Central Midfield

[Swagger 8,237]

35 minutes ago, Zappa6995 said:

Our midfield is like watching a Legends Team going through the motions in a charity game.

That’s pretty much bang on

[BridgeIsBlue 66,627]

17 minutes ago, bluenoz said:

Based on what mate

He put in the best midfield performance against selik since Davis in the 2011 LC Final, it was that good. 

[andyhrfc 2,242]

2 minutes ago, HG5 said:

Nobody appears to grasp the central theme of Scottish football - every touch you take allows a defender to get back and make a harder obstacle for you to pass.

We constantly moan about ‘10 men behind the ball’, but we take so long to move forward that anybody would be seriously derelict in their duty if they failed to get 10 back in the time we allow them.

Even when we got a 4 on 3 break from a corner at 2-2 today, Kent ran it into the first blue shirt that got in his way.

Spot on.  Really fucks me off watching the pitiful pace we move the ball at.   Not sure whether the players are told to play that way or just incapable of speeding it up.

[bluenoz 31,060]

1 minute ago, BridgeIsBlue said:

He put in the best midfield performance against selik since Davis in the 2011 LC Final, it was that good. 

I agree he did and some people have thought he was Beckenbaur ever since. There is no denying he has the heart of a lion, just not skilled enough to play there in a consistent basis for my liking.

[HG5 11,252]

16 minutes ago, DBBTB said:

Arfield and Aribo both try and break past the midfield but Aribo is still inconsistent and Arfield is in his 30’s now. 

Apart from them all of our midfielders are too slow, ponderous and safe in possession.

Aribo needs to build about 45 minutes more of solid work into his game.

Popping up handily this week, but otherwise flits in & out far too much.

Bit of a ‘loper’ going forward, but strange (if erratic) bursts of pace to get back & recover.

[bluebell82 244]

We need drive and energy in our midfield. Davis is finished unfortunately, hopefully we can get a few million for Kamara. Still think Arfield is a good squad player. It feels like we need improvements all over the pitch in the first 11, plus players who can be trusted to come off the bench and make an impact.

[BridgeIsBlue 66,627]

3 minutes ago, bluenoz said:

I agree he did and some people have thought he was Beckenbaur ever since. There is no denying he has the heart of a lion, just not skilled enough to play there in a consistent basis for my liking.

Think he'd surprise a few if he got a chance tbh. 

[HG5 11,252]

2 minutes ago, andyhrfc said:

Spot on.  Really fucks me off watching the pitiful pace we move the ball at.   Not sure whether the players are told to play that way or just incapable of speeding it up.

Probably scared to play a poor through ball, so clam up.

Need to realise you can play a less than perfect ball through a biggish gap when it first presents itself.

Once you delay, men are back and it’s like threading a needle.

Not suggesting kick & rush, but the first opportunity to pass is usually the best.

[BlueSuedeSambas 54,145]

15 minutes ago, HG5 said:

Aribo needs to build about 45 minutes more of solid work into his game.

Popping up handily this week, but otherwise flits in & out far too much.

Bit of a ‘loper’ going forward, but strange (if erratic) bursts of pace to get back & recover.

I think he’s one worth sticking with, even if he is a frustrating player at the moment.

I think with a year of playing for us under his belt his influence and confidence will begin to grow. 

[bornabear 6,209]

Arfield was shocking today, as he has been for a lot of games this season. 

Today, almost every time he made a pass, he just strolled away, job done.  No effort to pass then move into space for a return or to pull an opponent away from the play.

Yes he gets the odd goal here and there, but in all honesty, he is just not good enough to wear the Jersey.

[NorthernLights 2,526]

Just now, bornabear said:

Arfield was shocking today, as he has been for a lot of games this season. 

Today, almost every time he made a pass, he just strolled away, job done.  No effort to pass then move into space for a return or to pull an opponent away from the play.

Yes he gets the odd goal here and there, but in all honesty, he is just not good enough to wear the Jersey.

That effort that he sliced over the bar summed it up

[Cedrick 8,048]

Was always going to be the area that cost us , a title winning centre mid of days gone by wouldn’t rack up more assists and goals on his own in a season than this lot will do their full career combined 

[HG5 11,252]

1 minute ago, DBBTB said:

I think he’s one worth sticking with, even if he is a frustrating player at the moment.

I think with a year of playing for us under his belt his influence and confidence will begin to grow. 

Yes, I can see a number of good bits, but too few & far between at present.

Once he gets the work rate up to match, we’ll be all on to keep hold of him.

At present, he’s like a number, who flit in & out, but don’t sustain it for 90 minutes.

Only takes 3/4 to be a bit below par like that & we cough up results like today.

[BridgeIsBlue 66,627]

5 minutes ago, DBBTB said:

I think he’s one worth sticking with, even if he is a frustrating player at the moment.

