[Archived] Vince Grella Signs

[ewoodifhecould]

IMO you can't have a designated 'defensive mid' unless you play a 4-5-1. At Villa it's Reo-Coker, they play with two wide forwards coming off a central target man, at Everton it was Carsley, with Cahill being the link between midfield and attack. If you want to play 4-4-2 then you need two centre mids who are comfortable on the ball.

[sparkspakespoke]

Good call, think hed be an improvement if it was possible to land him.

Our Villa friends seem to think that O'Neill loves him and would never let him go. Good player though, great engine and comfertable on the ball.

[alexanders]

If you want to play 4-4-2 then you need two centre mids who are comfortable on the ball.

Dunn and Grella.

[Eddie]

Reid has lost it. If he can regain in or not (and let's face it, he only had "it" for a season) is not something we can bet our season on. Emerton could probably fill that role, but I still think that unless Simpson can step right in then Emerton is needed at right back. I'm not overly enthused by the Grella prospect, but not many players in his position get the fans excited when they join.

[sparkspakespoke]

Dunn and Grella.

And Vogel, who looked a decent player at the end of last season. After that you are left with Reid who hasnt looked the same since his last injuy and the Mokoena who ...well yeah you know.

[JAL]

JAL you have failed to appreciate the evolution of the modern game.

Footballers are now exceptional athletes (most anyway), counter-attacks are incredibly fast. A specialist holding midfielder offers some kind of shield when the team's attack breaks down and the opposition is on the charge.

It makes sense in simple specialisation terms. Only one CM can go forward at a time in a 4-4-2. So why have two jack of all trades in the middle? Why not allow them to specialise and have clearly defined, complementary but opposite roles?

Of course, that doesn't mean that the defensive midfielder can be a talentless hoof. However, he can specialise in the particular skills of that role - prompting play from deep, anticipating moves, tracking runners, giving an option to the centre back dawdling on the ball and so on. His presence also gives greater freedom to wingers and full backs to get forward. In that sense, paradoxically, the presence of a good defensive midfielder increases the attacking potency of the team.

Do you know what rover6, you sound like someone whos been on and took that boring FA level 2 coaching qualification.

Agree with you on the one midfielder goes forward the other holds, but disagree totally with you about specialising in one defensive role the other an offensive role, this notion for me severly limits the teams capabilities, all four midfielders should be able to attack and defend equally as good for the team to acheive maximum success, would you not agree.

Having four capable attack/defensive minded midfielders across the park is an extremely attractive proposition that would definitley excite the fans alike breed confidence improve the probability ot the result and bring more fans into watch.

He is a defensive midfielder and IMO the reason why Barry shone last season!

A def mid gives the other CM more space and ability to go forward.

He didnt look that defensive at Ewood last season when they stuffed us in fact he looked pretty effective doing both jobs.

[LeChuck]

Do you know what rover6, you sound like someone whos been on and took that boring FA level 2 coaching qualification.

You know...we're the major footballing country that sees those kind of qualifications in that way. Every other country sees undertaking and understanding them as a necessity. A bit like being doctor is seen over here, it's not really questioned that you get the qualifications first, you just do it.

That's probably why our national team is ###### and why we barely get any English managers at the top end of the Premiership.

[sparkspakespoke]

Do you know what rover6, you sound like someone whos been on and took that boring FA level 2 coaching qualification.

Agree with you on the one midfielder goes forward the other holds, but disagree totally with you about specialising in one defensive role the other an offensive role, this notion for me severly limits the teams capabilities, all four midfielders should be able to attack and defend equally as good for the team to acheive maximum success, would you not agree.

Having four capable attack/defensive minded midfielders across the park is an extremely attractive proposition that would definitley excite the fans alike breed confidence improve the probability ot the result and bring more fans into watch.

When has a team ever had that? The most sucessfull teams have players that complement each other and work in a system. The best midfielders in the world, with the exception of maybe Gerrad, ecell in one role like Kaka or Ronaldo. Sucessful teams have some one like Gatuso or Hargreaves to complement them and allow them to concentrate on their role. I think its better to have players that specalise in their position and excel in it rather than ones who try to do everything and end up being average.

[neophox]

This is what we signing! He does look tough enough for Rovers!

Check: http://www.torinofc.it/content/view/1452/61/

More info on Grella:

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/Soccer...=132&tid=23

He can't score goals im afraid.

[Cally]

You always need that more deeper, tactical minded, defensive midfielder, at least if you want to win things. Anything else is just silly total football romanticism.

Gerrard and Barry together are a prime example of that, and many more. Both need someone behind them to do the donkey work.

[tchocky]

Definitely an improvement on our midfield. But where's Vogel?

[frosty]

Definitely an improvement on our midfield. But where's Vogel?

Injured currently I think. I hope he isn't frozen out though, he's a good player.

