Summer transfer madness thread

[sirlordbaltimore]

If he wants to play 3-5-2, why buy two fullbacks in January?

I might be wrong but i'm pretty sure Bree and Taylor can play as wing backs.

[Neil Hawkes]

Well, that sounds abysmal. We were okay at the back last year but had no creativity going forward whatsoever.

Solution? Add an extra centre-half.

Genius.

Wasn't the main problem that for anything to move forward, the midfield had to come and take the ball from the defenders, (as they couldn't pass toffee), therefore no midfield as they are so far back the other end. At least we now have CB that is not too shabby at passing the ball to a team mate.

[Clampy]

As for future players coming in, a goalkeeper, a left back to replace Amavi if he goes and possibly a holding midfielder to cover Jedinak should be enough I think. We don't need too many really.

[paul_e]

As for future players coming in, a goalkeeper, a left back to replace Amavi if he goes and possibly a holding midfielder to cover Jedinak should be enough I think. We don't need too many really.

So no additions in attacking positions despite us being one of the lowest scoring teams in the league?

[wittonwarrior]

See sheff wed in for Cafu

[Clampy]

As for future players coming in, a goalkeeper, a left back to replace Amavi if he goes and possibly a holding midfielder to cover Jedinak should be enough I think. We don't need too many really.

So no additions in attacking positions despite us being one of the lowest scoring teams in the league?

I don't think so, not for me personally anyway. We've got Kodjia, Adomah, Gabby, McCormack (if he stays) Hogan, RHM and Davis. Grealish can also chip in with goals and create and you've got Andre Green to give a chance too. That should be enough without buying anyone else.

[cdbearsfan]

If he wants to play 3-5-2, why buy two fullbacks in January?

I might be wrong but i'm pretty sure Bree and Taylor can play as wing backs.

So what do we do with Adomah, Green, Grealish?

If you look at our current squad you'd expect a combination of those three to provide the bulk of our creativity.

Not picking any of them so we can have an extra player in the only position we were consistently good in is insanity.

[RussellC]

I think Bruce just wants to have 2 strikers on the pitch at all times. I don't think he'll commit to playing a 3-5-2 week-in, week-out, I think he wants to be able to switch between that and 4-4-2. Grealish can play behind the strikers in a 3-5-2, Adomah can play as and out-and-out striker. Green will be largely used as an impact sub this season, I'd imagine.

[Steve67]

I think Bruce wants two up top. So, 3-5-2 is a natural formation if you want at least a little width. A narrow 4-4-2 can work equally well if they press as a unit. I think the formation is less of a problem than the mentality of the players, and arguably, the way they are coached. Don't sit so bloody deep, press from the front.  Let Lansbury and Hourihane get forward much more.

[paul_e]

As for future players coming in, a goalkeeper, a left back to replace Amavi if he goes and possibly a holding midfielder to cover Jedinak should be enough I think. We don't need too many really.

So no additions in attacking positions despite us being one of the lowest scoring teams in the league?

I don't think so, not for me personally anyway. We've got Kodjia, Adomah, Gabby, McCormack (if he stays) Hogan, RHM and Davis. Grealish can also chip in with goals and create and you've got Andre Green to give a chance too. That should be enough without buying anyone else.

I think I'd like to see someone on the left and another striker but then I'd be trying to get rid of Gabby and McCormack so numbers wise I guess we're even, I just don't think that pair have got much to offer us.

[Steve67]

I don't know Paul, but hopefully Gabby will work harder for a new contract and the chunk will want to sort himself out. I'd rather keep chunk than Gabby to be honest.

[Hookeysmith]

I would think


                               A Keeper
              Chester      Terry        Baker

Bree       Lansbury       Hourinanne     Thor   Taylor

                      Grealish
                                     Hogan

To start   

[cdbearsfan]

No Green, no Party.

[oswald funkletrumpet]

Heard yesterday from someone who has a reliable  contact that Joe Hart was next.

Nurse he's here

Season leading up to a world cup and fighting for his place so he drops down to the championship? Really?

[paul_e]

I don't know Paul, but hopefully Gabby will work harder for a new contract and the chunk will want to sort himself out. I'd rather keep chunk than Gabby to be honest.

I sort of agree but I still don't see RM fitting in anywhere.  It's the same reason I didn't want him in the first place, you have to let him be the main man up front and build everything around him and I don't think that's the right thing to do if you want to get promoted.  There's a reason why his teams haven't really struggled when he leaves despite all the goals and assists he provides.

Gabby is a waste of space now unfortunately, his reading of the game and timing of the run has never been good but his pace masked it, now he's giving defenders 2-3 yards and doesn't have the pace to make up for it because he's spent too long bulking up so he needs 7-8 strides to get up to speed rather than the 2-3 he used to need.

Last season we were the worst of both world in that slower teams could defend deep and we didn't create enough chances to punish them, especially if they got the attacking players to press us, that was caused by us being so shit at passing in the back 5-6.  Terry will help there but it's something we can, and should, train for.  Training players to hit 60 yard cross field passes under pressure is impossible, 1-2 touch passes with accuracy and zip shouldn't be.  The flipside/addition was that teams with a bit of pace at the back could press even further and just crowd us out (Brentford did this superbly against us in January) because they trusted their defenders to get back and cover the breaks because Kodjia isn't a 'break in behind' player and whilst Hogan is he's only got the pace to be effective if he's breaking around their third, expecting him to break from halfway won't work.  Green looked good for a few weeks because he gave us that bit of pace and meant we could push teams back but it's a lot to pile on him to expect him to be that outlet for an entire season.  Especially when he'll probably be given defensive duties as well.