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Centre Half / Defensive Midfielder


Rscot

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I’m my opinion one of our problem positions is the Defensive Midfield Centre. We don’t really have a natural Midfield Enforcer and it’s a problem to us. We played Jack there yesterday and I thought he played ok on the ball and it’s difficult to see on tv what his work was like off the ball. So if Clarke plays him there again against Kazakstan, then fair enough. It’s was his 1st cap and it’s a bit premature to jump to conclusions. My concerns with Jack however is I don’t believe he has the physicality or the aggression to smash into tackles for 90+ minutes, and I think we need that badly in our midfield. Jack is good enough on the ball, I’ve no doubts but I think he may come up short on the other aspects we need in a defensive midfielder. So I’m wondering do we have any Centre Halves we could move in there and who could perhaps do the role better? 
Can Devlin do it, or perhaps Porteous? Me personally, if Clarke is playing a back 4, I’d like to see Craig Hacklett given an opportunity when he comes back from injury.

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3 minutes ago, Rscot said:

I’m my opinion one of our problem positions is the Defensive Midfield Centre. We don’t really have a natural Midfield Enforcer and it’s a problem to us. We played Jack there yesterday and I thought he played ok on the ball and it’s difficult to see on tv what his work was like off the ball. So if Clarke plays him there again against Kazakstan, then fair enough. It’s was his 1st cap and it’s a bit premature to jump to conclusions. My concerns with Jack however is I don’t believe he has the physicality or the aggression to smash into tackles for 90+ minutes, and I think we need that badly in our midfield. Jack is good enough on the ball, I’ve no doubts but I think he may come up short on the other aspects we need in a defensive midfielder. So I’m wondering do we have any Centre Halves we could move in there and who could perhaps do the role better? 
Can Devlin do it, or perhaps Porteous? Me personally, if Clarke is playing a back 4, I’d like to see Craig Hacklett given an opportunity when he comes back from injury.

I genuinely thought he had been capped already? 

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4 minutes ago, Rscot said:

I’m my opinion one of our problem positions is the Defensive Midfield Centre. We don’t really have a natural Midfield Enforcer and it’s a problem to us. We played Jack there yesterday and I thought he played ok on the ball and it’s difficult to see on tv what his work was like off the ball. So if Clarke plays him there again against Kazakstan, then fair enough. It’s was his 1st cap and it’s a bit premature to jump to conclusions. My concerns with Jack however is I don’t believe he has the physicality or the aggression to smash into tackles for 90+ minutes, and I think we need that badly in our midfield. Jack is good enough on the ball, I’ve no doubts but I think he may come up short on the other aspects we need in a defensive midfielder. So I’m wondering do we have any Centre Halves we could move in there and who could perhaps do the role better? 
Can Devlin do it, or perhaps Porteous? Me personally, if Clarke is playing a back 4, I’d like to see Craig Hacklett given an opportunity when he comes back from injury. 

It's definitely a vital position for us and one that will give us a headache in the months to come. I think Ryan Jack is a decent defensive midfielder and he read and covered very well at times yesterday. Once in particular at right back when Palmer was out of position. 

Our issue will be when mctominay is fit again. He definitely starts and then we have a choice between McGregor who is not a defensive player or jack. I think he picks mcgregor and we therefore lose defensive balance. 

The only centre half we have who I could see defensive midfield is John souttar. Best option long term is Ross Mccrorie who is a natural defensive midfielder. 

 

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8 minutes ago, gonzohiggy said:

It's definitely a vital position for us and one that will give us a headache in the months to come. I think Ryan Jack is a decent defensive midfielder and he read and covered very well at times yesterday. Once in particular at right back when Palmer was out of position. 

Our issue will be when mctominay is fit again. He definitely starts and then we have a choice between McGregor who is not a defensive player or jack. I think he picks mcgregor and we therefore lose defensive balance. 

The only centre half we have who I could see defensive midfield is John souttar. Best option long term is Ross Mccrorie who is a natural defensive midfielder. 

 

Does anyone have an idea of when Souttar will be fit again, seems like he’s been out for a very long time. I believe Hacklett is back in January.

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12 minutes ago, mrniaboc said:

I genuinely thought he had been capped already? 

 

8 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

Jack has 3 or 4 caps 

 

Yesterday was his third cap but his first competitive match. 

He played against the Netherlands at Pittodrie and Belgium in the friendly at Hampden. 

