JonD wrote:I don't think there's many who'd disagree with that, though. However the near-constant churn in midfield is a worry. Do we sign a JL-wannabe to cover the twenty games he will miss, or alter our style, or what? I don't think we really have that worked out.

Good point, we need that cover and could we afford both him and JL? Loan market for young ‘un like Bakinson possibly?

JonD wrote:

The NCFC Hippy wrote:But tbh, if i'm honest I think Flynny has found his formula and it ain't pretty, but brings results. And for once I'm with Stan on this one, Labs is too injury and ill disciplined prone to play a proper part in a full season.

Yeah, that's exactly how I see it. Why sign a load of midfield talent to sit on the bench every week?

The answer to that is "because midfielders get injured and suspended a lot".

It's "an answer"

SJG99 wrote:

JonD wrote:

The NCFC Hippy wrote:But tbh, if i'm honest I think Flynny has found his formula and it ain't pretty, but brings results. And for once I'm with Stan on this one, Labs is too injury and ill disciplined prone to play a proper part in a full season.

Yeah, that's exactly how I see it. Why sign a load of midfield talent to sit on the bench every week?

The answer to that is "because midfielders get injured and suspended a lot".

I could see the argument if it were about defenders. I fail to understand it with midfield players.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:

SJG99 wrote:

JonD wrote: Yeah, that's exactly how I see it. Why sign a load of midfield talent to sit on the bench every week?

The answer to that is "because midfielders get injured and suspended a lot".

I could see the argument if it were about defenders. I fail to understand it with midfield players.

It's muddied a bit by wingbacks who are effectively midfielders nowadays, but the ball spends more time in the middle of the pitch than at either end and as a result midfielders are involved in far more challenges, interceptions, collisions and general contact than any other player. Prem stats for 2018/19 show every Prem team had between 44-48% of play in the "middle third" of the pitch. No team spent more than 31% defending and even Man City only spent 35% of their time attacking. Which supports my suggestion that the ball's in the middle more often than with attackers or defenders. It might be slightly different in lower leagues with less possession football but probably not much.

Defenders in teams who spend a lot of time defending (ie losing teams) may pick up more than the usual amount of cards but looking at the available Prem data, generally it's DMs and (as you suggest) CBs who get the most cards. The most red cards in the Premier League last season were by a defensive midfielder and a 35 year old centre back, though that's not a very helpful sample as they only had 1 card more than 42 other players.

The most yellow cards gives a better indication of regularly penalised players (I used over 5 appearances, cards per game to show persistent foulers irrespective of appearances) and those are two centre backs, a right back, a left back, two defender/midfielders, a centre midfielder and three defensive midfielders. A pretty even split between defence and midfield.

However, the most fouls per game were committed by a right back, two strikers, an attacking midfielder, two defensive midfielders and 4 centre midfielders. (1 defender, 3 forwards and 6 midfielders).

It's all here, though you'll have to sort on Detailed/Fouls (or Cards)/min 5 appearances and the column heading: https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/T ... -2018-2019

I'm not getting into injuries, it's a hell of a task to compile. But defenders run a lot less than midfielders and fatigue is a significant contributing factor to injuries.

The defence have been strengthened two fold and with O'Brien and Demetriou in the heart of defence leading by example and giving the new players guidance and high levels of performance it bodes well.
The midfield needs reinforcing with two players who are streetwise with an engine like Dan Butler that press, keep running in advanced offensive positions and tracking back with their markers snapping at their heels like terriers,closing down space and assisting the defence.
We have had major problems for a number of seasons against teams with fast, tricky midfielders who have counterattacked with our midfield chasing shadows and not keeping up with their markers and play. More often than not County are conceding goals from this weakness.This constant pressure on our defence because of our lack of pace, slow to track back and cutting out the danger means Amond and Matt have been playing out of position to counter this danger.
Pleased we have kept Labadie and Bennett who are good leaders but not the quickest Dolan needs to perform because last season his performances were not good enough, Willmott more of a winger than a midfielder, Sheehan good offensively missing defensively and I rest my case.

Our midfield don't chip in with enough goals! so for me 2 10/15 goals a season midfielders is a must if we aim to be challenging for promotion, we can't expect to be up there at the end of the season if we are only relying on podge & matt to get the goals for us.

llanwern exile wrote:Our midfield don't chip in with enough goals! so for me 2 10/15 goals a season midfielders is a must if we aim to be challenging for promotion, we can't expect to be up there at the end of the season if we are only relying on podge & matt to get the goals for us.

We were last season

Exile 1976 wrote:

llanwern exile wrote:Our midfield don't chip in with enough goals! so for me 2 10/15 goals a season midfielders is a must if we aim to be challenging for promotion, we can't expect to be up there at the end of the season if we are only relying on podge & matt to get the goals for us.

We were last season

Yes we were! in a poor league, this year you have the likes of Bradford, Mansfield, Plymouth and Salford throwing money around like its going out of fashion, and to a lesser extent so are Scunthorpe, Grimsby crewe, and Exeter, so its going to be a hell of a lot harder for us to achieve what we did last season.

llanwern exile wrote:Our midfield don't chip in with enough goals! so for me 2 10/15 goals a season midfielders is a must if we aim to be challenging for promotion, we can't expect to be up there at the end of the season if we are only relying on podge & matt to get the goals for us.

Only 7 midfield players in the whole of league 2 scored 10 or more last season.

Amberexile wrote:

llanwern exile wrote:Our midfield don't chip in with enough goals! so for me 2 10/15 goals a season midfielders is a must if we aim to be challenging for promotion, we can't expect to be up there at the end of the season if we are only relying on podge & matt to get the goals for us.

Only 7 midfield players in the whole of league 2 scored 10 or more last season.

Then hopefully flynny can find a couple more to play for us.

Ben Kennedy anyone?

Navid Nasseri or Kian Yari?

Countymadbell wrote:Ben Kennedy anyone?

I'd love to see Kennedy back with us. But if Stevenage had seen any of his performances then they won't be letting him leave.

Must bring in two additions in midfield this week because the midfield will be exploited by sides who are automatic promotion contenders like Mansfield and Plymouth who we play in the August fixtures. Labadie if injured the team will struggle is an understatement.
I know MF will be wise enough to sign players who will deliver in this area and give us the cover that is needed offensively and especially defensively to strengthen our promotion challenge and competition for places throughout the middle.