the hole in midfield

[Rook]

I've said Bullard prob isn't good enough to get into our starting 11 however I love the guy and I'd be happy to be wrong. Plus even if he cant we need a person who can step in a be a threat on free kicks/corners. He just scored again. I wouldn't have a prob picking up both him and Dempsey in the Fulham we're going down!! blue light special.

I can't see City getting rid of Michael Johnson.

Its rumored that Alosno hates Benetiez and is getting sold next year. I'm not sure, it might be good to pick him up cause of the Arteta connection but I wouldn't splash big money on him. He gets injured too much.

 

[kenada_blue]

Big rant time.

I agree with the points made about the hole in the centre of midfield. It wasnt just the Florentina game its been noticable, it been all season and especially when Cars and Nev play together. The best example were the two Chelsea games in the cup - we were torn apart in the middle of the park. Cars and Nev go for the same balls, get pulled out of position and sit back a lot - and having Nev coming steaming for loose balls to crack at goal is that last person you want, carsley would hit the target 4 out 10 times. If Moyes is going to play a defensive Mid its one or the other not both unless you want to sit back and defend IMO.

Nev is a better right back than Hibbo IMO. There's not much between them but Nev has more experience and works well backing up Arteta down the wing.

Yes, Osman is light but Carsley does all the heavy work giving Osman the time to hold, move and make the passes - he's been doing it the majority of the season and become a england international candidate for it. He's lightweight on the right wing, like Pienaar but Pienaar make up with great vision and brings players in with him. And I'd rather have Osman smashing those loose balls outside the box than Cars or Nev.

I do think Cahill can do a good job in centre mid in a 4-4-2. He likes to get forward more and doesnt have the midfield vision for passing and bringing people in - but he has more techinical ability than Cars and Nev. With one of then behind him I think he'd be fine. The reason I see why he wasnt great the other night is mainly down to the fact he had to battle in the midfield and get up to help out Yak, which was impossible.

Fernandes is up in the air but I believe a player doenst turn [Poor language removed] overnight. It looks like he hasnt settled anywhere since the start of the season, had a couple of off the park incidents, and not getting many games to get sharp. Wouldnt write him off but he needs to play more centrally and further up the park.

And yes, I would like to see what Arteta would be like in the central role. He can hold the ball, has great vision, and can bring players in. I'd also like to see a 4-4-2 with AJ and Yak up front against Sunderland to see what they can do. But I'll just leave that when I'm playing Footy Manager - just won the league with the Toffees ya know hehe

 

[chicoazul]

Good post that Suits. That position and Right Back needs money spunking on it in the summer.

 

[Neiler]

Gonzalaz at Porto is quality!

 

[Namdrater]

So is Juan Roman Riquelme!

 

[Jamo Martinez]

Ok. Lucho Gonzalez would be great but not likely. I adore Riquelme, but apart from being unlikely, I honestly don't think he'd work out in this team. There are more realistic targets who could complete the puzzle however.

RB. I mentioned him last week, but I'd love to see us go in for Zabaleta, Español's Argentinian right back. Solid at the back like Hibbo, but good going forward like Baines. Max. 5 million probably 3.5/4.
Diogo. Uruguayan full back at troubled Zaragoza. Not been as good this seaeson as last when, for me, he would have been in an ideal 'Liga' 11.
better going forward than defending, but a fantastic work rate and very Athletic. Good distribution. reminds me a bit of Stevens. 4-6 million, maybe less if Zaragoza go down.

MF. I've seen us linked with Kallstrom, the Swedish lad at Lyon. But I haven't seen much of him and I think Lyon would ask a fair bit.
Methusalem, one of the few bright notes for Zaragoza this season. Lot of class, great first touch, short and long passes. Maybe a bit light weight but parsonally I'd love to see him in a blue shirt. 8-10 million probably.
Ruben De La Red[./B] fundamental in Getafe's good run in the UEFA cup. Great technique, good passer. From the Real Madrid youth team. 2.5 million.

Obviously I see more Spanish footie than any other league so this is a bit 'Liga'centric.

 

[TX Bill]

To be pernickity, Graveson and Arteta never played in the same team.

Back to the point though, two holding players is quite common in Europe. Valencia and Milan for instance typically play two holding midfielders, three attacking ones and a striker.

The difference is that those two holding players are typically made up of a tackler and a deep schemer. Think Gattuson and Pirlo. One breaks up, one sets attacks moving from deep. We have two breakers in there and no one to initiate moves.

Against some teams that works (ie teams without a real passing ability of their own) because we don't go long spells without the ball if we lose it ourselves. Against Fiorentina however it was cruelly exposed as we just couldn't keep the ball.

It is my hope that Manny would eventually fill this role.

 

[Cal]

It is my hope that Manny would eventually fill this role.

His attitude will need to change, and he will need to tackle.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

Are people forgetting Osman? He's a quality little player and has showed great consistency when playing in the middle for us this season. His perfromance against Portsmouth for me one one of the better individual performances of the season. The quick feet, neat passing and excellent movement where there for everyone to see and to be honest he's been doing it all season. He's scrored 6 goals from that position, got a few assists and have been one of our better players this season.

