City Squad - 20/21 Depth Chart

[GrahamC]

26 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

 

Similar comments to @RedRock.

For sake of a discussion, had Henriksen been match fit, not flogged and possibly fallen out with LJ, do you think we might be thinking about getting him back.  I think he had a bit of everything.  And in a free transfer too.  

I don’t know.

But I was pleased when we signed him, knew he wasn’t a Brownhill replacement at all, but thought he ticked a lot of boxes, much more as a Pack type midfielder.

I thought he was excellent on debut (Derby?) then really poor v Huddersfield, from memory one of his other 2 games was West Brom when the whole team was outclassed.

It was a weird season for him, playing every game for Norway whilst not featuring in league football at all.

He clearly fell out with LJ early on but I do think we missed a trick with him, whether he stayed on or not.

[LondonBristolian]

10 hours ago, WolfOfWestStreet said:

Looks dreadful. Especially in midfield, serious upgrades required but I just can't see us spending the money.

I think it looks a massive gamble rather than dreadful.

In theory could Massengo could push on, Nagy could find the form he has shown elsewhere and Walsh and Morrell could handle the step up to the Championship. None of those four things are inconceivable but it would be a massive gamble to count on at least three of them happening, which is what we would need.

Think we need a defensive midfielder in any case though.

[RedRock]

I really can’t see unless we buy one, possibly, two quality midfielders that have a ‘presence’ (mentally and physically) how we’ve any option but to play 5 across the middle. We are so lightweight it’s near beyond belief. The Blackburn’s and Millwall’s of this league will relish playing us (again!). 

By using Lee’s old tombola (which I was rather hoping would have gone with him) we might just hit lucky and hit on a successful blend with the lads that have come back. I say that in hope rather than confidence. I’m done with a few of our established midfielders but maybe, just maybe, the likes of Watkins and Rowe could impact this season in a midfield. Maybe Weimann could be assigned (yet another) new role, possibly he can be ‘tamed’ from just running around like a headless chicken somewhere up front to using his undoubted energy and fitness to aid our engine room. Maybe Taylor Moore could be adapted to a defensive central midfield role ? All ‘ifs and buts’ though.

Henriksen looked ideal to answer Dave’s point. We need his height for certain. What with the likelihood of no Fam can you imagine us defending corners/free kicks with DaSilva, Hunt, Hano, Nagy, Morrell, CoD, Pato and Walsh? That’s a joke frankly. 

Really some serious questions to be asked if I were Owner of the CEO and management team as to how, after £millions invested, we’re light years away from having a strong, settled squad of quality players that can look towards Premier League status. Only City would appoint someone part-responsible for this shambles as a successor to LJ but hey, may be a case of ‘you created it, now you sort it’

 

Do do you know one of the most important ‘signings’ for me that could be made right now? The chap from that AtoB Fitness Company, who seemed to sort Joe and Bobby from physical (and mental) lightweights to really strong, focused players. That happened over the Summer before their departure-imo  it can be and should be done.

[phantom]

4 hours ago, westonred said:

And i can't see Holden attracting / convincing the quality players to sign like a Hughton would but we've made our bed and have to live with it

Possibly not, but the two with the England connections could prove crucial

Was it a coincidence Rhian Brewster ended up at Swansea last season with who he had worked with before?

[Davefevs]

48 minutes ago, RedRock said:

Do do you know one of the most important ‘signings’ for me that could be made right now? The chap from that AtoB Fitness Company, who seemed to sort Joe and Bobby from physical (and mental) lightweights to really strong, focused players. That happened over the Summer before their departure-imo  it can be and should be done.

Agree with the bits of your post above, but deleted the quote.

I think fitness is key.

We watch the training videos and think that they look really fit, but I’d suggest it’s a case of fitness and “power”.  That might not be the right term for the sports scientists, but if you take Weimann out of the equation (irrespective of your view as a player), he seems to be one of the few that is still able to get at full-tilt late in a game.

