Could someone please explain the point of the sitting/deep lying/doing sod all midfielder? I'm assuming the theory is they're there to protect the back four? Not sure how that's possible when they don't seem to have a tackle in them. Seems to me all they do is come short and take pass then wait for a better to come short and give the ball to them. I'm sure someone will tell me they play a pivotal role but I'm yet to see it.
You don't need a coaching badge to understand it. It's a multi purpose role. With the ball it's a role that allows the attacking team to recycle the ball. to out number the opposition. You don't need to pass the ball over 10 yards to make a diffeence. It's also a very attacking move because it allows the full backs and wingers to advance much further. It allows the Piques and Stones of this world so much more freedem to express themselves on the game. Without the ball it's screen to the back four. It allows you to at times stay ever high up the field and sniff out the ball like Barca do at times or reset nice and deep so the centre backs don't have to worry about thats infront of them and only concntrate what's behind and at the side. You keep digging at it Conan but you aren't guardiola mourinho klopp wenger cante enquire and don't have the footballing brain they do. They all use them and I'll make a strong prediction that the premier league, champisonip, La liga, Champions league will all be won by a team with a DM
James Bailey, who exemplifies the role you are describing, was pivotal in us being rubbish and shipping a load of goals a couple of seasons back. Does that answer your question?
You're missing the point of one because you're used to seeing David Perkins, Stephen Dawson, Nathan Doyle, James Bailey, Jonathan Greening etc in that role and not Mascherano etc. Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Don't watch La Liga so I've no idea what Mascherano is up to these days but I always remember him more as a tough tackling midfielder who would leave his leg in, rather than a pointless exercise yard square ball merchant. Btw - do you really think Nathan Doyle and James Bailey were the same type of player?
So what can Stones do that he couldn't do without Henderson coming short, taking the ball off him and giving it to someone else?
The players wh can actually play that role properly are very limited. Makele, Kante ( though he is playing a slightly different role his season) other than the few obvious examples it's a position that is overused and often unsuccessful. We don't play with one and n our own terms we have been successful. Like most positions for played well it benefits the team but if played poorly holds you back.
Wonder what happened to the sweeper position , teams were using at one time a few years back . A defensive midfielder position will be same in a few years time
It's just modern football 'fashion'. The game is far too over complicated. We've had Christmas tree formations, The 'Makelele', the modern day number 10, sweeper keepers...... even Jose(I think) going on about under lapping fullbacks. It'll be 'horizontal wingers' or 'defensive number 9's by this time next year! Load a ballax. Edit - how I forgot about Flickers 'quarterbacks' is undefendable! (unless you're playing 7 at the back
I watched the game but was so bored that I changed stations with 10 minutes remaining. I think that it is very hard to make calls about formations etc. from TV coverage because the camera follows the ball and you cannot see the positions of players off the ball, so I hesitate to comment too much. What was clear is that Malta defended deep and that they placed most emphasis on defending the centre of the field. In those circumstances, it is hard to understand why we attacked their centre. Their full backs were slow and we saw that we could attack them down the sides, but when the crosses came in, there was only Sturridge being marked by three. I have always said that your system should reflect the quality and tactics of the opposition, but currently that involves Barnsley who are living with better quality players in a higher division than they are used to. With England, and this group, it is the other way around. I felt a little sorry for Rooney. He has been a great player but he is clearly not a deep midfield player. The booing of a past great did not sit well with me. It would be kinder to retire him from international football before his past becomes tarnished by his present.
Good job we had two defensive midfielders on pitch , Henderson and Dier, just another name given to average players .
To be fair both Henderson and Dier created loads of chances just a shame they were for the opposition.
For one thing Rooney isnt a past great. Hes always been average for England. Ill be so relieved when he finally retires. Another thing, yes, footie is a simple game. Most teams don't need defensive midfielders with the quality they have. Barca inspired those tactics and what most clubs don't realise is they don't have Messi, Neymar and Iniesta in attack. Modern football would be so much more exciting if we did away with defensive minded tactics and got on with scoring goals. Thats the name of the game afterall.
We are the West Ham of international football. Just average, at times good enough but embarrassing more often than not. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Totally agree with the OP . Its bad enough having one defensive midfielder never mind two . Today England played with seven (including the goalie) defensive players . And they wonder why we didn't score .