The Centre Midfield Crisis.

[Colbert Report]

John O'Shea has been listed as a defensive midfielder for the past few years in FIFA. Funnily enough, nobody here has mentioned him as a possibility in central midfield.

[third policeman]

John O'Shea has been listed as a defensive midfielder for the past few years in FIFA. Funnily enough, nobody here has mentioned him as a possibility in central midfield.


I did moot, but I think it was too radical a proposition to be taken seriously. I would only be willing to contemplate this happening if we had someone other than McShane to fill in at CB. St Ledger or even a return for Andy O'Brien?

[geysir]

You'd sorta want to keep within check, the radius of John O'Shea's area of responsibility.

What is encouraging about the victory over Cyprus is that we did it with so many malfunctioning areas.
I don't think Trap will take that performance as it was, as an endorsement of his system, rather that his system survived the malfunctions in the performance.

[Fergie's Son]

And A. Reid still isn't the answer. We play with 2 out and out wingers and 2 strikers. It's aggressive enough.

[irishfan86]

John O'Shea has been listed as a defensive midfielder for the past few years in FIFA. Funnily enough, nobody here has mentioned him as a possibility in central midfield.

To be honest I think he'd do alright in Trap's system, just sitting in front of the back four, but given our poor defensive options I'd rather him played at centre-half for the time being.

That said, I prefer O'Shea as a defender- he doesn't have the vision for central midfield.

[RivaldoBabb]

This really is a crisis...

Trap obviously wants strength in midfield to allow the wingers to support up top and I agree with his thinking.

I think he could do worse(and has...) to put kilbane back in there. You know what you are getting and he experience to do the job. With S Reid back on the treatment table i dont really care who we put alongside him, they are all of a similar level i.e. not very good so this is a terrible weakness in a vital area

The Italians will exploit this.

[Colbert Report]

This really is a crisis...

Trap obviously wants strength in midfield to allow the wingers to support up top and I agree with his thinking.

I think he could do worse(and has...) to put kilbane back in there. You know what you are getting and he experience to do the job. With S Reid back on the treatment table i dont really care who we put alongside him, they are all of a similar level i.e. not very good so this is a terrible weakness in a vital area

The Italians will exploit this.

I don't know mate. This leaves a huge hole at left-back. Didn't Kilbane last play central midfield in a five two thrashing at the hands of the mighty Cyprus?

[Dr. Ogba]

This really is a crisis...

Trap obviously wants strength in midfield to allow the wingers to support up top and I agree with his thinking.

I think he could do worse(and has...) to put kilbane back in there. You know what you are getting and he experience to do the job. With S Reid back on the treatment table i dont really care who we put alongside him, they are all of a similar level i.e. not very good so this is a terrible weakness in a vital area

The Italians will exploit this.

no matter how bad things are, they will never be that bad...if we have to play him i'd sooner have him at LB where he can do less damage...

[musicinmouth]

It would be nice to hear from Koevermans... did he contact Barry Maguire at Utrecht yet? He looks like a really talented midfield player who may be willing to play for us...even though he's played at underage level for the Netherlands...

[Closed Account]

It would be nice to hear from Koevermans... did he contact Barry Maguire at Utrecht yet? He looks like a really talented midfield player who may be willing to play for us...even though he's played at underage level for the Netherlands...
Pfft...... I thought you were referring to double goalscorer(so far) for PSV last night but then I remembered the other chap.

Whats he being doing since his appointment?

[macdermesser]

Carsley - the Championship's most effective player?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2008/10/carsley_the_championships_most.html#040141

Nice to see some appreciation of the man. Some nice comments about him and a few about Trapp overlooking him.

[seanfhear]

Lee carsley definetly stiffens teams up defensively.
Whether he has the legs for a two man midfield in international football or not I don't know but he should be considered as he has experience and we are not over endowed with central midfielders of ability and experience.