Box to Box

Midfielders. A special bunch.

Good day footiecall faithful, I trust you are all enjoying a rather decent week.

The modern [or most modern] game of football provides us with two kinds of central midfielders today. The creative minds who orchestrate or the no-nonsense sit-infront-of-the-defense-and-tackle type players.
A lot of this has to do with how teams set up. The 4-4-2 diamond has one of each or the 4-2-3-1 has two CDM's and a CAM in the mix.

What has happened to the old fashioned CM?

Those midfielders who epitomised the term 'engine room' players. The ones who we fondly referred to as the box-to-box styled players.
Simply put, midfielders who could/would win the ball in their defensive area and have the stamina and technique to carry the ball into an attacking area...and possibly even score.

Two former players from the EPL who immediately spring to mind are

No introduction needed. Tough tackling, heart on sleeve kinda player who had probably his finest game for MUFC against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League semi-final of 2008/09 season.

A game in which he scored a crucial goal to set up a fightback which ultimately resulted in European glory for the red side of Manchester.

Paddy was right up there as well when it came to running [things] in the midfield. A big part of the Gunners set up was the Senegalese born Frenchman, not forgetting his contributions for Internazionale Milan and also Les Bleus.

How can we forget the confrontation in the tunnel between Keano and Vieira, we of course know how that ended.

Current players fitting the profile...

Yaya Toure is now in the prime of his career. Quite noteworthy that he started his professional stint out in Belgium, before a bit of a Eurotrip to Ukraine and then Greece...a quick stint in France with Monaco, before his move to FC Barcelona for 10million Euro. When Josep Guardiola took over, the writing seemed on the wall for Yaya as the newly appointed BARCA gaffer preferred the 'sit infront of the defense' Busquets to the industrious Ivorian.
Manchester City were the club to benefit and snapped him up for 24million Euro. In hindsight, pocket change, considering Yaya has been an integral part of their FA Cup and EPL successes in the past two seasons.

Is he the one to rally the Romans, I hear some ask? You only have to look at the way he puts himself about to find your answer. Hard working in midfield, with the intelligence and guile to get on the scoresheet as well. Definitely think he is as old-fashioned a midfielder as any. We don't have to cast our minds back too far, as he turned up in a big way at Euro 2012.

The Belgian has been rather special since joining the Toffees. His sizeable figure, strength in possession and creativity count heavily in his favour...as does his hair. Marouane caused MUFC serious problems in the 4all draw, and ultimately cost United the title.

Who else would you include?

What's the reason for the shortage of #BoxtoBox style midfielders?

Is it the formations used today?
Could it be, that with the amount of football played today, players just don't have the stamina to cover the full midfield spectrum?


Thanks for joining me as we talk

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