They players report back for pre season in about a week. How many more signings do you think there will be? Also do you think any of the out of contract players will stay, or will any in contract ones go? with all these questions in mind, what do you think the team for the 1st match will look like?
3 more permanent at least (CB, CB, RW), an extra player on the left if we're not going to see Youga again. Can only see Elliott, Llera, Solly, Francis, BWP, Benson, Dailly, Waggy and JJ left of those who played regular last year... and only Elliott, BWP and JJ, plus one of the amazingly qualified right backs, in our starting 11. Would still like to see Semedo stay and dropped to the back. Added to the above, probably a young CF on loan.
Think we will have Doc and not Dailly, really can't see us disposing of our only senior CB's contract
Guess it depends on who we can get in and whether he wants first-team football, cos he's not going to get it with us (at least not if we're going for promotion), so a contract break might be mutually beneficial.
So many questions Cafc4ever... I am happy with how things are shaping up. Whilst it would be ideal to get the bulk of our business done early in pre season it's not always possible. I have no doubt that the gaffer and the powers that be are beevering away behind the scenes to strengthen our squad wherever possible. In some instances, particularly where transfer fees are involved this can be a time consuming and frustrating process... DEFENCE: I've said from day one that addressing our obvious weakness at the back is key to our future success in League One this coming season... I personally would like to see Dailly stay and at least two new CB's come in. With Dailly and Mambo in reserve providing competition for what will be hopefully two new first choice CB's I think we'll be pretty much sorted at the back. It is absolutely imperative that our starting eleven is built on rock solid foundations so please gaffer/board bring in two CB's in the mould of a Richard Rufus and Simon Webster⦠then... promotion here we come...!!
The team looks rather unbalanced to me. Hollands, Hayes and alonso must all have been offered regular first team football in order to sign. Does that mean Jackson wide left and Evina at full back? Could Elliot be on his way out?
Yes, Hollands and Alonso in the middle, Hayes and BWP up front, with Jackson (a defensive left-winger) and Evina (an attacking left back) providing (hopefully) a decent partnership on the left. I would've thought Elliott is no.1 choice, though...
I really don't get this 'defensive LM' and 'attacking LB' business...!! We are playing in the third tier of English football not the Champions League for Christ sake…!! IMO we need to return to basics where everyone knows their jobs and does them if we want to make a sustained challenge for promotion this coming campaign. I personally would love nothing more than a back four who are first and foremost interested in defending with all other considerations very much a second thought. I want a LM and RM who are quick, direct, willing to engage their fullback and who are constantly looking to cross the ball whenever the opportunity presents itself. I’m firmly of the opinion that the likes of Benson, BWP and Hayes will have a field day with this level of regular service!! BWP and Benson in particular come alive in the box so for the love of god let’s give them what the so desire…!! Let’s keep things simple... The simpler the set up is the less likely it is the components within said set up will go wrong!!
Yawn The only 2 CBs we have are Mambo and Doherty and the Doc will be released by June 30 What will the team be ? It's 6 bleedin weeks til the first game !!!! Bored of discussing this
Can't agree, I'm fed up with our wingers being found wanting and not having an overlapping full back to get the ball in the box... totally agree that we need more crosses into the box, but with a full back that can't go forward we're never going to achieve that, unless you can persuade Giggs, Beckham or Ginola at their best to come and join. Kyel Reid was the closest we're going to get, and it was far too inconsistent and far too little end product. Evina sounds like he likes to roam forward, so I'm glad JJ's there to cover when he does... similarly think JJ's deliveries will get us plenty. DVDDD... yeah, but it's closed season... that's kinda the only forward-looking discussion we can have when we've never seen any of next year's first team play!!
I'm with Franco on the Left-sided partnership. If Evina is such an attacking player (and can play at LM), and Jacko is such a defensive player (and can play at LB), then why don't we do the logical thing and have Jackson at Left Back and Evina at Left-mid? Have a defender who defends and a pacy winger. I know the prospect of attacking full backs is exciting but we're in League One, we need to play simple football, Defenders who can defend, Full backs who can take on a winger, Midfielders linking the defenders and attackers, whilst maintaining possession, Wingers who can take on the full back and can cross, and Strikers who can score. Pretty fool proof really. As for our season starting in six weeks, our first pre-season game starts in less than 2, and it would be nice to have next seasons squad pretty much put together by then (so CP doesnt have to use Parky's excuse of the squad still gelling half way through November).
I think there's valid points to both arguements over the roles of the fullbacks and wingers When Chris Powell used to play left back with John Robinson in front of him it was often CP who got crosses into the box, same when Hreidarsson played left back he often used to over-lap and put over a cross. I'm fine with Evina overlapping so long as Jackson is able to cover him and same when Evina is under pressure that Jackson can come back and help him out the same as Robinson used to help CP out defending. That would seem to be the idea anyway though I could be wrong. But as I said on the flip-side I can totally understand the want to go back to basics, defenders defend, midfielders create and strikers score
TVR⦠You are missing the point. In an ideal world we would be playing in the Champions League with a Danni Alves type fullback on either side behind someone like Ronaldo⦠However⦠as a club we are as far from being in an ideal situation as is conceivably possible. We must play to our strengths and not conform to some sort of footballing idealâ¦!! Winning football is all that matters to get us out of this league and imo the more simple we keep things the better chance we have of being successful. Take Stoke for example⦠theyâre not particularly pleasing on the eye but itâs secured their Premiership status and got them to an FA Cup final⦠all simply because they play to their strengths and refuse to conform to how others think they should play the game⦠WWOCB⦠Can deffo see the logic in your argument mate.
Works ok with Evra and Park Ji-Sung on the left for Man Utd. There are pro's and con's for this ''attacking full back & defensive LM'' partnership. That said, just because JJ is aware of defensive duties and very good with his positioning, that it warrants calling him a defensive left midfielder. He isn't a winger, but players like Beckham weren't either. Wide midfielder is the term.
Not Jamal Campbell-Ryce by any chance? I know PP tried to re-sign him last summer(from a source) and heard CP is also interested (this was from a website and not a source, however).
Yeah Kyel not Andy... I'm afraid i don't share your opinion of JCR. Although to be fair I've not seen very much of him in recent years.
