Our midfield

[Sotonsuperhoop]

Why do we just sit back and invite teams onto us? second half our midfield just let Villa run with the ball from the halfway line to our 18yd box before any attempt was made to tackle, break-up play etc, etc.

Is the line up of SWP, Barton, Derry and Mackie good enough? We now have a solid back line, two explosive strikers in Zamora and Cisse, it seems we are light in midfield. Last night we went back to playing too deep and with a massive gap between the strikers and midfiled. Derry and Barton at no time supported Hulse or Cisse going forward.

IMO we should start vs Wolves with a midfield of SWP (on the right), Buzsaky, Derry and Traore. Derry is a better holding player than Barton and will protect the back four better, and Buz is much better than Barton going forward.

[bushcelt1]

mackie and derry are championship players.....there lies the problem. whilst barton has been only average he still should be played with buz in the middle and adel out on the right-traore on the left. swp impact sub.

[zuluop]

Yeah barton is the only one good enough on the midfield. Swp is not getting anywhere on the offence and he is not much physical help as a defensive mid. Derry is just over the hill really and faulin is unfortunately injured. Mackie is not getting anywhere either and then there is the missed chances o boy.

Hope this mali dude is the answer. But since mali is through it could be a while before he comes back.

[Ginger Ninja]

Seriously? You do know that was the best midfield we could possibly have put out last night right? Buzz is injured, traore and taarabt at ACN, as is diakite but we need to give him time to adjust. Barton's work rate last night was top class, so why you would have Derry over Barton I'll never know. Love Derry but his legs have gone and he just isn't good enough. Love mackie too but it's plain to see prem is too much for him.

[rickyranger]

Barton was our best midfield player by a mile last night, most comfortable on the ball always wants it and law of averages means he will give it away more than others. Helped out no end defensively last night including great last ditch tackle on Nzogbia at 2-1. Gets some very unfair critiscm on here.

[Captain Planet]

Even though Buz offers less defensively than Derry, our ball retention was very poor compared to against Wigan. I know Villa are a far better team than Wigan, but their were long stretches in the game where our midfield just couldn't keep a hold of the ball and when Villa did have the ball they moved it around too fast. Derry really struggled to get close to their players.

If Busacky is fit he should start against Wolves alongside Barton.

[Sotonsuperhoop]

Seriously? You do know that was the best midfield we could possibly have put out last night right? Buzz is injured, traore and taarabt at ACN, as is diakite but we need to give him time to adjust. Barton's work rate last night was top class, so why you would have Derry over Barton I'll never know. Love Derry but his legs have gone and he just isn't good enough. Love mackie too but it's plain to see prem is too much for him.

Problem we have when Derry and Barton play together is that no-one plays high enough to support the strikers. Buz is the best we have for this and therefore one of Derry or Barton would have to give way.

Recently Barton's dead ball play has been shocking, corners etc etc and his final pass fairly poor, whereas Derry IMO has improved and appears to complete more passes (not checked the stats though) than Barton.

In my original post I was not just talking about last night, I'm just not sure, going forward, Barton and Derry are best together

[bushcelt1]

derry is not good enough mate. chases shadows at this level.

[theblackmafia.]

Problem we have when Derry and Barton play together is that no-one plays high enough to support the strikers. Buz is the best we have for this and therefore one of Derry or Barton would have to give way.

Recently Barton's dead ball play has been shocking, corners etc etc and his final pass fairly poor, whereas Derry IMO has improved and appears to complete more passes (not checked the stats though) than Barton.

In my original post I was not just talking about last night, I'm just not sure, going forward, Barton and Derry are best together

So your basing your opinion on freekicks, corners and mis-placed passes!? What about tracking runners, positional play and hard bleeding work? Derry is sh..e, end of.

[Bluehoop]

Play an injured Buzz over Barton, play Derry who is now too slow for this league over Barton?
Ali is a huge miss given the number of tackles he was making and Derry/Buzz don't have that ability. Barton, whilst not being a real ball player is very hard working but we know Rangers fans don't appreciate hard work as it's all about ability.
Without Ali, Adel, Buzz available we do not have the players to control a game in the midfield and neither Mackie or SWP is a player to put his foot on the ball and make a clever pass.
Until the ACON boys return and Buzz is fit we will just have to make do.

[Ginger Ninja]

I agree Derry and Barton partnership isn't good, but I'd drop Derry like a shot. He is rubbish at this level. Started off well but lost it, legs have gone.

[QPRDave]

Barton was our best midfield player by a mile last night, most comfortable on the ball always wants it and law of averages means he will give it away more than others. Helped out no end defensively last night including great last ditch tackle on Nzogbia at 2-1. Gets some very unfair critiscm on here.

Sorry but to say he was our best midfielder by a mile doesn't say much for me.
Our midfield last night weren't great imo and Joey for all his hype has very rarely stepped up and ran the show.
For a player of his supposed quality his passing at times is beyond woefull, like in the 1st half when he was in the RB position helping out, won the ball and passed it straight to one of theirs on the edge of the 18 yard box,i was just opened mouthed, couldn't believe it.
Him and SWP for me have been so disapointing.

[theblackmafia.]

Sorry but to say he was our best midfielder by a mile doesn't say much for me.
Our midfield last night weren't great imo and Joey for all his hype has very rarely stepped up and ran the show.
For a player of his supposed quality his passing at times is beyond woefull, like in the 1st half when he was in the RB position helping out, won the ball and passed it straight to one of theirs on the edge of the 18 yard box,i was just opened mouthed, couldn't believe it.
Him and SWP for me have been so disapointing.

Agreed, made me laugh that pass but has anyone ever seen him play regularly before he came to us? Is this as good as he is?

[QPRDave]

Agreed, made me laugh that pass but has anyone ever seen him play regularly before he came to us? Is this as good as he is?

Thats a good point mate, cause i never took any notice of him, and don't remember him doing anything eye catching unless it was a foul or him being fouled,.....oh i remember something about him pulling down his shorts at the Everton fans.
I do remember reading some toon forums before he signed and they were saying
bet they play him in the middle where he's rubbish.They used to play him on the right, but i'm sure we tried that.

[theblackmafia.]

bar a couple of free kicks and crunching tackles I can not think of anything special, but I have probably only seen him play a handful of times before he came here.

I don't understand the idea of playing him on the right when his passing and crossing aint that great and he has no pace, but what do I know!?