Think our squad looks weak

[FatCanary 249]

2 hours ago, lake district canary said:

I thought it was interesting to see the way the team set up yesterday.  Omobamidele was on the left a lot of the time, almost in the left back position at times and the three across the back, with Sorensen was something we are going to see more of.   With Sorensen in the set up, you could see how he would fit in there, with his abilities on the ball.  In that way, it offers something quite different to what we are used to seeing - perhaps even more total football than previously.  I noticed Cantwell went to the back three a couple of times as others went forwards, giving the impression that even attacking players will drop back when needed to.  With that in mind you can see quite how Placheta could fit into a wing back position. Mumba obviously capable there too. Aarons, if he stays fits that scheme.

A flexible 352 set up which at any time during a match can become a 532/442/4411 etc etc means -

GK -   one from -                     Krul/Gunn

Back three - three from      -  Sorensen Hanley Gibson Omobamidele Zimmermann

Wing backs - Two from    -  Aarons/Byram/Mumba/Placheta

Central/attacking midfielders - three from - Gilmour/Maclean/Cantwell/Dowell/Lees-Melou/Rupp

Forwards -   two from          -   Pukki/Rashica/Idah/Hugill

Now imo, you could pick ANY of those players in those positions and we would have a very strong team - and that's not including any youngsters that might come through, or further players to be brought in.

I think we are going to see us evolving into a kind of total football that surpasses even what we have seen up to now, which at times has looked fantastic anyway, so it is going to be a very interesting season - look out for a kind of "Farkeball plus plus".

Hold on to your hats!

Oh its pin the formation on the squad time, I see!

God i love this place in pre season. Bless this mess.

 

I think we don't know anything yet.

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

1 hour ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Did not say that at all but thanks for putting words in my mouth. Just saying he deservers some respect for all he has done for us. Do I think he's good enough for the Prem? No. Do I think he's a decent player? yes.

Right, so pinpoint where the disrespect was then? 

As all I said is that he isn't good enough for the Prem, and that's what you've just said too, muppet. 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

2 hours ago, TheGoogler said:

Doing things like this with "another" plastered everywhere just seems like a waste of time.

My OP said we needed 5 players.

His response was a very long winded way of saying that he felt we needed one less, as each another was a signing lol

Edited July 17, 2021 by TeemuVanBasten

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

1 hour ago, FatCanary said:

Half of the squad weren't even available

This thread is about the squad, not about the friendly.

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

1 hour ago, chicken said:

Anyway, back to CB. Klose, Hanley and Zimmermann were all injured for large chunks of the campaign and we never got to see them really establish themselves at that level. This seems to be the majority view. They are still relatively unproven. Zimmermann could well be a little bit worse off after a career threatening foot injury but we didn't see enough of him last season to say. Gibson, however, is an experienced and very capable CB. So in terms of experience we are much better prepared. We have a young and yes, less experienced defender in Omobamidele, in fact he is also much younger at just turned 19.

So what we have, and no disrespect to Klose, is three solid CB's in Hanley, Gibson and Zimmermann and a young promising CB a bit earlier on in his development than Godfrey, but very much a CB and not a midfielder who is now a CB, which means he is arguably a bit more of a natural at that position.
 

It was also widely accepted, as Farke said it himself, that he would have wanted the option to play three centre backs in that season, and having just lined up with a wing back formation in our first pre-season friendly it looks as if he may want that option again this time.

Yes you can say that we also have Sorenson, but at the moment he is also our only recognised defensive midfielder, and if Aarons leaves he becomes our left back cover as Mumba needs to play right back unless we bring in a replacement.

So for me it is obvious that we need another defender, and that we are "evens" with a season which was a disaster, with that position being our most problematic, and that even without the early injury crisis we would have been a player short of comfortably playing 3-5-1-1 or whatever it is that Farke wanted to play.

