What is the solution to our midfield?

[Leftback99]

I think it is the biggest issue for this team at the moment. Matic, Pogba, Bruno as a 3 clearly does not work.

We aren't signing another midfielder so that's not an option.

Matic and Pogba offer no work rate and energy. For me Fred has to be starting I don't know why he has come out of the side after playing well in the Europa league.

Pogba at this stage should be dropped (and ideally sold) but long term I think the playing him in a double pivot needs to stop especially while we don't have a pure DM alongside him. He's never had the workrate for it. VdB should be tried there.

It's then a case of Bruno or Pogba for the 10 role. Really we've got ourselves in a situation where we've got 3 number 10's.

If we don't buy a RW (or even if we do) could we possibly start using Bruno or Pogba as a wide 10 if we must start them both? So one replaces either Greenwood or Rashford?

VdB Fred
Pogba
Bruno ST LW

Or

VdB Fred
Bruno
RW ST Pogba

 

[charlenefan]

I've said it before and I'll say it again our best from was post Bruno signing and pre lockdown i.e. when there was no Pogba

Defensive shield of any two of McTominay/Fred and Matic behind the usual front 4

 

[luke511]

Play Fred at all times in one of the two deep CM positions, and stop Bruno from playing as a free roaming CF.

Bruno
Fred Van De Beek/McTominay​

This changes it from being slow, lethargic and full of gaps seen today, to one that's full of energy and tighter as a unit.

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

I've said it before and I'll say it again our best from was post Bruno signing and pre lockdown i.e. when there was no Pogba

Defensive shield of any two of McTominay/Fred and Matic behind the usual front 4

Agreed, really wanted Pogba to succeed but he has been a major let down, time to bench him and get some balance back into the team. He’s more of a hinderance than a help.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

What’s the solution? A new manager. Rip it up and start again. Seriously. There are no quick fixes here. This isn’t about team selection. The rot goes a hell of a lot deeper than that.

 

[Renegade]

Don’t play to non runners in a double pivot would be a good start.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Since we're so stubborn with 4231, then.. yeah as the other poster have said...

1. Play two of these three always; McT, Fred and Matic.
2. Bruno maintain at CAM.
3. Pogba as either impact sub midfielder or play on the wings.
4. VdvB maintain as rotational subs to any positions in midfield and wings.

I think it's not a coincidence our best period last season is when Bruno joined and before the C19 pause/break. Bruno focus on creating and attacking while Matic and Fred mopping things up at the back.

 

[KcB32]

It's clear the system does not work. The gaps throughout the midfield are massive and we get dominated in the middle third every game. On paper, midfield should be our strongest area. We have Matic playing on the back line, Bruno up by the striker, and Pogba clearly neither fit nor interested to cover the rest of the pitch. The opposition has seen how easy it is to run through our midfield and our manager is unwilling or unable to address the issue.

 

[My only Eric]

I would like to see this Formation

De gea
Wan Bissaka/Williams--Bailly/Lindelof--Maguire/Smalling--Shaw/Telles
Matic/Fred/Scot --- --- Pogba
Bruno/VDB/Mata ------ ------ Rashford
Greenwood/Cavani --- Martial/Cavani​

This would play to our strength because it would eliminate the need for a right winger, which we do not have. Also, it would reduce the attacking expectancy on our fullbacks. When we are attacking, Pogba can step forward into CM/AM to dictate play and our fullbacks would step into DM alongside Matic to man mark and break opposition counter attack and simply recycle it, rather than trying to force crosses which is not their strength. We would still have two CBs free to positional mark.

It would also allow us to easily sit back and counter if there's ever the need to. In such a situation, Bruno and Rashford would play deeper and we would still have two players up front to hold up play bring their teammates into it.

We would also have a good enough cover incase of injury. We wouldn't play like a team with red card because we wouldn't need a right winger to function properly.
Best of all, we would still play our beloved fast attacking football.

what do you think?​

 

[Fergies Formula]

I would suggest 433 with Van de Beek, Fred, Fernandes as a central 3 with Pogba inside left, martial up front and greenwood on the right.

 

[hungrywing]

Don’t play to non runners in a double pivot would be a good start.

So many caftards pointing this out. At this point all we can do is laugh.

 

[Dante]

532 or 4222.

