The central midfield

[Guest Col city fan]

Some people (and quite rightly) say that I 'bang-on' about our central midfield. My feeling has consistently been that why we lose the games we do is because we lose control of the middle of the park and this puts pressure on the strikers to score and the defenders to shut-up shop. Our midfield also seems to be quite unproductive in other areas.

 

Let me put up some stats:

 

During the 2012/2013 season, our top 'assister' was Ben Marshall, with 8. Danny Drinkwater had a total of 4 assists, and 'fans favourite' Andy King (no sarcasm meant there) had only 3 assists for the entire season. Now this, to me, suggests a lot of pressure placed onto our strikers to actually make, and take, their own goals.

When you add to this goals scored (King 7... fair play, not a bad return) and Drinkwater, 1, it becomes immediately apparent City's central midfield is not prolific at either setting-up goals for the strikers or scoring many themselves.

The leading 'assisters' last season, essentially from a central midfield position were: Andy Reid (11), Grant Leadbitter (8), Will Buckley (8), George Boyd (8) to name but a few.

The leading midfield scorers from last season were: Johnny Jackson (12), Almen Abdi (12), George Boyd (10), Robert Koren (9), again, to name but a few.

 

This season, King has amassed 1 assist and Drinkwater (the player everyone is saying is having a great season).... 0. Not a single goal has come from the final ball being slipped through by Drinkwater.

When you compare this to: Craig Bryson (7), Andy Reid (6) and Grant Leadbitter (6) it again becomes immediately apparent that our central midfield (although 'quietly' getting on with it) are actually not setting-up many goals at all. Actually, very very few.

 

The same is true of goals scored from that area.

 

Our top 'assisters' this season are actually Lloyd Dyer (4) and the player getting lots of stick at present, Nugent, with 3.

 

I put it to you then that we are doing pretty bloody well this season actually because we have such a good defence and a pretty able strike force. If our defence looks shaky, we tend to lose games, and if our strikers don't take their chances, we also sometimes struggle. What is not happening, to support these two groups, is the MIDFIELD either popping-up with many goals or making a direct pass which puts one of the strikers in on goal.

 

Yes, I know there's 'lies, damned lies and stats' and this is just one way of looking at things, but I'm just offering food for thought. I sometimes believe that Drinky and King are somewhat over-rated. When one studies some of the stats, you can make an argument that neither offer an awful lot to the side in terms of individually doing something that can make an immediate difference (like a goal scored from 25 yards or a defence-splitting pass that puts the striker in one-on-one). They both have their attributes, but not in either of these areas. I feel sorry for King, something I've said before, because I think if he was played further forward (supported by a third central midfielder playing deeper) he'd actually 'assist' and score lots more himself. I think the defensive duties Pearson places on him somewhat hamstrings his game.

What I'm trying to say (probably badly) is that I consider our central midfield to be pretty lightweight. IMO this places additional pressure on both the defence and the forwards to play consistently well. Finally, when we lose the control of the middle of the park, we find it difficult to get it back. Again, this places all the onus onto the defence (to keep goals out) and the forwards (to take them). We all know that when under pressure, a defender will slip and make a mistake or the striker will snatch at a chance.

 

Anyway, food for thought, I just thought I'd put it out there. Other views on this would be interesting.

 

 

[ImBlue]

Definately food for thought. Good post.

 

Think we need to keep King and Drinkwater in there together, they have a real understanding. I'm not sure hammond could make an assist if he played all day and night.

[pazzerfox]

essentially from a central midfield position were: Andy Reid (11), Grant Leadbitter (8), Will Buckley (8), George Boyd.

 

Reid and Buckley both play out wide more than in the middle though!

[StanSP]

Midfield isn't all about making goals. Obviously it's a good factor. But sometimes a midfielder's job is to break up play or provide key passes (their passes could have gone to the player who made the assist?). 

 

The comment about Drinkwater is a bit harsh in my opinion. Didn't he assist Lloyd's goal vs Millwall? And didn't he get a penalty earlier on in the season as well?

 

Drinkwater (the player everyone is saying is having a great season).... 0

 

He's having a great season because he can dictate play and command games in that middle area of the pitch. 

 

I get what you're saying and in the past 2 games they've been a bit absent. But assists aren't everything. For wingers, perhaps. But central midfielders don't always have to slip in a through-ball to be said to have a good game/season.

[LCFC FOX]

Winning a penalty counts as an assist, you my friend are wrong 

[Guest ttfn]

Some people (and quite rightly) say that I 'bang-on' about our central midfield. My feeling has consistently been that why we lose the games we do is because we lose control of the middle of the park and this puts pressure on the strikers to score and the defenders to shut-up shop. Our midfield also seems to be quite unproductive in other areas.

Let me put up some stats:

During the 2012/2013 season, our top 'assister' was Ben Marshall, with 8. Danny Drinkwater had a total of 4 assists, and 'fans favourite' Andy King (no sarcasm meant there) had only 3 assists for the entire season. Now this, to me, suggests a lot of pressure placed onto our strikers to actually make, and take, their own goals.

