Our other 3 central midfielders

[ono]

What do they do? Yaya takes all the stick (sometimes deserved, sometimes harsh) but what do the other 3 (the 2 ferns and delph) do?

None of them are particularly effective offensive players, which is fine because they're there to do a different job, which I assume is to allow Yaya to try and control the game and advance forward without worrying about tracking back as often.

Granted, Yaya isn't doing his job as well as he used to do, but are the other 3 central midfielders doing theirs? Teams play through us with exceptional ease, despite both Delph/Fernando and Fernandinho playing slightly deeper in the midfield.

We often talk about how we don't defend as a team and how our centre backs are isolated and how it is the midfield who don't track runners or cut off space, yet the only player who seems to get criticised for it is our most attacking central player.

Furthermore, without Yaya, we are don't have a central player who will take responsibility of controlling the play. It just means Silva drops deeper but withdraws himself from Aguero. Surely at an average cost of £20m, one of the other 3 should have the personality to try and possessionally control the game?

So why do the other 3 get a free pass? Are they performing? Or are they being asked to do too much? Do they contribute enough with the ball? Personally, for me they're neither here nor there. They're not operating efficiently offensively or defensively. What's everyone else's thoughts on them?

 

[ped]

What do they do? Yaya takes all the stick (sometimes deserved, sometimes harsh) but what do the other 3 (the 2 ferns and delph) do?

None of them are particularly effective offensive players, which is fine because they're there to do a different job, which I assume is to allow Yaya to try and control the game and advance forward without worrying about tracking back as often.

Granted, Yaya isn't doing his job as well as he used to do, but are the other 3 central midfielders doing theirs? Teams play through us with exceptional ease, despite both Delph/Fernando and Fernandinho playing slightly deeper in the midfield.

We often talk about how we don't defend as a team and how our centre backs are isolated and how it is the midfield who don't track runners or cut off space, yet the only player who seems to get criticised for it is our most attacking central player.

Furthermore, without Yaya, we are don't have a central player who will take responsibility of controlling the play. It just means Silva drops deeper but withdraws himself from Aguero. Surely at an average cost of £20m, one of the other 3 should have the personality to try and possessionally control the game?

So why do the other 3 get a free pass? Are they performing? Or are they being asked to do too much? Do they contribute enough with the ball? Personally, for me they're neither here nor there. They're not operating efficiently offensively or defensively. What's everyone else's thoughts on them?

been saying it for ages,our engine is fucked

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Our midfield is poor. It's needs a total overhaul

 

[toffee balls]

It's a rebuild job.

We all new it was coming and voila , it is upon us.

Midfielders transplant please.

 

[paulchapo]

Great post we are seriously lightweight,outfought and out run in midfield.One De Jong offered more protection than the whole lot lumped together.Did anyone see Ya Ya having a heated discussion with Delph I think it was the first half? I am not sure if he wasn't doing the job asked but he was hooked not too long after.

 

[Gundogan's Moustache]

I'm not having anyone say Fernandinho is poor and doesn't offer anything he's been one of our most consistent players since he's been here.

Fernando is poor

Delph is an average squad player

 

[Quad]

Think he is playing Delph out of position on the wing

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I have never seen a back four and defensive mid arrangement so over-run on such a regular basis including some of our darkest days WWWS! From my eyrie in CBL3 the number of times we were rapidly backtracking and outnumbered today was shocking.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Great post we are seriously lightweight,outfought and out run in midfield.One De Jong offered more protection than the whole lot lumped together.Did anyone see Ya Ya having a heated discussion with Delph I think it was the first half? I am not sure if he wasn't doing the job asked but he was hooked not too long after.

Delph has been hailed as some sort of messiah on here but I am yet to see a player that will turn into a Gerrard or Lampard and that is the level of quality that is a minimum to be successful in Europe. Fernando is limited and Fernandinho whilst being the best this season is also aging.

 

[paulchapo]

I have never seen a back four and defensive mid arrangement so over-run on such a regular basis including some of our darkest days WWWS! From my eyrie in CBL3 the number of times we were rapidly backtracking and outnumbered today was shocking.

Spot on I posted in the pre match thread it was like going back pre takeover watching the shambles we are in midfield and at the back lately.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I'm not having anyone say Fernandinho is poor and doesn't offer anything he's been one of our most consistent players since he's been here.

Fernando is poor

Delph is an average squad player

It's a wonder the lad's any bollox left after this season - he's run 'em off time and time again, match after match!

