Do or die

by Tony Everan | 07/07/2020

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Senior midfield problems that won't go away:

Sigurdsson — Not a midfielder

Iwobi — Not a midfielder

Bernard — Not influential

Gomes — Slow, no forward drive or dynamism

Walcott — Peripheral

All these players are nice boys; I wouldn't mind playing against them at all. I'd know no-one was going to tackle me very often and I'd have a safe, nice, friendly game. I would be happy and confident before the game started.

With our senior midfield, there is no fear factor, no aggression, no trepidation from any opposition. They can be dominated, out-tackled and out-fought.

Where is the feistiness, the energy, the dynamism and drive to commit the opposition?

I am deliberately leaving Tom Davies and Anthony Gordon out of this because, with those two, who cost nothing, I can see a desire and they're often forward-thinking. These boys are junior members and deserve better support from their supposed peers. It's time to blood the very promising Gordon more from now until the season's end; he should have started against Tottenham.

Carlo already knows, and we already know, we are going nowhere fast until two quality midfielders come in. Last night's match shone a 500-megawatt spotlight on that fact. Other current players can respond very positively to the right quality additions (eg, Bruno Fernandes).

Keep an eye on our midfield transfer dealings... the success or failure of Carlo and the club over the next few seasons depends on them above all else.

The next 6 weeks is do or die time for Marcel Brands.

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