[Archived] Dunn And Tugay In The Same Midfield

[pg]

Here are the results when Tugay and Dunn have started the same game :

Everton 1 - Blackburn 0 (A)

Bayern 3 - Blackburn 2 (A)

Blackburn 0 - Bayern 0 (H)

Blackburn 1 - West Ham 2 (H)

All of our good results over the past few months have come when either Tugay or Dunn started, but not both.

Can Tugay and Dunn play in the same midfield? Particularly both in central midfield?

My memory (which may be incorrect) is that Souness didn't think so, so he pushed Dunn out to the right.. which then caused some 'friction'.

[herbergeehh]

I've always thought this midfield would be too lightweight and defensively fragile, and I stand by that - however the Arsenal game (when Dunn came on in all fairness) gave a glimpse of hope that Dunn can keep his feet moving enough to make it work. Either way; when Robbie and Reidy comes back, we will have two great midfield pairings (plus Mokoena).

[Pugg]

With Bentley suspended it'll be interesting to see how Dunn plays on the right (if Hughsey decides to do that).

[Sparky Marky]

Unless Dunn bucks his ideas up, I'd get rid of him...He's slow, lethargic and really added nothing to the game on saturday. Reo-Coker was waltzing past him at will. I think he's a squad player at best.

I'd move Brett into the right midfield position and move Zurab across, leaving Samba and Nelsen/Todd/Henchoz in the middle. Dunn just doesn't have the zip to work out wide...

[herbergeehh]

Totally disagree with you, getting rid of Dunn now?? A knee-jerk reaction to the poor game against West Ham I hope.. So typical, one bad game and everything is totally dark and hapless. I'll say it again; with Savage and Reid coming back we have the graft - with Tugay and Dunn we have the creativity and spark. In total, we have two great central midfield duo's - and we have Mokoena as a squad player behind them.

[LeftWinger]

Totally disagree with you, getting rid of Dunn now?? A knee-jerk reaction to the poor game against West Ham I hope.. So typical, one bad game and everything is totally dark and hapless. I'll say it again; with Savage and Reid coming back we have the graft - with Tugay and Dunn we have the creativity and spark. In total, we have two great central midfield duo's - and we have Mokoena as a squad player behind them.

Saved me a job typing pretty much exactly the same thing

[M-K]

We've had threads on here saying Hughes should be sacked and Mokoena is a terrible player... Tugay and his hilarious 'invisible friend'... Lazy old Benni... Now Dunn? Let's wait until one of Samba's miskicks sets up the opposition for a goal, maybe we can start slagging him off too. Brilliant!

[daveoftherovers]

It's laughable isn't it !

I wouldn't expect too much from Dunny, he's not in the shape MH want's him, he lacks match practice and he's still getting used to the Prem, simple as, also, he ain't a Sav, Reidy or an Axe is he, so give him a break, yes he was off the pace on Saturday, but so were 2/3 others!

We'll see a difference this weekend when whomever (or both of them) are given some protection from a freshly sharpened axe.

[Fife Rover]

Saved me a job typing pretty much exactly the same thing

I think it unfair to classify Mokoena as a squad player. As things stand at present, and on the evidence of his last few games he has shown himself to be our best DM. He has given to the team's backbone that little bit of previously missing solidarity that (with all due respect) Savage can't supply. Added to which his vision and passing has improved tremendously from where it was. OK, it needed to, and is still not anything to write home about, but the point is that he is getting there and with more games he should improve still more.

[Martin]

Dunn's problem is not physiological it's clearly psychological.

He was brilliant at Bolton, absolutely brilliant. Now that was because he had a point to prove and wanted to show Bolton they missed out. Well, I'm assuming so. Otherwise he has not had a single good game.

Perhaps he thinks he has nothing to prove to us. Well, Mr. Dunn you have it all to do.

Dunn needs to look at the bigger picture; his preferred position is central midfield. Potentially next season we have Tugay (new deal possibily?) Savage, Reid and Mokoena and perhaps another to fill two spots. He need to get his act togther not only for this season but for 6 months time also.

[Fife Rover]

We've had threads on here saying Hughes should be sacked and Mokoena is a terrible player... Tugay and his hilarious 'invisible friend'... Lazy old Benni... Now Dunn? Let's wait until one of Samba's miskicks sets up the opposition for a goal, maybe we can start slagging him off too. Brilliant!

I'll tell you what would be fun! We have never had a Brad Bashing thread! How about that for the next one?

[herbergeehh]

Disagree with that too, Martin, it sounds a bit easy to me. No problem arguing that, it's a logical way of thinking by all means - but I don't think Dunnie played poorly against West Ham because the hunger was missing, neither do I think he played well against Bolton because he wanted to prove himself good. He's a footballer, footballers have good and bad days, and whilst the hunger or the importance of the match can affect a player's performance - I don't think it's the most deciding factor. It certainly shouldn't be..

[thenodrog]

I'll tell you what would be fun! We have never had a Brad Bashing thread! How about that for the next one?

Cant be bothered to find it but unbelievably we have!

[herbergeehh]

Cant be bothered to find it but unbelievably we have!

