Is there such a thing as a creative midfielder?

[perseus]

Is there such a player as a creative midfielder?

What does it mean? Somebody that can conjure up a bit if magic Italian-style (v. Wales) to prise open the opposing defence?

Probably not, just the basic skills, plus the presence on the ball, so under pressure the midfielder does not panic and lump the ball forward at the first opportunity. Or boot it into the "channels" where the defender is waiting for it.

The best Albion player I have seen in this role was Peter O'Sullivan who (after Cloughie was Manager) never picked the obvious ball (get it up quick) but held on to the ball until the right ball forward was available *(the forwards were running off the ball Zamaro-style) and timing their runs (which why Bobby Z was such an excellent player).

Instead of lumping the ball forward, the defence can play it through midfield, but the defence can be a bit naff so they have to find a player of presence in midfield to look for (there is a name for this role that Graham Souness used to play). The only player I can see in this role is Danny Cullip. Chippy tries but gets closed down too quickly.

I would put Danny Cullip in midfield with an experimental team against Forest Green.

 

[Dunkstar]

Yes,Ryan Giggs is one!

 

[perseus]

Experimental team. I would play Kerry Mayo in the Trevor Brooking style midfield role, making use of his stamina. (In the absence of a Sidwwell).

Nathan Jones can cover the full back role when Kerry charges forward. The idea here is that Kerry Mayo does not rush up the wing, but runs diagonally across the pitch from left back to right wing, thereby covering more ground, and thereby confusing the opposition (this is classic 4-3-3).

Alas, such a tactic would probably confuse the Albion as well.

4-3-3 is always more exciting, if you have better players than the opposition, because the game is broken out from the stalemates that occur when both team play 4-4-2 and neither team is very inventive.

4-3-3 requires a left wing back or left winger that can cross the ball. Nathan Jones is the best bet. Have Albion ever had a good left winger?

 

[Dunkstar]

To be honest i don't think Jonah has an extensive range of defensive skills an i personally woould not be happy with him covering at left back!

 

[perseus]

Nathan Jones defending is running it a bit thin on credibility, but he is the only player that can cross with his left boot, except our right back and Simon Dodger, if you think he is up to it.

 

[Citrus]

Yes.

 

[CAFC Matt]

I was say Scott Parker, Joe Cole are creative midfielders (obviously they are not the only two but you get what I mean)

 

[Bromley shrimp]

Perseus, Yes his name was David Armstrong- one of the quickest ever to grace the shirt.

 

[Zebedee]

Is there such a player as a creative midfielder?

What does it mean? Somebody that can conjure up a bit if magic Italian-style (v. Wales) to prise open the opposing defence?

Probably not, just the basic skills, plus the presence on the ball, so under pressure the midfielder does not panic and lump the ball forward at the first opportunity. Or boot it into the "channels" where the defender is waiting for it.

The best Albion player I have seen in this role was Peter O'Sullivan who (after Cloughie was Manager) never picked the obvious ball (get it up quick) but held on to the ball until the right ball forward was available *(the forwards were running off the ball Zamaro-style) and timing their runs (which why Bobby Z was such an excellent player).

Instead of lumping the ball forward, the defence can play it through midfield, but the defence can be a bit naff so they have to find a player of presence in midfield to look for (there is a name for this role that Graham Souness used to play). The only player I can see in this role is Danny Cullip. Chippy tries but gets closed down too quickly.

I would put Danny Cullip in midfield with an experimental team against Forest Green.

Yes, but sadly not at Brighton.

 

[perseus]

Aha, the David Armstrong tactic: hare off down the wing at a pace that would leave Linford Christie looking like a tortoise, and then get to the bye-line and wait a minute or two whilst Alex Dawson ambled up. Despite the huge number of misses by Alex Dawson, some from less than five yards, the goals per game record was very good.

As far as Albion is concerned, rather than creative, I would settle for someone who could pass the ball to player on the same side. Trapping the ball would be nice.

 

[perseus]

I have the Gerrards, Joe Coles, Alan Smiths and the whole uninventive English team down as high stamina, high work rate midfielders without the flair of the Johan Cruyffs, Liam Brady's etc.

