Disappointed Huws wasn't given a pre season to see if he could make an impact. IMO a mistake by NW. City are thin in midfield with Whitts & now Huws gone. What happens if Ralls & Gunner get injured? Halford or Mark Harris or Bamba? Am I missing anyone? O'Keefe? NW has to get some more bodies in that area. On another point, who'll now be 1st choice centre backs? I'd go for Bamba & Manga and can see Morrison leaving; Connelly can be the reserve. As it stands I'm concerned for our survival in this league. Who are going to be the bottom 3? NW said he needed £6m for the 4-5 players he needed. I'm underwhelmed at the moment but will give him the benefit of the doubt to him to see if he can enhance the squad in next month. I suspect he only let Whitts & Huws go if he was confident in getting in decent and better players.
Agree midfield is a huge concern. I don't regard our wide men, Hoilett, Kadeem, Mendes-Laing, Kennedy and still Noone at the moment as the "creative option" in place of a genuine No.10 playmaker. It's OK having the grunt of Gunnar and Ralls in the middle who'll both run all day but we need someone to pull the strings otherwise the Zorro/Danno pairing up front could be starved. I said earlier on this thread that Pilks at No.10 might be an answer but it would be very chancey to rely on it. I'd still keep him but a "big bucks" import with some pace and vision to slot in this area would complement what is now becoming a decent squad. Not worried at all about survival Nin, but this season is all about challenging at the other end.
I saw nothing in Huws, either for us or Wales, to encourage me to think he would be any good for us. To me his body language said he didn't really want to be here. I thought Tom Adeyemi was a better prospect (but only just) and he could be off to Ipswich as well. In a WoL survey 56% of those who posted their opinion said they were disappointed Huws was leaving. Do they actually watch football in general and City in particular? More to the point do they know anything about football or did they just vote on the sentimentality that he is Welsh? Perhaps they have the same views about Declan - not asking themselves the question, is he actually good enough? I hope we recouped what we paid for Huws and that it can be put to good use in buying someone else who can be the driving force we need in midfield. I think we need another 2 players of quality in the middle of the park and endorse Spark's comments about wide players as central midfielders. I don't think Pilks is the answer though. I can see Ward alternating between No. 10 and up front support for Zorro. With the right players acquired I don't see us having any problems this season and expect us to be challenging for a play off place.
I read yesterday that Jazz is touting himself as a CM. Wonder what comes of that. Maybe he sees himself a Boker (competitor to swiss army knives).
Seems we agree about central midfield needing strengthening. OS, I don't think Pilks is the answer. In fact I'd be overjoyed to see him move on. I'd rather keep Noone as impact off the bench.
Younger than Hayes but any better than what we've already got? Fancy Warnock to get the best out of him so don't really have an issue with the fee (Even if we should be spending every last penny on a creative midfielder) but imagine he'd prefer to work with his former boss at Forest?
Likely replacement for Noonie who for all his commitment and enthusiasm has gone stale, as wingers tend to do every 3/4 years. I like the guy and will be sorry to see him leave but time to move on for new challenges. P.S. Just my view, I haven't seen any rumours.
Lambert to Plymouth? http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/.../cardiff-city-striker-rickie-lambert-13274454
First Plymouth and now this. Perhaps Whitts wants someone in the team who's slower than him.......... http://the72.co.uk/86298/blackburn-rovers-linked-former-england-international-striker/
He can take his pick. Just get him off the wages bill (or at least 50% of his wages). More in the pot for Colin to pursue other targets.
Hull sniffing around Zohore. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hull-city-target-cardiff-city-13281345