When you add to this goals scored (King 7... fair play, not a bad return) and Drinkwater, 1, it becomes immediately apparent City's central midfield is not prolific at either setting-up goals for the strikers or scoring many themselves.

The leading 'assisters' last season, essentially from a central midfield position were: Andy Reid (11), Grant Leadbitter (8), Will Buckley (8), George Boyd (8) to name but a few.

The leading midfield scorers from last season were: Johnny Jackson (12), Almen Abdi (12), George Boyd (10), Robert Koren (9), again, to name but a few.

This season, King has amassed 1 assist and Drinkwater (the player everyone is saying is having a great season).... 0. Not a single goal has come from the final ball being slipped through by Drinkwater.

When you compare this to: Craig Bryson (7), Andy Reid (6) and Grant Leadbitter (6) it again becomes immediately apparent that our central midfield (although 'quietly' getting on with it) are actually not setting-up many goals at all. Actually, very very few.

The same is true of goals scored from that area.

Our top 'assisters' this season are actually Lloyd Dyer (4) and the player getting lots of stick at present, Nugent, with 3.

I put it to you then that we are doing pretty bloody well this season actually because we have such a good defence and a pretty able strike force. If our defence looks shaky, we tend to lose games, and if our strikers don't take their chances, we also sometimes struggle. What is not happening, to support these two groups, is the MIDFIELD either popping-up with many goals or making a direct pass which puts one of the strikers in on goal.

Yes, I know there's 'lies, damned lies and stats' and this is just one way of looking at things, but I'm just offering food for thought. I sometimes believe that Drinky and King are somewhat over-rated. When one studies some of the stats, you can make an argument that neither offer an awful lot to the side in terms of individually doing something that can make an immediate difference (like a goal scored from 25 yards or a defence-splitting pass that puts the striker in one-on-one). They both have their attributes, but not in either of these areas. I feel sorry for King, something I've said before, because I think if he was played further forward (supported by a third central midfielder playing deeper) he'd actually 'assist' and score lots more himself. I think the defensive duties Pearson places on him somewhat hamstrings his game.

What I'm trying to say (probably badly) is that I consider our central midfield to be pretty lightweight. IMO this places additional pressure on both the defence and the forwards to play consistently well. Finally, when we lose the control of the middle of the park, we find it difficult to get it back. Again, this places all the onus onto the defence (to keep goals out) and the forwards (to take them). We all know that when under pressure, a defender will slip and make a mistake or the striker will snatch at a chance.

Anyway, food for thought, I just thought I'd put it out there. Other views on this would be interesting.

None of Buckley, Reid or Boyd play in central midfield (at least as we've seen those positions under Pearson).

[Happy Fox]

We are lacking a midfield general and have done for some time to really standout in this division someone like Yossi would do the trick.

[pazzerfox]

I think Drinkwater won a penalty at Blackpool, does that not count as an assist?  He also won one against Forest (although we missed it).

[pazzerfox]

We are lacking a midfield general and have done for some time to really standout in this division someone like Yossi would do the trick.

Yossi at his best would be perfect, King would score more goals with him in the side.

[Harry - LCFC]

You seem a bit obsessed by goals scored and assists, as if they are the only measures of how well a player does going forward.

 

Drinkwater might not have not played the final ball very often but that doesn't mean he hasn't played a key part in a particular goal. Would love to make a proper assessment of every goal we've scored this season and see how important the midfielders are.

[pazzerfox]

Did Drinky not set Dyer up against Millwall last week for our first?

[Happy Fox]

There is no creativity in the side when Knockaert doesn't play.

 

NP likes 2 box to box midfielders that works only when their is creativity in the flanks relying on Dyer to produce the goods, when he doesn't which is the case some games like Wendies and today we struggle, NP killed our creativity by not playing Knockaert who would have helped massively in that regard.

 

Ideally this issue would be non existent because a playmaker central midfielder should be in the team but we don't have one.

[Father Ted]

We need a Muzzy type player in midfield, somebody with some energy and a constant urge to get in to the box. Perhaps if we could nab Dorrans from West Brom he'd fit the bill. 

 

I worry that Hammond and King are too conservative and slow at times, an off form James too. We don't really have a real engine in there, a Gerrard or Izzet or Vieira type player. We have good centre midfielders at doing specific jobs but they have a hell of a lot of limitations. James is by far our best centre midfielder when firing on all cylinders too and when fully fit.

[deep blue]

Col, there's some truth in what you say but I don't think it's as simple as that.

 

First, we have had an amazing number of attempts on goal in this season, match after match.  Therefore chances aplenty are being created - the main reason why we're not scoring enough is that our strikers have not been clinical.

