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We Don't Need Big Hard Bastards In Midfield - Xabi Alonso


Pureblood
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I often see comments on the Transfer Window threads and match threads along the lines of needing some great big holding player or three and how our Nivea guys are too nice.  But with our collective pressing game and emphasis on hunting in packs, is this really necessary?  I would tend to agree with Xabi that tackling should be used as a last resort.  In short I guess what I am saying is there's not much wrong with our much-maligned midfield.

 

http://www.90min.com/posts/5019058-xabi-alonso-discusses-three-lingering-regrets-as-glittering-career-draws-to-a-close

 

"Tackling isn't a quality to aspire to," he explained.

 

"I don't refuse the tackle. I love a good tackle. But it's the last resort. It's much better to avoid the tackle. Try to anticipate. How many times does [sergio] Busquets tackle in his position? He's so ahead of the game, he doesn't need to."

 

 

 

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The irony is, if Alonso was playing defensive midfield for us now we'd be pulling our hair out at him strolling around the pitch as teams counter the hell out of us. As brilliant as he was, he needed Mascherano to sweep up for him. 

 

There isn't a team in the league that's really solid defensively, without that type of player. Chelsea have Matic and Kante, Spurs have Dier and Wanayama, City have Gundogan and Fernandinho. The only player we have that fits that mould is Lucas, and he's nowhere near good enough.

 

Arsenal are struggling this season because they haven't got that type of player either. Xhaka is a playmaker and Coquelin isn't good enough.

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I often see comments on the Transfer Window threads and match threads along the lines of needing some great big holding player or three and how our Nivea guys are too nice. But with our collective pressing game and emphasis on hunting in packs, is this really necessary? I would tend to agree with Xabi that tackling should be used as a last resort. In short I guess what I am saying is there's not much wrong with our much-maligned midfield.

 

http://www.90min.com/posts/5019058-xabi-alonso-discusses-three-lingering-regrets-as-glittering-career-draws-to-a-close

"Tackling isn't a quality to aspire to," he explained.

"I don't refuse the tackle. I love a good tackle. But it's the last resort. It's much better to avoid the tackle. Try to anticipate. How many times does [sergio] Busquets tackle in his position? He's so ahead of the game, he doesn't need to."

Except Busquets has made more tackles per game than Wanyama this season.

 

Otherwise, I agree with his general point. I would kill for a young Didi Hamann to just sit there in front of our back four, bossing it.

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The irony is, if Alonso was playing defensive midfield for us now we'd be pulling our hair out at him strolling around the pitch as teams counter the hell out of us. As brilliant as he was, he needed Mascherano to sweep up for him. 

 

There isn't a team in the league that's really solid defensively, without that type of player. Chelsea have Matic and Kante, Spurs have Dier and Wanayama, City have Gundogan and Fernandinho. The only player we have that fits that mould is Lucas, and he's nowhere near good enough.

 

Arsenal are struggling this season because they haven't got that type of player either. Xhaka is a playmaker and Coquelin isn't good enough.

 

If Gundogan is one then it's more than reasonable to say Xhaka is.

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Love Xabi and would probably let him bum me if he really wanted to. But he's taking shit here. We need some hard cunt in midefield at least to the level Stevie was or Masch.

 

Presumably he's talking about the kind of limited defence first, kick anything that moves type of defensive midfielder that has largely been replaced with the more cultured all round midfielders.

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Isn't this old news?  We need good midfielders who can defend properly.  Hamann was a great example of a defender who wasn't wrestling opponents to the ground all of the time.  What he did have was fantastic spatial awareness, and was a great reader of the game.  He would position himself to be as disruptive as possible to the opponents' play.  

 

Henderson and Can couldn't read a game between them.  Actually to be fair to him, Lucas has improved a lot in this respect in the last 12 months, but he can't be taken seriously as an option for a team looking to improve net year.  We need better.  It's no good having lots of possession if the minute we lose the ball the opponents slice through us easily to get at our defence. 

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The irony is, if Alonso was playing defensive midfield for us now we'd be pulling our hair out at him strolling around the pitch as teams counter the hell out of us. As brilliant as he was, he needed Mascherano to sweep up for him. 

 

There isn't a team in the league that's really solid defensively, without that type of player. Chelsea have Matic and Kante, Spurs have Dier and Wanayama, City have Gundogan and Fernandinho. The only player we have that fits that mould is Lucas, and he's nowhere near good enough.

 

Arsenal are struggling this season because they haven't got that type of player either. Xhaka is a playmaker and Coquelin isn't good enough.

 

Matic, Kante, Dier and Wanyama don't go to ground very often.  They read the game and distribute the ball to better players. 

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Dont really agree as Alonso was at his best when partnered by Didi or Mascherano

Yep.

 

Chelsea bought a ballwinner and won the league. Wenger bought two ball winners and won the double. They're indispensable unless you're Barcelona and have yet three best attacking mids in the world and play in a league where everyone is content to let you do what you want because to not do so is somehow anti football.

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That is a last resort tackle. The mistake has already been made by allowing too much space on the wing. In an alternative universe the attacking player anticipates that sliding tackle and makes Nesta look like a chump.

Is a last resort tackle to cover for someone else's mistake good or bad?

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He also said Carrick has been best England's best midfielder for over 10 years and never gets picked for England.

 

How many would agree with that?

 

 

In his position he arguably was/is. Different sort of CM to Gerrard/Lampard. 

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