Travelling Squad For Astana

Levitt is the Welsh Thiago Alcantara.

Still looks better as an eight

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If you're playing as an 8, you're pretty much box to box anyway. There's no getting away from having to defend when you're playing that role, regardless of what responsibilities you have going forward.

Lots of players though have begun as 10s/attacking midfielders and settled deeper and vice-versa. It's probably still too early to say either way but it wouldn't surprise me if he established himself deeper in the future.

Wow... Might actually watch this with some interest.

Wonder if any fans traveling to see this

comment by Memphis_bleek #TeamOle (U20611)
posted 1 minute ago
Wow... Might actually watch this with some interest.

Wonder if any fans traveling to see this
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Seen some photos of our fans there on Twitter, wading through the snow. Looks facking cold. Looking at a high of minus 10 degrees there through the day at the moment

I reckon it’s going to become more and more common for players that come through playing as attackers to drop into deeper central positions.

Give there’s a big focus now on a midfielder to be press resistant I think it’ll influence this, and attacking midfielders are usually more gifted in this regard.

Just looking at some of the best central midfielders in this respect around Europe you’ll see Thiago, Modric, Kroos, Pjanic, Jorginho, Kovacic and, before leaving Spurs, Dembele all start their careers further forward before dropping deeper.

We’ll be seeing at United soon with Mata, Lingard and Pereira.

comment by The Red Side™ (U11275)
posted 11 minutes ago
Still looks better as an eight

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If you're playing as an 8, you're pretty much box to box anyway. There's no getting away from having to defend when you're playing that role, regardless of what responsibilities you have going forward.

Lots of players though have begun as 10s/attacking midfielders and settled deeper and vice-versa. It's probably still too early to say either way but it wouldn't surprise me if he established himself deeper in the future.
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I take your point to a degree, but there’s a difference between the roles commonly played by the likes of Pogba (previously), Iniesta, Eriksen, Mata and Réus, which I think would be how Levitt might be best deployed, and the roles or Herrera, Rakitic, Kroos etc.

I think his growth and bulk might have a say. He isn’t so pacy (other than over five yards), he really isn’t strong and he isn’t noticeably brave. I’m not sure the grit or the physical presence are really going to be there, and you need either one or a bit of both of those to play in the middle of the park nowadays, unless you’re an exceptional talent.

comment by Mike (U1170)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by Memphis_bleek #TeamOle (U20611)
posted 1 minute ago
Wow... Might actually watch this with some interest.

Wonder if any fans traveling to see this
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Seen some photos of our fans there on Twitter, wading through the snow. Looks facking cold. Looking at a high of minus 10 degrees there through the day at the moment
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Jaysis

I reckon it’s going to become more and more common for players that come through playing as attackers to drop into deeper central positions.

Give there’s a big focus now on a midfielder to be press resistant I think it’ll influence this, and attacking midfielders are usually more gifted in this regard.

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Yeah I'd agree with that.

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I think his growth and bulk might have a say. He isn’t so pacy (other than over five yards), he really isn’t strong and he isn’t noticeably brave. I’m not sure the grit or the physical presence are really going to be there, and you need either one or a bit of both of those to play in the middle of the park nowadays, unless you’re an exceptional talent.

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Even if you're not an exceptional talent, I don't think those things are essential. Not if you read the game well, you have good awareness and positional sense and know where the ball should go even before you receive it and Levitt possesses most of those things.

He hasn't exactly struggled when he's played deeper in midfield, in fact the opposite is true. He was brilliant against Sunderland on Friday in a more withdrawn role, just sitting and dictating.

That squad is taking the pi55 a little it, no?

Surely Dalot and Matic should have travelled to get them minutes and match fit?

comment by The Red Side™ (U11275)
posted 2 hours, 3 minutes ago
I reckon it’s going to become more and more common for players that come through playing as attackers to drop into deeper central positions.

Give there’s a big focus now on a midfielder to be press resistant I think it’ll influence this, and attacking midfielders are usually more gifted in this regard.

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Yeah I'd agree with that.

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I think his growth and bulk might have a say. He isn’t so pacy (other than over five yards), he really isn’t strong and he isn’t noticeably brave. I’m not sure the grit or the physical presence are really going to be there, and you need either one or a bit of both of those to play in the middle of the park nowadays, unless you’re an exceptional talent.

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Even if you're not an exceptional talent, I don't think those things are essential. Not if you read the game well, you have good awareness and positional sense and know where the ball should go even before you receive it and Levitt possesses most of those things.

He hasn't exactly struggled when he's played deeper in midfield, in fact the opposite is true. He was brilliant against Sunderland on Friday in a more withdrawn role, just sitting and dictating.
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Depends on the players you have around you, what kind of football you’re playing and how much of the ball your side is going to have too, but I’m just not sure he’s going to be cut out for a CM berth, at least not in the early stages of his career.

You compare him to Garner, Hamilton, McCann even, and he just looks a bit flimsy and timid to me. We shall see in due course though.