 

Second, the reason why we lose control in midfield is often because we have set up 4-4-2 rather than 4-3-3 (or 3--5-2) when playing a physical team that floods the midfield.  Also, as a team, we frequently don't start a game with the required energy levels.

[StanSP]

We need a Muzzy type player in midfield, somebody with some energy and a constant urge to get in to the box. Perhaps if we could nab Dorrans from West Brom he'd fit the bill. 

 

I worry that Hammond and King are too conservative and slow at times, an off form James too. We don't really have a real engine in there, a Gerrard or Izzet or Vieira type player. We have good centre midfielders at doing specific jobs but they have a hell of a lot of limitations. James is by far our best centre midfielder when firing on all cylinders too and when fully fit.

 

Exactly what King was - 09/10 season he was exactly that and it paid off so much for us. Seems like Pearson wants him as a more conservative midfielder and not get in to those attacking positions as much.

[AKCJ]

Behave.

 

Just because Drinkwater isn't the one to directly pass it to a goalscorer doesn't mean he isn't assisting.

 

Look at the second vs Ipswich. If he doesn't make that incredible through ball we don't score.

[Corky]

Stats certainly don't tell the whole story, Nugent's look very impressive and yet he's been possibly the most criticised player. Drinkwater's stats won't look that amazing but he does a vital job breaking up play, setting up attacks and making crucial passes that won't be direct assists. 

[Bert]

Bear it in mind Drinkwater has won us some penalties, but if he is driving us forward as he has done so many times this season and knocks the ball off for someone to cross it in for a goal scoring chance, is that not good enough?

Sometimes our fans expect too much, and think that our players are world beaters. Of course they could do things better on the pitch at times and we would all like to see them doing so as well.

[ImBlue]

We need a Muzzy type player in midfield, somebody with some energy and a constant urge to get in to the box. Perhaps if we could nab Dorrans from West Brom he'd fit the bill. 

 

I worry that Hammond and King are too conservative and slow at times, an off form James too. We don't really have a real engine in there, a Gerrard or Izzet or Vieira type player. We have good centre midfielders at doing specific jobs but they have a hell of a lot of limitations. James is by far our best centre midfielder when firing on all cylinders too and when fully fit.

 

HAHAHAHA!

 

Ermm. I disagree.

[kingfox]

Drinkwater isn't a goalscorer, assist wise I seem to record him getting a couple this season. He has had a terrific season so far, and that's coming from the guy who slagged him off week after week at the start of 2013. He has improved and got back into form, because he has intended to look forward, he's had much more urgency about him this season, passing well, closing down well, and playing key attacking passes, something which dramatically dried up in the second half of last season.

 

With King, this is a player who was scoring a lot of goals a couple of season's ago, so far this season he has only scored 2 or 3, last season he scored 7, season before that just 4. This was a player around 2008-2010 time who was getting in double figures season after season, he finished as our top goalscorer in the 2010/11 season. His goals used to contribute a lot to our team, but nowadays they have dried up dramatically, if he got back to playing like he did around 2010, ventured forward more, getting in better goalscoring positions and notching up about 10-15 goals a season, plus the goals Vardy and Nugent etc... have been scoring so far this season, then I believe automatic promotion would almost be a certain. 

 

Andy King could easily be our Johnnie Jackson/Almen Abdi, if played correctly. 

 

Then we come to Matty James, who in my opinion when on form is one of the best midfielders in the League.

 

We could do with a better creative midfielder, something which I've said in the past along with others, watching Derby earlier, I have to say they impressed me, Will Hughes is the type of player which could make a difference at our club, the balance, the quickness he has in his passing, and his willingness to try and be creative shone today for me, somebody like him with assists could be a vital part of our side. And before anybody says, I'm not saying go out and buy him because that will never ever happen, but that type of player could make a difference. 

[joeasis]

I agree we are lightweight in midfield, we need a player like the big lad who played for Brighton today.

I think Drinkwater is our best midfielder and for me was our best player today. Just because he isn't scoring masses of goals or has bags of assist it doesn't mean he hasn't been playing well, or does it? He's often the player that supplies the pass before the assist, I think today he could have just done with a player who had more of a physical presence to play along side him along with better movement from others around him.

Feel free to disagree

[steveherbe]

Did Drinky not set Dyer up against Millwall last week for our first?

Was going to say the same. Col city fan fooks up again!

[Guest Col city fan]

Was going to say the same. Col city fan fooks up again!

Is there any need for that when I took time to post what I think is an interesting isssue? Not really eh?

Ok, focus on the one assist from open play if you like. It doesn't radically alter the original point.

I wait in anticipation for your next enlightening contribution.

[Iwan is a Welshman]

Those saying Matty James is our best midfielder clearly weren't at Hillsborough on Tuesday.

That aside, good post though. It shows Lloyd's importance and what we need in Jan - a goal setter-upper.

[Crinklyfox]

Good post, our midfield was second best yesterday.  First half I thought only Lloyd was going to create anything, there was nothing coming from the right.  More creative options would be good.