Chielini and Bonucci seemed to do okay at the highest possible level this summer, and they have no pace
21/22 Summer transfer mega-thread (10 Viewers)
- Thread starter Ccfcisparks
- Start date
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
God I hope not. I don’t want another season of him lumping the ball away any time it gets near him. We need players who can keep possession unless we plan to remain a L1 side in the Championship.
No one ever says what Kelly does well at this level on the pitch, just some magical talismanic property “influential”. Great if he’s an influencer, get him on Instagram and put some footballers on the pitch.
In effect we would be replacing James with Drysdale in midfield from the end of last season. This would be an amazing downgrade.
SBAndy
Well-Known Member
I think you’re reaching to suggest he easily stepped up. He was ok and his leadership undoubtedly shone through, but his use of the ball as we got later into the season was embarrassing. He’s also unfortunately had a habit over the last few years of missing a decent chunk of the season. If we could have replaced him with someone like Matty James then I’d have been well up for that. But as I say, we are where we are, and he’s not that bad where he can’t be utilised; I just think we need to be aspiring to better.
KenilworthSkyBlue
Well-Known Member
Well that's pretty much wrong.
Xabi Alonso
Pirlo
Xabi
Busquets
Khedira
Carrick
None of the above had pace of much note, some could even be labelled as relatively slow for top athletes, yet they were all considered as some of the best players in their position over the past 10-15 years.
The making of a good CDM is usually defined as a player who possesses excellent vision, short and long passing ability, ball control and positional awareness. Pace has little to do with it, that's merely just an additional trait that would complement the above.
Seriously. Probably has lots of potential but surely not ready for that
Bugsy
Well-Known Member
Well for a start Kelly breaks up play quite well, intercepts quite good can see a pass, has a cool head under pressure....PUSB
SlowerThanPlatt
Well-Known Member
That’s not true, no position necessarily requires pace
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
He doesn’t though. That’s why we needed two other DMs alongside him. He might be able to see a pass but he rarely pulls it off. His use of the ball was embarrassing at times last season. His best work is helping out the defence in the box after the ball has got past him.
I like him a lot for what he’s done, much like Hyam, and much like Hyam we’ve progressed beyond him now. He’s never a Championship footballer.
We survived last season by playing 8 defensive players and lumping it long. It’s not a sustainable way to play at this level. Especially now we’ve got rid of the only striker we had who could get on the end of the aforementioned long balls.
slowpoke
Well-Known Member
We
Speed of brain just as important as pace possibly more so.
Ccfcisparks
Well-Known Member
Baka?
cc84cov
Well-Known Member
If we do not replace osti or James we will struggle
Bugsy
Well-Known Member
Who was the other two because from what I can remember it was mainly Kelly and James in the middle maybe I'm wrong Im not sure but we looked more assured with Kelly in the team and stats proves that he improves the team with him in it, was just replying to the quote that no mentions what Kelly does well on the pitch.. PUSB
SlowerThanPlatt
Well-Known Member
A sensible post
Pace is a requirement for modern football. A team needs pace, not in every position, but it needs pace.
Our squad lacks pace. It’s why Giles had his supporters because he offered a threat, if not much end product.
Our forwards offer movement, and work rate but not pace.O’Hare is similar
ideally we would have one quicker centre half, a fast left back, and a lightning quick attacker who can come on when defences tire.
I haven’t seen enough of Tavares to know whether he can fit that attacking gap.
Our squad lacks pace. It’s why Giles had his supporters because he offered a threat, if not much end product.
Our forwards offer movement, and work rate but not pace.O’Hare is similar
ideally we would have one quicker centre half, a fast left back, and a lightning quick attacker who can come on when defences tire.
I haven’t seen enough of Tavares to know whether he can fit that attacking gap.
Ccfcisparks
Well-Known Member
I'd suggest Bright fits the requirement up front. He was very fast, especially with the ball.
DannyThomas_1981
Well-Known Member
I was speaking about CDM specifically right? Not CB.
SlowerThanPlatt
Well-Known Member
There are plenty of defensive midfielders who are not quick?
Fair point
Ccfcisparks
Well-Known Member
I literally listed 6/7 off the top of my head currently playing at a top level. I think he either missed them or chose to ignore them as they did not fit his point.
fatso
Well-Known Member
Hopefully Gyokres or Waghorn will be more mobile than Max was and should be able to hold the ball up, and keep possession, also Bright or Jones would be a great asset on the bench when defences tire, we lacked that plan B last year.
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
We did. We really missed the ability to bring someone on who could change the game.
DannyThomas_1981
Well-Known Member
This is very tedious - you seriously believe that Drysdale has more pace than any of the above?
Henderson for example might have lost a few yards recently but he's been recorded at 33k previously; which is serious pace.
Let's see Drysdale at CDM and you will see what I mean - but I hope he has a great career (but see this more likely at CB).
SlowerThanPlatt
Well-Known Member
No Danny you said a player can’t play at defensive midfield at a high level without pace. The players listed aren’t quick
Ccfcisparks
Well-Known Member
Have you ever seen Busquets play? He's been slow since he turned 18.
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
Fair enough. I just don’t rate him. His passing stats are piss poor and Sheaf is ahead on virtually every measure. Yet Sheaf gets pelters and Kelly is treated like the second coming of Viera.
For a good chunk last season we played 5311 with three DMs of James, Kelly and Hamer. I actually think we’ve got championship quality in just three areas of the pitch this season: ST, AM, and DM. Playing Kelly for his leadership skills to me means changing to a worse shape or dropping a better player.
It’s one reason why I wanted the budget spent on a decent CB who can provide leadership as well.
Ccfcisparks
Well-Known Member
Sheaf might be ahead on every measure, except win % when starting. That proves to me Kelly is better suited in the starting lineup atm.
COV
Well-Known Member
You keep saying “he’s never a championship footballer” about all these people, yet they quite clearly are, unless the league table was lying?
Saddlebrains
Well-Known Member
Imagine slating Liam Kelly 
KenilworthSkyBlue
Well-Known Member
"Siri, show me what moving the goalposts looks like"
NorthernWisdom
Well-Known Member
FWIW, what Kelly seems to be able to do is better offer that bridge between the defensive midfield, and attacking midfield. Some of the others (both attacking, and defensive minded) seem less able to do that, so we get spread out a little too much, end up passing the ball around in our half, without a real plan of how to progress.
Hopefully Sheaf can be a little more aggressive in that respect, this season. It's bravery to push us forwards, sometimes.
DannyThomas_1981
Well-Known Member
Please don't tell me Sparksy that you are seriously comparing Busquets to Drysdale as a CDM to try to win an argument?
For what it's worth I have seen him play and he's surprisingly fast; top 5-6 by pace in the Barca squad a few years back - although honestly not sure about now.
Anyway pre season on SBT has officially gone crazy.
SlowerThanPlatt
Well-Known Member
Could you cite your source on that?
Ccfcisparks
Well-Known Member
I'm not comparing him I'm comparing the speed, like the initial point was about.
DannyThomas_1981
Well-Known Member
Fundamental flaw isn't there in your statement - Henderson does have pace. And I would suggest that the other players listed have more pace than you might imagine vs. Drysdale who seems to me to have most things apart from pace.
