Midfield Options

[Massimo Giovanni]

I agree with pretty much everything, above, including getting Mike Marsh out of the freezer. :cool:

I like the idea of Wordsworth being a playmaker behind the front two. Funnily enough, a role that Mooney did quite well a couple of times this season.

Wordsworth is a goal threat and I'd fancy him to create and score more goals and FFS make sure he takes the deadball pots at goal and not Cokes. He could be a real threat from a central position.

Add a fit McLauglin out wide and Lenny holding it together from deep and then we just need to strengthen wide right or right of the diamond, if he plays that system.

This would leave Atkinson as a good cover for Lenny, if he gets injured.

All in all, we aren't in too bad a shape, barring injuries.

All very positive BUT where are the goals coming from in this system? There aren't many in those names.
we could be the first team to play a 4 6 0 formation ( formally).

 

[AndyT]

I'm not with you 'Massimo'?

Thought we were talking about midfielders on this thread , so the above would be 3 of a midfield 4, so goals can come from them, the two upfront and defenders chipping in from set-pieces maybe.

Think there are goals in all 3 of those players, plus whoever the 4th one is.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

I'm not with you 'Massimo'?

Thought we were talking about midfielders on this thread , so the above would be 3 of a midfield 4, so goals can come from them, the two upfront and defenders chipping in from set-pieces maybe.

Think there are goals in all 3 of those players, plus whoever the 4th one is.

Apologises Andy......................

I read "Mooney" and my reaction is too poor.................the idea of having him in midfield when he can't tackle or head was one I didn't get far passed.:blush:
On thread I have my doubts about Len and WW being able to play together (Lampard and Stevie G stuff?).:unsure:
And our only players who seemed to want to take on an opponent in a 1-1 last season were Jack, Wozza and Hunt and they all seem on the next stagecoach out of town.:tumbleweed:

 

[AndyT]

No worries, Massimo. It's not that clear in my post what I meant by Mooney. Think I was alluding to the fact that when we played with that system, it worked quite well and Mooney was a good option, but given our shortage of strikers, he should definitely play upfront.

WW is a tough one. He would work in a diamond with Lenny at the bottom and him at the top, but if we go 4-4-2 and use two wide men, then he might struggle as a holding midfielder alongside Lenny, like you say. It could work, though.

Lenny at the bottom of the diamond is perfect, as his pace and tackling would get him into positions to break up play or get back quickly if we are caught on the break.

Looking at goals from midfield, I could see 10 or so from WW and 10 between them from McLaughlin and Lenny, if all three played 46 games, which is where the problem might be.

Recruitment wise, we probably will only need 3 midfielders if Worrall and Payne definitely go and assuming Jack Bridge develops. Though I'd like to see us give the Mooosee a one year contract, making him 1 of the three.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

And then we have Timlin ...... he can defend and hold ..... and has some grit ... and can get forward when required. His relative maturity might also be a good thing.

 

[AndyT]

Yep, midfield wise, I think, as long as we have 8-10 then we have everything covered :

Lenny/Timlin/Atkinson - Holding
Wordsworth/Mooossse/Bridge - Creative/Attacking
McLaughlin/Worrall - Wide

That's the 8, assuming Worrall stays , so maybe a couple more as spares, to cover injuries and whether Jack Bridge is ready for a full-time position

 

[kentblues]

Yep, midfield wise, I think, as long as we have 8-10 then we have everything covered :

Lenny/Timlin/Atkinson - Holding
Wordsworth/Mooossse/Bridge - Creative/Attacking
McLaughlin/Worrall - Wide

That's the 8, assuming Worrall stays , so maybe a couple more as spares, to cover injuries and whether Jack Bridge is ready for a full-time position

I think there will a 9th somehow- the above is really this years set up plus Moussa- I think PB will want to bring in another quality player who can make things happen- probably who can play wide or up front in a 10 role

 

[AndyT]

Agreed.

Maybe one more attacking and one wide would be ideal.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Versitility may be important to who makes match day squads so.............
Other players have gone from mid to backs; could Atko make full or centre back stand in?
He has the tireless engine, experience AND IMO the defensive mentality, can also tackle and block well although weaker with heading?

