Jarvis is a weird one, looked by far our best striker in pre-season, certainly the top scorer (or was that 2022?)
The nasty bastard in midfield (Ashbee) just wouldn't work in the modern game. That type of player would constantly have us down to ten men, or be serving suspensions. You can't just point at Norwich tactics. A competent referee would have had them down to 9 players, and there is no escaping that if we get promoted and are subject to the scrutiny of VAR with the amount of "fairy" players who fall over when the wind changes direction. (i.e. a league full of Scott Twines).
I don't think anyone is 'highly rating' Longman. It's just that he would have been useful back up these past few and coming weeks. Better than playing players so clearly out of position and would give more than the likes of Lokilo of late (and sorry to say Vaughan too, who inexcusably lost his man for their 2nd on Friday).
You don’t need someone like Ashbee or Roy Keane in today’s game but you do need at least one holding midfield player who sits deeper than the rest of the midfield, protects the back four and whose job is to break up play in the middle third. Doesn’t have to be crunching tackles. Defensive mids have to be good at winning headers and making interceptions as well. Morton and Slater both like to get forward. Seri tends to sit deeper when he has Slater or Morton next to him but he himself gets outmuscled off the ball too easily, is weak in the air and doesn’t have the legs to be a defensive mid in today’s English game. There’s affordable options in League One like Luca Connell at Barnsley, Hector Kyprianou at Posh and George Dobson at Charlton.
Was penning a similar answer, so thanks, you've saved me the effort. Although tbf Seri is surprisingly good in the air! But just isn't that sort of player. In a similar way, it's becoming ever more clear to me that we also need something different at CB imo too. We are far too lightweight all over. So many signings brought in yet we are missing what's needed. #can'thavetoomany10's
Whilst I was at Total Fitness I saw Harry Vaughn and Jacob Greaves in deep conversation with a Left Back who doesn’t play for us…mmmm intriguing … however, the left back isn’t playing much for Shrewsbury either! It was good to Brandon Fleming having a laugh with his old team mates!
So now 8 teams within 3 points of sixth place. One could argue it’s just a technicality that we are fighting for promotion rather than being a mid table team.
Second half of the season there's usually one or two teams that suddenly go on a run, get our lads back from the African nations Cup, Philo fit and firing again, and Carvalho up to speed there is no reason why we can't be one of them, I'm pretty sure by the end of January we'll have sorted at least one of the full back positions. Who knows, we may even have a couple of extra to throw into the mix. Not giving up hope yet.
We’d switched to three at the back to bring him on and to be fair, he was probably looking to get forward again as we all thought that Jones had won the ball back, only for him to inexplicably present it back to their player who crossed it to the back post for their substitute to score.
I am completely puzzled as to why they would be at Total FItness i presume its a gym. Surely City have a gym.
I’ve seen a few of the Hull FC players there to undertake recuperation the day after a game, but very rarely any of our lads - so yes it was a bit of a surprise. They used the steam room, sauna and hydrotherapy pool. Like you, I would have imagined they would have those facilities - some where, although perhaps Brandon can’t access them whilst he’s Shrewsbury?
I saw Vinagre wandering around town yesterday morning. He was on his tod mind. When I recognised him he noticed me doing so and looked like he was dreading a bit of fan interaction, leading me to wonder why he was wearing a Hull City gilet if he didn’t want to be noticed. So I just have him a nod and carried on my way…
Probably worried you were one of those fans who would bombard him with stats, xGs, transitioning through the thirds, low blocks etc…
He was back in position marking him during that phase but their player just drifted away from him and he totally let him go / lost him. It was piss poor.
I’ve got no idea how good his English is or how confident a bloke he is so I imagine he was dreading having a conversation at all to be fair!
Supposedly Brizzle will have a deal agreed for Twine within 24 hours. Would be leaving ourselves very short if so, he played very well on Friday too.
Yep it sounds like he’s close to going if he hasn’t already. Agree on his performance on Friday, still not sure whether he’s worth the money being suggested but there is a player in there if he’s played in the right position. It really does seem idiotic that we’re letting him (although maybe not much our choice) and Allahyar leave with seemingly no imminent replacements when we have such a threadbare squad.
