Cover or Competition ?

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Keen Blade

Look Sharp !
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What do these terms mean + where are they relevant ?
Let's start with GK. There'll be 3 in the 25 and no2 & no3 will be cover for a clear No1.
Then strikers - we have 5 who are all in competition - LM , OMcB , CR & DMcG , but let's assume 6 as Leon will be replaced.
CW has said he wants better quality here but I doubt he'll want more than 6 in total.
So that leaves us with 16 slots for defence & midfield which breaks down quite neatly into 10 defenders & 6 midfielders.
In defence there's a clear first choice back 5 which we all know. But only Robinson is possibly comp for JoC. Jags & Bryan are no more than cover.
If we wanted proper competition , I would have let Jags & KB go. But we haven't , so there's only 2 slots available. Our wingbacks are so important , they both need competition , so we need to recruit a quality WB on each side.
Maybe we'll replace KB with a quality CB to provide competition for Bash & Egan.
In midfield we have proper competition between Norwood & Berge. Then there's 3 lefties (Freeman Fleck & Osborn) but only 1 rightie in JL.
To me we need proper competition for RMF if LF leaves. And if JL leaves we need 2.
CW is on record as saying he wants real competition for all outfield places.
That means recruiting RWB , LWB , CCB/RCB & RMF.
He's also said he wants better quality at the top of the pitch which means upgrading the strikers.
If the squad is to improve , we have to ditch the idea of bringing in "cover" players.
If it's true that we are looking at such as Matty Cash , this is an encouraging sign.
 

Kean Bryan isn’t going to be anywhere near our first team squad. Is he still even here?
 
What do these terms mean + where are they relevant ?
Let's start with GK. There'll be 3 in the 25 and no2 & no3 will be cover for a clear No1.
Then strikers - we have 5 who are all in competition - LM , OMcB , CR & DMcG , but let's assume 6 as Leon will be replaced.
CW has said he wants better quality here but I doubt he'll want more than 6 in total.
So that leaves us with 16 slots for defence & midfield which breaks down quite neatly into 10 defenders & 6 midfielders.
In defence there's a clear first choice back 5 which we all know. But only Robinson is possibly comp for JoC. Jags & Bryan are no more than cover.
If we wanted proper competition , I would have let Jags & KB go. But we haven't , so there's only 2 slots available. Our wingbacks are so important , they both need competition , so we need to recruit a quality WB on each side.
Maybe we'll replace KB with a quality CB to provide competition for Bash & Egan.
In midfield we have proper competition between Norwood & Berge. Then there's 3 lefties (Freeman Fleck & Osborn) but only 1 rightie in JL.
To me we need proper competition for RMF if LF leaves. And if JL leaves we need 2.
CW is on record as saying he wants real competition for all outfield places.
That means recruiting RWB , LWB , CCB/RCB & RMF.
He's also said he wants better quality at the top of the pitch which means upgrading the strikers.
If the squad is to improve , we have to ditch the idea of bringing in "cover" players.
If it's true that we are looking at such as Matty Cash , this is an encouraging sign.

Jagielka had his contract extended to cover the extended period of the season only. I have not seen anything about a possible new contract for him.
Bryan has one more year on his contract but as was loaned out this season, it is most unlikely he will be included in the 25.
Berge was "under 21" this season so was not in the 25, but will have to be included next season
 
We're not as simple as that, our LWB has to play LW and LB and LCB, should the need arise as does the right side. Theres only really one out and out defender - the CB, everyone else has to fit the system. Thus replacing, cover or competition is that much harder. Jags, JRob & JRod are all offering a lot as they now know the system. As with all recruitment it will take time for any replacement to get up to speed so the upgrades have to be a good fit - the link to Cash, appears to be good one.
 
Jagielka had his contract extended to cover the extended period of the season only. I have not seen anything about a possible new contract for him.
Bryan has one more year on his contract but as was loaned out this season, it is most unlikely he will be included in the 25.
Berge was "under 21" this season so was not in the 25, but will have to be included next season
Jags has been offered a further 12 months but I dunno if he's signed it yet.
 
We're not as simple as that, our LWB has to play LW and LB and LCB, should the need arise as does the right side. Theres only really one out and out defender - the CB, everyone else has to fit the system. Thus replacing, cover or competition is that much harder. Jags, JRob & JRod are all offering a lot as they now know the system. As with all recruitment it will take time for any replacement to get up to speed so the upgrades have to be a good fit - the link to Cash, appears to be good one.
Hasn't Rodwell gone now ? I thought his contract had expired + I don't remember hearing him being offered an extension ?
I agree that there's some flexibility like Enda moving inside to cover JoC (and Osborn playing LWB) but we've got JRobinson for JoC.
I could also see Bash covering GB but I wouldn't want Jags or GB covering Bash.
I think we are very vulnerable to absences at the back + we shouldn't be relying on "cover" if it means dragging a specialist out of his normal position.
Currently Bash & Egan are unchallenged in their positions and it's fortunate for us that they are highly committed players who haven't eased-off because they know they haven't got competition for their places.
We have also been fortunate with injuries & suspensions.
I think we need at least 2 or possibly 3 new defenders who will provide competition as opposed to cover.
 