Here ya go

[James No. 7]

We've had threads on here saying Hughes should be sacked and Mokoena is a terrible player... Tugay and his hilarious 'invisible friend'... Lazy old Benni... Now Dunn? Let's wait until one of Samba's miskicks sets up the opposition for a goal, maybe we can start slagging him off too. Brilliant!

Some fans are too fickle and are not prepared to back both players and non-playing staff by giving them time to settle, or time to correct things when they are not performing to the expected level, etc. Also, don't forget that to some in the past:

- Emerton should have been sold in the summer;

- Ooijer was regarded as rubbish;

- Nonda would see out relegation; and

- To a much lesser extent, Friedel was once evaluated as no longer good enough for the number one spot.

No doubt I've missed plenty more, but there you go.

[Martin]

Disagree with that too, Martin, it sounds a bit easy to me. No problem arguing that, it's a logical way of thinking by all means - but I don't think Dunnie played poorly against West Ham because the hunger was missing, neither do I think he played well against Bolton because he wanted to prove himself good. He's a footballer, footballers have good and bad days, and whilst the hunger or the importance of the match can affect a player's performance - I don't think it's the most deciding factor. It certainly shouldn't be..

I take your point, but firstly I would strongly argue that Dunn played well at Bolton mainly down to him proving himself. Football is littered with old players and players that nearly signed scoring etc aginst former clubs. Secondly, for me, with out going too deep there are three factors that will dictate performance.

Ability

Attitude and...

Motivation

Have all 3 (like Dunn did against Bolton) and you will do well. Neglect one or two of the variables and you will fall short.

Perhaps, there is a valid argument that a Tugay, Dunn combination doesn't work. However, I'd look a little deeper; perhaps a midfield four of Bentley, Dunn, Tugay and Gamst is too lightweight.

[Sparky Marky]

Dunn has been overweight and too slow for years. He's not exactly a spring chicken either, so I don't see him ever making it to peak fitness again. I can't remember him having a good game either.

Its the same old story with Dunn, excuses about his fitness, he needs more games....Didn't he play in the Championship this year, what has he been doing all season to give him a reason to be so out of shape...He's been here nearly 2 months now, so why's he not back into any kind of fitness. Waste of bloody time and money.

[LeftWinger]

Its the same old story with Dunn, excuses about his fitness, he needs more games....Didn't he play in the Championship this year, what has he been doing all season to give him a reason to be so out of shape...He's been here nearly 2 months now, so why's he not back into any kind of fitness. Waste of bloody time and money.

Dunn hadn't played 90 minutes in the Championship since the middle of October.

(In fact he's only completed 90 minutes for us in 3 games - of course he needs more time!)

[herbergeehh]

However, I'd look a little deeper; perhaps a midfield four of Bentley, Dunn, Tugay and Gamst is too lightweight.

Absolutely, no doubt about that in my mind. You can see Arsenal having the same problems when they don't play Denilson, Diaby or Gilberto alongside Fabregas, Rosicky, Ljungberg or Hleb. Their attacking strenght can sometimes pull if off though, it's not impossible.

[Hughesy]

Its about time David Dunn started putting in the necessary to work to lose that extra weight he is carrying! Dont tell me he is, because only last friday he was on an all afternoon bender and all night bender with Ricky Hatton and they were in the local pub until late! Drinking pints of guiness - now that isnt going to do his fitness any good is it!!

[roversmum]

Its about time David Dunn started putting in the necessary to work to lose that extra weight he is carrying! Dont tell me he is, because only last friday he was on an all afternoon bender and all night bender with Ricky Hatton and they were in the local pub until late! Drinking pints of guiness - now that isnt going to do his fitness any good is it!!

That isn't acceptable the night before the match. Or at any time to be honest. We are paying the guy good money to be fit.

[Ricky]

Do you mean last Friday or the Friday before. To be honest if it was the Friday before the Man City mtch I don't think it's too much of an issue. he was suspended for that match. If it was the Friday before West Ham then that is clearly not acceptable.

[pg]

Erm... can we put this thread back on track please?

It is not a thread questioning David's skills and commitment.

Rather, whether the pairing of Dunn and Tugay together is a sound midfield pairing.

IMO your two central midfielders have to have a good combination of flair, creativity, vision, pace, ball-winning skills, hard tackling and brutality. This is especially true when you have two traditional wingers.

Personally, I wonder why Hughes plays the both of them in the middle.

[Jan]

Erm... can we put this thread back on track please?

It is not a thread questioning David's skills and commitment.

Rather, whether the pairing of Dunn and Tugay together is a sound midfield pairing.

IMO your two central midfielders have to have a good combination of flair, creativity, vision, pace, ball-winning skills, hard tackling and brutality. This is especially true when you have two traditional wingers.

Personally, I wonder why Hughes plays the both of them in the middle.

Because there wasn't anyone else available on Saturday!

[Pugg]

Because there wasn't anyone else available on Saturday!

Yep, and even if you moved Bentley in and dunn on the right, it's still as lightweight. I suppose you could argue to put a defender in the midfield but at home, to the bottom of the table, you shouldn't have to.