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Aidan White


CumbrianRam

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so do we need another CM in case Hendrick gets injured again? Cos he did last season... and then we'd only have Bryson and Coutts in the middle and NO cover...

Actually Jacobs and Hughes can also play in the centre of midfield as well as Ben Davies. Hendrick was only injured for a short period of time comparatively and appeared in what... 40 odd matches last year. If it weren't for the length of time Buxton and O'Brien were out I'd say we'd be about set at the back if White signs (now that Keogh has signed), but Hendrick being out for a few games is on a completely different level to O'Brien's injury trouble and Buxton's close to a year or so on the sidelines.

...so yeah...

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Actually Jacobs and Hughes can also play in the centre of midfield as well as Ben Davies. Hendrick was only injured for a short period of time comparatively and appeared in what... 40 odd matches last year. If it weren't for the length of time Buxton and O'Brien were out I'd say we'd be about set at the back if White signs (now that Keogh has signed), but Hendrick being out for a few games is on a completely different level to O'Brien's injury trouble and Buxton's close to a year or so on the sidelines.

...so yeah...

brayford can cover a CB if needed same as Bavies and jacobs (as yet untested anywhere on the park btw)

and what's the difference between hughes and the 17/18 yr old CBs we have? 1 game...

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brayford can cover a CB if needed same as Bavies and jacobs (as yet untested anywhere on the park btw)

and what's the difference between hughes and the 17/18 yr old CBs we have? 1 game...

Hughes has been known to be quite a talent for a while and has been on the fringes for a long time before that one game. Galinski and co are decent young players, but aren't that close yet. Basically, Hughes will have his chance this season regardless of there being massive injury troubles, the same can't be said for Galinski.

Brayford also shouldn't be used to cover centreback, as he's our starting rightback, by saying he can cover there you are saying that we'll play without a rightback or play Naylor (who is down as one of our centrebacks by your own description) there, which would lead to the problem of then needing another centreback.

Basically, I think you're overestimating the number of players we have there. Let's look at this another way, forget the leftback role as Roberts can't cover at centrehalf and if we get White, he can't either. So we have 3 positions and the following players:

Keogh

Brayford

Buxton

O'Brien

Naylor

Of these three had injury troubles last season. How bad?

Brayford - 23 appearances last season

Buxton - 21 appearances last season

O'Brien - 20 appearances last season

I trust Brayford's record overall though and the season before last he played ever game. Now, between them, Buxton and O'Brien have only managed 44 appearances in the last two season, although O'Brien even if fit might not have made that many appearances. To avoid that argument, let's say that in 3 seasons worth of possible gametime (that is 2 for Buxton, one for O'Brien) they've managed 42 appearances between them of a possible 138, or around ~30% of possible appearances. Whilst other factors come into play, they did spend a large potion of this time injured, and now one of the two will be considered a first choice starting centreback. If we lose one of them to injury, which isn't outside the realms of possibility by any means (I'd say its more than likely), we'll only have Naylor to cover for 3 positions. If we lose one of them and another player, again, a situation we've been in all too often, we'll have no cover for those 3 positions and require a loan, and that's only after 2 injuries in the defence. We've had injury crises much worse than that before!

Now, I'm not saying, "screw signing a striker, sign a defender" or calling for a defender to be signed, I just think we'll see another, probably young centrehalf signed before the end of the transfer window for these exact reasons. Having 3 players covering 3 positions in such a key area of the field looks a lot better than 2 covering 3, especially with 3 of the 5 players overall having injury worries in recent times.

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and if OB can come in as an 18 year old and do well and hendrick and ball can do the same at 19 why can't other youngsters do the same?

They can come in and do well, but you don't want their first chance at the first team being in a situation where they are only there due to injuries, you don't want such pressure on them.

Also, O'Brien, Hendrick, Bennett, Ball and Hughes are some of the most talented youngsters we've had in a long time, its about giving good youngsters a go, not just chucking anyone on in willy nilly. I'm not saying Galinski and co are not upto it, but rather that they will get a chance if they are good enough, which I haven't see any evidence of yet. O'Brien, Ball and Hendrick didn't just appear on the first team scene by any stretch either. O'Brien first appeared at 16 against Watford on the last day of the 2008-09 season if I recall correctly. Hendrick had looked impressive and had made some appearances the season before last before bursting onto the scene this year as well. Not to mention Ball bagging numerous goals for the reserves and U18s.

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As it currently stands we have the following central defenders who have played professional football before:

Jake Buxton

Mark O'Brien

Tom Naylor

Now, generally I'd think, you know, with Keogh on board we'd have 4 defenders, and that's all well and good, but whilst I don't doubt their ability, O'Brien and Buxton have had serious injury troubles in the last few seasons, and the idea that losing both would leave us with Naylor joining Keogh (if he signs) leaving no cover for the centrehalf or rightback positions, that's just horrifying. Sure, we've got some youngsters, but they haven't played yet and I don't really think we should be giving them their first taste of the game at this level by being thrown into the deep end with no cover.

That's what a lot of people said about OB and Hendrick at the start of last season but when they were forming the backbone of the side we played the best we played all season! They even handled Forest away superbly. Now, if that's the quality of player our academy is producing Gallinski would be fine, in particular Gallinski who was captain and the most senior player in the squad.

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Still hope were after this guy, a left back/left winger would be ideal. Clough saying we want 1 more possibly makes me wonder whether its true though.

Seems strange 3 papers reported it on the same day. Must be something there?

Im guessing at the moment Clough doesn't think we need a striker other than maybe Sammon on loan as Savies is still here.

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I can't say how a led winger would be ideal when we have ward, Tyson and Jacobs who can all play there, I left back is a priority granted, but I'd rather have a solid left back, then an average versatile player

We really need a left back especially with Roberts being 34, he was great last season but can't see him keeping fit all season. Although we have Tyson and Ward in reality one of them will probably up front with Theo especially if Davies goes.

Jacobs is 20 after all and i don't think we can assume he'll play the full season.

Depending on the Bailey situation i still think we lack numbers in midfield really. If Bailey is staying then were probably covered.

I suppose 2 strikers have gone in Maguire and Ball now so maybe it will be a striker.

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i was chatting to a guy today... leeds forever guy... (**** club but he knows his football...not your normal meat neck type o' yorkie swine) he was kind of glad white might be leaving for us.... said he cant really defend... he's really reallly fast but he's a head down and no end product kind of player.... well... anyroad... i poked him in the eye... shuffed him in a dust bin and kicked it down the hill....mainly just because of the link and that............oh and reminded him they signed green.which we and the rest of the pub joked about for a bit..... but in all honesty... i'm not that fussed if we get this one or not... this fella watches them week in and out and says he's not arsed if he leaves. ahhhh we'll see

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I'll take a solid midfield and defence over a goal hanger masquerading as a striker any day.

An out and out "striker" often upsets the balance of a team. Now, if we could get Cesc Fabregas.....I can dream can't I?

Hope we get White to fill our left back shaped hole in defence.

When defence has a hole in it you need to fix it man! 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':P' />

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