What do we need ?

[Steve How Hard?]

We just need @B4’s Sister to continue going to the games and starting the match threads and we'll be reet. 

[Ramdale]

Striker - Clear as day we need a focal point leading the line. If Bishop played for us, we would be top of the league. Watched Langstaff the  other week & think he would be ideal. Would give us some much needed pace & movement.

Wide Player - Pace & Power a must!! Another wide player in the Mendez Laing mould. Blackett-Taylor would be ideal, but it may be touch with championship interest. Think there may be legs in the CJ Hamilton interest. Id be looking at the Peterborough boys Mason Clark & Poku if a deal could be done.

Attacking Midfielder - We've been crying out for an attacking midfield player who scores & creates goals for 2/3 years. Knight & Bird played in that role the last couple of years & both better deployed deeper as they don't add the attacking contribution needed there. 

Its encouraging to hear Warne talk about adding power & pace into the team, as it is severely lacking.

[plymouthram]

13 hours ago, ramboy63 said:

100% has to be a centre forward,i wish we had got Alfie May he is scoring for fun at present,never going to be easy in January which club lets go of a good goal scorer mid season 

I think our best bet for a decent striker would be a loan from a premiership team with an up and coming youngster. Though I while back, Warne mentioned about looking abroad for players.

[cannable]

Hourihane really can’t play the position he’s being asked to.

He doesn’t receive the ball on the half turn so he’s always slowing the play down.

He isn’t fit enough back-up play to absolutely boss games and he isn’t a good enough screen to make up for this. 

For the football we’re wanting to play, Huddlestone would be perfect 😂

Don’t get me wrong though, Hourihane has his qualities. Get him coming onto the ball in the opposition third and he’ll produce goals and assists… but he’s wasted/a hinderance deep.

A DM who will get the ball on the turn and look to play in behind early’s what we need. It’s a shame BJ isn’t a few years younger.*
 

Edit: Bradley Johnson, that sentence looks horrendous reading it back 😂

 

Edited November 29, 2023 by cannable

[Ghost of Clough]

9 hours ago, plymouthram said:

I think our best bet for a decent striker would be a loan from a premiership team with an up and coming youngster. Though I while back, Warne mentioned about looking abroad for players.

I see Sharp will be available again soon 😅

[MadAmster]

2 strikers, maybe, now Wash is out long term.

A Seth/GT type of midfielder with good legs.

A 2nd NML type to mirror him on the other wing. Sibs and Barks aren't the answer in that role. I've been a staunch supporter of Sibs from his U18 days. The number of times he's played his preferred #10 role in the first team can probably be counted on the fingers of one foot. His development seems to have stagnated due to playing LB, DM, LWB, LW, RW.. just about everywhere except #10. It hurts me to say it but he'd benefit from a move to a club that will play him as a #10. PW isn't going to play him at #10 for a game, never mind give him a run at it. Barks is, IMO, not consistent enough.

That would be a reasonable January window, provided we see no players exiting the club. If we do see exits, then we would have to properly replace those players to have the window seen as a success.

['Rambe33]

9 hours ago, cannable said:

Hourihane really can’t play the position he’s being asked to.

He doesn’t receive the ball on the half turn so he’s always slowing the play down.

He isn’t fit enough back-up play to absolutely boss games and he isn’t a good enough screen to make up for this. 

For the football we’re wanting to play, Huddlestone would be perfect 😂

Don’t get me wrong though, Hourihane has his qualities. Get him coming onto the ball in the opposition third and he’ll produce goals and assists… but he’s wasted/a hinderance deep.

A DM who will get the ball on the turn and look to play in behind early’s what we need. It’s a shame BJ isn’t a few years younger.*
 

Edit: Bradley Johnson, that sentence looks horrendous reading it back 😂

 

we can just put a loan bid in for Big Tom can't we? 😉 

 

['Rambe33]

Striker - a different option to what we currently have. Mobile, pacey and strong to stretch the game. If we can keep John-Jules fit it will be really interesting to see the role he can play. 

Midfielder - willing runner but with goals in their game. A shout still for a creative player as we still find it tough to unlock a team when they are deploying a defensive style. 

Winger- Pace and trickery. Our team still needs an injection of pace. I know I'm reminiscing but the McClaren v1 era of having 4 wingers in the squad to sub 2 off and provide 2 different options off the bench was deadly at the time. 

It does sound like Warne is banging the right drum in terms of what he's after however forgive me for being a little nervy around this window following the summer business done... 

[Gerry Daly]

9 hours ago, cannable said:

Hourihane really can’t play the position he’s being asked to.

He doesn’t receive the ball on the half turn so he’s always slowing the play down.

He isn’t fit enough back-up play to absolutely boss games and he isn’t a good enough screen to make up for this. 

For the football we’re wanting to play, Huddlestone would be perfect 😂

Don’t get me wrong though, Hourihane has his qualities. Get him coming onto the ball in the opposition third and he’ll produce goals and assists… but he’s wasted/a hinderance deep.

A DM who will get the ball on the turn and look to play in behind early’s what we need. It’s a shame BJ isn’t a few years younger.*
 

Edit: Bradley Johnson, that sentence looks horrendous reading it back 😂

 

This is the role (CDM) that Fornah played in the championship last season wasn’t it? I think we should put him there in the remodelled midfield for the second half of the season. I think we should accept that’s likely Bird won’t be here. But we will have Thompson back and if we wanted to play two pivots I could see Thompson and Fornah working very well. Loads of energy and mobility. If we are ever going to use Sibley then the attacking midfield role you are talking about is surely his for the taking. Then we have Hourihane to play further forward than he is now. Plus starting to use Ben Ratcliffe and Robinson. So in my opinion we have the options here already for midfield. That’s even if we lose Bird. So, as others have said it’s a striker we need. Absolutely. John Jules needs to be seen as a bonus because of his fitness record

[Premier ram]

1 hour ago, Gerry Daly said:

This is the role (CDM) that Fornah played in the championship last season wasn’t it? I think we should put him there in the remodelled midfield for the second half of the season. I think we should accept that’s likely Bird won’t be here. But we will have Thompson back and if we wanted to play two pivots I could see Thompson and Fornah working very well. Loads of energy and mobility. If we are ever going to use Sibley then the attacking midfield role you are talking about is surely his for the taking. Then we have Hourihane to play further forward than he is now. Plus starting to use Ben Ratcliffe and Robinson. So in my opinion we have the options here already for midfield. That’s even if we lose Bird. So, as others have said it’s a striker we need. Absolutely. John Jules needs to be seen as a bonus because of his fitness record

Some good points in there mate

[Ghost of Clough]

One to keep an eye on is Ben Wilson - CF playing for Cliftonville in N.Ireland. He's a 21 year old forward who moved from Brighton in the summer, and is on 15 goals in 21 games this season.

[DiggerB]

CF (even if TJJ can stay fit), CH to replace Cash, CM to replace Bird, LWB/LB as Elder’s fitness is too fragile and Foz won’t last forever (more’s the pity). In all honesty PW needs whatever up front money he gets from Cash and Bird to fund at least 4 in, unless he’s brave and bloods some academy lads. Given his brief this year I just don’t see that happening, which I can kind of understand. In the same vein I don’t expect any young PL first loans arriving this year. I’d still conrider Langstaff from Notts County, but he’s on a long contract, so he’d probably cost a packet.

[europia]

On 29/11/2023 at 11:34, BramcoteRam84 said:

Main thing we need in my view is JJ to somehow stay fit and we extend his loan/sign him. He’s a serious player. 

We need another striker and a winger, along with a left back if Elder isn’t fit, we need to address this area in the summer as I think Fozzy’s level has deteriorated this season and I no longer think he’s good enough.

Other moves depend on outgoings. Potentially would look to try and move Barkhuizen Sibley and Collins on if we can get replacements.

 

Always a problem dealing with injury prone players and Derby have had their fair share. It's a pity about JJ and his injuries, as he could have been the ideal player for us. I would prefer a new 'goal getting' striker in January, but the club won't be able to spend the big money to attract such a player. However, we definitely need some sort of upgrade on Collins. 

