Got to be honest here, I'd be having a look round for a keeper, like Pandur but his decision making is atrocious, and for me unnerves the defence, to be a really decent team we need at least another cb, an organiser, a right back, and a hard tackling defensive midfielder. I don't accept we don't have leaders in the camp when we have McBurnie and Lunny, but with their injuries we've missed that leadership.
Think in the summer we’ll be looking at a keeper that played under Jakirović at Kayserispor called Bilal Bayazıt. He’s been on our radar before and the fact he’s played under Jakirović previously would make it a logical signing in the summer.
I don’t think a new number 10 solves the glaring issues this team has. Gelhardt can play there and probably will when Belloumi and Millar are back to full fitness. Crooks and Gyabi can also play there and also as number 8s. Slater’s a number 8 and I’d say Lundstram and Hadžiahmetović have been our go-to holding midfielders but they don’t have the positional awareness/discipline and legs to cover enough ground as a defensive midfielder. Hadžiahmetović is very similar to Alzate and Seri but he can’t last more than 65-75 minutes every game and Lundstram is slow. If we could, I’d cancel one of their loans and get someone more athletic in who is a proper defensive midfielder.
I think we just need a specialist ball winner someone who will keep things ticking but break the play up through physicality ability to get about the pitch. A Ryan Yates type at Forest if not then we need to put some good money into a proper 6. An 8 can be fine instead because ours Slater, Amir, Crooks all struggle to get about the pitch and make defensive contributions. Crooks probably the most effective of the 3 but legs are on the way out, Slater has the legs but not the physicality and Amir has the positional sense to be in the right place but can get easily overwhelmed due to his Ryan Woods esque run. Amir 2 tackles per game, Crooks 2.5. Slater 0.8. I think Slater has been decent of late but feel he’s looked as a ball winner and grafter when he’s actually more effective when he’s got the ball for us he’s not a complete liability out of it but the game does easily bypass him at times and when you combine that with Amir’s lack of mobility you get a 4-0 in one half performance
I was amazed that we didn’t sign Lindon Selahi in the summer. Free agent who was a key player for Jakirović at Rijeka. Ball-winning midfielder who has the athleticism to get around the pitch. Seemed a no-brainer. Instead, he went to a Polish team.
Watching Rushworth for Cov this season makes the way we abused the privilege of having him even more frustrating. I like Pandur, he is a decent shot stopper, but he is no more than back up to someone like Rushworth who commands his area and looks every bit a future Premier League and potentially England international.
I don’t mind Dowell til summer if it means Crooks is no longer used further forward. Crooks is at his best on the ball deeper where he breaks the play up very effectively.
He's injured. Daniel Farke shares why Illan Meslier was back on the bench for Leeds United as Karl Darlow questions arise
I thought I'd try my hand at a bit of Amin-style ultra sarcasm, but a couple of people have taken it seriously now and I can't take it.
Hilariously though Sergei does actually seem to want another number 10. Seems like every window we always want another number 10 at the expense of what seems like more pressing issues.
