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andyc24_uk

What do we need now?

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So the Hughton debate is over for the moment - He''s not going to get fired now, and will presumably be back to chasing new targets in the transfer window. We''ve seemingly covered our left-side weakness with the signing of Gutierrez who looks like a very useful addition to the squad who might be able to provide the link-ups that we''ve often been missing this season. So what next?

The obvious problem is we can''t score goals. Do we put our faith in Ricky finally finding his shooting boots (in which case, would it be worth us forgetting the playing staff and going shopping for a specialist attacking/shooting coach of some kind to help get the best out of him?) Or do we need to find another striker from somewhere?

Secondly, what about in defence? I cant see us shopping for a new right back until the summer, although I think we do need to look at upgrading Whittaker/Martin, both of whom seem to have shown their limit this season. But at CB, despite improvements yesterday you''re never quite fully confident in any of Bassong, Bennett or Turner to be able to deal with danger, and the bigger teams and faster strikers are going to keep finding them out.

Assuming we have a few million available to spend if we need it then - if you were CH, what would you do over the next 10 days? Try to bag a striker to get the goals that might keep us up; or have faith in the current lineup and go after someone who can tighten up our defensive weaknesses?

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Only addition I see comming trough this winter is new CB.

I hope we get one more central midfielder, but as we lack creative one, it will be hard and expensive transfer this time year, so can''t see it happen as there are no rumours out there suggesting us to be after one and Jonas deal hints that we are going to use 4-4-2 more or less rest of the season.

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I have never been impressed with Hutton so would be disappointed if we signed him

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Alan Hutton would be awful. Has a really poor reputation with a couple of spurs fans I know.

For me, I think we need another central midfielder - either one who has a range of passing and who can dictate our play (should have been Huddlestone in the summer IMO) or an attacking midfielder with creative flair. Whether we have one already in Wes is another debate, but he isn''t getting used.

In addition, I think a decent center back would be good to shore up our leaky defense.

The right back position can wait till the summer - when hopefully we can get Kyle Naughton!

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I think we will go for a central defender. Would love for us to go for upgrade in central mid to go alongside Fer also. Can see that being done in summer though assuming we stay up.

RVW needs a goal. Benteke didn''t score for god knows how long, now he full of confidence again.

Let''s get that goal Ricky!!

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what we need has remained unchanged - strengthen the core, a creative cm and a centre back

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What all bottom half clubs need is a box to box player, with endless energy, who can close down, put his foot in, and also play creatively. Something like Patrick Vieira in his hey day. None of the bottom half can afford one though.

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I think you may have a point regarding coaching staff in the attacking sense to help the two strikers with their understanding of their roles to help each other. I also think if we got in a pacey right back it would help Snograss as he needs someone running past him when he cuts inside to give him more options and to help drag opposition defenders away.

We also need to switch play to the left more often as we are to predictable using the right flank most of the time, ironically this is where we employ a pacey LB.

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Think we need a new first choice centre back to compete with bassong. He still looks a bit dodgy. And another centre mid. Upgrade on BJ (who played well yesterday) cover for Howson. We cant play the rest of the season with 3/4 centre mids when your plan is to play three of them. We are obviously sticking with the manager so I think its worth giving him 10 / 15 million to secure safety. .

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At the moment, just a CB. With Tettey back, Johnson performing OK and Jonas able to play there CM is not such a priority.

The alleged interest in the Itailian recently suggests CH feels we need strengthening here.

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We''re def on the look out for a CB if reports are to be believed. Whether we''ll get one is another matter. Heitinger wd be ok I guess, although I remember Holty used to terrorise him! Not especially cultured so only a slight upgrade on a Turner or an inform Bass. I''d like to see a place made for Neil Adams on the staff. Think he could help our forward players/wingers a lot.

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Our attacking tends to take place very much down the wings. We seem to lack any way of progressing down the middle, The result is square passing, which allows defences time to adjust.

We need, if not now then during the summer, a constructive central midfielder. I had hoped that Fer would do this with his passing skills but, perhaps because Tettey has been missing, the Dutchman has not been the force he was or promised to become. The absence of Howson has not helped either.

The kind of player I am thinking of, with long range passing like Fox, strong tackling like Fer and the best qualities of Howson, will not be found growing on a tree, and in any case we would be well down the queue and well behind Arsenal and Manure, and most other London clubs, but I can hope.

We need a play maker,as we expected Huddlestone to be yesterday, able to win the tackle and then split a defence for our strikers to run on to.We have been struggling with a midfield containing the not-speedy Snoddy playing at about 80% of his best, no obvious left winger, and then a central section bereft of Howson and Tettey. I feel we need a playmaker, a constructor of chances, to give our attack more variety. At present if any club can reduce the effectiveness of our wingers, then we are stymied.

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"The kind of player I am thinking of, with long range passing like Fox, strong tackling like Fer and the best qualities of Howson"

So, basically what we need is Yaya Toure?

I agree that this is an area of the pitch we should be looking to strengthen, but anyone we could realistically get is likely to mirror the old adage about looking for a new girlfriend.

Sane

Pretty

Single

Pick two, because unless you''re a millionaire you''re not going to find one with all three.

Huddlestone is a fairly classic example of this. Great passer, fairly strong, but limited mobility.

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A midfield player who I think could do a good job for us is Lee Chung-Yong at Bolton. He''s got the creativity and workrate needed to set up opportunities for other players, and he can score too. Generally tends to play on the right, but I can see him working well more in the middle alongside Fer, with Tettey or Johnson behind them. Would probably be a realistic price as well, and he''s only 25.

At the back, I wouldn''t be upset with Heitinga as he would give us more depth (I''m very worried about what happens if Bassong or Bennett get injured in the next few weeks and out for the season - Martin is NOT good enough at CB for the rest of the season.) However we really need to be looking for someone of a higher level than this... Probably not going to find someone in England of that level unfortunately. Hutton would be a complete waste of space IMHO - Worse than anything we''ve already got!

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a1canary,

We have Adel Gafaiti, as yet untried in the Prem and young at ony 19, but a very promising youngster, so we may go through to then end of the season and bring him in next year. Much cheaper than splashing out 6 mill or more. Plus cheaper on wages, initially anyway.

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I hadn''t thought about Gafaiti... It would be fantastic if we did manage t bring through one of our own. Been far too long since that happened. If it is indeed the plan to use him as backup, then I''d hope we start seeing him on the bench and getting 5-10 minutes at the end of a game to ease him into the team, as is happening with the Murphy brothers. Wouldn''t like to be forced to throw him into a crucial game completely raw having only warmed the bench for the FA cup game.

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andyc24_uk

Was on the bench fro the first cup game against Fulham, trouble is unless there is an injury defenders tend not o be brought on, but agree if safe giving him 30 minutes or so would be a good test of the young man.

He started two of the pre-season games in the states, interstingly at RB but plays very solidly at CB for the U21''s. Have seen him play alongside Bennett, Turner, Ayala and Bassong and looked every part their equal with the exception they looked nore confident, but then they woud wouldn''t they, insomuch they were playeing for the U21''s and have Prem experinece.

Very mature for his age, calm and collected on the ball, can ping a pass and very focussed on success.

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