It's not something new and it certainly isn't rocket science but every team really does need that one midfield player who is always looking for the ball and always looking to get attacks started and finished.
A midfield full of hard-working grafters (and I'm not saying our midfielders are hard-working!) will rarely get the job done.
If you look at the big teams down south they have players such as David Silva, Charlie Adam, Fabregas (when he was there), Juan Mata, Luka Modric etc who all buzz about with their heads up, looking to play passes. They're always looking for space and are comfortable on the ball.
We're not going to get players of that calibre obviously but we don't need to. The defence's that we want to unlock aren't of the standard these guys are up against.
We've had players like that in the past (Wee Russell springs to mind) and it would seem to fit in well with the Hibs 'style' of football.
Why have we not addressed this as a matter of urgency in the last few seasons?
Results 1 to 12 of 12
Thread: Playmakers
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18-09-2011 11:14 PM #1
Playmakers
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19-09-2011 07:10 AM #2
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Good question. Maybe Calderwood thinks you can get by without this type of player. A glance at the league table suggests otherwise. Against Dunfermline, David Graham was streets ahead of anything we had in that dept - time on the ball, head up looking for a pass - and he is hardly a household name.
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19-09-2011 09:17 AM #3This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
The nearest we have to that type of player at the moment is Jimmy Scott. He seems to be the only one who looks to spread play and who also looks for the second ball. In that respect I don't know why we've got him taking corners instead of sitting just outside the box to pick up any clearances and get a shot in.
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19-09-2011 09:21 AM #4This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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19-09-2011 10:00 AM #6
I think its important to recognise that sometimes it is a and/or situation when playing with a Target Man & Playmaker, lots of teams operate a playmaker in the absence of a target man, normally those sides that play the more fluid football with a more skilled CF (Arsenal: Fabregas-RVP, Barca: Xavi-Messi, etc).
Lets be honest, with Calderwood he's always going to favour a style of direct football to a target man, such as Sodje or to a lesser extent GOC, with ball winning midfielders to allow us to gain possesion when the ball doees come back at us. Although this isnt as enjoyable to watch as the John Collins era of passing and movement, generally it can be more productive, as seen with Sam Allardyce at Bolton & Blackburn. With the personel CC has at his disposal, it will be enough to see us off relegation this season I am certain, and if he can sort out the defence at the back, if given the time, could get us greater rewards with regards to top 6 and beyond.
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19-09-2011 10:09 AM #7This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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19-09-2011 10:13 AM #8This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Every now and again a team will take a chance and revert to a passing style of play, moving the ball through the midfield. These teams have always found (relative) success. When you factor in the inevitable rise in gates due to the more attractive football on offer then I would say it is a no-brainer to adopt it.
We have players in the team such as GOC, Ivan, Callum Booth, Leigh Griffiths, that would be a lot more dangerous with a player who is always available for a pass and who can spot runs being made by team mates.
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19-09-2011 10:43 AM #10
I think Palsson and Ozzy can pass the ball well. Palsson needs to get the finger out and Ozzy needs to get up to speed. Neither will do step overs and back heels though.
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19-09-2011 11:50 AM #11
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I think Osbourne probably has some ability on this front, I do not think Palsson has any. I would love to have Liam Miller back at the club, whilst he performances could be up and down, he was not helped by the movement of those around him, but he always had the ability to find a pass. Real shame we could not have held on to him as think he would have made a massive difference especially with players like O'Connor and Griffiths in front of him.
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20-09-2011 11:39 AM #12This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
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