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http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/the-worst-thing-that-happened-to-the-premier-league-was-claude-makelele--tottenham-coach-les-ferdinand-9090259.html

 

Andy Hodgson

 

Published: 28 January 2014

 

Updated: 11:00, 28 January 2014

 

Tottenham coach Les Ferdinand believes the holding midfielder is an unnecessary staple in many of today's football teams.

 

The former Spurs and England striker, who is now part of the coaching team at Tottenham headed by Tim Sherwood, has bemoaned a 'crop' of players who don't want to cross the halfway line.

 

He told the Tottenham and Wood Green Journal: “I know there’s a lot of talk about holding midfield players, and I’m always arguing with Tim and Chris (Ramsey) about this – and they agree,” he said.

 

“I don’t like holding midfield players. I like players to understand that if one goes forward, the other one tucks in for them. I don’t want someone who just sits in front of the back four and doesn’t go anywhere. I was saying to William Gallas when he was here, the worst thing that happened in this league was Claude Makelele.

 

He added: “When Makelele came into this country he wasn’t a holding midfield player. He was a player who had the intelligence to say ‘Frank [Lampard], you can score more goals than me so if you go I’m going to tuck in here for you, and I’ll hold. You keep going forward’.

 

“Then everyone went ‘right, we’ve got to have a holding midfield player’ - and what we’ve done is produce a crop of players who don’t want to go over the halfway line, who don’t want to pass over the halfway line and are happy to just sit in front of the back four.

 

The 47 year-old's view may give us some insight into why last summer's £9m signing, Etienne Capoue has been told he can leave White Hart Lane this month after being deemed surplus to requirements by the current regime.

 

Tottenham face Manchester City on Wednesday night and Ferdinand believes the success of Spurs' opponents vindicates his view.

 

“People say Yaya Toure is a holding midfielder. No he isn’t, he’s getting forward and getting goals - but if someone else goes he’ll stay in there.

 

“Fernandinho’s scoring goals. Why? Because he’s a holding player? No. They’ve just got an understanding: ‘If he goes, I’ll hold, and if I go he’ll hold’.”

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http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/the-worst-thing-that-happened-to-the-premier-league-was-claude-makelele--tottenham-coach-les-ferdinand-9090259.html

 

Andy Hodgson

 

Published: 28 January 2014

 

Updated: 11:00, 28 January 2014

 

Tottenham coach Les Ferdinand believes the holding midfielder is an unnecessary staple in many of today's football teams.

 

The former Spurs and England striker, who is now part of the coaching team at Tottenham headed by Tim Sherwood, has bemoaned a 'crop' of players who don't want to cross the halfway line.

 

He told the Tottenham and Wood Green Journal: “I know there’s a lot of talk about holding midfield players, and I’m always arguing with Tim and Chris (Ramsey) about this – and they agree,” he said.

 

“I don’t like holding midfield players. I like players to understand that if one goes forward, the other one tucks in for them. I don’t want someone who just sits in front of the back four and doesn’t go anywhere. I was saying to William Gallas when he was here, the worst thing that happened in this league was Claude Makelele.

 

He added: “When Makelele came into this country he wasn’t a holding midfield player. He was a player who had the intelligence to say ‘Frank [Lampard], you can score more goals than me so if you go I’m going to tuck in here for you, and I’ll hold. You keep going forward’.

 

“Then everyone went ‘right, we’ve got to have a holding midfield player’ - and what we’ve done is produce a crop of players who don’t want to go over the halfway line, who don’t want to pass over the halfway line and are happy to just sit in front of the back four.

 

The 47 year-old's view may give us some insight into why last summer's £9m signing, Etienne Capoue has been told he can leave White Hart Lane this month after being deemed surplus to requirements by the current regime.

 

Tottenham face Manchester City on Wednesday night and Ferdinand believes the success of Spurs' opponents vindicates his view.

 

“People say Yaya Toure is a holding midfielder. No he isn’t, he’s getting forward and getting goals - but if someone else goes he’ll stay in there.

 

“Fernandinho’s scoring goals. Why? Because he’s a holding player? No. They’ve just got an understanding: ‘If he goes, I’ll hold, and if I go he’ll hold’.”

 

:thup:

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I mean, he says there are systems in which it works, e.g. the system in which you've got a frankie lampard bashing goals in from all angles. So if you don't have that prolific attacking option, then it's better to have a more fluid CM partnership.

 

It does seem to be a given that you need a DM these days, it's a point worth raising iyam.

