Please Please Buy A Decent Attacking Central Midfidfielder

[Scoey]

I have no problem with Tevez dropping deep as long as he has a centre forward in front of him and we have a midfielder, Michael Johnson for arguments sake, who is prepared to run beyond Tevez and get into the box.

IMO, if you're playing 2 wingers you can't carry a Joe Cole type playmaker, nor can you carry a De Jong type DM. You need the prototypical box to box midfielder. 3 man midfield are perfect for the De Jong and Joe Coles of this world.

[Goaters 103]

All missing the point here. A decent AM would face the same problem Ireland has faced this season - the part of the pitch he would operate in is already occupied by our main striker! As long as Tevez is in the side then an AM is not an option. A "proper" out and out striker in front of him might be more of a solution.

We aren't missing the point at all. Tevez often has to drop off to try to play a link role that a decent box to box midfielder would do. Ireland isn't this player either - yes he can be a creative player in the final third, but he isn't a player who tracks a runner 40 yards and makes crucial tackles inside his own box as well. We need the prototype box to box player as priority number 1, 1a and 1aa this summer. Without him our side is unbalanced, as it has been for most of this year.

Tevez plays that way WHATEVER. When Ireland was there he did exactly the same thing, he forces the midfield back! He is a very good and effective player but is a brainless one and we need to build the team around the way he plays - something Sir BaconFace refused to do and the reason he wasn't such a success as the Swamp.

I have absolutely no qualms with the way Tevez plays, he isnt the problem here. The problem lies in the central midfield area and having a multi-dimensional player and a leader in there. That player is what we need here, with Tevez playing with a reliable strker and not a flake like Adebayor who has a habit of disappearing when we need him most.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I have no problem with Tevez dropping deep as long as he has a centre forward in front of him and we have a midfielder, Michael Johnson for arguments sake, who is prepared to run beyond Tevez and get into the box.

IMO, if you're playing 2 wingers you can't carry a Joe Cole type playmaker, nor can you carry a De Jong type DM. You need the prototypical box to box midfielder. 3 man midfield are perfect for the De Jong and Joe Coles of this world.

What makes you think Michael Johnson could be anything like the player we need? He has far from finished article, mainly youngster with loads of potential, even before his injuries and "injuries". Now he hasn't basically played for few years and is struggling with both fitness and lifestyle issues.

Without slagging him off, more like being realistic, I'd be surprised if he'd even turn up regular Premier League player anymore. Never mind top 4 quality midfield general. And I doubt he has natural leader skills needed for that job.

[avoidconfusion]

Been saying this for a while now. It's blatently obvious that our midfield is by far our biggest issue. We have absolutely noone who can play box to box.

I believe that is the reason why we saw Tevez run around near the midfield circle most of the time because he was trying to get the ball and drive it to the box, the problem is then that he should actually be in and around the box himself to receive the pass...

[Ted Hughes]

All missing the point here. A decent AM would face the same problem Ireland has faced this season - the part of the pitch he would operate in is already occupied by our main striker! As long as Tevez is in the side then an AM is not an option. A "proper" out and out striker in front of him might be more of a solution.

We aren't missing the point at all. Tevez often has to drop off to try to play a link role that a decent box to box midfielder would do. Ireland isn't this player either - yes he can be a creative player in the final third, but he isn't a player who tracks a runner 40 yards and makes crucial tackles inside his own box as well. We need the prototype box to box player as priority number 1, 1a and 1aa this summer. Without him our side is unbalanced, as it has been for most of this year.

Tevez plays that way WHATEVER. When Ireland was there he did exactly the same thing, he forces the midfield back! He is a very good and effective player but is a brainless one and we need to build the team around the way he plays - something Sir BaconFace refused to do and the reason he wasn't such a success as the Swamp.

You are spot on this time Socrates!

I agree but I don't think it's brainless, I think it gets us moving forward very nicely but ideally when he plays the ball out wide we'd have someone to then put a quality ball in, a striker to get on the end of it & two midfielders who can run into (or up to the edge of) the box quickly to get involved, then have the legs to get back, like Feltcher & co do at the swamp. Right now we have none of those things.

[Scoey]

I have no problem with Tevez dropping deep as long as he has a centre forward in front of him and we have a midfielder, Michael Johnson for arguments sake, who is prepared to run beyond Tevez and get into the box.

IMO, if you're playing 2 wingers you can't carry a Joe Cole type playmaker, nor can you carry a De Jong type DM. You need the prototypical box to box midfielder. 3 man midfield are perfect for the De Jong and Joe Coles of this world.

What makes you think Michael Johnson could be anything like the player we need? He has far from finished article, mainly youngster with loads of potential, even before his injuries and "injuries". Now he hasn't basically played for few years and is struggling with both fitness and lifestyle issues.

Without slagging him off, more like being realistic, I'd be surprised if he'd even turn up regular Premier League player anymore. Never mind top 4 quality midfield general. And I doubt he has natural leader skills needed for that job.

I was using him as an example of the type of midfield player we need. I know there are question marks over his fitness and lifestyle and even whetehr his ability could get him into a top 4 or title challenging team.

But as a player he is(was) box to box, could tackle, pass and shoot.

[Sister of fu]

Joe Cole would help as a playmaker, and a man who can split a defence but we need a box to box general who can dictate things for us and be a threat or a factor in both his own box, and the oppositions.
We need a Vieira of 10 years ago, a McMahon in his pomp at Liverpool, dare I say it a Keane who is not only a great player but a leader. We have too many defensive role players in the middle sat on top of the back 4, and as a squad too many Indians and not enough chiefs.

Find this player, pay him whatever and make it happen City. And whilst doing so pension off Vieira please as hes done.

I fully 100% agree with that. We need proper midfield general. And a leader. Someone who will raise his hand up when going gets though and lead the team on the field. Preferably this player would be skipper as well.

Forget Di Maria's and rest of them fannies. We already have enough of those. We need leaders and WINNERS to lead us. No expenses should be spared trying to find one.

Got to agree that we need a leader more than anything, horrible to say but a Roy Keane type that picks people up by the bootlaces and does not accept 2nd best. We roll over and die to easily IMO and last night was a prime example. A proper leader drags people with them and I'm sorry but that person is not Toure. I don't feel we have had a proper captain since Andy Morrison.