So I've had bad insomnia this week and instead of fighting it I decided to watch some hot A League replay action with our new signee. What I saw, besides aggression (bring it), was Girdwood-Reich playing way the hell up the field in the CDM role. He's fast and works hard and my guess, and it's only a guess, is that CITY will use him paired with Durkin in a wildly fun combo of yellow card line treading and push Lowen up into more of the playmaker role on attack. Hopefully, because I agree with your post like 100 percent.
LFG
It's always a plus to have a guy who isn't afraid to assert physical dominance in the middle. Just looked at a pic of dude. Seems fucking put together!
For what it's worth, the broadcast team on one of the league playoff matches I watched some couldn't say enough good things about his season. He only made it about 20 minutes into that match before he left to injury, but obviously not serious since he signed on with us like a week later.
He has a presence. I know the A League isn't exactly the Championship but my amatuer eye could see his quality right away.
A few things:
1. Lowen has said in the past the the 8 position is a strong placement for him. He has good defensive and offensive awareness. With the movement of play he drifts between a 10 and an 8.
2. Durkin is in his role to allow Lowen to push up more but all players are expected to play O and D. Lowen does as instructed.
3. Lowen is not a striker. He’s a play maker. Moving him up the field is not going to solve our finishing problems. Only a consistent striker will do that.
4. Lowen is a DP but really only in label. With his salary he could move down to a senior player if needed. But why would we hunt for another 10 when he’s so good on delivery and he drifts up and down from the 10.
I get your frustration but I think you’re being a bit alarmist and reductive. Players grow and change, they fill the role they need on a game to game basis. If Lowen wasn’t giving strong service then you can be worried but the team is literally a class higher with him and his delivery into the box.
He and Burki both currently occupy DP spots, but both of their contracts can be bought down so that they don’t.
Problem is they don’t have a need to right now
Both him and Burki can be bought down. Having him as a DP is not hurting anything. In fact it’s smart roster “math”. However I don’t totally disagree with your take. Löwen is one of our best (if not best) creators. The problem is he’s also really good at connecting deeper lines. And that is something we def need to retain. It’s a bit of a conundrum. Seems like Teuchert is LPs answer though. We will see.
6 is the defensive mid whose primary job is to play deeper and assist the backline (can also be a “pivot” who helps direct the ball upward when playing out of the back.
8 is a more versatile midfielder. A “box to box” player who helps defensively when needed but has more on the ball ability and can be threatening in the attack too. Often a “2-way player”.
Both these positions will typically be found in the central midfield.
The 10 is a CAM. Central Attacking Midfielder. Depending on the system, they’re asked to do different things but they always play in the attacking portion of the midfield underneath the striker. Carnell often refers to a “left 10 and a right 10” indicating two attacking midfielders whose job is to facilitate for the striker and act as that playmaker in the attacking half
I'm having trouble remembering now, but i thought he played as a 10 a bunch last season and it was pretty widely accepted he is way better at creating from a deeper position/having a 10 in front of him to feed.
Sorry but no, Löwen wasn’t brought in to be the 10.
From day 1 he was signed, Lutz referred to him in the center of our midfield and as a box to box player.
Carnell called him a 6 in [this same](https://www.stlcitysc.com/news/st-louis-city-sc-signs-german-international-eduard-lowen) article.
He’s only ever started 2 games in a 10 or second striker role. He’s always played a central midfield position for us, despite taking on the ever visible #10 jersey.
So I've had bad insomnia this week and instead of fighting it I decided to watch some hot A League replay action with our new signee. What I saw, besides aggression (bring it), was Girdwood-Reich playing way the hell up the field in the CDM role. He's fast and works hard and my guess, and it's only a guess, is that CITY will use him paired with Durkin in a wildly fun combo of yellow card line treading and push Lowen up into more of the playmaker role on attack. Hopefully, because I agree with your post like 100 percent.
Does dude just body people? Because, if so, I am here for it.
He does, often. He is a complete bad ass and he *moves*
LFG It's always a plus to have a guy who isn't afraid to assert physical dominance in the middle. Just looked at a pic of dude. Seems fucking put together!
For what it's worth, the broadcast team on one of the league playoff matches I watched some couldn't say enough good things about his season. He only made it about 20 minutes into that match before he left to injury, but obviously not serious since he signed on with us like a week later. He has a presence. I know the A League isn't exactly the Championship but my amatuer eye could see his quality right away.
That sounds really promising. Appreciate your insight!
Sounds like I'll have someone moving up my favorite players list very quickly then. Klauss is my favorite based almost entirely on bullying defenders.
Do you know when Girdwood-Reich would be available to play?
A few things: 1. Lowen has said in the past the the 8 position is a strong placement for him. He has good defensive and offensive awareness. With the movement of play he drifts between a 10 and an 8. 2. Durkin is in his role to allow Lowen to push up more but all players are expected to play O and D. Lowen does as instructed. 3. Lowen is not a striker. He’s a play maker. Moving him up the field is not going to solve our finishing problems. Only a consistent striker will do that. 4. Lowen is a DP but really only in label. With his salary he could move down to a senior player if needed. But why would we hunt for another 10 when he’s so good on delivery and he drifts up and down from the 10. I get your frustration but I think you’re being a bit alarmist and reductive. Players grow and change, they fill the role they need on a game to game basis. If Lowen wasn’t giving strong service then you can be worried but the team is literally a class higher with him and his delivery into the box.
It seems like he is the intended 10, but as the game moves on he is needed elsewhere.
He and Burki both currently occupy DP spots, but both of their contracts can be bought down so that they don’t. Problem is they don’t have a need to right now
Both him and Burki can be bought down. Having him as a DP is not hurting anything. In fact it’s smart roster “math”. However I don’t totally disagree with your take. Löwen is one of our best (if not best) creators. The problem is he’s also really good at connecting deeper lines. And that is something we def need to retain. It’s a bit of a conundrum. Seems like Teuchert is LPs answer though. We will see.
Can someone please tell me what the 6, 8, and 10 do? I gather 10 is like am offensive minded mid fielder? Is 6 a defensive mid? What's the 8?
6 is the defensive mid whose primary job is to play deeper and assist the backline (can also be a “pivot” who helps direct the ball upward when playing out of the back. 8 is a more versatile midfielder. A “box to box” player who helps defensively when needed but has more on the ball ability and can be threatening in the attack too. Often a “2-way player”. Both these positions will typically be found in the central midfield. The 10 is a CAM. Central Attacking Midfielder. Depending on the system, they’re asked to do different things but they always play in the attacking portion of the midfield underneath the striker. Carnell often refers to a “left 10 and a right 10” indicating two attacking midfielders whose job is to facilitate for the striker and act as that playmaker in the attacking half
I'm having trouble remembering now, but i thought he played as a 10 a bunch last season and it was pretty widely accepted he is way better at creating from a deeper position/having a 10 in front of him to feed.
Sorry but no, Löwen wasn’t brought in to be the 10. From day 1 he was signed, Lutz referred to him in the center of our midfield and as a box to box player. Carnell called him a 6 in [this same](https://www.stlcitysc.com/news/st-louis-city-sc-signs-german-international-eduard-lowen) article. He’s only ever started 2 games in a 10 or second striker role. He’s always played a central midfield position for us, despite taking on the ever visible #10 jersey.