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Best Midfield For This Season ?


Welldaft Mk1
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How our team will line up on a week to week basis is still highly flexible. I think our midfielders all have something to prove and the return of Moult will also change things, probably Ainsworth dropping out of the starting XI.

 

I can see us starting typically with Moult, McDonald and Johnson upfront and Cadden, Lasley and McHugh in midfield with alterations to suit any particular threats or weaknesses in the opposition.

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Too many variables at the moment. Most would put McHugh down as a first choice but while his contribution has been positive, we've barely seen him over the course of 7 games.

 

What we do need though is a creative midfielder to compliment Cadden and one sitting midfielder (McHugh/Clay/Lasley). Failure to complete that piece of the jigsaw will make for a difficult few months.

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So McHugh plus a completely hypothetical additional player? Right you are.

The original question was the best midfield for this season. From what I've seen and read McHugh would appear to be first choice defensive midfielder. To my mind both Lasley and Clay are also defensive midfielders. IF you look at the current situation I'd pick McHugh, and one from Lasley and Clay to play in the middle, probably the latter given the former's age. Depending on the game you may want to field both but I'd see that as being very rare. But to go back to the original question and looking at the longer/medium term I'd say we need to sign an attacking central midfielder as neither Las nor Clay fit that bill. Pearo may return at the end of the year who knows. Johnson and Cadden would also be my first choices for the wider roles.

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I'd go with McHugh + one other maybe not signed yet. Clay and Lasley can slot in as and when needed. From many posters' comments Keith is playing with us a year too long. As far as Clay is concerned we need to give him a chance.

 

After wandering around Fir Park for the last 15 years wearing this Dave finally sees some light at the end of the tunnel......

 

anyonebut.jpg

 

I jest of course (mostly). I do agree that we are, as perhaps we have been just about all close season, an attacking midfielder away from having a reasonable range of midfielders that provide flexibility of formation.

 

I actually think the principle of how we lined up yesterday isn't too bad when the occasion warrants it. Lasley and Clay were generally pretty decent yesterday and put in numerous blocks and tackles between the two of them. Alongside Cadden they allowed Lionel and Marvin to push forward and go from that 4-5-1 to a 4-3-3 pretty seamlessly when we were breaking.

 

A fit McHugh would of course have offered scope for rotation/reinforcement between the three of them at a crucial stage and I believe that will be case as standard over the campaign. McHugh certainly shows early signs that there is the potential for a successor to Lasley there.

 

The return of Moult and when we do go for a 4-4-2 you would assume would see Cadden on the right, Johnson on the left, one of either of the three and.....This is where the Pearson like player becomes all the more important and does seem to be missing ingredient there. But that's not something we don't know already.

 

But as for the actual question itself? Wooft tricky to see. I'll dodge it slightly and say currently it's formation dependant and perhaps one to ask again once the transfer window is closed in a couple of weeks.

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Clay does seem to have some defensive attributes but he has been up having a pot shot in just about every game, I think he is maybe more versatile than his press. McHugh is the best by a distance and for me it has to be him and Clay.

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Clay does seem to have some defensive attributes but he has been up having a pot shot in just about every game, I think he is maybe more versatile than his press. McHugh is the best by a distance and for me it has to be him and Clay.

I was about to post something similar about Clay. Even in the Parkhead disaster, he was the one I remember having a shot from the edge of the box at 1-0. Every time I have seen him play, he has got forward several times. He was involved in much of our better attacking stuff against St Johnstone including the build up to our goal. Will Clay score as many goals as Pearson? Probably not, but early signs are that Cadden might.

 

For me, it's a three of Clay, McHugh and Cadden. All three young enough to develop with MacLean and Campbell waiting for opportunities...

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McHugh and Clay were working well together in the Killie game until McHugh took himself out the game. It went downhill after he went off. Since then I've watched Clay get better so I'm hopeful when McHugh returns we will have a good central pairing. Them both being defensive isn't the worst thing as they have attacking qualities. Lasley could be used as a last 20 minute sub to see the game out.

People keep listing Lucas as a defensive midfielder, he's actually an attacking midfielder but hasn't shown us much of that in the little time he has featured. In one of the pre-season friendlies he did show a little but then got injured.

A midfield three of McHugh/Clay/Cadden will see us through til January when I hope Pearo will return with the same form from last season.

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I'd like Cadden in the Pearson role, with Mchugh and one of Clay/Lasley sitting.

Likewise. I've been reading a lot of comments about us needing a like for like replacement for Pearson and I think we already have one in Cadden. He's fit, strong and we've seen him make lung-bursting runs up the park (with or without the ball) almost every week. As well as I think he has done playing on the right I don't think he's an out and out winger.

 

For what it's worth, I think Clay has looked decent when he's played and I'm sure he'll be more effective as the weeks go by. A midfield 3 of Cadden, McHugh and Clay could become quite effective even if it's not the most 'creative' or penetrating.

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Likewise. I've been reading a lot of comments about us needing a like for like replacement for Pearson and I think we already have one in Cadden. He's fit, strong and we've seen him make lung-bursting runs up the park (with or without the ball) almost every week. As well as I think he has done playing on the right I don't think he's an out and out winger.

 

I've mentioned this a few times as well.

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Las and McHugh for me, with Cadden and Johnson in the wider areas (although the latters billy big b@lls attitude is really starting to get on my nervous). Clay played well on Saturday but would still go with Las and McHugh when all are fit, although in saying that I don't think we can rely on Las to play 40+ games this season in the position he plays.

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