Centre Half

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Would love to see a Bolger or Murray Wallace type being bid for. Would fit in really nicely with the building currently taking place & the philosophy involved in the bids for the likes of Ricky Holmes and Ryan Leonard.
 

Ricky said:
Bennett's the only one I'd want there, but he's been linked with Brighton. Would like us to have a go for him though, would be about the best we could get IMO, especially on a free.
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Agreed, he is at the perfect age, but surprised if he ended up at Brighton if he isn't deemed to be good enough at Norwich. Trouble is players like that will have literally dozens of offers and they take their time to pick the best options with their agents so its essential to be proactive. Like I said I'm worried about the lack of established championship players we have going into next season especially in defence, the likes of Abrahams and Costa will make mince meat of Wright and Basham IMO
 
Alfreton14Blade said:
Would love to see a Bolger or Murray Wallace type being bid for. Would fit in really nicely with the building currently taking place & the philosophy involved in the bids for the likes of Ricky Holmes and Ryan Leonard.
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Trouble is we're expecting too many players as it is to make the step up to the championship, we can't rely on all these gambles paying off for us so we do need some established quality in this division. Last season we did that by signing Fleck and not going to league two/non league (understand its slightly different circumstances granted) so hopefully there will be some balance in the type of signings we get.

If not I fear we will do a Wigan, who expected Bogle from Grimsby to bail them out which didn't work at all.

(Holmes btw whilst quality isn't really the right age, unproven in the championship and would cost a fair bit hope we stay clear tbh)
 
FMBlade1 said:
Trouble is we're expecting too many players as it is to make the step up to the championship, we can't rely on all these gambles paying off for us so we do need some established quality in this division. Last season we did that by signing Fleck and not going to league two/non league (understand its slightly different circumstances granted) so hopefully there will be some balance in the type of signings we get.

If not I fear we will do a Wigan, who expected Bogle from Grimsby to bail them out which didn't work at all.

(Holmes btw whilst quality isn't really the right age, unproven in the championship and would cost a fair bit hope we stay clear tbh)
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Got to say, personally, I'm really enjoying the sense of lower-league cherry-picking (even though I do reckon we will splash out on at least two bigger names later on).

But in Wigan's case, they did make signings of established players (Dan Burn, for one) as well as the type we're currently linked with (like Alex Gilbey), and they still bombed.
 
Alfreton14Blade said:
Got to say, personally, I'm really enjoying the sense of lower-league cherry-picking (even though I do reckon we will splash out on at least two bigger names later on).

But in Wigan's case, they did make signings of established players (Dan Burn, for one) as well as the type we're currently linked with (like Alex Gilbey), and they still bombed.
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I agree it is refreshing the type of players we are bringing in, rather than the 'established' mercenaries we took from the championship whilst being stuck in league one. Wigan also bombed because they had a manager who hadn't been in the championship before, not saying this will apply to us but something to consider. As I said it is a balance but I'll be seriously worried if we continue with the same strategy until the end of the window, still its a long way to go!
 
I think we need an older experienced head in the middle of the back 3 who can organise and has a bit of experience at this level
 
Sharrow Snuff Mill said:
Might be waiting a little while longer to see if there`s possible bonanza of brass from Maguire / Walker transfers.
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I doubt it I don't think Wilder is going to break the wage structure . If we wait we might miss out on then we really want.

Ifnwe get the money it'll probably be instalments and go on a new Desso or something like that
 
McGrath said:
I think we need an older experienced head in the middle of the back 3 who can organise and has a bit of experience at this level
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Gordon Greer could do that for a season.
 
Bladezz said:
CW said he wants 2 Centre halves. So he knows he needs them
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and they are both Harry Maguire, United invoking the 'buy back for same money' clause inserted in the contract when they sold him.
 
FMBlade1 said:
I agree it is refreshing the type of players we are bringing in, rather than the 'established' mercenaries we took from the championship whilst being stuck in league one. Wigan also bombed because they had a manager who hadn't been in the championship before, not saying this will apply to us but something to consider. As I said it is a balance but I'll be seriously worried if we continue with the same strategy until the end of the window, still its a long way to go!
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Yeah, as you say - it's very early yet. Plenty of other sides haven't started actively recruiting yet. (Although I did read that Steve Evans has already brought in 8 or 9 at Mansfield!)

Not so sure about Wigan as cautionary tale though. Seemed to me they changed far too much (betraying a lack of confidence maybe?) They seemed to be on a roll, had momentum, had the fans on board (after previous downers), had money to spare - but they didn't target their recruitment in a productive way. More of a scatter-gun approach it seemed.

Gratifying so far is the sense that CW's recruitment is being very much planned and targeted. Moving on from the maybe generic striker addition that was the first signing, the second involved plugging a gap (pacey winger), as did the third (adequate cover/competition at left-back). And you get the sense that the signings had been worked on for a long time, that they were part of this medium-term planning that CW regularly mentions.

Be interesting to see, as time rolls on, how bigger names fit into this planning.
 
Alfreton14Blade said:
Yeah, as you say - it's very early yet. Plenty of other sides haven't started actively recruiting yet. (Although I did read that Steve Evans has already brought in 8 or 9 at Mansfield!)

