What do we need

[taio]

Again, I wasn't criticising the performance at Spurs (which I felt was decent). I was criticising the recruitment and how it lined up with the system used at Spurs. A similar system was used vs Sunderland and guess what? I still don't think the recruitment is joined up with that system.

We played well against Spurs and we were set-up well. The game exemplified the difference in PL in terms of finishing. The same Spurs that beat City away yesterday and finished well again.

[Conroy92]

Again, I wasn't criticising the performance at Spurs (which I felt was decent). I was criticising the recruitment and how it lined up with the system used at Spurs. A similar system was used vs Sunderland and guess what? I still don't think the recruitment is joined up with that system.

You must think the manager has done an absolutely fantastic job then to get a result considering this recruitment farce. Well done Scott.

[Mattster]

You must think the manager has done an absolutely fantastic job then to get a result considering this recruitment farce. Well done Scott.

Yeah, he got his tactics pretty much spot on by not playing into Sunderland's strengths. Let them have the ball, draw out their slow defence and exploit it.

Sorry, was that supposed to something hard for me to acknowledge?

[Mattster]

We played well against Spurs and we were set-up well. The game exemplified the difference in PL in terms of finishing. The same Spurs that beat City away yesterday and finished well again.

It was a decent performance, I have said that. You're talking like I've criticised the performance against Spurs. Feel free to point me to where I have been critical of it.

It doesn't mean there aren't holes in the squad for the system being used or that Spurs didn't exploit them. Similarly, a win against Sunderland doesn't mean they have gone away. We haven't signed anyone since, so how could they?

[Elizabeth]

I don't think we are in a MUST need position. We have a strong bench with a few others already at the club who can add significantly to the match day squad. I'm happy to go with what we have unless a Walker type signing presents itself.
We still need some transfers out.

[Djs254]

If we go off what the Burnley express mentioned and previous Parker interviews on our transfer activity. It seems maybe 2-3 more incomings so maybe a CM, CB (although we seem stacked on paper in that position) and maybe a RWB/winger. All of this obviously id imagine will be based off any outgoings and the formula of the deals. (Loans with options/obligations or permanents).

[CoolClaret]

Thinking about it again, we probably need a legit backup for Cullen, for me, no other midfielder at the club has his type of skillset.

[DanH90]

It was one game. It still was a variation of a back 5 and even then there were a couple of times in the first half where they broke on us with JBL upfield so Walker went out to the right there was a huge hole which Ekdal should have automatically plugged but didn't, he held central. Better teams exploit that.

When Esteve and Ugochukwu went off we had Laurent and Worrall playing. I'd say that shows a need for a midfielder and a CB to be signed, as well as the RWB.

Koleosho could have featured off the bench yesterday on either flank. Even if you don't think so (again), it was one game. I don't think JBL had a particularly good game and he is one winger we paid money for only to loan out Koleosho whilst subsidising his wages. I don't think that's good recruitment. You do? Cool. We disagree.

It was quite patently a back 4 until Sonne came on, only then was it a back 5. I can’t get my head around people who saw the first 65-70 minutes as a back 5, it’s like they watched the match with their eyes closed.

[Hedontplayforyou]

Hayden Hackney would be a decent addition

[Shaggy]

Several players need to go first. We have a lot of dead weight in the squad.

[CoolClaret]

It was quite patently a back 4 until Sonne came on, only then was it a back 5. I can’t get my head around people who saw the first 65-70 minutes as a back 5, it’s like they watched the match with their eyes closed.

It was definitely a back four, but a bit of a modified system, with JBL playing in that specialist role he had Vitinho playing at Luton away... Not quite sure what to call it!

[ollieclarets8]

I don't think players do need to go first. If we can get 2-3 players earlier then we get them. The last 24-48 hours is more likely to be when lots of players go out on loan.

[equinox]

In this day and age where 'goal scorers' are at a premium, why isn't Mason Greenwood ever linked with anyone?

Now that lad can finish, put him in our team and we stay in the division.

[Bow]

Has Brownhill got a club yet? I’d be tempted to offer him a cut in wages as backup for Cullen

[Mattster]

It was quite patently a back 4 until Sonne came on, only then was it a back 5. I can’t get my head around people who saw the first 65-70 minutes as a back 5, it’s like they watched the match with their eyes closed.