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it's important to balance your midfield and that means having enough defensive nous in it. You can do this by having 2 midfielders who will intelligently hold when the other goes forward, have 3 midfielders who are fluid and take turns as well, or just generally all keep possession, or you can free up the other midfielders to attack with a dedeicated DM. Maybe there is a shift away from having a dedicated defensive mid but it's still a valid position. I like the Cabaye style (sniff) doing defensive work but also orchestrating the game. Anita is also a more modern defensive mid in that he's not a centre back playing higher up stopping play but circulating possession and hopefully with game time imposing himself more.

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But if the opposition are playing with 2 strikers and a midfielder like Lampard who always pushes forward,surely you would be stupid to not play a DM to stop that threat?!

 

Unless I'm playing an opponent that is far better than me, I wouldn't alter my formation to counteract their players.

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http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/the-worst-thing-that-happened-to-the-premier-league-was-claude-makelele--tottenham-coach-les-ferdinand-9090259.html

 

Andy Hodgson

 

Published: 28 January 2014

 

Updated: 11:00, 28 January 2014

 

Tottenham coach Les Ferdinand believes the holding midfielder is an unnecessary staple in many of today's football teams.

 

The former Spurs and England striker, who is now part of the coaching team at Tottenham headed by Tim Sherwood, has bemoaned a 'crop' of players who don't want to cross the halfway line.

 

He told the Tottenham and Wood Green Journal: “I know there’s a lot of talk about holding midfield players, and I’m always arguing with Tim and Chris (Ramsey) about this – and they agree,” he said.

 

“I don’t like holding midfield players. I like players to understand that if one goes forward, the other one tucks in for them. I don’t want someone who just sits in front of the back four and doesn’t go anywhere. I was saying to William Gallas when he was here, the worst thing that happened in this league was Claude Makelele.

 

He added: “When Makelele came into this country he wasn’t a holding midfield player. He was a player who had the intelligence to say ‘Frank [Lampard], you can score more goals than me so if you go I’m going to tuck in here for you, and I’ll hold. You keep going forward’.

 

“Then everyone went ‘right, we’ve got to have a holding midfield player’ - and what we’ve done is produce a crop of players who don’t want to go over the halfway line, who don’t want to pass over the halfway line and are happy to just sit in front of the back four.

 

The 47 year-old's view may give us some insight into why last summer's £9m signing, Etienne Capoue has been told he can leave White Hart Lane this month after being deemed surplus to requirements by the current regime.

 

Tottenham face Manchester City on Wednesday night and Ferdinand believes the success of Spurs' opponents vindicates his view.

 

“People say Yaya Toure is a holding midfielder. No he isn’t, he’s getting forward and getting goals - but if someone else goes he’ll stay in there.

 

“Fernandinho’s scoring goals. Why? Because he’s a holding player? No. They’ve just got an understanding: ‘If he goes, I’ll hold, and if I go he’ll hold’.”

 

:thup:

 

So they brought Capoue on tonight and he scored. Must have been a class hit to score from his own half. :lol:

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http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/the-worst-thing-that-happened-to-the-premier-league-was-claude-makelele--tottenham-coach-les-ferdinand-9090259.html

 

Andy Hodgson

 

Published: 28 January 2014

 

Updated: 11:00, 28 January 2014

 

Tottenham coach Les Ferdinand believes the holding midfielder is an unnecessary staple in many of today's football teams.

 

The former Spurs and England striker, who is now part of the coaching team at Tottenham headed by Tim Sherwood, has bemoaned a 'crop' of players who don't want to cross the halfway line.

 

He told the Tottenham and Wood Green Journal: “I know there’s a lot of talk about holding midfield players, and I’m always arguing with Tim and Chris (Ramsey) about this – and they agree,” he said.

 

“I don’t like holding midfield players. I like players to understand that if one goes forward, the other one tucks in for them. I don’t want someone who just sits in front of the back four and doesn’t go anywhere. I was saying to William Gallas when he was here, the worst thing that happened in this league was Claude Makelele.

 

He added: “When Makelele came into this country he wasn’t a holding midfield player. He was a player who had the intelligence to say ‘Frank [Lampard], you can score more goals than me so if you go I’m going to tuck in here for you, and I’ll hold. You keep going forward’.

 

“Then everyone went ‘right, we’ve got to have a holding midfield player’ - and what we’ve done is produce a crop of players who don’t want to go over the halfway line, who don’t want to pass over the halfway line and are happy to just sit in front of the back four.

 

The 47 year-old's view may give us some insight into why last summer's £9m signing, Etienne Capoue has been told he can leave White Hart Lane this month after being deemed surplus to requirements by the current regime.

