Baptiste / CB Situation

[Slim Man]

It's a complex one, we clearly are light in the CB area. If rumours are to be believed Watford want McGuiness but can't afford his wages (Jesus, how much is he on?)

I think he's started the season pretty well, but ultimately his level is lower end championship at best. He's big but not remotely commanding or strong. I'd be delighted to see him out the door IF we had 4 centre backs - but we don't.

Again, if rumours are to be believed we have agreed a deal with Adam Webster and are after Joe Worrall on loan. Both good signings in their own right. But give us another issue if we sign them and can't shift McGuiness on - Baptiste becomes fifth choice.

I like him, think he's really promising and developing nicely. I was impressed yesterday and have been every time I've seen him play. He's 22, it's time to give him a chance not loan him out again, he should be one of 4 as he's our only real chance of a profit in that area of the pitch.

If we can't get rid of McGuiness (again, he's started well but having watched him for a full season last year and given the reviews of Luton fans... no thank you) then I'd hate for us to sign 2 centre halves and block his path to the first team.

Looks a real talent, just like One and in my view Marsh though others may not agree - he needs game time and we are going to have to accept his mistakes if and when they come as that's the position we are in at the moment.

FWIW either Webster or Worrall would be really good signings...

 

[Sheffsteel]

Agree..it is a tricky one.

Our defence was quite poor last season, altho Cooper’s bad form didn’t help.
So Wilder has highlighted strengthening the defence as the priority this season.

Therefore it appears or appeared most of our transfer budget was going on a central defender….Souttar or Webster.

However based on pre-season and the early games….its becoming noticeable that defence is currently our strength.
So is spending loads of money on central defenders a priority any more?

Would be terrible if we spent £6 million on Souttar, put him in the side, then we suddenly start leaking goals.
Can just imagine it, our fans calling for Souttar to be dropped and play O’Connell or Baptiste instead.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Baptiste looked very steady, McGuinness’s involvement will directly correlate to where we finish in the table. If he plays most games, we’re no better than a mid to lower Championship team. He’s passable (but can’t pass!) as a centre back, but he’ll make mistakes.

Tanganga will also make mistakes and needs a presence alongside him.

We really need to play with 3 cb’s in my opinion due to these mistakes and weaknesses. When we come up against decent teams, they’ll exploit them. Even Wrexham know just to load the ball onto our cb’s and play from there.

If we sign 2 experienced cb’s and they’re fit, we’ll benefit massively.

 

[Tarqs]

We do need another option anyway, can't just rely on Baptiste.

That said, we are desperate for a left winger. I'm fed up of seeing players playing there who aren't wingers. Hamer, then C O'Hare and yesterday Louie Marsh was left wing.

Wingers, forrads and a number 10.

 

[loyalblade95]

If we're going to persist with the 5 at the back we used against Swansea, Baptiste might be alright for minutes as he'd be Tanganga's backup.

If we signed both Worrall and Webster, I'd expect our defence to look something like this.

Seriki-Tanganga-Mcguinness-Worrall-McCallum

Baptiste: RCB cover
Webster: CB/LCB cover
Doherty: RWB/RCB cover
Burrows: LWB cover
RND: LWB/LCB cover

 

[dexter101]

If we stick to 4 at the back, I think we will sign another CB, then if McGuinness goes, sign another on loan.

Tanganga
Webster
Worrall/McGuinness
Baptiste

If we are planning on 5, as loyalblade95 says.

 

[ancientblade]

ive advocated on here to go to a back 3 but wilder seems to favour a back 4 especially so if burrows is sold hes spoken about bringing a left winger in on loan johnston or cleary would be my choice now that clarke seems to be out of the picture one things certain we cant play coh out there again

 

[ancientblade]

If we stick to 4 at the back, I think we will sign another CB, then if McGuinness goes, sign another on loan.

Tanganga
Webster
Worrall/McGuinness
Baptiste

If we are planning on 5, as loyalblade95 says.

we need 2 imo as i still think mcguinness may be sold and looks like it could be 2 from souttar webster and worrall

 

[dexter101]

we need 2 imo as i still think mcguinness may be sold and looks like it could be 2 from souttar webster and worrall

I agree. As it stands would rather take the 2 cheaper options. I like Souttar and know little about the other 2 really but I don't think we can afford what they are asking.

