| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? 11:10 - Jan 6 with 5456 views | Len_Brennan |
Godfrey has moved from Atalanta because he wasn't getting game time, and there appears to have been a few PL clubs interested in bringing him in during this window. For us to get him & tie up the loan so quickly, we have to assume that both he & Atalanta have received assurance from the club & manager as to him getting minutes here. The cup game will help to guage his match fitness, but we would expect him to play some part of league matches pretty quickly.
I would assume that our favoured back three, when fit, would be Tuanzebe, O'Shea & Greaves, so with Godfrey here, he should take the right sided CB role than can turn into a RB when in possession, allowing O'Shea back into the middle. (Greaves is in a straight competition with Burgess for the left side of the three).
This is bad news for Woolfenden, who will surely drop back to the bench, and even moreso for Clarke, who will likely have to drop out of the squad given the numbers, so a loan or even a sale is in the pipeline for him.
When Axel is back, it then means we then have him likely to slot in, pushing Godfrey to the bench; and we know that McKenna doesn't prioritise having CBs on the bench, so he will likely relegate Johnson (who was very good yesterday) or Burns out of the matchday squad, as Godfrey will surely be viewed as preferred wingback cover too, over at least one of them. Sadly, I can see Wes suffering this fate & thus be a possible departure in January too, as clearly we intend to spend heavily on a right sided winger/attacker too, given the Doak bid. |  | | |  |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 11:19 - Jan 6 with 4750 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
I dont think we would or should give any assurances on gametime.
Thats down to the player to earn, and he will back himself.
The manager will have told him generally what his role is, but theres so many factors that could impact gametime. |  |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 11:24 - Jan 6 with 4698 views | JammyDodgerrr |
Can't see Burns leaving but Harry Clarke almost certainly will leave on a loan.
For what it's worth, i think if we're sticking with three at the back i suspect we will end up seeing Johnson much more regularly, he suits it and gives us something in both directions. We clearly need the cover given how many injuries' we are sustaining, so Godfrey comes in for Woolf, and then Axel rotates with him/Johnson where applicable. Either way, we've got great options across the back line which is what we needed. |  |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 11:34 - Jan 6 with 4574 views | bsw72 |
There are question marks over Tuanzebe long term fitness - he has perenially suffered from injuries, going back to his Man Utd days, Aston Villa and Stoke loans. He has only played 91 league games in 10 years. He has suffered from regular Hamstring, Hip and Ankle issues
He is obviously an incredibly talented player, but you have to question his fitness record and whether we have the luxury of carrying him . . . |  | | |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 11:43 - Jan 6 with 4484 views | Bellevue_Blue |
I'm not sure these game time assurances really exist at the Premier League level where you're scrapping for every single point. He's coming to compete as part of a squad where he will have the opportunity to play. It's pretty clear he is direct competition for Axel and will be used at RB in a 4 and RCB in a 5.
Most Mckenna signings sit on the bench for at least the first month and you would have thought with the defensive consistency we have recently found he is very unlikely to displace Woolfy any time soon. I'm not sure just saying 'O'Shea will take the middle' is quite that easy .. it's a bespoke position and KMc clearly likes him there for his composure and distribution.
Equally, I don't think he's in any danger of displacing Burns/ Johnson. A new RWB/ RW will do that as he's certainly not cover for wing back. Godfrey will displace Harry Clarke for the time being and then when Axel returns he's likely a bench player depending on what happens with Woolfy. [Post edited 6 Jan 11:44]
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 11:47 - Jan 6 with 4429 views | homer_123 |
Harry Clarke is the one who makes way, hopefully just a loan.
KM has made it clear that the 'squad' all contribute and he's not averse to rotating 'any' position or player.
Then, likely, Woolfy is the one who ends up missing out but being in the squad. Rightly or wrongly.
Axel, for me, has done more than enough to warrant a further contract - the guy is quality.
Godfrey staying beyond the loan will very much depend on where we are playing next year and if we are in the Prem and he's proved his worth, then it'll be Clarke, Cam or Woolfy leaving (assuming Axel stays). |  |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 12:06 - Jan 6 with 4273 views | Garv |
Axel doesn't exactly guarantee fitness so I can see him and Godfrey rotating. Agree Clarke looks set for a loan, hope we don't sell.
