I have no problem with Joe Ralls being left out yesterday. Hes been a top end Championship number 8 for around a decade but those years are catching up and 2 games in a week could result in 2 months out and its something we cant afford. Im sure Ralls starts on Wednesday after being on the bench yesterday. Meite like most of out attacking options are probably better out wide. Comparing Meite and Watters as footballers is laughable. Colwill needs to start and a run as the AM. We need about 7 or 8 players to be a realistic promotion challenger.
Not sure we need 7-8 players as with this squad into Dec we’re 7th. A more imposing keeper, cover at LB, a creative and more penetrating CMr to supplement Ramsey, cover at LW and obvs a marksman up top should see us there or thereabouts come May.
Ralls should start Wednesday. Accept his availability and pitch time may be limited through carrying an injury, but we have to start games better than yesterday. Wintle is far too passive and Siopis owes us a good game after a couple of sub par performances.
We need 2 creative midfielders plus another option to Ralls as the 8. LB cover or option , Rb cover as well as a striker or 2. Goalkeeper goes without saying. Im not saying 7 or 8 starters but all options to start. Some of the 7 or 8 positions could be taken by young players of course. Isaac , Joel Colwill ets.
I'd go without a new keeper for now. A few improvements further forward will mitigate the need. We're desperate for cover at LB. O'Dowda can cover LW and should be back in the next few weeks, (Grant has a lot of minutes played so far and needs a break). If playing 4231, Colwill / Robinson can cover for Ramsey, I'd prefer a player to sit alongside Siopis and get things moving forward. An upgrade on Ralls. We have plenty of attacking options for the 3, but not having an out and out 9 has become an issue. I thought we'd have got away with it, playing a 'false 9' in Meite or Robinson, but it hasn't worked out. I think Etete can become the cover and was finding form before his injury, but we need a 9. So, LB, CM and No 9 essential to kick on. LW, CB and keeper nice to haves, in that order. Then, its ditching a few bodies. Would be nice to see a few young guns getting some minutes. Unfortunately, as has been the case with Colin, MM and others, Bulut seems the same. Its about the here and now, tried and trusted (though that hasn't worked out for us), not giving youth a chance. Colwill jnr alongside Siopis for 10 or 15 minutes would be nice to see. There are a few others that need some exposure, though Erol wants them out on loan. I think it points to what Erol's brief is. A shame really.
I read somewhere that Bulut is keen on sending him out on loan to get some more experience. My view is if you’re good enough you’re old enough. He’s talented NQAT and I don’t recall Pep sending Foden out on loan.
Tonight's Cardiff City transfer news as Bulut wants Colwill loan and star tipped for Premier League - Wales Online I get the view that regular games in 'Men's football' is seen as being needed as part of their development, but the leagues are littered with 16, 17, 18 year olds getting first team minutes. Surely if you have a talented player, you want to nurture it yourself rather than trust it to someone else. We haven't got a track record of sending youngsters out on loan then fetching them back for the 1st team. We have a poor record of developing players. I thought the split of academy opposition and league of Wales teams was the model we were going for. The academy games for the skill level, the men's games to toughen them up. Not seen that working.
Get at them from the off, they wobble under pressure if you press them fast, and the gaps appear. Good luck butts
He had a good run last year. Seems a more serious one at the moment. Ramsey seems to have been out for a while with what was an innocuous knock.
