When we signed Livermore I was happy because we were getting a quality player but he has never really showed that quality consistently. Pulis misused him and Pardew failed to get the best out of him. It was only Big Dave who really got the good player back but that was only for 6 matches. If Hodgson is willing to overspend on him and give us £12 million I’d accept it.
As for a replacement, we have really missed a proper engine man in the midfield. A player who can get up and down the pitch, tackle, pass and assist the attacking players. Mulumbu was the last player that we’d had who can do that. I’m a big fan of African centre midfielders because their natural game is just that and if we look into France and Belgium we can probably find a player that fits the bill. I like Cheick Doukouré from Levante in Spain. He fits the bill for all action central midfielder. I’m not sure about how much he’d cost though.
In the early 2000’s, I used to love watching Olympique Lyonnais play and in their midfield 3 they had Mahmadou Diarra as anchor man, Juninho as playmaker and Michael Essien as engine man. Whilst most people loved Juninho, I always preferred Essien because he was a beast in midfield. Strength, stamina, very good tackling and passing ability and an all round quality box-to-box style. If we could sign a player with the same playing style as he, our midfield would really improve. 2 fast, direct wingers, Brunt as a Regista and an Essien/Mulumbu type of player getting up and down the pitch would be a very strong midfield.
As for a replacement, we have really missed a proper engine man in the midfield. A player who can get up and down the pitch, tackle, pass and assist the attacking players. Mulumbu was the last player that we’d had who can do that. I’m a big fan of African centre midfielders because their natural game is just that and if we look into France and Belgium we can probably find a player that fits the bill. I like Cheick Doukouré from Levante in Spain. He fits the bill for all action central midfielder. I’m not sure about how much he’d cost though.
In the early 2000’s, I used to love watching Olympique Lyonnais play and in their midfield 3 they had Mahmadou Diarra as anchor man, Juninho as playmaker and Michael Essien as engine man. Whilst most people loved Juninho, I always preferred Essien because he was a beast in midfield. Strength, stamina, very good tackling and passing ability and an all round quality box-to-box style. If we could sign a player with the same playing style as he, our midfield would really improve. 2 fast, direct wingers, Brunt as a Regista and an Essien/Mulumbu type of player getting up and down the pitch would be a very strong midfield.