 

Tottenham face Manchester City on Wednesday night and Ferdinand believes the success of Spurs' opponents vindicates his view.

 

“People say Yaya Toure is a holding midfielder. No he isn’t, he’s getting forward and getting goals - but if someone else goes he’ll stay in there.

 

“Fernandinho’s scoring goals. Why? Because he’s a holding player? No. They’ve just got an understanding: ‘If he goes, I’ll hold, and if I go he’ll hold’.”

 

:thup:

 

So they brought Capoue on tonight and he scored. Must have been a class hit to score from his own half. :lol:

 

He makes some very good points, I must say. However, nowadays due to the lack of contact in the game 'holding' midfielders are required to have high standard of distribution and provide a 'screen' in front of the back four by having the intelligence to intercept passes- players like Karl Henry (v.flippant example) are redundant at the top level because they can't pass forward and don't have the intelligence, only physical capabilities.

 

If I was a manager I would prefer a playmaker who sits deep- in the mould of Pirlo. But, then again, with the increased involvement of full backs in the attacking phase, sometimes a holding midfielder (or two) is necessary to secure against counter attacks.

 

I do think that in Man City's system Ferdinand's said way of playing a midfield pairing is spot on :thup:

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Fifa presidential candidate Jerome Champagne has suggested introducing orange cards that would allow referees to send players to a sin-bin.

 

The Frenchman, 55, launched his bid to succeed Sepp Blatter as the world governing body's president on Monday.

 

He also wants to punish teams when players question officials and hopes football will consider using more technology for key decisions.

 

Fifa's presidential election will be held in Zurich in June 2015.

 

His other proposals include:

- Quotas for foreign players

- Implementing rugby's rule where only the captain can talk to the referee with a free-kick advanced 10 yards for any dissent

- Abolishing the 'triple punishment' rule where a player who prevents a goalscoring opportunity in the penalty areas concedes a spot-kick, is sent off and also suspended

- All Fifa presidential candidates taking part in live debates on television and in front of the six continental confederations

- Making public the salary of the Fifa president and leading officials

 

Former referees have mixed views on the proposals with George Courtney saying the introduction of sin-bins for orange cards would work but Roger Milford insisting it would make football "too dictatorial".

 

Courtney, who officiated in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups in Mexico and Italy, said: "It would have to be under the right criteria but I think the time has come to seriously consider sin-bins.

 

"I expect the international board would be considering them.

 

"Red-card offences should still be punished with a red card but maybe for some other offences it would work."

 

Champagne, who has been backed by Pele, announced his intentions to become football's most powerful man at a news conference in London.

 

"We need a different Fifa," he said. "More democratic, more respected, which behaves better and which does more."

 

However, he admits he will struggle to win the election if Blatter, who will be 78 in March, decides to stand for a fifth term in office.

 

Asked if he could beat Blatter, Champagne, a former diplomat, said: "I don't think so, he's someone of relevance."

 

He added: "I don't know whether Mr Blatter will run or not. Of course, as a matter of politeness I informed him what I was planning to do.

 

"I don't know what he will do. Some people say I am manipulated by him but I tell you 'no'. I stand because I believe in what I am saying."

 

Blatter has been re-elected three times since becoming president in 1998 but has not yet said whether he will stand again.

 

A former Fifa deputy general secretary, Champagne worked closely with Blatter between 2002 and 2005 before leaving the organisation in 2010.

 

Since then, he has been working as an international football consultant in troubled regions including Kosovo, Palestine and Israel and Cyprus.

 

Champagne suggests players could be sin-binned for two or three minutes for "in-between fouls committed in the heat of the moment".

 

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25811977

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City have posted losses of over £51M, way above the £37M allowed under financial fair play.  Assuming they cannot justify the additional losses, I suspect they will get away with it which is totally wrong!  Sanctions are supposed to be a ban from CL football, be very interesting to see how this pans out..

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City have posted losses of over £51M, way above the £37M allowed under financial fair play.  Assuming they cannot justify the additional losses, I suspect they will get away with it which is totally wrong!  Sanctions are supposed to be a ban from CL football, be very interesting to see how this pans out..

 

Wasn't a fair bit of their income made from services they give to other clubs that they own?

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City have posted losses of over £51M, way above the £37M allowed under financial fair play.  Assuming they cannot justify the additional losses, I suspect they will get away with it which is totally wrong!  Sanctions are supposed to be a ban from CL football, be very interesting to see how this pans out..

 

Wasn't a fair bit of their income made from services they give to other clubs that they own?

 

Don't really know the detail - just saw it thought they will most likely find a way round it! The rest of us have no hope.

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