THE MOST IMPORTANT SIGNING OF THE SUMMER !?

[moseeds]

Moseeds, I'm playing Devils Advocate here - Everton were struggling very badly at the beginning of the season and survived by scoring less than 1 goal a game (34 in total). The only way to stay up therefore is not as you say. Your way may be better, but it is not the only way.

Our whole philosophy should be to at least attempt to demolish the opposition. We know we can do this. Sheffield Utd? Stoke? I and thousands of others do not want to watch city score less than one goal a game on a regular basis. I remember grumbles on this board regarding our scoring prowess not too long ago. City needs bums on seats. I agree though this is not the only way. But as far as I know football is about entertainment.

Disagree (i think). If I read you right you are saying that if someone is playing badly, we can assume that a replacement will not play as bad. Bit like Trevor Benjamin and Elvis then who were equally as shit for differing reasons.

No. I am referring specifically to our youth team players. We had the liberty of seeing players such as Benjamin and Elvis in both reserves and first teams - and at both levels they were below average at best. We know we have players in our youth/reserves/whatever you want to call them, who play CONSISTENTLY well at reserve level. It does not take a huge leap of the imagination to realise that they *COULD* perform at the first team level.

Struggling here. Are you saying that if someone stays fit all season, they aren't either playing to their full ability or trying hard enough? If so, I reckon Frank Lampard might have a differing view. Exactly how many of our players avoided injury all season?

No sorry I should have been clearer. Again it is the same point I make above. If a reserve/youth player is playing CONSISTENTLY well at a certain level, then it stands to reason and basic logic that they *COULD* perform at a higher level.

Might it just be that they are not ready for first team action and that Craig Levein and Rob Kelly actually saw that after working with them and seeing them more regularly than probably anybody on the boards? My best friend has a son who has just been voted Best Young Player within a Championship club, a bit like Louis Dodds. He tells me he has seen his son at academy level and reserve level and there is a massive gulf when he comes up against first teamers in the opposition. He would love his son to play first team football but says he needs to learn more. The place to learn is not necessarily the first team at the end of the season.

O'Grady was loaned out, came back stronger and is now knocking on the first team door. Why are more players not loaned out? I agree completely there is a huge gulf between the youth/reserves and first team. But if you never try and give certain players first team experience then how will you know when they are ready? Unless more youth players are actively loaned out then we will never know.

The message is surely not one that is given in one or two team selections. These guys are constantly appraised and talked to. Their career path does not swing on whether they are picked at the end of the season. They know what is expected of them at all times. Look at the string of prodigal sons that have been touted in the past and who have come to absolutley nothing. Petrescu, Stephenson, Dudfield, Dawson etc etc etc. Few prove themselves elsewhere either.

And look at the ones that were given a chance to show what they could do. Heskey, Piper, Stearman, Wesolowski and now O’Grady. The club is not rich at this moment in time. If we believe we have a modicum of talent lying in wait then it must be used. It’s not as though we set the league alight last year with our current first team players. What harm would there be in trying out a few of the youth/reserves in irrelevant matches?

Again I disagree. I think that when the job was done the foot did go off the pedal a touch but what a job it was. Third from bottom and staring relegation in the face. The performances by the same squad changed. They proved that they were worthy of their places.

Yep, agree completely. But how long are they worthy of their places for? The whole season? Through good times and bad?

What? change the team how often? How many changes should we make week in week out to ensure that EVERY resource is used? Are you including Tiatto in that despite your dislike for him?

As I said previously, there is no need to chop/change on a hourly/daily/weekly basis. Rob Kelly’s position was minimum disruption to the first team by changing only one or two players max when possible. Instead of using Sylla and Tiatto who are proven wastes (see the number of threads dedicated to them), he could have attempted to use at least one youth player in place. In my opinion, Tiatto's value as a resource is negligible.

Can anyone seriously answer this question – what strategic value did Tiatto and Sylla add to the team in the last few games of the season which could not be at least emulated if not bettered by a youth/reserve team player?

