Play two defensive midfielders.

Originally Posted by Dasilvatwins

If we are going down the road of players playing in positions they aren’t actually good enough to play we would barely be able to put out a starting XI

Saying that Amrabat and Mainoo as 6s is a good shout. The Scottish Player has been in form but he doesn’t add much to controlling a game.

not that they weren't good enough (they weren't and... in the case of The Scottish Player... aren't), but rather that neither is a dm.

Originally Posted by VanHaaksbergen

Maybe against 4 or 5 teams in the division. For the other 14/15? Certainly not. This side has enough problems typically scoring against most teams played as it is. The defensive aspect of this team has no issue against majority of sides (hence DDG & now Onana both leading division in terms of number of clean sheets).

this is just bullshit. if you think that cass, mainoo and amrabat just offer defensive solidity, you don't understand football. our attack needs cohesion, vision and dynamism as much as our defence. a proper midfield allows control with the ball, too. rather than £#%&!ing it at some lightweight £#%&!wit who will lose it at the first opportunity or try to run through solid matter.

Originally Posted by jem

this is just bullshit. if you think that cass, mainoo and amrabat just offer defensive solidity, you don't understand football. our attack needs cohesion, vision and dynamism as much as our defence. a proper midfield allows control with the ball, too. rather than £#%&!ing it at some lightweight £#%&!wit who will lose it at the first opportunity or try to run through solid matter.

I mean you can call it bullshit. I call it a fact.

22 clean sheets in c. 50 league games. The most in the division.

Ederson, for context, has 15 in the same timeframe.

You can argue. You can squeal. The fact is indisputable.

This team has kept 20 clean sheets in c. 40 fixtures not involving the teams in the five places around us this season / last season. Better ratio than every other game.

Of the c. 20 games where we did concede, we only conceded 2 or more goals on four occasions.

This team statistically has absolutely no problem defending against 3/4s of the division. It would be extremely worrying if it did, given how few goals this team scores regardless of the strength of opposition.

The problem is this team gets absolutely obliterated defensively on an unprecedented basis against the immediate peers. He needs to fix the defensive structure for those games.

Against the rest the attack, not the defence, has been woeful.

I've been wracking my. brain as to what this team reminds me of now. It's England under Roy Hodgson.

so, you don't understand football. fine.

Right, so Bayern and Liverpool - HAS to be Mainoo+Amrabat don't they? Two teams that, if they get the gaps and chances Chelsea had, will cricket score us. It doesn't matter if Bayern are through or not or that Bruno is out at Anfield anyway, we have to start being solid.

Vs Bayern:

Onana
£#%&!ing Dalot/AWB
Maguire
Linda
Shaw

Mainoo
Amrabat
Bruno

Garnacho
Razzers
Antony

Vermin (christ):

Onana
£#%&!ing Dalot/AWB
Maguire
Linda
Shaw

Mainoo
Amrabat
The Scottish Player

Garnacho
Razzers
Antony

Scenes on here when he starts Mainoo but drops Amrabat.

Originally Posted by magic_cantona

Right, so Bayern and Liverpool - HAS to be Mainoo+Amrabat don't they?

not sure any cares about picking a strong team against bayern, the forum overwhelmingly wants us to lose
rashford + onana should be enough for that
https://www.utdforum.com/forum/poll....ts&pollid=2450

prefer:

bayindir (just to see)

wan b - maguire - shaw - reguilon

dalot - mainoo - amrabat

pellistri - rasmus - garnacho

have to say, though, looking at that team and the options (martial, antony, The Scottish Player, lindelof, er... donnie), I'm starting to feel sorry for 10h.

edit: forgot rashford. lol.

Originally Posted by NedKelly

Scenes on here when he starts Mainoo but drops Amrabat.

suddenly stopped feeling sorry for him.

Not up to speed on injuries but I’d plump for - against Dippers so no Bruno no no no.

Onana

Juan Biscuit
Harry M
Linda Loff
Shaw, so Shaw

Mainooo
Armbar

Antony
The Scottish Player
Garnacho

Birtles

I don't think it matters how many midfielders you play if they don't approach the game with a bit of positional discipline. Ours tend to charge all round the park and leave enormous gaps everywhere.

If we go to anfield on sunday and attempt to high press liverpool we'll get absolutely ruined.

Originally Posted by magic_cantona

Right, so Bayern and Liverpool - HAS to be Mainoo+Amrabat don't they? Two teams that, if they get the gaps and chances Chelsea had, will cricket score us. It doesn't matter if Bayern are through or not or that Bruno is out at Anfield anyway, we have to start being solid.

Vs Bayern:

Onana
£#%&!ing Dalot/AWB
Maguire
Linda
Shaw

Mainoo
Amrabat
Bruno

Garnacho
Razzers
Antony

Vermin (christ):

Onana
£#%&!ing Dalot/AWB
Maguire
Linda
Shaw

Mainoo
Amrabat
The Scottish Player

Garnacho
Razzers
Antony

Originally Posted by Tuco

Hojlund and The Scottish Player?

Who else are you putting in at Anfield?

There was a section in ‘Inverting the Pyramid’ which discussed 2 defensive midfielders being rejected by modern coaching theory.

Can’t remember why, might have been something to do with pivots?

Originally Posted by tatty

There was a section in ‘Inverting the Pyramid’ which discussed 2 defensive midfielders being rejected by modern coaching theory.

Can’t remember why, might have been something to do with pivots?

the concept of defensive midfielders is a bit redundant. midfielders should be able to cover a lot of ground, tackle/intercept/win the ball in the air and then use the possession. ideally, they should contribute more in attack than simply shifting it to the nearest creative player - carry it forward, play through balls or cross and shoot sensibly.

is casemiro just a defensive midfielder? is he £#%&!.

what you can't have, whatever modern £#%&!ing coaching theory says, is a couple of headless chickens running all over the shop up front (am) and doing £#%&! all to help out the one sap who is burdened with having a little discipline and cover the whole of the midfield. it's also a bonus to have something more behind the press, when it so easily bypassed, or, on the joyous occasion that we actually have possession, the attackers before they casually give the ball away and we get caught.

you can stick your inverted pyramid of piffle where the sun don't shine.

Originally Posted by magic_cantona

Hojlund and The Scottish Player?

Who else are you putting in at Anfield?

Mainoo or Hannibal for the midfield, rasmus up top.

Originally Posted by Tuco

Mainoo or Hannibal for the midfield, rasmus up top.

Rasmus is Razzers.

Originally Posted by jem

you can stick your inverted pyramid of piffle where the sun don't shine.

Alright Pep, turn it in.

Originally Posted by Finport Red

Rasmus is Razzers.

This

Originally Posted by My Name is Heath

Need Lindelof in the midfield

Been saying it for years

I must admit I had never even considered that & whilst I have never been a fan of defensive performances, I actuely think you could be on to something there

Originally Posted by Gordon Hill

I must admit I had never even considered that & whilst I have never been a fan of defensive performances, I actuely think you could be on to something there

It’s about time someone said it….

Gordon Hill.

Great player.

Great username

Great poster

You’re right. Him playing as a CDM combs over his metaphorical bald patch as a defender and allows his passing, tenacity, Swedishness and all round ikeability to come to the forefront.

Like a pissed up prison warden who doesn’t care anymore, he is great at releasing people and can really do a job for us there.

His volvomungessness means a place has to be found for him.

dalot, shaw and reguilon are more obvious candidates for midfield. lindelof would be lost.