Midfield Options

[wayne allisons tongues]

With Artus not travelling seemed we were a bit light in midfield with only 3 players available. Noble i think is now going to be classed as a attacking midfielder after his performances end of last year.

Will Johnsons next signing be a midfielder any injury to the midfield 3 and we are stuggling.

Maybe all quiet on the transfer front means he has changed his mind on the forwards and plans a new midfielder the next few days.

As long as Johnson Skuse Russell stay fit think we will stay up just hope johnson is not going to do to midfield this year what he did to forward line last year. A very risky tactic in this league.

Sign someone at the last moment each time i.e. Corr and Smith

[howey_ducky]

i think that if he signs a midfielder before a forward then ashton yate might well keel over.

[Nibor]

We have four senior pros that play in central midfield in Noble, Russell, Johnson and Skuse. We have a promising youngster in Artus and someone else who can do a job there in Keogh. That's plenty, it gives us lots of options and cover. I doubt GJ will be looking at that position as along with centre half it's where we have the most strength in depth.

[i_am_red]

enoch could also play there if push came to some kind of shove

[wayne allisons tongues]

We have four senior pros that play in central midfield in Noble, Russell, Johnson and Skuse. We have a promising youngster in Artus and someone else who can do a job there in Keogh. That's plenty, it gives us lots of options and cover. I doubt GJ will be looking at that position as along with centre half it's where we have the most strength in depth.

But with most people saying Johnson and Noble cannot play together that only leaves us with 3 midfielders. If we do play 4-5-1 then three of the four have been used leaves one for the bench and an untried youngster. Playing Keogh there may work but is that not a case of filling round holes with square pegs.

[wayne allisons tongues]

enoch could also play there if push came to some kind of shove

Do we really want to move players to positions if push comes to shove. Also not sure if he has aggression to lay there anyway. Think he may well get found out at this level as a temporary measure.

[JudgeRed]

Like i just said on another thread Eddie Lewis (Stats) of Leeds United. Loads of experiance with Preston,Fulham & Leeds in the Championship

[Nibor]

But with most people saying Johnson and Noble cannot play together that only leaves us with 3 midfielders.

Hmm? If you subscribe to that theory, which by no means everyone does, we have two established pros competing for each central midfield position anyway, a good young backup and several options in extremis.

If we do play 4-5-1 then three of the four have been used leaves one for the bench and an untried youngster. Playing Keogh there may work but is that not a case of filling round holes with square pegs.

If we play 451 assuming Noble is in the hole we have one for the bench, a promising youngster for backup and if we have three injuries concurrentlye then we have the perfectly reasonable choices of a) playing a winger/striker in behind b) playing someone like Keogh for a game or two in the middle or c) playing 442.

5 players competing for what will most likely be two positions is PLENTY. We have far more pressing needs.

[wayne allisons tongues]

Hmm? If you subscribe to that theory, which by no means everyone does, we have two established pros competing for each central midfield position anyway, a good young backup and several options in extremis.

Just concerned there seems not that much strength in midfield one injury and most people are saying using a temp stop gap. We did that last year with the forwards and got through just don't want same happening in midfield which is vital area of time especailly in this league.

Just would be concerned if we had couple injuries and in a 4-5-1 we had noble keogh and artus as midfield 3. Not saying any good but compared to some midfields in this league seems slightly weak and unproven

[court_bcfc]

Noble

Skuse

Sproule

Johnson

Russell

Murray

Mcindoe

Artus

Betsy

Plummer

Grubb

Orr (if need be)

Myhre-Williams (if need be)

Showunmi (If need be)

Lets get some more midfielders!

[wayne allisons tongues]

Noble

Skuse

Sproule

Johnson

Russell

Murray

Mcindoe

Artus

Betsy

Plummer

Grubb

Orr (if need be)

Myhre-Williams (if need be)

Showunmi (If need be)

Lets get some more midfielders!

Of that list only 5 are centre midfielders, so if we play 4-5-1 leaves us only 2 players spare say russell artus. i personally would say mcindoe myrie williams grubb enoch plummer betsy murray are not central midfield. Just concerned one injury and we may be short in the middle. We could put all the others in there but then why sign a new forward when you could say we have

Murray

Mcindoe

Sproule

Jevons

Enoch

Myrie Williams

Betsy

Plummer

Brooker

Wilson

McCombe (did it quite often last year)

11 players for 4 maybe 5 spots in the team we have way too many if you look at it that way but it is a case of more strength in depth than temporary measures. Would not be happy if we signed no forwards had a couple of injuries and we were playing WBA away with forward line of Sproule and Mcindoe with Plummer and Wilson down wings, with Artus and Johnson in middle.

That sems a light team and defence may be overrun

Just think we need 1 more player to take burden off midfielders and players could then be rested.

People said last year we were over using Jennison we could well do the same for Artus.

Like someone said on a differant post Nicholls from Leeds would be a good signing and would give us options and he has experience in this league.

Just do not want to see us struggle through like last year up front.

[i_am_red]

is grubb still here?

[barry_mack]

I agree with you Wayne, this league seems to be all about strength in depth. Southend last season beat Sunderland, Wolves, West Brom, Brum, Man U - with their first team (other than Manure by a good margin), but still went down due to a lack in depth. If Johnson gets injured and Skuse gets a ban at the same time... our midfield would be pretty screwed. If we were to get a long term injury to any middle of midfield players then certaintly we would need some new faces (I said faces)

[p&mdisco]

With Artus not travelling seemed we were a bit light in midfield with only 3 players available. Noble i think is now going to be classed as a attacking midfielder after his performances end of last year.

Will Johnsons next signing be a midfielder any injury to the midfield 3 and we are stuggling.

Maybe all quiet on the transfer front means he has changed his mind on the forwards and plans a new midfielder the next few days.

As long as Johnson Skuse Russell stay fit think we will stay up just hope johnson is not going to do to midfield this year what he did to forward line last year. A very risky tactic in this league.

Sign someone at the last moment each time i.e. Corr and Smith

Jevons - Man of the first half, his movement, touch and finishing were

excellent, and in the centre of midfield in the second half he

continued to link play well and look to create and score goals. 8.5/10.

I Know it was only a friendly but could this be an option?

[Rowley Birkin]

In my humble opinion I think we need an expierienced central midfielder, as much as we need a quality striker.

We are far, far too lightweight in the engine room, and the signing of a player like Graham Kavannagh would be instrumental in us staying up.

I can't see him getting many games in the prem for Sunderland, but would be a superb signing for us, though wages would obviously be an issue.

But this is the type of player we desperately need, although Keogh has every attribute to play that role.

But a talisman is a must.

[The Fat Controller]

Orr played in midfield when first here, and would be adequate cover.

What are the chances of Skuse, Johnson, Noble, Russell and Artus all being unavailable at the same time?