It was a back 5. JBL's average position was actually further back than Sonne's vs Spurs. Notice the same CB positions for Esteve, Ekdal and Walker.

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[taio]

In this day and age where 'goal scorers' are at a premium, why isn't Mason Greenwood ever linked with anyone?

Now that lad can finish, put him in our team and we stay in the division.

Because Marseille signed him permanently and presumably he's happy there with Champions League football to look forward to. I imagine there is another reason too why some clubs would steer away from him.

[Mattster]

In this day and age where 'goal scorers' are at a premium, why isn't Mason Greenwood ever linked with anyone?

Now that lad can finish, put him in our team and we stay in the division.

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[Big Vinny K]

Again, applying the one game logic.
So it's ok for you to criticise after one game (spurs) but not ok to be positive after one game (Sunderland).

As far as I can see from this forum he hasn’t been positive since we won Burt Freeman got the winner against Liverpool in 1914

It’s painful

[equinox]

Because Marseille signed him permanently and presumably he's happy there with Champions League football to look forward to. I imagine there is another reason too why some clubs would steer away from him.

It's okay not to know, you know?

[taio]

It's okay not to know, you know?

Eh? You asked a question and I answered it.

[equinox]

Eh? You asked a question and I answered it.

Well in four lines of text, you've 'presumed' and 'imagined' which suggests to me you don't know.

[taio]

Well in four lines of text, you've 'presumed' and 'imagined' which suggests to me you don't know.

Because Marseille signed him permanently and he has Champions League football to look forward to. There is another reason too why some clubs would steer away from him.

Hope that suits you better.

[DanH90]

It was a back 5. JBL's average position was actually further back than Sonne's vs Spurs. Notice the same CB positions for Esteve, Ekdal and Walker.

Screenshot_20250825_163856_Sofascore.jpgScreenshot_20250825_163950_Sofascore.jpg

I’ll let my eyes tell me rather than some terribly put together graphic. It was a 4.

[mickleoverclaret]

It looked to me like a back 4 when we had the ball and a back 5 when we didn't.

[Mattster]

I’ll let my eyes tell me rather than some terribly put together graphic. It was a 4.

I also used my eyes. It was a 5 when we were defending. Pretty much the same as Spurs.

I'm then backing that up with a graphic showing the player's average positions across both games (in which Sonne was further forward vs Spurs than JBL was vs Sunderland) and could also get some screenshots from the Sunderland match showing us defending in a back 5, or show the similarity between JBL and Hartman's heatmaps (if I could be bothered), whilst you have...?

[Newcastleclaret93]

I also used my eyes. It was a 5 when we were defending. Pretty much the same as Spurs.

I'm then backing that up with a graphic showing the player's average positions across both games (in which Sonne was further forward vs Spurs than JBL was vs Sunderland) and could also get some screenshots from the Sunderland match showing us defending in a back 5, or show the similarity between JBL and Hartman's heatmaps (if I could be bothered), whilst you have...?

We were definitely defending in a 5.

JBL was playing RWB when out of possession

[123EasyasBFC]

It was definitely a 5 and after watching it back I feel less critical of Bruun-Larsens performance because he hasn’t been used to playing there.

I actually think if Bruun-Larsen can stay fit that he would be a great wing back in this seasons system especially with the legs of Hannibal and Lesley all over the midfield.

[ClaretPete001]

I think it was a 4, and looked much better for it but JBL did fill in to create a 5 at times but I think overall it looked much more solid than last week albeit the opposition wasn't the same quality.

[ClaretPete001]

It was a back 5. JBL's average position was actually further back than Sonne's vs Spurs. Notice the same CB positions for Esteve, Ekdal and Walker.

Screenshot_20250825_163856_Sofascore.jpgScreenshot_20250825_163950_Sofascore.jpg

Unless the squad numbers have confounded me Oliver Sonne appears to be player further forward than Lyle Foster against Spurs in that graphic

[BigBadBarnes]

To me it seemed like it was a back 4 until Sonne came on. It appeared like a back 5 as it just so happened that JBL was getting dragged back due to the success Sunderland were having on that side in the first half

[RVclaret]

The initial pressing shape seemed more 4-4-2 I felt with Hannibal and Foster central. Hannibal got through a lot of pressing work centrally. When Sunderland had full control in our half then it dropped into a 5 with Larsen sitting in (Emery did this for a while at Villa but used a back 6, though I can’t imagine people thinking he ‘played a back 6’!). On the ball we’d form a back 3 with Walker tucking inside and rarely venturing forward, and Larsen & Hartman offered the width. It’s fairly flexible and depends on the game phase.

