Midfield

[Kimbleman]

Just a thought. Back with our previous best prem season we had a brilliant midfield of Murphy, Dembele and Dempsey.
When that broke up (thanks Levy) I think it pretty much heralded the decline, ultimately going down with Felix.
We have a cracking Midfield again nowadays with Palhinha, Reed and Pereira / Cairney.
With this press talk of every team in Europe (allegedly) wanting João and rumours (probably rubbish) of Chelsea eying up Andreas, just how worried should we be?
I would suggest given they all have decent contracts we must do our utmost to hold on to them all.
Heres the question, how does this Midfield compare with the Murphy/Dembele/Dempsey one?
This is without doubt our best since those heady days, but if you could mix the two, who do you pick (so three from seven)?
If a big club wants João them £120m sounds like a minimum in my opinion (given that without a like for like replacement we would probably be back in the championship). 

[demeant0r]

Dembele and Dempsey was miles better than Pereira and so was Murphy miles better than Reed. Palinha is probably on par with Murphy though.

[jayffc]

Dembele and Dempsey was miles better than Pereira and so was Murphy miles better than Reed. Palinha is probably on par with Murphy though.

Palhinha > Murphy (different type of player though, I'd say makes more sense to say Palhinha > Bouba Diop - love Diop though RIP the wardrobe. I think Palhinha if he keeps this up might be the best DM we've ever had)

Dembele > Reed (although that's no slight on Reed who is massively underrated)

Dempsey > Periera (though time could change that)

[Deeping_white]

Dembele and Dempsey was miles better than Pereira and so was Murphy miles better than Reed. Palinha is probably on par with Murphy though.

I'm not really sure how you can say that Dembele or Dempsey was miles better than Palhinha considering they're completely different players? Murphy was a Fulham hero but I don't currently see anything that suggests Palhinha isn't better either?

[demeant0r]

Dembele and Dempsey was miles better than Pereira and so was Murphy miles better than Reed. Palinha is probably on par with Murphy though.

I'm not really sure how you can say that Dembele or Dempsey was miles better than Palhinha considering they're completely different players? Murphy was a Fulham hero but I don't currently see anything that suggests Palhinha isn't better either?

I didn't suggest Dempsey it Dembele were better than Palinha. I suggested they were better than Pereira (and Cairney).

[Deeping_white]

Dembele and Dempsey was miles better than Pereira and so was Murphy miles better than Reed. Palinha is probably on par with Murphy though.

I'm not really sure how you can say that Dembele or Dempsey was miles better than Palhinha considering they're completely different players? Murphy was a Fulham hero but I don't currently see anything that suggests Palhinha isn't better either?

I didn't suggest Dempsey it Dembele were better than Palinha. I suggested they were better than Pereira (and Cairney).

Sorry, just realised I mis-read your point!

[Free Elvis Hammond]

If you're comparing 10/11 to this season, style-wise it's probably

Etuhu/Palhinha
Dembele/Reed
Murphy/Cairney
Dempsey/Pereira

I think Gera can be Harry Wilson, Damian Duff can be Willian and Simon Davies is BDR

(Happy to continue this bizarre project if needed)

[demeant0r]

Dembele and Dempsey was miles better than Pereira and so was Murphy miles better than Reed. Palinha is probably on par with Murphy though.

I'm not really sure how you can say that Dembele or Dempsey was miles better than Palhinha considering they're completely different players? Murphy was a Fulham hero but I don't currently see anything that suggests Palhinha isn't better either?

I didn't suggest Dempsey it Dembele were better than Palinha. I suggested they were better than Pereira (and Cairney).

Sorry, just realised I mis-read your point!

No problem. I'd rate our current midfield 6.5/10 while our Europa League midfield was 8/10.

[copthornemike]

Any midfield with Dembele and Palhinha would be special, nay extra ordinary. Add a Murphy, Dempsey, Cairney or Reed to the mix and you would have something special.
Unfortunately only for one season before the vultures decide we would like some of that!

[WindyCity]

No question, midfield has been big reason for being top half.  That said, I think the back four, plus Leno, have been terrific also, and have kept us competitive in almost every game.  Ream the big surprise of the season, and Tete has been solid, as have Robinson, Tosin and Diop. 

[Bassey the warrior]

Dembele and Palhinha would be an outstanding cm pairing. As for attacking mid, you gain more of a threat with Dempsey but the work rate wasn't great, so would affect our press. Also, Pereira's set pieces need to be factored in. So hard to say who to favour.

[alfie]

I can't see the point in comparing past and present players, in my opinion
 All of them were and are great in their respective periods.

[filham]

Think of any outstanding team and the midfield has to be very good, reduce the quality of our midfield and we are in trouble next season. Palhinha is the player the big clubs are after and if he wants to leave ,for better pay and more glory, then there is little we can do to stop him. Neither can we replace him with an player of the same quality.
The solution has to be to maximise the trasfer fee and then find two new quality midfielders one to replace Palhiha and then an improvement on Periera.

[Kimbleman]

Just an idle bit of Fun Alfie but also making the point that if we break-up our Midfield and sell to the vultures we risk the decline that happened before.
Unless we could do what our neighbours in Hounslow do which is sell for massive profit and successfully replace. That unfortunately requires a top scouting team which other than Marco's knowledge of the Portuguese leagues we don't seem to have. 

[LC]

A midfield three of Palhinha, Dembele and Murphy would have been insane.

[toshes mate]

When was the last time FFC entered the last three games of a PL/First Division season with a positive goal difference (which only half the table has).  Is it the midfield that has generated the necessary energy to be as effective in attack as in defence or have we been blessed with a much better balanced team altogether this time out?

[Kimbleman]

As well proven in our previous (successful) premiership adventures, you need a top bloke between the sticks, two good centre halves that understand eachother, a couple of good wing backs, a powerful (and creative) Midfield with the forwards scoring goals. Remarkably we seem to have exactly that at the moment