DevonRed794 Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Been contemplating this over the last couple of weeks, what do we think our best midfield pairing is? Josh is a must for me with his work rate and does a lot of things that go unnoticed, but I am stuck between who would partner him. Pack bossed it vs Stoke and showed Darren Fletcher how to dominate a midfield, but Smith has been consistently good this season. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WECANDO Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Pack and Brownhill. Easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZiderEyed Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Brownhill and Pack for me. Tough though, nice problem to have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judda Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 It's great to have the same issues in midfield and centre back positions... great players in form and not deserving to be dropped... strikers too really... solid spine of the team... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
And Its Smith Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Smith plays every game and his partner is rotated. There is a reason for that: he is our best central midfielder (by a mile) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shtanley Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 I think any 2 of the 3 is good enough but Pack and Brownhill for me. Pack's long range passing is too valuable to be lacking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judda Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 6 minutes ago, RedDave said: Smith plays every game and his partner is rotated. There is a reason for that: he is our best central midfielder (by a mile) I'd have agreed last season or season before. I think Pack and Brownhill are right up there now but hard to compare as different styles and skills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevonRed794 Posted October 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 9 minutes ago, RedDave said: Smith plays every game and his partner is rotated. There is a reason for that: he is our best central midfielder (by a mile) I have to say I would probably go with Pack for his passing ability, brings the wide players into the game and splits defences. Smith is a very good player though, tricky one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 I’m happy with the perm two from three. Really thought going into the season that Pack was first name on the teamsheet. The beauty is we have 3 midfielders with slightly different games, so we can go a bit horses for courses. Don’t have a preferred two....but think the key is that we have a fresh pair each game so that we can continue the energetic displays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevonRed794 Posted October 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 4 minutes ago, Davefevs said: I’m happy with the perm two from three. Really thought going into the season that Pack was first name on the teamsheet. The beauty is we have 3 midfielders with slightly different games, so we can go a bit horses for courses. Don’t have a preferred two....but think the key is that we have a fresh pair each game so that we can continue the energetic displays. Great points. One good thing about the international break is that all three of them can potentially be 100% fit for the Burton game, and the crucial Leeds game. Couple of weeks of rest will do them good and give LJ a selection headache. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cider red Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 smith has played really well lately, although still has a mistake square pass in him. Been impressed with his driving forward, and is much the force of our promotion season. Pack offers better ball retention, brownhill energy and has a goal in him. Wouldn't want to be Johnson right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
And Its Smith Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Smith is worse at passing than Pack but better at pressing and tackling so is better for our style of play (if someone has to play alongside Brownhill) It sounds patronising when people say that fans cant see things but i think that is the case with Smith and was the case with Bryan last season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipps69 Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 I think it’s good that we have the option to be able to switch it around whenever LJ see’s fit to do so. LJ will know who’s struggling with knocks or with the amount of games played & is now able to rotate things & freshen things up, this has multiple positives for the team, keeps the opposition guessing as to who they will be up against, keeps our team / players fitter for longer & whoever happens to be dropped knows that they won’t be out of the team for any considerable amount of time & that they will come back into the team sooner rather than later, so there’s no need for any sulking or team disharmony. And whoever plays in their doesn’t seem to weaken the team, they all offer that little something different that any of the others don’t offer, so ideally, if we’re up against a very attacking team & expecting to be defending a lot, we’d probably go with Smith & Pack but if we think we maybe able to take advantage more attackingly from the centre of midfield then Brownhill will probably offer us the best option, for example, up against Ipswich, who tend to play with two defensive midfielders who rarely get beyond the ball attacking wise, it means we could try to influence how they played by giving Brownhill the job of occupying them. And it’s similar with the three that are playing in front of the midfield two & behind the striker because we have options to mix & match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esmond Million's Bung Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 4 minutes ago, Tipps69 said: I think it’s good that we have the option to be able to switch it