by SCIAG »
08 May 2019 23:30
CountryRoyal SCIAG NewCorkSeth Is McEachran not a bit shit?
So is Lewis Baker, and yet...
(A Baker/McEachran/Swift midfield three would be amazing)
It would be amazing, amazingly shit. We’ve seen our fair share of powder puff midfields in recent years but that would take the biscuit
I was mostly memeing, but I think you're underestimating McEachran's defensive ability.
This season McEachran made 2 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per 90. That was pretty standard for him - he's done better in two of his five seasons since he left Chelsea.
That compares well to Rinomhota who made 2.3 tackles and 1 interception. In real terms, Rinomhota wins the ball one extra time every five matches.
Baker made 1.3 tackles and 0.7 interceptions for us, by far the highest he's made at any club. Swift made 1.4 tackles and 0.8 interceptions.
Ejaria made 1.8 and 1.1. Kelly made 1.6 and 1.2.
Think it's fair to say that Rinomhota/Baker/AN Other looked like a solid defensive midfield base. Put McEachran in for Rinomhota and there's no good reason to think it would be noticeably worse at winning the ball back.
I think what we'd actually miss would be Rinomhota's ability to carry the ball out of danger. From McEachran's Chelsea days I thought this was one of his strengths, but he's actually terrible at it, even worse than Kelly. Statistically, Rinomhota is almost as good as Swift at dribbling, though I'd say they use their abilities differently (Rinomhota relieves pressure and gives us time to get set up, Swift dribbles more creatively). Ejaria on the other hand is one of the best dribblers in the league and the best who regularly plays in midfield.
God, spent far too much time defending that shitpost. But basically the problem with the modern British technical midfielder isn't that they can't defend, it's that they can't dribble. Oliver Norwood syndrome.