My main gripe is that there was no effort to try one or two players from the reserves/youth as a boost to the academy players AND staff for their excellent season. It would also serve as a warning to players "coasting" into next season with places assured because of their heroics. I do not understand this obsession with believing blooding youth players requires the whole first team to be dismantled on a weekly basis. We could easily have rested a player or two in the closing games - their lack of fitness was definitely a contributory factor to the poor results.

Apologies for the long post.

[Manwell Pablo]

I'm sorry its a nice idea but we can't walk out and demolish every single team we play, also 4-2 is hardly a drubbing espically when you've concided two stupid goals. Stoke? Sheff u? Each game needs to be approached differntly, using a balanced team capable of both creating, attacking football with a solid carm defense side to their game, that way you have a variety of tatics at your disposal.

You'l be suprised, youth team players can play poorly as well, to say they possible can't play any worse is ridcolous, of course they can Sheehan, Crewe. I'd say that was worse then any Danny Tiatto performance. Of course I will now be shouted at as the boy who can walk on water should never be mentioned in the same sentance as that evil Austrlian free loader.

Tiatto, Sylla this, Sylla Tiatto that, Tiatto, Sylla this, Sylla Tiatto that. They haven't been playing, why are these two players bought up so much? I'd understand if they were in the team every week. A new signing will be bought into to play in midfield along with Williams/Weso, Hughes stuck out on the left if we dont get a left winger in which will probabley will, Maybury hasn't been too bad at right wing he does give us a more defensive option which allows Stearment to get foward a bit more ( bealive it or not they can't both be in the final thrid of the field all the time) Hughes is a possabilty on the right if a left winger is bought in. Now in Hughes we have a player who we know can play well, has had a badish season, had a tough time IMO. However instead of attempting to get a 18 year old into the team to "play regularly" when he's not viewed as ready by the coaching staff. We should be getting behind Hughes hopeing he can "play regularly" and capture some form.

Dodds and Porter should be given the odd chance on the bench im not denying that. Anything more then that is too much to soon and will probabley do more harm then good. Loan as I have said before is always a excellent option and allows you to get a good view of your players in a first team situation without risking them being diabolical for your own first team.

In Regards to the people you mentioned breaking into the first team ( Heskey etc ) do you not notice a pattern. Heskey, Piper, Stearman, Wesolowski and O’Grady were given a chance at the right time. Petrescu, Stephenson, Dudfield, Dawson etc were not.

[Strokes]

Dodds and Porter should be given the odd chance on the bench im not denying that. Anything more then that is too much to soon and will probabley do more harm then good. Loan as I have said before is always a excellent option and allows you to get a good view of your players in a first team situation without risking them being diabolical for your own first team.

In Regards to the people you mentioned breaking into the first team ( Heskey etc ) do you not notice a pattern. Heskey, Piper, Stearman, Wesolowski and O’Grady were given a chance at the right time. Petrescu, Stephenson, Dudfield, Dawson etc were not.

I think thats all thats being asked for and i can totally understand why he didn't until we were safe.

You can hardley say the other ones on your list were given a chance, with less 3 caps between them, having said that the only one that should have warrented a chance, was Dawson.

[bald reynard]

I'm sorry its a nice idea but we can't walk out and demolish every single team we play, also 4-2 is hardly a drubbing espically when you've concided two stupid goals. Stoke? Sheff u? Each game needs to be approached differntly, using a balanced team capable of both creating, attacking football with a solid carm defense side to their game, that way you have a variety of tatics at your disposal.

You'l be suprised, youth team players can play poorly as well, to say they possible can't play any worse is ridcolous, of course they can Sheehan, Crewe. I'd say that was worse then any Danny Tiatto performance. Of course I will now be shouted at as the boy who can walk on water should never be mentioned in the same sentance as that evil Austrlian free loader.

