I agree with him not getting much support, but for a player playing just off the lone striker he doesn't get forward or pick up flicks anywhere near enough. Look at Mata in the same role at Chelsea, Ba or Torres will flick the ball forward and Mata will be beyond them anticipating they'll win it. Hoolahan will stand off and move after he's seen the forward win the header.
but we must get away from playing TWO DMs, one should be enough if the quality is there. replace Johnson with an AM and chances will be created for RvW to show us what we have.
I'm not necessarily against 2 DM's, but they have to offer more to the team than just breaking up play and playing simple passes to more creative players. Having someone with real passing vision to act as a Deep Lying Playmaker would really help, and wouldn't sacrifice the defensive platform. At the moment neither Johnson, Tettey nor Howson are that player.
I strongly disagree with jettisoning Surman and Fox. All the other I agree are surplus to requirements, but these 2 can both still be relied on to perform to an acceptable standard. They both also offer very different options to what we currently have. Fox is the only one I would label a genuine CM in our squad, rest are either DM or AM. Surman seems happy to bide his time, given that he has been injured, offers a flatter option for a 4-4-2 on LM; when we don't use wingers in the out-and-out sense. In addition, these two are the kind of players that would stay with us should we get relegated. Workhorses yes, but why get rid of utility players that still serve PL quality purpose (not the case with Lappin) when they cost almost nothing in the first place... Besides this summer is about improving the squad, you need some continuity or we will end up like QPR. You need a solid link to those who were promoted from the Championship in order to maintain that hunger to survive, which is sadly lacking in the mercs. Both Surman and Fox have played lower leagues and I'm confident would give 110% if they were called upon by CH.
Assuming we stay in the PL and Wigan are relegated, I'd love us to try and sign Kone as support/back up for RVW. I would like to see only one DM, or one who can be released into a more forward role to get some through balls to our strikers - not long balls lumped over the defence!!!!! Ruddy Whittaker, Bassong, Turner, New LB Snodgrass, Johnson, New CM, Pilks/Butterfield RVW, Kone/New striker
What's wrong with a ball being played over the defence for someone to run onto? Pat Nevin has actually got an interesting piece of analysis on the BBC, about the difference between a West Ham style lump up field, and a directed long pass. If we're playing long aerial balls to a striker hoping to win knock-ons, I've got a problem with that, but having a new DM capable of playing a crossfield ball onto the toe of Snodgrass is surely something to be encouraged?
Yes, Garrido is certainly not good enough to be our main LB. He gets caught out of position, he is slow, he doesnt get forward and he has no skill. Tettey, was good at first but has been found out as a player who cant pass for **** and gets caught in possession all too often. Bennett ok, I concede might be a touch harsh but id rather have someone like Redmond. Bennett is a bit predictable but perhaps should be given another season to improve.
Ps iv watched a fair bit of spanish footie recently and im not sure how much he'd cost but Isco at cash strapped Malaga is quality and young.
WAY WAY WAY out of our price range, not a chance bedford.... Sorry http://www.caughtoffside.com/2013/0...to-sign-30m-spanish-international-isco-final/
How to quite put this....he is in the Van Persie/Hazard price range. Besides try convincing him to drop champions league football!
Do you mean we should sell all of those players? I think that's way too radical - I can't remember the last time a club jettisoned more than half their first team voluntarily. In a sense, if the right price comes in we should sell anybody (though never more than a couple of key players). I would say losing five or six would be ideal. That would basically transform our first team and put some current first teasers on the bench. Definitely Rudd, Tierney, Smith, Adeyemi, C. Martin and Barnett. I'd be inclined to keep Fox, Surman and E Bennett because I think they are decent squad players and on their day (E Bennett, definitely) can actually be extremely effective. Surprised you have left out Jackson, who I'd throw into this category. Any one or two of these could be sold if a reasonable offer comes in. Garrido will make a very good back-up left back. No way should we sell Tettey - he's clearly been rushed back from injury and is in need of a proper rest. Definitely don't sell Holt as he is our best striker and I see him being much better next to RvW or having a changed role as an impact sub. Only if very good offers come in should we sell here. Ayala I think we should keep because I am positive he could be immense if he stays injury free and wises up a bit. The one I think many might disagree with is Vaughan - I really think we should keep him, if he can get over not being up North. He is, RvW aside, our most naturally talented striker, he has had a stellar season at Huddersfield and, while he has got injured, his record is improving. One injury free premier league campaign and I think he could be very good.
Sounds like Martin has gone. Very best of luck to him - great in League 1 and it sounds like he has really pulled his weight on his loan. Derby are a good club and may well be play-off contenders next season.
I've been surprised how many of you have wanted to jettison half of our squad. It seems more people than I thought have bought into CH's argument that the players just aren't good enough and none of what has happened in 2013 is his fault. Why get rid of Fox, who was a great player for three years until Hughton decided he wasn't good enough? Why get rid of Butterfield who hasn't even been given the chance of a game? Why get rid of Becchio, who has been dumped for who knows what reason? Why get rid of Garrido, who was one of the best players in the first half of the season until tiredness seemed to catch up with him? People say CH hasn't been given a fair chance because it's still only one season. Maybe not, but he's been given far more of a chance than a lot of the players under his watch.
I guess I'm not alone in waiting to see what Butterfield is capable of in the PL. CH must have seen something in him to buy him when he was out injured. Miind you, I'm still trying to figure out why CH swapped Morro for Becchio!!! For me this season, Fox has been a disappointment and has never really performed when given the opportunity - perhaps he hasn't had more than 1 game at a time to get to gel on the pitch with the other players. I can remember some of his 'defence splitting passes' (didn't he supply the pass for our winner aganist Portsmouth to guarantee promtion???) and he alone could be a prime supplier of goal-scoring opportunities for RvW next season!!!
