To be fair, there's not a particularly strong intrinsic reason to deploy an attacking RB and defensive LB as opposed to flipping the roles. And that flip could be due to available personnel or the team we're facing. For example: Frese Cordoba Duffy Stacey as a back line doesn't make a lot of sense as it places emphasise on Duffy to cover a lot of ground as RCB, whilst the more mobile Cordoba has Frese as support. With that CB pairing, it would make sense for the full backs to have flipped roles compared to Thorup's past setup. An ideal world might be having a Frese/Burrows pair available for LB and RB, so we can adapt how we play to CB availability and opposition.
Ryan Bennett was not the most mobile CB, with a turning circle not dissimilar to Duffy, yet he was Nuno's first choice RCB in the Wolves back three for several seasons, including in the EPL. The key was that he had the experienced Doherty playing ahead of him at wing back, and the quick Coady in the middle of the back 3. Like Duffy, Ryan was a good header of the ball, and a good shot blocker, but ill-equipped when it came to progressing the ball, a deficiency the team worked round by asking him to make only simple passes, either to Coady or Doherty. With Stacey ahead of him, and Cordoba in the middle, I think a back line with Frese on the left might work just fine, though Cordoba doesn't have anything like Coady's experience. (Jonathan Tomkinson, incidentally, is not the quickest either.)
There's also the possibility of Hanley, who is quick, but not the best passer either. He and McLean both started in Scotland's 2-0 friendly win against Gibraltar today.
Any idea when Cordoba is going to be announced? And what date does the transfer window officially start?
AC Milan and Dortmund apparently both trying to agree a deal with Everton for Ben Godfrey. Would hope we have a sell-on clause should that happen.
Córdoba is meant to formally sign this week. The official window opens on 14 June and ends on 30 August.
If Everton get more than the £27.5m they paid for him, plus any add ons due. His current TransferMarkt valuation is £10m. He was valued at £25m when they bought him.
Listening to the Scrimmage podcast on how Thorup likes to use his keepers and comparing that with Gunn's skill set, the 2 seem incompatible. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0j16fq2
Back to Córdoba, he said this before training with the Panama national team: "You will have news soon. It is a good future for me - I will have a good project to continue growing as a player.” The Pinkun added: "City are hoping to get a move for the 23-year-old finalised before the start of the Copa America, with Panama set to face Guyana in a World Cup qualifier on Friday. He will become their first summer signing and kickstart a summer of change under Thorup and new sporting director Ben Knapper." (The Copa America starts on 20 June) https://www.pinkun.com/sport/norwic...der-jose-cordoba-transfer-links-norwich-city/
Replacing Gunn likely won't be a priority this season, but I agree, he's simply a shot stopper. Doesn't command his area, doesn't lead in marshalling the defenders in front of him, generally poor decision making, too often inaccurate with his kicking. If Thorup wants his keeper to be more of an outfield player than just a keeper, Gunn isn't going to be the first choice longer term. I've read good reports but haven't really seen anything of Vicente Reyes; is it possible we have a replacement No.1 already on the books?
Gunn has been one of the most consistent players this season , he had a mare against Leeds but he wasn't the problem. Gibson & Duffy were way worse
Surely if Thorup wants Gunn to play in a different way he should work with Clement to help Angus develop those skills over the pre-season. Reyes had some highs and lows in his 16 games at Forest Green Rovers which suggests that he's some way off replacing Gunn.
Small data set, but Angus had a 78% pass completion last season (all teams/comps) whilst it was just 42% for Reyes in League 2 (16 games) with Whoscored describing his long passing as "very weak". Not sure whether that reflects circumstances on the grass accurately, of course.
It could have to do with the way Forest Green Rovers play. In League 2 it's far more common for the keeper to kick it long than play it out from the back. Reyes' other strengths are impressive though and 6.81 is a good average rating for a keeper.
I think Gunn's skill set is so far away from what Thorup would be looking for in a keeper to be significantly improved enough by pre-season training, the gap is too big. It's not as though others haven't tried ie Man City, Southampton. I'm not convinced Gunn has it in him to play the way Thorup would want his keeper to play.