Matic and Pogba aren't a double pivot. People on this forum keep using that term without knowing what it means.

 

[sp_107]

Jose is 100% right about Pogba. He should never come near to our first team again. He might be talented but fighting spirit and No grit..

He was lucky to have Pirlo and Marchisio at Juve covered his mistakes and he excelled in that less competitive league. No wonder top teams are not in for him anymore.

No doubt Ole squeezed the best out of this average team last year and did well in finishing top-4 but if I complain one thing about him Its his persistence with Pogba.

 

[sp_107]

I would like to see this Formation

De gea
Wan Bissaka/Williams--Bailly/Lindelof--Maguire/Smalling--Shaw/Telles
Matic/Fred/Scot --- --- Pogba
Bruno/VDB/Mata ------ ------ Rashford
Greenwood/Cavani --- Martial/Cavani​

This would play to our strength because it would eliminate the need for a right winger, which we do not have. Also, it would reduce the attacking expectancy on our fullbacks. When we are attacking, Pogba can step forward into CM/AM to dictate play and our fullbacks would step into DM alongside Matic to man mark and break opposition counter attack and simply recycle it, rather than trying to force crosses which is not their strength. We would still have two CBs free to positional mark.

It would also allow us to easily sit back and counter if there's ever the need to. In such a situation, Bruno and Rashford would play deeper and we would still have two players up front to hold up play bring their teammates into it.

We would also have a good enough cover incase of injury. We wouldn't play like a team with red card because we wouldn't need a right winger to function properly.
Best of all, we would still play our beloved fast attacking football.

what do you think?​

You wont win anything with Pogba. He is a Luxury player can do well at clubs where they already got good players like he had at Juve.

 

[Volumiza]

I would suggest 433 with Van de Beek, Fred, Fernandes as a central 3 with Pogba inside left, martial up front and greenwood on the right.

I was with you until the word Pogba. He needs to be kept away from the first team until he gets his arse into gear ... or sold.

 

[My only Eric]

You wont win anything with Pogba. He is a Luxury player can do well at clubs where they already got good players like he had at Juve.

Then maybe Pogba/Fred for his position, and Rashford/Pogba for Rashford's position.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

532 or 4222.

Matic and Pogba aren't a double pivot. People on this forum keep using that term without knowing what it means.

What is it then intellectual phd professor of football, do tell and share your wisdom

 

[kps88]

One of Fred or Mctominay have to start every game. There's no legs in there otherwise.

 

[Dante]

What is it then intellectual phd professor of football, do tell and share your wisdom

Google is your friend.

A double pivot is a system, not just a count of the number of midfielders.

 

[passing-wind]

Manager needs to coach the movement of the midfield. There's nothing wrong with Pogba, Bruno and Matic but if they are not instructed correctly they will underperform.

 

[Clermontois]

Since we're so stubborn with 4231, then.. yeah as the other poster have said...

1. Play two of these three always; McT, Fred and Matic.
2. Bruno maintain at CAM.
3. Pogba as either impact sub midfielder or play on the wings.
4. VdvB maintain as rotational subs to any positions in midfield and wings.

I think it's not a coincidence our best period last season is when Bruno joined and before the C19 pause/break. Bruno focus on creating and attacking while Matic and Fred mopping things up at the back.

If you are typing stuff like that why bother, save the energy.

Fernandes at AM is part of the problem, we lose every midfield battle now that we have been found out even when the midfield includes Fred and Mctominay. With the midfielders we have we should be playing a 3:5:2 or a flat 4:3:3. We do not have the players to support an AM, maybe other teams can support one, we cannot.

 

[Siorac]

What is it then intellectual phd professor of football, do tell and share your wisdom

It's a mishmash that results in a black hole in the middle of the pitch for various reasons.

This is the scientific definition for those two, look it up!

 

[Hansinity]

Bench Pogba. I don´t understand why he is a starter.

Play with VDB, Bruno Matic/Fred.

He simply adds nothing , other than being a big name on the paper. People still want him to succeed because it is Pogba, but he has to want it first. Ole is too soft and respects his name too much, otherwise I don´t understand it. Can anyone imagine Pogba starting with these kind of performances under Klopp ? It is not even his performance. It is his will to play, to fight. He isn´t even trying.

