A significant oversight by Manchester United and Arsenal
Look through all the really successful teams of recent times, and you will find a few things they all have in common. A special player like a Messi or Rooney, a solid defence like the Chelsea team of 2004-2007, and a brilliant manager like Inter Milan when a certain Special One was at the helm. There is something that you may not see however, but rest assured it is certainly there. That of a holding midfielder – someone in the Makelele role, who goes about their business quietly, and unassumingly lets other more creative players flow forward without fear of being caught in possession.
Now look at the current United team, and the Arsenal team. What do you not see? That’s right you’ve got it in one. A quality holding midfielder. And boy is it punishing both sides this season. Both United and Arsenal have quality in abundance, and players to score goals, create chances and on their day be unbeatable. Van Persie and Rooney are two of the very best strikers in Europe, if not the world, yet neither of their teams are leading the Premier League, and both have had somewhat shaky starts in Europe.
Again and again it is highlighted by fans, pundits and opposition teams that what both sides are lacking in is that Makelele type player. Lets firstly take United – if you look at their recent games, even the one where they humiliated Arsenal 8-2, the Van Persie goal was created by cutting straight through the centre of United’s midfield. Likewise against City, they have no one to cut out the ball through the middle and slot into or in front of the back four when more creative players are caught up front in possession. This is not a recent thing – the FA Cup semi final winner for City could have easily been cut out by a Makelele type midfielder, yet was not, thus Yaya Toure cut through the heart of United and scored.
Neither Anderson, Fletcher or Carrick are quite good enough or suited to filling this role. Commenting on each player’s individual ability aside, as Carrick divides United fans like no one else can, there is a lack of a purely defensive player in midfield and the lack of protection for the back four is costing United time and time again.
The number of shots fired at De Gea this season on average per game is 19 – Chelsea and City average around 11 – both have the one thing United lack. A shield in front of the back four, a player able to cut out such shots before they occur. It is all well and good Fergie stating United are ‘too open’ when he refuses to buy a player to do something about it. It would not be impossible to see Phil Jones in that role for the Red Devils, yet the injury situation for United so far this season has prevented that from being tried out to full effect – even then, Jones is hardly a Vieira or Makelele and it seems certain Fergie needs to delve into the transfer market and buy someone capable of filling the role.
From the Gunners’ perspective, they have been lacking a quality defensive midfielder since Vieira left, and with a team who rely on their passing and creativity from the middle of the park so much, with players such as Arteta and Rosicky often caught high up the pitch in possession, a Makelele type player would relieve them of having to rush back and would comfortably avert the danger. Alex Song, whilst showing flashes of quality, is not at the level needed to really fill the Makelele type role, and this coupled with a defence that is notoriously shaky means Arsenal can be cut through like a block of cheese at times.
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This is a load of rubbish, cannot believe what I just read.
If anything Arsenal is lacking their creative influence this season having lost Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri to transfers and Jack Wilshere to injury. Basically the heart of Arsenals fluidly creative midfield was wiped out over the transfer window and pre season.
Arsenal has Alex Song who is doing just great as a defensively minded mid and even occasionally trying to help fill part of the void in midfield creativity while Ramsey learns and grows into his role, and Arteta gets to know his new team.
Also with Frimpong and Coquelin growing into the tenacious roles they are not short of players for this position.
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Yes I totally agree with Jimi. Song is awesome.
He makes the occasional misplaced pass, but defensively he’s rock solid.
Arsenal’s remaining problem now is making the midfield become more creative and fast and direct in attack. This might need a transfer, someone to play side by side with Wilshere. I don’t think Ramsey can fill that role yet, if he ever will be able to (he’s a great rotation player though; same goes for Rosicky and Areta).
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jack can be that player..but his injured. We have 3 different set of dm, you can choose a technical or a notorious or the current one a blend of both…now u telling us man utd is not good? lol…the red card have given them a cause and also agree with Sir Alex, when the score at 4 they should defend instead of lunching an all out attack, it’s just one of those ugly days.
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In the words of andy gray, “do you understand the offside rule love” as you have no idea about football tactics, I don’t know who Fergie instructs to play this role but Arsenal currently have Song and have had several players in the past 6 years that have filled that role.
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………what a load of absolute crap……………and that is why a women should not write about football!!!!!!
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Great example of how to make a complete fool of yourself. Please do a bit of research before you write about a team.
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bullocks
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This article neglected to mention that Arsenal average 12.6 shots on goal per game, just one more than City and Chelsea without (apparently) a defensive mid. That’s quite an oversight having written that Arsenal’s lack of a quality DM leads to their defensive frailty whilst citing a statistic that they excel at (they have the third best record in the league behind Chelsea and City re. shots on goal, there’s an article on talksport about it).
Of course you have to write about something, but this article is trundled out in differing forms three or four times a season with the guarantee of Viera and Makalele’s names being mentioned. Still – no need for the insults.
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Dont post things u shld b tellin yrself wn lookn in the mirror. keep them to yr self.u ar making yrself a total joke.man city/s dm is Barry & for chelsea its mikel,if u seriously think those 2 ar better holding midfielders than song u hav a problem!
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This is arrant nonsense. Put up Barry, Mikel and Song for sale and see for ur self.
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