No Midfielder ???

[Flinty]

I don't want to sound like a right moaner when things are going well at present...but....I have to say logging on this morning i am very suprised with all the departures that there is no smiling center midfield player anywhere.

Yes i know we don't sign players just for the sake of it but our current middle pair are not adverse to the odd yellow card and with the greatest of respect Hunt and Clarke are not the players we need to see as back-up in this area.

I hope i'm wrong but, i can see this potentially causing us a problem :(

 

[Kent Shrimper]

Going by Tilly's interview on the OS, it would seem he feels that Forans move is to cover MF as well

 

[smudgster]

I would think tilly would use Bradbury in midfield. The only problem i can see is when Maher and McCormac are both missing. With their disciplinary problems this could be a distinct possibility

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

Like you, I am a little surprised by this. Since the window opened, he have lost:

Guttridge
Smith
Lawson (Loan)
Wilson (Loan)
Paynter (Loan)

and we have brought in Foran.

The big problem for me is Central Midfield - it's not that Maher and Macca are a bad partnership, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility that either (or both) will end up with at least one red card before the end of the season (Macca for a crunching tackle and Maher for dissent) - with the only other option now being to break up a back 4 that is starting to perform well, I see this as slightly concerning.

The only other thoughts I have are:

a. Tilly thinks Moussa is up to covering for them
b. Tilly has Ray Parlour (free agent) lined up to sign today
c. Tilly will use Bradbury in central midfield (apparently used to play there for Oxford)
d. Tilly has someone lined up to come in on loan.

I still trust our management, but am felling slightly nervous!

 

[Stats]

Lets not forget that we can still take players on loan.

I'm sure Tilly will get someone in if he see's were gonna be really struggling for that position. Going by the fact we've signed no-one he must have some confidence in the squad to pull us out of the relegation zone.

 

[Flinty]

The big problem for me is Central Midfield - it's not that Maher and Macca are a bad partnership, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility that either (or both) will end up with at least one red card before the end of the season (Macca for a crunching tackle and Maher for dissent) - with the only other option now being to break up a back 4 that is starting to perform well, I see this as slightly concerning.
QUOTE]

Thats excatly what i was thinking driving in this morning

 

[Kent Shrimper]

The other thing is the lack of competition in midfield which could have a detremental effect on both Maher and Macca as they are gaurantee'ed a place!

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Like you, I am a little surprised by this. Since the window opened, he have lost:

Guttridge
Smith
Lawson (Loan)
Wilson (Loan)
Paynter (Loan)

and we have brought in Foran.

We also sold Mitchell Cole to Stevenage

 

[Pubey]

The other thing is the lack of competition in midfield which could have a detremental effect on both Maher and Macca as they are gaurantee'ed a place!

yep... that was the point i was making about gower, hopefully he will work hard (and JCR and bradbury) now that foran is a strong competitor for his position

 

[Smiffy]

Yep, we need two more midfielders and sharpish in my opinion.

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

Yep, we need two more midfielders and sharpish in my opinion.

Agree two midfielders would be good, although it's not all doom and gloom if we don't get them but we could really do with them being of the fabled "Championship quality". One wonders how many of them are available in the loan market from now on. Not a huge number I'm guessing given that we are entering an extremely crucial point in the league. :confused:

Even if we don't get them though, I think we are in a great place to carry on and have a great chance of staying up, given our recent form as long as crucial players don't get injured/suspended.

 

[MK Shrimper]

So no more signings then? No last minute from last night, news to be released today?

 

[Pubey]

ideally i don't want to break up the back 4 we have at the moment if maher or macca got injured/suspended... however i reckon clarkey would be miles better now as a CM than he was earlier in the season, his distribution is much improved... but resorting to playing people out of position isn't my favourite plan... i reckon francis would be tillys first choice, before moussa and then maybe bradbury/gower

 

[Beefy]

yep... that was the point i was making about gower, hopefully he will work hard (and JCR and bradbury) now that foran is a strong competitor for his position

I don't think that Gower's problem is what he's not being pushed because, realistically, theres been no-one to challenge his spot in the team all season. If he's gone off the boil lately I'd imagine that its because he is knackered. He's had fitness issues in the past and this year he's played just about every minute that he's been available for.

 

[Bromley Blue]

The other thing is the lack of competition in midfield which could have a detremental effect on both Maher and Macca as they are gaurantee'ed a place!

I would agree normally with this sort of thing. That players need competition for their place as a motivator to perform. However, Maher's captain and rightly or wrongly is pretty much guarenteed a starting berth anyway and I feel like Macca is often the most motivated and inspiring player on the field, especially when things arent going so well. IMO we do still need midfield cover, but for as other people have pointed out, when the inevitable happens and one of the dynamic duo gets a suspension.

As for playing Bradbury or Hunt in the centre, I'm of the opinion that this will be ok for short periods i.e one game ban to either Kev or Macca. But should a Karl Duguid situation occur again I'd be worried about the effect it could have on results.

Anyway chins up Southend..we've just beat Birmingham lol!

 

[Smiffy]

So no more signings then? No last minute from last night, news to be released today?

Possibly, but this is SUFC we are talking about....

Unlikely.

:(

 

[limpshrimp]

if either Maher or Mcormack are out gower can slip in to the middle and foran can play on the left, Middle of the park was Gower's prefered position

 

[TrueBlue]

We also sold Mitchell Cole to Stevenage

See this is what ****s me off about Tilson WE ARE NOT IN THE POSITION TO GO LOANING EVERY PLAYER OUT OR SELLING THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

A COUPPLE OF KEY INJURYS AT STOKE AND WE CAN KISS THE SEASON GOODBYE!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Flinty]

TB why did you morph into CHEMICO halfway through your post :eek:

 

[Smiffy]

I think he's got the hump...

:hilarious: