When we talk about players who bring out the attacking side to teams we think about creative, playmaker midfielders, we think about wingers, we think about second strikers like Bergkamp or Berbatov who are unselfish in their play. But is that ignoring the most crucial position in unlocking your attacking talent. By that I mean the holding midfielders. The role they play is vital to any attacking play that may or may not happen for their team. Not all teams have a player of this importance, or they have one but they are not necessarily good enough at their job. But for those sides that do it can make all the difference.
Alex Song
I did an article recently on Song so I won’t spend too much time talking about him but what is important to know that Arsenal’s win ratio with him playing this season is around seventy per cent whilst without him it is closer to thirty. And the win ratio without him the league is under twenty per cent. These stats are even more impressive than the equivalent ones for van Persie.
Lucas Leiva
Lucas plays a similar role for Liverpool and it was genuinely a huge blow for their ambitions this season when he was ruled out for the year. Before his injury he had the highest tackle success rate of any midfielder in the league one of the highest pass completion rate too. He would intercept the opposition’s attacks and quickly lay it off to Adam or another midfielder who was more creative than him. He not only began most of their attacks but his defensive ability liberated the rest of the midfield who could attack in confidence without having to worry about getting caught on the counter. Liverpool have the best defence in the league this year. You might ask why when their defenders are far from the best in the league; the reason? Lucas. And what happened in the first game after he was injured? Liverpool lost to Fulham. Not only was their defence worse in that game but they were unable to attack with the same freedom that they had been used to with Lucas in the team.
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Scott Parker
Possibly the best buy of the entire transfer window, all of the top six apart from City must be wondering why they didn’t buy him, and so cheap as well. Parker has worked wonders for Tottenham. Not just in their defence, where Ledley King stated to The Telegraph that since Parker joined his own running statistics have gone down by about sixty per cent, but also in attack. He is able to break up dangerous opposition play and give the ball to Modric or Van der Vaart who can then take the ball forward. As good as Modric was last season, he is better this year with Parker at his side. Parker allows Modric and Van der Vaart to focus solely on the attacking side to their game. I think it will be hard to see just how important Parker is for Spurs until he gets injured. For example, nobody at Arsenal realised just how important Flamini had been at Arsenal until he left and suddenly Fabregas had to do a defensive side to his role as well. The result was that he went from scoring 10+ goals a season to less than five after Flamini left. Parker is the same sort of player. Unassuming, unselfish, but crucial to getting the best out of attacking players.
I could go on naming other players but instead I’ll point out the problem’s with not having these players. A problem that Chelsea were suffering from earlier in the season. The recent rise of Oriol Romeu has saved a Chelsea side that badly missed Michael Essien. Mikel was not up to the task and they struggled both in their defensive performances and their ability to control the midfield. Similarly United are in a situation where they are lacking such a player. Previously Daren Fletcher has done the role but due to injuries and a lack of form they have been in need of a replacement. Phil Jones is performing admirably but there is a reason why they have only been winning games 1-0 despite having Nani, Rooney, Young, Hernandez, Valencia, Berbatov and others in their team and it is that their central midfield as been unable to impose themselves on their opposition. And this is the point. There is no point having brilliant strikers and wingers if you can’t get the ball out to them. Yes, having creative midfielders is important but the holding role has become the most important role in the team. They are the link between attack and defence. They are the key to nullifying the opportunities of your opponents and dominating possession.
Follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay
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