As for what we need, to be on topic, I’d still hope a centre mid is on the cards, though it may have to be one who accepts they’ll be behind Cullen & Lesley in the pecking order, as those two look a good duo to me. The link to Krepin Diatta was interesting, albeit not the strongest source, he seems capable of playing right back/right wing back, and left wing back too - securing someone who’s a first choice right back for Senegal & played Champs League footy last season could allow Sonne and Pires to head out on loan.

[Foshiznik]

I would like a right centre back, centre midfield in the ilk of a better Brownhill and another striker. Knowing that's asking alot - if i could only choose one it would be a centre midfielder who could play all of the central midfield positions (the 6, 8 and 10 as the young'uns describe them). The drop off in quality if you pick our second XI is most obvious in midfield where as other than maybe striker, we are ok at every other position.

[Mattster]

Still think the same, central CB (like Charlie Cresswell or Bobby Thomas), natural RWB and a CMF (6 / 8 type) that would be a backup to Cullen and Ugochukwu without the drop off in quality we see now.

[ollieclarets8]

I would like a right centre back, centre midfield in the ilk of a better Brownhill and another striker. Knowing that's asking alot - if i could only choose one it would be a centre midfielder who could play all of the central midfield positions (the 6, 8 and 10 as the young'uns describe them).

Tchaouna appears to be someone who can play anywhere that's basically attacking. Maybe he's the one to play the Brownhill/10 role.

[jojomk1]

CB - Kusanov or Akanji on loan
CM - Yates on loan/buy
CF - Haven't got a clue

[jojomk1]

Danny Ings reported to be having a medical at Sheff Utd - SSN

[Newcastleclaret93]

Anyone fancy McNeil on loan? Now Everton have signed Dibling and Grealish he’s likely to get next to no game time

[The Shire Claret]

Anyone fancy McNeil on loan? Now Everton have signed Dibling and Grealish he’s likely to get next to no game time

I was McNeil fan but no

[mikeS]

37 points.

[Newcastleclaret93]

I was McNeil fan but no

Same here, I honestly think he would be great in the Hannibal role but gives maybe a bit of a better creative output.

[Goliath]

Same here, I honestly think he would be great in the Hannibal role but gives maybe a bit of a better creative output.

Agree with this. Hasn't he always wanted to play as a 10 but never been given the chance. It's possible that he's been misprpfiled as a player for most of his career.

[willsclarets]

Grealish gets injured and he's straight in. I doubt Moyes will be in a hurry to get rid of him, Grealish aside he's good for a goal if they're struggling and can play across the attacking line.

[brexit]

My dodgy waters see Ross Barkley coming over the hill.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Grealish gets injured and he's straight in. I doubt Moyes will be in a hurry to get rid of him, Grealish aside he's good for a goal if they're struggling and can play across the attacking line.

He didn’t feature first game before they had Grealish.

There attacking players now are:

Grealish
Ndiaye
Dibling
Dewsbury hall
Alacaraz
McNeil

So he’s quite far down the pecking order now

[ecc]

I doubt whether Dwight would return but I'd be delighted to have him back.

[warksclaret]

Whilst Ekdal has had a great start I think we need a serious centre half to either start or be the first defender on if Esteve or Ekdal get injured. Say this mot knowing is Humphreys is going to struggle with injuries. Akangi is being let go at City-what a defender he is. And a play maker like Barklay , then I think we are complete

[Papabendi]

I doubt whether Dwight would return but I'd be delighted to have him back.

Not for me.

Looks like he will need pastures new tho as Everton have made significant upgrades in that area.

[aggi]

Anyone fancy McNeil on loan? Now Everton have signed Dibling and Grealish he’s likely to get next to no game time

Given he's been one of their best players for the past few years it seems unlikely he'll be leaving on loan.

If fit he'd be straight in as a starter for us: hardworking and can score and assist. Another, better, Anthony.

[Woosh Deakin]

Would take McNeil back in a heartbeat, great player.

Would imagine better clubs than us would be in for him, should he even become available, which i doubt.