01 Jan 2019 18:19:13
We have Kos back and Mavropanos back but Holding out. Welbeck and Mik out. Rambo and Ozil in a bad place. and will sign 1 may be 2 players in Jan.
What positions do we sign?
For me - Centreback ( promising 23 to 26 year old type of age and talent ) plus a creative player who can play in the hole or as part of a front 3.
Not ideal but that's the world we are in.
01 Jan 2019 19:00:14
Personally I've always thought build from the back mate, stop conceding so many chances in every game has to be first job.
2 players? A well rounded cmf player who can attack and defended equally well to partner Torreira and the best CB we can Offord and get.
01 Jan 2019 19:06:53
You’re dreaming if you think they make any signings or substantial deals in January. A loan deal or two, nothing more than that.
01 Jan 2019 19:52:03
Why not Shane Duffy from Brighton for CB won't be to expensive. Has prem experience, great in the air, can organise a defence and is man of the match most days for the ROI team
For the wing has to be Under from Roma has the look of a young Ronaldo 7 about him.
01 Jan 2019 21:15:18
2 of Kos Mustafi Papa don't work so if we are going to play 2 cbs we need someone who works along side Papa if we are going to play 3 them we need an upgrade on Mustafi who is cover at best, either way we need a CB. Plus Xhaka Just hasn't got it in him to be reliable defensively.
Firstly Dick needs to decide 3 4 3 or 4 3 3 and go from there at building a solid unit that is hard to get by.
01 Jan 2019 22:25:12
Its pretty obvious, we are pretty much maxed out on our wages, if no one leaves, no one of significance will come in. In the summer it will improve and targets can be pursued. Boys we may have to be patient and accept, injuries and lack of true quality will mean we have to work with what we have. Dick is trying everything he can to try and improve the problems, it may mean, we will not be watertight this season. He is working within the restraints and circumstances that he was given. Its a pity holding got injured, it is a pity kos is shot, its a pity Mustaffi has so many issues but that's our lot at the moment. I hope mavropanos can come in and be like holding, i hope maybe we can out some players to allow some in but it will be the summer before we get any real targets we may be after. I don't think we will get any player in in january who will magically change our defending. We just have to hope the penny drops with some of our players and we get a few improvements from a few. Dick is dealing with what he has and what he was left, it ain't going o magically improve in january, we jave been shackled by the ozil, myki and auba deals, especially ozil. The decision to give ozil that amount of money was plain stupid and Dick wasnt anywhere near but he has to deal with it. There isn't going to be a quick fix!
01 Jan 2019 22:38:28
True Steve a quick fix never was on the cards but progress needs to be seen to be backed 100% by everyone.
Dick needs to show that he is the man who can organise our defence into something resembling respectable and stop us being a second half dependant team.
He's got to give fans confidence that he knows what needs to be done to sort our weaknesses that keep getting exposed almost every game.
He's going to be up against it if he doesn't show he's aware of of what needs sorting and is on the case soon.
02 Jan 2019 11:54:44
If the money is not there to sign a top player then we might as well wait until there is, rather than making yet another rash signing just for the sake of it. We already have plenty of so called squad players (or so-so players who make absolutely no difference whether playing or on the bench) , so i don't see the point of adding any more. Any player we sign needs to be of the type that is a guaranteed first XI starter, and they cost serious cash, whatever the position. In the meantime we need to push the youngsters up the pecking order and give them a go. Its working in Germany, so no reason why it can't for us.
02 Jan 2019 14:28:03
You’re totally right Epping, stop buying makeweights and buy big important players for the here now and future.
We have to make the most of the real quality players, albeit not many, that we have in the squad now.
02 Jan 2019 15:34:25
I think Nkoulou (CB) would be a decent buy for us since we won't be able to afford Koulibaly whick is likely. Kos might not be with us next summer. For me this should be his last season with us.
03 Jan 2019 14:30:59
From a defensive point of view, the biggest disappointment for me is the bad injury to Holding. Its such a shame as I thought he was starting to look a really decent player, and i love how good he is at bringing the ball out from the back (reminds me of how Maguire plays for Leicester and England) . By no means is he the finished article, and i don't think we can put his absence down as a reason for the return of the defensive jitters, but just for his development, its such a shame that he has been set back just as he was stepping up to the plate. I just hope we sign a worldie CD who can partner with Holding in the future, rather than another Gabriel/ Mustafi type player who will make no major difference, except perhaps to push Holding further down the pecking order upon his return next year.