 

[MiracleInMadrid]

I've worded this several times recently. Our midfield is too static. It's like a freeway for the opposition when we lose the ball high up the pitch. Matic, Pogba, Maguire and Lindelöf. There is no pace among these players. There's not enough defensive tenacity. We are leaving huge gaps in central areas, and our players haven't got what it takes to make up for it.

 

[matt23]

A new head coach. Decent enough midfield.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Our midfield lacks graft and intelligence.

 

[The Irish Connection]

Sell pogba and buy 2 good, consistent, solid performers. Pogba is a YouTube player, he looks great in a few moments per game, he’s the David luiz of midfield.

 

[bosnian_red]

Bench Pogba/sell him if we get the chance. Van de Beek as an 8. Tell Bruno to play deeper and stop forcing it so much. Matic/Fred as a the holding mid. Get the back 4 and front 3 to suit this group as well though.
Better coaching 100% a necessity of course.

 

[TwoSheds]

For me I'd pick McT, VdB and Fernandez but honestly you're fecking crackers if you think midfield is more of an issue than defence.

 

[AltiUn]

Not sure but Matic has got away with murder the last few months, our midfield looked miles better when it was Fernandes, Pogba and Fred.

 

[devilish]

Pogba is a liability defensively and Matic is slow. I'd say sell Pogba, add Partey and start playing Partey-VDB-Bruno in a 4-3-3 system.

 

[noodlehair]

What’s the solution? A new manager. Rip it up and start again. Seriously. There are no quick fixes here. This isn’t about team selection. The rot goes a hell of a lot deeper than that.

Fred and Mctominay played consistently well as a midfield pair last season, and our midfield looked very good once Bruno was playing ahead of them. I remember saying on here that the biggest bonus of the season at that point was having a functioning midfield for the first time in years.

Pogba's been here over 4 years and the only thing we've learned is that he's a midfielder who you can't play in midfield without it making the other team's midfield better than yours, and that if you don't let him do what he wants drama ensues. Where as Chelsea fans will tell you Matic lost the ability to cover enough ground a good year and a half before he even left there.

I actually think it is that simple. Pick players that can't or wont do their job and it really isn't a surprise when they don't. I think it's been obvious Pogba and Matic doesn't work as a partnership since Jose's second season...yet here we are still trying it despite having two players who have both proven they can do better.

You can apply this to our defence too. Maguire can't play at centreback for us but will continue to get picked there anyway. Even if we did sign another centreback he'd still play and we'd still have the same problems.

 

[AngliaRed]

........Fred.......
.....VDB..Pogba..
......Bruno.....
Rash/Mason.......martial..

 

[Leftback99]

For me I'd pick McT, VdB and Fernandez but honestly you're fecking crackers if you think midfield is more of an issue than defence.

If the midfield works the defence doesn't get so exposed. They go hand in hand.

 

[Rozay]

Choice between Bruno and Pogba. Or play a diamond, which I’m not in agreement with anyway. But the two of them in a 3 is doomed to failure.

The only way we might get away with it is if we went 352, but at the moment, we struggle to string two decent centre halves together, let alone 3.

 

[Red_Aaron]

The only way to play Pogba and Bruno together is to have pogba as one of the wide forwards. Otherwise it's just one of the them behind the front with plenty of legs behind them.

We're getting over run every game and worse of all there's no protection for the defenders. The space we're leaving out wide this season is absolutely criminal

 

[VP89]

Drop Pogba, that's a big stride forward for the midfield

 

[Falcow]

I'm glad at least people are now realising that Pogba is a liability.

I've said it before and I'll say it again our best from was post Bruno signing and pre lockdown i.e. when there was no Pogba

Defensive shield of any two of McTominay/Fred and Matic behind the usual front 4

I've been saying the same since probably Southampton game at home. Very disappointing that Ole doesnt see this and he has given 2 fingers to fred who was one of our best players last season.

I'm glad at least people are now realising that Pogba is a liability.

 

[zenith]

Matic and pogba do not work. Matic is quite slow and is no Kante. This leaves matic too deep and with pogba moving further forward, it leaves a huge gap in midfield.

Bruno is more of 2nd forward than a midfielder and the defence of totally exposed.

Maybe one should go back to the system rather than the players. Play Mctominay and Fred in a double pivot and ffs give that defence done energy on front of it.

 

[Cassidy]

A proper coach