| Looking Ahead: 2015/16 Season - Where Do We Need to Strengthen? Written by GeorgeITFC24 on Monday, 18th May 2015 18:44 We as a club have some quality players in some crucial positions on the pitch. Most notably our strikers and centre-backs are probably the best in the league. But there are a few places we must strengthen to really be considered one of, or in fact the, best team in the league. After our disappointing end to the season a few new signings can push us on for the new season. But where are those positions we need to work on? [b]Right-Back[/b] I think we all collectively agree Luke Chambers isn't a right-back and should be playing in the centre. Having our captain playing out of position has cost us in the 2014/15 season. One memory of mine is in the 1-1 home draw with Brentford. Chambers drifted into the centre of defence leaving Jonathan Douglas unmarked with an easy goal to score. Now Chambers has had some great moments at full-back, if we glance back to the play-off semi-final at home he was man of the match having chipped in with some fantastic blocks. But going forward is not something Chambers is comfortable with. He gets the occasional assist like in the 4-1 home win over Leeds, it was his ball into the box for Daryl Murphy's equaliser. However, he just isn't cut out as a full-back. We need an attacking full-back just like Tyrone Mings on the left. It's sad to see Elliott Hewitt being released since he never really got a chance in the team. Really Mick had probably made his mind up back in July when he took away Hewitt's number two shirt and gave it to Jonny Parr. Although now he has gone that frees up some wages, hopefully spent on one of these three. [b]Potential Right-Backs[/b] Kyle Hammond - (academy graduate). A highly unlikely one, but he could come in an make an impact just like Teddy Bishop did last season. Lewis Buxton - (free agent). Already us and Derby are linked with the 31-year-old. This would be realistic as it wouldn't require a transfer fee and the added experience to the back four would only be positive. Ryan Shotton - (Derby). Out of favour with the Rams but is a very good player. Can defend and get forward and surely a fee will be involved making this one rather difficult. [b]Pick of the Bunch[/b] For me I'd pick Ryan Shotton. He is an extremely impressive Championship player who many Derby fans want out. He scores goal and bombs down that right wing just like Mings on the left. He could be just the player we need to surge our way back up the table. The only thing standing in our way is a transfer fee. The move would inevitably see a sum of money having to be paid in Derby's way. However, maybe it is about time we splashed a bit of cash again. Mick has done great with his £110,000 squad but maybe, just maybe, money must be spent to try and secure automatic promotion. We have the funds now and Ian Milne has said that the money is there. With the Aaron Cresswell fee of £3.75 million we probably received around £3 million since some went to Tranmere and now that he is linked with a £30 million move to Chelsea with a sell- on clause in his contract cash will be pumping in. Shotton joined Derby for a fee of around £1 million and a cut-price of around £500,000 would probably be accepted. [b]Attacking Midfield[/b] Midfield goals have been lacking ever since Mick McCarthy took over two and a half years ago. Since we haven't got a midfielder who has scored more than two goals all season, you know something is wrong. We are fantastic at picking up the ball in midfield with players like Cole Skuse and Luke Hyam, but there is a lack of firepower going forward. I was hoping that maybe Kevin Bru or Teddy Bishop could be our goalscoring midfielders but that just hasn't happened. I'm certainly not moaning though since those two have both been brilliant this season. Bru having adapted fantastically after playing last in Bulgaria and Bishop being chucked into professional football for the first time. A midfielder who can get us five to 10 goals a season is what we need. Luckily we have a prolific defence having scored 14 goals between them. If it wasn't for them we would be so reliant on the goals from Freddie Sears, David McGoldrick and of course Daryl Murphy. [b]Potential Attacking Midfielders[/b] Kundai Benyu - (academy). A player with huge potential who even made the bench in the East Anglian derby in March. Why not toss in one of our own and hope for the best? Lewis McGugan - (Watford). Out of favour and was shipped out on loan last season to Sheffield Wednesday. McGugan is a proven top quality player at this level but a transfer fee will be needed. Surely not huge though. Joao Teixeira - (Liverpool). The young Portuguese star was a bright diamond in the dark hole that was Brighton's 2014/15 season netting six goals, a season loan would be ideal for us. [b]Pick of the Bunch[/b] Lewis McGugan. Again a player who will need a fee, it shouldn't be overly much. Since Watford are promoted and he is out of favour a future there is so unlikely. Everyone