January 2023 - Transfer Talk - Stick or Twist

Most successful teams have a solid “spine”
Decent keeper,solid centre halves,tough midfielder and a goal scorer.
We’ve easily got 3 out of the four.
In fact I think we’ve got the best keeper and in Crichlow,one of the best defenders in the league.
Cooks figures speak for themselves and while some say he could possibly do a bit more,his job is to score goals which he has done better than everybody else bar one player in league 2.
WhileTuesday was truly awful,I don’t think we are a million miles away.
Address the 1 missing bit of this “spine” in January and we might not be too far away come May.

 

I think the majority of us are after the same sort of player. One who can allow Smallwood to do what he does best, sit in front of the back 4 and break up play, while helping to link the midfield to the forward line by varying the ball threateningly down the middle.or out wide. I'd say like like a Nicky Law, others may disagree.

 

Because two in the middle against
433 & 541 gets swamped. Gilly, Smallwood and a must have replacement needs to be our 3 mainstay midfielders.

 

Yep. His ball control is superb. He's clearly a good player at this level.

I'll be honest, it's one of the few things I criticise about Hughes. He's brought in a great player and then compromised him

 

Walker in the team instead of Chapman could make a big difference.

It's staggering the number of times a player of Chapman's experience and talent, makes a bad decision and then suddenly we're on the back foot.

Such poor reading of the game, simply boosts the confidence of our opponents.

 

Even a fully fit Kante, would struggle to operate in our system - when you've got a player in front of you, i.e Chapman making wrong decisions and so you then are often over compensating.

If you rewatch Tuesday's match, you'll see that virtually every poor move involved him. Foulds wasn't far behind - but let's be fair he's a LB.

Eisa who played that role for the first time for us, looked like he'd been playing it for a 100 matches. That's the difference when someone is 'on it' mentally.

In fairness to Chapman he is playing a role he doesn't normally play and I think his head's scrambled. He needs a rest and he'd be a great player to come off the bench.

 

While on the whole Smallwood has been disappointing,getting from box to box has never been his game.
As you say,let him do what he’s done successfully for most of his career(at a lot higher level) and be the player that breaks up play in front of the back 4.
Whilst we are not messing about as much at the back now,our biggest problem is still the delay in getting the ball from back 4/5 to the attacking players.

The box to box ball carrying midfielder that we need is out there.
We’ve all seen games where other teams have come and had that player that seems to be on the edge of their own box one minute and then in our box 10 seconds later.
January might not be the ideal time to find this type of player but it’s not like we haven’t known for quite a few seasons that this part of the team is a massive problem.

 

Walker was doing a similar 'box to box' role at the end of last season. The reason why he's so good, is that he's comfortable with the ball anywhere on the pitch and also tries to attack from anywhere on the pitch. It makes him a nightmare to mark, for our opponents.

 

I've always been slightly surprised that no one came in for the Orient keeper. He always seemed to play well against us. Anyway, he'll probably be in league one next season now anyway!

 

That's exactly the sort of player we need. Or perhaps a less dynamic, forward running player but one who can control the game from the middle of the park.

I'm feeling though, that whoever we bring in will be a player and in a position that no one expects and makes little obvious sense.

 

Just drop Gillead and replace him with one of the ball boys to see if we can tell the difference.

Easy.

 

Just like the last signing to be fair.

We've just adjusted the shape so we no longer play with wingers and the minute a wide man leaves we replace him like for like.

 

I agree on Smallwood he has had a few bad games recently just like the majority but it think on the whole he does what he is there for

 

Which is?

 

I heard BBC Radio Leeds say we signed someone from Burnley. Am I mistaken?

Thinking I misheard what was said as cant find a thing about it.

 

My wife rang me as well, about 2ish to say she heard on the radio we had signed someone. She said it sounded like Costello? Like you I can't find anyone

 

Yes, him.

Played 4 games for them this season and is 20 years old.

 

Im presuming, after a quick Google, that it's Dara Costelloe. Apparently a forward. If he's played 4 games in the championship this season he must have summat about him