 

[AndyT]

Yep, good points.

I always think a good squad is one where there are natural replacements in every position, so say a 22 man squad :

2 keepers
2 right backs
2 left backs
4 centre halves
8 midfielders
4 forwards

At the moment, we definitely don't have cover at left-back, centre-half and upfront.

Therefore, as you say, if a midfielder can slot in at full-back for a few games, it gives us more options.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Bit of mathematics here ........... if you need 4 midfielders on the pitch (and say 3 on the bench) for each game (46 in the league) then you need midfielders to cover 46 x 7 = 322 "appearances/sub places" - if you only get 30 appearances/sub places from each player then Brown needs more than 10 players to cover the season. If you can get 40 appearances/sub places from each midfielder then you only need 8 players (theoretically).

Of course, injuries, illness and suspensions come along in lumps (at times) so I would guess that is where the loan market comes in.

If we started the season with 8 midfielders then I would suspect that there would be options available once the loan window opens as managers and clubs higher up the pyramid look to get currently "surplus" players out for experience and match fitness.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

Bit of mathematics here ........... if you need 4 midfielders on the pitch (and say 3 on the bench) for each game (46 in the league) then you need midfielders to cover 46 x 7 = 322 "appearances/sub places" - if you only get 30 appearances/sub places from each player then Brown needs more than 10 players to cover the season. If you can get 40 appearances/sub places from each midfielder then you only need 8 players (theoretically).

Of course, injuries, illness and suspensions come along in lumps (at times) so I would guess that is where the loan market comes in.

If we started the season with 8 midfielders then I would suspect that there would be options available once the loan window opens as managers and clubs higher up the pyramid look to get currently "surplus" players out for experience and match fitness.

there are no emergency loans next season

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

There are no emergency loans next season.

Really? That bit of information seems to have passed me by.

I have for some time moaned away (in a rather boring and repetitive way) about the loan system and asked for it to be pruned back ........... and perhaps the football authorities have started to listen to me at long last. :omg::unsure: :winking:

 

[AndyT]

Good point, Rattus, but why would you only get 30 appearances from each player.

That is effectively saying that every midfielder in our squad will be injured for around 3 months each.

 

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Good point, Rattus, but why would you only get 30 appearances from each player.

That is effectively saying that every midfielder in our squad will be injured for around 3 months each.

Perhaps - but if you have 8 midfielders all fit (hopefully at least at the beginning of the season) and you have 4 playing and 3 on the bench then you have 1 spare midfielder who is not in the match squad ........... hence a lower figure for appearances/subs being considered .......... but then again my logic might be missing a little in this respect.

 

[AndyT]

I think having 10 is about right, so my 8 earlier was being optimistic.

I'm sure, this season, Wozza, Lenny and Atko were around 40 games out of the 51 played, so the 2/3 stats are about right that you were suggesting, which shows how many injuries we had.

We used a fair number of loan players in midfield to make up the numbers this season.

It would be nice to get around 35-40 games on average from the main guys : Lenny, Atko, Tims, WW, Wozza and McLaughlin.

 

[Bearded Shrimper]

Atkinson is good in that he can cover a few roles but I think we lose something if he plays wide in front of white. Maybe him and O'Neil could be a good pairing as O'Neil is probably better going forward compared to white but if Worrall goes we'll need a quality replacement

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

So the Moose is staying, very good bonus for the midfield.
Shoe in to start IMO.

 

[Kev29]

So the Moose is staying, very good bonus for the midfield.
Shoe in to start IMO.

We don't know his true fitness, or how bad this knee really is...

 

[shrimperton]

There is a lot of interest in Lenny, the club have told him a reasonable offer will be accepted & they will let him go..

Ron is still regretting not taking the 1.2million for Bentley including add ons & now Rangers are interested we stand to get nothing........Rons been bitten on the *** with that one & is looking to get money in....

From what ive been told, I will be very surprised if Lenny lines up for us at the start of the season..