Who's currently the best central midfielder in the EPL?

Tweedledum wrote:This would be a lot better if we divided it up into defensive, box to box and attacking midfielders

True, but it's pointless starting a new thread.

we've done this before ffs

Tweedledum wrote:This would be a lot better if we divided it up into defensive, box to box and attacking midfielders

Well tell crounching that.

To me Best CMF means "How good is your two-way play?"

All aspects of attacking & defending rolled into one.

For me, your proper CM's in terms of style are Essien, Perrotta, Gattuso, Tiago.

Agooner wrote:

TeamSpirit™ wrote:

poiuy1 wrote:

Agooner wrote:

TeamSpirit™ wrote:

Agooner wrote:Zokora is makelele with pace but isn't as good tactically/positionally as maka

He's more like an Essien.

If people analysed Coté 'de Ivoire play at the WC - It was Yaya Toure who was the more deep sitting of the 2.

I have watched more than 12 IC games over the past year and in none of them was he the sitting midfielder. They usually play something like this:

-------zokora

---yaya-----romaric/faye


Yaya toure is also not a holding midfielder , he is box to box- more like vieira.

Yeah, what the fuck is he on about??????

Let's put it this way - Zokora appeared - to me, at least - to be the running midfielder of the 2. Yaya seemed the more elegant - sitting and spreading the play nicely.

Well that's exactly what yaya is not good at. His main strength is his ability to go forward and one of the reason why i think top clubs haven't gone in for him yet is his lack of decipline in the middle of the park.

I'd agree with that.

Yaya isn't particularly elegant, hes very strong and powerful though and is willing to put in a lot of effort

Pierre Littbarski wrote:
Nunez played the last 34 mins as sub for Baros (just checked ESPN, my memory isn't that good) and gave the best left back in the world something to think about and Le Tallec won quite a bit in the air.

I assumed you meant as a starter. Gerrard played the entire 90 and gave arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world at the time, "something to think about". I don't recall Nunez doing anything special (i'll find my tape of the match and rewatch later on). He came on just after they'd scored and after that we were under pressure the rest of the match - though the tempo of the game had calmed considerably. I don't recall a single opportunity or moment of brilliance he gave. I don't even remember him being that great defensively - though like I said, I'll rewatch the game later.

Tweedledum wrote:This would be a lot better if we divided it up into defensive, box to box and attacking midfielders

It would be alot better if we decided who was best based on the amount of goals they've scored from within their own half over the past 2 seasons.

Obispo wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:
Nunez played the last 34 mins as sub for Baros (just checked ESPN, my memory isn't that good) and gave the best left back in the world something to think about and Le Tallec won quite a bit in the air.

I assumed you meant as a starter. Gerrard played the entire 90 and gave arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world at the time, "something to think about". I don't recall Nunez doing anything special (i'll find my tape of the match and rewatch later on). He came on just after they'd scored and after that we were under pressure the rest of the match - though the tempo of the game had calmed considerably. I don't recall a single opportunity or moment of brilliance he gave. I don't even remember him being that great defensively - though like I said, I'll rewatch the game later.

Emerson was nothing like fit for that game and I distinctly remember Nunez raping Zambrotta at one point.

Obispo wrote:

Tweedledum wrote:This would be a lot better if we divided it up into defensive, box to box and attacking midfielders

It would be alot better if we decided who was best based on the amount of goals they've scored from within their own half over the past 2 seasons.

Or if it was decided on passes completd from last season

Pierre Littbarski wrote:For me, your proper CM's in terms of style are Essien, Perrotta, Gattuso, Tiago.

Essien & Tiago are the best of that lot

Essiens better, but not by a £17.9m differential.

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

Obispo wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:
Nunez played the last 34 mins as sub for Baros (just checked ESPN, my memory isn't that good) and gave the best left back in the world something to think about and Le Tallec won quite a bit in the air.

I assumed you meant as a starter. Gerrard played the entire 90 and gave arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world at the time, "something to think about". I don't recall Nunez doing anything special (i'll find my tape of the match and rewatch later on). He came on just after they'd scored and after that we were under pressure the rest of the match - though the tempo of the game had calmed considerably. I don't recall a single opportunity or moment of brilliance he gave. I don't even remember him being that great defensively - though like I said, I'll rewatch the game later.

Emerson was nothing like fit for that game and I distinctly remember Nunez raping Zambrotta at one point.

I don't think you can use fitness issues as an excuse here. If Capello thought that Emerson wasn't up to scratch then he had Stephen Appiah on the bench the whole time.

Gerrard just played well in that game.

In central midfield.
Against a good team.
Surrounded by rubbish players.

TeamSpirit wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:For me, your proper CM's in terms of style are Essien, Perrotta, Gattuso, Tiago.

