Midfielders

[Jim]

After starting a topic on strikers yesterday I thought I would do one on midfielders today particularly with all the talk of Conor Hourihane being a target.

 

Even though they dovetailed rather well together last season, I feel Barry Bannan may benefit the most from Kieran Lee's absence. There's no doubting things haven't worked as well this season and Bannan's drop in last season's standards is as much a contributory factor to our stop start form IMO as FF's. I think the opportunity is there now for BB to show us what he's all about and if he does we'll definitely finish in the Top 6.

 

I can't really add much to what's already been said about Sam Hutchinson. Player of the Season in waiting and crucial to us going forward hence the recent contract extension.

 

The signing of David Jones was a strange one. I didn't think we needed another midfielder in the same way I didn't feel we needed to sign BB last season but I was proved wrong then and I expected to be so again. So far he is on the periphery of things and has not forced his way in like BB did. You can't deny his experience of promotion from this league and I still think this could be key this season but it's hard at the moment to see him being a regular in the side.

 

The enigma that is Almen Abdi. The signing that we were most excited about in the Summer. I can't believe we're at the halfway point of the season and there are question marks over his Wednesday future. I think CC needs to bite the bullet and make Abdi feel as important to the cause as some others because if he does then the second half of the season could still be special.

 

I would like to see McGugan given a chance at the club as I think he offers too much not to be. If he's still here in February and we are still struggling for goals in midfield then surely CC has to give him a chance.

 

I think Melo's still waiting for a tram that may take him back to Portugal? Seriously he's a player we may never know what could've been ala Sergiu Bus. The January Window of 2015 was a strange one not unlike the January Window of 2013 where the respective owners of the time were trying to stamp their authority on proceedings shortly after taking over. Following windows have been better for both MM and DC though.

Edited January 14, 2017 by Great Big Galaa

[theowlsman]

I think it would be absolutely Sheffield Wednesday-ish if, after the clamour to sign Hourihane, and allegedly not being able to talk to him, we were then to give Abdi a chance, and discover that he really is the next Messiah, and has just been teasing us for a few months. Then he ends up our player of the season, with Hourihane getting picked up on a free transfer at the end of the season, to be signed by MK Dons.

[Sheffwed94]

Yes McGugan has quality there is no denying that. We've all seen what he can do but I don't think that was ever a question. 

When we signed him permanently for 500k I think everybody though "how the heck have we got him for that" as he'd been our star player while he'd been on loan adding flair and quality to a pretty boring side tbh. That signing for me was made for the fans as everyone wanted that deal done so DC pushed through with it. 

A few more astute signings later and we kick off the season with a fairly slow start tbh, then come our biggest signing in so many years ,FF, and the squad clicks with football being played so slick and pacey that every pundit is praising CC for doing a magnificent job. 

With this McGugan has been frozen out of the squad and everyone started wondering why he never featured but I believe that while he does have quality in CC's eyes he hasn't got enough to replace anyone in our midfield and was a final away from the prem and proving this. 

With Abdi, Jones , Mcmanaman and Reach all coming in to the equation now all of which CC signed and will want them to do better than a signing from people above him ,that last season he didn't see a position in the team for. I personally think that if someone came in willing to pay his wages which a probably 10k+ he'd have gone last summer

[Lord Snooty]

I think Jones had clearly been identified as an experienced campaigner to come in and give Wednesday some defensive midfield nous when it looked like Hutchinson was going to be moved to operate at centre half.

 

As it turns out Loovens looks completely rejuvenated since  he had his gammy leg seen to and Sam has been released once more to majestically hunt the midfield plains, mauling the opposition like sick and mewling puppies.

 

Abdi remains a Father Christmas figure. Someone who I believe in, am convinced of their magic and am desperate to see. 

[aeroswfc]

I don't think we need any other midfielders at all.