[Albion] Has our midfield gone AWOL?

[Doc Lynam]

We appear to be a defence with GM upfront!
Don’t get me wrong the defence is doing wonders and GM with always grab you a goal, but what the hells happened in the link play?
Am I being harsh in thinking that most of what goes through midfield is passed sideways or backwards?

 

[Hampster Gull]

You’re being harsh

 

[Seasider78]

View attachment 102011

Don’t get me wrong the defence is doing wonders and GM with always grab you a goal, but what the hells happened in the link play?

Groß

 

[sydney]

it is a problem that we are playing too deep and getting pinned back with Dale and Kayal a few yards infront of D&D........knocky and izzy covering the left & right back , this gives us 2 players at best but usually 1 to create an attacking threat ............not going to happen too often if we insist on back pedalling and defending for our lives.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Propper went off injured in the 80th minute v West Ham, and it's been downhill since then.

 

[Cozzy]

If I had to pick what I see as the problem this season it would be Dale Stephens under performing compared to previously. Might just be the way I see it but he appears well below the standards & off form which means the other central midfielder is carrying him and it is simply too much against other teams who swamp the middle areas.

We seamed to get away with Duffy off form at the tail end of last season but having one of our two central holding midfielders off form we are just unable to cope with when you factor in one is out injured and the other (Bissouma) is still learning the role and our way we do it.

 

[blockhseagull]

No Propper and Groß

As good as Kayal has been in patches he gives the ball away too much and Stephens is massively underperforming compared to last season. Get Propper and Groß fit and hopefully a better Stephens after his ban and we will see a difference

 

[Don Tmatter]

Now if Stephens could bring the ball out from deep like Dunk does too infrequently it would force both lines of 4 further forward.

 

[Weststander]

It's too lacking in numbers, and lacks a creative player who can control the ball/games.

Unpopular with those demanding two out and out strikers play, but every successful team plays variations of three in CM. Typically one or two 'sitters', with the balance made up by a creative CM.

Winning the CM battle is often key to winning the game.

 

[Wellesley]

We need a Shelvey type player. As that is extremely unlikely, maybe Aaron Mooy if Huddersfield go down and we don't. If we can't get either of those two then maybe.........

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

No Propper, no Gross. That's all it is.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[portlock seagull]

What is this midfield you speak of?

 

[tigertim68]

As our wingers play as extra fullbacks , Murray up front , and Stevens playing a deep role leaves very little in central midfield , which is why w3 have no midfield

 

[Reddleman]

I think the last few games is a clear indication of how important Propper is for us and our ability to retain possession. He isn’t spectacular but he keeps the ball moving and isn’t afraid to take the ball when under pressure.

 

[Rogero]

Midfield is our weak spot.

 

[Luke93]

People wanted to see Brighton play 4-4-2 away to Everton and Cardiff. That would’ve exposed our midfield even more. Goes to show how important Groß is, his energy closing down players and linking the central midfielders to Murray is key. Don’t underestimate how important he is defensively, he pins back the opposition’s holding players which means they don’t get a free ride while on the ball. March has done as well as we could expect, but sadly isn’t good enough.

 

[macbeth]

This for me proves that propper is so integral to our midfield and is far from the bang average steady eddie people make him out to be. We miss his intelligence with his passing, and this is why we've been mostly reduced to hoofball for the last few weeks, as our cm's at the minute aren't capable enough to construct passing moves from deep. kayal drives forward from defense, stephens does the dirty work, but atm there is nobody who is able to keep a cool head when they have the ball and try and get us forward. That's why things looked so disjointed when we did occasionally manage to get into the final third on saturday

 

[zefarelly]

Are Jimmy Case and Brian Horton free agents? ;-)

 

[raymondo]

We certainly miss the skills of Propper and Gross: they are not perfect by any means, but generally able to keep the ball moving in a creative way. I struggle at the moment watching our midfield: if we manage a 1-0 win it's ok to say [and the pundits say it too] 'Brighton were so organised in two banks of 4, and hard to break down'. So, if we win, the formation is a positive. But if we lose... 'Brighton looked rigid and unable to break out of their defensive formation to create something'. When we try to move forward we look too flat in the midfield: there are few triangle passes possible when you are in a line. Occasionally we look fluid and creative in midfield, but it's rare. As has been said above I too would like to see a Shelvey or a Moiy [sp?] type, and would sacrifice a winger to have a more fluid central midfield. Or do we already have the players but not the correct tactics or coaching Creative centre mids can move out wide when appropriate, probably more effectively than wingers can move infield. Clearly I am not a coach {I hear you say!!!!} and struggle to find the vocab to express what I'm seeing. But having Propper and Gross available again will hopefully be a step in the right direction.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Are Jimmy Case and Brian Horton free agents? ;-)