around whenever LJ see’s fit to do so. LJ will know who’s struggling with knocks or with the amount of games played & is now able to rotate things & freshen things up, this has multiple positives for the team, keeps the opposition guessing as to who they will be up against, keeps our team / players fitter for longer & whoever happens to be dropped knows that they won’t be out of the team for any considerable amount of time & that they will come back into the team sooner rather than later, so there’s no need for any sulking or team disharmony. And whoever plays in their doesn’t seem to weaken the team, they all offer that little something different that any of the others don’t offer, so ideally, if we’re up against a very attacking team & expecting to be defending a lot, we’d probably go with Smith & Pack but if we think we maybe able to take advantage more attackingly from the centre of midfield then Brownhill will probably offer us the best option, for example, up against Ipswich, who tend to play with two defensive midfielders who rarely get beyond the ball attacking wise, it means we could try to influence how they played by giving Brownhill the job of occupying them. And it’s similar with the three that are playing in front of the midfield two & behind the striker because we have options to mix & match. I believe LJ has noticed that Pack performs better at home than away, I think it's that simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliftonCliff Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 The rotational element is a real benefit as it helps energy levels to be maintained, a very important feature of our current style. All three are playing really, really well and I think it's impossible to place any one of them ahead of the others at this stage. And don't be too quick to rule out the forgotten men in Hegeler and O'Neill. The latter is widely regarded as a big disappointment, but his opportunities to make an impact have been severely limited by injury (and perhaps also some ill-advised behind the scenes activities) but he nevertheless remains an accomplished player of great experience who may yet have a part to play. Hegeler is a class act and whilst I agree with those who point out that he doesn't fit easily into our preferred way of playing, I continue to believe that may need to be modified a little over time, as it is very difficult to play at a sustained high intensity for 90 minutes a game, 46+ games a season. It's a long haul through to next May. There will be injuries, loss of form and suspensions. The whole squad is likely to be needed (which is what it's there for) and it's very reassuring to know that we're looking at a particularly strong set of options in that central midfield area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glynriley Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 5 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said: I believe LJ has noticed that Pack performs better at home than away, I think it's that simple. Think you're spot on there mate, said similar to a mate the other day. Reckon LJ prefers the busier Brownhill on our travels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Interesting , I said last year I thought Brownhill will be CM for some time. It seems at the moment that we can have an away partnership and a home one. I agree with @RedDave , Packs passing is an advantage, and in games where we have more possession he is a real asset. Away Brownhill's mobility along with Smith can make a difference. That doesn't mean they will be kept that way round but the difference is an advantage , rather than a problem. This day and age we have to be able to rotate, the game is so much more athletic it can put a real strain on bodies. Keeping players in good nick by rotation could be the difference in having a decent season and a great one (sorry @fanjita ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyredredrobin Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 I've been thinking about this for a while and my only concrete conclusion is that we need a hard man in the centre of the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bar BS3 Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 1 hour ago, Shtanley said: I think any 2 of the 3 is good enough but Pack and Brownhill for me. Pack's long range passing is too valuable to be lacking Pack has improved considerably since he stopped his wasteful long range Hollywood passing and started to play a far more percentage based game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negan Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 1 hour ago, RedDave said: Smith plays every game and his partner is rotated. There is a reason for that: he is our best central midfielder (by a mile) Smith loses the ball quite a lot though. Tends to do it and it leads to a dangerous chance. Pack and Brownhill for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gmac Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Would really like to see how Hegeler would fit into the midfield. Arguably one of the best passers of the ball in the squad and a very clever player with his positioning. It's just at the moment the midfield pairing whoever they may be (depending on rotation) are just playing too well at the moment, would not want to risk playing Hegeler without a couple of games under his belt in the position. Cup games perhaps, Anyway as people have said nice problems to have. Have a feeling that when injuries come which unfortunately will happen we will not be as worried as previous seasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buster Footman's T shirt Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 4 minutes ago, Gmac said: Would really like to see how Hegeler would fit into the midfield. Arguably one of the best passers of the ball in the squad and a very clever player with his positioning. It's just at the moment the midfield pairing whoever they may be (depending on rotation) are just playing too well at the moment, would not want to risk