Do we need 2 holding midfielders?

[Ninja Elephant]

Bridcutt doesn't need a partner. He can run the midfield alone and I think he would do much better and shine more. We should change the style, get the most out of our wingers. Personally, I would charge at Millwall with Vicente, Noone and LuaLua playing behind Barnes and CMS. If we lose, it is still worth a go. Their defence is weak, lets attack attack attack.

(sent due to boredom from samsung galaxy s)

 

[BensGrandad]

Sorry to disagree with you but I think that if we played Vincelot alongside of Bridcut either or both could get forward if the occassion arose similarly either or both could defend and help the back four out when needed. So it would be Vincelot instead of Lua Lua for me.

 

[jd312]

I think bridcutt can play the defensive midfielder on his own but you cant play vicente and Bridcutt without someone that's going to run around abit. we need a proper box to box midfielder. harley and dicker cant do that (they naturally play the role that Vicente is filling) so we're left short in the middle of the park. and that's why other team's work rate steals them points against us.

 

[perseus]

No-one on the Wing

Bridcutt doesn't need a partner. He can run the midfield alone and I think he would do much better and shine more. We should change the style, get the most out of our wingers. Personally, I would charge at Millwall with Vicente, Noone and LuaLua playing behind Barnes and CMS. If we lose, it is still worth a go. Their defence is weak, lets attack attack attack.

(sent due to boredom from samsung galaxy s)

Two holding midfielders is a Chris Hughton (Birmingham) tactic against the long ball when defending a lead. Quite frankly, I don't understand it at all.

I don't agree with playing three wingers though. You can quote me on saying you can "only play on one wing at a time" so only one winger is needed (maximum). In the Championship is usual to play four (or five) in midfield and have no wingers at all.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

playing 2 WATERCARRIERS would allow vicente to crack open the flairrero rochers willy nilly

 

[Silent Bob]

Not playing two holding midfielders doesn't mean only playing one midfielder.

You say attack attack attack but it's not much using having five attacking players if you can't get the ball to them because you're being destroyed in the middle. Which we would be, if we only played one person in midfield.

 

[the right footed denilson]

We need a faster thinking, more mobile version of Dicker and a fit Buckley and we'll be fine.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

The way we play the ball out from the back is being negated by having both Dicker and Bridcutt playing so deep at the moment. There isn't the space because Championship standard teams are simply stepping up 10 yards higher and our attempts to move the ball into midfield aren't working. If we only had Bridcutt in there he would be harder to pick up and have more space to dictate the play, and if we played Sparrow or Harley higher up the pitch instead of one of the wingers (I was thinking play Vicente in the Bennett-role behind the strikers with LuaLua on the right and Noone on the left) they might be able to get more into the game and get more of the ball in more advanced positions. At the moment we are very slow and ponderous, teams aren't finding it hard to stifle our movement through the midfield and they aren't having any difficulties dealing with our passing game from the back. We also need to stop playing Barnes either on the wing, or behind CMS. Get him right up front alongside CMS and he can be a lot more effective, like he was against Leeds.

 

[perseus]

We need a faster thinking, more mobile version of Dicker and a fit Buckley and we'll be fine.

Concur.

But could (and a big if) Buckley play the Dicker role

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

having two quite defensive midfielders is actually quite flair as it means your more attacking players have more freedom

 

[Ninja Elephant]

having two quite defensive midfielders is actually quite flair as it means your more attacking players have more freedom

That hasn't been working for us recently, we've struggled to keep posession. I think that's got more to do with the poor form of Gary Dicker than anything else, but something needs to change and considering Millwall's dodgy defence, I would go there on the offensive. They're at home, they won't want to have to worry about our wingers. We have Noone, LuaLua and Vicente. Any two of those three could do them serious damage. If we have to sacrifice Barnes in order to keep the 2 holding midfielders and have two wingers, then so be it.

 

[the right footed denilson]

Concur.

But could (and a big if) Buckley play the Dicker role

I don't want to get too excited, but it looks like he has everything. I certainly think he can play centrally.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

That hasn't been working for us recently, we've struggled to keep posession. I think that's got more to do with the poor form of Gary Dicker than anything else, but something needs to change and considering Millwall's dodgy defence, I would go there on the offensive. They're at home, they won't want to have to worry about our wingers. We have Noone, LuaLua and Vicente. Any two of those three could do them serious damage. If we have to sacrifice Barnes in order to keep the 2 holding midfielders and have two wingers, then so be it.

dicker's not a holding midfielder though......i say we unleash "operation human shield" with the romain warrior alongside liam and then have everyone else performing biblical flair vengeance

 

[Ninja Elephant]

dicker's not a holding midfielder though......i say we unleash "operation human shield" with the romain warrior alongside liam and then have everyone else performing biblical flair vengeance

I'd be up for that, get Vincelot in his preferred position and let his endeavor and hard work unleash Vicente, Noone/LuaLua and then the strikers. I like Gary Dicker as a player, and I don't doubt that this is just a bad spell, but he can't keep his place for tuesday night. What message would it send out to people who aren't in the team? He hasn't justified remaining the starting line up, it's time someone else had the chance in my humble opinion. If not Vincelot, give Sparrow a proper run in the heart of the team.

 

[British Bulldog]

Starting with 2 wingers leaves the midfield very weak, Look what happened in the first half against Leeds when we started with Noone and LuaLua.

 

[dannyboy]

this is how i see the midfield/ up front

vincelot bridcutt (with one or the other supporting the attack if needed)
noone (swapping wings)
vicente/ buckley (free role)

cms hoskins / barnes

noone and vicente have to be quite disciplined with this though and be aware of where they are on the pitch when we dont have the ball

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I like Painter, Mr reliable but in this Division he is just too slow and we need more defensive back-up. If we got someone in to replace him then I agree we do not need two holding midfielders but at the moment I think Vincelot would add a bit more protection, and he's fairly quick as well.