If Farke wants the option to play three at the back then we don't have sufficient centre backs. Presumably Ajer was identified as he could 'step out' and become an additional midfielder in a fluid formation, can't be easy to find players with the talent to switch between CB and DM throughout the course of the game, I sincerely hope that our plan B is a good one.

We need five centre backs, simple. 

I don't see the point in saying what we are "evens" on or have slightly improved on our last campaign in this league. It wasn't fine margins last time in this league, we were rock bottom and the whipping boys, completely outclassed by bottom half sides, so anywhere you've said "evens" is inadequate. 

My thread wasn't a comparison with our team two years ago, it was a comparison against the benchmark in this league, the standard required to finish 17th. I don't believe that we'll achieve that if Placheta, Hugill and probably Zimmermann have to be used with any regularity, and we are only 1 injury away from each.

First Xi CB, DM, striker is the bare minimum if we are playing wing backs, and that assumes Aarons stays. Add a winger if we're playing 4-2-3-1 again.

[FatCanary 249]

13 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

This thread is about the squad, not about the friendly.

Then it is even more cripplingly baseless for the 17th of July.

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

2 minutes ago, FatCanary said:

Then it is even more cripplingly baseless for the 17th of July.

28 days away from our first competitive fixture.

[FatCanary 249]

1 minute ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

28 days away from our first competitive fixture.

I wonder how much you really understand pre-season, with all due respect.

28 days is a massive amount of time in terms of just how much can change as the workload increases.

It is also ample time to make and integrate at least a couple more signings, as long as they have begun preseason elsewhere.

I really think it would help to put your mind at rest if you did a bit of research into how it works.

I really don't mean that in a patronising way. If you are worried, now, you either don't really know very much about it or are just that way inclined as a supporter.

[Number9 272]

I would suggest that it wasn't entirely down to the squad that we were slaughtered last time. 

We had some good players but the tactics we played just were naive to say the least.

This past season Farke has tightened things up slightly, it's a move in the right direction, whether it's enough time will tell.

 

[lake district canary 4,542]

2 hours ago, FatCanary said:

Oh its pin the formation on the squad time, I see!

God i love this place in pre season. Bless this mess.

I think we don't know anything yet.

Really? Did you watch the match v Kings Lynn? While it was mainly a fitness exercise, it is clear that a back three is quite likely something that will be used this season and that this was a useful experiment in that. Sorensen used in a back three and two wing backs, easily changes to a back four with Sorensen moving forwards into a DM position during a match, so represents a flexible approach - something we should surely be used to after four seasons under Farke.

If nothing else, we should expect our play and tactics to evolve further next season and these pre-season games will offer some clues as to how that may occur.  How Sorensen will be integrated into the team is of particular interest.

People get too stuck in their mindsets of formations, because the truth is we change it continually through matches, depending on the various stages of the game.  I would hope - and expect - that we will see even more flexibility of the formations used this coming season as Farke tries to develop things on to match what is needed in the PL this time round. Last time we were stymied by injuries, but hopefully, this season will be better from that point of view and we will a furter development of Farkeball....an increase in the "total football" ideal where opposition teams are bamboozled by our movement and fluidity from front to back.  We are already good at that, but imo it will be taken to a new level.  We'll see.  

 

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

3 hours ago, Son Ova Gunn said:

Because two of the CB’s have previously struggled in the premiership and one has never played a game at CB at that level. One of you wing backs is likely to be off. One of the CM’s is an unknown to many and neither are likely to be able to perform the vitality important Skipp role. One of the attackers has potential if can regain form shown 2 seasons ago, one had a lengthy dry spell injury or not last PL season. The bench has a player not kicked a ball in anger for eternity and a guy who looked good for a few games at the end of the season. 
I think that’s why some of the cautious nature are concerned at this stage.

 

All ifs, buts and maybes which you could apply to every member of the squad in some way or other if you’re that downbeat.

At most we’ll buy one more CB so get used to the fact those you say struggled in the ‘premiership’ before will be trusted and are off the back of a fantastic season so deserve their chance.