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Ross McCrorie is the obvious one long term, but the Defensive Midfielder is only really needed against better sides. No way should we be sacrificing McGregor or McTominay if both are fit against any sides seeded or ranked below us. These two compliment each other well and long term could be a very good Midfield partnership. Against better sides fine add a bit of steel with someone like McCrorie depending how he develops or a central defender in the way we used to utilise Gary Caldwell but not against sides the calibre of Cyprus

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2 minutes ago, bazmidd said:

Ross McCrorie is the obvious one long term, but the Defensive Midfielder is only really needed against better sides. No way should we be sacrificing McGregor or McTominay if both are fit against any sides seeded or ranked below us. These two compliment each other well and long term could be a very good Midfield partnership. Against better sides fine add a bit of steel with someone like McCrorie depending how he develops or a central defender in the way we used to utilise Gary Caldwell but not against sides the calibre of Cyprus

I’d agree with this

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10 minutes ago, bazmidd said:

Ross McCrorie is the obvious one long term, but the Defensive Midfielder is only really needed against better sides. No way should we be sacrificing McGregor or McTominay if both are fit against any sides seeded or ranked below us. These two compliment each other well and long term could be a very good Midfield partnership. Against better sides fine add a bit of steel with someone like McCrorie depending how he develops or a central defender in the way we used to utilise Gary Caldwell but not against sides the calibre of Cyprus

Agree with that. 

Only issue is we probably need the defensive guy way more often that what we would ideally want. Would be less of an issue if our defence was better 

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4 minutes ago, gonzohiggy said:

Agree with that. 

Only issue is we probably need the defensive guy way more often that what we would ideally want. Would be less of an issue if our defence was better 

I personally think Tierney will improve our defence massively if played in Central defence. I also think it would completely help to change our style as he is not only a quality defender but great on the ball and has pace. Pace let's us play a higher pressing game which suits our players from midfield onwards who all like to press the play at their clubs. Unfortunately they can't do this as much as thyy would like because of the bang average Central defence they have to constantly worry about protecting. Tierney was quality against Holland in Central defence and ayed a few games there for Celtic in the cup, remember him scoring a screamer as well against Killie I think bringing the ball out from the back. Someone like Gallagher beside him who just does the basics right and wins headers would compliment him well

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2 minutes ago, bazmidd said:

I personally think Tierney will improve our defence massively if played in Central defence. I also think it would completely help to change our style as he is not only a quality defender but great on the ball and has pace. Pace let's us play a higher pressing game which suits our players from midfield onwards who all like to press the play at their clubs. Unfortunately they can't do this as much as thyy would like because of the bang average Central defence they have to constantly worry about protecting. Tierney was quality against Holland in Central defence and ayed a few games there for Celtic in the cup, remember him scoring a screamer as well against Killie I think bringing the ball out from the back. Someone like Gallagher beside him who just does the basics right and wins headers would compliment him well

Youve convinced me 👍

I kind of thought Tierney at right back was best option but you're right that pace and quality at centre half is a big advantage. Hopefully his positioning is good enough. 

Still shudder at the thought of SOD at right back and I'm a killie fan! 

 

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                         Marshall

       Tierney.   mckenna.   Robertson

Forrest.      Jack.   Mctominay.       Fraser

              Christie.          Mcginn

                         Naismith

 

Steal sheffield utd tactic of overlapping full back with mctominay and jack covering.

 

 

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1 minute ago, Rscot said:

You don’t know until you try. But I’ll tell you one thing, you won’t have opposition midfielders strolling through 3 and 4 challenges from our midfielders as happened yesterday.

FFS. His name is Halkett. Craig Halkett. 

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7 minutes ago, bazmidd said:

Never seen Halkett play is he any good then? 

As a defensive midfielder, I don’t know he’s never played there, but I think he maybe able to. He’s mobile enough, probably decent enough on the ball to do the basics ok, which is all I’d expect. But he is very aggressive, good in the tackle, strong, threat at set pieces.  As a centre half he is decent, in a back 4 we probably have better, but in a back 3 he’s good in the middle, he is a leader / organiser.

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2 minutes ago, Rscot said:

As a defensive midfielder, I don’t know he’s never played there, but I think he maybe able to. He’s mobile enough, probably decent enough on the ball to do the basics ok, which is all I’d expect. But he is very aggressive, good in the tackle, strong, threat at set pieces.  As a centre half he is decent, in a back 4 we probably have better, but in a back 3 he’s good in the middle, he is a leader / organiser.

Is he better than Souttar? 

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