Central midfield. I think we have three very good centre mids in Stephens, Hollands and Pritchard but it would be great to get an out and out attacking midfielder who could hold that place down.
I think Stephens has the ability to do that sort of role but he does have a tendency to drop too deep to cause enough problems. Can you imagine if he drove forward more and tried more long shots from range?
Central midfield. I think we have three very good centre mids in Stephens, Hollands and Pritchard but it would be great to get an out and out attacking midfielder who could hold that place down.
I think Stephens has the ability to do that sort of role but he does have a tendency to drop too deep to cause enough problems. Can you imagine if he drove forward more and tried more long shots from range?
Good point about Stephens. Would love to see him scoring more goals like the one v Bmouth
People wanting to replace Hamer, will have serious egg on their faces sooner rather than later. He is one of the best talented young keepers coming through. Very lucky to have him IMO.
Sounds harsh but I would replace Jackson with a pacy left winger. I'm not not convinced that Jacko should play out wide.
Agree with this, though I'd probably move him to central mid
i've often thought this about Jacko, but the weight of evidence against him is that when the opportunity to play him centrally has come along, neither Parkie or Powellie have played him there.
Central midfield to play alongside Hollands, in the Parker role. When Hughes played a defensive role last season Hollands managed to get forward and even scored a couple.
Hollands is good enough to be the enforcer, and people talk of Stephens being the playmaker but he made a lot of good last ditch challenges last season, I think they are both good box to box midfielders. Why make one of them a Semedo type player and the other a Shelvey when both can do both jobs?
I didn't feel we looked commanding enough in central midfield last season, in the league below, so that's why I think it's an area we could improve. That's not to say that Hollands, Stephens and Pritchard don't have big parts to play. Kermorgant's amazing work-rate helped a great deal last season, but improving that area means he can save energy for forward play.
Adlene Guedioura at Wolves would be a decent call. Played well for Forest on loan from Jan-Apr so is fairly proven in the Championship.
People wanting to replace Hamer, will have serious egg on their faces sooner rather than later. He is one of the best talented young keepers coming through. Very lucky to have him IMO.
I second that. Still very young for a GK and will only get better.
And I must add that I've never seen a keeper pick on his team-mates from 50 yards so consistantly as he does. Great asset to have.
Think if we had Joe Hart some people on here would still moan that he's not good enough..............
Central midfield to play alongside Hollands, in the Parker role. When Hughes played a defensive role last season Hollands managed to get forward and even scored a couple.
This is so true and seems to have been forgotten by many, including SCP when we persisted with making Stephens/Hollands work when the Hollands/Hughes partnership seemed our strongest.
But if I could improve one player/position it would be BWP. His number of goals was good, but considering he played pretty much every game a return of 22 goals isn't amazing in that pub league and his goals to shots ratio will need to improve big time considering he'll have far fewer chances in the Chsmpionship.
I personally don't think there would be too much of a problem if Hollands was urged to sit more and Stephens was to push forward more. I think its more down to Powell the way they play so not sure how much difference a new midfielder would be.
I don't really understand BWP being particularly highlighted.
His return of 22 goals in 41 matches last season, is very respectable. Most strikers don't get a better return than averaging 1 goal in 3 games.
Sure, he had that mid-season patch where nothing would go right for him - but he finished the season strongly.
And if he had nicked a few goals during that lean patch, then his tally would have been nearer to 30 goals.
Apart from a weakness 1-on-1 with the keeper, BWP is a natural finisher (look at the goal he scored against Carlisle to win promotion, for example). I feel BWP will always score goals - and that he's as good as the service he receives.
I guess people compare him with Jordan Rhodes, who had an absolutely exceptional season - and who'd be hard pressed to get anywhere near the same return this coming season.
Still think Stephen Quinn is the midfielder we need. Can play wide left if Jackson is injured / out of form or can also offer creativity in the middle by playing CM / just behind the front man were he played quite a bit for sheff utd at the end of last season.
He needs to move if he wants to get in the Ireland squad and even though Sheff Utd have now got some money in from the sale of Lowton I still think Quinn will move on this summer as well.
Centre midfield / Striker back up / option alongside BWP / Another decent centre back / right back cover / Pacy Left winger
If we go in as the team we have, will be lower mid table, a decent centre midfield will bring us to mid table, add in a striker we are getting close to top 6 and with pacy left winger - centre back cover and right back cover we are top 6. Add in a decent right wing and we are promotion material.
