Anthony Gerrard Cardiff to Leicester

[ARM1968]

King is quality but needs to be fit, confident, supported and part of a determined team all pulling in the same direction. Get those right and everyone benefits.

King had a dodgy season last year, as did many. His was blighted by injury and confidence.

He will come good and prove his value once againn

[MGLCFC]

Not sure why this is in this thread but...

I like King both as a bloke and as a player.

I've met him a couple of times and his head is well screwed on. He has finesse, he has that special knack of timing his runs into the box beautifully and he has a nice pass.

When on form, King actually runs a game, almost invisibly, much the same as Garry Parker used to under MON.

However, King is only useful in those games where we are controlling the play. Then he has time to orchestrate from the middle of the park.

Where he is not useful is in those games where the team is on the backfoot, being overrun in midfield and the time to set himself on the ball has gone.

He is not slow, but neither is he particular quick. He is slight and easily bundled off the ball. Finally, I've seen it in many games, his engine runs out before other players.

We play Blackburn away within the first few games and their midfield will most likely be Murphy and Etuhu. For me, this is a strong midfield at Championship level.

In a game such as this, I would not even consider playing Andy King. He will, IMO, simply be muscled out of the game, thus rendering our midfield stamping no authority.

Its still the midfield, for me, where my concerns mostly lie with this team.

King a quality player?

I would say yes, but contingent entirely on the opposition we are playing and the nature of the game being played.

Whilst not a football manager, I agree with this assessment of Andy King. In the right type of game he is very good. Unfortunately, what I fail to understand, is that consecutive managers seem to pick players for the following week based on their performance the previous. Whilst this approach appears to make sense, it is not always the level of performance, but the type of opposition you play against, that should determine the team. So in ugly games that are going to be a midfield scrap, I wouldn't entertain King, not because he's not good enough, but it's not his type of game.

[foxfanazer]

Not sure why this is in this thread but...

I like King both as a bloke and as a player.

I've met him a couple of times and his head is well screwed on. He has finesse, he has that special knack of timing his runs into the box beautifully and he has a nice pass.

When on form, King actually runs a game, almost invisibly, much the same as Garry Parker used to under MON.

However, King is only useful in those games where we are controlling the play. Then he has time to orchestrate from the middle of the park.

Where he is not useful is in those games where the team is on the backfoot, being overrun in midfield and the time to set himself on the ball has gone.

He is not slow, but neither is he particular quick. He is slight and easily bundled off the ball. Finally, I've seen it in many games, his engine runs out before other players.

We play Blackburn away within the first few games and their midfield will most likely be Murphy and Etuhu. For me, this is a strong midfield at Championship level.

In a game such as this, I would not even consider playing Andy King. He will, IMO, simply be muscled out of the game, thus rendering our midfield stamping no authority.

Its still the midfield, for me, where my concerns mostly lie with this team.

King a quality player?

I would say yes, but contingent entirely on the opposition we are playing and the nature of the game being played.

Good post yet again Col. Very good player on his day

[Happy Fox]

Where is this defensive midfielder or playmaker? our midfield still looking weak in the middle imo.

[Outfox the Fox]

According to Skysports, Forest are also interested in signing Elliott Ward from Norwich (though I don't know if that was planned in case they didn't get Ayala). IF they don't want him, or don't get him, I would say he'd be a good cover for an injured SSL (I saw him at Cov and he was pretty good). Played alongside Whitbread a few times for the Canaries last season I think (just how many Centre Backs do they have ?!).

Elliott Ward would be a good signing. He was excellent at Coventry and rated/valued highly. Still only 27. If Norwich are considering selling, he'd be a very good replacement for St Ledger. He's much more mobile than both SSL and Morgan.

[Langley]

The quality of Andy King reminds me of the quality of the King Power printing on my new shirt

Think that's a bit harsh. When he was on fire, he was unstoppable. Injury and new/old management can't be easy. And he's not getting games every week.

Where is this defensive midfielder or playmaker? our midfield still looking weak in the middle imo.

DM is Drinkwater and a play maker is Marshall/Knockart (sp)

[Happy Fox]

Think that's a bit harsh. When he was on fire, he was unstoppable. Injury and new/old management can't be easy. And he's not getting games every week.

DM is Drinkwater and a play maker is Marshall/Knockart (sp)

They are more conventional wingers than playmakers Ideally we would have a Koren, Buzasky type player in the middle of the park.

[Bettsj2]

They are more conventional wingers than playmakers Ideally we would have a Koren, Buzasky type player in the middle of the park.

I think the rigid midfield formation of one holding, one creative and two wingers, is nowhere near imaginative enough these days. If you set up in that way, the holding player needs to be exceptional to pull it off and there just aren't those players around. We have the personel to play two holding players (Danns, Drinky, James) who individually may not be the dogs but together can do a good job. After that, the creative players take over and we have a shitload of them for either a diamond, 4-4-2, 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

The area that concerns me is the strikers. We have a few but none of them I look at and think that through the season, will be consistent enough.

[Raw Dykes]

I think the rigid midfield formation of one holding, one creative and two wingers, is nowhere near imaginative enough these days. If you set up in that way, the holding player needs to be exceptional to pull it off and there just aren't those players around. We have the personel to play two holding players (Danns, Drinky, James) who individually may not be the dogs but together can do a good job. After that, the creative players take over and we have a shitload of them for either a diamond, 4-4-2, 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

The area that concerns me is the strikers. We have a few but none of them I look at and think that through the season, will be consistent enough.

