What should Ron do now?

Just seen his post match interview and no Toby Vic or Morgan for at least 3-4 weeks. Tadic also carrying a knock and Maya wont be back for a while from international duty.

So do we stick with what we have or get in some immediate cover?

We still have JWP, Cork Davis Reed and Hesketh for the midfield places and Elia to come in up front but I worry more about the CB position. Another injury there and we are in big trouble. So for me I'd get a CB in asap

Views?

 

1-1-8.

 

It depends how our youngsters are viewed by Ron. We still have two of our main CBs fit with another due back in a few weeks from the Asia Cup...can we get in a CB on loan who would be better than a youngster trained in our system? I bet they are looking though, We have midfielders, just not our 2 best defensive midfielders. Cork can play there, but is just back from injury. Ron will have to perform magic in the next few days to adapt to the loss of Morgan and Vic.

Ron looked very down in the post-match interview. Vic was only due to play 45 mins, so he was a few seconds from safety when he went down
Koeman said we have good youngsters with the look of a man who had just discovered that he'd have to play me. But I'm betting he is up today full of plans and options...if anyone can, Koeman can

 

The Echo said Koeman is happy, but any more injuries and it's something they have to consider.

At least that's what I think it said when I read it at 1AM!

 

Koeman didn't look happy last night, but he may be by now as he is a positive sort of fellow. However, he is hardly likely to say we have no chance and our back up players aren't good enough...wrong message to team.

 

We can manage, I think. Let's not forget we defeated Everton without Morgan and Vic. The midfield three on that day consisted of JWP, Davis and Reed, who lack a bit of physical power, but they were swarming the opposition players.

As long as we don't get any more injuries.

 

Well, that is the big question!! What if Fonte gets injured or Gardos gets sent off? I would consider signing a CB and a striker.

 

Think we should all consider taking our boots to the next game at St. Mary's, FLT, just in case ......

 

At least we have another cup game in that time and the games are not against the top four-six sides. I don't think there is any point in bringing in players for a few weeks, however if we lost Pelle as well we would be in trouble. We don't have a lot of height in our team so we will have to pass better than yesterday to win.

 

Mine are always in the boot of the car. Ron knows I can run back to the car to get them as part of a warm-up and be ready to be on the bench in about 15 minutes.

 

I'm not averse to signing a few new faces.

 

I wasn't suggesting a loan signing, but a permanent CB (could be a CB who can play RB) and a striker, gives us more options when the players come back fit. Our season could unravel in the next 4 league games and if we lose to Palace in the cup. If we did this and everyone was fit in 4 weeks time, we would then have very strong options to play 3 CBs and the opposition would not know what we were likely to do each week.

 

Good man! Always knew we could rely on you!

 

Agree, but, at the risk of posting a question cross-thread, who would/could these 2 be? Would be great to strengthen the squad now!

 

A bit of a Catch 22 question, anyone that we try to sign of quality will be demanding a guaranteed first team place, when everyone we already have is fit, we couldn't guarantee that kind of opportunity. We need strong back up / stop gaps, although a goalscoring forward would be useful, and a back up Right back seems important.

 

Any player should be wanting first team football - that's the rub. It is up to Koeman and the players to sort that. I don't understand the thought that you'd sign anyone who wouldn't be a first team player. We should always be aiming to sign players who can play in the first team; they then have to win that place and give the manager a problem. No point in signing a back-up, with the exception maybe of a keeper, but even then he should be more than a back-up.

Haven't we just been bemoaning that we had an FA Cup replay and had to play some players who maybe we didn't want to? There should always be competition for places.

 

Absolutely correct, the trick is selling the Club to the Player, rather than a guaranteed starting place, some players get stroppy when they aren't selected and it upsets the camp, we need Players that buy into the Squad ethic and accept that they have to play for their place, it isn't the price tag that should guarantee their place in the team. Competition keeps everyone on their toes, Artur didn't buy it, Osvaldo couldn't accept it, we have to trust RonKo to weave his magic and make the right decisions, interesting times ahead I hope.

 

We need to get the newcastle game out of the way and then regroup, the injuries that we have obtained will see alderweireld, schneiderlin and wanyama miss the newcastle and swansea league games and the palace cup game they should all be pushing to come back for the QPR match.
I would consider a bid for Martins-Indi clearly a player that Ron wants and would add alot of depth to the team.

I think we can beat newcastle with this team

Forster

Clyne Fonte Gardos Bertrand
Cork Davis
JWP Tadic Long
Pelle
Subs - Davis, Reed, Targett, Elia, Isgrove, McCarthy, Hesketh

 

I would, but I had to lend mine to Tadic for the last game.

 

Defensive Midfield isn't too bad. Cork is back and I get the impression that Harrasin' Reed fits into this role.

Up front. JRod can't be that far away from recovery, can he?

We looked a little weak in defence yesterday. 3 at the back (or maybe the windy conditions) made us look vulnerable in places, several misplaced passes from our defence didn't help. Thankfully Ipswich are not Man City and couldn't punish us.

Once we took the goal and shut up shop, we looked very competent.

Injuries give our youngsters a chance to get some game time.