Remains to be seen, if any of the above is fulfilled.
It may be a step too far in the championship having just been promoted but a brave manager would play stephens just behind a sole central striker with hughes holding and wagstaff and Hollands holding and breaking on the counter .thing is that I don't think that despite his energy wagstaff would be good enough to rely upon to put his foot in although Hollands ought to be .also BWP would be the striker to play that role and he doesn't work hard enough and hasn't got a good enough strike rate to make that work.the biggest problem is that our best player kermogant wouldn't get in on this basis which would be a travesty.also we don't presently have an out and out winger who is good enough in such a formation although I would definitely start a fully fit Green .so forget everything I said !
Agree we should sign a player in Hughes' mould, but good enough for the Championship, which in turn would free up his partner (be that Hollands or Stephens)
It has to be central midfield. Last season even with a superb back four and more than adequate front two we were often out played and out battled in the centre. The front and back quality in division one papered over this considerable crack. Without at least one very good centre midfielder coming in I really think we will struggle against most of the Championship sides. For a team that quite honestly pissed the league it's one of the reasons that we rarely had very much more possession than the opposition but still won. Central midfield is a must.
It has to be central midfield. Last season even with a superb back four and more than adequate front two we were often out played and out battled in the centre. The front and back quality in division one papered over this considerable crack. Without at least one very good centre midfielder coming in I really think we will struggle against most of the Championship sides. For a team that quite honestly pissed the league it's one of the reasons that we rarely had very much more possession than the opposition but still won. Central midfield is a must.
Spot on. And that's not to say that individually Hollands, Stephens and Pritchard aren't up to Championship level, I'm sure they will be. But they will be further helped if we can add a strong central midfielder to play alongside one of them. Also some games may warrant a 4-5-1 or 4-1-4-1 formation, and that could mean Stephens and Hollands both starting alongside a new man, if we got one.
AFKABartram
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EDIT: That is being semi realistic .. I'd LOVE it if we signed Messi etc etc .. but ............................
I think Stephens has the ability to do that sort of role but he does have a tendency to drop too deep to cause enough problems. Can you imagine if he drove forward more and tried more long shots from range?
Agree with Bedsaddick also.
No disrespect to Cort, Taylor and Mambo, but I'm not confident in their ability to play at Championship level.
If Morro gets injured or suspended, we'll have two of those three players at the heart of our back four. God help us.
Also Wiggins creates many goal scoring opportunities, as seen by his number of assists.
And many of Jacko's goals come from drifting into the box late and unmarked.
Plus set pieces, of course.
Adlene Guedioura at Wolves would be a decent call. Played well for Forest on loan from Jan-Apr so is fairly proven in the Championship.
But we generally need to strengthen most of the midfield.
And I must add that I've never seen a keeper pick on his team-mates from 50 yards so consistantly as he does. Great asset to have.
Think if we had Joe Hart some people on here would still moan that he's not good enough..............
But if I could improve one player/position it would be BWP. His number of goals was good, but considering he played pretty much every game a return of 22 goals isn't amazing in that pub league and his goals to shots ratio will need to improve big time considering he'll have far fewer chances in the Chsmpionship.
I'd go for a new CB
His return of 22 goals in 41 matches last season, is very respectable.
Most strikers don't get a better return than averaging 1 goal in 3 games.
Sure, he had that mid-season patch where nothing would go right for him - but he finished the season strongly.
And if he had nicked a few goals during that lean patch, then his tally would have been nearer to 30 goals.
Apart from a weakness 1-on-1 with the keeper, BWP is a natural finisher (look at the goal he scored against Carlisle to win promotion, for example). I feel BWP will always score goals - and that he's as good as the service he receives.
I guess people compare him with Jordan Rhodes, who had an absolutely exceptional season - and who'd be hard pressed to get anywhere near the same return this coming season.
He needs to move if he wants to get in the Ireland squad and even though Sheff Utd have now got some money in from the sale of Lowton I still think Quinn will move on this summer as well.
If we go in as the team we have, will be lower mid table, a decent centre midfield will bring us to mid table, add in a striker we are getting close to top 6 and with pacy left winger - centre back cover and right back cover we are top 6. Add in a decent right wing and we are promotion material.
Remains to be seen, if any of the above is fulfilled.
I'd like a centre half with a bit more pace and mobility any budding rufus's out there !
And if hughes starts games we're gonna be in a relegation battle , he is not good enough for a regular championship berth imo