Players have to have their first game in the PL at some point and if our coaching staff believe they’re good enough, surely on past evidence we shouldn’t have an issue with it at all.

If Aarons leaves, I trust he will be replaced - again I trust in our preparation - what do people want at this stage, for us to buy a RB just in case he goes?

An unknown player coming in to the squad? Hahaha. Too many examples to mention of this happening in the past to make that statement sound silly. I’ll just mention Emi. Again it’s whether we should trust our recruitment setup, personally I do.

Then there’s some sentences I don’t understand and talk of Byram. As has been mentioned (and I mentioned in my post) there’s a lot of time yet to improve the squad so such a negative OP is unnecessary and simply laughable. If that’s how some go through pre season and their footballing lives in general, it’s a shame. Enjoy the ride and look forward to potential rather than dwell on the ifs buts and maybes that might go wrong

[chicken 2,640]

33 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

snip

So for me it is obvious that we need another defender, and that we are "evens" with a season which was a disaster, with that position being our most problematic, and that even without the early injury crisis we would have been a player short of comfortably playing 3-5-1-1 or whatever it is that Farke wanted to play.

snip

I don't see the point in saying what we are "evens" on or have slightly improved on our last campaign in this league. It wasn't fine margins last time in this league, we were rock bottom and the whipping boys, completely outclassed by bottom half sides, so anywhere you've said "evens" is inadequate. 

Holy smoke get a grip! And if you are going to quote me, at least do it properly.

I said evens at the moment, stronger if we bring in another CB which is their aim. We're being asked if we think a squad is stronger or weaker. I gave my balanced view as to why. We have more experienced CB's on hand than last time and more at their peak - our strengths in defence are different to last time which makes them incredibly hard to weigh up fairly. And last time, three out of four of our CB's were out with long term injuries during the season... so are we weighing up the players on paper or how they played in the 2019-20 season? Because on that basis you would have to say stronger in every department because we are going into the season with four fit CB's rather than two and two returning from injuries having missed most of pre-season.

If we add another, we have FIVE and we are stronger - without argument. Whatever formation Farke elects to play.

As we stand we are better in most departments.

Last time it was fine margins, we were not "whipping boys". We finished bottom because of having an incredibly young squad where most of the experienced pros in important positions were out injured for the majority of the season.

Hanley, Klose and Zimmermann between them, made one more start than Godfrey did on his own. And only two sub appearances between them on top of that. We didn't have a settled CB position as a result and often resorted to Tettey or Amadou as the partner.

The players that started over 25 games, or the vast majority of the season were: Krul, Aarons, Godfrey, Lewis, Cantwell, Buendia, Pukki, McLean and Tettey.

9 players. Of whom only one is a CB, and as mentioned before, his 2nd season as a CB. For interest, the next nearest players on starts were 15/16, so a good 9/10 off the others. And rarely were those all together. For example Zimmermann has 16 starts to his name but those were split between either ends of the campaign.

So I go back. Yes, yes we are overall stronger. Even the same players we had back then are now more experienced. Cantwell isn't in his 2nd season as a pro in this country anymore. Aarons has another season behind him, Rupp is no longer new to the English game. Idah is a season more experienced. Dowell has another under his belt. Placheta - no matter how much you don't rate him, has a full season behind him now adjusting to the English game. Hanley has just had the best season he has played for us.

And 28 days is a long time in football. We have made some solid additions already so lets just chill a bit. When there is a week left of the window, then get the nappies out. Not now. Not when some of the international players involved in the Euro's haven't returned to their clubs yet from extended holidays.

[Upo 91]

I'll take the opposite view. I think we're a sleeper.

Excluding absences, we were better than most think in 19/20, and kept improving until March 2020. Forget events between March and August 2020. It has no bearing on anything due to Covid effect. The real Norwich City was failing with dignity in March 2020, but showing improvement that continued in Champs 20/21.

Even as it stands, we are already better squad than in 19/20. I don't know if Milot Rashica can match Emi's PL contribution, but it is not out of the question. Emi wasn't nearly as good then as he is now. I get such a good feeling about Gilmour that I think we may already be better off in midfield than in 19/20.

