OK. We've got Gunnarson, Cowie, Taylor, Earnie, and Conway. We lost from first team Chopra Bothroyd and Burk plus the loanees, but we got Gerrard back apparently leaner fitter and better. The jury (excuse the pun) is out on godwillie's transfer and we haven't heard anything else about the young lads Mason from Argyle or the lad from Shrewsbury, although I did see a report saying Jenkins and the Argyle Manager had done the deal. We need another Central Midfielder and a target man minimum IMO. Are there any rumours of who they might be? Also if Gerrard is up for it who do you drop from the central defence? Because I think a fit Gerrard is probably in MM thoughts. He came back a far better player than he left and seems to have settled back in quietly with MM. Have we got anyone to fill the midfield or are we looking at Mcfail as a starter? We could play McNuggets and Blake at full backs and Taylor in mid field, it is one of his preferred positions. That would give us him Gunnarson and Whitts but we need a strong back up or a very good one to push Taylor back to full back. I know we could pick up the two positions I mentioned on loans from the Prem but that means after out first 4 to 8 games. I'd like us to kick off against Leeds with a full squad. I'd also like to see Cardiff players in those positions with total commitment. loan players should be a bonus this season - not a necessity I know we all dream of Bellers returning, but like I say, we should treat it as a bonus and be able to win without him, or any other loanee. Be so good they WANT to come and play for us.
Agreed on the strong tackling central mid fielder (the one thing we have missed for so long) and a decent target man who could score 10 to 15 a season. With those 2 I think we have the right squad and anything else is a bonus to keep all on their toes. I can see Gerrard starting alongside Hudson with McNuggs and Taylor as full backs. If we have 4 in midfield then Conway, Cowie, Gunnarsson and Whitts fit the bill. If we go for 5 in the middle with Earnie up on his own then that is where the required ball winner would fit in although Earnie works best in partnership with a bigger target man and Parkie could not do the job for 90 minutes and, in my opinion, is not mobile enough anyway, hence the need for another up front. Alternatively we could have 3 cb's in Huds, Gezza and Keinan giving the full backs licence to push on around 3 in the middle with 2 up front. Who knows although we should things start to take shape in the forhcoming friendlies.
Does anyone else think we don't neccassarily need a 'target man'?. Last year Malky played an attractive, passing type of game with Watford, and I'd like to think he will try to influence this style on HIS team. IF he wants to play how his Watford team played, then I don't feel we would need a 'target man' as such, I'm not suggesting that we would try and walk the ball into the net but there are other, maybe better ways of trying to score. Look at (dare I say it) Swansea last year, I can't remember them ever playing with a 'target man', but they still were able to find the net on a regular basis by using their wide players a lot, we know Whitts can score a hatful in his best position on the left (two seasons ago) so Malky might want to use him a lot, I can see Whitts playing an instrumental role this year, along with Cowie who I think will turn into a great bit of business. IF Conway's as good as I think he will be then we could have another (or better) Burkie on our hands . And even higher, much higher up look at Man U, ok I know our players are nowhere near that level but it's just an example. Last third of the season Ferguson started to play Hernandez and Shrek upfront. . . need I say more? (apart from the Barca game). This type of pairing COULD work for us, just imagine Earnie in the Hernandez role and (possibly) Goodwillie linking up with the midfield. It MIGHT work, even more so if you replace Earnie with BELLAMY , but I know that's still a long shot. . .
Point taken but Graham is 6ft plus and competed in the air - more than Earnie or Bellers (if he returns) do. Okay Mason has signed now but Wikie says he is only 5ft 10. I don't know what playing style he will bring. And the Swans used Beattie, Dobbie and Moore up front to compete and hold the ball up, at least, even when Biorini arrived. Also, they had 2 quick wide players who took on the opposition. I don't see Whitts doing that too often - he is a very different type of player. Anyway, Malky will do it his way regardless of what we think so lets look forward to the pre-seasons and see what they bring.
I'd like to think that link was more accurate about Eremenko coming to us than they are about Gunnarsson's last club.
hardly an artical to insipre confidence. So many midfielders we'll be playing a 3-6-1 formation at this rate
Lazy journalism.....The Sunday Mirror had Earnshaw begging Bellamy to join him at Swansea and WoL claiming Earnie first joined us back in 2011 View attachment 5332 I see a job opportunity for a descent proof reeder. From the limited vids available, I quite like the look of Eremenko.