Burns will stay I think but will miss out of a squad place some weeks. |  |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 12:10 - Jan 6 with 4212 views | BloomBlue |
I don't get the impression Atalanta are looking at more 'game time', more a case of them thinking he's not good enough for them. Demonstrated by the fact they aren't playing him. Would suggest to me they will be happy to let him leave but understand nobody is going to pay anywhere near the £10m they paid for him unless he can go out and prove himself at another club. We're probably paying all or at least most of his wages, so a win win for them.
Can Godfrey play in the wingback role? Not saying he cannot but I don't remember him playing it. |  | | |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 12:13 - Jan 6 with 4185 views | Vic |
I sensed in KM's remarks yesterday that there is concern about Axel's ability to keep fit (something about him managing less than 50% of games). At this level we can't really afford to be sentimental in these things so sadly with Axels history of injury I suspect they've decided they can't rely on him to stay fit. Such a shame but some players are just made like that aren't they. |  |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 12:21 - Jan 6 with 4102 views | itfcjoe |
RB - Godfery and Axel
RCB - O'Shea and Woolf
LCB - Greaves and Burgess
LB - Davis and Townsend
I think the issue we had was our least reliable defender in terms of fitness was being backed up by Harry Clarke who looks a little way short at this level and prob needs a Championship loan.
Axel and Godfrey can battle it out now and we are strengthened there |  |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 12:23 - Jan 6 with 4045 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 12:21 - Jan 6 by itfcjoe |
RB - Godfery and Axel
RCB - O'Shea and Woolf
LCB - Greaves and Burgess
LB - Davis and Townsend
I think the issue we had was our least reliable defender in terms of fitness was being backed up by Harry Clarke who looks a little way short at this level and prob needs a Championship loan.
Axel and Godfrey can battle it out now and we are strengthened there |
Bit harsh on Johnson |  |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 12:32 - Jan 6 with 3966 views | itfcjoe |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 12:23 - Jan 6 by FrimleyBlue |
Bit harsh on Johnson |
He's not suited to that role here and is competing with Burns and Ogbene for the right sided role | |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 12:46 - Jan 6 with 3825 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 12:32 - Jan 6 by itfcjoe |
He's not suited to that role here and is competing with Burns and Ogbene for the right sided role |
true | |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 13:06 - Jan 6 with 3704 views | ringwoodblue |
As McK doesn’t favour putting a CB on the bench, I fear Woolfy or Burgess might not get into the squad if everyone else is fit. However, we will inevitably get more injuries in that department (DOS has ongoing back issues for instance) so Godfrey coming in just gives us more strength in depth.
Don’t think Doak will sign for us but we might sign another player in that position that will push Burns down the pecking order.
A priority must be a better option than AAH on the bench who, although I love the guy, is way out of his depth. |  |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 13:14 - Jan 6 with 3656 views | unstableblue |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 12:21 - Jan 6 by itfcjoe |
RB - Godfery and Axel
RCB - O'Shea and Woolf
LCB - Greaves and Burgess
LB - Davis and Townsend
I think the issue we had was our least reliable defender in terms of fitness was being backed up by Harry Clarke who looks a little way short at this level and prob needs a Championship loan.
Axel and Godfrey can battle it out now and we are strengthened there |
We are now going to the low block with the five A LOT in games. It’s a noticeable shift seen in the Arsenal game, a little less against Chelsea and very prevalent against Fulham.
I wish we’d stayed in it for the dying minutes at Craven Cottage, but at the same time I do feel we have to also transition into attack from the 5 or you just get set in. I applaud the Leif run and Jack Clarke shot on the post. But as soon a Leif releases to Jack he needs to start tracking back OR someone needs to go into the right back role to cover.
Having said all that and looking at your list Joe, I sort of disagree a little, I may be wrong, is it not
LB/LWB - Davis, Townsend
LCB - Greaves/Burgess
Middle CB/RCB - OShea, Godfrey, Wolfie
RB/RWB - Axel, Johnson, Godfrey, O’Shea
In that order of preference?? If that makes any sense
In that if all fit and depending on the opponent.
