5 Impressive deep-lying midfielders in the Premier League (So far)

When we talk about football, we always expect strikers to score wonder goals, defenders to put sliding tackles and goal-keepers to make acrobatic saves, in the process amazing every spectator. Even the attack-minded midfielders and wingers get high praise for their forward and fast thinking. Goals win you football matches, defenders save you from the jaws of defeat and a goal-keeper can make a last-minute block to help his team cross the finish line.

When the referee whistles to signal the end of the match, journalists lavish praise on the strikers if the final score is in the favour of the winning team, and defenders and goal-keepers get the admiration if they don’t concede.

But sometimes, we forget that there are players who neither create chances nor score goals. Such players work tirelessly to not only protect their defenders but also give the freedom to attack minded players. These players stick to the given task from the first to the last minute. They always maintain a high level of concentration. They intercept the passes of opposition players to machinate the attack of their teams. Generally, they are known as the architects of the team. And without these defence-minded maestros any team would suffer a defeat. The deep-lying players like Patrick Vieira, Roy Keane, Diego Simeone, Claude Makelele and many more are still remembered for their countless interceptions along with the defensive ability they demonstrated on the football field.

So today, we will highlight 5 anchormen who have been brilliant not only in setting up the attacks but also in screening the back four.

It was very difficult to put a list of 5 players as there have been inspirational performances by many players in the middle of the park since the start of the season. There is no special order in the numbering as follows.

1. Fernando Luiz Roza or ‘Fernandinho’

Fernandinho became the first signing of Manchester City in the 2013-14 summer transfer window with a hefty price tag on his back. Many football pundits questioned his ability to adapt to the vigorous pace of the premier league. But he proved everyone wrong with his strong performances. Today, he is one of the first names on the team sheet. Though he arrived with little reputation in the star-studded Manchester City side, he has been dubbed as the quiet assassin of the cash-rich Citizens. Let us take a look at his attributes:

Strengths

a) He has great passing range.

b) He is an extremely efficient box to box player and loves to pass the short.

c) He has very good physical strength and technique.

d) He is brilliant in breaking up the opposition attacks.

e) He sets up the counter attacks intelligently.

Stats

Apps	Goals	Assists	Pass success%	Avg key passes	Avg passes	Avg pass length	Total chances created	Avg duels won %	Avg defensive actions	Tackles per game
19	3	2	87	1.2	55	17m	23	47	4	3.1

Best performance (so far) = 6-3 win against Arsenal at Etihad

Overall rating = 8/10

2. Scott Parker

With Tottenham Hotspurs making big changes in their squad Scott Parker found very little game time and decided to move on from the north side of the London to the west side of London, and joined Fulham FC. But this move has been nothing short of a revelation. Even at the age of 33, he is showing very high levels of stamina, strength and concentration. He always puts his 100% whenever he is asked to play. He consistently demonstrates tireless work-rate and covers every blade of the grass. He has been a key element in the relegation-threatened Fulham side. I will now elaborate on his attributes as follows:

Strengths

a) He is extremely brave when it comes to blocking the shots.

b) He has an impressive passing range.

c) He is brilliant in tight situations (he often gets fouled by opposition players).

d) He can intercept the opposition attacks on a regular basis.

Stats

Apps	Goals	Assists	Pass success%	Avg key passes	Avg passes	Avg pass length	Total chances created	Avg duels won %	Avg defensive actions	Tackles per game
19	2	1	87.4	0.7	54	17m	14	53	5	3.1

Best performance (so far) = 2-1 win against Norwich City at Carrow Road

Overall rating = 7/10

3. Cheick Tiote

Often the yellow card flashes into our minds when we read his name. And yes, he is certainly weak when it comes to discipline and concentration. But there are a few things he possesses that make him invaluable to the resurgent Newcastle United side. He has been ever-present at Newcastle ever since he was signed from FC Twente for a fee of $5m, a bargain in today’s transfer market. The qualities he has displayed till now are surely noteworthy. Here is a look at his atttibutes:

Strengths

a) He is very strong physically and possesses impressive aerial ability.

b) He can score long range goals and has a very good shot.

c) He is a very good dribbler given the position he plays in.

d) His clever mind gets the pressure off his team mates (he too often gets fouled).

e) He loves to play the ball short.

Stats

Apps	Goals	Assists	Pass success%	Avg key passes	Avg passes	Avg pass length	Total chances created	Avg duels won %	Avg defensive actions	Tackles per game
19	-	1	88	0.5	59.3	17m	9	48	5	3.7

Best performance (so far) = 1-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford

Overall rating = 7.5/10

4. Morgan Schneiderlin

The 24-year-old Schneiderlin has been one of the unsung deep-lying midfielders in the premier league. He has regularly displayed great tackling ability and passing qualities ever since Southampton were promoted to the first division. With his strong performances for Southampton he might be a surprise addition to the French international team for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. His ability to orchestrate the midfield has been second to none. The following are his best abilities when he is on the football field:

Strengths

a) He has very high levels of concentration.

b) He can pass the ball long and short.

c) He loves to tackle and intercept opposition attacks.

d) He possesses a good vision to make a through pass.

e) His aerial ability is pretty good too.

Stats

Apps	Goals	Assists	Pass success%	Avg key passes	Avg passes	Avg pass length	Total chances created	Avg duels won %	Avg defensive actions	Tackles per game
19	1	1	87.4	0.9	52	18m	18	50	5	3.7

Best performance (so far) = 4-1 win over Hull City at St. Mary’s stadium

Overall rating = 8/10

5. Mathieu Flamini

Flamini joined Arsenal for free, exactly 5 years after leaving the Gunners back in 2008. The move didn’t exactly help cool down the tensions surrounding the Emirates stadium as fans expected a high profile transfer to join Arsenal. Nevertheless, his old school approach towards every game has made him a fan favourite in the red half of North London. He is always vocal, energetic and brave on the field. He is the type of player Arsenal have lacked since the great Patrick Vieira left Arsenal. He is one of the reasons why Arsenal have been playing good attacking football and producing consistent results. The abilities of this experienced, old school football professional are as follows:

Strengths

a) He has very good organisation skills.

b) He loves to pass short.

c) He always sticks to his task and rarely joins the attack.

d) He intercepts opposition attacks brilliantly.

e) He has very good tackling ability.

Stats

Apps	Goals	Assists	Pass success%	Avg key passes	Avg passes	Avg pass length	Total chances created	Avg duels won %	Avg defensive actions	Tackles per game
17	1	-	92	0.4	44	16m	6	52	5	1.7

Best performance (so far) = 2-0 win against Napoli at the Emirates

Overall rating = 8/10

Honourable mentions: Gary Medel, John Obi Mikel

Summary : The performances of these 5 deep-lying midfielders have been very impressive and they have helped their respective teams to climb up the premier league table. Deep-lying mid-fielders, sometimes,get ignored because of the fact that they are neither prolific scorers nor providers. But, they do their job throughout the match and demonstrate high concentration levels along with an impressive ability to link the defenders and attacking players. Performances of these 5 players remind us that how invaluable a deep-lying midfielder can be. !