Brightonian
Full Member
...or were reports of their demise greatly exaggerated?
Gareth Southgate has the pleasant responsibility of picking a central midfield from a pool containing:
Declan Rice
Jude Bellingham
Conor Gallagher
Kobbie Mainoo
and alleged footballer Jordan Henderson.
All have played at times at the base of midfield, at times in more advanced positions scoring goals, and most of all as so-called #8s, box-to-box. All are arguably best used by giving them free rein to do all the midfield things at once.
Is this a wider trend in football? If so, will it at some point be reflected in a move away from formations that require more specialised DMs and AMs, towards formations that allow midfielders to move more freely. Might we even see 442 come back into fashion?
Gareth Southgate has the pleasant responsibility of picking a central midfield from a pool containing:
Declan Rice
Jude Bellingham
Conor Gallagher
Kobbie Mainoo
and alleged footballer Jordan Henderson.
All have played at times at the base of midfield, at times in more advanced positions scoring goals, and most of all as so-called #8s, box-to-box. All are arguably best used by giving them free rein to do all the midfield things at once.
Is this a wider trend in football? If so, will it at some point be reflected in a move away from formations that require more specialised DMs and AMs, towards formations that allow midfielders to move more freely. Might we even see 442 come back into fashion?