When we talk about players who bring out the attacking side to teams we think about creative, playmaker midfielders, we think about wingers, we think about second strikers like Bergkamp or Berbatov who are unselfish in their play. But is that ignoring the most crucial position in unlocking your attacking talent. By that I mean the holding midfielders. The role they play is vital to any attacking play that may or may not happen for their team. Not all teams have a player of this importance, or they have one but they are not necessarily good enough at their job. But for those sides that do it can make all the difference.
Alex Song
I did an article recently on Song so I won’t spend too much time talking about him but what is important to know that Arsenal’s win ratio with him playing this season is around seventy per cent whilst without him it is closer to thirty. And the win ratio without him the league is under twenty per cent. These stats are even more impressive than the equivalent ones for van Persie.
Lucas Leiva
Lucas plays a similar role for Liverpool and it was genuinely a huge blow for their ambitions this season when he was ruled out for the year. Before his injury he had the highest tackle success rate of any midfielder in the league one of the highest pass completion rate too. He would intercept the opposition’s attacks and quickly lay it off to Adam or another midfielder who was more creative than him. He not only began most of their attacks but his defensive ability liberated the rest of the midfield who could attack in confidence without having to worry about getting caught on the counter. Liverpool have the best defence in the league this year. You might ask why when their defenders are far from the best in the league; the reason? Lucas. And what happened in the first game after he was injured? Liverpool lost to Fulham. Not only was their defence worse in that game but they were unable to attack with the same freedom that they had been used to with Lucas in the team.
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