Here's an interesting article from MLSsoccer.com: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/armchair-analyst-evolving-mf-roles-defy-definition The premise is that Milan's manner of using Pirlo and Gattuso has influenced the way most coaches play their midfields nowadays. Sigi is quoted as saying that Evans fulfills the Gattuso role. Could that imply that Alonso fulfills the Pirlo role, or is that too much to extrapolate from Sigi's quote?
Good article. I'm excited to have Evans back and honestly would be surprised to see anyone knock him out of the starting 11, although it seems like everyone is hoping he will be.
Interesting stuff but I think the author gets a bit confused with positioning versus responsibility. For example: Pirlo creating from deep positions and Gattuso disrupting from more advanced positions. I dont see the contradiction in calling Pirlo a play maker and Gattuso a holding mid because that is what their responsibilities are. It makes sense in Spanish where midfielders are described as containment, creation, or links (between mid and forward). As for Alonso playing the Pirlo role? No way. He's more about containing the other team (and cleaning up our defensive mistakes) than he is about creating. We still don't really have a creative midfielder. Sturgis was the closest we've come. It's a lot harder to create than it is to destroy and this is a problem that affects all of MLS. Finding a good, creative midfielder that wants to come to MLS and will fit into our salary structure is difficult. This is why I dont like the analogies to European tactics. We dont have the personnel to play the same systems. Saying Evans is like Gattuso implies we have a Pirlo to compliment him when that isn't the case. For me, Evans and Alonso are more like Song and Wilshire for Arsenal, but we're still missing our equivalent of Fabregas. It's a non-sensical analogy because we don't even play a 4-5-1.
"Holding Midfielder" = "Win the ball and hold possession." Alonso isn't a box-to-box MF, he's more sideline-to-sideline... The wings get to play higher because Alonso will cover for them on D. When our backs make runs up the wing, Alonso covers for them on D. When Alonso counts just 4 Sounders in front of him on offense, he'll make runs into the box because he doesn't have to cover for anyone. Maybe call it "Covering Midfielder" And I would argue that we DO play a 4-5-1 (4-2-3-1), where Montero steps up as striker or drops into midfield, whichever he feels annoys the defense more, while our wings are able to stay high.
It's nothing personal against Brad. Nice guy, hard worker. There is a depressing thing about the state of the contemporary game, which MLS, with its declining goal production, seems to exemplify and revel in. You have to go to great sociopathic depths to see as many cards as Dema Kovalenko in our, fair league, and MLS midfields are littered with demi-Demas. Speed and hustle are great, but seeing a great pass is, too. So is punishing the thuggery that makes hard for, you know, someone who can actually pass to succeed in this league. Pirlo and Gattuso as a paradigm? Nene Cubillas anyone?
http://www.examiner.com/soccer-in-seattle/crew-crush-sounders-buzz-grows-around-erik-friberg Erik Friberg was brought in to give the Sounders depth and flexibility in the midfield. As his fitness level improves, so do the positive comments from coach Sigi Schmid and local writers. The Swede celebrated his 25th birthday on Thursday.