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Reply | Wingers, sorry a moan
at 02:45 31 Aug 2025
OP is pretty spot on to be honest.
Going forward, i'd like to see Clarke in his best position. Thought he was very good when he came on yesterday, taking on players and running at team. Caused problems.
McAteer, as you suggest, looked limited.
We really miss Burns and the genuine width he gives us. |
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Reply | The problem with the system and the solution !
at 07:26 24 Aug 2025
You're probably right about Wolfy, defensively he has his lapses and he's not the greatest in the air, but he knits things together between the backline and the midfield. One of the best ball playing CB's outside the top flight. I think he'd be great to use in games where we are likely to see 60-70% of the ball. |
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Reply | The problem with the system and the solution !
at 07:23 24 Aug 2025
Yeah, when Broadhead did it, it was fine, as Davis overlapped and Burns provided genuine touchline width on the right side.
Thus, we stretched teams. We also had Omari, who could go inside, but also hug the touchline and get to the byline.
I think McAteer will help us. Perhaps not in the same category as Omari, but he will make us more balanced. The Norweigan plays anywhere along and looks to be a good ball carrier. [Post edited 24 Aug 7:24]
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Thread | The problem with the system and the solution !
at 06:27 24 Aug 2025
The biggest issue we have at the moment is our wide players. Neither are individually poor (they are very talented), but they don’t suit the system or the way McKenna wants us to play. Here’s a breakdown of where things go wrong:
-Philogene and Clarke both want the ball to feet rather than in behind.
-Their natural instinct is to play inverted.
-As a result, they cut inside at every opportunity.
-Previously, Broadhead did this with Davis overlapping, but we still carried width through Burns. Hence, our right sided preference at times.
-Now, we have two players inverting and cutting in.
-This makes us TOO NARROW, and we get blocked by well-organised backlines that aren’t being stretched, parking 2 banks of 4.
That’s pretty much the heart of the issue. Generally, the defence has been excellent this season. Taylor and Matusiwa were very good yesterday and totally dominated. But it all feels a bit distorted further up the pitch.
My suggestions would be:
1.Move Clarke over to the left and let him battle it out with Philogene. Clarke is more direct and should be allowed to play where he thrived for Sunderland. He can cut in, with Davis overlapping to maintain width.
2.On the right side, use McAteer in the Burns role. Ideally, we could also use the Norwegian lad to give us that “Omari factor” (which, based on his highlights, he looks like he has).
3.Accept that Taylor is probably more of an attacking playmaker (as he was at Peterborough). Instead, we need a deep-lying playmaker, which Cajuste excels at. Start him, let him dictate tempo and also sign someone to rotate with him for fitness reasons.
4.We can’t play 3 to 4, 5 foot nothings, otherwise we’ll be physically bullied, as we were in the Premiership. One or two is fine. Szmodics hasn’t really registered yet or Chaplin. Therefore, I think we need to play Akpom in a slightly more advanced, second striker role so Hirst isn’t isolated.
5.Potentially play Woolfie more in games where we’re likely to dictate possession. He’s our best distributor. Let's not fudge about trying to get a replacement, when the solution is in house.
Bottom line, we need shuffle around what already have, strengthen the midfield to sort out the imbalance and add a Hirst alternative. Do that, and we'll be fine. |
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Reply | Akpom and Cajuste
at 08:36 20 Aug 2025
They seriously improve us !
Cajuste looked at home in the Premiership - like others have said, the only reason we've got him is because there are concerns over his knee. Jens is an absolute Rolls Royce at this level and we are very fortunate to have him.
