The Irish central midfield was scarcely functioning with surprise selection Darron Gibson and Glenn Whelan largely anonymous.
Gannon has a decision to make in central midfield with Jake Livermore having been re-called to Tottenham on Tuesday.
Shirokov was a dominant presence in central midfield with Glenn Whelan and Paul Green unable to make any impression.
It was interesting to see Nasri play in central midfield against Middlesbrough on Sunday, because he normally plays on the left.
With Dean Keates and Paul Coutts playing well in central midfield, Frecklington will need to work hard to break into the side.
The Basque native can play in central midfield, or as a center-back.
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Frank Lampard was also missed in central midfield, where the starting partnership of James Milner and the very disappointing Michael Carrick failed to fire.
Newcastle's central midfield pairing of Lee Clark and Charles N'Zogbia were made to look like novices by Stephen Dawson and the tricky 19-year-old Giles Coke.
If I'm asked to play there I'll do the best job I can - but my best position is further forward, in central midfield or out wide.
Cairney continued to work tirelessly in central midfield following the restart, often showing up Gerrard and Javier Mascherano, but Hull were unable to turn their industry into chances.
The coach deployed him both on the wing and in a central midfield position before eventually playing him behind a lone striker, Fernando Torres, in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
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Everton, with Mikel Arteta their conductor in central midfield, were showing the neater passing play against a Birmingham side looking solid without carrying much of an attacking threat.
Hamilton made a tactical switch at the start of the second period, with Mensing being pushed forward from right-back into central midfield and Stevenson moving back into defence.
Albrighton was a threat on the right flank, while the central midfield pairing of Bannan and Jonathan Hogg, the latter making his league debut, showed plenty of youthful zest.
With David Vaughan brought in on the left, Ledley was pushed into a central midfield role and the Cardiff man was the star performer of a totally dominant first-half.
With David Dunn sidelined for up to four months with an Achilles injury, Rovers manager Paul Ince's central midfield options are limited for Saturday's Premier League trip to Bolton.
Right-back Kelly was an enterprising presence as he combined his defensive duties with an energy to get forward when possible, while the diminutive Spearing cut an assured presence in central midfield.
Gilberto has been kept out of the side because Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini have formed an impressive central midfield partnership to help steer Arsenal to the top of the Premier League.
Captain Ashley Williams protected the back four with Edwards and Joe Ledley in central midfield while Ramsey did his damage from a free roaming role behind strikers Simon Church and Ched Evans.
Now though, it is expected the former Lyon player will line up in central midfield alongside club captain Barry Ferguson as the Ibrox side attempt to recapture the championship from rivals Celtic.
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Fulham's 4-4-1-1 formation denied Basle the chance to settle on the ball in attacking areas while their three-pronged central midfield of Murphy, Greening and Dickson Etuhu dominated possession and dictated the game's tempo.
Rooney also played in central midfield for Manchester United at times last season, when he completed more passes than any other center forward in the English Premier League, according to statistics provider Opta Sports.
Hodgson employs a simple but effective 4-5-1 formation featuring an uncompromising defence, a robust but creative central midfield and two wingers who can both track back and push forward to support lone-striker Zamora in attack.
Cardiff boss Dave Jones has hailed Ramsey's versatility as the teenager has played in his favoured central midfield role, on each flank, at full-back and also in a free role behind the striker this season.
Christian Dailly looked lost in central midfield against Wales, the same happened to Dominic Matteo before his premature international retirement and let's try to forget Paul Dickov playing on the wing in the Faroe Islands.
Prior to that, Martin Petrov and Elano, with two low shots, were the only City players who really tested Heinze, in a match that saw Micah Richards recover from concussion to play in central midfield.
His manager at Celtic, Neil Lennon, has played him in an attacking left-midfield role, but his ability to operate in central midfield or as a striker could be an asset to Scotland boss Craig Levein.
Captain Steven Gerrard was once more revelling in central midfield, and he almost set up Jermain Defoe with a precise lofted pass that the hat-trick hero of Friday's 4-0 win against Bulgaria fired well off target.
Jones has long bemoaned his central midfield "problem area" and his crisis deepened when Scottish international Rae was ruled out for up to four weeks after breaking two bones in his right hand in Monday's 4-4 draw at Peterborough.
That match saw a change from the rigid 4-4-2 system previously favoured by Capello, and saw Barry used with Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in a central midfield triumvirate, with youngsters Adam Johnson and Theo Walcott employed on the flanks.
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