who knows McGugan knows what a good player he is who can score goals and charge at defenders. Fits the bill for me. [b]Wingers[/b] Our side does lack pace. Sears is quick with the ball, as is McGoldrick. But out wide we aren't causing many full-backs trouble. Paul Anderson, Jay Tabb and Stephen Hunt in my opinion are good players but we all know they are hardly the most efficient wide players in the world. We need a player who can cut in and score his fair share of goals and alongside that assist our strikers consistently. We can't stay reliant on the futures of Anderson or Hunt, Mick hasn't offered them new contracts and has asked them to look around for a new club. He will do the same and look for potential replacements. If we remember back to last season he told Paul Green and Frazer Richardson to keep in touch, but then confirmed he wasn't interested in signing them. Cameron Stewart seems a good possibility for me but for whatever reason he never made an appearance in the league last season. He has proven he can play at this level with Charlton and Leeds and maybe we should give him a look-in, unless of course he's a bit of a bad egg, in which case he'll be dealt with eventually. However, much I'd like to think this isn't true, I do have a memory of watching Stewart tear up a training bib in frustration at the club's open day last July. [b]Potential Wingers[/b] Cameron Stewart- Why not? Dean Cox - (Leyton Orient). A real star of League One, Cox is a fantastic player notching six goals and 10 assists for his club. Since Orient are now in League Two, Cox should be able to leave on the cheap. Jamie Ward - (free agent). A very good player and one that was a major factor in Derby's success under Steve McClaren. He will have a lot of interest in him so let's go in for him quickly. Ross Wallace - (Burnley). Out of contract and out of favour with relegated Premier League side Burnley. The 29-year-old has a wicked shot on a freekick and is a decent enough player at our level. [b]Pick of the Bunch[/b] Without a doubt Jamie Ward. A player we can pick up on a free with great experience and knowledge of this league. This would be a great signing. With 104 appearances netting 26 goals in the league he is as close to a perfect signing as we are going to get. Sign him up! [b]Centre-Back[/b] Now I sound crazy but hear me out! It's certainly not a priority to bring in another centre-back, but I think a lack of cover could prove costly. I do love seeing Tommy Smith and Christophe Berra at the back for us. But who else do we have if there are injuries, suspensions or a huge lack of form? We could say Luke Chambers but he is playing right-back (hopefully not much longer) and Matt Clarke has never started a professional game apart from our Capital One Cup loss against Crawley. We saw it in the second half of last season. Many defensive errors (mainly from Smith) cost us points in big games. Also a lack of communication between Berra and alternating goalkeepers saw goals conceded. Lots of fans were calling for defenders to be dropped, but who would Mick have played unless he pulled his boots on again? I'd like to have seen a bit of a longer stay from Sean St Ledger who is now living life in Orlando with his new best friend Taylor Swift but that wasn't to be. A month without an appearance is an unsuccessful stay but if an extended contact was offered we probably would have seen him play some minutes instead of Smith. I don't expect many fans to agree with me but it just seems to me things are getting slightly to comfortable in that back four with all of them sometimes playing like they believe they can't be dropped. I don't think there is any arrogance within the defence but deep down I believe that Berra personally probably knows that no matter what happens he won't be dropped. [b]Potential Centre-Backs[/b] Kyle Bartley - (Swansea). A very good player and highly thought of in Wales, a season-long loan for the 23-year-old could add competition for the centre-halves. Nathan Ake - (Chelsea). A promising youngster which will provide competition. A season loan would be fantastic. Marc Hornschuh - (Borussia Dortmund II). Well our last signing from the German giants was hardly successful, he has made over 100 appearances for the B team and has a senior squad number. Let's take a risk! [b]Pick of the Bunch[/b] Kyle Bartley. Standing at 6ft 4 he is a powerful defender who doesn't shy away from a tackle or two. He has shown resilience when playing for Swansea and would be a great back-up player for us. A season-long loan deal would be ideal for both parties. A few extra signings would boost a promotion push for us next season. Let's sort out the three main areas: right-back, attacking midfield and wingers. Once those are filled with quality players we have a side fit for Premier League action. I'd love to know what you all think about these players I've singled out and whether or not you agree! Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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