Defensively it is not even close. We have actual non-crippled CBs. CB is arguably the most difficult position to fill and we've even got a prospect in Omobamidele. Don't know if he's next Ben Godfrey, but basically if he showed up at all, he'd beat Godfrey's contribution to us in half of the games. Hanley is on v3.0. Don't know what has happened to him but I like the updates. Zimmermann gets s*** on for some weird reason but his recovery turned things around defensively in late 2019. Ok, he may be 4th option, but there's a difference between 4th CB and a midfielder LARPing a CB. He can hold up the fort when necessary. We've got Gibson, who has been solid.

Fullbacks...if we get to keep Max, we're ahead of 19/20 already. If we lose Max, rightbacks are not a rarefied commodity like CBs. Fast, technical rightbacks are, which is why we'd net so much from selling Max. We don't need an exceptionally fast and technical RB. I'm not counting on Byram's fitness atleast for 1st half of 21/22, but if Farke says it could happen...it could happen. He was a bright spot in 19/20.

We're not invulnerable, but we are ok. 19/20 we were Wiley Coyote who ran through ManC into canyon without parachute. They "found us out" by figuring out we did not have defenders and any sort of pressure on us would topple us so they didn't have to deal with Teemu and Emi. We could not get the ball off our own side. Wow they sure got to us by not...selling us any CBs cheap?

What about offense?

That is the question, isn't it? I'm not stupid. There is a reason I have a recurring fantasy of Webber borrowing lots of money to sign us Adam Armstrong. More likely to squeeze blood out of stone...or sell Max?

The reason I think we are a sleeper is that we've performed so well 20/21 except against some teams like Watford. Watford is geared against us and I think we are going to face Mid-lower table clubs in PL who don't understand that. They think we're lightweights. I think we are going to face teams who are less prepared for our offense than some in Champs.

Hence, if Teemu is fit most of the season and our defense solid, we're not going to get relegated.

If he gets injured or overburdened, we're playing Champs next year.

Sign Adam Armstrong and we're hedged against latter scenario.

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by Upo

[The Great Mass Debater 1,092]

6 hours ago, nutty nigel said:

It looked to me like Sorenson played on the right of three with plachetta and Mumba as wing backs? Obviously there's other players to come back and maybe a signing but I wouldn't be surprised to see that system in the PL.

Placheta's coaches back in Poland said they eventually saw him becoming a wing-back/left back

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

2 hours ago, FatCanary said:

I wonder how much you really understand pre-season, with all due respect.

28 days is a massive amount of time in terms of just how much can change as the workload increases.

It is also ample time to make and integrate at least a couple more signings, as long as they have begun preseason elsewhere.

I really think it would help to put your mind at rest if you did a bit of research into how it works.

I really don't mean that in a patronising way. If you are worried, now, you either don't really know very much about it or are just that way inclined as a supporter.

Doesn't sound like you know much about it.

A player being able to drop right into the training at the same intensity relies on them being at the same stage of their pre-season and having sufficient levels of fitness, and Farke sets that bar very high.

Almost all players who talk seem to mention the intensity of Farke's training sessions, and we have double sessions too (most clubs still don't).

So plonk a player from the French second tier into this squads training and then expecting them to get up to speed and playing games with the rest of the squad, I'd argue that 28 days is not much time at all. 

In terms of signing players who are ready able to start a fixture on GW1, I'd argue that we're fast running out of time.

Can you not remember when we signed Nelson Oliviera on 30th August 2016, and he didn't start a game until November? 

Webber has often spoke about how its important to get players in early when possible, and about how important it was that we were able to dot his last summer to mount a promotion challenge, I'll trust his word on that rather than Mr. Anonymous from the internet who admits that he's fat and therefore knows nothing about keeping any part of him fit apart from his right arm. 

[PurpleCanary 5,580]

27 minutes ago, Upo said:

I'll take the opposite view. I think we're a sleeper.

