"I'm a box to box midfielder and like to get stuck in, " the former Worcester City man added.
In addition, with Mr. Gerrard struggling in his quarterback-playmaker role, Mr. Hodgson filled his old position, behind the striker, with the newly-acquired Raul Meireles, who himself is more of a traditional box-to-box midfielder and unused to playing so far up.
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Following their first corner in the sixth minute the ball broke to the edge of the box to Kilmarnock midfielder Mark Reilly, who steadied himself but blasted the ball harmlessly over the bar.
Bell had to make another good block from Jennings as the Motherwell midfielder powered into the penalty box to gather a cute lay-off from Murphy.
Mendes almost scored against his former club when the ball broke to him at the edge of the box, the midfielder's effort spilled by McGregor before the offside Postiga hammered the rebound into the side netting.
Kyle found Bryson on the edge of the box, but the midfielder's attempt to find Invincibile was just too far in front of the unmarked Australian.
Brought down by Tinashe Nengomasha, who was unable to cope with the midfielder's trickery in the box, earned the Nigerians a penalty that was subsequently converted by Yakubu Ayegbeni.
Inter Milan defender Maicon floated a 35-yard free-kick into the box and Fiorentina midfielder Melo out-jumped the American defense to head home.
However, it was Killie who created the next chance and Arfield made a potentially goal-saving tackle to deny Bryson as the midfielder was found in the penalty box by Jamie Hamill.
Davies lofted a free-kick into the box which fell for Etuhu, and the Nigerian midfielder swivelled to fire in a shot that took a massive deflection off Legrottaglie before rolling into the opposite corner.
The game was beginning to open up and both keepers made vital saves in quick succession, McGregor blocking well at the feet of Yannick after the midfielder had burst into the box and Rui Patricio diving to his left to keep out Whittaker's powerful shot.
The Slovakian parried the midfielder's drive from the edge of the box and recovered to punch the ball clear before being clattered by striker Daly.
Munoz was next to be found in the clear but Klos produced a superb, one-handed save to block the midfielder's low drive from the edge of the box.
The Wolves midfielder made the most of panic in the box three minutes before the break to fire into an empty net.
Stanislav Manolev went down in the Rangers box after being closed down by Bartley but Swedish referee Martin Hansson told the PSV midfielder to get back on his feet.
Swansea continued to threaten and Pratley was at the centre of the action and it was his ball that found Welsh midfielder Joe Allen on the edge of the box, but this time Marshall parried to safety.
John Rankin had been restored to Hibs' starting line-up and it was the midfielder's deflected cross that fell to Nish on the edge of the box and the big striker strolled forward before slotting the ball past Robert Olejnik at the near post.
Andres Iniesta, Spanish offensive midfielder, caught a break, and after receiving the ball in the box took a shot to the second post, beating Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.
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Substitute Ben May raced to the by-line before picking out the former Wimbledon and Chelsea midfielder arriving late in the box, and he made no mistake with a low drive.
Gudjonsson, unmarked inside the six-yard box, seemed certain to score as the impressive Thompson headed the ball back across goal towards him but the midfielder's hooked shot lacked power and struck Montgomery, who was facing the other way and knew nothing about it.
The Scottish midfielder, yet to score this season, unleashed a fine drive from the edge of the box which was parried by Walsall goalkeeper James Walker.
Steane timed his run down the right to perfection and the Chasetown midfielder collected a return pass before delivering a dangerous low cross into the Cardiff box.
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