[Veevs]

Agree with you on the one midfielder goes forward the other holds, but disagree totally with you about specialising in one defensive role the other an offensive role, this notion for me severly limits the teams capabilities, all four midfielders should be able to attack and defend equally as good for the team to acheive maximum success, would you not agree.

JAL you do make me laugh mate.. having a specialist defensive midfielder really frees up the others for attack.

Have a look around the most prominent clubs/national sides and you will see players in that role.

Toulalan, Essien, Hargreaves, Inler, Senna, Albidol, Benaga, Flamini, Viera, Frings, Dunga, Gattuso, Mascherano, Cambiasso, de Rossi. Keane.. well these are a few examples anyway from the top end of clubs.

And what are the common factors about the sides that these guys are in.. success and very attacking football especially from the midfield.

[emerton]

good player; likes to sit deeper and collect the ball from defenders.

tough tackler & and has the ability to play that "killer ball"

[blue phil]

Reid has lost it. If he can regain in or not (and let's face it, he only had "it" for a season) is not something we can bet our season on. Emerton could probably fill that role, but I still think that unless Simpson can step right in then Emerton is needed at right back.

Good call , Eddie - that's the way I see it . Emerton is best at full back ...and anybody would do a better job than Reid on the right side of midfield if the display against Hull is anything to go by . A holding role is his best bet for the future .

I'm still confident we are just two midfielders short of having a very good team . A right sider and a central playmaker . With the pace we are desperately short of .

[imy9]

Let us leave the top 4 sides out of the equation and focus on the teams that finished 5th and 6th last year.

Everton play with:

Jags or Neville alongside Arteta in midfield, with Osman and Pienaar on the wings, which of those players can defend and attack? Having seen them play I would say no one. Note there is a specialist defensive midfield player.

Villa play with:

Young and Petrov on the wings with Barry and Reo-Coker in the centre, Reo Coker is a defensive midfield player who as some one has already said allows Barry to get forward. Again which of the midfield players can do both jobs?

In an ideal world you would want a midfield player to be able to do both jobs, but similarly you would want a striker to score and assist in goals, how many times does this happen? Henry?, Berbatov?

A genuine DM would allow us to play a combination of different formations, the key with Grella is that having played in Serie a for the vast majority of his career he is going to be good technically and is an excellent ball winner which is what we need.

[JAL]

JAL you do make me laugh mate.. having a specialist defensive midfielder really frees up the others for attack.

Have a look around the most prominent clubs/national sides and you will see players in that role.

Toulalan, Essien, Hargreaves, Inler, Senna, Albidol, Benaga, Flamini, Viera, Frings, Dunga, Gattuso, Mascherano, Cambiasso, de Rossi. Keane.. well these are a few examples anyway from the top end of clubs.

And what are the common factors about the sides that these guys are in.. success and very attacking football especially from the midfield.

Are you having a laugh?

Hargreaves can attack score goals, Essien does the attack bit very well, Roy Keane and Patrick Viera were the complete midfielders in their time Gattuso another excellent allrounder.

Please read what I said, carefully.

[Veevs]

If we don't get a RM, and we end up signing two more CM, I think we will end up playing with one DM, 2 CM and 1 AM.

Probably Grella as a DM, Reid and Dunn as CM and Villanueva as a AM.

RSC and MGP will be up front.

I doubt we will play without a RM even if we dont get a specialist..

We will end up with Emerton out there with Reid as backup...

Basically I just don't think our full backs are good enough to play such a formation.. Warnock needs the cover of MGP when he goes forward...

You can see it from the Hull match and to a certain level the everton match, we looked very one sided especially with Ooijer in there.. Added to that if you have wingbacks (which you would need to maintain the width for balls into the box that someone like RSC thrives off) dont you need slightly quicker central defenders?

[daren]

I feel that it's disappointing that Emerton won't be used there - I think it would suit him quite well. DM is something that is really a football/championship manager label for a midfielder who is more comfortable hanging back and breaking up attacks. Of course the best can be very effective going forward, but some players are naturally more defensively minded and the same goes for midfield.

He's definitely an improvement on Mokoena, who's about halfway between a central defender and a midfielder, and not enough of either. The other option as a deep-lying midfielder is the Tugay role, sitting back and dictating the play. But those ARE expensive!

[imy9]

I agree with the examples you have given JAL BUT...

Hargreaves cost... £18 million

Essien cost... £24 million

Vieria cost... £14 million

Roy Keane.. would have cost the above if he was ever sold!

Where do we get that sort of money?

The other examples given are defensive midfield players though...

Toulalan, Inler, Senna, Albidol, Benaga, Flamini, Frings, Dunga, Gattuso, Mascherano, Cambiasso, de Rossi

[HemelRover]

Txt from the club...signed on a 4 year deal.

[Craigman]

Grella signs 4 year deal

Official text

[Esulx]

Official txt:

Rovers have this evening completed the signing of Australian midfielder Vince Grella from Torino on a four-yead deal.

[Ronin]

It's now confirmed, we've now signed Grella. So says official text.

[Jan]

We just signed him- official text