Midfield Pair

[Ex-term-oat-cake]

We need someone next to Glenn who can move the ball with pace to the attack.

My preferences for the second midfield slot would be:

Affelay
Muniesa
Cameron

[greyman]

Why not Wayne Thomas?

[bringmesunshine]

Tony Zico Kelly

[greyman]

Chris Greenacre

[PotterLog]

Mickey Gynn

[muglump]

Paul Bracewell
Mickey Thomas
Alan hudson

[cheekymatt71]

Affelay CANT tackle and its not natural position for him to cover. I have no idea why people keep suggesting this


Muniesa & Cameron and more than worthy of a shot at it.

Muniesa can be interesting because his range of passing is pretty good. Cameron is more athletic and more of a straight swap for Nzonzi - i.e. he can actually run with the ball a bit.

[wirralstokie]

Cameron for me

[jimmygscfc]

Here we go with the Muniesa in midfield suggestion. Cue Davejohnno. He's injured anyway and has hardly featured this season and you're putting him forward as a solution. You say that Afellay can't tackle but neither can Adam so it's not a prerequisite to play next to Whelan.

[cheekymatt71]

Nov 4, 2015 14:56:10 GMT jimmygscfc said:

Here we go with the Muniesa in midfield suggestion. Cue Davejohnno. He's injured anyway and has hardly featured this season and you're putting him forward as a solution. You say that Afellay can't tackle but neither can Adam so it's not a prerequisite to play next to Whelan.

maybe not tackling but at least to cover the defence and track midfielders that run past you.

Ive seen absolutely nothing to suggest that Affelay has any defensive side to his game.

Just because he's played centrally a few times in his career it wasnt as a DM.

Its a complete mystery to me why people would put Affelay forward as a realistic option.

[skip]

Cameron for me. Geoff, not Dave. Dave can jump under the nearest bus.

[okeydokeystokie2]

Isn't this Van Ginkel's gig?

[davejohnno1]

Nov 4, 2015 14:56:10 GMT jimmygscfc said:

Here we go with the Muniesa in midfield suggestion. Cue Davejohnno. He's injured anyway and has hardly featured this season and you're putting him forward as a solution. You say that Afellay can't tackle but neither can Adam so it's not a prerequisite to play next to Whelan.

Muniesa IS the answer to any perceived problem we have in midfield.

He has everything that N'zonzi could offer us in terms of ground coverage, range of passing, tackling and heading, but I think he would also offer a whole lot more besides, including a goal threat.

I can't believe he hasn't at least been tried out in that key midfield role alongside Whelan. He would be a revelation IF HE WAS EVER FIT.

For me, Marc Muniesa's form at centre half, when he has played, has been the biggest disappointment of the season for me. I expected big things from him this season but he looked shakier than ever, much to my disappointment.

Given the way Cameron and Wolschied have stepped up to the plate of late and with Ryan now back, I fear Muniesa faces a long wait before he gets a regular centre half slot in our team. For me, he's far too much ability to sit on the bench when he's fit so I would most definitely give him a shot in midfield.

He might not even know it himself, but I'm convinced he would be magnificent in that midfield role. He would be a Bryan Robson type player. Box to box, regularly injured but a proper all round midfield player offering benefits to the team at both ends of the pitch.

just for you Jimmy!

EDIT - for the record, as things stand, I think Charlie Adam is doing just fine alongside Whelan.

[Deleted]

This is a pretty good midfield pair from days gone by.

[Gods]

Nov 4, 2015 15:59:13 GMT davejohnno1 said:

Nov 4, 2015 14:56:10 GMT jimmygscfc said:

Here we go with the Muniesa in midfield suggestion. Cue Davejohnno. He's injured anyway and has hardly featured this season and you're putting him forward as a solution. You say that Afellay can't tackle but neither can Adam so it's not a prerequisite to play next to Whelan.

Muniesa IS the answer to any perceived problem we have in midfield.

He has everything that N'zonzi could offer us in terms of ground coverage, range of passing, tackling and heading, but I think he would also offer a whole lot more besides, including a goal threat.

I can't believe he hasn't at least been tried out in that key midfield role alongside Whelan. He would be a revelation IF HE WAS EVER FIT.

For me, Marc Muniesa's form at centre half, when he has played, has been the biggest disappointment of the season for me. I expected big things from him this season but he looked shakier than ever, much to my disappointment.

