Defensive central midfield... the Ardley legacy?

[Piethagoram 𝕏 @piethagoram]

OK we may have the best defensive record in the NL but at what cost? Do we need a sitting Reeves and Doyle in front of the defence? A like for like replacement for a Rose, tall and athletic in the Bishop / O'Connor mode may have been all that was needed. It just means we lack a midfielder further up the pitch to link play and sustain the pressure on the opposition. 

Is Wolfe really up to that role... I presume not as he hardly ever plays. In all honesty, that is the only option we have.

[menzinho]

At the start of the season, I was impressed with Reeves he really looked like an upgrade on Rose. However his last good performance was the freak 10 man game, he’s been poor but then like you say what’s the competition another 30+ and a 19 y/o. People moan about the striking options but I think our central midfield is the weakest spot in the team. I'd go one step further and say we also need a younger more mobile version of Doyle.

I genuinely think I’d actually rather have two of last season’s players in CM right now; Booty and Rose.

[DangerousSausage]

Reeves has had a really poor run, but playing him alongside Doyle hasn't done him any favours. He can be an asset when he has the right partner in midfield. Neal Ardley was really unlucky with some of the injuries, departures and the owners' recruitment in the summer, but his worst mistake was putting all his eggs in one basket with that midfield.

I'd give Wolfe a go. He was knocking on the door of a Championship team, he must have something to offer. But we also need more movement and tempo in our game as well.

[liampie]

reeves has to do a lot more because doyle does not run around all the time, hes not the fittest player and this does impact the freedom/impression on the ball/cover that reeves has. rose is not missed but someone with a defensive mind and has plenty of place would be good.

i would only play doyle every now and then.

rawlinson should be the captain for me.

[allardyces tash]

There's nothing wrong with Jake Reeves, he's a good player and is very mobile. A player like him will always have a few poor performances as does anyone within the squad but he's been a reliable signing.

I do feel the centre of midfield has been ignored by Ardley, I though Jim O'Brien might have filled in this gap a little.

Andre Boucard or a young Gavin Mahon would be a good addition.

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

I don't think neither of them particularly have the qualities to be considered defensive midfielders. They are no Kantes or Ricky Ravenhills, who split up play, harry the opposition and tackle anything that moves. Reeves and Doyle are often bullied and/or overrun, something that would never happen to a Ravenhill-Kante partnership, for example. 

Doyle for sure is more of a deep-lying playmaker, the 'quarter back' role. He picks the ball up off the defenders and tries to play the ball around. Exactly what Reeves is, I do not know. Most the time he is trying to do exactly the same as Doyle, which is probably why it doesn't work. Again, though, he is far too deep and lacks the cutting edge a more creative midfielder would have to exploit gaps. He doesn't have the same passing range as Doyle, but he has more legs. 

The end result of these two players that look to play in the same part of the pitch with similar roles is what we've seen this season..... crabbing, chuckle brother'ing, sideways and backwards, slow, methodic.... boring. It's easy to defend against too, because the opposition know that neither of these two are gonna take the ball and drive forward with it. So, mark the wingers and the strikers, let these two knock it about sideways and when they make a mistake.... pounce.