Where does Luka Modric now fit in the grand plan?
Another week, another injury for Tottenham Hotspur. Not only have the Lilywhites been robbed of the vast majority of their midfielders, but now the Gods have conspired to rob ‘Arry Redknapp’s blue and white army of their leading goal scorer. However, whilst one door closes, another always opens, and for Tottenham, it could be Luka Modric bearing the key.
With Tom Huddlestone and Jermaine Jenas out injured, Modric has covered admirably in central midfield, helping Tottenham to a draw away at Fulham, and a victory at home to Blackburn. However, although many thought Modric might seize the chance to dictate proceedings from central midfield, Modric has often been crowded out, shackled with too much defensive responsibility to effectively stamp his authority in the final third. Although Modric is not suited to a central position in a 4-4-2, the injury to Jermain Defoe could provide Redknapp the opportunity to alter his formation slightly, and deploy Modric ‘in the hole’ behind Pavlyuchenko.
For Croatia, Modric has been deployed in attacking as well as defensive central positions in midfield, and so, with Jenas and Huddlestone set to return in the coming weeks, Modric could well be played in a free role behind a striker in a 4-4-1-1 or 4-5-1 formation. Eidur Gudjohnsen has hardly had a look-in since his arrival from Monaco on loan, whilst Fabio Capello may be alarmed at how little football Peter Crouch has seen owing to Roman Palyuchenko’s goal scoring form. Deploying Modric further forward might therefore be an option, as not only would he find more space and freedom to roam, but opposition defenders would struggle to pick up the diminutive play-maker.
This could certainly be a viable option away from home, as both Pavlyuchenko and Crouch, aside from being fairly similar, are not particularly fast, and might not offer much for Tottenham on the break. However, if Modric is free to concentrate on getting forward, Tottenham might find the Croatian international can dictate play in a free role, offering the team more of an outlet.
The form of Gareth Bale on the left wing is another reason that might lead Redknapp to consider revising his formation. Before Bale was moved to left midfield, Spurs lacked genuine width in midfield owing to Lennon’s injury. However, Bale has been a revelation on the left wing, and has arguably been Tottenham’s star performer in recent weeks. In a 4-4-2 Modric is most definitely best suited to left midfield. However, with Defoe and Lennon still injured, Bale could continue to add width to the Spurs midfield, whilst Modric could be moved into a forward position, leaving Jenas, Huddlestone and Palacios to compete for the two spaces in central midfield, depending on fitness and suspensions.
In a utopian world, Lennon would play on the right wing, Modric on the left, with Bale resuming his supporting role from left full-back. However, injuries have robbed Tottenham of their ideal starting 11. Whilst under Juande Ramos, Modric failed to adapt to a central attacking position in a 4-5-1 playing behind Darren Bent, Tottenham are a different animal to the one the Spaniard left in 2008. Further, the prospect of Pavlyuchenko paired with Crouch or Gudjohnsen, is hardly an appealing prospect, especially away from home where pace and work rate are essential.
With Lennon and Defoe set to spend a significant period on the treatment table, is it time to let the little Croatian loose in attack?
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Asking where Luka would fit in is like asking where a 700 pound gorilla sleeps….the answer, anywhere he wants.
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451 didnt work for us before and it wont work again. 442 is fine crouch and pav will do the job
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I read somewhere else this week that Harry will look next season to a 4-5-1 at least for certain away games.
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i personally would like to see this happen tried as i have little faith in a crouch/pav pairing, which is inevitable where harry will go. i’d rather see gudjohnsen in the team, but just can’t see it. if Thudd gets fit, i think this would be the most effective team in the absense of lennon & defoe:
gomes
corluka – bassong – dawson – BAE
kranjcar – palacios – Thudd – bale
modric
pavlyuchenko
ain’t gonna happen though!
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why deploy a midfielder in attack when we are woefully short in midfield? just doesn’t make sense unless Gudjohnsen is employed as the attacking midfielder.
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Is Jenas really competing for a starting place when palacios and hudd are fit? hope not, i reckon a traffic cone would break up more attacks and get the ball forward more often just by being in the way. Then again, he probably is due his one wonder goal a season. Modric, on the other hand, is class in a number of positions and seems very humble compared to some of the other numbskulls gracing the football world at present — i just hope we can keep hold of him for at least one more season.
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wheres keane now when we need him
scoring goals for fun in scotland
thanks harry you muppet
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T.R u crack head
what has keane really done since berbatoss left other than make use 10mil? SELL SELL SELL before we cant get good money for him.
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We now know 2 definate things:
A)That as long as Crouch is’nt playing we mostly win (In the way we r supposed to)B)That Bale and Bae provide probably the best left sided options in the prem Lb\lm therefore is it not a given that we can try mods in role closer to Pav.
they look the most compitent and capable
of our forwards..Defoe’s all round game
hasnt really improved after all. looked strong and somw how smarter at the start of the season but his goals are a
priceless commodity. 4th is gradually becoming a realistic aim….
COYS
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