The Midfield Conundrum

[coolhandfox]

5 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Would be too easy to play through and we’d struggle against any physical sides.

 

We need a proper Ndidi replacement 

True, but I can't see us buying two CM unless we can sell one of Soumare or Skipp.

 

Crazy when you think we spent the best part of 45m on 3 players we can't make a decent pair out of.

 

Scary really.

 

 

 

 

Edited 10 August 2025 by coolhandfox

[Ric Flair]

Sell Winks, use any funds to pay Soumare off. Loan out Skipp.

 

Cifuentes comments last week on our midfield is somewhat perturbing, hopefully thats changed after today's horror show.

[mattlcfc15]

Genuinely think Hamza and Ricardo make the best pairing at the club currently, assuming Winks is off soon. 
 

I’ll never be convinced Soumare is anything other than a waster, and Skipp is seemingly a 5/10 at best at everything even in this league. 

[Jimmy]

Louis Page is really more of a deeper midfielder than the no 10 he's been used as in pre season, I'd like to see him start there in the cup game

[pmcla26]

Where does everyone think Winks is going to go? He’s tidy but not an attractive asset to buy from us

[dmayne7]

BEK should be in there alongside Winks probably or even Skipp if his job is to sit in. Got enough options in the final third to have somebody else play as a 10 really and would definitely suit BEK more.

[OntarioFox]

In order of easiest to most difficult ways to improve our midfield overnight, we need the following:

 

1. Bin off Soumare and put Choudhury at DMF
2. Convince Winks to stay
3. Sign Brownhill

 

Marti has 100% control over the first of those, and he'd probably make the club and those rabid Bangladeshi fans happy while doing so. It's a win-win way to start to address the rot. Choudhury is a meh footballer but a perfectly capable player at this level, and stood out in a Sheff Utd team that bagged 90 points last season. Whatever reservations some of us have, he's 100% a better option than Soumare on today's predictably garbage showing.

 

Edited 10 August 2025 by OntarioFox

[AndyLimpey]

3 hours ago, StanSP said:

Whatever the question, Soumare is not the answer! 

 

 

 

He's clearly not long term.

 

But he improved when Winks came on. I'm not convinced Skipp's performance would've altered at all, he just marks himself out of the game and genuinely doesn't look like he has the "Balls" to play professional football. 

 

I remember when we nicknamed Andy King "The invisible man", he would do nothing in a game and then pop up and score. Oliver Skipp is the true "Invisible Man", he offers absolutely nothing. Again, I'm not saying Soumare is the answer, but his levels at least went up a bit when Winks came on, and I've seen him have "Spells" in games, all be it very infrequent, where he actually has something about him. I genuinely can't tell you something positive Skipp has ever done, it feels like we play with 10 men when he's in the side. 

 

Soumare is called "Lazy" because you want more from him, Skipp's "Laziness" is far worse for me, because he deliberately marks himself out of the game.

[Dan]

Left it too late to do the overhaul required. Rinse and repeat.

[OntarioFox]

1 hour ago, Dan said:

Left it too late to do the overhaul required. Rinse and repeat.

This is also true of course. Shafted by our board's inaction for most of the summer, if we get anyone in for midfield it'll be a last-minute signing, probably a loan, who might not be the right fit. Rudkin masterclass.

 

I'm not going to blame Marti if our midfield options let us down this season, which they will on today's showing. It's a blatant weak link now, and if he's not backed with at least one option I think he's within his rights to blame the tools at his disposal. We're pretty knackered if Winks goes, he's the only one outside the final third with an ounce of forward thinking. I don't think it will cost us too much creatively as we have an embarrassment of riches out wide, but we're not going to dominate the middle of the park like we did last time out, and that could ultimately prove to be our Achilles heel if we want another instant return. We saw early proof today that the level of opposition doesn't matter, teams will create chances against us as our backline have people in front of them incapable of doing the basics to control the game.

 

Edited 11 August 2025 by OntarioFox

[Bptiger]

4 hours ago, OntarioFox said:

This is also true of course. Shafted by our board's inaction for most of the summer, if we get anyone in for midfield it'll be a last-minute signing, probably a loan, who might not be the right fit. Rudkin masterclass.

 

I'm not going to blame Marti if our midfield options let us down this season, which they will on today's showing. It's a blatant weak link now, and if he's not backed with at least one option I think he's within his rights to blame the tools at his disposal. We're pretty knackered if Winks goes, he's the only one outside the final third with an ounce of forward thinking. I don't think it will cost us too much creatively as we have an embarrassment of riches out wide, but we're not going to dominate the middle of the park like we did last time out, and that could ultimately prove to be our Achilles heel if we want another instant return. We saw early proof today that the level of opposition doesn't matter, teams will create chances against us as our backline have people in front of them incapable of doing the basics to control the game.

 

The fact is it took us so long to get a manager in , so he had no say on who he wanted to keep and who he wanted out . Go back over the last 5 odd years we always take to the last couple of days to get anything done , it’s no way to run a club 

[Stadt]

We have 4 senior CMs/DMs and 2 of them have their deals run out in 2026.

 

Whether we go up or down we’re going to have buy at least three CMs without a lot of money to do it. 
 

It’s like it comes as a surprise to Rudkin when these FIVE year deals expire.

Edited 11 August 2025 by Stadt

[Claudio Fannieri]

Winks lacks the physical presence and athleticism to be our DM, yes he can control games but too often he will get bullied out of games. 
 