Essien & Tiago are the best of that lot

Essiens better, but not by a £17.9m differential.

Both teams were winners in the end - both players are performing that particular role perfectly.

TeamSpirit™ wrote:

Tweedledum wrote:This would be a lot better if we divided it up into defensive, box to box and attacking midfielders

Well tell crounching that.

To me Best CMF means "How good is your two-way play?"

All aspects of attacking & defending rolled into one.

I don't get it. In the world cup, Ballack was a CENTRAL midfielder. Lampard was a CENTRAL midfielder. cahill was a CENTRAL midfielder. They all played games where they were part of a two man CENTRAL midfield.

If they were all just attacking midfielders, then how could they play in a two man central midfield?

Tweedledum wrote:

Obispo wrote:

Tweedledum wrote:This would be a lot better if we divided it up into defensive, box to box and attacking midfielders

It would be alot better if we decided who was best based on the amount of goals they've scored from within their own half over the past 2 seasons.

Or if it was decided on passes completd from last season

Xabi Alonso was in the top 3 passers and the top 3 tacklers in the opta index, was he not? Definitely in the top 5 of both.

Oh, and he scored more than Essien too. What more do you want from the guy?

Crouching Tiger wrote:

TeamSpirit wrote:

Tweedledum wrote:This would be a lot better if we divided it up into defensive, box to box and attacking midfielders

Well tell crounching that.

To me Best CMF means "How good is your two-way play?"

All aspects of attacking & defending rolled into one.

I don't get it. In the world cup, Ballack was a CENTRAL midfielder. Lampard was a CENTRAL midfielder. cahill was a CENTRAL midfielder. They all played games where they were part of a two man CENTRAL midfield.

If they were all just attacking midfielders, then how could they play in a two man central midfield?

Ballack = decent.

Cahill = Ditto.

Lampard =

None of the 3 hardly covered themselves in glory.

It's a close call between him and Essien as i said earlier

Obispo wrote:

Tweedledum wrote:

Obispo wrote:

Tweedledum wrote:This would be a lot better if we divided it up into defensive, box to box and attacking midfielders

It would be alot better if we decided who was best based on the amount of goals they've scored from within their own half over the past 2 seasons.

Or if it was decided on passes completd from last season

Xabi Alonso was in the top 3 passers and the top 3 tacklers in the opta index, was he not? Definitely in the top 5 of both.

Oh, and he scored more than Essien too. What more do you want from the guy?

He could be English

Seriously he is good though, but not as good a passer as Cesc

Crouching Tiger wrote:

TeamSpirit™ wrote:

Tweedledum wrote:This would be a lot better if we divided it up into defensive, box to box and attacking midfielders

Well tell crounching that.

To me Best CMF means "How good is your two-way play?"

All aspects of attacking & defending rolled into one.

I don't get it. In the world cup, Ballack was a CENTRAL midfielder. Lampard was a CENTRAL midfielder. cahill was a CENTRAL midfielder. They all played games where they were part of a two man CENTRAL midfield.

If they were all just attacking midfielders, then how could they play in a two man central midfield?

Germany wer ridiculously attackin though and played the old school right mid, left mid, defensive mid and attacking mid.

Very brave and perhaps one of the reasons they lost to an Italian side with a more compact midfield.

Ballack was floating just behind the front 2 for most games and very good he was too.

Lampard - worst player in the tournament playing as part of a 2 man central midfield.

TeamSpirit wrote:

Crouching Tiger wrote:

TeamSpirit wrote:

Tweedledum wrote:This would be a lot better if we divided it up into defensive, box to box and attacking midfielders

Well tell crounching that.

To me Best CMF means "How good is your two-way play?"

All aspects of attacking & defending rolled into one.

I don't get it. In the world cup, Ballack was a CENTRAL midfielder. Lampard was a CENTRAL midfielder. cahill was a CENTRAL midfielder. They all played games where they were part of a two man CENTRAL midfield.

If they were all just attacking midfielders, then how could they play in a two man central midfield?

Ballack = decent.

Cahill = Ditto.

Lampard =

None of the 3 hardly covered themselves in glory.

Yes, but people can't say that they're not central midfielders. Ballack and Cahill don't always just sit in frount of two men and attack.

Ballack has always been an exceptional central midfielder, i can't comment on where he's played for Bayern but for Germany he's always played in the middle in a 4-4-2. He does the defensive stuff well, there's no way he's in the same bracket as Lampard.

Kimbo wrote:Ballack has always been an exceptional central midfielder, i can't comment on where he's played for Bayern but for Germany he's always played in the middle in a 4-4-2. He does the defensive stuff well, there's no way he's in the same bracket as Lampard.

