Our Midfield is still not right, not dominating the oppo as we have in the past. There are few reasons for this namely a) Not pressing high with a view to winning the ball back high, b) the ball isn't sticking upfield with our AM's/Strikers as we have seen previously c) wingbacks not dominating their opposite numbers, pinning them back, again as we have seen previously
Midfield specifics: We are missing what Dembele, Wanyama and Dier brought to the midfield (various combinations here).
a) Winks: has always been good on the ball, obviously not the finished article even when talking about what he's strengths are but his use of the ball has been great, his vision for a progressive pass is getting better each game, as are his runs forward into space. His biggest weakness was what he did off the ball, namely knowing where to be, he doesn't have to be a headless chicken pressing the player on the ball, but understand that he can affect the oppo just by blocking a passing lane, or knowing when to stand a player up or engage them or recognise what play to track (oppo would always run off him), his last 6,7,8 games has seen him improve massively in this area. BUT despite this, we don't dominate an oppo midfield as we have previously.
b) Sissoko: Again improvement to his game this season has been great, NOT as big as most claim because those are the ones that have been utterly destroying him since he signed with us, it absolves their slatting him. His performances were just OK, nothing great but he did the job asked of him without ever being special, spectacular, there were no superlatives, but his performances were completely exaggerated since the day he signed. But despite him being a big awkward bastard to get past, despite him being able to carry the ball upfield, despite being really quite useful to us this season there is still something dysfunctional with our midfield that a schoolboy Midfield of Leicester was able to dominate it for most of the game. That wasn't ever in control against Watford or Wolves (in these games for significant periods it was dominated). With Sissoko he doesn't show for the ball, compare him and Winks with this regard, Winks shows for the ball ALLWAYS, Sissoko rarely wants the ball with the oppo on his back and will not move to create an angle to receive the ball (like Winks) if marked or a passing lane blocked.
I'm delighted we have Winks & Sissoko but we do have to examine the dysfunctionality of the midfield and work out what the solution is. In short, Winks is a diamond that's being polished with every minute he plays. Sissoko has been really useful and has improved his confidence if not his football ability (this can still elevate a players performance considerably, just imagine what it would have been like had fans actually laid off him and got behind him). But this midfield needs some glue, it's crying out for a baller to lift the pressure and start to apply pressure on the oppo. I love how robust this squad is, I love that despite injuries and issues this team always remains in the game, even if we aren't playing well. But we need to find a solution to playing well, maybe this will come when we are back home, with rested and fit players but I think it will come when we find a new midfielder close to the skill sets of Dembele/Wanyama for that to happen. Biggest signing we can make is a player at his peak now, just one signing who might cost a bit of money but we keep all our current options, no need to sell anyone other than Janssen, GKN, (probably Onomah, CCV??).
