As said above, I don't think Rhodes will play as a lone striker with us, but rather at the centre of a front 3 in a 3-4-3 or a 4-3-3, with Pukki and Hernandez as at Kings Lynn (where Srbeny was the third). Buendia and Marshall are other options in a front 3. Leitner (or McLean or Vrancic or Trybull) can link up play from the middle rank as a deep playmaker rather than adding another layer with a number 10. Pukki is also not a lone striker, so the new approach should suit all the players we now have, even Oliveira, if he stays. It's also interesting that Rhodes is a close friend of Ben Marshall and also played with Hanley and Husband at Boro. http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/07/1...l-at-norwich-will-delight-one-former-sheffie/
Even if he turns out to be gash we won't be lumbered with him or his wages next season. I was hoping for Marriott but at least it's a striker. We just need a keeper and we are pretty much good to go.
Wednesday fans are quite positive about Rhodes, even as he leaves. https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/c...day-fans-had-to-say-after-transfer-confirmed/ Let's hope he gets back to his best with us. I think we'll probably sign a young PL keeper on loan.
Do we have cover ? You only need to look at the price quoted for Gunn to see that we had a class keeper last year, we all thought Rudd would cut it too unfortunately he wasn't good enough. Is Matthews good enough to be our number 1 with no experienced cover ?
Not all of them. The last one I read wrote TFFT, which apparently does NOT stand for 'that's fantastic for them!' As DD says though, we won't be lumbered if he flops. We have at least learned that lesson.
I guess you could say we have McGovern, though I'm not sure I'd be happy with just him as backup!!! There must still be a sizeable wedge left in the bank after the sale of Josh and JM and from what I can see, we haven't spent THAT much of it so far and I would love to see another PL understudy GK on loan.
I'm quite happy with Rhodes to be honest. I think with the way our squad has been shaped Farke looks like he may go 433. If Rodes has Pukki and Hernandez in support backed up by midfield 3 of possibly Tettey, Trybull and Leitner I quite like that. Let's hope Rhodes gets back to scoring ways and if not and the Gunn rumours are true with sell on fee etc than its maybe a gamble worth taking if it costs nothing. I'm also happy with Remi starting in goal, he got some good reviews whilst at Plymouth.
Had we signed Matthews from another club, I don't think his place as first choice keeper would be in doubt. He excelled at that level, and deserves to step up. Whether he's quite at the level needed for a promotion challenge, who knows. The same could be said about most of our squad. McGovern is on too lucrative a contract to move elsewhere, and I think finances are too tight to squander on improving our backup goalkeeper. He'll barely play unless Remi gets a serious injury. Perhaps in January we'll consider the keeper situation, but I think we have adequate goalkeepers. It's not going to be a position of strength like last season, but hopefully we'll have a better functioning defensive shape so we're less dependent on our last line of defence.
What a signing. I do love Saints Transfers. They are masters. Wish we operated like they have. Edit- Just read the BBC thing about it. really winds me up: "He spent last season on loan at Norwich, the former club of his father, retired Scotland goalkeeper Bryan Gunn." That always gets said. No. He was our academy player! He grew up through our academy. Man City stole him for sod all compensation. He's not an academy Man City player who joined us on loan because of his Dad! Everything you read, never mentions that we made him and brought him into football, and we are his boyhood club.
Glad he got a Premier League club, would have been gutted if the rumours of him going to Leeds were true and didn't come back here instead.
With Gunn going to Saints will he be ahead of Forster and McCarthy? You can only assume so. Can we nick one of them on loan?
So we actually do have Rhodes on loan?! I wanted him for so many seasons. Probably the last 2 are the only times I didn't want him. He's done nothing, he doesn't fit DF's tactics. Don't really know why they signed him. If DF changes his tactics, happy days. I don't think he will though.
