Our Midfield

He is but I didn't think his recent form was anything more than a bit 'meh'.

If Hatate leaves as expected then we need a creative centre mid to come in, and then hopefully someone who can rotate in with McGregor.

Also hoping Engels can provide a bit more physicality as he develops.

 

Another game, particular 1st half that was crying out for a defensive midfielder.

Yet we don't have any in the squad.

Baffling that we seem to know better than every other club in the world.

 

Bernardo being injured and not available midweek or Easter Road has largely been unmentioned, probably because before his injury he wasn’t in his best form but him not being there as an option has been very apparent for me.

If it was Bernardo in the form he was earlier this season, we’d be screaming about him not being available. Even when he wasn’t at his best but think it shows his importance as part of the squad. He’s reliable, is really good tactically, Rodgers trusts him to do what he wants us to do on the pitch and seamlessly fit in without any disruption to our play. And that’s Bernardo when he plays within himself and overcautious. When he’s there and his tails up, then he’s unstoppable at times.

He wasn’t in that form, but the hole he’s left in the squad with the injury is extremely apparent

 

Defensive midfielders are a rarity these days. The top teams in particular I can’t think of one purely defensive midfielder.

This is something people in our support always bring up, and I never quite get what we want from it. I would go along with wanting a more physical option, with power and pace and commanding presence. But an old school type DM? That player would rarely actually be playing, some very specific times they would but generally a defensive safe passing etc option in the 6 with how we set up wouldn’t get a game. And a DM, with pace power that would be on the bench for those specific times and there as an option probably doesn’t exist, at least of the quality that we’d want when we say we need a DM.

Personally along the lines of that but not just a defensive midfielder that I would have wanted today was a guy we had to bring on to play elsewhere, because Taylor looking like he’s completely chucked it today. Schlupp’s the type I’d rather than an actual defensive midfielder, he’s got the physicality, tackling, defensive positioning and his tracking/marking is excellent but you can see in him why for a lot of his career he was a left winger, he’s excellent going forward.

That’s something I think we can do with. A midfielder who’s a tank, that can defend rather than a defensive midfielder. I think I might be describing what people think of when the dm convo is brought up, and might be me nitpicking but it’s vastly different things that, to me anyway.

 

Aye that's exactly the type I mean.

A strong physical presence who also has a bit of defensive savvy about him. McGregor’s failure to spot the gap left by Trusty or the amount of times he over commits when he's the last man in midfield or the amount of times guys run off the back of him are all due to him not being a natural in that position at least not in a defensive point of view.

Agree on Schlupp, would love to see him as part of a midfield 3, even if that was as one of the 8s bcoz would be good to see a bit of power and athleticism in there, plus we are short on numbers due to Bernardo injury but it looks unlikely due to fact he's going to have to play left back for the foreseeable bcoz wee huffy looks like his head has completely gone and can't be relied upon

 

Think if we ever do try him there, it’s to push McGregor into the 8 and let him off the leash.

I’ve zero desire to see Calmac come out of that 6 though in general

 

I don't think he'll come out of the 6. Last 2 managers have shown absolutely no desire to change his position. I think we need someone that can be rotated with him (he's not getting any younger) or can sit in beside him when necessary. Although Engels has done that well in Europe but for whatever reason Rodgers won't do that domestically. Outwith Huns game at parkhead, when it was Bernardo that dropped in to create double pivot and give us more control after 1st 10 mins. Been a couple of times this season when I thought he should of done similar, Huns game at Ibrox and 1st half yesterday being 2 examples of it.

I dunno if Schlupp has played much as a 6 as a single pivot. He's definitely played as an 8 tho and going forward I think that's the kind of profile we should be looking for in there if Hatate goes.

Hopefully Engels bulks up a bit too with natural development and then McGregor as a 6 would be better supported by 2 physical guys either side of him.

 

I don't think it's lack of physical strength or that wee need a midfield bruiser, it's a mental issue.

We need players willing and enjoy the physical battle, put a foot in, make tactical fouls, be more savvy and even a wee bit nasty when needed.

Today we shirk tackles, go in half hearted and can be very easily bullied.
All our current midfield players have this same weakness.

You don't need to be Wanyama - Kante, Busquets, Lambert, Valverde etc good examples.of players willing to do dirty side of the game but can play as well.

Like others, I really struggle that we don't recognise this obvious gap with managers taking the frankly, lazy Calmac at 6 option.

 

Just saying elsewhere but we only have 5 centre mids and play a gruelling schedule with 3 week to week..

That isn't enough for me and the drop off from our main guys to McCowan is quite big. Even Bernardo flatters to deceive often..

We need 6 centre mids ideally. I think Hatate will go this summer so really, 2 needed if quality to come in..

 

We need a Schlupp type in midfield. Sign one in the summer. It really can’t be that difficult.

 

Sadly having to bump the midfield discussion yet again after today.
It's a real problem, our weak physicality and fragile mentality and confidence.
Engels clearly not the answer as holding player.

Desperately need real leaders and players truly willing to compete against strong sides, not just against teams that play like us or sit in.

Surely a high quality, true #6 incoming in summer.

 

It's definitely an area we need to strengthen..

Be are too easily bullied in the middle of the park.. was so evident v Villa.. and lately v the Huns too.

 

Feel like we've been constantly losing the midfield battle against them in recent years.

Lost it at Ibrox last year and we've lost it the last 3 games, even in the games we've won we haven't dominated there, not since Ange's first season for me.

I think it's pretty obvious why, they play with 3 defensive minded midfielders in these games, we play with 3 offensive.

We need a bit of balance, a CDM or at least a physical CM would make a massive difference.

Rodgers, Lennon, Ange and even Deila all missed the fact a CDM would make a massive difference to us, I just don't get it.

 

It's a big problem that needs addressing with more than one quality mid coming in this summer..

The manager speaks about pace and power. That's exactly what we don't have enough of in there..

 

We've needed a Wanyama replacement since Wanyama left it's been bizarre to see it be such an obvious issue yet we never address it and the one time we did was Abildgaard on loan.

Every single midfielder we have is far too similar they all want to do the same thing we don't have an out and out 10 or an out and out sitter if we can go out and sign a holding mid and just let the rest fight it out for the 2 other spots.

 

Our midfield is shamefully imbalanced, and equally similar.

It's such a shame Callum has to do the job of sometimes 2 and 3 men.

 

I think we may see Rodgers revert to a double pivot especially next season when KT arrives..as he and AJ are overlapping fullbacks..but maybe when we go to Ibrox this season.

Schmeichel
Johnston CCV Trusty Schlupp
Engels McGregor
Kuhn Hatate Jota
Maeda
​

Make us a bit more solid..

We do absolutely need to sign a dynamic 6.. as Callum will start to decline, it's natural and think we're seeing it this season.. still, he is pivotal to the way play in the current system and both Engels and Bernardo have struggled trying to emulate him.

We will need a 10 too, especially if Hatate leaves.