Backup CDM

Red Rash

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Jun 25, 2019
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The game against Leeds shows how reliant we are on Casemiro in our midfield. I feel like the combination of Sabitzer and Fred didn't really work tonight as neither of them is accustomed to the holding role.

In my opinion if Casemiro is out we need to play a more defensive minded player in midfield which probably means playing someone out of position.

Who would you like to see tried there? The three more defensive players I think that have the on the ball ability to play there would be:

Lindelof
Shaw
Martinez
 
It should be Martinez, not sure why Ten Hag is so reluctant to try it.
 
Lindelof.

People keep saying Martinez but today should show you his importance when he's winning duels against the strikers. He's a fantastic CB and we lose a lot if he's not there.
 
Well it’s McTominay really. Lindelof is just an emergency solution allowing Martinez to stay in his best position where he can still build up from the back.
 
We need to buy one in the summer. In the meantime we just need to hope that Casemiro can play every game.
 
MyOnlySolskjaer said:
Lindelof.

People keep saying Martinez but today should show you his importance when he's winning duels against the strikers. He's a fantastic CB and we lose a lot if he's not there.
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Yes, he's important, but he might not be as needed if there's not a midfield leaking like a sieve in front of him.

Get him in midfield next to Sabitzer for the next two matches.
 
Blood Mage said:
It should be Martinez, not sure why Ten Hag is so reluctant to try it.
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He did try it, at Ajax.

But Martinez is a centre-back, our best centre-back, better and more important for us there than if you drag him into midfield.

Yet the urge people have to play him at DM on this forum will never die.
 
Shaw probably. If he can slot in with ease at CB there's no reason why he couldn't at DM. Technically he's one of our best players.

Lindelof looks like a scaredy cat unpressured on the ball at CB. What on earth makes anyone think he could do a job at DM?
 
Martinez as the backup CDM. Shaw at CB and Malacia on LB.
 
Sabitzer will be good there. He reads the name so, so well defensively but obviously needs a bit of time to settle in to the starting XI

This smacks of typical modern day football fans not allowing any player settling in time.

He’s going to be very good for us. He’s been here 1 week
 
Yeah is time for one of Lindelof, Martinez or Shaw to play on midfield.

Sabitzer is not a CDM. He will be much better playing as a box to box midfield. Martinez I'm sure he can do a good job in there but he is doing so good on his CB position that I would like to not mess up that, so that only leave Shaw or Lindelof.
 
I'd prefer to keep our CBs at CB tbh
Feel Shaw would be the best one if we were to move someone from defence, he's by far the most mobile and comfortable on the ball.
 
Samid said:
Shaw probably. If he can slot in with ease at CB there's no reason why he couldn't at DM. Technically he's one of our best players.

Lindelof looks like a scaredy cat unpressured on the ball at CB. What on earth makes anyone think he could do a job at DM?
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Lindelof has the attributes to play DM, he's pretty good on the ball - only seen him in short cameos, would be different from the start

Shaw & Martinez should stick to their best positions
 
Lindelof has stepped in twice now…which tells me EtH would agree the squad needs another DM in the summer.
 
K Stand Knut said:
Sabitzer will be good there. He reads the name so, so well defensively but obviously needs a bit of time to settle in to the starting XI

This smacks of typical modern day football fans not allowing any player settling in time.

He’s going to be very good for us. He’s been here 1 week
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Yeah either that or some fans know the players more than others and don't expect them to show a completely new side. Sabitzer isn't a DM. He can tackle and he can intercept, doesn't mean he is super good at it. We have seen with Fred and McTominay what shunting players into positions they aren't comfortably in will lead to. Think some haven't really learned the lesson yet.
 
If Qatar come in, then please let us get Declan Rice and allow the little punk to work under Casimero. Or ideally we can bleed a young lad in to work as Casi understudy, but aa we need experienced people to fit in seamlessly, it's going to be tough to work out this situation. Ideally pay DR to sit on our bench as we get rid of a few players this summer. Fred is not a good idea to be the main CDM..
 
K Stand Knut said:
Sabitzer will be good there. He reads the name so, so well defensively but obviously needs a bit of time to settle in to the starting XI

This smacks of typical modern day football fans not allowing any player settling in time.

He’s going to be very good for us. He’s been here 1 week
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I have no issue if you have different opinion, but the bolded part is quite arrogant on your part.

