Geordie Boyo 24 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Are these real key positions or are they just positions for players who can't do their jobs properly? Patrick Viera was a defensive midfielder. He was so good with his technique & pace that he could drive forward and get back when needing too, but he was a defensive midfielder....lets leave it there! ......BOX TO BOX! ....NO! Defensive midfielder.... Kieron Dyer actually started playing at Right-Back. He soon said fuck that, in other words he wasn't good enough to play in that role so he decided he would be better to attack rather than defend. He went from Right-Back, Right-Wingback, Right-Winger to playing in that free role You see players like Aaron Hughes, Alan Smith, Geremi, Nobby & Dyer played in different positions because they chose to do what they want to do while asked to play the position they've been asked too. As far as Nobby goes it proved to be positive in that he could play to a good standard at Right-Back as well as on the Right-Wing, but players like Dyer & Hughes it has proved to be more of a dilemma for themselves and the manager. Alan Smith is a perfect example. Who can name the position he plays? Then ask yourself is he good enough in the position you have decided he plays? I'm quite happy for him to continue doing what he does because he works hard, but the reason he came here was because he wasn’t getting a lot of first team football. Can you honestly see him getting as many games with the likes of Duff, Zoggy, Emre, Barton, Faye, Butt, Geremi, Milner being the likely candidates in midfield while you have Owen, Martins, Viduka and possibly even Ameobi likely to score more goals as strikers? Geremi. Outstanding in preseason playing in that.....defensive midfield! He started off playing in that very position then drifted out as a Right-Winger to being played at Right-Back. It seems as soon as he gets comfortable playing back there again he easies off his game and becomes somebody who is jut there to sweep up, but not really to get stuck in like Butt & Faye would. He then gets drafted again to a position where he's asked to do a little more in attack on the right side of midfield. Both Geremi & Smith could lose out when everyone is fit & playing to their role. I'd prefer to see Geremi on his game, but Alan Smith as a striker, he just doesn't seem to know where he is as a footballer and ends up playing all over the pitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaythesouthernmag 0 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 If Viduka is injured I would play Smith up top with Oba or Owen any day of the week before Ameobi. The thing with Smith is he will play any position and give 100% which has led to him being used as a utility player at United and now a SJP, I still think he can do a good job up top when all our midfield players are fit, he just needs a run of games there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dynamite 7328 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Viera wasnt a defensive midfielder. Makelele is a defensive midfielder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinofbeans 91 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 what j69 said. makalele, like mauro silva/ redondo before him is the best defensive midfielder of his generation. viera was just a great midfielder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassplayerjj 0 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Viera wasnt a defensive midfielder. Makelele is a defensive midfielder. I was going to make a similar post going on about how important vieira was for them driving forwards, was their heartbeat etc, but then re-read the first post =) obviously it's very much up for debate and as geordieboyo says let's leave it there otherwise this could turn into a Vieira thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal 0 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 If Viduka is injured I would play Smith up top with Oba or Owen any day of the week before Ameobi. The thing with Smith is he will play any position and give 100% which has led to him being used as a utility player at United and now a SJP, I still think he can do a good job up top when all our midfield players are fit, he just needs a run of games there He might give 100% in whatever position he plays in, but he also looks ordinary in whatever position he plays in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Park Life 71 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 If Viduka is injured I would play Smith up top with Oba or Owen any day of the week before Ameobi. The thing with Smith is he will play any position and give 100% which has led to him being used as a utility player at United and now a SJP, I still think he can do a good job up top when all our midfield players are fit, he just needs a run of games there He might give 100% in whatever position he plays in, but he also looks ordinary in whatever position he plays in His strike rate even in his younger days never bettered 1 in 4 that is part of the issue here. A good back up striker and a solid but not inventive midfielder. I like him mainly due to his winning mentality and you need a few of those around. I wouln't like to think we were 'carrying' him in matches and I'm sure he has contributed to our unbeaten start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal 0 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 He's grafted well for sure, but he's much better as a striker than midfielder. We're missing Barton in the midfield heavily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offshore Toon 0 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Don't you need to have experienced something to miss it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal 0 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 Don't you need to have experienced something to miss it? Having seen him down at Hartlepool he was box to box and looked a lot more productive than what Smith has offered to us so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offshore Toon 0 Posted September 4, 2007 Share Posted September 4, 2007 That goes without saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 11080 Posted September 5, 2007 Share Posted September 5, 2007 Viana wasn't a Defensive midfielder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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