Midfield Moving Forward

This isn’t another thread to rant about our shortcomings in midfield, namely the severe lack of pace, power and defensive awareness. I / we have done enough of that over the years. We’ve never replaced the profile of a Brown or Wanyama.

The window is closed until January so whether we like it or not we need to try get the most out of what we have.

IMO we cannot continue with McGregor in #6 with Nygren and Hatate as #8s. It’s not working for a number of reasons - both defensively and offensively. Our midfield is the root cause of many of our issues at the moment.

So it begs the question, how do we optimise our midfield with the players available to us? A change in personnel, formation or both?

 

Short term formation, long term personnel.

The issue is even the formation change so that it suits the players at our disposal takes time and can break something else.

Wit better scouting we might not need to change anything.

 

Rodgers keeps talking about a lack of aggression, too passive in our play.. but then doesn't change the major cause of that, the midfield.

He needs to find a shape, that utilises Engels, he has strength and we've seen he can be dynamic.

 

It definitely needs changed about, McGregor and Hatate are doing absolutley nothing game after game and then Nygren is making an impact but it's mostly individual stuff and even he lacks balance defensively. None of them are working well together and seem stuck into patterns of play that aren't going anywhere.

I'd like to see Bernardo and Engels sitting deep and a 10, where Nygren and Baliksiwsha can both play with more freedom. Plus a boot up the * to Hatate and McGregor to move the ball about quicker and forward more.

Schmeichel
Donovan CCV Scales Tierney
Engels Bernardo
Tounetki Nygren Maeda
Iheanacho

Engels and Bernardo would add a bit more legs as well.

 

Hate to say it but I feel Calmac's time with us as automatic first choice is gone, time to start future planning and trying some new rotations in there.

 

Whatever the right answers are IMHO you are correct that it is not working right now how we are set up in midfield.

 

I said it before the summer window that getting in a true big physical 6 was one of our biggest needs but it seems aside from the shambles that was the window that looking for that type of player was never even on the agenda. But regardless of the type of player it surely is clear at this point that we are seeing the start of the clear need to start succession planning in terms of McGregor in the team and who plays the 6.

 

Shape isn't working as every single team we play against now just sticks a man on McGregor and we are then forced to try and play forward through the cbs. Neither of whom are particularly good on the ball.
Needs to go to 4231.

Hatate and Nygren can't play in the same team so if it comes down to a 1 or the other to play as the 10 then Nygren gets the nod based on being the less * of the 2.
McGregor will play regardless of form bcoz the manger doesn't have the balls to put him out of his misery.
So it then comes down to a straight choice of Bernardo or Engels next to him. Personally I'd go Bernardo but Engels probably more likely. Happy enough to see him in that shape as probably better suited to it as he's never a number 8 in a million years.
Mccowan is a squad player who's fine to bring on the last 20 mins of domestic games we are winning

 

This is undoubtedly the way to go with the present squad.

 

It's just a slight formation tweak, a formation he played his first spell with Bitton then Armstrong moving in there and having more freedom to get forward.

I don't know why he's so reluctant to revert back to that when we are getting bullied against the huns and every manager knows (even martin) if you man mark Mcgregor we are *.

 

Let's be honest, BR won't change it so until the end if this season it'll be the same shape and players. We'll be lucky to win a game against the huns and we'll struggle in europe.

 

Both Bernardo and Engels are objectively worse players than Callum McGregor.

One of them playing beside him, I get, but dropping him for either of those? No thanks. They've done nothing to earn that and I don't think you can just rip it up without clear signs a player will make an impact.

If we're all being realistic the midfielder that deserves more chances based on actual performance is Luke McCowan, but I do get that perhaps Bernardo would add more structure.

 

Calmac is 32 now and you can see the yard of pace he has lost. But no one is going to convince me he isn't our best midfielder and one of our best ever players.

 

Wiwiwi whhhaaaat! Drop Calmac??
Never on Brendan's watch!

(Agree with your post by the way....)

 

The issue with the midfield not working is on Rodgers more than the players I feel.

We have a keeper and 2 centre backs who are not good enough on the ball for the type of football Rodgers likes to play.

McGregor has been dragged back to assist them with trying to link the play. That role isnt really working. Whether you think its because McGregor himself has declined or because opponents are tuned into it now and marking him out of the game can be debated. Personally he stills shows glimpses for me here and there of the player he can be when not suffocated in the role Rodgers has him in (it was his pass that put Maeda in 1 on 1 vs Almaty and against Red Star he he has some driving runs forward in the 2nd half which were effective - as 2 examples). I dont really think swapping McGregor for another CM we have changes much as I think its the role itself thats the issue. Although we arent likely to see any changes to be able to say for sure.

When we struggle to move the ball forward quickly from the back we really look an ordinary side reduced to sideways and backward passing. Safe layoff. McGregor passing backwards and pointing up the field. I think we need to be prepared to risk losing the ball more often and winning it back in order to raise the tempo and get the play moving quicker. Our football is getting stuck in the mud way too often now.

 

inamura in dm can take the ball a move it foward at pace ,mcgregor and engels in front of him ,hatate rw ,nygren up front as false 9 the ball never goes foward to the striker anyway so he may as well play there in the build up

 

Engels has to be in it for a run i feel..

I was moaning about him lacking bottle last night but he's likely in a huff. Get him in as the midfield is far slower and weaker in general without him just now..

McGregor
Engels
Hatate

That would be my trio as it stands and McCowan for Hatate or even Balikwisha if he doesn't up it..

Nygren off the right coming inside a lot, Engels on the right lf the trio. Allowing athletic fullbacks in either Donovan then Johnston to occupy that right side and overlap for fun. Tounekti staying wider on the left. Iheanacho up top..

Maeda if he screws the nut to play a part also but that middle trio seems the best balance for now. Nygren doesn't have the legs, particularly when McGregor is slowing down a touch snd isolated and Hatate can go missing. That righg wing needs someone to occupy just now anyway and Nygren feels the best bet, despite being slower than I'd want for a winger, but needs must and could work with real legs around him..

 

It needs a change, that 3 just doesn't look balanced at all. Someone has to give.