What I mean is based on Johnson’s excellent performance against Fulham
Would if all fit and in form (excluding Axel), an away set-up would currently be:
—————-Walton
——Godfrey-OShea-Greaves
Johnson——————————-Davis
With Wolfie moving down the pecking order with Godfrey coming in?!
I suppose the argument against that, is that Wolfie is better at coming out with the ball centrally than OShea.
Godfrey seems more a right sided centre back, rather than a hybrid RCB/RB, which is what Axel is. And I see him as more an improvement on Wolfie, as hard as some will find that. |  |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 14:23 - Jan 6 with 3359 views | Bellevue_Blue |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 13:14 - Jan 6 by unstableblue |
We are now going to the low block with the five A LOT in games. It’s a noticeable shift seen in the Arsenal game, a little less against Chelsea and very prevalent against Fulham.
I wish we’d stayed in it for the dying minutes at Craven Cottage, but at the same time I do feel we have to also transition into attack from the 5 or you just get set in. I applaud the Leif run and Jack Clarke shot on the post. But as soon a Leif releases to Jack he needs to start tracking back OR someone needs to go into the right back role to cover.
Having said all that and looking at your list Joe, I sort of disagree a little, I may be wrong, is it not
LB/LWB - Davis, Townsend
LCB - Greaves/Burgess
Middle CB/RCB - OShea, Godfrey, Wolfie
RB/RWB - Axel, Johnson, Godfrey, O’Shea
In that order of preference?? If that makes any sense
In that if all fit and depending on the opponent.
What I mean is based on Johnson’s excellent performance against Fulham
Would if all fit and in form (excluding Axel), an away set-up would currently be:
—————-Walton
——Godfrey-OShea-Greaves
Johnson——————————-Davis
With Wolfie moving down the pecking order with Godfrey coming in?!
I suppose the argument against that, is that Wolfie is better at coming out with the ball centrally than OShea.
Godfrey seems more a right sided centre back, rather than a hybrid RCB/RB, which is what Axel is. And I see him as more an improvement on Wolfie, as hard as some will find that. |
A lot of people very quick to write off Woolfie in favour of a someone who has played just 93 minutes over the course of the entire season. Was brilliant for the first few weeks of the season and since he's come back into the team we've performed significantly better and he's been pretty much flawless.
There may well come a time where KMc see's O'Shea as a better fit for the middle role but I think that's more likely to coincide with Axel coming back to full fitness as opposed to Godfrey pushing anyone out.
At a bare minimum It's going to take him a good month to get up to speed with the system/ get match fit before he's considered for a PL starting spot. | | | |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 14:31 - Jan 6 with 3323 views | pointofblue |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 14:23 - Jan 6 by Bellevue_Blue |
A lot of people very quick to write off Woolfie in favour of a someone who has played just 93 minutes over the course of the entire season. Was brilliant for the first few weeks of the season and since he's come back into the team we've performed significantly better and he's been pretty much flawless.
There may well come a time where KMc see's O'Shea as a better fit for the middle role but I think that's more likely to coincide with Axel coming back to full fitness as opposed to Godfrey pushing anyone out.
At a bare minimum It's going to take him a good month to get up to speed with the system/ get match fit before he's considered for a PL starting spot. |
People are writing off Woolfenden because he was quickly moved aside for O'Shea. That's why they're suspecting it's going to happen again. | |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 15:13 - Jan 6 with 3185 views | Bellevue_Blue |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 14:31 - Jan 6 by pointofblue |
People are writing off Woolfenden because he was quickly moved aside for O'Shea. That's why they're suspecting it's going to happen again. |
He was moved aside for a CB we spent £15M on. We are talking here about a loan signing who was let go by one of our relegation rivals and is coming off the back of a down 6 months.
I just think we are possibly over analysing this. He's added competition for our weakest position defensively and an added body who allows us to keep playing a formation that is giving us success.
