KentExile

Wasn't really an issue when we had strikers. Now we are trying to flog one of them (Ohashi) to death. If we had some options of the bench, it would look much nicer again Also think Gudjohnsen up top by himself would be lost without Ohashi doing his pressing for him, which necessitates having 2 up top, and therefore limits which system we can use

Purely being pragmatic Cant see us getting 2 starting wingers of anywhere near the required quality in January. Of the players we do have, Hedges is injured, Morishita is not a winger, Kargbo and De Neve are fast players from the bench at most It is easier to find a back up right wing back and starting left wing back (as well as already needing 2 strikers who can minimally do something from the bench)

if its post window Toth Miller Wharton Pratt Alebiosu Baradji Tronstad Cantwell NEW Gudjohnsen Ohashi 2 players brought in as genuine competition for the 2 strikers, decent bench options at the least proper cover brought in for Alebiosu at wing back Ideally bring in cover for Tronstad Morishita can cover Baradji/Cantwell Powell can cover left wing back McLoughlin, O'Riordan , Atcheson, Litherland can cover centre back between them.. there are more pressing concerns Offload where possible - Pickering, Ribeiro, (assuming we stick with wingbacks, both due to system rather than because them them personally) Carter (due to fitness) TGH, Tavares, Henriksson, De Neve, Kargbo, Gueye (aware some of these may have to stay due to lack of takers) Part of my reason for wanting good cover/competition for Alebiosu/Tronstad is to at least try to mitigate against a last minute Hyamesc sale, which I think is more important than finding another middling centre back

ok happily are we are going with what we have currently available? In which case Alebiosu & Cashin are not Or are we going with a post window suggestion?

Just when I thought I would prefer anyone to Ismael, someone proves me wrong

Needs must (given pressing needs up front), I could accept Powell as a 3rd winger if we were to move back to a back 4, as in this scenario, Pickering & Ribeiro should have left back sorted between them Would definitely need 2 first choice wingers in this case though, which would obviously be more expensive than cover for Alebiosu at right wing back, and a new first choice left wing back should we keep the wing backs

My personal preference if we are keeping wing backs is Alebiosu + 1 on the right, and 1 + Powell on he left, or if we are going back to a back 4 and wingers, then 2 new first choice wingers need to be brought in, Powell could be a bench option in this case Recruiting 2 wing backs is probably cheaper than 2 wingers if that makes any difference

just eddied my last response as you typed this, almost word for word the same as your post

Exactly What someone in power at the club needs to decide is, is it wing backs or wingers going forwards, and then recruit 2 of either, one on each side (left and right) At the moment (given injures etc) we have none of both positions, on each side. I can be persuaded that a fit Hedges is adequate on the left as either wing back or winger, but he is not fit, and is unlikely to be until his contract expires. I can likewise be convinced that Pickering, Ribeiro & Miller are ok full back options, but they are not wing backs. Alebiosu, obviously when he returns is perfectly fine on the right in either role I don't care who... Ismael, Gestede, Pasha, (lol), Adam Owen, but someone needs to make a decision and put their neck on the block

exactly, so if a decision was wrongly given in someone's favour (eg a penalty for a dive/non contact) could mean a retrospective loss of any points gained + a points deduction on top (as you suggested) What do we think the players would start doing if a decision is wrongly awarded? The retrospective penally for keeping quiet and hoping they got away with it would be worse than the penalty for saying "no ref, it wasn't a penalty I just fell"

and that would cause players to actively protest against decisions wrongly given in their favour too (even if their was no intent to mislead the referee)

we will presumably find out in midweek when the U21s play Coventry on Wednesday. He played and scored twice in our previous game before Christmas Edit - And can I just stress that Joseph is a 17 year old striker who is fast, strong, and 6 ft odd

If you are desperate to keep the wing backs that have served us so well in the past 10 games Toth Atcheson / O'Riordan McLoughlin Pratt Miller TGH / Montgomery Tronstad Powell Baradji Cantwell Ohashi Powell is the stand out (non centre back) player for the U21s at present, and is a genuine left winger/wing back, It makes no sense that neither he nor Joseph are not a much bigger part of things than they currently are, given our injury situation

Is that on the basis of having never seen the wide players play? Whilst not the required standard, they are better than the current options we have as wing backs, at the very least they may cause a surprise or 2. and its a team without Henriksson, Gueye and De Neve anywhere near it, which should please a few If you are desperate to keep the wing backs that have served us so well in the past 10 games Toth Atcheson / O'Riordan McLoughlin Pratt Miller TGH / Montgomery Tronstad Powell Baradji Cantwell Ohashi

given what is currently available, yes Currently available options at both wing back and on the wing are dire, but at least that is a fairly solid back 4 with players in their natural positions