Who joins us in January?

[Goater101]

Not mid season. We aren't cutting anyone loose in January. We do have bodies for midfield and McAtee's substitute performance has given a little food for thought. Defence is the only question mark.

Our lack of midfield is what’s hurting our defence.

 

[RayCTID]

Our lack of midfield is what’s hurting our defence.

Our lack of finishing is hurting us more. Another midfielder won't solve much for this season. The defensive injuries have made our issues a little more pronounced. Any title winning side would miss either Dias or Stones nevermind both.

 

[madloaf]

Our lack of finishing is hurting us more. Another midfielder won't solve much for this season. The defensive injuries have made our issues a little more pronounced. Any title winning side would miss either Dias or Stones nevermind both.

The midfield doesn't press to win the ball back quickly and gets cut through because of a lack of legs. It is the most pressing concern.

 

[TFC]

I really hope Zubimendi. Not having this bollocks about him losing his place when Rodri comes back, midfield control is exactly what we are crying out for. Play them both. Dominate midfields.

 

[Stoned Rose]

Our lack of midfield is what’s hurting our defence.

Very clearly the obvious priority.

 

[Bluewonder]

I think the leavers will be the biggest surprise, Pep ain't accepting half arsed commitment anymore.

I'm guessing Ederson and another, given recent events?

 

[ninjamonkey]

I really hope Zubimendi. Not having this bollocks about him losing his place when Rodri comes back, midfield control is exactly what we are crying out for. Play them both. Dominate midfields.

Plus rodri isn't coming back to a level where he can play every gane for at least 18 months and possibly ever. He will have to be managed in his first year back. If a player doesn't back himself to make enough of an impact to stay in the side in 18 months with no real competition during that time then they'll never be a top footballer.

The way some talk about the role as rodri's backup, you'd believe there has never been a crucial player for any team, every other squad has either just 11 players or a squad that gets picked by drawing their names out of a hat with zero hierachy

 

[WesthoughtonJohn]

Shouldn't this just be in the "Players who might improve us" thread??
Merge surely???

 

[ancoats]

I think Pep and the club will do their maths and not panic buy, The first thing is we are not winning the title or in the race for the title so again, there is no need to panic, But a top 4 place has to be the number 1 aim from here, So some loan players could be an idea to freshen up the squad,

Also, we have a new player coming already in Claudio Echeverri and can add some firepower from midfield and looking at some videos he's got some skills and power runs in him.

We will come out of this bad form and should be ok for a top 4 place and a good cup run if we can keep our main players on the pitch, A big plus also, could be the return of Oscar Bobb after a long layoff from the leg break.

As quickly as the downfall of bad form and injuries have happened, the opposite can happen too and we start to fly again this is football, One big result can turn our season around

​

 

[uwe rosler 28]

I didn't think the alvarez lose would be this big but take away his goals and assists his pressing from the front is a massive loss

 

[pavelsrnicek]

I didn't think the alvarez lose would be this big but take away his goals and assists his pressing from the front is a massive loss

We’re seeing the cumulative effects of the loss of Alvarez, Mahrez and prime Gundogan plus KDB’s ageing and Foden’s loss of form means we have so few goals outside of Haaland.

 

[theres only one carlito]

Our lack of midfield is what’s hurting our defence.

100 million percent. Plus we have our RB trying to step into midfield and not being very effective is somehow weakening defence and midfield at the same time

 

[Paul1970]

I'm guessing Ederson and another, given recent events?

No fucker would be leaving untill the summer as that would put the cherry on top of a clustetfuck season . We are not singing peace songs round the campfire and loving everyone and saying if your not happy then leave which is ok when we have loads of players but when we fuck all players and the ones we have aren’t half arsed then it’s a massive no

 

[Bluewonder]

No fucker would be leaving untill the summer as that would put the cherry on top of a clustetfuck season . We are not singing peace songs round the campfire and loving everyone and saying if your not happy then leave which is ok when we have loads of players but when we fuck all players and the ones we have aren’t half arsed then it’s a massive no

Uwe said the opposite - that we're getting rid of the troublemakers

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

Plus rodri isn't coming back to a level where he can play every gane for at least 18 months and possibly ever. He will have to be managed in his first year back. If a player doesn't back himself to make enough of an impact to stay in the side in 18 months with no real competition during that time then they'll never be a top footballer.

The way some talk about the role as rodri's backup, you'd believe there has never been a crucial player for any team, every other squad has either just 11 players or a squad that gets picked by drawing their names out of a hat with zero hierachy

People really don’t want to hear that do they.

Just look at VVD, same injury and took him a year to even come close to his own form.

 

[Paul1970]

Uwe said the opposite - that we're getting rid of the troublemakers

Like I said it’s fine when you have loads of players but when we are struggling to put a team out di you think it’s wise to make the sqyad even smaller .

 

[Bluewonder]

Like I said it’s fine when you have loads of players but when we are struggling to put a team out di you think it’s wise to make the sqyad even smaller .

Well, if the rest of his post is to be believed, we're also bringing in 4.

 

[Petetheblu]

The midfield doesn't press to win the ball back quickly and gets cut through because of a lack of legs. It is the most pressing concern.

We don't have any midfielder players who can run past someone, and our press is way off.

 

[ninjamonkey]

People really don’t want to hear that do they.

Just look at VVD, same injury and took him a year to even come close to his own form.

I can make what I think will be a reasonably accurate summation of the comments we'll see next season. During the summer and he's back in training it will be sky high expectations of him turning up and being balon d'or winning level instantly. He'll probably get half a dozen games leeway then the early twitchers will start questioning whether he's finished. Get to a dozen games and there's now a not unsubstantial vocal minority suggesting we move him on whilst we can and before others realise he's done.

 

[Ajm1985]

We can ride out the midfield for this season still plenty of bodies. It is the defence we look sparse. Ake doesn't look like he can string games together.

The lack of athleticism, energy, physicality, control, recovery pace etc in our midfield is one of the key reasons we have been dogshit. The bodies are either fatigued or aren't up to it anymore - it needs addressing first & foremost, while also getting a defender.