Defensive Midfielder

Everyone goes on and on about us buying one but what is it? Doesn't every midfielder have a defensive role? Is it someone who doesn't get forwards?

Looking back we had Nobby who played an anchor role and sometimes we had a defender in a midfield role eg Greenhoff or Pip or even Ooh Ah but who else fits this surely not Keane/Ince/Robson. Maybe Remi was less attacking minded

I'd like all my midfielders to be able to pass tackle and run forwards and track back.

Think it's modern made up %@#$&!s tbh like a false 9. If one centre midfielder goes forwards the other drops back.

Well, we currently don’t have any that can run, pass, get forward or get back, so I’ll take anything at this point.

Originally Posted by dunk

Well, we currently don’t have any that can run, pass, get forward or get back, so I’ll take anything at this point.

A 1990 Vauxhall Cavalier could do all that

Originally Posted by redhegemony

A 1990 Vauxhall Cavalier could do all that

Sign him up.

Originally Posted by redhegemony

I'd like all my midfielders to be able to pass tackle and run forwards and track back.

I'd like all my players to be able to do that.

every player and every midfield is a blend of different attributes, but... if you can't tell the difference between kante and bruno...

we're lucky to have seen robson, ince and keane.

I think it is less about a midfielder being a 'destroyer', as others have said they should all be able to tackle and break up attacks. It is the pursuit of De Jong, we desperately need a midfielder capable of taking the ball from defence and linking to the attack. Score more goals than the other £#%&!ers and you win the game

Keane evolved into more of a holding midfielder as he got older tbf and Carrick was a different type of holding midfielder.

That’s the type we need imo, someone that sits infront of the back four and that can dictate the game.

No clue if that’s De Jong?

A big part of defending is not constantly giving the ball back the opponent. You know, like they all do now.

Originally Posted by jem

I'd like all my players to be able to do that.

every player and every midfield is a blend of different attributes, but... if you can't tell the difference between kante and bruno...

we're lucky to have seen robson, ince and keane.

Bruno is really a No 10. Was Carrick a defensive midfielder?

Originally Posted by redhegemony

Bruno is really a No 10. Was Carrick a defensive midfielder?

Carrick is a good example. He ‘operated from deep’, but wasn’t a destroyer. Read the game brilliantly (always excellent at covering the space between centre half an full back) and had a wonderful range of passing. Hopefully something de Jong can bring.

So we want someone who can read the game and pass? Isn't that a basic skill set?

Maybe actually what we are talking about is a good midfielder?

Originally Posted by redhegemony

Everyone goes on and on about us buying one but what is it? Doesn't every midfielder have a defensive role? Is it someone who doesn't get forwards?

Looking back we had Nobby who played an anchor role and sometimes we had a defender in a midfield role eg Greenhoff or Pip or even Ooh Ah but who else fits this surely not Keane/Ince/Robson. Maybe Remi was less attacking minded

I'd like all my midfielders to be able to pass tackle and run forwards and track back.

Think it's modern made up %@#$&!s tbh like a false 9. If one centre midfielder goes forwards the other drops back.

You go back to when everyone pretty much played 4-4-2. Having two in the middle of the park meant a midfielder needed to do both sides of the game.

Playing 3 in the middle means there is scope for specialising in particular parts of midfield play. It’s just evolution of tactics. Same reason why you now have wingers scoring ridiculous numbers of goals, 3 in midfield means they’re less relied upon to track back and defend. Plus modern fullback roles mean that the wingers naturally drift more central than the old days of hugging the touch line.

Christ, I feel like I’ve just regained my virginity

Originally Posted by redhegemony

Bruno is really a No 10. Was Carrick a defensive midfielder?

more of a regista.

Originally Posted by jem

more of a regista.

Ronaldo is a cash regista.

Originally Posted by redhegemony

Ronaldo is a cash regista.

Originally Posted by redhegemony

Bruno is really a No 10. Was Carrick a defensive midfielder?

I seem to remember him being labelled a coward after Bayern Munich in 2009, so no, not really.

Thing was though, we were quite good back then so our defence were able to cope with attacks, and our attacks, which he helped quite a bit, were pretty good too.

I'd love one of those defensive midfielders that city and liverpool have - that make about 10 bookable fouls a game but never get booked.

The role started by Sergio Busquets and continued with Fernandinho and Fabinho.

Defensive midfielder is actually an outdated and incorrect term for the deepest midfielder in a top team

The most important role for the deepest midfielder is his ability to receive the ball from the defence and initiate the attacking play

Sure it’s important they are positionally aware and disciplined from a defensive perspective but bringing control over the game is more important

De Jong is a perfect number 6 for an ETH team

Originally Posted by ZiggyStardust

Defensive midfielder is actually an outdated and incorrect term for the deepest midfielder in a top team

The most important role for the deepest midfielder is his ability to receive the ball from the defence and initiate the attacking play

Sure it’s important they are positionally aware and disciplined from a defensive perspective but bringing control over the game is more important

De Jong is a perfect number 6 for an ETH team

Agree completely. Someone who has a full range of passing but can also bring the ball out. Especially in a team that has a lot of the ball.

Originally Posted by redhegemony

Agree completely. Someone who has a full range of passing but can also bring the ball out. Especially in a team that has a lot of the ball.

Imagine that. A player who can receive the ball from defenders and play it forward.

I mean it's only been what, 4 years since carrick retired? No rush United.