Why do you need a "holding midfielder"?

[Reidbait26]

It is something that has been pestering me for some years now, this isn't specifically anything to do with my beloved Jambos either.

 

Football was fine for years without anyone needing to "sit in front of the back four". It merely enhances caution and stifles your own teams chances of enterprising attacking football. It's often a waste of a talented player, sticking him in a highly restrictive position.

 

Is the holding midfielder a by-product of modern defenders' inability to distribute the ball effectively themselves?

[speedbump]

Cause they are the trendiest football, alongside 4-5-1/4-3-3 with wide palyers dropping back:sad:

[Guest jambomickey]

It is something that has been pestering me for some years now, this isn't specifically anything to do with my beloved Jambos either.

 

Football was fine for years without anyone needing to "sit in front of the back four". It merely enhances caution and stifles your own teams chances of enterprising attacking football. It's often a waste of a talented player, sticking him in a highly restrictive position.

 

Is the holding midfielder a by-product of modern defenders' inability to distribute the ball effectively themselves?

 

no harm having a defensive midfielder when it's a natural midfielder but not a centre half trying to play there

[FrazJambo]

It allows the use of a more attacking midfielder who will frequently make forward runs and predominately support the strikers...

[jlo2]

Someone to protect the back four and win the ball in midfield.

[BobbyJenkins]

Ultimately IMO you want 2 central mids who can share the role between them i.e read the game.

[JamboSean]

It allows the use of a more attacking midfielder who will frequently make forward runs and predominately support the strikers...

 

Pretty much spot on. If you have a Fabregas and Gerrard in the middle of the park you won't need a defensive midfielder as both players can attack and defend. If you have a Lampard, a defensive midfielder is a must as they defence will be totally exposed.

 

The defensive midfielder role was glamourised by Makelele at Real Madrid. He did the unfashionable stuff to let Zindane, Figo ect play their football. Zidane famously said when Makelele was sold. "You can have the most beautiful car in the world, but it won't work without an engine." Something along those lines anyway.

[Reidbait26]

Ultimately IMO you want 2 central mids who can share the role between them i.e read the game.

 

Sort of what i'm getting at, two decent central midfielders should be able to sort out one going forward and one sitting back, I don't believe there is need for a designated player to sit in front of the defence for the majority of the game.

[this_is_my_story]

Sort of what i'm getting at, two decent central midfielders should be able to sort out one going forward and one sitting back, I don't believe there is need for a designated player to sit in front of the defence for the majority of the game.

 

Then surely he'd be what is popularly termed a 'holding' or 'sitting' midfielder, no?

[adso7]

Sort of what i'm getting at, two decent central midfielders should be able to sort out one going forward and one sitting back, I don't believe there is need for a designated player to sit in front of the defence for the majority of the game.

 

IMO you want specialist players if you can - one who excels at going forward and the other who excels at taking the ball from the defenders to distribute and winning it back when it's lost. Trouble is that it's difficult to get the holding midfielder who is good on the ball and can tackle.

[Coco]

Unless you have other all round midfield players, you do need a water carrier.

 

I would like us to bring in another all round midfielder to play in the same midfield as Jonsson, Stewart and Driver. McArthur from Hamilton, Arfield from Falkirk or Robertson from United would do the trick. If we can't get that then I'd like a player from the Brellier mould.

[Ivan Drago]

Pretty much spot on. If you have a Fabregas and Gerrard in the middle of the park you won't need a defensive midfielder as both players can attack and defend. If you have a Lampard, a defensive midfielder is a must as they defence will be totally exposed.

 

The defensive midfielder role was glamourised by Makelele at Real Madrid. He did the unfashionable stuff to let Zindane, Figo ect play their football. Zidane famously said when Makelele was sold. "You can have the most beautiful car in the world, but it won't work without an engine." Something along those lines anyway.

 

Deschamps the 'water carrier' helped make it fashionable as well when he played with ZZ for France

[Reidbait26]

I just thought I'd put it out there and see what people say, I often question their effectiveness. Maybe I've been watching the Jambos too much and haven't seen in a good one in a while, possibly blinkering my opinions.

[willie wallace]

I have always been puzzled by the fascination with this role and while it may be an advantage against top teams away from home i am quite sure it is totally unnecessary against Airdrie at Tynecastle.

[Coco]

I just thought I'd put it out there and see what people say, I often question their effectiveness. Maybe I've been watching the Jambos too much and haven't seen in a good one in a while, possibly blinkering my opinions.

