January signings

[Guest wilyfox]

I think Wildsmith will make a few more apps for us this season even though we're out of the cup. Westwood isn't the most robust, physically, and I'm sure Joe will be given F.A.Cup duty here in January.

[gurujuan]

That may have been based on Hooper doing the business and extending. Not impressed so far - I doubt Chansiri will be either, given the expense.

Quite, and as one of the few who had reservations about Hooper anyway, based on what friends in Norfolk had told me, it's kind of what I feared. He still has time to come good, if nothing else, he does score goals. The problem is, when the goals aren't there, he contribute very little to the team, and his inclusion unbalances the side. We need to give him a bit more time, but also, maybe try and take a look at Matias in a more forward role. Then if Hooper isn't cost effective, but Matias shows promise, send Hooper back to Norwich. A Forestieri, Matias and Joao link up, looks a better footballing option to me anyway.

[Guest wilyfox]

Quite, and as one of the few who had reservations about Hooper anyway, based on what friends in Norfolk had told me, it's kind of what I feared. He still has time to come good, if nothing else, he does score goals. The problem is, when the goals aren't there, he contribute very little to the team, and his inclusion unbalances the side. We need to give him a bit more time, but also, maybe try and take a look at Matias in a more forward role. Then if Hooper isn't cost effective, but Matias shows promise, send Hooper back to Norwich. A Forestieri, Matias and Joao link up, looks a better footballing option to me anyway.

It does, but when one or two of those names are missing, all of a sudden we are lacking. Nuhiu is enjoying another one of his baron spells that last for months, and Hooper can't play high intensity the way Carlos wants.

[IstillhateSteveBould]

Can't help but think we're still short of a strong, proven striker. An Oliviera, Wood, Martin, Kiké type.

Joao looks an amazing prospect but he's still raw and learning, he could without the pressure of being the main man, Nuhiu's just not up to the standard we need (sorry), Hooper like guru says is just a goal scorer who offers very little else.

Forestieri is first name down, but until Joao can play every game and reach the sort of consistency levels we need, we don't really have a good partner for him.

[Guest wilyfox]

We line up with a workmanlike midfield; grafters with some technical ability - Which is fine, but the onus is then on the forwards to produce something a bit special. Joao and Forestieri can do that, and when up to speed I reckon Matias has so much more he can offer. Don't see where Hooper and Nuhiu fit into that. Neither suit a high press and counter the way Carlos sets us up.

[gurujuan]

Can't help but think we're still short of a strong, proven striker. An Oliviera, Wood, Martin, Kiké type.

Joao looks an amazing prospect but he's still raw and learning, he could without the pressure of being the main man, Nuhiu's just not up to the standard we need (sorry), Hooper like guru says is just a goal scorer who offers very little else.

Forestieri is first name down, but until Joao can play every game and reach the sort of consistency levels we need, we don't really have a good partner for him.

Don't disagree, but in the absence of such a player, I'd rather play Joao every week than bring in someone who upsets the balance. We can't accommodate a poacher, as such, into our style of play. We need someone who has enough footballing ability to play with Forestieri, offers physical presence, and is prepared to close down opponents high up the pitch. All of the options we've been linked with, in my opinion anyway, haven't been quite right. The hope was, I suppose, that Hooper might compensate for those failings, by sheer weight of goals. That hasn't happened yet, and it's starting to look like an expensive miscalculation

[The Night-Owl]

Its clear Hooper isn't at it, lacks match sharpness, confidence and fitness. He still may come good but if he doesn't I'd consider not extending his loan and looking at loaning in someone else instead such as a Bamford or someone like that if possible? We need all our back up players during this heavy winter period of fixtures, we're already carrying plenty of knocks and injuries, carrying unfit and unsharp loanees doesn't help.

See where we are in January and try and get rid of the players that aren't cutting it or aren't good enough for a play off push and strengthen our back up options. I'm sure DC and CC are considering plenty of options from all angles and ways to improve. Hopefully we'll get back to doing the things we were doing well in previous weeks and if anything just keep pace till January and not lose too much ground, then I'm pretty sure we will strengthen the squad. We need better back up options and competition for the likes of Hunt, Hutchinson, Bannan, Wallace and upfront, if anything to keep our first choice players on their toes and to return to playing the way CC wants us playing with intensity, energy, pressing, keeping possession and getting players from midfield into the box.

The Cup exit isn't the end of the world, there's no shame in losing to a established and experienced PL outfit. We're still exceeding expectations and only just outside the top six by goal difference. Only concerns would be the games coming thick and fast, injuries and carrying players not fully fit or sharp but we will find out over this hectic festive period which back up players aren't good enough, whether Hooper can get up to speed and where we need to strengthen.

[DIPPS_S.W.F.C]

Get Antonio in on loan and Ravel Morrison in too keep Hooper he'll come good with better service and fitness.....

