Summer 2023 Transfer Rumours

LWB absolutely the priority if we are going to play wing backs (which pre season tells us we will be).
Pacy centre backs - agree, but don’t think Hughes does so it’s not going to happen.
We have Odusina who has had a very good pre season (by a country mile our best centre back in the games I’ve seen) and Oyegoke who can bring pace to the back three. Moving Oyegoke tho means we will miss him at RWB which he looks perfect for.
I do think we desperately need some pace out wide - out and out wingers as we need to be able to change things if 3 at the back isn’t working.
Again - I don’t think Hughes agrees
The more I’m saying, the more I’m concerned about our set up and squad before we’ve even started….

 

I think we've gone some way to becoming more like Leyton Orient.

6'6 Dan Happe and 6'3 Omar Beckles lack pace. Ash Taylor, Matty Platt and Ciaran Kelly also all lack pace, as does Stubbs.

Beckles actually got sent off twice, for example.

But their midfield was leagues above ours, and that's where he probably sees McDonald and Pattison having the biggest impact. Flooding the midfield with potential threats and having lumps at the back worked wonders.

They could also have said they were very slow (which they were), but it certainly worked when they possessed a threat from set pieces and flowing counter attacks alike, and could also defend properly at the back.

Last season we couldn't defend set pieces, had very little threat from our own, and didn't have any goals in midfield either.

 

Brilliant post and I wholeheartedly agree with you.
LWB has to be the priority.
Laying it out like you do it makes the Ash Taylor signing look even more bizarre given that we already had Platt and Stubbs to play that central role and none of them are suited to the wide CBs role. IMO we’d have been far better signing a pacy ball playing RCB. Stubbs and Platt for the centre, Odusina and Kelly for the left and a new signing (instead of Taylor) for the right would have been far more balanced.

Anyway, back to your question and like I say I agree. LWB is the priority and I’d also like a RW, a pacy ball playing RCB and probably another target man striker to allow us to rest Cook given Oliver’s injury. I can’t see us getting all four though. We’d probably need some players to leave in order to sign more than two of them.

 

I still think Oyegoke is your pacey, ball playing RCB - can't see him leaving Halliday out after last season

 

Sparks said we would be signing players who can adapt and be versatile. You say we need players who can play wide and have pace - well we have signed 2 in Smith and Oduor. And the added bonus they are also able to play CF and LWB.

 

Started 1 pre season game though so maybe not a shoe in like some think....

 

I think at this moment in time a forward is a higher priority than a LWB. Not saying we dont need one in this window as we certainly do, but if I had to pick it would be a forward.

Oliver and his injuries are a concern. Hughes has said Oliver is 8 weeks away but add to that he's had no pre-season, so probably at least 10 or 11 if we have some behind closed doors friendlies or he plays in the PJT. If we are playing 2 up top, we need a partner for Cook and at the minute the options are Derbyshire who will struggle for 90 or Smith who has never managed a string of starts in his career so far and has a knock. Even if Oliver is fit, him and Cook seems a mismatch of styles.

Ridehalgh, Odour and Gilly can patch LWB for the few games in August whilst we search for the next defender. I think the Taylor signing is to cover for Stubbs track record of knee injuries, which he had a bang to his knee this week and it sounds like they are taking no risks when his knee takes a hit. Whilst we have 5 in the building, Oyegoke has covered there too, I reckon CB wont be addressed before deadline day, unless its a cheap youth loan.

 

I thought Beckles was very mobile both times I saw him last season Jon. He's certainly quicker than all 4 of our centre backs you mentioned I think.

 

I get what you are saying but wasnt it his positioning sense that oozed class, which negates the need for pace. The only comparable ones I can think of at VP of a similar ilk were Roy McFarland and Andrew Davies? Not exactly rapid but they were outstanding defenders.

 

Impressed with Beckles last season for sure

 

I really hope Odusina turns out to be the pacey centre back we need. Sounds like he's suited to playing in a back 3, and when we signed him last summer we were all excited. I just suspect Hughes has already decided he doesn't like him.

 

Oduor cannot play LWB, I’ve seen enough in four friendlies to know that’s not the place for him, unless some coaching masterclass teaches him how to defend. Not knocking the lad, it’s just not his position.
Smith I agree, happy with the bits I’ve seen to date

 

I agree, it looks like he was brought in to cover that role as well as wing back. My only concern (from the bits of preseason I've seen) is he seemed far more effective as a wing back. So between him and Platt we have two CBs covering that role that aren't ideally suited to it. I rate Platt as a defender btw, just not sure he's got the attributes for that right slot.

 

Maybe just me but it seems when his club play us Shrewsbury/Orient he's been their best player or certainly in contention for their MOTM, apart from when he got sent off, good defender at league 1/2 level IMO.

 

I agree, it looks like he was brought in to cover RCB as well as wing back. My only concern (from the bits of preseason I've seen) is he seemed far more effective as a wing back. So between him and Platt we have two CBs covering that role that aren't ideally suited to it. I rate Platt as a defender btw, just not sure he's got the attributes for that right slot.

I could be wrong needing another CB. Odusina might be the guy for the left, and Platt/Odeyoke may both be good enough for the right. But I do worry... let's bring on the season to find out!

 

All this talk of struggling for a right CB in the 3 and Kelly playing on the left ....... Isn't Odusina right footed?

I know we've not seen him there but what about Odusina Stubbs (or Platt) Clark when all fit?

 

Stubbs is a very good defender. Platt steady. Kelly untested, Odusina not trusted all lack mobility

 

Difficult to say until we can really gauge the new signings. But right now, that’s a fair summary. I’d add, I still worry about us getting goals from anyone other than Cook, but my main worry is defensively.

 

Have to say I strongly disagree, I think our weakest position it LWB and you should always strengthen your first 11 before adding a squad player which another physical striker is likely to be behind Cook.

 

It's not to be behind Cook, it's to partner Cook. All pre-season we went 352/532 with Cook and Smith. We didnt try the 343/541 with wide forward until Smith and Oliver were out. I think in Hughes mind when everyone is fit, he wants Cook and a partner. As Smith isn't fit and has struggled for gametime his career to date and Oliver has been injured a lot the past year, i'd say an extra striker and we play the system the manager wants would be top of his list, over another LWB.

We need both, just saying if i had to pick one slot for the next man in. As only having Cook and Derbyshire has altered everything we trained for in the first few weeks of July to now going with attacking wide midfielders, rather than 2 up top. I think we will bring in both before the end of the window.