Wherever possible we should sign competition.

We may have to sign a couple of cover players like Jags for another year as we build
 
I find the Rodwell thing is interesting. He clearly has (or had) talent a few years back and could play RCB (where we definitely need cover) or DM. On the other hand, just haven't heard much at all about how he's fitting in, attitude and desire. It could save us millions if he's not a hopeless case a la Ravel. I haven't seen enough to make a call based on what he's done on the park due to limited opportunities because Bash has been so bloody good. Genuinely interested to hear any insights though.
 
I find the Rodwell thing is interesting. He clearly has (or had) talent a few years back and could play RCB (where we definitely need cover) or DM. On the other hand, just haven't heard much at all about how he's fitting in, attitude and desire. It could save us millions if he's not a hopeless case a la Ravel. I haven't seen enough to make a call based on what he's done on the park due to limited opportunities because Bash has been so bloody good. Genuinely interested to hear any insights though.
JRod didn't force his way into the team in the main
season, few could , but as he is in last chance saloon he may be going for a bigger wedge and asimpler role. Sander's height might have presumed to be the long term CB solution, but not to be.
Going for 1 player slotting in multiple positions is attractive but the Osborn's of the market are tough to pick out. May have to sacrifice quality for capability.
 
JRod didn't force his way into the team in the main
season, few could , but as he is in last chance saloon he may be going for a bigger wedge and asimpler role. Sander's height might have presumed to be the long term CB solution, but not to be.
Going for 1 player slotting in multiple positions is attractive but the Osborn's of the market are tough to pick out. May have to sacrifice quality for capability.
Thanks. I think Berge could be a fantastic player for us at DM/RM, but he looks atrocious in the air for a big fella, so not a RCB for me unless that improves. That leaves us thin on cover for Bash unless Keane Bryan comes good which looks like a long shot. Hence why I was thinking whether Rodwell could still have a part to play if we want to prioritise the transfer budget elsewhere. Not sure he's going to get offered megabucks anywhere given his reputation, so could be a good fit for us.
 
Wiki says Kean Bryan is "currently moving on loan to a team in the Indian SuperLeague" (!) - so it looks like he won't be in the 25.

So if we exclude him & Rodwell but include Jags , we currently have 21 players , leaving 4 vacancies.
There's 3 slots in defence + I hope we get a WB for each side & a RCB/CCB.
There's also 1 vacancy for a striker to replace Leon.

In terms of upgrading , a first choice GK will replace either Moore or Verrips.
I've got a feeling LF may leave to get more starts + be replaced by a ball-carrier on the right , unless Berge continues to be used there.
The advantage of someone like Cash is that he could provide quality competition for RWB & RMF.
If JL leaves , we'll defo need a new RMF in addition to Cash.
Up front , CW might stay with 5 in total if it means he can improve the quality - but who would leave ?

I reckon CW's minimum recruitment aim , at high quality (not just cover) , must be :
GK
RWB/RMF (eg Cash)
LWB
RCB/CCB
ST
That makes 25 given that Moore or Verrips will leave.
In an ideal world , if he can get 2 loans , that leaves 3 significant transfer fees to fund.
 
If we just sign cover then we'll not progress.

Not necessarily, with better cover we'd probably have been at least 6 points better off this season. It was when we were forced into changes that the wheels fell off.
 

Not necessarily, with better cover we'd probably have been at least 6 points better off this season. It was when we were forced into changes that the wheels fell off.

I disagree to an extent, we need cover obviously but we’ve always got to try and improve our first 11. The moment we think we’re fine, we could easily find ourselves in a relegation battle.
 
I disagree to an extent, we need cover obviously but we’ve always got to try and improve our first 11. The moment we think we’re fine, we could easily find ourselves in a relegation battle.

I get what you're saying, and to. An extent I agree. Attacking wise we definitely need more quality and need a probable starter.
Obviously we also need a first choice keeper.
When it comes to defence and wing backs though (I.e. Matty Cash) I'm of the opinion that we are better of strengthening the cover options and prioritising our spends at the top end of the pitch.

The swift rumours are a good example of this, fairly cheap and likely not to be a starter. But as Osborn has highlighted, cover and competition aren't always different things.
 
I like competition. Signing Osborn to push Fleck is to cover an injury.

Signing Cash to battle with Baldock is competition.
 
“Indian super league” eh? :D

That sounds about right for him.

40,000 rupees a week he’ll be on. (That’s about £400).

GLTTL anyway. I thought he was poor and a bit of a poser. But I hope he makes a career for himself, if not in football, in a Bollywood musical.
 

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