Excluding absences, we were better than most think in 19/20, and kept improving until March 2020. Forget events between March and August 2020. It has no bearing on anything due to Covid effect. The real Norwich City was failing with dignity in March 2020, but showing improvement that continued in Champs 20/21.

Even as it stands, we are already better squad than in 19/20. I don't know if Milot Rashica can match Emi's PL contribution, but it is not out of the question. Emi wasn't nearly as good then as he is now. I get such a good feeling about Gilmour that I think we may already be better off in midfield than in 19/20.

Defensively it is not even close. We have actual non-crippled CBs. CB is arguably the most difficult position to fill and we've even got a prospect in Omobamidele. Don't know if he's next Ben Godfrey, but basically if he showed up at all, he'd beat Godfrey's contribution to us in half of the games. Hanley is on v3.0. Don't know what has happened to him but I like the updates. Zimmermann gets s*** on for some weird reason but his recovery turned things around defensively in late 2019. Ok, he may be 4th option, but there's a difference between 4th CB and a midfielder LARPing a CB. He can hold up the fort when necessary. We've got Gibson, who has been solid.

Fullbacks...if we get to keep Max, we're ahead of 19/20 already. If we lose Max, rightbacks are not a rarefied commodity like CBs. Fast, technical rightbacks are, which is why we'd net so much from selling Max. We don't need an exceptionally fast and technical RB. I'm not counting on Byram's fitness atleast for 1st half of 21/22, but if Farke says it could happen...it could happen. He was a bright spot in 19/20.

We're not invulnerable, but we are ok. 19/20 we were Wiley Coyote who ran through ManC into canyon without parachute. They "found us out" by figuring out we did not have defenders and any sort of pressure on us would topple us so they didn't have to deal with Teemu and Emi. We could not get the ball off our own side. Wow they sure got to us by not...selling us any CBs cheap?

What about offense?

That is the question, isn't it? I'm not stupid. There is a reason I have a recurring fantasy of Webber borrowing lots of money to sign us Adam Armstrong. More likely to squeeze blood out of stone...or sell Max?

The reason I think we are a sleeper is that we've performed so well 20/21 except against some teams like Watford. Watford is geared against us and I think we are going to face Mid-lower table clubs in PL who don't understand that. They think we're lightweights. I think we are going to face teams who are less prepared for our offense than some in Champs.

Hence, if Teemu is fit most of the season and our defense solid, we're not going to get relegated.

If he gets injured or overburdened, we're playing Champs next year.

Sign Adam Armstrong and we're hedged against latter scenario.

 

I agree with most of that; The 2019-20 season has to have an asterisk against it because of the pandemic. You would have to be even more stupidly negative than the most pessimistic poster here to think that if the season had just carried on we would have lost all nine games and scored only one goal. We probably would have been relegated, but with at least 30 points gained.

As to strikers, I suspect that Webber and Farke are not so much now looking for someone who can replace Pukki if he is injured or has lost form, but someone who will be an immediate challenger to that position.

This is a guess, but fits the chronology of how the steers from Carrow Road changed, from being happy with Pukki, Idah and Raschica, to looking for back-up to Pukki, to now. The shift seemed to start after the end of Finland's outing in the Euros. Taking all the mitigating factors into account, I can imagine that W&F saw a struggling Pukki and that concentrated their minds. What if when the season starts either he has still not regained full fitness, or will never regain his ultra-sharpness?

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

42 minutes ago, Upo said:

Defensively it is not even close. We have actual non-crippled CBs.

Only Zimmermann missed pre-season with injury before our last relegation season, so not sure this is worth underlining.

[TheGunnShow 5,989]

34 minutes ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

Placheta's coaches back in Poland said they eventually saw him becoming a wing-back/left back

Yep, and I can see it as well. Left wing-back should be his long-term position, I think - or a very attacking full-back.

