FAO those saying we need creativity and new strikers

[BRADDAZ]

Mainly because we have Antonio, JJ and Helan, whos strengths are running at players with the ball. There is no way you can get two box to box midfielders who can keep up with that, likewise you cant change their style of play without taking something away from their strengths,

Needs some work doing to it, no doubt about that. someone composed on the ball like Olofinjana would be ideal.

I don't expect to see two box to box midfielders. But I expect someone with (like you say) composure on the ball, the ability to retain possession a little, as well as contribute to our defensive play. A more injury free version of Olofinjana would be ideal. Exactly the type of player we need.

Coke & Prutton & Semedo can't play together. They're not good enough with the ball and that is creating us huge problems.

[EcclesallOwl]

No ... Really ??

Wait.. But if we're not creating anything (as you say we are) and we stop conceding then won't we be drawing games and still playing sh*t?

[Hawkeye]

No ... Really ??

 

Ecclesalls point is if we can nil teams, we are already scoring goals and will start winning games- his logic is correct there.

 

Stupid mistake this week stupid mistake the week before, poor decisions at the QPR game. its not being able to stick it in the onion bag thats killing us, needing to score three goals every week to be sure of winning is ridiculous.

 

get a settled back four, get antonio and Nuhiu match fit, olofinjana in and we are about there. IMO anyway.

[EcclesallOwl]

Ecclesalls point is if we can nil teams, we are already scoring goals and will start winning games- his logic is correct there.

Stupid mistake this week stupid mistake the week before, poor decisions at the QPR game. its not being able to stick it in the onion bag thats killing us, needing to score three goals every week to be sure of winning is ridiculous.

get a settled back four, get antonio and Nuhiu match fit, olofinjana in and we are about there. IMO anyway.

At least someone understood

[Hawkeye]

I don't expect to see two box to box midfielders. But I expect someone with (like you say) composure on the ball, the ability to retain possession a little, as well as contribute to our defensive play. A more injury free version of Olofinjana would be ideal. Exactly the type of player we need.

Coke & Prutton & Semedo can't play together. They're not good enough with the ball and that is creating us huge problems.

 

Indeed.

 

But a creative midfielder would struggle to do much with those three on the wings, because thats just not their game.

 

you are right in that havinf a central midfielder who could retain possession and get it out wide to one of the wingers might encoourage our back four ro stop panicking and lumping it forward. Iv seen coke and prutton do that job capably for us before, im not sure why they arent doing it at the moment. probably because its sailing over their heads half the time.

 

Not having buxton at right back has robbed us of a great attacking outlet as well.

[BRADDAZ]

There is very little between the vast majority of sides in this division. The fact we've played negatively and poorly pretty much all season and have only lost two games shows this. We're not a million miles away.

We are just crying out for that central midfielder and striker that will not only make us more of a threat offensively will also help us defensively too.

Plus, we need to cut out the odd stupid mistake.

[BRADDAZ]

Indeed.

But a creative midfielder would struggle to do much with those three on the wings, because thats just not their game.

you are right in that havinf a central midfielder who could retain possession and get it out wide to one of the wingers might encoourage our back four ro stop panicking and lumping it forward. Iv seen coke and prutton do that job capably for us before, im not sure why they arent doing it at the moment. probably because its sailing over their heads half the time.

Not having buxton at right back has robbed us of a great attacking outlet as well.

This is where I disagree with you a little. I've never seen Coke & Prutton have any sort of composure on the ball at this level. I can live with one of them in midfield alongside a good central midfielder that is capable with the ball at his feet, but the two of them can't and never have worked. It's killing us both attacking and defending.

I also don't expect us to sign a "creative" central midfielder. They cost, usually a lot of money. They are few and far between at this level.

But I do expect us to sign a central midfielder capable of the defensive side of the game Coke and Prutton do/can offer, but also have some ability on the ball. It's what was crying out to be sorted in the summer and DJ has neglected that area of the team instead ending up with Coke, Prutton, Semedo, McCabe, Corry & Palmer. That's not good planning IMO.

