[Bugerov]

sophocles, on Jan 15 2008, 10:41 PM, said:

In my opinion that midfield would be virtually non-existent as it would be so soft that any other team would walk through it.
Leven is a good player, but he hasn't got Nivo's engine. Winter can play and find passes, but only if he is given loads of time and space by the opposition.
Without Niven, our midfield would be continuously brushed aside - it sometimes is already, but Derek is the only one we have in there who can make a fight of it, so to leave him out would be suicidal.

We cant leave Niven out as things are (until we get a battling midfielder who can move the team up the field), but Winter is a non-starter for me. Leven and Niven it has to be as things stand

[azul]

sophocles, on Jan 15 2008, 10:41 PM, said:

In my opinion that midfield would be virtually non-existent as it would be so soft that any other team would walk through it.
Leven is a good player, but he hasn't got Nivo's engine. Winter can play and find passes, but only if he is given loads of time and space by the opposition.
Without Niven, our midfield would be continuously brushed aside - it sometimes is already, but Derek is the only one we have in there who can make a fight of it, so to leave him out would be suicidal.

Not every team would walk through a Winter/Leven midfield. Mansfield didn't! if that counts

[sophocles]

azul, on Jan 15 2008, 10:54 PM, said:

Not every team would walk through a Winter/Leven midfield. Mansfield didn't! if that counts

Have you noticed their League position? Also, if I remember correctly, our midfield didn't exactly dominate theirs, especially in the match at Field Mill.