Squad according to D-Smith

[alcoblade]

2 of those reasons have gone back to their parent club.

So, he previously knew it was a weakness and he addressed it.

 

[alcoblade]

so you agree we need strengthening in midfield? It’s needed doing for 3 years and now it’s even more urgent. 12 points flattered us and like I said, individual performances masked this weakness and lack of options.

Well, I don’t agree it needed doing last season as we finished 12 points clear, as I’ve said. The charge was that the manager wasn’t aware of it, yet he made 2 key signings there and it worked. So he’s clearly aware.

 

[Balboni]

So, he previously knew it was a weakness and he addressed it.

Yes, and I suspect he will attempt to again. That said, point still stands.

 

[alcoblade]

Yes, and I suspect he will attempt to again. That said, point still stands.

The only point I made was against the suggestion he didn’t know it needed addressing.

 

[Bramhall Lane blade]

I think anybody thinking we will buy/loan another striker will be sadly disappointed - five potential first-teamers seems adequate to me. CM (Doyle), LM (O'Brien) and a LCB are the positions we need.

If mcburnie gets injured we would be left with four very young strikers with no experience in premier league.

 

[SuperBobbyHatton]

Well, I don’t agree it needed doing last season as we finished 12 points clear, as I’ve said. The charge was that the manager wasn’t aware of it, yet he made 2 key signings there and it worked. So he’s clearly aware.

If it didn’t need doing, why did he make 2 key signings which worked?

 

[alcoblade]

If it didn’t need doing, why did he make 2 key signings which worked?

It did need doing! That’s not the point you made, or I addressed.

When someone said “the management team will be aware of this”, you replied “I wouldn’t be so sure”.

Yet he addressed it last year with two players everyone would take back, and created a squad that was easily promoted. There’s zero doubt he will be trying to strengthen it this season.

 

[SuperBobbyHatton]

It did need doing! That’s not the point you made, or I addressed.

When someone said “the management team will be aware of this”, you replied “I wouldn’t be so sure”.

Yet he addressed it last year with two players everyone would take back, and created a squad that was easily promoted. There’s zero doubt he will be trying to strengthen it this season.

That was my opinion, I think and thought that we were undergunned in midfield for at least 3 seasons and our midfield was basically reliant on Norwood playing well, If he played badly, we played badly. This should have been fixed way before the last half of last season. He also played fleck when he was obviously done. We didn’t put this right up until the second half of last season when he rightly dropped Norwood, Fleck and started playing Mcatee and Doyle more. The fact we gave Fleck a new contract still makes me think he’s not taking the midfield seriously enough. So in my opinion it’s not obvious the management team knew we needed serious work on the midfield because through either loyalty or whatever he insisted in flogging a dead horse for a large part of last season.

 

[alcoblade]

That was my opinion, I think and thought that we were undergunned in midfield for at least 3 seasons and our midfield was basically reliant on Norwood playing well, If he played badly, we played badly. This should have been fixed way before the last half of last season. He also played fleck when he was obviously done. We didn’t put this right up until the second half of last season when he rightly dropped Norwood, Fleck and started playing Mcatee and Doyle more. The fact we gave Fleck a new contract still makes me think he’s not taking the midfield seriously enough. So in my opinion it’s not obvious the management team knew we needed serious work on the midfield because through either loyalty or whatever he insisted in flogging a dead horse for a large part of last season.

We’ll have to agree to differ. We walked our way to promotion. It’s just not plausible that that was in spite of a poor midfield.

The two loanees now need replacing, I’m sure we agree on that,

 

[SuperBobbyHatton]

We’ll have to agree to differ. We walked our way to promotion. It’s just not plausible that that was in spite of a poor midfield.

The two loanees now need replacing, I’m sure we agree on that,

Yes without a doubt we need to replace them, we definitely agree on that.

 

[Yewsman]

We were promoted about 12 points clear of 3rd spot. There clearly wasn’t much wrong last season.

Yes but we have lost 2 key players, McAtee and Doyle (unless we can get one or both back). I do not think we would have had a 12 point margin (and quite possibly ended in play offs) without them. We need Doyle or equivalent and another strong athletic good engined player in midfield. That's not a McAtee direct equivalent but we'll have less possession in the EPL.

 

[alcoblade]

Yes but we have lost 2 key players, McAtee and Doyle (unless we can get one or both back). I do not think we would have had a 12 point margin (and quite possibly ended in play offs) without them. We need Doyle or equivalent and another strong athletic good engined player in midfield. That's not a McAtee direct equivalent but we'll have less possession in the EPL.

If you read back, I’m not making any case about the current midfield being good enough - far from it. The suggestion is that the manager isn’t aware of it, which I don’t agree with, and I’m surprised anyone would think that.

 

[OLDBLADE43]

If you read back, I’m not making any case about the current midfield being good enough - far from it. The suggestion is that the manager isn’t aware of it, which I don’t agree with, and I’m surprised anyone would think that.

Stick to your guns Alco

 

[wizadry]

Some good points on this thread, I personally think a GK, LCB and 2 midfielders are a must from here on in, if that happens then I’ll be chuffed to bits even if they don’t come off because at least they’ll have tried to address the situation of those not quite good enough to be first choice or in some cases good enough to be in the squad.

 

[alcoblade]

Stick to your guns Alco

It would be helpful if people read the thread before quoting though

 

[Jan Age]

Minimum expectations from here:

LCB
CM
GK

Nice to have

CM
CAM

Dream land:

A better option than Mcpub (won’t happen)