He needs to put that right. I don't think he will though.

Edited August 31, 2013 by BRADDAZ

[Hawkeye]

This is where I disagree with you a little. I've never seen Coke & Prutton have any sort of composure on the ball at this level. I can live with one of them in midfield alongside a good central midfielder that is capable with the ball at his feet, but the two of them can't and never have worked. It's killing us both attacking and defending.

I also don't expect us to sign a "creative" central midfielder. They cost, usually a lot of money. They are few and far between at this level.

But I do expect us to sign a central midfielder capable of the defensive side of the game Coke and Prutton do/can offer, but also have some ability on the ball. It's what was crying out to be sorted in the summer and DJ has neglected that area of the team instead ending up with Coke, Prutton, Semedo, McCabe, Corry & Palmer. That's not good planning IMO.

He needs to put that right. I don't think he will though.

 

Thought they both did pretty well at it last season to be fair, their jobs should be to screen the defence and to move the ball out wide to the wingers and full backs. That is where our best attacking players sit.

 

Personally, with what we have, id stick Prutton and Olofinjana in there if we could sign him. JJ off the bench, so antonio and Helan out wide. Nuhiu needs some one up there alongside him, a leroy lita would be good, i also think a bit of a work horse/donkey in the steve howard mould would do loads for him too.

 

We are literally two signings away from having the right starting 11 out on the pitch.

 

Corry and McCabe out on loan. Semedo offloaded if we can, coke and palmer to come off the bench.

[IstillhateSteveBould]

Sign Olifinjana, play McCabe, put Maghoma in front of them, Antonio on the right, Helan or JJ on the left, and keep the ball on the rumbleing deck. We'd be sound.

McCabe "not being ready yet" or "needing a loan move", is a load of poo . He's better than Coke, Prutton and Semedo.

[Guest UpTheOwlsss]

Start playing maghoma fs instead of palmer'!!

Any idiot saying we don't need a new striker or midfielder is deluded

[BRADDAZ]

Sign Olifinjana, play McCabe, put Maghoma in front of them, Antonio on the right, Helan or JJ on the left, and keep the ball on the flipping deck. We'd be sound.

McCabe "not being ready yet" or "needing a loan move", is a load of poo . He's better than Coke, Prutton and Semedo.

He's better on the ball than those three, but defensively he's a liability at the moment. He needs to learn that side of his game. His play with the ball is decent, but not good enough to make up for his defensive deficiencies. He needs a loan spell, where he can bring on his attacking play but also learn the important defensive side that is needed to succeed at Championship level.

And I'm a McCabe fan. He's got potential and attributes to succeed at an high level, but he needs to do the other side of the game better to fulfil his potential.

We can't let him make mistakes and learn that at Hillsborough. It wouldn't be beneficial to the team or to McCabe.

[Tommo_]

Jesus wept!

 

Ironic.

[IstillhateSteveBould]

He's better on the ball than those three, but defensively he's a liability at the moment. He needs to learn that side of his game. His play with the ball is decent, but not good enough to make up for his defensive deficiencies. He needs a loan spell, where he can bring on his attacking play but also learn the important defensive side that is needed to succeed at Championship level.

And I'm a McCabe fan. He's got potential and attributes to succeed at an high level, but he needs to do the other side of the game better to fulfil his potential.

We can't let him make mistakes and learn that at Hillsborough. It wouldn't be beneficial to the team or to McCabe.

He's not that bad defensively at all. He's certainly not a liability. He reads the game reasonably well and bites into tackles.

The thing is though, that's not what he should be there for. He's more of a Michael Carrick type midfielder for me. Collects the ball from the back four and gets things moving. He's got an eye for a pass and can just keep things ticking over by always being available. Add the fact that he can deliver a good set piece and score from distance, and we've got a tidy little player on our hands.

A player like Olifinjana is there to do the donkey work. Protect the back four, win the ball back, break attacks up and lay the ball off to the likes of McCabe and Maghoma.