Pierre Littbarski wrote:FOR FUCK'S SAKE - BALLACK IS AN ATTACKING MIDFIELDER


Best central midfielders ?

I'd have to say Ruud van Nistelrooy, Peter Crouch and Wayne Rooney

Kimbo wrote:Ballack has always been an exceptional central midfielder, i can't comment on where he's played for Bayern but for Germany he's always played in the middle in a 4-4-2. He does the defensive stuff well, there's no way he's in the same bracket as Lampard.

Didn't he get the 'free' role for Germany in 2002 when they played 3-5-2? I know Hamman got alot of the defensive duties, but I struggle to remember who the other central midfielder was - whether he was an attacking player himself or he was a defensive midfielder that just left Ballack do his attacking.

Crouching Tiger wrote:

Kimbo wrote:Ballack has always been an exceptional central midfielder, i can't comment on where he's played for Bayern but for Germany he's always played in the middle in a 4-4-2. He does the defensive stuff well, there's no way he's in the same bracket as Lampard.

Pierre Littbarski wrote:FOR FUCK'S SAKE - BALLACK IS AN ATTACKING MIDFIELDER


Best central midfielders ?

I'd have to say Ruud van Nistelrooy, Peter Crouch and Wayne Rooney

For me he is much better as an attacking midfielder.

He can hit defence-splitting passes, shoot brilliantly with both feet and arrive in the box for headers and tap ins.

According to the Germans(or Blut) Ballack isnt an attacking midfielder anymore and we need to get used to it.

I think thats what he said anyway.

Obispo wrote:

Kimbo wrote:Ballack has always been an exceptional central midfielder, i can't comment on where he's played for Bayern but for Germany he's always played in the middle in a 4-4-2. He does the defensive stuff well, there's no way he's in the same bracket as Lampard.

Didn't he get the 'free' role for Germany in 2002 when they played 3-5-2? I know Hamman got alot of the defensive duties, but I struggle to remember who the other central midfielder was - whether he was an attacking player himself or he was a defensive midfielder that just left Ballack do his attacking.

I am sure he got a free role behind the strikers at Korea Japan in 2002. I think they had Ziege and Frings (he plays centre midfield now) at fullback. Hamann and Schneider in the centre of midfield and Ballack ahead of them.

Cahill is on the list but Carrick isn't?


Who compiled this? The judges must be drunks...


Alonso was the best central midfielder in the league last season. No single midfielder contributed more to their team's good play and success. You can harp on about Fabregas all you like. Alonso is the sort of player Fabregas dreams of being. The sort of player who can win the game at both ends of the pitch. The sort of player who could probably never move out of the centre circle and still be the most important player in the game. Why do you think Man U bought Carrick? He's the English player most like Alonso, the best central midfielder in the league.

All the rest is lies, damn lies and statistics.

Cesc-Fab wrote:

Obispo wrote:

Kimbo wrote:Ballack has always been an exceptional central midfielder, i can't comment on where he's played for Bayern but for Germany he's always played in the middle in a 4-4-2. He does the defensive stuff well, there's no way he's in the same bracket as Lampard.

Didn't he get the 'free' role for Germany in 2002 when they played 3-5-2? I know Hamman got alot of the defensive duties, but I struggle to remember who the other central midfielder was - whether he was an attacking player himself or he was a defensive midfielder that just left Ballack do his attacking.

I am sure he got a free role behind the strikers at Korea Japan in 2002. I think they had Ziege and Frings (he plays centre midfield now) at fullback. Hamann and Schneider in the centre of midfield and Ballack ahead of them.

Schneider's the one I couldn't think of

borocooper wrote:According to the Germans(or Blut) Ballack isnt an attacking midfielder anymore and we need to get used to it.

I think thats what he said anyway.

He said something about Ballack being more defensivley aware and that he now swaps around with Frings in the national set up

Tweedledum wrote:

borocooper wrote:According to the Germans(or Blut) Ballack isnt an attacking midfielder anymore and we need to get used to it.

I think thats what he said anyway.

He said something about Ballack being more defensivley aware and that he now swaps around with Frings in the national set up

Ask him later, he's bound to be on.

saintgoingmarching wrote:Cahill is on the list but Carrick isn't?


Who compiled this? The judges must be drunks...


Alonso was the best central midfielder in the league last season. No single midfielder contributed more to their team's good play and success. You can harp on about Fabregas all you like. Alonso is the sort of player Fabregas dreams of being. The sort of player who can win the game at both ends of the pitch. The sort of player who could probably never move out of the centre circle and still be the most important player in the game. Why do you think Man U bought Carrick? He's the English player most like Alonso, the best central midfielder in the league.

All the rest is lies, damn lies and statistics.

Best description I've heard of him. You're not likely to win admirers amongst the mancs for the last bit though