What Did We Think Of Our Midfield Today? A Lot Going On?

The Fat el Hombre said:
What did people make of our midfield today? Seemed like there was a lot going on (in a good way)?

Cherki seemed to be coming into the centre a lot from the right making a box with Nico G, Bernie and Phil. Generally Bernie and Nico G were behind Phil and Cherki as you'd expect but there seemed to be a lot of interchanging going on, with both Phil and Cherki dropping deep at times and sometimes Bernie and Nico G going further forward with one of Phil or Cherki behind (alongside Bernie or Nico G).

We were incisive through the middle with with some ballsy passes played to great effect as we saw with the goals and Phil and Cherki comfortable taking the ball in tight spaces. It felt there was some real advanced stuff going on in that midfield today - really fluid and some real quality with one touch stuff and even good picking up second balls and layoffs, but with players consistently in the right positions at the right times (and a lot of the credit for that goes to that exceptional first half from Nico G).

Cherki needs to start now he's all but up to speed, he's a killer. I was wondering how Pep would fit him and Phil in but today it worked a treat and we could be seeing the early signs of something very promising with those two, with some handy link up play and them getting close to each other often. We're not gonna miss Kev so much with Cherki playing some of the passes he did today. Looks like he can play Erling in for fun. We've got to be getting those balls in behind the creaking van Dijk for Erling to get at next week.

We're suddenly looking stacked in midfield with Bernie playing effectively, Nico G consistently doing a good job, Rodri coming back, Foden having a good season and Cherki making his mark. Last years Seria A midfielder of the year Reijnders on the bench today and a pkayer of Kovacic's quality seemingly not having much chance of a look in right now, and Pep looks to be having fun with it all. Nico OR also available to play there but smashing it at full back so don't see any need for him to move unless the situation changes (dramatically).

Curious as to what other people made of the midfield today? It looked good.
Click to expand...
I think Cherki was looking good and his link up with Haaland was nothing shorting of fantastic. The best way to describe it is a 90s link up between the 9 and 10. I have been a massive critique of Nunes over the last couple of years but thought he was fundamental to the game. The rest of the midfield generally played utility roles (which is what we need). The thing that I enjoyed the most was Bernardo getting fired up; The team looked angry and were going to win no matter what. We need that siege mentality back. My only worry is consistency as that was without doubt our best performance of the season, but we now need to destroy bin dippers on Sunday.

Side note - I am not sure how you stop Haaland in his current form.
 
SamTheGuru said:
You forget his first season where Pep kept taking him off the pitch before he scored more? Worked out pretty well in the end.
Click to expand...
It certainly did - but no, I haven't forgotten it.

Still don't understand the point of taking him off with the chance of being the first to score 6 in a UCL match. Strikers scoring goals usually say that they don't feel tired.

But then (but talking about that match now), I can't accept that's taking any player off after 80 minutes (unless it's to allow an ovation after a match-winning performance) constitutes any sort of rest at all.
 
noseve said:
It certainly did - but no, I haven't forgotten it.

Still don't understand the point of taking him off with the chance of being the first to score 6 in a UCL match. Strikers scoring goals usually say that they don't feel tired.

But then (but talking about that match now), I can't accept that's taking any player off after 80 minutes (unless it's to allow an ovation after a match-winning performance) constitutes any sort of rest at all.
Click to expand...
So Haaland is clearly getting his thirst to start rolling hat tricks again. There is no doubt in anyone's mind his third goal was coming against Bournemouth. Who have we got on Wednesday?
 
The Fat el Hombre said:
I thought Micah would have been on MOTD and that was honestly partly why I did this thread - I knew there would be better insight from people on here!

But yea Carrick was a much better watch and he made a big point of Doku being very central (they've just shown Doku's heat map on SSN now and it's night and day compared to his previous heat maps where he's been wider), but also how fluid and interchangeable the midfield was. Was good stuff.

Doku's heat map:

View attachment 173864

I'm not totally convinced by him playing more central myself - I think he made a few bad decisions yesterday either carrying or holding onto the ball when he should have released it earlier. Definitely one of his better games of late though
Click to expand...
Pep played him there in a game earlier on this season and he caused chaos. Certainly a good option for certain games.

Bizarrely, it’s what Pep should’ve done with Grealish but it just never materialised.
 
noseve said:
It certainly did - but no, I haven't forgotten it.

Still don't understand the point of taking him off with the chance of being the first to score 6 in a UCL match. Strikers scoring goals usually say that they don't feel tired.

But then (but talking about that match now), I can't accept that's taking any player off after 80 minutes (unless it's to allow an ovation after a match-winning performance) constitutes any sort of rest at all.
Click to expand...
I think a player may be more likely to pick up an injury when tired or late in the game
 
Didsbury Dave said:
I’ve just posted a (very brief) version of this in the Pep thread. This was a new formation today with the two full backs providing the width to enable the midfielders to operate in that way. It meant most things came down the middle with Cherki and Foden playing very close to Haaland. Doku roamed everywhere. Bernado sat deep.

We’ve also been using the Stones as a hybrid midfielder/centre back formation when he’s available which we haven’t really used since the treble season.

I’m really positive about both. Much better than us ending every move with the winger one on one with two defenders in a non dangerous area which was happening too often with our more classic 433.
Click to expand...
And with those 2 fullbacks, Pep's basically playing close to his dream of all midfielders except Haaland, Donna and the two (or arguably with Stones moving into the midfield, one) CB.

It's taking shape guys, it's taking shape...
 
citymad said:
I think anyone with an ounce of football knowledge knows this and understands why he was taken off. Erl will completely understand.
Click to expand...
And there's the predictable confrontational response, because somebody disagrees with you.

I haven't checked this, but from memory (although obviously I don't have an ounce of football knowledge) how many times were Ronaldo and Messi subbed after 80 minutes? How many times were either of them injured, late in a match?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top