I agree about the formation. I hope to see this happen.

As for the strikers, I'm not worried. There's healthy competition up front, and we have different types of forwards. If you think back to last season, for about half of it, due to injuries, we only had Nugent and Beckford available, with only Howard as back up. This meant there were no options, and DN and JB had to be picked, no matter how badly they needed a rest or how out of form they were. This problem should be a thing of the past now, barring a serious injury crisis. If a striker does go off the boil, there should be a few players ready to step in to try to claim a place in the team.

I think there is room for one more defender, and possibly a defensive midfielder, although I think James could be that player.

[Guest Col city fan]

I agree about the formation. I hope to see this happen.

As for the strikers, I'm not worried. There's healthy competition up front, and we have different types of forwards. If you think back to last season, for about half of it, due to injuries, we only had Nugent and Beckford available, with only Howard as back up. This meant there were no options, and DN and JB had to be picked, no matter how badly they needed a rest or how out of form they were. This problem should be a thing of the past now, barring a serious injury crisis. If a striker does go off the boil, there should be a few players ready to step in to try to claim a place in the team.

I think there is room for one more defender, and possibly a defensive midfielder, although I think James could be that player.

James is the one player I literally know nothing about. I hope your'e right RD.

[Raw Dykes]

James is the one player I literally know nothing about. I hope your'e right RD.

I hope so, too! I don't know anything about him either really. It's only the fact that he can play at centre half that makes me think he can't be too bad defensively.

I'm looking forward to seeing how all the new players get on. Hopefully, we've found a gem or two.

Oh, and I can't wait to take my t-shirt off and bang on that perspex!

[m00nie]

so 19 pages and looks like hes not even coming.. well there's a surprise

[Guest Col city fan]

I hope so, too! I don't know anything about him either really. It's only the fact that he can play at centre half that makes me think he can't be too bad defensively.

I'm looking forward to seeing how all the new players get on. Hopefully, we've found a gem or two.

Oh, and I can't wait to take my t-shirt off and bang on that perspex!

I'm still waiting for Berts invite to L1 so that we whip the t's off and can compare chests...

[Leicester_Loyal]

Kingfox will be back tomorrow, and he will be gloating

[Callabinho]

Meh don't really care to be honest, I'd rather we go for a young premiership player on loan as back up, rather than someone who could potentially upset the dressing room!

[Guest Col city fan]

Kingfox will be back tomorrow, and he will be gloating

[Happy Fox]

http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10335~2874726,00.html?

Cardiff City Football Club can confirm that Huddersfield Town have today secured the services of Anthony Gerrard on a three year contract for an undisclosed fee.

Close the thread please.

[Fox92]

As I said, not bothered to much.

[marbelladave]

I think the rigid midfield formation of one holding, one creative and two wingers, is nowhere near imaginative enough these days. If you set up in that way, the holding player needs to be exceptional to pull it off and there just aren't those players around. We have the personel to play two holding players (Danns, Drinky, James) who individually may not be the dogs but together can do a good job. After that, the creative players take over and we have a shitload of them for either a diamond, 4-4-2, 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

The area that concerns me is the strikers. We have a few but none of them I look at and think that through the season, will be consistent enough.

I agree about the formation. I hope to see this happen.

As for the strikers, I'm not worried. There's healthy competition up front, and we have different types of forwards. If you think back to last season, for about half of it, due to injuries, we only had Nugent and Beckford available, with only Howard as back up. This meant there were no options, and DN and JB had to be picked, no matter how badly they needed a rest or how out of form they were. This problem should be a thing of the past now, barring a serious injury crisis. If a striker does go off the boil, there should be a few players ready to step in to try to claim a place in the team.

I think there is room for one more defender, and possibly a defensive midfielder, although I think James could be that player.

You do realise this is Leicester City managed by Nigel Pearson, right........

Gentlemen, we will be playing 4-4-fooking-2.......

[Mark_w]

You do realise this is Leicester City managed by Nigel Pearson, right........

Gentlemen, we will be playing 4-4-fooking-2.......

So we're judging him on the formation he plays now? I love you Foxes Talk.

[Bettsj2]

Pearson experimented with the diamond formation a few times in his first season and played 4-3-3 a few times last.

He prefers 4-4-2 but doesnt stick to it as much as everybody likes to make out.

[teblin]

"

You do realise this is Leicester City managed by Nigel Pearson, right........

Gentlemen, we will be playing 4-4-fooking-2.......

I think it is a myth that Pearson only plays 4-4-2. Granted it is his preferred formation but I'm sure we went through a spell in the play off season playing 4-3-3/4-5-1. I may be wrong.

[Fox42]

Pearson experimented with the diamond formation a few times in his first season and played 4-3-3 a few times last.

He prefers 4-4-2 but doesnt stick to it as much as everybody likes to make out.

Only because we had a shortage of CMs at the time.

[foxfanazer]

I think it is a myth that Pearson only plays 4-4-2. Granted it is his preferred formation but I'm sure we went through a spell in the play off season playing 4-3-3/4-5-1. I may be wrong.

You're absolutely right mate. He does like to make us solid but at home we need to press more and be a little more expressive

[Mark_w]

Only because we had a shortage of CMs at the time.

We played it during the Play-Off season as well, and I'm sure they played it at Hull as well. It's just a myth that people like to use to be anti-Pearson. Let's not forget that he has had a lot of success playing that formation with us before, and now he has had a chance to bring his own players in, if we play 4-4-2, we should do well. But he obviously isn't unwilling to play any other formation.