The problem being that Martin and JET are normally in the team in other areas so you cant easily include them in a list of central midfield players unless we totally reshuffle. I would also hate to see either of them playing as sitting midfielders. If you did play them in the centre (please never do) then it only leaves Carson as a recognised Wide man so again it would leave us short.
smug, totally agree with this, in regards to midfielders you have to split them into 2 groups, engine room midfielders and flair midfielders. In the engine room i would put Hyam, Loungo, Drury and Lawrence In the flair i would put JET, martin, carson and stevenson out of those 2 groups you could probably say Drury and Stevenson can play both, and Lawrence is a 'bench at best' player. so we need somebody else in the engine room. Also with this signing if you can get 1 player to cover 2 positions for only 1 wage it makes financial sense.
Not at all, if you want Martin, Stevenson or JET playing in CM just in front of the defense, I assume you don't mind us having very little creativity going forward and our defense completely exposed. My point about Hyam was that he's only 20, and therefore cannot be expected to play every game, which is a very real possibility if injuries occur, and lets face it, they will. If you think these three plus Lawrence who I can only see playing 10 league games and some cup games is enough cover, I would say you're wrong Really cannot see the logic in playing this guy in defense if he's a midfielder. The fact that he can play there is a nice bonus but why play him out of his natural position? Pretty sire Jewell has said he is also looking for a defender in addition.
Guru, if you need a cb you sign a cb not a midfielder who can fill in at cb. Players in their natural positions mate. The more i think about this signing the more it makes sense as cover but still think a specialised cb and striker are more imprtant.
Ever since goodness how long....10 years and more.... ITFC has always been short on height, physicality and presence. Here comes a player who has genuine international credentials and will tought it out - if called upon- with bigger players in challenging games. He sounda beast of man, just the tye we need in some scrappy tight-fought games when our defence in past 3-5 years has weakly folded and given away far too many points in last 5 minutes! So lets give the man a chance, and as has been made crystal clear to all, PJ will not just drop the others who have performed very well for 2 games. 2 games? - we have 42 to come, and as others have said, injuries will come thick and fast especially to younger committed and enthusiastic players like Hyem. He adds strength, height, experience, knowledge - and he's Free ffs!
Whilst like I have said we could probably do with strengthening CB and maybe ST more than CM, I still think another CM has been required. Really whilst players like Martin and JET can play centrally we only really have Luongo, Hyam and Drury who can play in the deeper CM role and Drury looks like he could be used further up the pitch if need be aswell!! And between those 3 they've probably made less than 50 appearences at this level, so we always needed someone else to come in.
I’ve had a snoot about on TWTD and it turns out N’Daw’s contract with St Ettienne is up at the end of this season! If he works out he’s on a free come June. Could be handy. And we’ve just sent Cheick Kourouma charging about France to sort out his weird red tape problems. Another central midfielder. At least we’ll have the option of playing a Spain style strikerless tactic with a midfield six! It might just work. It’d certainly annoy that twat who seems to sit behind me whenever I sit in the North Stand who yells “get it up there Town” every time we put together more than two midfield passes. Arseing hoof merchants!
Just a case of wait and see I guess. We do need some strength and height in the team so perhaps this is it. 100% support from me whatever.
I wonder what you made of it when Capello started playing Wilshire as a defensive midfielder!! Last season, Hyam/Leadbitter and Drury didn’t justsit in front of the defence and defend and Martin didn’t just hang about up front. Martin has always been primarily a central midfielder, not merely an advanced, attack-only one. JET played as a defensive midfielder for Arsenal reverves/U18s (amongst various other positions, including central defender), Stevenson played as a conventional central midfielder (usually) for Hearts. You tell them they can only attack, because I won’t. If there’s no logic playing N’Daw in defence (where he CAN actually play), where’s the logic of play Edwards in defence? JET in midfield when he himself thinks he’s best as a striker (not that Arsenal played him much there either). Why play Martin wide? Hyam has recently stated he wants to get forward more and play a more advance role. What then??