There's a reason the likes of Swansea and Everton wanted to sign Rhys McCabe.

[rica]

Our injuries at the back are bad luck but we can't afford to have two sets of defenders.

The need for a forward is clear when you watch our balance of play. We are on top for large parts of games (yesterday, Millwall) yet only get the odd goal. A finisher alongside Nuhiu would get a lot of chances (Lita/Sharpe). We have no chance of finishing int he top half unless we get someone like that in our squad.

I also think we need a creative player, or someone who can cross to offer a different option to the sheer pace we have. Based on a few games I am not impressed with Maghoma but he may grow into that role.

[Inspector Lestrade]

He's better on the ball than those three, but defensively he's a liability at the moment. He needs to learn that side of his game. His play with the ball is decent, but not good enough to make up for his defensive deficiencies. He needs a loan spell, where he can bring on his attacking play but also learn the important defensive side that is needed to succeed at Championship level.

And I'm a McCabe fan. He's got potential and attributes to succeed at an high level, but he needs to do the other side of the game better to fulfil his potential.

We can't let him make mistakes and learn that at Hillsborough. It wouldn't be beneficial to the team or to McCabe.

Just what we need is another defensive midfielder.

Jesus wept

[theowlsman]

You can make stats say what you want.

Ask this government.

[Beztheowl]

Indeed.

 

But a creative midfielder would struggle to do much with those three on the wings, because thats just not their game.

 

you are right in that havinf a central midfielder who could retain possession and get it out wide to one of the wingers might encoourage our back four ro stop panicking and lumping it forward. Iv seen coke and prutton do that job capably for us before, im not sure why they arent doing it at the moment. probably because its sailing over their heads half the time.

 

Not having buxton at right back has robbed us of a great attacking outlet as well.

Swansea seem to have done alright with Dyer and Routledge on the wings - pure pace wingers being used well by a team that plays keep ball. Not saying we need to play like Swansea, but we do need more quality in the middle or we will continue to invite pressure.

[BRADDAZ]

Just what we need is another defensive midfielder.

Jesus wept

Who said we need a defensive midfielder?

[BRADDAZ]

He's not that bad defensively at all. He's certainly not a liability. He reads the game reasonably well and bites into tackles.

The thing is though, that's not what he should be there for. He's more of a Michael Carrick type midfielder for me. Collects the ball from the back four and gets things moving. He's got an eye for a pass and can just keep things ticking over by always being available. Add the fact that he can deliver a good set piece and score from distance, and we've got a tidy little player on our hands.

A player like Olifinjana is there to do the donkey work. Protect the back four, win the ball back, break attacks up and lay the ball off to the likes of McCabe and Maghoma.

There's a reason the likes of Swansea and Everton wanted to sign Rhys McCabe.

Liability is maybe a bit strong, but he certainly isn't good enough defensively.

People need of realise a central midfielder can have attributes to their game both in and out of possession. They can have defensive qualities as well as attacking qualities. As it stand Rhys McCabe cannot play in a two man central midfield, he isn't good enough when we don't have the balls it's mean increased work for whoever is at the side of him, while as you've said we have attacking wingers and ball carriers like Helan and Antonio.

Michael Carrick comparison I can see, but Carrick as good tactical knowledge, positioning and awareness. McCabe needs to learn this side of his game, he's inexperienced and we cannot rely let him make mistakes and learn at Hillsborough. It would be unfair on us/him and detrimental to his development.

I'm a fan of McCabe, he's got a lot of potential, but I don't want us to ruin that.

Loan spell is ideal for him.

[Hawkeye]

Swansea seem to have done alright with Dyer and Routledge on the wings - pure pace wingers being used well by a team that plays keep ball. Not saying we need to play like Swansea, but we do need more quality in the middle or we will continue to invite pressure.

 

two wingers that can cross the ball, with a finisher like Michu to work with. And how often do you see Swansea pump it in the air toward him?

 

as iv said, Olofinjana would be ideal - sticks his foot on the ball, calm and composed, nothing too extravagant.