Last time Akpom played in the Championship he won the golden boot, netting 27 times. He provides genuine competition to Hirst and is a serious upgrade on AAH. |
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Reply | Davis staying, what's left to do then?
at 16:01 9 Aug 2025
Out or simply not good enough
- Muric (even though i think his ability with his feet could be a huge asset)
- Taylor
- Hutchinson
- Broadhead
- Baggott
Keep with minimal involvement
-Ogbene
-Humphreys
Incoming (6 players)
- 1 x LB (cover on loan)
- 2 x CM (Azor and Cajuste rotation and competition)
- 1 x RW (Hutchinson replacement)
- 1 x 10 (player of a different size profile to our current options)
- 1 x Striker |
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Reply | We're missing Burns
at 15:53 9 Aug 2025
Looked like he was running through treacle last night and was completely cooked at times. A little concerning to be honest, as he had a nasty injury. |
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Reply | Midfield - A HUGE issue currently.
at 15:48 9 Aug 2025
I think the issue last year was players breaking lines. Physically we could cope, however, athletically we couldn't keep up with runners and players breaking through lines.
In all honestly, i think Cajuste is probably better in a 3. |
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Reply | We're missing Burns
at 15:42 9 Aug 2025
They are different players. Azor is a screening midfielder, Morsy is a box to box enforcer.
Burns might not be the answer - however, the point was we need a player with similiar quaities, not 5-6 diminutive players of the same size and make up. |
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Reply | Midfield - A HUGE issue currently.
at 15:37 9 Aug 2025
Cajuste has a lot of physical qualities - a real upgrade on what we currently have.
One of the best at this level without doubt.
Just need to find someone to rotate with him, at a similiar level of quality. |
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Thread | We're missing Burns
at 15:34 9 Aug 2025
The issue we've had since Burn's ACL is that the balance of our midfield hasn't been right. Philogene, Clarke, Broadhead, Hutchinson, Szmodics and Chaplin (to a lesser extent) are all diminutive ball carrying midfielders. Size doesn't always matter, however, i'm not sure we can carry 4-5 in the team at the same time.
It been evident for the past 10 months or so, that we don't have any wide players or 10's who can go shoulder to shoulder, and in the Premiership the contrast was particularly stark. Often were going up against 6ft plus stacked wide players who were operating up and down the line, with the likes of Clarke and Philogene bouncing off and unable to contain them, envitably putting the defence under a lot of pressure.
Seeminly, the issue has leaked in the central midfield. Azor isn't Morsy. His skill set and qualities are as an interceptor and screener, not an enforcer. Cajuste will help us considerably, but we do lack a talker, leader and an enforcer type, alongside a more physical set of wingers.
We have to address this quickly, as i can see the same issues as last night really hurting us this year. [Post edited 9 Aug 15:35]
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Reply | Southampton look a lot more further along than we did last night
at 15:23 9 Aug 2025
Wrexham look a bit meat and potatos to me. Don't think they have the extra quality and x factor needed to trouble to top teams at this level...yet. Give them a 2-3 more transfer windows.
Saints look okay. Although i don't think players like Armstrong or Fraser size up to the options we or Leicester have. Downes is a class act and full expect him to do a number on us physically next week at PR. [Post edited 9 Aug 15:52]
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Thread | Midfield - A HUGE issue currently.
at 04:39 9 Aug 2025
Firstly, i'll start with the one major positive from last night which was the defense. I thought Greaves and O'Shea were imperious. They had a lot of work to do last night (possibly more than they'll normally have to do week in, week out at this level) but did a magnificent job keeping it to 1, having been totally overrun in midfield. Davis wasn't able to go forward as much, but defended very well and Johnson, who i've seen some people criticise, again did well, but i think people have to understand just how much work he had to do with Birmingham coming down the right side with Anderson again and again. Young didn't give the ball away once and brought a level of calmness to the side. For me, we have the best backline in the Championship and full credit to them for keeping it at 1 last night.
The midfield on the other hand was nothing short of atrocious. Outmuscled, bullied, lacked any form of intensity, leaderless, lost a huge amount number of aerial battles, slow, ponderess and i could keep on going...Taylor sat too deep, Azor, while he made some good interceptions, was physically outmuscled and bullied off the ball a number of times, Clarke a total passenger and pushed off the ball in a child-like manner and Ogbene running through treacle post achilles OP. To be brutally honest, neither Taylor or Ogbene are nowhere near good enough to be starting in a top 2 aspiring Championship side. Azor will need time to adapt to the speed and physicality of English football, but his relationship playing alongside Cajuste should help him in coming weeks. AHH playing on the right wing summed up where we are in terms of our midfield options right now.