[kevinhectoring]

On 29/11/2023 at 16:46, Jourdan said:

I think midfield should be the priority.

Bird’s contract is running down and he is potentially on the way out and Smith and Hourihane are fading fast and can’t perform consistently at the level required, only really when the opposition’s tactics and the playing conditions are favourable.

Fornah, Thompson, Fapetu and Robinson are good prospects for the future, but we need a player to come in and hit the ground running.

Yes.  Midfield   

[Andrew3000]

On 30/11/2023 at 09:06, 'Rambe33 said:

Striker - a different option to what we currently have. Mobile, pacey and strong to stretch the game. If we can keep John-Jules fit it will be really interesting to see the role he can play. 

Midfielder - willing runner but with goals in their game. A shout still for a creative player as we still find it tough to unlock a team when they are deploying a defensive style. 

Winger- Pace and trickery. Our team still needs an injection of pace. I know I'm reminiscing but the McClaren v1 era of having 4 wingers in the squad to sub 2 off and provide 2 different options off the bench was deadly at the time. 

It does sound like Warne is banging the right drum in terms of what he's after however forgive me for being a little nervy around this window following the summer business done... 

Yep totally agree. Just another thought about the striker, I think we need the pace option and a proper target man, because in my view Collins and Waghorn are not quite that either. So arial dominance ( actual tbreat from crosses and corners and reliable hold up play) and pace in behind are both things we lack. Adding either will improve us, but both would be ideal.

JJ may be the pace option, but like many say we would be foolish to rely on him.

[Gee SCREAMER !!]

1 hour ago, Andrew3000 said:

Yep totally agree. Just another thought about the striker, I think we need the pace option and a proper target man, because in my view Collins and Waghorn are not quite that either. So arial dominance ( actual tbreat from crosses and corners and reliable hold up play) and pace in behind are both things we lack. Adding either will improve us, but both would be ideal.

JJ may be the pace option, but like many say we would be foolish to rely on him.

Going for a target man who's affordable, I'd suggest Stockley who has impressed me with his hold up and physicality when I've seen him over the last two years.  He won't be much good in the league above but we're not their yet and he will provide muscle in games where a defence sits in which should provide space for midfield runners.  He might also make set pieces more useful as we get sod all from corners.

[Andrew3000]

22 hours ago, Gee SCREAMER !! said:

Going for a target man who's affordable, I'd suggest Stockley who has impressed me with his hold up and physicality when I've seen him over the last two years.  He won't be much good in the league above but we're not their yet and he will provide muscle in games where a defence sits in which should provide space for midfield runners.  He might also make set pieces more useful as we get sod all from corners.

The Fleetwood striker?  Interesting, only joined them in Jan. If as you say he'd not be champ standard, then it would seem unlikely that we'd go for him. There is a tension between adding what we need now to improve our push for promotion vs. What improves us over the longer term. This type of player gives us a different option and wouldn't be expensive, but would cost a fee and given that we haven't paid one yet, would surprise me.

Edited December 2, 2023 by Andrew3000

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

Mason-Clark would do me.

Surely out of our price range though but is the right age and would be able to step up another level. Perhaps swap him for Washington and a bag of balls. That seems reasonable. 

[ram59]

With our style of play, down the wing and putting crosses in, I think that we will be looking for player who is dominant in the air. This is the kind of player that we need against teams who sit back, which seems to be quite often. He could be an older player who comes on for the last 20/30 minutes when we're pushing for a winning or equalising goal.

[TheRamOfSwad]

If we don't lose any more players then probably 3/4 additions if we want to get automatic promotion 

A physical striker - who can score headers and help dominate from corners more be a target man and help hold the ball up

A pacy striker - to be able to run the channels and cause problems on counter attacks and offer something different to our current strikers

Creative Midfielder - who can recycle the ball and help pick the lock when team are sitting back which we struggle to do currently 

Tricky Winger - who can help rest NML and rotate with Wilson/Barks 

If Bird and Cashin leave then we would need replacements for those players too so it could be quite a change seeing 5/6 of the starting 11 potentially changing; essentially half a team