If you're that fast you need a bit of space to get up to top speed, so starting further back down the pitch is how to get it. Not to mention, it gives attacking players ahead of the ball a chance to be coming in line when the speedster really turns on the afterburners. Placheta gets some stick because his attacking output belies his physical attributes, and I do wish he'd hit the bye line more and just dump a cross in, but there is a fair bit to like about him.

Namely his stamina, defensive contribution and work rate. There are some wingers who do silly things defensively, usually diving in thinking their pace will get the ball back. Placheta's smarter and uses his reactions, jockeying and standing them up.

As much as I want to see Sorensen get his chance in defensive midfield, I can EASILY see him doing a Godfrey and going back to centre-half.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

Krul

Sorenson Hanley Gibson

Aarons Gilmour MacLean Giannoulis

Cantwell Pukki Rashica

Gunn, Mumba, Omadiibele, Byram, Rupp, Placheta, Dowell, Lees Melou, Idah, Hugill

Thats 21 of a squad, with a 3 at the back system, that looks to me as strong if not stronger than last time.

 

[The Great Mass Debater 1,092]

8 hours ago, TheGunnShow said:

Meanwhile, Giannoulis thinks "hello, the latest Greek tragedy is that you forgot me!"

Nowadays everybody wanna talk like they got something to say, but nothin' comes out when they move they lips, just a buncha gibberish and muthaf*ckas act like they forgot about Giannoulis

[wcorkcanary 4,337]

3 hours ago, chicken said:

We're being asked if we think a squad is stronger or weaker. I gave my balanced view as to why

Actually I think we're being asked to agree with Teemu  and feel an ickle bit sowwy for him cos he's  having to self isolate  with                ' freedom day ' just around the corner and the sun shining. 

[wcorkcanary 4,337]

1 hour ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Only Zimmermann missed pre-season with injury before our last relegation season, so not sure this is worth underlining.

What day of your 9 are you on? Looks like we're in for some serious hair splitting in the next few days.  Will a negative pcr test on day 5 set you ...and by default, us,  free. Or are you headed for a nervous breakdown  on  account of the state of flux    at the moment? Do you often suffer from these kinds of neurotic symptoms?  Have you tried drugs? Or are they the cause?

[The Great Mass Debater 1,092]

7 hours ago, Yellow and Green said:

Re: Placheta, it certainly looks as though he is still adjusting to the way we play. It's an odd one because, like Hugill, his strengths don't match our style.

This could change if we adopt a counter attacking approach next season. Then he could be a useful option. 

You always need a plan B. We didnt really have one last time in the Prem

[The Great Mass Debater 1,092]

7 hours ago, keelansgrandad said:

I was delighted to see us persisting with the back three last night. We cannot escape the fact that we are going to have to adapt better than we did last time. It doesn't have to be defensive, it just makes you more solid.

We cannot bid for top strikers or defenders so we have to strengthen our midfield with what we have. And midfield will be the key to us staying up. If we get rolled over too many times we will lose confidence.

Just like last season's change of emphasis, with Skipp protecting the two CB's so well, we can avoid large scores against and remain in games and in touch.

 

I do think a back three is perhaps the way forward, and the top teams play it so we shouldnt think of it as regressive. So much of our attacking play comes from the full backs and in Aarons and Gianoulis we have top attacking full backs. In the Championship we were able to have them both attacking from a back four, but trying to do this in the Prem proved suicide. So if we're going to keep doing this, and we havent bought solid defending full-backs to suggest otherwise, we do need that extra man at the back, be that a DM dropping deep to cover, or a third CB.

Allowing MaCallum to go on loan means they have a plan for left back. If we're going to play 3 at the back it makes sense for that to be Placheta, converted to Wing Back the way Newcastle have done with Jacob.

If we're playing 3 at the back though we badly need another CB

[chicken 2,640]

2 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Only Zimmermann missed pre-season with injury before our last relegation season, so not sure this is worth underlining.

I believe Klose had a groin injury and then a knee injury which kept him out for the majority of the season. One at the beginning of August, so still in pre-season, then the knee injury came straight after.