For me, we need to seek to replace Broady (unfortunately), Hutchinson, Ogbene and Taylor. We really lack muscle, leadership and physicality (particularly in wide areas of the pitch- similar to what Burns offered us). The composition just isn't right, with too many diminutive ball carrier types. Think we'll need 4 more midfielders through the door, excluding Cajuste, so a huge amount of work to be done here. With Broady and Hutchinson gone, luckily we should have the best part of 30m, perhaps even more, to do this business.
[Post edited 9 Aug 4:43]
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Reply | McKenna not happy
at 22:48 8 Aug 2025
Can you blame him ? The midfield were absolutely atrocious tonight. Out muscled, bullied, lost numerous aerial battles, slow, ponderous and totally feckless. Luckily Greaves and O'Shea were fantastic, as were the back 4, doing very well to keep it to 1.
Taylor and Ogbene are nowhere near good enough to be in our starting 11 for the level we aspire to play at. Also, given Clarke's size, he needs to contribute, as unless, he is a total passenger. Azor good in patches, but again, physically dominated at times. Huge work for McKenna to do in our midfield. Cajuste is a good start though. [Post edited 8 Aug 22:49]
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Reply | Tough stance needed on players and agents
at 10:53 7 Aug 2025
Omari can only be problematic to a degree.
Football is a small industry, and word/reputation travels fast.
Refusing to train, play and being difficult will raise question marks about his attitude.
I honestly think we need to tell him to knuckle down and get on with his job. |
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Reply | Tough stance needed on players and agents
at 10:49 7 Aug 2025
The positive news about Philogene changes things with Broadhead a bit. 14 goals last term in the Championship isn't to be overlooked though.
Which is worth more though, 7-8 goals and having a difference maker on the bench, or 7.5m in the bank and the expense of finding a similar quality replacement ? It's a tough one ! |
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Thread | Tough stance needed on players and agents
at 10:41 7 Aug 2025
I really don't think we can afford to sell Hutchinson, Davis or arguably Broadhead. The first 2 in particular are absolutely fundamental to the way we play and huge attacking outlets for us. Losing them would take us from being a quality team, to a team in transition - potentially needing 2-3 windows to find players capable of making the same impact. Money isn't particularly useful when you have no time to spend it or bed in new players.
The bigger picture at play is the 110m in television money and achieving promotion to the Premiership, in what is a relatively weak and open Championship this year. To be fair, the club has remained resolute so far, rejecting big money deals for Hutchinson, Davis and Broadhead.
However, i do think there comes a time where Hutchinson and his agent are told bluntly that he'll be an Ipswich player for next year and to quite frankly to get on with his job.
To Leed's credit, they did this superbly, refusing to pay Gnoto unless he played and rejecting bids for the likes of Summerville, Sinsterra, Rutter etc.
We've already somewhat controversially let our captain and heart of the dressing room walk out of the club on a free. But going forward we to show backbone, remind players they are under contract and put agents back in their box making it known that deals won't be done this summer.
[Post edited 7 Aug 10:42]
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Reply | Last week of the transfer window will be interesting
at 03:53 7 Aug 2025
I suspect we'll get a lot of business completed before the 1st of September.
As things stand, probable exits :
- Broadhead 7m
- Hutchinson 40m
- Baggott and Humphreys (out on loan)
Probable incomings :
- Cajuste (loan fee likely to be 1-2m)
- Akpom (loan fee, again likely to be 1-2m)
That'd leave us needing.
- Fullback cover (most likely on loan)
- 2 x central midfielders (one of a similiar quality to Jens, another younger happy to act as cover)
- 2 x wide players (to replace Broady and Hutchinson)
- Possibly another striker depending on the AHH situation
So on top of Jens and Akpom, probably another 5 in i think. McKenna likes to give himself a lot of variety off the bench, or did, when in League One and the Championship. [Post edited 7 Aug 4:04]
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Reply | Akpom agreed
at 14:16 4 Aug 2025
Somewhat offset by the 110m in television money, but he'll need upgrading for sure. |
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