nobody applying pressure on the ball in the middle of the park.

I think we have competent defenders and midfielders at the club, but I think we need to look elsewhere for a holding midfielder (unless Cisse fills the role) and a centre back to replace Carey and provide competition for Stewart (who is no spring chicken himself), Nyatanga and Fontaine.

[havanatopia]

I take your point, but what I was trying to get across is that, while the defence has its shortcomings (hence my descriptions), the lack of a decent holding midfield player exposes our creaking defence and makes it appear worse than it really is. The centre backs can't hold the line if there is nobody applying pressure on the ball in the middle of the park.

I think we have competent defenders and midfielders at the club, but I think we need to look elsewhere for a holding midfielder (unless Cisse fills the role) and a centre back to replace Carey and provide competition for Stewart (who is no spring chicken himself), Nyatanga and Fontaine.

I suppose you could look at that point two ways.. i.e... something lacking in midfield illustrates our shortcomings at the back...

1. bit of a worry midfield has to 'cover' for the back line with or without replacements and/or...

2. if the back line was tight, well organised and skillful we would be OK in midfield.

Perhaps the answer lies simply that we need that hartley type player back in the middle of the park and a number of new bods at the back; thats my view.

[grifty]

I thought Elliot was a lot better yesterday. Was all over the place and showed real passion.

Didn't always fall for him, but he certainly tried!

[Roger Red Hat]

Deano showed some spirit, fight and leadership at Southend, James just hasn't looked interested from the start, lets give deano his chance in the league, we've got nothing to lose, might wake DJ up aswell

That should send him on his way , then!

[WellRedPhil]

I thought Elliot was a lot better yesterday. Was all over the place and showed real passion.

Didn't always fall for him, but he certainly tried!

My thoughts exactly. I've been very disappointed with Elliot's performances for a while now and thought yesterday he was a lot better than in recent times. Hopefully he'll keep it up.

[Mr Popodopolous]

The more I think about it, the more I see this team as having significant holes in a number of areas atm.

Right back until Riberio returns, left back, as a true defensive midfielder- maybe that is Cisse's forte, and I would suggest a playmaker The players returning from injury should make a difference, even so it could be a long hard season if we're not careful.

[Guest GP23]

If you allow a player of the quality of Hartley to move on then you have to replace him.

For me he was our best player and with him now gone we are really lacking that creative centre midfielder which makes the team tick. Skuse and Marv are both good players but they are too similar to be in there together. They need a passer in alongside them, and the team does too. Credit to LJ yesterday but we really need to sign that playmaker in the Hartley / Noble class if we are to be successful this season.

The potential striker signings are looking good, we have some useful wingers in the squad but we need that player in the middle with the footballing brain who can dictate play to make everything click. Hoping Millen can bring that man in.