So we lost Klose and it was hoped Zimmermann would be back for the start of the season, but he wasn't. We therefore started the season with Hanley and Godfrey. Then a couple of weeks in, towards the end of August, Hanley picked up an injury. 

[chicken 2,640]

5 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

My OP said we needed 5 players.

His response was a very long winded way of saying that he felt we needed one less, as each another was a signing lol

No. I was responding to perceived weakness in he squad and I was going by what the club has shared which is CB, DM, Winger and Striker. That's four.

I used that to model how our squad is improved upon the 19/20 model.

But if you want it to be about arguing that we need 5 players - sure, make it be about that if you want. Just not what I was saying at all.

[nutty nigel 7,598]

2 hours ago, keelansgrandad said:

Krul

Sorenson Hanley Gibson

Aarons Gilmour MacLean Giannoulis

Cantwell Pukki Rashica

Gunn, Mumba, Omadiibele, Byram, Rupp, Placheta, Dowell, Lees Melou, Idah, Hugill

Thats 21 of a squad, with a 3 at the back system, that looks to me as strong if not stronger than last time.

 

I like that Pops. My first reaction was to think we need to see Dowell in there somehow. Hopefully we'll think the same about Lees Melou after we've seen him. Now if there's a couple more come in who we feel should be starting we will have the basis of a strong squad.

[The Great Mass Debater 1,092]

Well, perhaps its not a popular opinion, but I think Zimmermann is a collosus. He was injured and then displaced.

I may be wrong, and Farke's opinion may mirror some of the posts on here, but I think he remains an important player for us. Hanley and Gibson have the shirts at present, but should Zimm get his opportunity, without carrying an injury, I would have full confidence in him. Sue me

[chicken 2,640]

45 minutes ago, The Great Mass Debater said:

Well, perhaps its not a popular opinion, but I think Zimmermann is a collosus. He was injured and then displaced.

I may be wrong, and Farke's opinion may mirror some of the posts on here, but I think he remains an important player for us. Hanley and Gibson have the shirts at present, but should Zimm get his opportunity, without carrying an injury, I would have full confidence in him. Sue me

I agree. People bang on about the physicality of our squad. They also say how amazingly good a player Mackay was. Zimmermann is probably our toughest player. I don't see anyone else heading the ball away from a strikers boot whilst on the floor... He's also miles better than Mackay at his peak. He can pass, he can play long balls...

It's possible he's lost a yard of pace, but there are a few of those in the premier league. If we play a back three which loads of people are convinced is what we are going to do, then he is very capable part of a three man system.

I also happen to have picked up some knowledge of him on my travels, from people that have spoken to him. He is incredibly grounded, is a great pro and is good for the squad. I wouldn't write him off yet that's for sure. And I think he is very realistic about his role in the squad.

If we do play with 3 at the back, he's going to get plenty of game time. Even if we sign another CB, that'll leave two not starting and he's likely to be first back up to those three.

[Indy 3,314]

12 hours ago, keelansgrandad said:

Krul

Sorenson Hanley Gibson

Aarons Gilmour MacLean Giannoulis

Cantwell Pukki Rashica

Gunn, Mumba, Omadiibele, Byram, Rupp, Placheta, Dowell, Lees Melou, Idah, Hugill

Thats 21 of a squad, with a 3 at the back system, that looks to me as strong if not stronger than last time.

 

I’m not sure it is, it might be but you’re arguments about non crippled CB’s is a strange one, not sure what you mean? Hanley, Gibson and Zimmermann have a history of getting injuries with us and Hanley is currently out! 
I don’t think comparing our squad to two years ago has any real relevance but we should look at our squad against our competitors in the premiership as it’s more comparable to the job in hand to stay up.

Given we lost the games in the championship to Watford & Bournemouth both relegated with us, but won and drew against Brentford, the onus is to compare how we look against these clubs and which other club over the season we might be stronger than!

So do you think we’re a stronger squad than Brentford, Watford and Brighton?