http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/288269/Roma-s-Miralem-Pjanic-is-new-Frank-Lampard-for-Chelsea/

 

Probably not going to happen, but what you guys think about it? Do we need a player like him?

I don't really watch much Serie A but from what I know Pjanic is playmaker/passer. Could be a great addition ,but we're still talking 12-15M for a 22 year old. Pastore looked great in serie A but hasn't really brought all that form with him to Ligue 1, where he just gets bullied.

 

Interesting rumour, but I doubt anything will come of it.

Course we don't need him, we would still have the same problems in midfield even if we were to get him but he's a good player regardless and for that price I would snap their hands off.

 

Would prefer Paulinho though or better yet just bring back KDB.

 

Edit: Actually no, scratch all that. The more I think about it the more I realise that he is no better than KDB, at least KDB can tackle, defend sufficiently well and finish unlike Pjanic. So no, I wouldn't want him.

Edited December 16, 201213 yr by Remodez

Course we don't need him, we would still have the same problems in midfield even if we were to get him but he's a good player regardless and for that price I would snap their hands off.

 

Would prefer Paulinho though or better yet just bring back KDB.

 

Edit: Actually no, scratch all that. The more I think about it the more I realise that he is no better than KDB, at least KDB can tackle, defend sufficiently well and finish unlike Pjanic. So no, I wouldn't want him.

Really? KDB an attacking midfielder? Don't see where people got hte idea of him being great in CM or DM. Paulinho? Really? Not been anywhere near our level from the past two games..

Did we jump back in time to 2009 or something? Back then I might have had interest in Pjanic. Now? No thanks.

Really? KDB an attacking midfielder? Don't see where people got hte idea of him being great in CM or DM. Paulinho? Really? Not been anywhere near our level from the past two games..

 

I'm confused. Are you saying that KDB isn't good as a central midfielder? In my opinion CM is his best position and it really isn't close.

I'm confused. Are you saying that KDB isn't good as a central midfielder? In my opinion CM is his best position and it really isn't close.

He's always been an attacking midfielder. Isn't that where he's playing for Werder, behind the striker? Isn't that also where he played for Genk? You don't think his passing and long shot traits are far better used further up the field? He's not exactly known for his tackling?

He's always been an attacking midfielder. Isn't that where he's playing for Werder, behind the striker? Isn't that also where he played for Genk? You don't think his passing and long shot traits are far better used further up the field? He's not exactly known for his tackling?

 

hes playing as a cm for werder

 

he played as a cm for genk and thats where his best performances came from

 

his long range passing is excellent which makes him perfectly suited for the CM role

He's always been an attacking midfielder. Isn't that where he's playing for Werder, behind the striker? Isn't that also where he played for Genk? You don't think his passing and long shot traits are far better used further up the field? He's not exactly known for his tackling?

 

No, he started the first match of the season up front but otherwise has generally played alongside Hunt in the center with two wide midfielders flanking them. He played further up the pitch for Genk until the second half of last season when he moved deeper and he was a completely different player. I wasn't impressed with him before the positional adjustment, but he won me over afterwards. He's well suited to his new role and it's where I envision him playing for us. His passing, movement and long shooting all scream for him to be deployed deeper with the freedom to come forward when the play dictates. 

Yay....just what we need, a small lightweight attacking midfielder.

No, he started the first match of the season up front but otherwise has generally played alongside Hunt in the center with two wide midfielders flanking them. He played further up the pitch for Genk until the second half of last season when he moved deeper and he was a completely different player. I wasn't impressed with him before the positional adjustment, but he won me over afterwards. He's well suited to his new role and it's where I envision him playing for us. His passing, movement and long shooting all scream for him to be deployed deeper with the freedom to come forward when the play dictates. 

I remember seeing him playing Cf for Werder. Haven't watched much of him since but I thought his defensive contribution wasn't all that great from what I heard? Maybe his future is there, but I always thought of him as a gerrard-esque player, who's best days were further forward..He would probably be far better off moving further back anyways though, since getting a starting position ahead of our current 3 attackers isn't for the faint hearted..

I remember seeing him playing Cf for Werder. Haven't watched much of him since but I thought his defensive contribution wasn't all that great from what I heard? Maybe his future is there, but I always thought of him as a gerrard-esque player, who's best days were further forward..He would probably be far better off moving further back anyways though, since getting a starting position ahead of our current 3 attackers isn't for the faint hearted..