Tiatto, Sylla this, Sylla Tiatto that, Tiatto, Sylla this, Sylla Tiatto that. They haven't been playing, why are these two players bought up so much? I'd understand if they were in the team every week. A new signing will be bought into to play in midfield along with Williams/Weso, Hughes stuck out on the left if we dont get a left winger in which will probabley will, Maybury hasn't been too bad at right wing he does give us a more defensive option which allows Stearment to get foward a bit more ( bealive it or not they can't both be in the final thrid of the field all the time) Hughes is a possabilty on the right if a left winger is bought in. Now in Hughes we have a player who we know can play well, has had a badish season, had a tough time IMO. However instead of attempting to get a 18 year old into the team to "play regularly" when he's not viewed as ready by the coaching staff. We should be getting behind Hughes hopeing he can "play regularly" and capture some form.

Dodds and Porter should be given the odd chance on the bench im not denying that. Anything more then that is too much to soon and will probabley do more harm then good. Loan as I have said before is always a excellent option and allows you to get a good view of your players in a first team situation without risking them being diabolical for your own first team.

In Regards to the people you mentioned breaking into the first team ( Heskey etc ) do you not notice a pattern. Heskey, Piper, Stearman, Wesolowski and O’Grady were given a chance at the right time. Petrescu, Stephenson, Dudfield, Dawson etc were not.

It's all gone a bit quiet on Piper's possible return. There was talk a couple of months ago, about him coming back if his knee(s) were 'up to it' - obviously they weren't ! Another 'Muzzy situation' ?!

[Manwell Pablo]

I think thats all thats being asked for and i can totally understand why he didn't until we were safe.

You can hardley say the other ones on your list were given a chance, with less 3 caps between them, having said that the only one that should have warrented a chance, was Dawson.

Exactly my point they weren't give a chance because they were not good enough, and none of them including Dawson have yet to prove us wrong.

[Thracian]

Exactly my point they weren't give a chance because they were not good enough, and none of them including Dawson have yet to prove us wrong.

You keep saying they are not good enough. Out of interest have you seen a lot of Dodds, Porter, Chambers for instance?

[Manwell Pablo]

You keep saying they are not good enough. Out of interest have you seen a lot of Dodds, Porter, Chambers for instance?

some not alot, Chambers espically I have struggled to see regularly due to him being out quite alot . It doesn't matter how many times you seem the Thrac you don't apperciate the gulf (evident by the fact you think half the youth team should be getting into the first team squad ) in class so there for your opinion is totally null and void

I was reffering to the rubbish we have relsead from the reservers any way.

[Sir Fynwy]

You keep saying they are not good enough. Out of interest have you seen a lot of Dodds, Porter, Chambers for instance?

What's it matter if he's seen them, Rob Kelly and the rest of the coaches have and they don't think they are ready.

[Manwell Pablo]

What's it matter if he's seen them, Rob Kelly and the rest of the coaches have and they don't think they are ready.

And the point I was makeing was that we dont have a history of letting great youngsters slip through the net, if they are good enough the paid proffesionals will spot this, I would understand your CONSTENT complaining on this subject and your inabilty to talk about anything else, if we had actually ever released a young player who'd gone on to great things, however we haven't.

[Thracian]

some not alot, Chambers espically I have struggled to see regularly due to him being out quite alot . It doesn't matter how many times you seem the Thrac you don't apperciate the gulf (evident by the fact you think half the youth team should be getting into the first team squad ) in class so there for your opinion is totally null and void

I was reffering to the rubbish we have relsead from the reservers any way.

You love to perpetrate the myth that I want half the youth team in the squad but no matter I have seen all the players mentioned loads of times and some of our midfield players far too often. And if Levi Porter is not a better midfield player than at least two of our regulars then I must have mistaken him for someone else.

Indeed if Leicester play wing backs and a 3-5-2 formation then I can think of no-one better in our club to be threading through the killer passes than Levi Porter. No-one else does the job consistently.