If their technique is good, I'm not sure it really matters though. Football in the upper echelons is so fast nowadays, there is not so much need for the temperamental genius, better the reliable good technique player. Except for both England and the Albion some of the technique is a bit awry.

As Liam Brady kept on saying when he was Manager, "Get back to the basics" which what it is all about at Albion's current level.

Still a little bit of brain power, sometimes Charlie Oatway, would not go amiss. (His forward pass ratio that go to the opposition is a bit high, sometimes it comes off and then he is a hero.)

 

[Scotty Mac]

figo and zidane.........they're creative!

 

[perseus]

I expect Andrei Kanchelskis is "creative" in the popular idea of the word.

But that's not player we want: I would like to see a Graham Souness, Roy Keane, Jimmy Case, -type player "anchor man" in midfield.

A "battler" more than creative.

Figo is lazy!

 

[berkshire seagull]

Any player who can take on players and create more space etc is creative.

I would say the nearest we have to this is gary hart

 

[Bromley shrimp]

Yes Perseus, but you wouldn't argue with big Alex, who honed his skills when it was fair game to barge the goalie over the line with the ball (and continued to do so at Brighton as if oblivious to the rule change), would you and it was exciting was it not? Unlike yesterday's debarcle.

 

[dunno]

I think the type of creative player you mean Perseus is Gascoigne (at his peak)

 

[perseus]

Could Leon Knight be another Alan Duffy (Alex Dawson's partner in crime)? More likely that Gary Hart would fit the bill though.

Gerry Ryan was Albion's best left winger.

A few imaginative punts upfield for cushion headers lately, notably to Heskey (the advantage of strikers in pairs).

This happended last season against Walsall, if I remember rightly. Hinshelwood made a long pass to Charlie Oatway (or was it Danny Cullip) who cushioned it down into Kitson's path who made a hash of it.

Most of the games I saw Gazza play he did not show very well, but one game against a German team he ran them absolutely ragged.

 

[Bromley shrimp]

Alan Aggro, Alan Aggro, Alan Aggro, Alan Aggro

 

[Zeitgeist]

Could Leon Knight be another Alan Duffy (Alex Dawson's partner in crime)? More likely that Gary Hart would fit the bill though.

Gerry Ryan was Albion's best left winger.

Are you suggesting Gary Hart is comparable to Alan Duffy
The only player I would compare Duffy to is Butters. He had a similar wasteline! Like Leon Knight, Duffy was dynamic on his debut, but went on to do bugger all as he lost sight of his feet! Lets hope history doesn't repeat with L.K.

I thought Gerry Ryan was a right winger?? Peter O'Sullivan ruled our left wing for years.......

 

[perseus]

Walsall went 1-0 up at the Goldstone and spent the whole FA Cup game kicking lumps out of the Albion at every opportunity.

In the last minute after constantly bombarding the Walsall goal, Albion used the smash and grab technigue of Alan Duffy punching the keeper in the face and Alex Dawson elbowing the keeper over the line and getting a goal, and when the keeper complained, for good measure Duffy kicked the ball out of keeper's hands into the goal. Allegedly.

http://www3.mistral.co.uk/timc/bhares/players/player_d.htm
The Dawson/Duffy era was just a short space of time. It was probably even more frustrating than nowadays. But because of the bigger crowds, the atmosphere was better. In a lot of ways it was similar to now: we wanted a "creative" midfielder even then. Or a Scotsman in midfield because of their reputation as hard nut.

In a temper over Walsall's heavy tactics I went to Fellows Park, which was a bit like Withdean with the trains going past. They had a stand but when it rained it came through the roof so it was the same there as well.

Albion lost the replay. We had to leave the pub without drinking the pints, such was the aggro. The Walsall fans spent the whole game seriously looking for aggro, and then paradoxically warned me from eating their pies.

Albion came out in matching red shirts to Walsall. We lost to our bogey team. And when it was 0-0 in the pouring rain in the Peter Ward team at the Goldstone, we thought the bogey was there to stay. And it would have been if Spider Mellor and Peter Ward had not scored seven goals between them in the second half.