What ever happened to the complete centre midfielder?

[Affliction]

I mean seriously, all we see these days are attacking midfielders or defensive midfielders. Out of the wordclass players around today there are only two who stand out as 'complete' midfielders, Steven Gerrard and Michael Ballack. In ammature football you practically always get the two centre midfielders who run the game and play box to box, scoring goals and defending. When I played at Wrekin Lions I played centre midfield with this guy called Josh Mancini and we were pretty much unstoppable. We have both moved on to this other team now but at Lions we both played box to box and ran the game. It was such a good partnership, with both of us running are asses off all game yet covering each other and feeding off each other at the same time. He was a better player than me but anyone who played against us both were pretty much undone from the start.

Why don't you ever see that in Pro Football? You always have one playing an attacking role and one playing defensively. Why do you never get two centre midfielders BOTH getting forward and BOTH getting back. Me and Josh used to score about 10 each every season from box to box in less than 20 game, which is a goal every 2 game ratio. In Professional football you just don't see it. So why do you always get it in ammature football?

[sidis]

emerson, ze roberto, tinga, pirlo, maniche, and much others can be the player you talking about.

In non-professional football the defensive pressure is lower, then a bad or medium defensive players can play whitout great problems,

[Affliction]

emerson, ze roberto, tinga, pirlo, maniche, and much others can be the player you talking about.

In non-professional football the defensive pressure is lower, then a bad or medium defensive players can play whitout great problems,

Ze Roberto is the only one on that list who fits what I'm talking about. None of the others score many goals, though Maniche would be awesome if he was ever given the chance to play a more important role.

[Milliano]

Why don't you ever see that in Pro Football? You always have one playing an attacking role and one playing defensively. Why do you never get two centre midfielders BOTH getting forward and BOTH getting back.

It doesn't sound very efficient. For example... wasting an attacking player's talents by making him do so much defensive work - getting him out of position and taking away valuable energy. Or vise versa. Players are 'balanced' a certain way, and can't be best of both attack and defense.
Though there isn't really much of the pure DM or the myth of the 'number 10'. Most players are two-way to some degree. They're just not usually relied on to be both most attacking and most defensive in the midfield.

So why do you always get it in ammature football?

Different level of talent, coaching, tactics, etc.

[sidis]

Ze Roberto is the only one on that list who fits what I'm talking about. None of the others score many goals, though Maniche would be awesome if he was ever given the chance to play a more important role.


emerson was a offensive midfielder in their first team (Grêmio) and play much time alternating positions.

[rossgreen]

None of the others score many goals, though Maniche would be awesome if he was ever given the chance to play a more important role.

Is there any news on where Maniche will be playing this season?

[dannytoone]

Is there any news on where Maniche will be playing this season?
Galatsaray seemed to be the most interested, but Dinamo Moscow seems pretty adamant at getting their money back. Even post-WC, he is not worth as much as those idiots payed for him.

I am starting to wish he waits out for a bosman and looks for a club that he wants to play for.

[dannytoone]

Kaka, Rui Costa, Figo (although he is more focused to the wing), Gerrard, Ballack, Moutinho, Scholes...

There are a lot. It really depends on formations and abilities. If someone really can play CM well, and attack and defend well, then it frees up a spot for an extra striker.

Which is why they are typically the most expensive type of players as well.

[Stud83]

Scholes.

...and there goes all of the credibility you had. Defensively Scholes is one of the world's worst midfielders (among elite players). If not the worst.

[Albion + England]

...and there goes all of the credibility you had. Defensively Scholes is one of the world's worst midfielders (among elite players). If not the worst.


Steven Gerrard - the complete player.

[ForeverRed]

Well, this is pretty much the reality of things concerning this topic. Ballack and Gerrard are pretty much the only two complete all around center midfielders playing at the top level.

Part of it, I believe, has to do with the pace of the game and the physical fitness one must posess to play such a role. If you see Liverpool play, you see these exciting bursts of speed Stevie G. makes and that requires fitness beyond belief. Same with Ballack, it might not be noticable but Michel is one of the fittest players around.

You also have to have a huge understanding of all aspects of the game. Ballack has one of the best footballing IQ's and that allows him to make good tactical decisions on the pitch ala passes, interceptions, runs etc.

[dannytoone]

...and there goes all of the credibility you had. Defensively Scholes is one of the world's worst midfielders (among elite players). If not the worst.

Im not looking for credibility from anyone who calls themself a stud.

[Affliction]

Well, this is pretty much the reality of things concerning this topic. Ballack and Gerrard are pretty much the only two complete all around center midfielders playing at the top level.

Part of it, I believe, has to do with the pace of the game and the physical fitness one must posess to play such a role. If you see Liverpool play, you see these exciting bursts of speed Stevie G. makes and that requires fitness beyond belief. Same with Ballack, it might not be noticable but Michel is one of the fittest players around.

You also have to have a huge understanding of all aspects of the game. Ballack has one of the best footballing IQ's and that allows him to make good tactical decisions on the pitch ala passes, interceptions, runs etc.

Yeah I agree, it's irritating me that people are saying Gerrard and Ballack are two complete centre midfielders as if I hadn't already mentioned them.

[Milliano]

And even with their diverse abilities, both players play with a more defensive midfielder behind them for their clubs. It's not like they play in a flat 4-4-2 midfield with four box to box players.

[dannytoone]

Yeah I agree, it's irritating me that people are saying Gerrard and Ballack are two complete centre midfielders as if I hadn't already mentioned them.

Oh please...are we not allowed to agree with you about those two?

Or maybe you just think that you and your friend are the only other CMs in the world besides Gerrard and Ballack.

[Affliction]

Oh please...are we not allowed to agree with you about those two?

Or maybe you just think that you and your friend are the only other CMs in the world besides Gerrard and Ballack.

Lmaooo, I wasn't having a go at you all I was just asking for examples OTHER than them two.

[Chuck-Puyol-Norris]

Xavi, Iniesta, Deco...

Iniesta can play DM, CM, and AM. And Xavi and Deco are always helping out on defense and then starting attacks and joining them.

[dannytoone]

Why is it that nobody seems to mention Kaka much?

[Chuck-Puyol-Norris]

Why is it that nobody seems to mention Kaka much?
Because he is more of an attacking midfielder than a center mid.

[The Sun King]

Johan Cruyff!!!