Xavi & Iniesta

In the space of 2 seasons they've gone from a partnership who many believed could not work, to now being (almost) universally proclaimed as the best midfield duo in world football.

Is there still hope for Stevie & Frank

Not really a duo though is it. You seem to be forgetting another rather important midfielder.

Six wrote:Not really a duo though is it. You seem to be forgetting another rather important midfielder.

For which side? Spain or Barca? In both instances, Toure & Senna are obviously hugely important, but the constant is Xavi & Iniesta, and it is those players who determine the way both sides play.

But if you said to me "would xavi and iniesta work as a midfield partnership?" I would say no.. Guardiola would agree. As two parts of a trio sure.

I don't get what the thread is supposed to be getting at, who wrote them off?

It's an unfair comparison because Lampard and Gerrard don't play daily at club level and so have much less chance to build their understanding.

Six wrote:But if you said to me "would xavi and iniesta work as a midfield partnership?" I would say no.. Guardiola would agree. As two parts of a trio sure.

I don't get what the thread is supposed to be getting at, who wrote them off?

I think you've missed the point.

This thread is a chance for us all to suck off two midgets, and who can honestly deny that they haven't dreamt of that?

Bizarre. Xavi Deco and Iniesta did not work and for obvious reasons. But with Toure the balance is right and they are allowed to play how they wish. Similar they way Spain managed to fit them in. Gerrard and Lampard could never truely work as they both don't control the ball both like to shoot from distance both like the same area. Capello has it working by simply changing Lampard's position. silly comparison.

But many thought a Xavi & Iniesta partnership could/would not work - people saying 'they can't play in the same midfield' etc...they're now widely regarded as the, or one of the best midfield partnerships in the world.

Toure & Senna are excellent players, but they could be replaced with other midfielders of similar quality (Mascherano, Essien, Toulalan etc) I'm not sure you could replace Iniesta or Xavi.

Lampard & Gerrard don't play together at club level which is obviously an issue, but both are class midfielders and should be able to work together, but they don't...can/will this be overcome?

COTR #4 wrote:Bizarre. Xavi Deco and Iniesta did not work and for obvious reasons. But with Toure the balance is right and they are allowed to play how they wish. Similar they way Spain managed to fit them in. Gerrard and Lampard could never truely work as they both don't control the ball both like to shoot from distance both like the same area. Capello has it working by simply changing Lampard's position. silly comparison.

Lampard now is a different player to the Lampard of 2 years ago. Gerrard always seems to play at one high paced tempo; Lampard doesn't. Lampard has demonstrated that he can be effective from deep, and can build/dictate the player from a deeper position. I see no reason why that can't co-exist in the same midfield.

I don't buy the Deco, Xavi, Iniesta midfield much either. They barely played together as a trio.

Calidad wrote:In the space of 2 seasons they've gone from a partnership who many believed could not work, to now being (almost) universally proclaimed as the best midfield duo in world football.

Is there still hope for Stevie & Frank

Calidad wrote:
Lampard & Gerrard don't play together at club level which is obviously an issue, but both are class midfielders and should be able to work together, but they don't...can/will this be overcome?

No.


Gerrard's best position is in between 2 DM/CM's and a striker and Lampard's best position is in between 2 DM/CM's and a striker.

Funnily enough that is Ballack's best position too.

Funnily enough Ballack played there just after Lampard's mother died and scored a brace as they beat Premier League Champions Man Utd

If someone describes a player as a "central midfielder" then I take that to mean that the player in questiuon is capable of playing as part of an orthodox 2 man CM - something Gerrard, Lampard and Ballack all can't do at the top level..

Ranieri, Mourinho and Hiddink - none of them would play Lampard as a Cm but we are going to win a World Cup with him playing there

He scored a penalty he didn't win Pierre. Lampard would always score more goals than him also so it's bizarre you seem to favour Ballack in that position with goals as an example.

COTR #4 wrote:He scored a penalty he didn't win Pierre. Lampard would always score more goals than him also so it's bizarre you seem to favour Ballack in that position with goals as an example.

Lampard always has pens and free kicks on his totals but Drogba and Ballack are both better than him at both.

You see this on your Sky Sports graphic:

...............Essien................

......Lampard.......Ballack....



but Ballack plays far deeper than Lampard when they play like this - hardly a fair contest.

I don't think anyone imagined it working this well out a season or two ago. I remember many people's greatest fear was a squad where Iniesta and Xavi were playing together game after game.

Still not quite at the Aquilani - De Rossi level, but they'll get there eventually.