Given the way Cameron and Wolschied have stepped up to the plate of late and with Ryan now back, I fear Muniesa faces a long wait before he gets a regular centre half slot in our team. For me, he's far too much ability to sit on the bench when he's fit so I would most definitely give him a shot in midfield.

He might not even know it himself, but I'm convinced he would be magnificent in that midfield role. He would be a Bryan Robson type player. Box to box, regularly injured but a proper all round midfield player offering benefits to the team at both ends of the pitch.

just for you Jimmy!

EDIT - for the record, as things stand, I think Charlie Adam is doing just fine alongside Whelan.

Trouble is Muniesa is shot again. Seems to be doing a decent impression of the worlds most fragile man

For fear of going on about N'Zonzi, that was another thing about him, he was almost never injured.

[enuntio]

Glenn is playing well this season, he will be 32 soon, can we expect another 3 seasons from him? Hi he was to get injured, would that leave us without a paddle? Should we send Van Ginkle back to Chelsea? Do we need a new and young solid midfield player in January?

[cheeesfreeex]

Loads of factors at play in deciding who to choose to play alongside Whelan..
It does feel a bit late in the day to be experimenting too much with such a pivotal role.
But hey ho needs must.
The runners and riders:

Adam: He's doing ok. Charlie favours the left, in that sense it's a good balance with Whelan. Sitting deeper is inevitably blunting his attacking threat, and I get the feeling that there's always got to be a contingency plan. Either to push Adam more into the no.10 when Bojan is tiring, or to protect Charlie from himself. If he starts to get a few more long rangers on target it'll be less of an issue. He's the one for me at the moment.

Afellay: He looks to have similar quality on the ball to N'Zonzi, despite never playing as a DM players of his quality can adapt their style as they lose pace etc. He was used effectively last week to regain the midfield and was tidy and economical. He looks to be the type of player who it appears has time on the ball. With a queue forming for the No.10, if playing deeper is a way of getting him on the pitch, ok by me.

Van Ginkel: Big risk to have a development loanee {returning from injury} in the heart of yer engine room. I thought he was showing signs of getting up to speed after a fairly anonymous start, but it seems a while since he's been a starter and these couple of Chelsea games have really knocked him out of starting contention. It'll be interesting to see how this pans out.

Sidwell: We havn't seen enough of the box to box goal hound from his Fulham days, s'pose he's been plagued by knocks and niggles. To expect him to get a start this far into the season is no doubt expecting a lot, but I would like to see him used more, he'll probably leave Stoke with the impression that he's reckless from the bench, and little else, which'll be a shame.

Cameron: He's great at nicking the ball and can run with it but I've got doubts about his creative passing and whilst he was ok last year in his couple of midfield appearances it was just a stop gap. I can't say I've ever seen him do owt on the left, not sure him and Whelan would be a good balance. Much better to have him RB and RCB back up for Johnson and Shawcross, his favoured positions.

Ireland: Not convinced Whelan, Ireland and Bojan would work in the middle. Ireland has some tenacity and is good at the quick interchanges, but I'd rather see that higher up the pitch, and he's continually shown a tendency to be bossed out of a game and go missing. He's never strung a run of more than 4/5 games together and now it seems like he's shit in Hughes' fishtank.

Wilson: Came to us as a midfielder didn't he? Only had one chance there under Hughes {against Arsenal}.

Muniesa: As time moves on I reckon we're more likely to see Molina or Shenton in midfield, though I do think he has some of the necessary credentials.

Not sure whether it's an embarrassment of riches, or just a bit of an embarrassment at the moment.

[ayem]

Nov 4, 2015 16:15:20 GMT enuntio said:

Glenn is playing well this season, he will be 32 soon, can we expect another 3 seasons from him? Hi he was to get injured, would that leave us without a paddle? Should we send Van Ginkle back to Chelsea? Do we need a new and young solid midfield player in January?

No, Cameron is more suited to the Whelan role than playing with him. Wilson maybe. If all were fit Shawcross could slide up as well.

[march4]

If we are going to make suggestions, I would go with;

Crouch, Butland and Huth.

We are left with only two players at the club who can play alongside Glen effectively; Charlie and vG and the jury is out on vG.

