Transfer Rumours January '22 Transfer Thread

I think there has to be a mention of Baxter and Ingram here. They have certainly contributed to our low goals conceded. I don't think I've seen so many high quality saves of certain goals since Tony Norman.

 

Hey? You're saying we play too many defenders, I just pointed out we play 3 quite regularly. How is that too many?

 

Baxter has the most variance to xGC of any keeper in the league I think I saw, which is certainly remarkable and a large part of it.

 

Then we have our goals conversion rate of 8% which contributes to our failure to score in 47% of matches (apparently). I really don't think our defense is our problem.

 

A back 3 converts to a back 5 in defence. How many times do we bugger about in our own half with countless slow passes going nowhere with nothing happening up front. We usually give up possession with an awful pass or pass back to the keeper who has to hoof it. We do not cope very well with being pressed. Other teams seem to find ways to counter this and a lot of it is down to better, faster passing by the whole team. To achieve this the defenders are going to have to pass better. I am not suggesting changing all 3 but how much better would we have been with Curtis Davis at the back for instance?

 

Is that not more of an issue with not having better options forward of the ball? In which case we need a more mobile attacking force?

 

Allahyar, KLP & Honeyman often make runs early in the game but I don't think our defenders are confident or able to find them reliably. The forwards often stop after a while because they get fed up for running with no pass. We could do with a "quarterback", unfortunately Huddlestone was not the answer.

 

If we don't sign Bernard we are going to need another right footed defender anyway.

 

So this is an entirely different conversation from 'we play too many defenders in the side' and is more about the tactics/ability of the players. We will bring in new players that should improve our side all over the pitch, no doubt, but our defence in terms of their primary role - that is, to stop the other team scoring goals - has done well this season. With a better attacking output, we will rise up the table even with no adjustments to that backline.

 

This is why I feel it’s really unfair to judge KLP based on goals this season. As much as he contributes to the poor conversion rate he’s not the problem in the front line.

Double figures in this league whilst playing as a wide player is incredibly good the fact it could be a good 6/7 more is encouraging.

We’ve got good foundations that can be built on with smart movement in the transfer market as teams such as Huddersfield and Luton have shown.

 

Not really. If you played four at the back (which Arveladze wants to) you might get more players forward. I don't think the present squad could play 4 at the back successfully, do you?

 

4 at the back would be more than we currently play.

Unless you're seriously suggesting that KLP and Longman are defenders.

 

Coyle, Jones, McLaughlin, Greaves, Fleming is definitely a back 5, which we’ve played pretty much since Coyle has come back.

 

Longman played at wing-back two games ago against Milwall. And the win against Boro. And Hudd. And...

Granted with the emergence of Fleming KLP has played further forward.

I think it's a bit disingenuous to say it's a back 5 though when the wing backs are tasked with playing so far forward.

I also think suggesting that playing with wing backs is stifling our ability create chances is not quite accurate.

 

I don’t think 3/5 at the back is particularly defensive, but you need to have the players for it like when we had Elmo and Brady there. Both having bags of energy and great deliveries from deeper areas.

Longman (and KLP when he was there) are a bit wasted playing deeper as I feel their strengths are more suited to getting behind the opposition defences and towards goal, where as Coyle is a bit limited technically to be effective going forward. If Emmanuel was fit I think him and Fleming would be ideal wing backs but for now we’re stuck with the options we have.

 

We need a new right-back in the summer. Some people rate Coyle at this level but I don’t think he’s good enough to be our first choice right-back next season. Emmanuel may or may not be here and we don’t know the seriousness of his injury/medical condition. Longman isn’t suited there either. He’s looked way off it since he signed permanently. He’s played his best football on the left-wing imo.

 

I've actually found it Longman's best position. When he's played further forward he tends to drift in and out of games.

 

I don’t rate him much at all tbh, but still think he’s better further up. He looked good for about a 5 game spell before we signed him permanently but since then he’s been pretty underwhelming imo. He’s young though so he’s likely to improve still.

 

i think we need a right sided centre half as well. If we’re going to play 4 at the back I don’t think any of the options are good enough in a 2, apart from Greaves. Jones and McLoughlin would be decent back up though.

 

Official news from City, Ingram to Luton on emergency loan.