Midfield

Bumping this topic yet again.
Need a much better balance and variety in our incredibly lightweight midfield (physically and mentally) if we want to improve and make any impact in Europe next season.

 

It's plain as day we need a top quality CM, don't think anyone can argue differently. Josh Brownhill who we were in for before would be ideal. 18 goals in the championship and available on a free. He's a proper footballer good in high directions , box to box and likes a battle.

 

Badly needs sorting to get to that next level..

Needs quality but very badly lacks dynamism and real pace to go box to box. Crying out for a mix of guile when Hatate is out, we deffo need another even if he stays. Lack pace and physicality also..

It's decent but that trio today isn’t a well oiled machine collectively and has been poor on a few occasions it's been the starting 3. We can improve on it definitely..

 

It's time for a clear out in the midfield, sorry

 

It’s been brutal all season.

 

When Hatate is out - despite his flaws, the creativity just drops.

 

And so it continues.....
tippy tappy, negative walking pace pish that invites pressure and nullifies our forward players.
Dreadful.

 

He's a legend. He'll still put in plenty of fantastic performances this season, I'm sure.

But Callum McGregor as our sole 6 is a massive issue and we've seen it a number of times before. He needs to be played as one of the 8s, with a proper physical CDM who can cover the ground and protect the defence brought in to replace him as the 6.

It's glaringly obvious. But I have zero faith we'll do that.

 

Said it before, where’s the succession planning???!!!

 

McGregor will be our 6 this season. No doubt about it.

 

I know. That's the problem.

He's 32. No physicality and not as quick as he once was. Wants to play sideways or backwards too often. It's a huge issue.

 

We saw his absolute nightmare at the Euros doing this role for Scotland, now he's a year older and the plan seems to be to double down and drop even deeper , dragging the whole team deeper . * 3 yard passes to the CB's and 5 yards sideways to Hatate at a walking pace. He's not Pirlo, he was and probably is still a goalscoring, creative 8 .

 

Time we addressed the massive elephant in the room.

McGregor is the problem with our midfield.

Just the same way Brown was when his legs went

 

If he is then we will go nowhere in Europe. It’s harsh but with him as the 6 we are gonna get bypassed against mobile midfields and he also is very negative against a high press just passes it back where it came from instead of dropping the shoulder and turning out of trouble and springing us on an attack.

 

Personally, I think what people want, that will actually function in this system is very very hard for us to achieve.

We need someone whos quick, strong, covers ground, wins the ball a lot (maybe what McGregor lacks) But also has the ability to take the ball in tight spaces woth composure and off the defenders and progress play effectively. (What McGregor has)

If we find rhat player great. But they're golddust at our price range.

Maybe there is a compromise, like a double pivot beside McGregor. But as a possession based team we might struggle to find the 6 everyone wants.

Also it's worth noting McGregor was very good last season, including in a few CL games. He was also excellent last week.

 

Aye the big 6'2, quick, ball playing 6 that can tackle and breeze past people is a fortune away..

They are there but very hard to find and nab..

It doesn't have to be a monster. Can be a wee nippy *. Someone who is aware of danger, can pick a pass and is mobile enough to get about or carry it at times..

Size would be a bonus..

We need something there..

 

Genuinely thought for a brief moment that Ismaila Soro was that guy

 

Not all of them. Big Vic the brick didn't break the bank.

 

The big one i wanted was Vini Souza. Game changers type i think he would've been/would be for us..