But Porter can. His control is excellent and he has the ability to spot a pass to go with it. Since Christmas he has been like a military general in the Reserves midfield. And, he never stops running.

What I also find strange is that, while Wesolowski is trumpeted without question, Porter is overlooked. The two are of similar size and are not a million miles apart in style. Wesolowski a good passer but perhaps more combative, Porter less of a tackler but a more telling passer and always willing to shoot. Both have endless energy and awareness.

You talk about gulfs. Finnish international midfielder Haapala (a double winner with his Finnish club) came on trial from Manchester City and Porter completely outclassed him. He played consistently well against good reserve teams while the City midfielders I referred to hardly played well at all in the same sort of role (they were mostly effective only as spoilers).

Whether you are actually making a case for such ineffective players or whether you simply have no faith in young players (despite their being the rock on which our survival was affected) I don't know.

Adjustment is needed for Championship football (and people should understand that) but the massive gulf you seem to imagine is a myth. These youngsters play among such players both in training and in reserve matches time and again.

I don't claim that Porter should categorically play. I would simply like to find out because I'm convinced he's better than what we've got so if we're only going to buy someone else of that quality we might as well save the money and pin our faith in a lad who already understands how we try to play.

If we're going to buy better that's different.

[moseeds]

Dodds and Porter should be given the odd chance on the bench im not denying that. Anything more then that is too much to soon and will probabley do more harm then good. Loan as I have said before is always a excellent option and allows you to get a good view of your players in a first team situation without risking them being diabolical for your own first team.

There you go. That is at least a start. Putting youth on the bench seems to be a no go area too this season. You say "probably". This argument is completely based on that assumption that "probably" they are not good enough but "maybe" they are. City are in a position where they must gamble and take risks to an extent because we just don't have the resources to do otherwise.

Tiatto, Sylla this, Sylla Tiatto that, Tiatto, Sylla this, Sylla Tiatto that. They haven't been playing, why are these two players bought up so much? I'd understand if they were in the team every week. A new signing will be bought into to play in midfield along with Williams/Weso, Hughes stuck out on the left if we dont get a left winger in which will probabley will, Maybury hasn't been too bad at right wing he does give us a more defensive option which allows Stearment to get foward a bit more ( bealive it or not they can't both be in the final thrid of the field all the time) Hughes is a possabilty on the right if a left winger is bought in. Now in Hughes we have a player who we know can play well, has had a badish season, had a tough time IMO. However instead of attempting to get a 18 year old into the team to "play regularly" when he's not viewed as ready by the coaching staff. We should be getting behind Hughes hopeing he can "play regularly" and capture some form.

Before Sylla went off to Africa he was in the team every week. Whenever Tiatto was fit he was in the straight away. Doesn't that raise alarm bells in your opinion? You HOPE Hughes regains form? I hope so too. In the mean time would it hurt the team replacing Tiatto or Sylla (or both?) with someone from the reserves? It might even spur Hughes on regain his form sooner. We have hoped Sylla and Tiatto can (recapture?) form all season - it did not exactly happen and it did not look like it would have happened either. So how can you still insist on denying a youth team player a chance in their role? I am not saying the 18 year old should play regularly regardless of the situation. But at lease give them a chance when/if possible!

[Thracian]

What's it matter if he's seen them, Rob Kelly and the rest of the coaches have and they don't think they are ready.

If all the managers and all the coaches we've had in the last few seasons were always right we wouldn't have spent so much of this season fighting off potentially the biggest embarrassment of our history. And we wouldn't have such an ordinary side. It is so easily forgotten but Kelly was as much part of the beginning of the season as the end and we finished a pretty miserable 16th.

[Manwell Pablo]

You love to perpetrate the myth that I want half the youth team in the squad but no matter I have seen all the players mentioned loads of times and some of our midfield players far too often. And if Levi Porter is not a better midfield player than at least two of our regulars then I must have mistaken him for someone else.