 

You must have watched their first match of the year against Dortmund. As far as I'm aware, that's the only time he's played up front. Every other time I've watched Bremen play this year, he's been a CM.

 

Gerrard doesn't work as a comparison. I've always felt that Gerrard was at his best on the right, which isn't a role that suits de Bruyne. A lack of discipline is the main reason that Gerrard isn't effective in a deeper role, whereas de Bruyne, in spite of his youth, is already more disciplined than Gerrard (not that that's particularly difficult).

 

I don't have a problem with de Bruyne's defensive contribution. He's capable enough as is and should improve as he plays the position more. He hasn't even spent a full year yet as a CM, after all. He's got time on his side.

^ agree with a lot of things you post, but Gerrard best position on the right is something I find really strange. natural centre midfielder if ever I've seen one, plus he's not exactly the fastest or most gifted dribbler! I agree he's not the most disciplined but put Hamann or alonso next to him and he was world class!

totally agree about kdb though looking forward to seeing him break though.

^ agree with a lot of things you post, but Gerrard best position on the right is something I find really strange. natural centre midfielder if ever I've seen one, plus he's not exactly the fastest or most gifted dribbler! I agree he's not the most disciplined but put Hamann or alonso next to him and he was world class!

totally agree about kdb though looking forward to seeing him break though.

 

What's strange about it? Gerrard's best performances for Liverpool came when he played on the right side in a 4-2-3-1. Unfortunately (for Liverpool), Stevie Me is a selfish git and refused to continue playing the position. 

Stuff the tricky player maker, we need a 90Kg +, 6ft3, mean tackling midfielder.

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="That Boy Brandinho" data-cid="574055" data-time="1355705823"><p>

What's strange about it? Gerrard's best performances for Liverpool came when he played on the right side in a 4-2-3-1. Unfortunately (for Liverpool), Stevie Me is a selfish git and refused to continue playing the position.</p></blockquote>

I think your mistaken, Kuyt played wide right. Babel/ vorinin/ pennant played wide left and Gerrard played in the hole behind Torres, with mascherano and Alonso sat in behind.

I find it strange because the skills you say de bruyne posses (great passing, long range shooting), are also Gerrard strengths. I think there similar players only Gerrard is stronger in the tackle, de Bruyne is the better dribbler, which is why I can't understand you saying de Bruyne is more suited to centre mid than Gerrard.

Just interested in your opinion really, I know you've seen de bruyne a lot more than most.

Edited December 17, 201213 yr by big blue

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="That Boy Brandinho" data-cid="574055" data-time="1355705823"><p>

What's strange about it? Gerrard's best performances for Liverpool came when he played on the right side in a 4-2-3-1. Unfortunately (for Liverpool), Stevie Me is a selfish git and refused to continue playing the position.</p></blockquote>

I think your mistaken, Kuyt played wide right. Babel/ vorinin/ pennant played wide left and Gerrard played in the hole behind Torres, with mascherano and Alonso sat in behind.

I find it strange because the skills you say de bruyne posses (great passing, long range shooting), are also Gerrard strengths. I think there similar players only Gerrard is stronger in the tackle, de Bruyne is the better dribbler, which is why I can't understand you saying de Bruyne is more suited to centre mid than Gerrard.

Just interested in your opinion really, I know you've seen de bruyne a lot more than most.

 

I'm certainly not mistaken. Gerrard played on the right in 05-06 when he won the PFA Player of the Year Award. None of the players you named, aside from Alonso, played for Liverpool yet. Instead of Kuyt and Voronin, they had Crouch and Morientes. Instead of Babel, they had Kewell. Instead of Mascherano, they had Momo Sissoko. 

 

Gerrard was so effective on the right because he had the freedom to essentially play a free role and use his physical tools to wreak havoc coming in from the right or crossing from the flank. He was much more difficult to track and he didn't play with his back to net like he did all too often when he was deployed more centrally. 

 

Like I said, the difference between Gerrard and de Bruyne comes down to their mental skills, not physical ones. Being effective in a deep role is much more dependent on tactical acumen than anything and that's never been a strength of Gerrard's. I think that de Bruyne is much more intelligent and effective when the game slows down and he's more capable of positioning himself correctly and covering play when called on to act defensively. 

Edited December 17, 201213 yr by That Boy Brandinho