Not so sure about Wigan as cautionary tale though. Seemed to me they changed far too much (betraying a lack of confidence maybe?) They seemed to be on a roll, had momentum, had the fans on board (after previous downers), had money to spare - but they didn't target their recruitment in a productive way. More of a scatter-gun approach it seemed.

Gratifying so far is the sense that CW's recruitment is being very much planned and targeted. Moving on from the maybe generic striker addition that was the first signing, the second involved plugging a gap (pacey winger), as did the third (adequate cover/competition at left-back). And you get the sense that the signings had been worked on for a long time, that they were part of this medium-term planning that CW regularly mentions.

Be interesting to see, as time rolls on, how bigger names fit into this planning.
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Wigan are a joke club. If we can't do better than them KM and the Prince should just pack it in.
 
Alfreton14Blade said:
Totally blew it last season. Reversed their slide and - bang!
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There's no sense to what they do. Childish fantasies of discovering the next Eddie Howe or Brendan Rodgers. If Caldwell, a fairly inexperienced first team manager but with a promotion under his belt, was struggling why did they think a totally inexperienced manager like Joyce would do any better?

Gambler's confidence. You take a risk (employing rookie Caldwell) and get away with it so you start to think all your risks will pay off.
 

SteveBlade said:
The more I think about it the more keeping Brayford would make sense. The guy might have married Nigel behind closed doors and be expecting their first child soon, meaning a long maternity that would put Brayford out for the season. But purely in footballing terms, it'd make sense.
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How do you know Brayford is the female in that relationship?
 
BushBlade said:
Wigan are a joke club. If we can't do better than them KM and the Prince should just pack it in.
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Don't tempt our Kev .... just when we pull our selves up, he drags us back in
 
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I would have thought the thinking behind this window will be consolidation, and the January one, when we know how the team is coping will be the one for finishing touches..
 
FriethBlade said:
I want to congratulate everyone who has replied as 20 posts in the name Dan Burns hasn't surfaced....oops I've ruined it !
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If only I could find a 2000 post plus thread to express the joy of us attempting to sign Dan Burn or Sam Morsy :)
 
Waiting til after FA Cup Final for Terry and solves the new season kit thread also as we'll have to introduce all blue.
 
Serious question, for those who saw more football than I did last season. When did the shine come off the EEL relationship? And if, as has been suggested, the consensus is he plays well when an experienced CB partner is telling him where to stand, who to mark etc, could he come back into contention alongside an experienced CB signing? I have in terms of raw material (pace, strength, goal threat at set pieces etc) he looks a more plausible long term right-sided CB to me than Bash
 
Talking of centre halves and maybe signing an experienced one to marshal the back 3 or 4....the combined age of Ajax's 2 centre halves tonight is 37...yes 37...who needs experience ?
 
TTMeysh said:
Serious question, for those who saw more football than I did last season. When did the shine come off the EEL relationship? And if, as has been suggested, the consensus is he plays well when an experienced CB partner is telling him where to stand, who to mark etc, could he come back into contention alongside an experienced CB signing? I have in terms of raw material (pace, strength, goal threat at set pieces etc) he looks a more plausible long term right-sided CB to me than Bash
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EEL had his first bad game when the Wolves manager came to watch him, late November when we struggled at home against 10 men (was it Bury or the game after, can't remember). For me he struggled when CW played him as the spare defender in the middle of 3 centre halves. When he was on the right side, matched up against a forward (especially a big forward) with Jake Wright in the middle talking him through the game, he was a different player. Very similar to Shaun Murphy, when he had an organiser alongside and didn't have to think, he was great, alongside a non-talker very shaky.
 
SUFC Handsworth said:
EEL had his first bad game when the Wolves manager came to watch him, late November when we struggled at home against 10 men (was it Bury or the game after, can't remember). For me he struggled when CW played him as the spare defender in the middle of 3 centre halves. When he was on the right side, matched up against a forward (especially a big forward) with Jake Wright in the middle talking him through the game, he was a different player. Very similar to Shaun Murphy, when he had an organiser alongside and didn't have to think, he was great, alongside a non-talker very shaky.
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Walsall at home?
 
The fleetwood centre half looked decent , we def need a /couple of CH,s with EEL and Wilson in exit door, I like Bash at back in 352 but he's never looked comfortable as a CH in 442 in the past but that might have be down to the calibre of partner at side of him .
 
If we go for a less proven option for the central defensive role then Cian Bolger could be the best bet, because that's where he played for Fleetwood last season.
 
Basham is not good enough to play centre half at this level. He had a few good months towards the end of last season, but he is too error prone. This will be punished more at a higher level. He also likes a ridiculous, rash tackle, and against forwards with quicker feet and better technique he will pick up bookings and give away dangerous free kicks and penalties. Not to mention he will get caught out of position when he gets tackled carrying the ball forward.

He's also terrible in midfield, so hopefully he won't play there.

Once we get a couple of replacements signed, he is one I would sell.
 

McGrath said:
I think we need an older experienced head in the middle of the back 3 who can organise and has a bit of experience at this level
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So does Tufty. That's exactly the type of player he wanted to bring in last year but couldn't get. He hasn't changed his mind. A big, dominant, leader will be joining us. I don't know who, but Brayford won't be playing centre-back.
 
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