Indeed if Leicester play wing backs and a 3-5-2 formation then I can think of no-one better in our club to be threading through the killer passes than Levi Porter. No-one else does the job consistently.

But Porter can. His control is excellent and he has the ability to spot a pass to go with it. Since Christmas he has been like a military general in the Reserves midfield. And, he never stops running.

What I also find strange is that, while Wesolowski is trumpeted without question, Porter is overlooked. The two are of similar size and are not a million miles apart in style. Wesolowski a good passer but perhaps more combative, Porter less of a tackler but a more telling passer and always willing to shoot. Both have endless energy and awareness.

You talk about gulfs. Finnish international midfielder Haapala (a double winner with his Finnish club) came on trial from Manchester City and Porter completely outclassed him. He played consistently well against good reserve teams while the City midfielders I referred to hardly played well at all in the same sort of role (they were mostly effective only as spoilers).

Whether you are actually making a case for such ineffective players or whether you simply have no faith in young players (despite their being the rock on which our survival was affected) I don't know.

Adjustment is needed for Championship football (and people should understand that) but the massive gulf you seem to imagine is a myth. These youngsters play among such players both in training and in reserve matches time and again.

I don't claim that Porter should categorically play. I would simply like to find out because I'm convinced he's better than what we've got so if we're only going to buy someone else of that quality we might as well save the money and pin our faith in a lad who already understands how we try to play.

If we're going to buy better that's different.

Which we undoubtly will,

Im sorry if I miss interpretated you thread on Theortical football, but I thought you'd implied the youth team would have the better of out first team in a competitve match. If that doesn't imply half the youth team should play I dont know what does.

if your going to sit there and attempt to call Tuomas Haapala a good footballer im going to have to laugh. If Porter didnt out class him he should of been thrown out the door with him, and ask for our first teamers playing in the reserves... im not suprised they aren't playing well. Levi, Louis ect have something to play for in the reserves he's a regular and its probabley more focused on progressing with the reserves then the full team, Young and Hungry as you say, Elvis Sylla and Tiatto ( all rubbish any way ) really couldnt care less how they play, dont want to play reserve football and, Sylla is a unmotivated lazy *&^&*(. Elvis will never be able to finish, I have never rated the lad and would rather have De Vries playing as stated at the start of the season. A in form Stephen Hughes or Alan Maybury who really wanted to play well at reserve level would make Levi Porter look ordinary. The case im makeing is for those two mainly, the case im also makeing is we should buy a CM instead of promoting a youth team player, Im also makeing a case for Rob Kelly juedgement regarding giving players a chance. Im also makeing a case that you moan to much about the same subject, when its not even that much of a issue.

[Thracian]

There you go. That is at least a start. Putting youth on the bench seems to be a no go area too this season. You say "probably". This argument is completely based on that assumption that "probably" they are not good enough but "maybe" they are. City are in a position where they must gamble and take risks to an extent because we just don't have the resources to do otherwise.

Before Sylla went off to Africa he was in the team every week. Whenever Tiatto was fit he was in the straight away. Doesn't that raise alarm bells in your opinion? You HOPE Hughes regains form? I hope so too. In the mean time would it hurt the team replacing Tiatto or Sylla (or both?) with someone from the reserves? It might even spur Hughes on regain his form sooner. We have hoped Sylla and Tiatto can (recapture?) form all season - it did not exactly happen and it did not look like it would have happened either. So how can you still insist on denying a youth team player a chance in their role? I am not saying the 18 year old should play regularly regardless of the situation. But at lease give them a chance when/if possible!

Yes and how did we do while Sylla was constantly being selected by Levein - and despite so many fans calling stop - we were awful. Sylla scored no goals and made very few. For instance, in nine out of the 10 League matches in which he was picked during the whole of November and December we won once. QED.