If we want to play more possession based football, you need to work hard to keep it and then hard to win it back quickly.  In the last 2 seasons I don’t think I’ve come away from AG and thought “crikey, we won that through being fitter and stronger”.  Yet I’ve said similar about our opponents.

[RedRock]

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

Agree with the bits of your post above, but deleted the quote.

I think fitness is key.

We watch the training videos and think that they look really fit, but I’d suggest it’s a case of fitness and “power”.  That might not be the right term for the sports scientists, but if you take Weimann out of the equation (irrespective of your view as a player), he seems to be one of the few that is still able to get at full-tilt late in a game.

If we want to play more possession based football, you need to work hard to keep it and then hard to win it back quickly.  In the last 2 seasons I don’t think I’ve come away from AG and thought “crikey, we won that through being fitter and stronger”.  Yet I’ve said similar about our opponents.

Yep.

‘Core’ power and stamina. 

[Clutton Caveman]

For me the biggest holes are 

 

Center mid, no height, no ball winner, no play maker

Right back Vyner looked OK but is better at CB, hunts legs have gone

Centre forward if Fam leaves

But the biggest hole is an on field leader. We have nobody stepping into those shoes

 

[phantom]

1 hour ago, RedRock said:

Do do you know one of the most important ‘signings’ for me that could be made right now? The chap from that AtoB Fitness Company, who seemed to sort Joe and Bobby from physical (and mental) lightweights to really strong, focused players. That happened over the Summer before their departure-imo  it can be and should be done.

Spot on observation, sadly I guess with the way pre-season is this summer we won't see any great improvements in anyone akin to this?

[RedRock]

6 minutes ago, phantom said:

Spot on observation, sadly I guess with the way pre-season is this summer we won't see any great improvements in anyone akin to this?

Sadly, I think you’re right.

Also, sadly, I think we have several players - the Mr Inconsistent's and Never Has Been’s - who could benefit immensely and be turned into valued players ala Bobby and Joe. 

[GrahamC]

1 hour ago, Clutton Caveman said:

For me the biggest holes are 

 

Center mid, no height, no ball winner, no play maker

Right back Vyner looked OK but is better at CB, hunts legs have gone

Centre forward if Fam leaves

But the biggest hole is an on field leader. We have nobody stepping into those shoes

 

Well, I suppose the club would argue that both Nagy & Walsh are playmakers, (to be honest if they aren’t, I don’t think I know what sort of midfielders they are).

Morrell is a ball winner (or retriever, as is the fashion these days) but with just 36 minutes Championship football under his belt it is a huge ask to expect him to directly replace Korey & suddenly play 40+ games a season at this level.

Agree about the other 2 positions & would move Hunt on if I could, though doubt that will be easy & so wouldn’t be surprised to see Vyner play there more than him next season.

[Judda]

5 hours ago, Numero Uno said:

Doesn’t to me. It shows me that we have stockpiled too many average players in the middle of the park. We are probably hamstrung by contracts at the moment but for me less would be more if we could replace numbers with quality.

I'd always agree with that but what I meant was we have some reasonable cover in all positions 

[Port Said Red]

2 hours ago, Clutton Caveman said:

For me the biggest holes are 

 

Center mid, no height, no ball winner, no play maker

Right back Vyner looked OK but is better at CB, hunts legs have gone

Centre forward if Fam leaves

But the biggest hole is an on field leader. We have nobody stepping into those shoes

 

I think Bakinson has shown signs of becoming a tall defensive midfield player, but I would actually live to see Taylor Moore played there if he fancied it, He has everything I think that role needs.

As for leaders, well we don’t really know who might develop in that way from the group. The youngsters have all been out on loan so haven’t got that team time under their belts. It also depends what you mean by leaders, the games I have seen when Walsh plays, he demands the ball, encourages movement and is always taking to others. Is that what you want, or the get stuck in Gerry Gow type? I think the latter are few and far between in the modern game.

[Davefevs]

Updated chart with Championship appearances added.

 

[Bris Red]

20 hours ago, Davefevs said:

 

The central midfield area’s are a real concern. We need to find players that are championship ready and will hit the ground running - easier said than done.