Fernandes is also very capable of filling this role if he's given a chance. If he's given a few games in our strongest eleven with Pienaar and Arteta alongside him and Yakubu upfront I think he'd flourish and help the team. Fans for me have got to look past the price tag though. He may well not be worth the money in the summer but at this moment in time that doesn't reallty matter. What matters are his performances on the pitch and then we can judge whether or not he's worth it when the season begins. Do this instead of calling him "overrated" and "overpriced" after every game.

His attitude doesn't bother me whatsoever. People may call it a "bad attitude" and "uninterested" but I see it as a laid back personality. He's very similar to Yakubu in that way. He's not naturally a hard working player and he's not going to dive into tackles and be a mad dog. He's a laid back player. Saying he feighned injury just shows how much alot of Evertonions want him to fail.

Either Osman or Fernandes are good enough to be our creative central midfielder and bith have the attributes, positiveness and attacking abilities to help this team. Whether its Fernandes or Osman I don't really care aslong as we have one centrally.

The fact of the matter is you need a passer or a dictator in the middle of the park in the Premier League and especially Europe where the onus is on you to keep the ball therefore these players are needed. Carsley and Cahill won't work as neither have the natural ablity on the ball to make us tick which means everything goes through the wings which is easier to defend against.

 

[Desaparecido]

I don't think Osman is the solution to our problem, his all-round game is god, but he's not outstanding in any particular area, and fades quite badly even in games he plays well in, which are usually ones in which the rest of the team are on form. If Osman looks good in a game, you know the whole team is having a good day.

 

[Cal]

Our best midfield is imo:

Cahill
Pienaar Osman Arteta
Carsley

 

[bluenose]

Personally I think Fernandes will come good, only my opinion though, but I also agree he maybe is not what we are looking for in a "midfield general"

Some names I think that would give us that extra edge in the middle of the park :

Lucho Gonzalez (No1 target for me, pure quality this guy)
Stephen Appiah (surprised his name has not been mentioned already, but he has really fallen out with Fenerbache big time, another good player)
Michael Carrick (good player, might cost too much, dunno whether the Mancs would sell)
Michael Johnson (again good player, young, should be the type of player we should be looking at to build for the future)
Joey Barton (Geordies could well go down, Barton has had a nightmare up there, but I think he could do a job for us)
Michael Bradley (This US International from Heerenveen we have been linked with, never seen him play, but has been earning rave reviews, and seems a DM type of player?)

I also agree with the posters saying we need to improve the right back position along with midfield, any suggestions?

Ones that come up for me would be :

Ryan Taylor (seems good enough, dunno whether he is THAT good though, still wouldnt be fussed either way if we signed him)
Dan Gosling (never seen the lad play, but DM seems to hold him in high regard, maybe if he breaks through, we will have nothing to worry about)

Like the sound of this fella Zabaleta, but I have no real clue who I would bring in to play right back, no-one really stands out.

 

[bluenose]

Oh and another one, Muntari from Pompey is some player, would like to see him at Goodison.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

I don't think Osman is the solution to our problem, his all-round game is god, but he's not outstanding in any particular area, and fades quite badly even in games he plays well in, which are usually ones in which the rest of the team are on form. If Osman looks good in a game, you know the whole team is having a good day.

He's not outstanding but we are far from an outstanding team. Far from it. Osman is one of our better players technically and is without doubt good enough for our central midfield.

I've seen Osman play well in games where we've been awful whereas the likes of Arteta have faded. And if Leon's not having a good day he always gives you an excellent work rate and covers alot of ground.

 

[micknick]

Some names I think that would give us that extra edge in the middle of the park :

Lucho Gonzalez (No1 target for me, pure quality this guy)
Stephen Appiah (surprised his name has not been mentioned already, but he has really fallen out with Fenerbache big time, another good player)
Michael Carrick (good player, might cost too much, dunno whether the Mancs would sell)
Michael Johnson (again good player, young, should be the type of player we should be looking at to build for the future)
Joey Barton (Geordies could well go down, Barton has had a nightmare up there, but I think he could do a job for us)
Michael Bradley (This US International from Heerenveen we have been linked with, never seen him play, but has been earning rave reviews, and seems a DM type of player?)

Lucho Gonzalez We tried to sign him, absolutely 100% did not want to join us.

Stephen Appiah (surprised his name has not been mentioned already, but he has really fallen out with Fenerbache big time, another good player) Has a brain hemorage thing or something could be out for years let alone months

Michael Carrick (good player, might cost too much, dunno whether the Mancs would sell) Correct Mancs wouldnt sell and he wouyld not sign for us.

Michael Johnson (again good player, young, should be the type of player we should be looking at to build for the future) Prodigy of Shittys youth academy will not sell especially when Swen has money to burn

Joey Barton (Geordies could well go down, Barton has had a nightmare up there, but I think he could do a job for us) Pleas god no

Michael Bradley (This US International from Heerenveen we have been linked with, never seen him play, but has been earning rave reviews, and seems a DM type of player?) Dont kn ow much about him......

Not very realistic players in my opinion but what do I know Im a failed Sunday league player.