[IstillhateSteveBould]

Don't disagree, but in the absence of such a player, I'd rather play Joao every week than bring in someone who upsets the balance. We can't accommodate a poacher, as such, into our style of play. We need someone who has enough footballing ability to play with Forestieri, offers physical presence, and is prepared to close down opponents high up the pitch. All of the options we've been linked with, in my opinion anyway, haven't been quite right. The hope was, I suppose, that Hooper might compensate for those failings, by sheer weight of goals. That hasn't happened yet, and it's starting to look like an expensive miscalculation

Agreed, out of the 3, Joao needs to play alongside FF as much as possible. Pressure on the lad that he could do without but he's the best option even at this early stage in his career.

With Hooper, I wouldnt go as far as to say I'd rather have Stevie May, but is there such a gulf between the 2 that warrants paying probably 4/5 times the wages per week when we could have kept him? I'd say no personally. Similar type of player but May would have at least offered the workrate of Forestieri, Bannan etc

[DIPPS_S.W.F.C]

Get Antonio in on loan and Ravel Morrison in too keep Hooper he'll come good with better service and fitness.....

[gurujuan]

If we do end up with a Forestieri, Joao, Matias front three, we would then have to look at our full backs. They need to push up the pitch and supply the width. That trio are full of creativity and invention, but would perhaps leave us a little narrow. Our midfield has enough defensive capabilities to allow the full backs to push right up. In theory, the strength of all our full backs, you'd say, was the attacking part of their game, so it shouldn't be a problem to instruct them to play a little further forward. We have the players here to play that system, though perhaps do lack the back up in forward areas.

[The Night-Owl]

The only problem I see with playing a front three is that most of our attackers are too similar. We've got Forestieri and Matias to play in behind the focal attacker but not many if any back up options for them cos the rest of our attackers are more suited to that focal attacking or holding it up role. Perhaps we would consider a front three if we had attacking options who were more different to one another.

We seem more suited to a five man midfield type set up or one of its variants. With Forestieri, Lee and Bannan, etc offering support to the main attacker, pressing the opposition, counter attacking and linking up the play from midfield into attack by defending or harrassing from the front.

We need to play more to our strengths again, which might be difficult over this heavy winter period which we face with players dropping out like flies. That's why we need the back up players to step up and not carry unfit or unsharp players and get back to playing CC's way.

Edited December 2, 2015 by MilansMissingMarbles

[vulva]

Unless he was injured last night, Hunt isn't good enough defensively for me. Is also get the impression teams have worked this out. Everything Stoke did last night came down his side.

[S36 OWL]

Get Antonio in on loan and Ravel Morrison in too keep Hooper he'll come good with better service and fitness.....

 

You been smoking Crack ? 

[gurujuan]

Unless he was injured last night, Hunt isn't good enough defensively for me. Is also get the impression teams have worked this out. Everything Stoke did last night came down his side.

Stoke aside, they're a Premier League side after all, I get the feeling Hunt, as with our other full backs, is a bit stuck in the middle. I agree with you, the defensive side of his game, is weaker than his offensive. That's actually true of all our full backs, but I think it's more by design, than accident. Palmer and Helan are both better going forward, than they are defensively. So what did we do, we didn't look to sign good solid full backs, the emphasis was very much on more of the same. It's our game plan, or it was. Recently, the full backs seem to be a little bit in limbo. Kind of not really solid enough defensively, but neither get forward in the way they did earlier in the season. We need to remind ourselves why we recruited the type of full backs we have. They are there, essentially to provide attacking width, so play to their strengths.

[Beholder]

Prior to last night I thought we were in for a chance.

 

Now we have been decimated by injuries I am less confident.

 

Our three must prominent players are now injured.

 

The main thing we lack is a quality pacy winger and a proper good striker.

 

Joao is still too raw.

[bladeshater]

It is what it is

[Woodie]

Joao has a terrible first touch. And it really doesn't come with age at 22 you should be able to trap the football. Some of the basics are wrong. I think he will always look raw because of the skill set he has. Technically not that great, but big pacy strong. (Puts tin hat on)

[BRUCE LEE]

Joao has a terrible first touch. And it really doesn't come with age at 22 you should be able to trap the football. Some of the basics are wrong. I think he will always look raw because of the skill set he has. Technically not that great, but big pacy strong. (Puts tin hat on)

 

[gurujuan]

Joao has a terrible first touch. And it really doesn't come with age at 22 you should be able to trap the football. Some of the basics are wrong. I think he will always look raw because of the skill set he has. Technically not that great, but big pacy strong. (Puts tin hat on)

Not sure that's right, as he can do it. He can pull off a piece of sublime skill, but then, yes he'll struggle to repeat it. That should get better with experience.

Edited December 2, 2015 by gurujuan