[ayem]

Nov 4, 2015 16:50:43 GMT cheeesfreeex said:

Loads of factors at play in deciding who to chose to play alongside Whelan..
It does feel a bit late in the day to be experimenting too much with such a pivotal role.
But hey ho needs must.
The runners and riders:

Adam: He's doing ok. Charlie favours the left, in that sense it's a good balance with Whelan. Sitting deeper is inevitably blunting his attacking threat, and I get the feeling that there's always got to be a contingency plan. Either to push Adam more into the no.10 when Bojan is tiring, or to protect Charlie from himself. If he starts to get a few more long rangers on target it'll be less of an issue. He's the one for me at the moment.

Afellay: He looks to have similar quality on the ball to N'Zonzi, despite never playing as a DM players of his quality can adapt their style as they lose pace etc. He was used effectively last week to regain the midfield and was tidy and economical. He looks to be the type of player who it appears has time on the ball. With a queue forming for the No.10, if playing deeper is a way of getting him on the pitch, ok by me.

Van Ginkel: Big risk to have a development loanee {returning from injury} in the heart of yer engine room. I thought he was showing signs of getting up to speed after a fairly anonymous start, but it seems a while since he's been a starter and these couple of Chelsea games have really knocked him out of starting contention. It'll be interesting to see how this pans out.

Sidwell: We havn't seen enough of the box to box goal hound from his Fulham days, s'pose he's been plagued by knocks and niggles. To expect him to get a start this far into the season is no doubt expecting a lot, but I would like to see him used more, he'll probably leave Stoke with the impression that he's reckless from the bench, and little else, which'll be a shame.

Cameron: He's great at nicking the ball and can run with it but I've got doubts about his creative passing and whilst he was ok last year in his couple of midfield appearances it was just a stop gap. I can't say I've ever seen him do owt on the left, not sure him and Whelan would be a good balance. Much better to have him RB and RCB back up for Johnson and Shawcross, his favoured positions.

Ireland: Not convinced Whelan, Ireland and Bojan would work in the middle. Ireland has some tenacity and is good at the quick interchanges, but I'd rather see that higher up the pitch, and he's continually shown a tendency to be bossed out of a game and go missing. He's never strung a run of more than 4/5 games together and now it seems like he's shit in Hughes' fishtank.

Wilson: Came to us as a midfielder didn't he? Only had one chance their under Hughes {against Arsenal}.

Muniesa: As time moves on I reckon we're more likely to see Molina or Shenton in midfield, though I do think he has some of the necessary credentials.

Not sure whether it's an embarrassment of riches, or just a bit of an embarrassment at the moment.

These threads get me worried, until someone mentions the youngsters. Then I think of a time when players are coming up and know our tactics and have massive potential.

[nott1]

Nov 4, 2015 15:47:38 GMT okeydokeystokie2 said:

Isn't this Van Ginkel's gig?

Not up to the job!

[okeydokeystokie2]

We may need to be patient with MvG.

If he can work on his positioning when we haven't got the ball, he has all the attributes to be a genuine box to box midfielder. Great engine and running power, sees a pass and gets into attacking positions very high up the pitch, often in the opposition penalty box. He has the potential to score more goals than N'Zonzi too.At Milan, he got better the more fully fit, injury free games he played.

The way the Begovic deal was structured around him, the recruitment and coaching staff must have seen something they liked. I don't think we've seen the last (or the best)of Van the Man just yet.

[mrcoke]

All these threads on the MF role are saying MH definitely needs to go shopping in January.

[superheroantonius]

I still think Jedinak is a good shout :-) he is a big physical unit who can play a bit and the last time Whelan played with that sort of player it seemed to work out well for pretty much the whole of last season

[nott1]

I'd get N'Zonzi back in January, he's not being picked by Sevilla.

[jimmygscfc]

Nov 4, 2015 17:53:22 GMT nott1 said:

I'd get N'Zonzi back in January, he's not being picked by Sevilla.

Not a chance in hell sadly.

[stokemanusa]

Adam and Cameron (soon as he's fit) to start depending on the opponent with Afellay, MVG and Sidwell to substitute. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that's Hughes intentions.

[greyman]

There really is more horse shit spouted on this topic than any other, and that's saying something.

[thedeadlyshart]

I think Adam is doing fine next to whelan. If he or Glenn are unavailable then cameron or mvg, and if we are really screwed then sidwell.

[petershiltonsmini]

Nov 4, 2015 16:04:24 GMT solihullpotter said:

This is a pretty good midfield pair from days gone by.

Erica Roe what a fabulous pair :-)