City- Post match thread.

[RedReet]

Well he was definitely a DM last year when it suited peoples arguments about being too negative. It was never really an issue until a certain Andy Gray criticised Rafa for playing two DM’s, and all of a sudden, that’s all we heard for the next few months.

[Armchairkopite]

Your post suggested that, due to Alonso's low goals and assists tally, he had to be a defensive midfielder. Which is silly.

V's post explains everything perfectly, Alonso's no more a defensive midfielder than Heskey is.

Do you think Pirlo's a defensive midfielder too?

So you think that Heskey would make as good a defensive midfieder as Alonso. lol


Who out of Alonso and Pirlo is the more defensive?

[-V-]

It shouldnt have needed clarification, but as is often the case, you're spot on.

[Kinell]

Well he was definitely a DM last year when it suited peoples arguments about being too negative. It was never really an issue until a certain Andy Gray criticised Rafa for playing two DM’s, and all of a sudden, that’s all we heard for the next few months.

That's because the two regulars in midfield now can't pick a forward pass on a regular basis and that's mainly the reason we've struggled this season.

[Armchairkopite]

Well he was definitely a DM last year when it suited peoples arguments about being too negative. It was never really an issue until a certain Andy Gray criticised Rafa for playing two DM’s, and all of a sudden, that’s all we heard for the next few months.

He plays a defensive role and is set up to launch attacks from deep with his range of passing.
His tackling and positioning are far better then Mascheranos imo.

[Armchairkopite]

That's because the two regulars in midfield now can't pick a forward pass on a regular basis and that's mainly the reason we've struggled this season.

No its not, Rafa has been accused of playing two central defensive midfielders for quite a while now.

[Armchairkopite]

Just to be an arse can I point out that Alonso is not a defensive midfielder. He is one of a handful of world class players in football that don't fit into any specific category. But if you were to ask me I think of him as a deep-lying playmaker

Alonso's primary objective is always to collect the ball from deep and then create attacking play. Thats what he does, thats why he's a deep-lying playmaker and not a defensive midfielder. Defensive midfielders are the Mascheranos and Viera of this world who defend the defence and battle for the ball

But Alonso did defend the defence??

I think that Xabis excellent positioning often meant that he didn't have to make Mascheranoesque last ditch tackles.

Xabi was brilliant at breaking up the play and reading where the next pass was coming from.

For me an attacking midfielder plays most of his football in the opponants half.

[Craig_H]

But Alonso did defend the defence??

I think that Xabis excellent positioning often meant that he didn't have to make Mascheranoesque last ditch tackles.

Xabi was brilliant at breaking up the play and reading where the next pass was coming from.

For me an attacking midfielder plays most of his football in the opponants half.

But who's calling him an attacking midfielder? He isnt.

He's a playmaker, who plays deep, holds his position, and dictates the play from there.

[-V-]

Armchairkopite-

WTF? Are you just pretending to be stupid? When did anybody call Alonso an attacking midfielder? DEEP-LYING PLAYMAKER. As I said primary objective is to collect the ball from DEEP and create attacking play.

[Armchairkopite]

armchairkopite-

wtf? Are you just pretending to be stupid? When did anybody call alonso an attacking midfielder? deep-lying playmaker. As i said primary objective is to collect the ball from deep and create attacking play.

Wow, apoligies, I bow to your superior intellect.

he must be a deep lying playm,eker, just disregurad the rest of my previous post....wait...you already did.

Well done.

[Craig_H]

Armchairkopite - do you yearn for the days where there's only 2 outfield positions? Defender and Attacker?

[Kinell]

Armchairkopite-

WTF? Are you just pretending to be stupid? When did anybody call Alonso an attacking midfielder? DEEP-LYING PLAYMAKER. As I said primary objective is to collect the ball from DEEP and create attacking play.

Exactly *agreeing with deep lying player maker part, not the stupid bit*

He freed up those on the wings and Gerrard ahead. Pin point passes putting players into place, stretching defences and allowing Gerrard the opportunity to get in them gaps, link up with Nando and work the keeper. All that and more control than we have with Lucas alongside Masch.

[RedReet]

That's because the two regulars in midfield now can't pick a forward pass on a regular basis and that's mainly the reason we've struggled this season.

I was talking about last season when people were categorising Alonso purely as a defensive midfielder to support their complaints about us playing too negatively, even though we were shortly off the back of our best run of league results in a long long time (spanning over the start of least season and the end of the previous season).

Oh, and I would argue the loss of Gerrard and Torres and to a lesser extent Benni and Johnson caused a lot more damage to our season this year.

[Armchairkopite]

But who's calling him an attacking midfielder? He isnt.

He's a playmaker, who plays deep, holds his position, and dictates the play from there.

Look you think that Heskey is as equally an effective defensive midfielder as Alonso, you have zero credibility.

[Armchairkopite]

Exactly *agreeing with deep lying player maker part, not the stupid bit*

He freed up those on the wings and Gerrard ahead. Pin point passes putting players into place, stretching defences and allowing Gerrard the opportunity to get in them gaps, link up with Nando and work the keeper. All that and more control than we have with Lucas alongside Masch.

Thats undeniably true but he also intercepted more through balls and timed more tackles to perfection then most other midfielders in the league.