Progress

[Marclfc]

When people decided there was more than one type of midfielder?

There was always different midfield roles but they were called midfielders!

[Chazza]

There was always different midfield roles but they were called midfielders!

Like attacking midfielders and defensive midfielders

I see it pretty simply really Mascherano or Tiote are defensive midfielders they sit deeper break up attacks and rarely venture forward. If they were asked to attack on a regular basis it is unlikely they would contribute anywhere near what they do in a defensive role.

Mata or Silva are attacking midfielders whose game revolves around creating chances and scoring goals. They track runners back when required but could not operate effectively in a deep midfield role making tackles and breaking up the play.

They have always been in the game, midfield players whose strengths lie in different areas. Making sure you have the right balance is the tricky bit.

[Muddled]

Always embrace change, just some of the positions and formations are silly really! Football could change for the better in so many other ways yet it stands stagnant compared to some other sports...

I would be interested to hear why you think football is stagnant and which others sports are progressive?

What would you do to change football for the better?

[Marclfc]

Like attacking midfielders and defensive midfielders

I see it pretty simply really Mascherano or Tiote are defensive midfielders they sit deeper break up attacks and rarely venture forward. If they were asked to attack on a regular basis it is unlikely they would contribute anywhere near what they do in a defensive role.

Mata or Silva are attacking midfielders whose game revolves around creating chances and scoring goals. They track runners back when required but could not operate effectively in a deep midfield role making tackles and breaking up the play.

They have always been in the game, midfield players whose strengths lie in different areas. Making sure you have the right balance is the tricky bit.

Spot on, just saying these players always existed but they were called midfielders, every team had them...

[Muddled]

Spot on, just saying these players always existed but they were called midfielders, every team had them...

They're still called midfielders, just people differentiate between the roles they undertake when getting their football chat on.

[Marclfc]

I would be interested to hear why you think football is stagnant and which others sports are progressive?

What would you do to change football for the better?

Just feel other sports are played with a lot more respect for the sport and I feel the way it's run is wrong on many levels, we see attempts to cheat throughout most games and the officials clearly can't cope with the pace of the game at times too and need help which they will get a bit of with hawkeye but is it enough? I think retrospective punishment is a must also and a general change in football from the top in terms of proper punishment for clubs and fans continually caught up in racism!

[Aj34]

I just have the feeling that sometimes its like the name determines what they are allowed to do. I absolutely love Lucas but sometimes you think he gets into a position where he could play a great attacking pass and plays it sideways instead. Almost as if in his head he's saying to himself **** I'm a defensive mid better not go any further. Just my opinion though

[Marclfc]

I just have the feeling that sometimes its like the name determines what they are allowed to do. I absolutely love Lucas but sometimes you think he gets into a position where he could play a great attacking pass and plays it sideways instead. Almost as if in his head he's saying to himself **** I'm a defensive mid better not go any further. Just my opinion though

Tbh mate I think a lot of our players think they have to take the easy pass rather risk a defence splitting pass, I've said this all season it's like the first thought is to pass it sideways although I think that's happened less since Xmas... Plus Lucas was an attack mid at Gremio I think and scored plenty! Unless I dreamt that?

[Neil Young]

I just have the feeling that sometimes its like the name determines what they are allowed to do. I absolutely love Lucas but sometimes you think he gets into a position where he could play a great attacking pass and plays it sideways instead. Almost as if in his head he's saying to himself **** I'm a defensive mid better not go any further. Just my opinion though

I think that's an understandable interpretation and people can become constricted by the label they have but I think it's wrong in this case. He's called what he is because of what he does, not the other way round. He's doing what the manager tells him to do otherwise he won't be in the team next time.

[Neil Young]

Tbh mate I think a lot of our players think they have to take the easy pass rather risk a defence splitting pass, I've said this all season it's like the first thought is to pass it sideways although I think that's happened less since Xmas... Plus Lucas was an attack mid at Gremio I think and scored plenty! Unless I dreamt that?

Infectious, isn't it?

[Marclfc]

Infectious, isn't it?

Ha ha! Result...

[Aj34]

I think that's an understandable interpretation and people can become constricted by the label they have but I think it's wrong in this case. He's called what he is because of what he does, not the other way round. He's doing what the manager tells him to do otherwise he won't be in the team next time.

And he does it very well. Just think sometimes managers,players and we as fans try to over complicate the game through labelling

[Marclfc]

I think that's an understandable interpretation and people can become constricted by the label they have but I think it's wrong in this case. He's called what he is because of what he does, not the other way round. He's doing what the manager tells him to do otherwise he won't be in the team next time.

Exactly, it was rafa that started using him in that role and it's stuck as you say it's about doing what's asked of him and as andy says he does it well... Would like to see him play more advanced to see how he does..

[Gibbo]

Lol your welcome to

What is he welcome to?! This needs finishing off.

Its worse than that Bob The

[Neil Young]

And he does it very well. Just think sometimes managers,players and we as fans try to over complicate the game through labelling

We fans might and probably do but that's based more on ignorance about what is really going on than anything else. At the top level I suspect it's a complicated game. Unless you're Bronto Bodge.

That's not to say any particular game for any particular team is complicated but the variations in tactics across different matches probably make it a lot more complicated than we recognise. We don't know what their tactical set-up is for a game so we don't easily see if it has been nullified by the opposition's tactics. All we know is that things aren't working and the team looks crap yet last week they demolished their opponents. So we read it as the players aren't trying, they've got no passion, they haven't turned up, blah, blah...

I'm reminded of the story at Valencia when the new coach came in after Benitez left. A defender said - How do you want us to set up in defence?

- Just as you did under Benitez.

- He got us playing six different systems. Which one do you want for this game?