Our Midfield

Never thought I would type these words - WE MISSED SUMMERFIELD ON SATURDAY - Davies and Disley seemed devoid of energy and, for all his passes go astray, Summerfield does try and get the ball forward at pace.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

I think he'll be fine as long as he remembers his first priority is to stop the opposition scoring, I like that he can pass but would like it even more if there where more willing mid field players to take the ball from him.

Agree Herts, This applies to all our defenders who hoof it forward. They have no choice. They need midfield players moving into space to receive the ball.

I'm starting to think that we should probably be playing 4-3-1-2 or 4-4-2 for most home games until MB can get the players he wants and introduce his preferred system(s) - seems a fairly plausible learning point from Saturday given the lessons learned on technical ability and players understanding their positions and the overall shape of the team.

Vose should play in the 4-3-1-2 shape as he's the most technically adept player and possibly the only one capable of getting 'beyond and behind' if you like. We are blatantly short of a technically good winger on either side though so Chambers should probably play when fit for his energy and mobility. It must now be clear to the staff that there are a substantial number in the squad they'd like to replace with better - a tricky situation and process to manage and one that needs to be acknowledged by supporters.

For me, Mills needs to be restored to right back in either system and let's see what Mcallister can do. Ditto Venney IMO. Comley is the centrepiece for now until we can sign the midfielders we really need to move onwards and upwards.

3-5-2 has obviously worked very well for us away recently. Wondering if confidence in that is now a bit shot after Saturday which really was poor in so many aspects.

Quoted from moosey_club

without sounding too flippant....we havnt had a "midfield" for a very long time now, something Hurst never quite managed to fathom out neither did the previous two or maybe three managers before that.  We have had some shocking centre midfielders over the last 10 plus years with only a couple of decent individuals that i think there would be some sort of majority acceptance of being decent.
With regards to a decent centre mid partnership then anyone under 20 would probably struggle to name one.

IF as many claim, we haven't had a decent midfield for years then how have we finished in the top half for the last 5 seasons? Must have been above average for the league we were in or was it solely down to the defence & strikers?

Quoted from Cloudy

IF as many claim, we haven't had a decent midfield for years then how have we finished in the top half for the last 5 seasons? Must have been above average for the league we were in or was it solely down to the defence & strikers?

We have had a team based on a solid defence for that time, and a midfield that was there for containing, if we had some ooomphh in that centre at any point in that 5 yrs i think we would have been in the league for a couple of seasons already....we have had 20 goal strikers and a tight defence which has got us through but in alot of games already this season it shows what we have all known for long enough....our centre mid isnt dynamic enough.
For every Disley there are a plenty of forgettable ones...  look away now if you are squeamish...   .Leary, Hudson, Paddy, Brown, Kerr, Robinson, Pell, Wilson, Church, Mcarthy, Wright, Panther, Thompson, Henderson. .....i rest my case.

I know it's not a popular view but maybe we got what we could afford at the time, though looking at that list if that's the case we must really skint!

Out of the present squad the first midfielder I would put on the teamsheet is the person most posters have a go at --our friend Sommerfield. He is a none stop player,not afraid to tackle nor to shoot[even though he might hit the corner flag more times than the goal] He doesn't hide and gives you his all for 90 minutes. He TRIES to do things instead of 5yard sideward passes.. He tries to create which very few of the present team achieve.

Quoted from golfer

Out of the present squad the first midfielder I would put on the teamsheet is the person most posters have a go at --our friend Sommerfield. He is a none stop player,not afraid to tackle nor to shoot[even though he might hit the corner flag more times than the goal] He doesn't hide and gives you his all for 90 minutes. He TRIES to do things instead of 5yard sideward passes.. He tries to create which very few of the present team achieve.

Don't disagree with you Golfer. He offers a lot more than putting Disley or Davies in that role out of the present squad. The cold hard fact is that Summerfield has just ONE assist to his name all season. An extremely poor return for our supposed creative midfielder.

We desperately need at least one if not two upgrades on the whole lot of them..

Quoted from moosey_club

We have had a team based on a solid defence for that time, and a midfield that was there for containing, if we had some ooomphh in that centre at any point in that 5 yrs i think we would have been in the league for a couple of seasons already....we have had 20 goal strikers and a tight defence which has got us through but in alot of games already this season it shows what we have all known for long enough....our centre mid isnt dynamic enough.
For every Disley there are a plenty of forgettable ones...  look away now if you are squeamish...   .Leary, Hudson, Paddy, Brown, Kerr, Robinson, Pell, Wilson, Church, Mcarthy, Wright, Panther, Thompson, Henderson. .....i rest my case.

20 goal strikers get their passes from somewhere or were they all route one from the defenders??

Quoted from Cloudy

20 goal strikers get their passes from somewhere or were they all route one from the defenders??

from the wings