We're only losing one midfielder. Louza, who did make an impact on Saturday, however, he's not been used until now, so I don't see that as being a catastrophic loss to the squad. Certainly not one that would create an insurmountable dent in the make-up of the team. We would still have Cleverley, Sissoko, Kucka and Tufan. That's exactly the same combo we've been relying on up until last Saturday. Etebo has been out for a while now, so we've managed to get on with it without him for quite some time. We do still have Gosling, however, I do think he'll be transferred/loaned out in the January window. 4 players is light, but then we're talking about a run of a maximum 5 games. Might be less than that. Pedro has also filled in centrally too. So put yourself in Giaretta's shoes. You have 6 viable midfielders. One will go to the AFCON and one is injured, plus you do have Gosling to add to the group in an emergency. We have options on TDB and Zinckernagel to recall, however, I'm not sure that would be the best thing to do. Do we sign another player, who is at a high level, just to cover AFCON, or do we go with what we've got? Signing another first team player will block the path of someone else, like Etebo or Louza when he returns. We can't really be shutting the door on good players. I think the bigger concern is losing Sarr and Dennis, if indeed Dennis gets called up. However, I think there is a rift between him and the Nigerian coach, so maybe that will not happen.
Yes, I'm not saying that at all, that wasn't my point - the point is that if he is now considered a potential starting pick, he has expanded that pool from 4 to 5, and in doing so plays in a way that is different to any of the other midfielders we have there. He then goes, and that pool is back down to 4, who all fundamentally offer pretty similar things. Yes, the four I named is the four we will have, indeed - and I didn't include Gosling in going along with your thoughts that he might be sent out, as you say - and even if he isn't, I don't really consider him an adequate or appropriate backup/option given what we're trying to do. The issue with saying 'it's the same combo we've been relying on up to now' is that our midfield hasn't been that good up to now, and has clearly been suffering from that lack of variety, as well as issues like Kucka's very patchy form and Tufan's failure to get off the starting line in the few opportunities he's been afforded so far. We're only one performance away from Southampton, lest we forget. Part of our optimism is based on the expanding and improving potential nature of the team in general, and in a particular sense that midfield against Utd - it's something we needed, and now we're looking at a scenario of being back to square one with it. JP has played centrally, yes, though it's also certainly not something I'd like to have to rely on for any period of time at all at Premier League level, and further to that, we will need him in one of his actual positions - either as the only attacker capable of coming on and having any impact, or, indeed, as a starter dependent upon his form going into that period and whether or not Dennis has eventually been called up. If we lose him, we have no choice but to field both JP and Cucho from the start and our forward line is set in stone with only Ken Sema to provide any later impact . And there's talk from @LouOrns today for one that the Nigeria coach who refuses to pick Dennis might be in the process of being replaced - if that comes to pass, I cannot see how almost literally the first thing any new coach would do is to look at the second most prolific goal contributor in the Premier League, who has been (somewhat) inexplicably overlooked by your predecessor up to this point in favour of a raft of geriatrics. A run of maximum 5 games cannot be downplayed as 'only 5 games' when that is more than an eighth of our entire season, and we are in a relegation battle, desperately fighting to survive - added to that, of course, is that most of our players represent countries that are likely to go deep into the tournament - so we're rather unlikely to get them back after 1 or 2. To me it seems that the obvious choice would be to bring in a midfielder on loan, if that's something that is at all viable/possible. It may only be during AFCON, but the season does not stop for it, and nor do the other teams we are competing against, and we are far more exposed to it than literally any other Prem club. It is an exceptional circumstance, so we may need to take some exceptional action to deal with it.
Unless he's not considered fit enough for the tournament, but could play some role whilst coming back from injury - I've no idea what his current prognosis is, frankly, and I imagine we never will until he suddenly reappears. But, indeed, we're much more likely to be without him, one way or another, than with him.
Of course, loans are the answer, but it's not always that easy. How likely are we to pick up a midfielder and forward who will improve our squad on a 2/3 month loan? It's not very likely IMO. They will almost certainly have to be loans until the rest of the season, probably with an option/obligation to buy. Of course, Udinese might be able to help with a short term loan, but is their surplus pool of players going to be able to cut it with us? Again unlikely. Do we need new players? Yes.......but will we get them just for AFCON, I think that's unlikely. We could do something at LB, and maybe a loan at CB, to cover WTE and the injury to Kabs as we are low on numbers in this area, but I just don't see it for midfield and forward areas.
Will Hughes isn't getting a kick at Palace. Perhaps he'd come back for a few months if we ask him nicely
Forward much less likely, yes, that's why I'd prioritise it for midfield. Obviously, it's not easy, as I said - if it's at all viable/possible. But that is the sole job of our recruitment department, after all, and we are talking about something that could very easily be the difference between staying up and going down. We have heard about how we supposedly have money to spend after the summer's foibles - intelligent application of that would include a half season loan, say, of a character good enough to help us ride out that period, as well as any injuries/suspensions both during and over the course of the rest of the campaign.
Forwards are what we need least - so going on past experience, I expect that’s exclusively what we will sign.
Anyone got any decent plausible CB suggestions? I know Connor Goldson was mentioned. Could do worse and would improve the side. Joe Rodon on loan? Not really getting a look in at Spurs and looked quality at Swansea.
That's a no then. Gaston Avila at Rosario Central ? Jelle Bataille at Oostende. Aaron Hickey at Bologna. David Zima at Torino. All new back line.
I have just asked a Spurs fan I coach about Rodon. He said " I like him,never been given a chance here and always plays well for Wales. I'd rather you take someone else,like half the squad!".
I suggest we sign a League One centre back who can head the ball away. That Mattie Pollock is a beast in the air.
I've heard recently that we're in for Samir from Udinese although we're being tight with wages and won't offer him what he's after apparently.
This does seem like a parody of the Pozzos. Too cheap to attract a player they already own. He certainly is better than what we have. Young for a CB and left-footed. But there are defenders playing beyond the city limits of Udine.
How infuriating that 2 years on from Wilmot being our supposed defensive saviour when he was on loan at Swansea, we are basically in the same position!
He's been crap all season, hard to know if that is because he knows he isn't staying. Watched their game on Sunday morning and he was at fault for Livingston's goal.
I've said before everytime I watched Swansea he was the standout player. Would love us to make a bid in January. Good age and could see him and FS build a decent unit for years to come.
Now he is back from his ban how about kucka playing cb can't be any worse than what has been playing there lately
Hilarious. Use the mouthpiece to talk away this week’s crisis with a unprovable fob off. Leventhal should consider a role in government.
Been suggested to me this morning that Unai Nunez is back on the clubs radar. Domingos Duarte is another name that has come up but can’t see how we would get him out of Granada for a reasonable price.
Yep, a couple of barely distinguishable blips on the far outer reaches of the radar. Meanwhile, the Morris signal is picking up strength.
Both decent but unfortunately far to expensive imo. Again I'd personally be going all out for Rodon. But Ranieri must have a few Italian stalwarts he could turn too.
