Consortium of one

Well I have to say I'm glad to be done with the "monitoring" of the old regime and on to the more favorable "gazumping" of this one.

I think it's more a covid issue. Teams don't want to risk being caught short.

Agree terms with the player and let the player and his agent put pressure on his club. The available pool of players and time are shrinking. We knew this window was going to be very difficult. It may come down to late window loans. It may come down to the Phil Jone's and Ramsey's of the world too. We can't have any expectations, really.

That is an eye opening graphic. Schar isn't as bad as he's portrayed but as others have said we have a crew of CBs who can best function in a back 3. All of CBs are flawed: Lascelles is bad on the ball and has lost a step. Fede is slow. Schar isn't physical enough. Clark is prone to major errors. Put any three together as Rafa did and you have something but that something was 2 + seasons ago. In a 2 man pairing the flaws are all too evident. The problem is that our midfield mirrors the CBs. Any two MF together are turbo shit but put 3 together and they can at least, to a certain extent, paper over the flaws. So that would give us a 3-5-2 with Wilson/Wood and ASM up top. Miggy's done, Fraser can be an impact sub and? Even if we get Carlos in he has to settle and that could take a while. I'm assuming he plays with just one partner but I think he could adapt to a 3 man until the end of the season. I'm really not sure why Howe hasn't played a 352 variation. I would allow him to play Shelvey as the deep lying QB. Joe could play box to box role and Willock can get back to ghosting into the box. Now, in defense of Howe, if he's concerned that if the players have been conditioned to go into a shell with a one goal lead then you could say this isn't the best formation. However with Trippier he has an example of a forward thinking WB who knows when to drop back in defense. Get Lewis back, get him on the same page as Trips and I think we'd be much off. This all works on the assumption we aren't getting a 2nd CB or a MF in this window. If we do he can set up different.

He's Mexican, right?

An early yellow for Shelvey gives him an excuse to loaf for the rest of the game.

Under Bruce, who had no tactical noir, the plan was to simply get the ball to ASM and let him find a way to get a shot or a little chip that Wilson could finish. So naturally that's the only way he can now operate. His off the ball movement around the box is nil. No one plays a through to run onto and there is no midfield creator to unlock the defense in any way shape or form. At least now we have a threat to head on goal or knock down a cross with Wood but we still sorely lack finishing in those situations.

In a squad that needs to be cleared of most of its players, Big Joe is one to keep.

He's a squad player. He's on the bench until we have to kill a game off. Solid defensively and suspect offensively.

Based on the last few years our CB are all suited for a back three because of the holes in their game. The same goes for our CM. play a 3-5-2 with Trips and Lewis as true WB. Have ASM play off Wood/Wilson. Let Willock ghost into the box. Have Shelvey and a real holding MF play a tad deeper and bring in a commanding CB to anchor the back 3. So at the minimum we need a CM and CB for sure. I'd also like to see another CM to replace Shelvey, a LB to push Lewis and another CB. of course, I wouldn't say no to an Ekitike or any other younger player with upside at any position.

Didn't we monitor Veretout when Carr was here?

Yep, one of my favorite people in football.

Betamax?

On top of all that he's 6'3"

Starting to see rumors of ManU floating Van de Beek for loan. I'd have him in a heartbeat. Is Lewis still a couple of weeks away? No clue where we can turn for our CB situation. Badiashile is a good shout but I'd also like a more experienced guy to come in.

Stop it! He could go on a purple patch or he can flounder but on paper he's a good choice. Trips and Ritchie can pepper the box with tasty crosses to him. We don't have the creativity to play it on the carpet, even for Wilson, IMO, so this is the smart play. Play ASM off of him, let Willock ghost into the box anmd we might be able to generate chances consistently. This not an "ideal" signing in any way. I think the club are smart enough to transition to bridge players to get us through this season and we are fotunate they have the cash to pivot towards the big signings we expect if we stay up.

Fuck Digne

I agree. I also think Miggy is playing his way out of the team. Put Willock, Joe and Knobhead in the middle with ASM off of Wood Trippier on the right, Radgie on the left and then whatever is available in the back 3.

why no Kamara chat? I don't hear any clubs in for him. I thought he'd be a hot commodity with his contract winding down. Two in, We need four more: holding mid, creative mid, commanding cb, young striker.

3

Try to win a Cup game? I call shenanigans.

Gone are the days of derisory bids!

I can't believe we haven't heard more about Kamara. He's the holding MF we need.

There's been rumbling in the States over a lack of Sunlun coverage.