I took it to mean 15+ kids.... Perhaps the comment was misleading.
One way or another we'll still want a full senior bench.
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Player Conor Gallagher
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I took it to mean 15+ kids.... Perhaps the comment was misleading.
One way or another we'll still want a full senior bench.
If its Poch, I can see him picking up on some young players for those spots
He famously likes a small squad
And if we arent on for 60+ games, as I say, its a chance to have a clear out and restructure within it
As per the post I originally replied to - we have so many #8s its just not sustainable
Agree- it is a logjam at CM right now. If we are playing 3-4-1-2 or the close variants we only will need 4 CM next season. As you say, now that we have Gallagher on a long term contract and high wages, he will have to be played.
If there was ever a time to go for pure youth it'd be this next season where we have a free hit a rebuilding year. Galla, Bergvall, Sarr and Gray would be able to hold down those positions, and Gray with his flexibility could easily get some extra games filling in at RWB and RCB too. Of course the sale of Bentancur would be complicated with his recent extension, but you'd hope the club would find a way of getting it done.
If we sell Romero it may be advisable to retain Palhinha also to play RCB and occasionally at CM for us. It's an interesting option, and he has looked good for us there. Palhinha and VdV flanking Vuskovic sounds like the makings of a pretty good back three imo.
If we're going to carry 5 or more CMs though it'd be best to loan one of them out to ensure they get enough games to develop. Seeing the bone-headed reluctance of our org to start Bergvall in his natural 8 position, I'd hope they send him out somewhere where can simply play and learn his trade.
Problem with that is they all profile too similarly. While they do have their respective strengths and weaknesses, I think at this point all 4 of them are best as box-to-box mids and we desperately need some complementary profiles (i.e. guys that are better at passing) to give us balance. Especially if we move on Biss, Bentancur and don't sign Palhinha.
For me, signing Gallagher confirmed we absolutely need to sell (at least) one of the other 3 to open up squad space for a new midfielder or two. Will come down to who our next manager likes, but personally I'd try and flog Sarr.
Signing Gallagher has simultaneously solved some problems (homegrown, low-injury risk, goalscorer, experienced) but also created a log-jam at 8 which means something's gotta give.
I hear you. In this formation though I feel like they'd be fine to man those spots. Gray and Bergvall have fine qualities for defensive play. Sarr at Metz used to renowned for his deep passing abilities. I remember when Gallagher was surprise hit as an attacking CM at Palace. Simons as well can play in CM for us if we need it- would be a lot like current Hamburg with Vieira. I understand your concerns but think we'd be fine- I still think we've better talent than we've shown, and that our biggest hindrance is poor coaching.
Also I think our biggest deficiencies are with top tier attackers, and that since we're not megarich we need to focus on 1 or 2 premium signings, perhaps at the expense of marginal upgrades in central midfield.
Sorry, it’s the ability to take the ball where it’s crowded and quickly slot a forward pass - not a raking switch but a quick, first time pass into feet or space. It’s an art. None of our players will ever be able to play that way. We need to sell and buy a proper DM
I understand your opinion- I just feel that our young CMs CAN learn that skill in time. Simply having competent leadership and coaching will see us farther up the table, affording us time to develop our investments properly.
Don't think that type of vision and creativity can be taught, really. Not in the purest sense, anyway.
They might improve at those areas marginally or do better at them under certain coaches but I don't think it's really possible to turn someone into an elite passer.
Like our CMs could spend the rest of their careers working on their passing game and they'd never be able to do what, say, Wharton can do.
I think of the lot, Gray and Bergvall have the most potential to improve their passing but can't see either of them being better than 'above average'. Gallagher and Sarr...not happening.
Well, I disagree- I think Bergvall especially is still young enough he can learn this. Gray can certainly become much better- he already has tidy feet on the sidelines. Sarr I think was better before and has regressed, but can still improve.
For me, good coaching is so, so important, and we've not had any real decent coaching in my opinion since Poch, basically... Even still, Poch was a better man manager and leader than he was a tactician. I struggle to think of us having a master midfield tactician type coach at any point I've been a fan since the Ramos era...
Fair enough - maybe you'll be proven right. I just think it's one of those innate qualities players either have or they don't.
Don't get me wrong. I totally agree that coaching is massive and think all those players can improve a lot. Bergvall and Gray especially are way off their peaks. I just don't think any of them will ever become exceptional creators or passers.
Plus we need a passer in the midfield next season imo. We can't just hope Gray or Bergvall turn into one overnight under Poch.
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None of our young players have as of yet indicated they are ready to be the first choice midfield in a top of the table premier league team. Sarr in particular I think might need to move on, good attitude but too inconsistent with no evidence of that really changing across multiple seasons.
At least Gallagher has shown the ability to be a starting midfielder in a top six team and seems to have a great attitude. Also Poch seems to rate him so hopefully that's reunion will happen.
At least Gallagher has shown the ability to be a starting midfielder in a top six team and seems to have a great attitude. Also Poch seems to rate him so hopefully that's reunion will happen.
Sarr was pretty much ever present in a midfield 3 which finished 5th in the league.
Yeah, and outside of the first 10 games (and one against Aston Villa later on) we were pretty average for that season.
I think we should ship out Bissouma, Sarr and Bentancur and sign another decent ball playing midfielder, someone capable of regularly picking a decent forward pass. Gray and Bergvall could be first choice backups.
We still finished 5th regardless of form but I'm not getting into the Ange thing again, point is I think Sarr could be good enough for what you've suggested but circumstances mean that he's probably the most likely to leave.
However I agree with you, 3 have to leave for the sake of squad balance and yes we need a passing mid!
Agreed. For all the sucking off Archie Gray that happens on this board, he wouldn't be as close to the first team as he is for us at ANY title winning team of the past 5 years. And nor would Bergvall.
We still need an established midfield creator. It's someone like a Tonali or better version thereof that we need.
I'm pro Gallagher also btw. Think we'll see him do well in the rest of the season and will become a key player under Poch, even if he isn't the player I've described above, who we need alongside him.
I’d move on all of our senior CMs before shifting any of the younger ones. Biss, Benta, Palinha…these are fully formed, peak age players and we know exactly what we’re going to get get from them.
Poch will want young legs for his press and has a habit of getting more out of young players than it looks like might be in them.
He will need his new Dembele/Wanyama type though
Interested to see how Connor does under a good manager.
You don’t suddenly turn into dross over night and he’s proven already in his career that he is a very good premier league player.
Will need his fight and desire on Sunday!
You don’t suddenly turn into dross over night and he’s proven already in his career that he is a very good premier league player.
Will need his fight and desire on Sunday!
Well since Tudor is an automations guy, hopefully that will be good for Gallagher.
He seems fairly bright and diligent - one of those players managers trust - so if he knows in advance where he's meant to pass the ball that hopefully that will suit him and cover his weaknesses a bit.
We saw under Conte how Bentancur, a very safe and limited passer under other managers, became really effective in the middle of the park. Hopefully it will be similar for our mids under Tudor.
Dogshit signing
Everything wrong with this club is summed up by this signing and the fact this thread is full of people who think it was a good idea.
We really do deserve to be relegated.
We really do deserve to be relegated.