I see it as upgrading the depth much more so than an immediate improvement to the starting side. | | | |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 15:17 - Jan 6 with 3165 views | Hipsterectomy |
I’ve seen more than a few of their fans say that midfield is his best position.
*Their being Norwich [Post edited 6 Jan 15:19]
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| Walter Smith's Barmy Army |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 15:34 - Jan 6 with 3068 views | itfcjoe |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 15:13 - Jan 6 by Bellevue_Blue |
He was moved aside for a CB we spent £15M on. We are talking here about a loan signing who was let go by one of our relegation rivals and is coming off the back of a down 6 months.
I just think we are possibly over analysing this. He's added competition for our weakest position defensively and an added body who allows us to keep playing a formation that is giving us success.
I see it as upgrading the depth much more so than an immediate improvement to the starting side. |
He wasn't let go by Everton, he was sold for £10m because he wouldn't sign a new deal and they needed some money in for PSR - and signed by one of the smartest recruitment teams in world football | |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 15:54 - Jan 6 with 2979 views | Bellevue_Blue |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 15:34 - Jan 6 by itfcjoe |
He wasn't let go by Everton, he was sold for £10m because he wouldn't sign a new deal and they needed some money in for PSR - and signed by one of the smartest recruitment teams in world football |
You make it sound like it was unhappy parting of ways, Godfrey sat on the bench for the first 6 months of last season. It's hardly surprising he wouldn't sign a new deal and why they sanctioned the deal to sell him.
I'm not at all unhappy, I think he adds positional versatility, PL experience, much needed athleticism and is unquestionably an upgrade on Johnson/ Clarke in that RCB/ RB role. I just don't think he's an automatic starter over what we currently have at the moment. [Post edited 6 Jan 15:55]
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 16:12 - Jan 6 with 2894 views | CBMTOBWMMBG |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 15:34 - Jan 6 by itfcjoe |
He wasn't let go by Everton, he was sold for £10m because he wouldn't sign a new deal and they needed some money in for PSR - and signed by one of the smartest recruitment teams in world football |
A recruitment team that is now letting him go after 6 months. Pretty expensive mistake! Something went badly wrong. | | | |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 16:20 - Jan 6 with 2852 views | itfcjoe |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 16:12 - Jan 6 by CBMTOBWMMBG |
A recruitment team that is now letting him go after 6 months. Pretty expensive mistake! Something went badly wrong. |
Even the best teams will get things wrong, or a player won't fit in for one reason or another, but that doesn't always mean the process was wrong but when dealing with human's it's always going to have factors that can't be measured.
If he has a good few months here then they'll get their money back so shouldn't affect them too badly | |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 17:13 - Jan 6 with 2652 views | _clive_baker_ |
He's versatile. RB in a 4, right of a back 3, right sided of 2, he's also played #6 before as well although I make that less likely with Morsy & Phillips already here.
Ultimately if good players with good premier league experience like he's got become available, and you think they're better than what you've got, it's probably a deal you just try to get done. Godfrey in on loan and Harry Clarke out on loan is almost certainly an upgrade for the next 5 months. |  | | |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 17:46 - Jan 6 with 2522 views | WestStanderLaLaLa |
| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 17:13 - Jan 6 by _clive_baker_ |
He's versatile. RB in a 4, right of a back 3, right sided of 2, he's also played #6 before as well although I make that less likely with Morsy & Phillips already here.
Ultimately if good players with good premier league experience like he's got become available, and you think they're better than what you've got, it's probably a deal you just try to get done. Godfrey in on loan and Harry Clarke out on loan is almost certainly an upgrade for the next 5 months. |
Also played LB at Everton. |  |
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| Where does Godfrey play when Axel is back? on 17:57 - Jan 6 with 2474 views | Daninthecampo |
Previously mentioned Axel would be back later this month,Phils story yesterday quotes" He hopefully isn’t months away but has missed quite a lot of time and we’ve missed that profile a little bit in terms of a centre-back who can play right-back and is strong one-v-one and has good physicality"
Implies he's going to be our for a while,
Clarke is likely to be the one to move on, which got me thinking his worth. The unreliable Transfermarkt has him at €5m, what do we think he's worth? | | | |
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