I think Ricki has a massive blind spot when it comes to central midfield. I don't think he actually knows what a good functioning central midfeld actually looks like. Or maybe he just doesn't seem to value midfielders in the same way he doesn't value right backs? It's the same with the AWs - there is so little attention paid to that part of the pitch and he often seems willing to sacrifice a midfielder to get an extra attacker on the pitch or play someone out of position there.
Started off ok with Ross Aloisi, Richard Johnson, Felipe, Lia, Ferrante and Tim Brown - easily our best midfield crop in my opinion (also had Jeremy Christie though - pretty yuk)[/quote]
Freak aren't those beginning to look like glory days- two midfielders with experience at prem clubs, the legendary Ross Aloisi, Timmo AWs VC, Lia and Felipe. The good Ferrante too- not the one who lost his bottle.
[quote=james dean]
Toto, Diego, Simon Elliot, Cameron Lindsay, David Mulligan, all signed and barely given a game.
Elliot definitely got a run- and it was a guest spot IIRC? Mulligan I think could have been tried in the mids, but who would he have to have pushed out? Diego was a sub ala Totori and seemed to have motivation issues. Toto total cack. Lindsay perhaps- but then...
These aren't the most impressive names to make a case for Ricki's failures in the mids. I think Brown is the clearest case for keeping Ricki- you all bagged him you baggers- but now we are really missing his leadership, experience, fight and goals.
Who should we look at? Caravella might have been a name, but is surely towards the end of his career. This is the tricky bit. Keat isn't a midfielder anymore apparently, and hasn't had the experience Brown had before we signed him.