[moseeds]

...Elvis Sylla and Tiatto ( all rubbish any way ) really couldnt care less how they play, dont want to play reserve football and, Sylla is a unmotivated lazy *&^&*(. Elvis will never be able to finish, I have never rated the lad and would rather have De Vries playing as stated at the start of the season...

So now you have also inentified weakness in the team. Would you agree that at least ONE of them could have been appropriately replaced by a youth team player for a modicum of time? That is the only argument I am making. Nothing more. If the youth player was not good enough it would have been apparent. But instead the team suffered by having useless dead-weight players in it all season.

[Thracian]

Which we undoubtly will,

Im sorry if I miss interpretated you thread on Theortical football, but I thought you'd implied the youth team would have the better of out first team in a competitve match. If that doesn't imply half the youth team should play I dont know what does.

if your going to sit there and attempt to call Tuomas Haapala a good footballer im going to have to laugh. If Porter didnt out class him he should of been thrown out the door with him, and ask for our first teamers playing in the reserves... im not suprised they aren't playing well. Levi, Louis ect have something to play for in the reserves he's a regular and its probabley more focused on progressing with the reserves then the full team, Young and Hungry as you say, Elvis Sylla and Tiatto ( all rubbish any way ) really couldnt care less how they play, dont want to play reserve football and, Sylla is a unmotivated lazy *&^&*(. Elvis will never be able to finish, I have never rated the lad and would rather have De Vries playing as stated at the start of the season. A in form Stephen Hughes or Alan Maybury who really wanted to play well at reserve level would make Levi Porter look ordinary. The case im makeing is for those two mainly, the case im also makeing is we should buy a CM instead of promoting a youth team player, Im also makeing a case for Rob Kelly juedgement regarding giving players a chance. Im also makeing a case that you moan to much about the same subject, when its not even that much of a issue.

I really don't know where you take paragraph two through from the notion that the Reserves (withj O'Grady) might well beat the first team (over 70 minutes I think I said, but it doesn't matter) in a one-off challenge to the idea that half the reserves should play regularly in the first team! I won't elaborate but the one simply doesn't and didn't follow on from the other.

As for Haapala, I would never dream of calling him a good footballer. But he was brought along for a trial by someone who clearly thought he might be.

[Hullfox]

Moseeds, thanks for the long reply.

Good debate, you do make some very pertinent points and were prepared to at least consider my answers.

Top Posting

[moseeds]

No problem Jason! I just had a few things to get off my chest! The quality of the arguments for and against have been top notch. Good stuff!

[Manwell Pablo]

So now you have also inentified weakness in the team. Would you agree that at least ONE of them could have been appropriately replaced by a youth team player for a modicum of time? That is the only argument I am making. Nothing more. If the youth player was not good enough it would have been apparent. But instead the team suffered by having useless dead-weight players in it all season.

Well no mate Elvis has been replaced by Fryatt already IMO and is pretty much no longer needed by the club as he rarely even makes the bench ahead of O'Grady. Hopefully he will be going, to help bolster our rather empty piggy bank. ( although i suspect not by much )

As it stands the middle of the park looks week, as well as paper thin, in pretty much all departments. Promoting another young player who isn't ready is not the way though, a new signing is.

[moseeds]

Well no mate Elvis has been replaced by Fryatt already IMO and is pretty much no longer needed by the club as he rarely even makes the bench ahead of O'Grady. Hopefully he will be going, to help bolster our rather empty piggy bank. ( although i suspect not by much )

As it stands the middle of the park looks week, as well as paper thin, in pretty much all departments. Promoting another young player who isn't ready is not the way though, a new signing is.

This is just it. Unless oil has been struck next to the river, we cannot rely on buying players whenever we feel there is not enough cover or competition for a place. Judging by comments from this forum we need cover in almost every department - goal, defence and definitely midfield. How is city going to afford 3 QUALITY players?! Should we not at least TRY and save money if possible.

