Eustace - the midfield saviour

[AdiSalisbury]

Hopefully Mascerall can be beefed up over the next few weeks training, and be our answer. But it's a specialist position and these types of players are in short supply.

Eustace may offer the odd body block, but he is invisable when we are on the ball, and gives no options to the defence when they look up to play it out. He seriously stiffles our attacking play, and it's right that Mac rotates this position until Mascerall is upto speed.

Hughes is an option there, he will actually come and collect the ball from the back 4 and set up an attack. No it's not his best position, but he is capable of playing there and so until Thorne is back (probably not fully until next season), this position will have to be shared by Eustace, Mascerall & Hughes in rotation.

[swaledale]

Thorne has the ability to control the game with his passess and we miss that - but Eustace does a good holding job and IMO many playes have yet to be consistent so singling some out is a tad harsh!

[wristslasher_909]

I think the reason some are mis-firing is due to JE. As Adi says above, Eustace offers nothing in terms of forward passes. Bryson in particular has suffered - he was anonymous on Saturday.

Eustie does do a holding job, he's experienced, he knows where to stand etc., but with our set up and philosophy we need more than that from that central defensive midfielder.

He's not up to it, and that's why Steve didn't start the season with him. In the games I've seen, and I didn't go to Charlton or Sheff Wed, Hughes has done well in that role, certainly better than John did on Saturday.

Having said that Hughes, Bryson and Hendrick all got physically intimidated by Ipswich and we didn't get much help from the ref on that front.

[triz]

Not bad getting to 3rd position with a few scrappy wins. No one is claiming eustace is a world beater but that position is so important to the way we play, and first and formost we need a tackler/harrier/protecter there, the passer/fluid footballer can come later. If Hughes goes back there like you suggest then you can write this season off.

[wristslasher_909]

If we're going to beat good teams at home we're going to have to be better on the ball than we were against Ipswich.

If Eustace stays there like you suggest then you can write this season off.

Ha Ha, I respect your opinion Triz, I really do, but I'm in the "let's have the ball and dominate possession camp". At home Keogh and Buxton shouldn't need a minder.

[blackandwhite56]

I think the reason some are mis-firing is due to JE. As Adi says above, Eustace offers nothing in terms of forward passes. Bryson in particular has suffered - he was anonymous on Saturday.

Eustie does do a holding job, he's experienced, he knows where to stand etc., but with our set up and philosophy we need more than that from that central defensive midfielder.

He's not up to it, and that's why Steve didn't start the season with him. In the games I've seen, and I didn't go to Charlton or Sheff Wed, Hughes has done well in that role, certainly better than John did on Saturday.

Having said that Hughes, Bryson and Hendrick all got physically intimidated by Ipswich and we didn't get much help from the ref on that front.

So players weren't misfiring before we started using Eustace this season?

[Rapid]

I think the reason some are mis-firing is due to JE.

like the 5-1 win over Fulham? :-O

we were bloody awful at Sheffield Wednesday. hughes and then omar played the DMF role.

the whole team hasn't clicked yet but they will. blaming on Eustace is lazy WS! :-P

[minesahartington]

How about putting Chris Martin there in the short term as he is strong and can hold the ball up and then Shotten up front. I am sure he has played centre forward a coulpl of times and bagged a few?

[AngryRam]

I'm just sitting back enjoying the thread. I am lovin your work Wristslasher..

Eustace will never be the answer... I don't even think he is that good at getting stuck in.
But hey he was part of a winning team that got to 3rd so he must be brilliant.

How many times in a game CAN someone get caught on the wrong side?

[Rapid]

How about putting Chris Martin there in the short term as he is strong and can hold the ball up and then Shotten up front. I am sure he has played centre forward a coulpl of times and bagged a few?

I was about to ask how many Hartington's you'd had but then realised you just be joking.