With Onel out for the rest of the season..

[The Real Buh 3,446]

Who will replace Onel? It depends what the tombola says. 
 

Roll up, Roll up!

[hogesar 9,705]

1 hour ago, Bobzilla said:

None of that was at all evident on Saturday. Quite the opposite, even to the point of ignoring the Nunez overlap on the right several times.  

Think you've read too much into it, he's an absolute favourite amongst the squad.

 

[hogesar 9,705]

Well, Knapper has to take some responsibility. 

We've already weakened our strike force by loaning out Idah who's proven he can score goals from the bench at this level with a guy who's not match fit and only played 200 minutes odd all season.

We also sent back Hwang who I didnt really rate but was at least another option.

Following that, we then reduced the depth in wide positions. We are now down to the barebones out wide.

[shefcanary 2,435]

Just now, hogesar said:

Well, Knapper has to take some responsibility. 

Of course he does. He's trying to get Wagner to play more of the U21's! 

[GodlyOtsemobor 2,333]

I'd be pushing McCallum forward. 

[hogesar 9,705]

1 hour ago, shefcanary said:

Of course he does. He's trying to get Wagner to play more of the U21's! 

Great plan when it's a manager you don't want long term in the middle of a play off push.

If he's genuinely done it for that reason we are in for a real long spell of nothing with him...

[Mengo 825]

5 hours ago, Mason 47 said:

Welch & Myles probably the most likely to step onto the bench. Aboh you would hope is making progress towards staying also.

As an aside, a rare direct criticism from me-I feel that the management of Gibbs has been extremely poor over the past 18 months.

I must admit , I'm not quite sure what has gone on with gibbs, he's gone from poster boy , to nobodys boy. I must be missing something somewhere.🤔

[Robert Ketts Yellow Army 15]

6 hours ago, Google Bot said:

Stacey should cover that position, as he's got the drive, eager to track back and defend and capable of great delivery.  Plus played there for Bournemouth.

Good shout. With Sam behind him?

[repman 635]

2 hours ago, Mengo said:

I must admit , I'm not quite sure what has gone on with gibbs, he's gone from poster boy , to nobodys boy. I must be missing something somewhere.🤔

I think the only time he has played in his best position this season has been in the cup, when he's started it's been up front and off the bench it's either that or the occasional wide role. 

[repman 635]

2 hours ago, hogesar said:

Great plan when it's a manager you don't want long term in the middle of a play off push.

If he's genuinely done it for that reason we are in for a real long spell of nothing with him...

I see us right now as being in the same position as we were when Webber took over in 16/17, it's just Knapper has started ahead of time (instead of the advertised March date).

Old squad that is going to see a lot of changes, in play off 'contention' but on the outside looking in rather than vice versa and the end of parachute payments on the horizon, leaving us with financial holes that'll be funded through player sales.

Just this time around we haven't dropped £8m on Yanic Wildschut.

[Mason 47 1,388]

2 hours ago, Mengo said:

I must admit , I'm not quite sure what has gone on with gibbs, he's gone from poster boy , to nobodys boy. I must be missing something somewhere.🤔

I thought he looked like he had a decent future in CM- quick, tidy and can run for days. (Somehow) under Smith, he looked best as the deeper, metronomic midfielder; thought being given the #8 shirt was a big gesture of faith. 

The unfortunate situation is that he's caught Lungi disease- hardworking backup in several positions, especially given Nunez, McLean & Sara are amongst our most important assets. In fact, I'd wager if Sorenson was less prone to 3-4 month injuries, Gibbs would have been out on loan this season.

[JonnyJonnyRowe 451]

5 hours ago, hogesar said:

Well, Knapper has to take some responsibility. 

We've already weakened our strike force by loaning out Idah who's proven he can score goals from the bench at this level with a guy who's not match fit and only played 200 minutes odd all season.

We also sent back Hwang who I didnt really rate but was at least another option.

Following that, we then reduced the depth in wide positions. We are now down to the barebones out wide.

All of which is impossible to judge without knowing our current financial position, which unfortunately won't become clearer until probably December when we get accounts for the year up to end of June 2024.

If we're running at a significant deficit, which is likely, then the commitment to adequately fund a top 6 challenge really rests with the major shareholders, Knapper can only work within the budget he is given, and it is certainly clear that Mark Attanasio hasn't come along with a few million in January.

We all expected to lose a player in January, probably Rowe, and if clearing out some deadwood like Placheta, Forshaw, and Hwang, and leaving Tzolis where he is, meant that we could avoid having to sell a key player until the end of the season then I think most would have considered that the right course of action, its easy to say otherwise with the benefit of hindsight.

Knapper stated his desire to reduce the size of the squad; we don't know whether that is because there is a grave financial necessity to do so. He reports to the board, who might have been applying pressure to reduce the wage bill in January, he doesn't get to decide what the budget is.

Edited March 1 by JonnyJonnyRowe

[Newtopia 518]

Surely Gibbs could come in. 

[Paul101 93]

Welch would be the best shout

[canarycop 206]

I would like to see someone like Forsyth Welch Aboh Miles get involved. Look what Wagners nate Klippety has done by playing youth. No fear and Sunderland are full of young uns. Nothing to lose and everything to gain

 

[Gordon Bennett 787]

Depends if the youngsters are ready. Look at Springett, he's been given a go at times and the general consensus is that he's nowhere near ready. He's potentially ahead of anyone else in the youth system for his position so I'd have thought the chances of anyone else getting thrown in are slim. 

My personal preference would be to combine Dimi/Sam down the left should the need arise. 

[shefcanary 2,435]

12 hours ago, repman said:

I think the only time he has played in his best position this season has been in the cup, when he's started it's been up front and off the bench it's either that or the occasional wide role. 

Back to the OP and the above reminded me that actually that this is a valid point - for Onel! 

Even if Onel was fully fit, Wagner would still play him on the left where he acts as protection to whoever wins the tombola for left back that game, but does **** all in the attacking third but win corners we then fail to convert, but do usually concede a goal due to a fast transition from the opposition. 

The two games where he was played on the right, he got more crosses in and two assists. 

So overall, its one less way that Wagner can confuse us all. But he'll find others. Especially with where he plays Gibbs. And will Aboh get on the bench?

[CANARYKING 641]

Poor bloke, sounds so sad

[yellowrider120 766]

In many respects I feel the loss of Argos could well be 'season defining' and not in a positive way. I have never been a fan of him as a footballer for the reasons we all know but he has recently, arguably, shown his best form with some actual assists to his name. We all know as well that his best role is that of 'impact' sub and its here where his absence could be pivotal.

There is simply no-one else in the squad who provides his attributes in that role. When he came on at Ipswich his play was infectious - back tracking, tackling, pace, aggression and almost impossible for opponents to get the ball off! He has that great ability to 'get the team up the pitch'. Just before the end of that game he went on a searing run up the wing and won a free kick in a really dangerous attacking position. We almost stole the match from that. Now imagine we're in the last 15 minutes of the Play Off semi final and hanging on to a one goal advantage. Who do you bring on with the energy and raw physical aggression to try and disrupt the opposition? Only one player and that's Argos. With him now out of the equation, our chances are now a whole lot worse.