 

[ninjamonkey]

Anybody that questions what Fernandinho does clearly hasn't watched us since he signed. Best midfielder in the country this season. Fernando is a specialist player, he protects the back four and covers Otamendi's glaring deficiencies quite well, you only need to look at our defensive record when he plays to see the impact he has. Delph is a lesser Fernandinho and a very capable squad player. What you need to remember is the entire midfield under Pellegrini has been tailored to suit Yaya. We sacrifice the full potential of 1 sometimes 2 players so that we can get the most out of Yaya. so when he doesn't perform the whole midfield doesn't perform.

When Pep comes, and Yaya is removed from this team it will be completely different. We'll see a much more rounded Fernandinho. Delph will be an able backup. Fernando might not be kept as Pep seems to like his defensive midfielder to be somebody that's a little more adaptable and capable of covering other positions which is why i think there's a good chance we'll see either Zab or Otamendi in that position next season. I can't see wide spread changes to the midfield, as well as converting one of those to a holding midfielder i think we'll likely see at least one of KDB and Silva in a much more central role too and then we'll replace Yaya with hopefully somebody like Pogba.

 

[City_Sean]

Think it was @Damocles I was talking to regarding this, our midfield options are awful in comparison to other sides.

 

[ono]

I'm not having anyone say Fernandinho is poor and doesn't offer anything he's been one of our most consistent players since he's been here.

Fernando is poor

Delph is an average squad player

Dinho is our best midfielder, but most of his qualities are related to his engine and tenacity. He's good at everything, but he's not excellent at anything when we have the ball. I'm just noticing him less and less in games, but I suppose that could be said of a lot of players.

 

[BigOscar]

I'd much rather play the other three than Yaya, any day of the week. They may not have his highlight reel, but they can be relied upon to do the work and would make us solid, giving us a base for the 3 ahead of them to win us games. Any team with Yaya in it is far too easy to play against

 

[ono]

Anybody that questions what Fernandinho does clearly hasn't watched us since he signed. Best midfielder in the country this season. Fernando is a specialist player, he protects the back four and covers Otamendi's glaring deficiencies quite well, you only need to look at our defensive record when he plays to see the impact he has. Delph is a lesser Fernandinho and a very capable squad player. What you need to remember is the entire midfield under Pellegrini has been tailored to suit Yaya. We sacrifice the full potential of 1 sometimes 2 players so that we can get the most out of Yaya. so when he doesn't perform the whole midfield doesn't perform.

When Pep comes, and Yaya is removed from this team it will be completely different. We'll see a much more rounded Fernandinho. Delph will be an able backup. Fernando might not be kept as Pep seems to like his defensive midfielder to be somebody that's a little more adaptable and capable of covering other positions which is why i think there's a good chance we'll see either Zab or Otamendi in that position next season. I can't see wide spread changes to the midfield, as well as converting one of those to a holding midfielder i think we'll likely see at least one of KDB and Silva in a much more central role too and then we'll replace Yaya with hopefully somebody like Pogba.

But he doesn't protect the back four, because there's been several games where we could have shipped 5 or 6 this season.

 

[Armaan]

Fernandinho looks fucked to me, not suprised he does an awful lot of running for a 30 year old. Think we need 3 new CM's, only Dinhos worth keeping.

 

[ninjamonkey]

But he doesn't protect the back four, because there's been several games where we could have shipped 5 or 6 this season.

Who doesn't? Fernando? He hasn't played in the the majority of the games we've been spanked.

Fernandinho looks fucked to me, not suprised he does an awful lot of running for a 30 year old. Think we need 3 new CM's, only Dinhos worth keeping.

Who are we going to get in that's better than Delph, willing to accept a squad role and also homegrown?

As for Fernando, it's questionable whether he'll remain with us or not as we don't know if pep wants a specialist DM or whether he wants somebody he can convert into it when needed. If however he does want one and he doesn't fancy Fernando, again, who's available that's better and would be willing to come knowing full well his game time will be very limited?

 

[shevtheblue]

If you watch the analysis of the sevilla game where these three midfielders moved as a unit and didn't over commit, you will see what's missing. Everyone thought that was the lightning bolt that would finally show MP the error of his ways in big games but its much the same. Even when he plays a three like today, he sets them out to play completely differently which leads you to think it was either an accident against Sevilla or he doesn't like it. Fucking annoying because I think we would batter a lot of teams like that.

 

[Armaan]

Who doesn't? Fernando? He hasn't played in the the majority of the games we've been spanked.



Who are we going to get in that's better than Delph, willing to accept a squad role and also homegrown?

As for Fernando, it's questionable whether he'll remain with us or not as we don't know if pep wants a specialist DM or whether he wants somebody he can convert into it when needed. If however he does want one and he doesn't fancy Fernando, again, who's available that's better and would be willing to come knowing full well his game time will be very limited?

We should try and get Kante as a Nando replacement. As for Delph I agree we'll probably have to keep him.