What if somebody who actually watched a bit of Bayern and Leipzig having the opinion that Sabitzer is not that good for our CDM role to begin with? What if they say that you're a typical old schooled fan who rarely watch other teams, but likes to talk in cliches as if it's infallible fact? Whinging between cliches when you don't watch enough from other teams is what caused the whole "Casemiro is never a world class player"; not that everyone can be great after afforded adapting time.

Sabitzer is a more complete player to Fred with more creativity and calmness. However, his ceiling is still close to Fred's which is not good enough as starting material. Higher bottom level than Fred. Eriksen is in higher level to Sabitzer's and Eriksen is very flawed as no 6, and relying on his strong points. It's still a big ask for Sabitzer to replace Eriksen, let alone Casemiro; (big) if his adaption goes well and soon enough.

For the remaining of this season, I don't think we have a proper CDM back up for Casemiro. We have to make up for it via tactic. A pseudo 5 at the back is my suggestion. Luke Shaw stay back and more narrow to allow Linsadeo to push up into midfield to do the destroyer issue. The left wide forward have to offer more defensive though playing more as wingback.

For next season and going forward, we should aim to sign someone who is good enough to dispute the starting position with Eriksen rather than just being a back up for Casemiro and Eriksen.
 
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If hannibal,iqbal,mainoo is good enough i need Rice in my team.
 
croadyman said:
Positioning is so key in that role
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And it’s not easy. Knowing when to close the angle and shielding the back 4 is a balancing act. Martinez is very proactive/agressive too which I’m not sure is ideal for that position.
 
MUFC OK said:
And it’s not easy. Knowing when to close the angle and shielding the back 4 is a balancing act. Martinez is very proactive/agressive too which I’m not sure is ideal for that position.
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So who do we play there on Sunday
 
Ideally we need to add another DM in the summer, someone who doesn't mind being backup to Casemiro. They'll still get plenty of games as Casemiro is approaching the age where he needs to be rested more often.

I think Palhinha is the one.
 
Blood Mage said:
Ideally we need to add another DM in the summer, someone who doesn't mind being backup to Casemiro. They'll still get plenty of games as Casemiro is approaching the age where he needs to be rested more often.

I think Palhinha is the one.
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I could definitely get on board the Palhinha train. Can do a really solid job at 6 or 8 and wouldn't (I hope) throw his toys out of the pram if he was on the bench from time to time, unlike Rice who would make headline news if he was rested for a league match.
 
Blood Mage said:
Ideally we need to add another DM in the summer, someone who doesn't mind being backup to Casemiro. They'll still get plenty of games as Casemiro is approaching the age where he needs to be rested more often.

I think Palhinha is the one.
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Yeah good shout,initially I felt we should just look for cheap option but not after last night
 
Perhaps due to the top heavy nature of Brazil football talent nurturing culture, Brazil looks to produce great defensive midfielder suitable for PL: Gilberto Silva, Fernandino, Casimiro, Fabinho. Not only physical competitive, tackle well, but also very good positioning, pass well, and masters of dark art.

Thiago Silva played midfielder during his formation years before transit into CB position too. Beside the above players, there were Edu, Fernando who had mediocre success, too.

I know people may point out our bad luck with Fred, Kleberson, Anderson, or Possebon, even Pereira. Perhaps we may get better chance now we have a continental manager who work well with South American players. Also, get more of the thundercnut type, than the flair one when we look at defensive midfielder.

We should scout there more looking for a new CDM?

Edit: not counting Jorginho :wenger:
 
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If Savage was still here, I'd have had him. Different type of holding midfielder to Cas and McTominay but from the little I saw of him in pre season, he was very good on the ball.

As he is not an option, despite ten Hag saying Martinez hasn't the running capacity to play in midfield, he has played him there for Ajax, and because we're down to our last legs, I'd probably go with Martinez short term.

Rashford Martial Antony
Sabitzer Bruno
Martinez
Malacia Shaw Varane Wan Bissaka
De Gea​
 
Walters_19_MuFc said:
If Savage was still here, I'd have had him. Different type of holding midfielder to Cas and McTominay but from the little I saw of him in pre season, he was very good on the ball.

As he is not an option, despite ten Hag saying Martinez hasn't the running capacity to play in midfield, he has played him there for Ajax, and because we're down to our last legs, I'd probably go with Martinez short term.

Rashford Martial Antony
Sabitzer Bruno
Martinez
Malacia Shaw Varane Wan Bissaka
De Gea​
Click to expand...

Just don't see Erik doing it as if he believed in it then would have seen it already trialled like Lindelof recently
 
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