playing Hegeler without a couple of games under his belt in the position. Cup games perhaps, Anyway as people have said nice problems to have. Have a feeling that when injuries come which unfortunately will happen we will not be as worried as previous seasons. This. From what little I have seen of Hegeler, he always seems to have time and space on the ball. Think he will come into his own at some point in the season. Another great option to have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoons Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 Best midfield pairing... Whoever LJ is picking seems to be working fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1960maaan Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 I have no crystal ball , inside knowledge or friends in high places but. I wouldn't be surprised if CM is the one upgrade on the cards for Jan, depending where we are then. Apart from FB, where we have young cover and can juggle others, CM is probably our weakest area. That actually says something about our depth and cover for the rest of the team , as at the moment it's far from weak and as said, we've not tried Hegeler yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumRed Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 1 hour ago, wendyredredrobin said: I've been thinking about this for a while and my only concrete conclusion is that we need a hard man in the centre of the park. @Rudolf Hucker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 On current form brownhill and Smith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevonRed794 Posted October 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 1 hour ago, 1960maaan said: I have no crystal ball , inside knowledge or friends in high places but. I wouldn't be surprised if CM is the one upgrade on the cards for Jan, depending where we are then. Apart from FB, where we have young cover and can juggle others, CM is probably our weakest area. That actually says something about our depth and cover for the rest of the team , as at the moment it's far from weak and as said, we've not tried Hegeler yet. Totally agree with this. O'Neil is gone imo, injury prone and has looked bang average when on the pitch, he should be shifted permanently along with the likes of Golbourne asap. That leaves us very short in CM, Hegeler the only real back up, unless Reid drops back. I for one was surprised we didn't bring in a CM in the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Brent Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 It’s nice that we can play a midfield pairing from a variation of Pack, Smith and Brownhill and not really be weakened. They all have their strengths but I’d be happy be with any pairing. Still maintain that Pack is our best all round midfielder though. i haven’t forgotten Hegeler but it’s clear that LJ rotates the aforementioned three Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipps69 Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 2 hours ago, 1960maaan said: I have no crystal ball , inside knowledge or friends in high places but. I wouldn't be surprised if CM is the one upgrade on the cards for Jan, depending where we are then. Apart from FB, where we have young cover and can juggle others, CM is probably our weakest area. That actually says something about our depth and cover for the rest of the team , as at the moment it's far from weak and as said, we've not tried Hegeler yet. In fairness, every position can be upgraded on, it would all depend on where we are in the table come January & what SL’s ambition actually is & how much he is willing to make available for team improvements (on paper)? Individually, how many of our players would get into the Villa team or Middlesbrough’s? A big part of this team is just that, we are a team, no individuals (such as Tomlin or Freeman), we have a unity similar to 2007-08 but with hindsight (although many of us felt we needed it), we should of pushed the boat out in that January to give us that extra bit of quality. We (or anyone else for that matter) can’t just accept that we have the finished article, we have to strive to improve further. Do we have that natural right-midfielder yet? Could we get someone who is a natural there, who could consistently beat his man on the outside & supply crosses on the run? O’Dowda has that tendency to cut inside on his more natural left foot. Leko is yet to show the necessary consistency to be able to be relied on there (which is understandable at 18 years-old). Could Eliasson be that player? Or Paterson? There is still a lot of football to be played until January let alone until May & so far we have been lucky with injuries & suspensions but that could all change very quickly. There are a lot of variables that will help to decide how we move forward & it’s good to hear that LJ has already mentioned potential targets being looked at ready for January, I don’t think we’ve been that forward looking in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeAman08 Posted October 1, 2017 Report Share Posted October 1, 2017 I'm a Pack and Brownhill guy myself. Korey has been outstanding but he just always makes 1-2 mistakes per game and probably due to where he usually is on the pitch, those mistakes usually turn into a dangerous attack. Bobby Reid got slaughtered for this but Korey seems to be forgiven. Every game this year I've seen a Korey mistake. Even in the extended highlights there was an Ipswich attack from one. Sounds like I don't rate him but they just scare me. We've seen how fragile form can be and we seem to be very solid when possession is lost deep in an opponents half. Korey has been the only one to do it in our half and it scares me. We're probably stronger mentally now but there will be one that costs us points soon and I hope we can recover Though Korey does the other 98% of his job very well. Just think Pack and Brownhill is a bit more dynamic and safer in our half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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