 

Julien Brellier, Julien Brellier, Julien Brellier, Julien Brellier ...

[Buffalo Bill]

Deschamps the 'water carrier' helped make it fashionable as well when he played with ZZ for France

 

 

Both were the best players in the world in their positions, circa 1998-2000.

 

The perfect combination. Who could fail to be impressed by these two at Euro 2000?

 

 

Buffalo Bill

 

.

[Deevers]

I have always been puzzled by the fascination with this role and while it may be an advantage against top teams away from home i am quite sure it is totally unnecessary against Airdrie at Tynecastle.

 

If we had a couple of central midfield players with good engines and a half decent work ethic it would not be necessary. Like wise if we had a couple of dominant central defenders. Unfortunately we don't have either!

[Robbo27_22]

Neil Berry never did much attacking when he played in midfield but he let others do the job.

 

Worked pretty well for us.

[willie wallace]

If we had a couple of central midfield players with good engines and a half decent work ethic it would not be necessary. Like wise if we had a couple of dominant central defenders. Unfortunately we don't have either!

 

That just about sums it up.

[DETTY29]

It allows the use of a more attacking midfielder who will frequently make forward runs and predominately support the strikers...

 

In recent times Colin Cameron and Paul Hartley have greatly benefited from a holding midfielder. (and Fulton/Skacel)

 

Unfortunately we lack both a holding midfielder or an attacking one.

 

Pray god, no-one compare Palazuelos style with Salvarori/Brellier or Stewart with Cameron/Hartley

[willie wallace]

Both were the best players in the world in their positions, circa 1998-2000.

 

The perfect combination. Who could fail to be impressed by these two at Euro 2000?

 

 

Buffalo Bill

 

.

 

BB,these two could play any position at Hearts and still be the best.

[Debut 4]

It is something that has been pestering me for some years now, this isn't specifically anything to do with my beloved Jambos either.

 

Football was fine for years without anyone needing to "sit in front of the back four". It merely enhances caution and stifles your own teams chances of enterprising attacking football. It's often a waste of a talented player, sticking him in a highly restrictive position.

 

Is the holding midfielder a by-product of modern defenders' inability to distribute the ball effectively themselves?

Its alot of claptrap to me. Why shouldn`t two centre mids be able to interchange at the right time or go forward alternately when it`s on?

 

At the moment we have a defender playing this role and it`s having a negative effect on the team. Karipidis is a dfender. He doesn`t naturally look for the ball instantaneously and he never attempts to play a positive pass.

 

If you had the likes of Ruben playing there you`d have someone with the ability to find passes going forward even from a deeper position.

[jamboj]

I would argue that the need for a defensive midfielder is a lot to do with the softening up of the game. Defenders can no longer go about chopping the strikers down and pulling their shirts constantly, which means they need protected from the middle of the park.

 

Also, guys like Teddy Sheringham and Dennis Bergkamp who could play between a striker and their midfield mean that someone has to drop in and pick them up or prevent the ball getting to them.

 

Ultimately its just the evolution of the game, and you no longer see any top sides without a good defensive midfielder (with the exception of Arsenal, because although Denilson wants to be a DM, he's no good at it)...

[i8hibsh]

Especially when he plays 'holding' midfielders that can't hold on to the feckin ball

[wavydavy]

It is something that has been pestering me for some years now, this isn't specifically anything to do with my beloved Jambos either.

 

Football was fine for years without anyone needing to "sit in front of the back four". It merely enhances caution and stifles your own teams chances of enterprising attacking football. It's often a waste of a talented player, sticking him in a highly restrictive position.

 

Is the holding midfielder a by-product of modern defenders' inability to distribute the ball effectively themselves?

 

Why do we need two wide players who contribute virtually nothing?

 

I looked at the Rangers line-up yesterday and their two "wide players" were Charlie Adam and Steven Davis hardly what you would call natural wide players but at least they get some effort from them which is more than we can say for Kingston & Miko although he did work harder than normal on Saturday.

[Cade]

05-06 season.

 

Brellier snapped anyone who got near the back 4.

 

Hartley scored 17 goals.

 

THAT is the point of the diamond formation.

[vegas-voss]

Cause they are the trendiest football, alongside 4-5-1/4-3-3 with wide palyers dropping back:sad:

 

Exactly lets just hope that a european team wins the World Cup playing 4-2-4 like the old old days of football.Football must have been brilliant to watch then.