 

[ancientblade]

I agree. As it stands would rather take the 2 cheaper options. I like Souttar and know little about the other 2 really but I don't think we can afford what they are asking.

webster and worrall are both good solid centre backs and if both fully fit would be starters in front of mcguinness but only my opinion personally i think baptiste will develop in to a top centre back

 

[JD88]

Wonder if McGuinness has played his way back into favour (I would still look to move him on) and theres a world where Baptiste goes out on loan (top end league 1) and we still sign 2 (worrall and Webster)

 

[Menage a petit pois]

Our problems are greater in other areas of the pitch imho. If we are able to get loans/freebies before the window shuts then i would prefer them to be players higher up the pitch.

 

[ancientblade]

Our problems are greater in other areas of the pitch imho. If we are able to get loans/freebies before the window shuts then i would prefer them to be players higher up the pitch.

your correct but we definetly need at least 1 new centreback even if mcguinness stays i think a couple will be sold so imo we need 4 to come in

 

[KMC-1889]

Baptiste is a great deputy for Tanganga and I’d like to see the two rotated to protect Japhet when fixtures start to pile up.

I think McGuinness would be a good back up to have but by the sounds of it his wages mean he needs to be justifying a first team slot. I can see one of Webster or Worrall coming but struggle to see both, as they’ll both want to play. Feels like they’re being lined up as options for when McGuinness signs somewhere else.

Don’t think a deal is close for any of the team that played last night, no way would we be allowed to risk players in a competitive game if they were in discussions with another club.

 

[S64 Blade]

I'd imagine it is Webster or Worral, not both, but I may be wrong.

Totally agree though that he looks pretty comfortable and deserves a chance. Better to give players a go that are ours than taking chances on extra loans of free transfer on older players with injury records.

 

[Slim Man]

I'd love us to get rid of McGuiness and RND; and if we can't I think we need to probably consider a solution that suits them. 5 at the back may be the play. Money is tight, we can't afford to have players on first team wages sat doing fuck all.

In this situation, signing 2 centre halves might not be the end of the world. Would suit Seriki and Burrows. But we'd need a top drawer attacker - which wouldn't come cheap even on loan.

 

[Slim Man]

I'd imagine it is Webster or Worral, not both, but I may be wrong.

Totally agree though that he looks pretty comfortable and deserves a chance. Better to give players a go that are ours than taking chances on extra loans of free transfer on older players with injury records.

Let's not forget, Shackleton still has a big part to play as well!

 

[Champagneblade]

Sometimes the hardest thing is to do nothing.

 

[Slim Man]

Sometimes the hardest thing is to do nothing.

This is where Shacks comes in.

 

[S8 Meersbrook Blade]

I like Baptiste, maybe even more so than Japh.

As much as McG has started steadily, I think he is an average Championship defender. If we decide to keep him and he is a regular starter, we will see the mistakes creep in, especially against fast attackers.

 

[S64 Blade]

Let's not forget, Shackleton still has a big part to play as well!

Who's that?

 

[Slim Man]

I like Baptiste, maybe even more so than Japh.

As much as McG has started steadily, I think he is an average Championship defender. If we decide to keep him and he is a regular starter, we will see the mistakes creep in, especially against fast attackers.

Yep. The issue is it's supposed to be the case that he's on top end Champ wages...

 

[Slim Man]

Who's that?

 

[AWetFlannel]

Not sure what I want tbh, a back five would suit certain players but require a couple of CBs in and leave Donovan without a position, playing a four seems to require two left wingers in, O'Hare without a position and leaves few minutes for our talented batch of centre mids.

Leaning towards a five myself.

 

[Back post bob]

What both Baptise and McGuiness need is the experienced partner at the side of them. last night they were both guilty of getting caught out of position.
Even Tananga would benefit it got better when Phillips came on last season we would have lost that game second half you cannot beat experience to see games out