Our recruitment of central midfielders in the last 3/4 years has been woeful. We have accumulated a group that either can pass but not tackle, tackle but not pass or in the case of Skipp and Soumare do neither. 
 

Winks has become a better player not being in the team, yes he did well 2nd half of yesterday but for the majority of pre season he has been as crap as any. 
 

We desperately need to rip up our existing midfield and start again, so sell Winks and Soumare, buy or loan 2 physical and athletic midfielders and blood Louis Page. 

[coolhandfox]

7 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Sell Winks, use any funds to pay Soumare off. Loan out Skipp.

 

Cifuentes comments last week on our midfield is somewhat perturbing, hopefully thats changed after today's horror show.

What money are we using to by a couple of midfielders? 

Edited 11 August 2025 by coolhandfox

[Pliskin]

7 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Sell Winks, use any funds to pay Soumare off. Loan out Skipp.

 

Cifuentes comments last week on our midfield is somewhat perturbing, hopefully thats changed after today's horror show.

Can’t afford to sell winks if we can’t replace him. Skipp we may be able to loan out and Soumare. Collyer on loan perhaps and then try and sign a young midfielder? CM is definitely a major problem….. we’re losing a lot of possession there and conceding chances through the middle of the park. 

[funkyrobot]

7 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Sell Winks, use any funds to pay Soumare off. Loan out Skipp.

 

Cifuentes comments last week on our midfield is somewhat perturbing, hopefully thats changed after today's horror show.

Winks is outstanding in The Championship. He completely changed the game today. He should stay and start. I agree that the other two are not good enough. Soumare has all the attributes but his application is shockingly bad, Skipp is bang average in every aspect and is better suited to League 1 or 2. Time for Louis Page to stake a claim. 

[jv1]

8 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Sell Winks, use any funds to pay Soumare off. Loan out Skipp.

 

Cifuentes comments last week on our midfield is somewhat perturbing, hopefully thats changed after today's horror show.

Sell winks ? Absolutely not - one of the best players in the division easily - get 2 proper young energetic loans in beside winks and bin the other 2 - absolutely under no circumstances sell winks 

 

is that a click bait post ric ? Seriously actually the only proper footballer we have that can dictate  the pace of a game - we went from a Z to a solid A when he came on - as has been said a million times before not physical enough to play prem but in this league he looks like bloody Xavi 

 

 

Edited 11 August 2025 by jv1

[CrazyKopCorner]

12 hours ago, StanSP said:

Whatever the question, Soumare is not the answer! 

 

 

FM he was super shite yesterday. Does absolutely **** all 

Edited 11 August 2025 by CrazyKopCorner

[winteriscoming]

If he can stay fit I’d have Ricardo in midfield with Winks. Unfortunately I think he’ll continue to pick up injuries. 

[coolhandfox]

Always wondered if Faes could play DCM, he's mobile, physical and decent on the ball.

[It'sblueupnorth]

11 hours ago, FoxinNotts said:

He wants £100k week. Not getting that from us. Think we all need to realise he ain't coming here

He’s not getting that anywhere I’m sure we might look a decent opportunity when the prem clubs that might be interested are put off by his wage demands

[honeybradger]

               Alves

Khannouss   

                   Winks/Page

 

This is our best midfield alongside Ricardo inverting.

 

El Khannouss for progressing the ball up the pitch and his work rate/aerial ability as an 8. Will also be able to drop back and help Winks/Page/Ricardo in the buildup.

 

Alves for his ability to dribble and unlock defences as well as his work rate and tackling.

 

Winks/Page to collect the ball from the defense and distribute it up the pitch.

 

Maybe a bit light defensively but with enough structure we can get away with it at this level.

[VG Fox]

Tomorrow night is a good opportunity to slot in Alves, Page, Nelson maybe Braybrooke on the bench. . At least have a look at these in a competitive fixture.

[Ric Flair]

4 hours ago, coolhandfox said:

What money are we using to by a couple of midfielders? 

 

4 hours ago, Pliskin said:

Can’t afford to sell winks if we can’t replace him. Skipp we may be able to loan out and Soumare. Collyer on loan perhaps and then try and sign a young midfielder? CM is definitely a major problem….. we’re losing a lot of possession there and conceding chances through the middle of the park. 

 

4 hours ago, funkyrobot said:

Winks is outstanding in The Championship. He completely changed the game today. He should stay and start. I agree that the other two are not good enough. Soumare has all the attributes but his application is shockingly bad, Skipp is bang average in every aspect and is better suited to League 1 or 2. Time for Louis Page to stake a claim. 

Winks outlay for this season is north of £6m. Getting his wages and book value gone should be a priority. We could possibly get two players in and be better off, plus not have the issue of him leaving for free next summer.

 

I rate Winks at this level but not enough to keep him for the sake of it. Tarnished his rep last season, get him gone.

[Bordersfox]

5 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

 

 

Winks outlay for this season is north of £6m. Getting his wages and book value gone should be a priority. We could possibly get two players in and be better off, plus not have the issue of him leaving for free next summer.

 

I rate Winks at this level but not enough to keep him for the sake of it. Tarnished his rep last season, get him gone.

But are we going to sign anyone Ric? We've already made some significant savings with players out and made some cash, but there doesn't seem to be even the faintest rumours around us bringing anyone in.