I suspect Pardew/Parish have to finalise their target(s) very soon to have a chance of reeling in the sort of player(s) that will upgrade the side. This and the latest thirst for attacking/pacy fullbacks made me muse on the dilemmas facing Pards etc. There have been clamours for CBs, FBs, AMs, even wingers and another striker :D So to take it seriously what shape and where would he spend money in the Jan window as he obviously can't do all of the above?
Does he position us for 3 at the back? Does he add more creativity or maybe even more power/height in midfield? Does he buy super fullbacks to release the wingers into the middle during attacks to score goals? I don't think I am convinced enough on the formation side of things to plump for a single option and I think we have to keep our options open. I do agree with the Managers' comments that formation isn't everything but that attitude/intensity and players win games. But neither is it irrelevant. So I have spent an hour so so musing and came up with this.
To cut it short I think one attractive option might be to go for someone like Ben Davies (its a shame that he got a run-out for Spurs the other day but he is unlikely to be a regular).
He can play LB or CB and is used to playing in a 3 at the back with Wales. He has a good pedigree and attitude and is still only 23 I think (younger than I had thought actually). He must be at the point where he needs games. If they won't sell him yet perhaps we could take him on loan at least as a first step. Being Welsh kind of clinches it :D and if Hennessey or Ledley moves on it maintains our quota.
He fits well because it covers for Souare's injury, it gives us serious 3 at the back options and he provides CB cover too. He is not slow either. He is still developing but I do think he would be a top player for us. Naturally left sided CB would be good for us too. Gibbs is a great LB option but doesn't offer the same versatility/cover.
So happy with that I thought if there was one more purchase - who/what should it be? Instinctively I think would benefit such a lot from a quality CM/AM in so many of our games but on reflection I think we need to add a powerful DM/CM midfielder. To be blunt someone powerful in the centre of the park that can play in the DM/CM slot alongside Cabaye. Someone of the ilk of Kouyate. Now easy to say, find me another Kouyate, I know, but rather than pick one - perhaps better describe him.
He needs to be able to play DM but have the all round skills/energy of a CM/boxtobox mid. He needs to have height and power because our midfield is 'shrinking' :D. Carvalho would be nice but I can't see that one happening now. So we need the 'next one' - easy huh?
So why? I think if we were to add a creative AM to the current squad we would kill some of the lower teams for sure but too often we will struggle to compete in the middle. Perhaps emphasised in the first half on Saturday.
If we had that player with 2 out of Macca, Punch and Cabaye around him I think we can stop worrying about winning the ball back and concentrate on making these wingers really work for us (goals and assists). I am not sure who that is but I suspect it is a cheaper and more effective buy than an AM right now.
In Jan, I would leave it at that and sort out the AM for the summer. I suspect Davies would only be a loan and so we could afford a little more on the other player. Souare would be back by summer and Pardew would know what he needs by then too.
Easy .......
Does he position us for 3 at the back? Does he add more creativity or maybe even more power/height in midfield? Does he buy super fullbacks to release the wingers into the middle during attacks to score goals? I don't think I am convinced enough on the formation side of things to plump for a single option and I think we have to keep our options open. I do agree with the Managers' comments that formation isn't everything but that attitude/intensity and players win games. But neither is it irrelevant. So I have spent an hour so so musing and came up with this.
To cut it short I think one attractive option might be to go for someone like Ben Davies (its a shame that he got a run-out for Spurs the other day but he is unlikely to be a regular).
He can play LB or CB and is used to playing in a 3 at the back with Wales. He has a good pedigree and attitude and is still only 23 I think (younger than I had thought actually). He must be at the point where he needs games. If they won't sell him yet perhaps we could take him on loan at least as a first step. Being Welsh kind of clinches it :D and if Hennessey or Ledley moves on it maintains our quota.
He fits well because it covers for Souare's injury, it gives us serious 3 at the back options and he provides CB cover too. He is not slow either. He is still developing but I do think he would be a top player for us. Naturally left sided CB would be good for us too. Gibbs is a great LB option but doesn't offer the same versatility/cover.
So happy with that I thought if there was one more purchase - who/what should it be? Instinctively I think would benefit such a lot from a quality CM/AM in so many of our games but on reflection I think we need to add a powerful DM/CM midfielder. To be blunt someone powerful in the centre of the park that can play in the DM/CM slot alongside Cabaye. Someone of the ilk of Kouyate. Now easy to say, find me another Kouyate, I know, but rather than pick one - perhaps better describe him.
He needs to be able to play DM but have the all round skills/energy of a CM/boxtobox mid. He needs to have height and power because our midfield is 'shrinking' :D. Carvalho would be nice but I can't see that one happening now. So we need the 'next one' - easy huh?
So why? I think if we were to add a creative AM to the current squad we would kill some of the lower teams for sure but too often we will struggle to compete in the middle. Perhaps emphasised in the first half on Saturday.
If we had that player with 2 out of Macca, Punch and Cabaye around him I think we can stop worrying about winning the ball back and concentrate on making these wingers really work for us (goals and assists). I am not sure who that is but I suspect it is a cheaper and more effective buy than an AM right now.
In Jan, I would leave it at that and sort out the AM for the summer. I suspect Davies would only be a loan and so we could afford a little more on the other player. Souare would be back by summer and Pardew would know what he needs by then too.
Easy .......
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