I think with a year of playing for us under his belt his influence and confidence will begin to grow. 

People need to remember the state Barisic was in last season as well, some players do need an adjustment period to this league. 

[HG5 11,252]

6 minutes ago, BridgeIsBlue said:

People need to remember the state Barisic was in last season as well, some players do need an adjustment period to this league. 

True.

Unlike most situations, we’re up against a deadline, so folk who don’t hit the ground running are going to come under the microscope.

Giving folk upwards of 6 months to settle would be ideal but, as in every other area, we aren’t your everyday club.

[GA1972 9,769]

Aribo is capable of being that driving force, you see glimpses of it but he needs the freedom to do it 

[SIRB_72 4,033]

For me we've been playing with too many central midfielders. We don't need 4 playing in every match and it also means we've rarely been able to switch it up in there. Before Hagi came in we rotated 4 positions between Davis,Kamara, Jack, Aribo and Arfield. When you consider only 2 of them can play of that wide right (Arfield debatable) then there's very little wiggle room.

Even if moved to 3 in central midfield it actually gives us so many options. You can have the combinations of Aribo/Arfield with Davis/Kamara (Jack can play with any of these 4) then Hagi/Kent/Stewart and even Aribo in front of them. 

The mismanagement of Davis and Arfield at various points this season  is frustrating as well. There's no good reason why Davis has needed to be involved in 37 games so far and if he wasn't injured in December he'd probably have played more, again the manager only changing when forced to. Arfield as well on 45 games already, absolutely no need.

[Blue Avenger 22,567]

34 minutes ago, andyhrfc said:

Spot on.  Really fucks me off watching the pitiful pace we move the ball at.   Not sure whether the players are told to play that way or just incapable of speeding it up.

Maybe it's a Warburton mark 2. If you keep the ball, the other team can't score. Just that we don't know wtf to do with it.

Oh, just pass it back to Goldson, to Tav, back to Goldson to Katic and start again. 

Think that's how the record goes.

[HG5 11,252]

1 minute ago, GA1972 said:

Aribo is capable of being that driving force, you see glimpses of it but he needs the freedom to do it 

Yes.

And probably build on a bit of staying power.

[Cedrick 8,048]

Ryan jack gets off light at times with the support , 4 goals and 3 assist in the spl this season , the former midfielders that were held in the same high regard as he is would have that in a month 

[BlueKnight87 17,347]

23 minutes ago, DBBTB said:

I think he’s one worth sticking with, even if he is a frustrating player at the moment.

I think with a year of playing for us under his belt his influence and confidence will begin to grow. 

I agree he's one worth persisting with. 

However other need to go. Midfield needs a big revamp in the summer. 

[BlueSuedeSambas 54,145]

36 minutes ago, Cedrick said:

Ryan jack gets off light at times with the support , 4 goals and 3 assist in the spl this season , the former midfielders that were held in the same high regard as he is would have that in a month 

Jack isn’t in the team to score loads of goals and provide loads of assists though is he?

He’s a water carrier just like other “highly regarded” low scoring, low assisting midfielders from our past like Ian Ferguson, Stuart McCall and Kevin Thomson were.

The difference is that they played with a number of more attack minded midfielders who did score and assist loads whereas Jack is playing alongside a veteran in Steven Davis and another water carrier in Glen Kamara.

 

[TMB 14,167]

44 minutes ago, bornabear said:

Arfield was shocking today, as he has been for a lot of games this season. 

Today, almost every time he made a pass, he just strolled away, job done.  No effort to pass then move into space for a return or to pull an opponent away from the play.

Yes he gets the odd goal here and there, but in all honesty, he is just not good enough to wear the Jersey.

Looked a bit better after the winter break but generally speaking this has been a season to forget for Arfield.  He’s been a shadow of the player he was last year.

[TMB 14,167]

5 minutes ago, DBBTB said:

The problem is that they played with a number of more attack minded midfielders who did score and assist loads whereas Jack is playing alongside a veteran in Steven Davis and another water carrier in Glen Kamara.

That’s the problem with this 4-3-3.  It’s too defensive.  It’s almost as if we have 3 holding midfielders in the central area.  So it’s left to Kent and Hagi to create everything.

If the manager is determined to stick with this 4-3-3 no matter what then he needs some genuine box-to-box midfielders in who can score goals.  If he can’t get those players he needs to change the formation and git an extra attacker in.  

[bluenose48 951]

I don't care which system we play we have a team of lazy players at the moment, time and time again we were beaten to the ball in defence and attack. St Johnstone just squeezed us in the midfield and we were passing to open space where  our midfield should have been but weren't lazy sloppy play all over the park. Morelos wanders around looking like he couldn't give a fuck shoots when he should pass. The only one with pass mark today was Kamberi.