[Manwell Pablo]

This is just it. Unless oil has been struck next to the river, we cannot rely on buying players whenever we feel there is not enough cover or competition for a place. Judging by comments from this forum we need cover in almost every department - goal, defence and definitely midfield. How is city going to afford 3 QUALITY players?! Should we not at least TRY and save money if possible.

Well I wasn't expecting us to line up a deal for C.Ronaldo and Rafeal Van der Vaart. Whilst trying to temp Pavel Nedved to end his carear with a one deal year at Leicester.

Oil hasn't been struck obviously. Im sure however Kelly can land a GOOD CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYER or two with what little money we've got, anything else depends on the outgoings, this is why we need rid of some players namely Mark De Vries, Elvis Hammond, Joe Hammil and Sylla if we can get anything in excess of 75,000 for any of them ( apart from De Vries who could command a bit more of a fee, his age hampers him though ) then we should be biteing off the hands of any club stupid enough to bid. Just a case of waiting to see if there is any interest I suppouse. I dont think we will be rid of all four, mind you I never thought any one would be dumb enough to bid for Jordan Stewart but I thought wrong.

[Thracian]

Well no mate Elvis has been replaced by Fryatt already IMO and is pretty much no longer needed by the club as he rarely even makes the bench ahead of O'Grady. Hopefully he will be going, to help bolster our rather empty piggy bank. ( although i suspect not by much )

As it stands the middle of the park looks week, as well as paper thin, in pretty much all departments. Promoting another young player who isn't ready is not the way though, a new signing is.

Finding two or three midfield players that we can sign for a total of next to nothing sounds like a real interesting treasure hunt.

Is there a footballers sale of the Century I haven't heard of?.

And if there is are we going to be the only competitor and if not are we going to be able to offer the best terms in these days when secrecy hardly exists and agents' mouths leak like the country's water pipes?.

People talk about trusting the manager's judgment on players because he's the professional. I don't always but by that yardstick why should the equally professional staff at other club's be looking to give good quality midfielders away for almost free?.

They won't. And Kelly is a football manager not a magician.

He might be wise to look at what we've got before splashig what little money he has and even then he will have to be absolutely sure he was getting better than what he already has (including Wesolowski and Porter) because our record over the last 12 months with signings has only rated about 6/10.

My first target would be a winger or two who can pass and shoot. There is considerable uncertainty about whether certain players, particularly in midfield and defence, will be here or not but whatever happens, we need some width.

Once the winger/s arrive the situation may be clearer in other areas and by waiting we may avoid spending money on people we don't need.

[moseeds]

Spot on thracian. I think we can get away with the current defence, our real problem is midlfield which needs a lot of 'remoulding' before we even set sights on that top bit of the table.

[Swedging]

Spot on thracian. I think we can get away with the current defence, our real problem is midlfield which needs a lot of 'remoulding' before we even set sights on that top bit of the table.

I don't know how much remoulding is going to be necessary, really. I'd be happy to see Weso, Williams and Hughes as the heart of the midfield and one of the reasons that I was half-pleased Joey left is that this should mean Williams is further forward more often and able to show more of those moments of pure passing genius he (almost alone in this squad) can deliver. It's someone on the left side we still need and given Welsh's loan spell, it's clear that's what Kelly's thinking too.

[moseeds]

I don't know how much remoulding is going to be necessary, really. I'd be happy to see Weso, Williams and Hughes as the heart of the midfield and one of the reasons that I was half-pleased Joey left is that this should mean Williams is further forward more often and able to show more of those moments of pure passing genius he (almost alone in this squad) can deliver. It's someone on the left side we still need and given Welsh's loan spell, it's clear that's what Kelly's thinking too.

I think the 2 wings need sorting out as soon as possible. Then we would have 3 players to choose from in central midfield positions - Hughes, Wesolowski and Williams (not sure about Weso, but the other 2 are useless on the wings). I do hope WIlliams gets forward more often , almost given a free role because he doesn't add much to the team defensivly, so why not let him roam the playground and show off?