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On 23/02/2025 at 23:26, The College Dropout said:

With his technical gifts I want to see him control more of a game. 

 

Do you have an example of a midfielder who controlled a game last weekend? Just so we have a yardstick to beat 18 year old Miley with.

 

I do feel you just use words for the sake of it sometimes :lol:

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2 hours ago, Shearergol said:

 

Do you have an example of a midfielder who controlled a game last weekend? Just so we have a yardstick to beat 18 year old Miley with.

 

I do feel you just use words for the sake of it sometimes :lol:

Not a criticism.  A few pages back I said wow about him.  He’s brilliant for an 18 year old. 
 

The best young central midfielder I’ve seen is Ceac Fabregas. Cesc was dominating PL games like he was 25 years old. 
 

Mileys great - technically, his touch, dribbling in tight areas and passing is excellent. And he’s got great size now.  And an eye for goal. Already I think he can bring what Longstaff brings and more. That next level is ‘ok this is my game now’. He dictates the flow of the game.  At their best that’s what each of our 3 in midfield can do in their own way. 
 

Miley has great ability.  That puts him above the Longstaffs and co. I hope he can play himself into 4th choice CM or a rotation option.  But long-term his ability to control a game (or not) will make or break his good he can become. His floor is high - I’m thinking about his ceiling.  

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5 minutes ago, Steve Charlton said:

Good question in the press conference to Eddie about Miley "Is there a player you'd want want him to study as he develops"
 

I thought of Ballack 

Vieira.

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28 minutes ago, Steve Charlton said:

Good question in the press conference to Eddie about Miley "Is there a player you'd want want him to study as he develops"
 

I thought of Ballack 

Redondo.

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31 minutes ago, GEFAFWISP said:

Vieira.

Defo got the frame for it… Attacking wise he can be top, defensively is where he needs a bit more development but liked his headers & tackles against Forest.

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1 hour ago, joeyt said:

The way we play it's going to be hard for any midfielder who isn't the central one to "control a game" whatever that means

 

1 hour ago, Shush said:

 

I was thinking this. We are setup for conceding "control" of the game to press and win turn overs high up pitch, capitalise on forced errors and also counter quickly. The only times we control things from middle is against teams camped in their half doing the low block.

 

It's not the best for countering a physically engaging side wanting to impose on us, especially through the middle, due to a severe lack of athleticism and pace between both centre of defence and centre of midfield. City game or second half of Forest game case and point.


Agree with this and I personally think Miley’s best position and future lies in a more central role. So in our current setup, the 6.
 

Our wider midfielders have a thankless task in some ways. They need a lot of athleticism and often seem to be involved in chaos ball and a lot of off the ball work chasing shadows. Tracking back, pressing high, covering the flanks. All whilst not being used all that much in the build up. 
 

It does seem a really unique position in this system. Which is why Joelinton and Willock (not so much this season) and previously, Longstaff. All worked well as one of our ‘number 8’s’. Whereas I wouldn’t want any of them in a more traditional central two or a deeper role. 
 

Bruno is doing well in some games. But despite all of his running. He is extremely slow and not always the strongest. Although he doesn’t shirk that side of things. 
 

Ironically, Tonali seems to have the attributes to play there. But often got lost and has only really shown his class as the deeper man and in the central role getting involved. 
 

I do wonder as the team continues to evolve. Whether we change the midfield setup at all. As I’m not sure there are many midfielders in world football who could offer both composure and passing ability and the physical attributes Howe wants. Not that we could afford, anyway. 
 

I’m also not sure we will ever have even a semi-consistent control on games otherwise. I know Howe has alluded to a more possession based approach and having more control, previously. 
 

Bit of a wider point on the whole team. But looking at the team Sunday. That second half highlighted how bad we are technically in a lot of areas. Hardly anyone who is going to put their foot on the ball and bring an element of calm to the game.

 

Tonali helped a bit when he came on. But we seemed too far gone by that point. 

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53 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said:

 


Agree with this and I personally think Miley’s best position and future lies in a more central role. So in our current setup, the 6.
 

Our wider midfielders have a thankless task in some ways. They need a lot of athleticism and often seem to be involved in chaos ball and a lot of off the ball work chasing shadows. Tracking back, pressing high, covering the flanks. All whilst not being used all that much in the build up. 
 

It does seem a really unique position in this system. Which is why Joelinton and Willock (not so much this season) and previously, Longstaff. All worked well as one of our ‘number 8’s’. Whereas I wouldn’t want any of them in a more traditional central two or a deeper role. 
 

Bruno is doing well in some games. But despite all of his running. He is extremely slow and not always the strongest. Although he doesn’t shirk that side of things. 
 

Ironically, Tonali seems to have the attributes to play there. But often got lost and has only really shown his class as the deeper man and in the central role getting involved. 
 

I do wonder as the team continues to evolve. Whether we change the midfield setup at all. As I’m not sure there are many midfielders in world football who could offer both composure and passing ability and the physical attributes Howe wants. Not that we could afford, anyway. 
 

I’m also not sure we will ever have even a semi-consistent control on games otherwise. I know Howe has alluded to a more possession based approach and having more control, previously. 
 

Bit of a wider point on the whole team. But looking at the team Sunday. That second half highlighted how bad we are technically in a lot of areas. Hardly anyone who is going to put their foot on the ball and bring an element of calm to the game.

 

Tonali helped a bit when he came on. But we seemed too far gone by that point. 

Great post

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3 hours ago, Lush Vlad said:

 


Agree with this and I personally think Miley’s best position and future lies in a more central role. So in our current setup, the 6.
 

Our wider midfielders have a thankless task in some ways. They need a lot of athleticism and often seem to be involved in chaos ball and a lot of off the ball work chasing shadows. Tracking back, pressing high, covering the flanks. All whilst not being used all that much in the build up. 
 

It does seem a really unique position in this system. Which is why Joelinton and Willock (not so much this season) and previously, Longstaff. All worked well as one of our ‘number 8’s’. Whereas I wouldn’t want any of them in a more traditional central two or a deeper role. 
 

Bruno is doing well in some games. But despite all of his running. He is extremely slow and not always the strongest. Although he doesn’t shirk that side of things. 
 

Ironically, Tonali seems to have the attributes to play there. But often got lost and has only really shown his class as the deeper man and in the central role getting involved. 
 

I do wonder as the team continues to evolve. Whether we change the midfield setup at all. As I’m not sure there are many midfielders in world football who could offer both composure and passing ability and the physical attributes Howe wants. Not that we could afford, anyway. 
 

I’m also not sure we will ever have even a semi-consistent control on games otherwise. I know Howe has alluded to a more possession based approach and having more control, previously. 
 

Bit of a wider point on the whole team. But looking at the team Sunday. That second half highlighted how bad we are technically in a lot of areas. Hardly anyone who is going to put their foot on the ball and bring an element of calm to the game.

 

Tonali helped a bit when he came on. But we seemed too far gone by that point. 

Liverpool have two midfielders who are absolutely ideal for our system. Pretty certain we weren’t too far behind signing one of them. 

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1 minute ago, Shearergol said:

Liverpool have two midfielders who are absolutely ideal for our system. Pretty certain we weren’t too far behind signing one of them. 


Szlobberdog? He looks quality now and still young. He went through a bit of a bad patch for them for a while. Would have loved him here. 

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