Hooiveld

[Tetteys Jig 830]

It''s all become apparent now. We must have identified some Centre Backs that we really wanted in summer, didn''t get them, didn''t get plan B and panic bought Hooiveld and Miquel (who has barely played despite our defensive struggles).

That for me was the biggest mystery in summer, we spent a hell of a lot of money and yet couldn''t put a few million aside to buy a more assured centre back to replace the obviously marginalised Bassong.

Surely it must be common knowledge in football now that you need at least one centre back that can move faster than a snail.

Even now, while it''s been obvious, we''re 26 days into the transfer window and are yet to act.

People say the players have given up, be for me, I feel the board gave up an instant return to the premiership in summer.

This isn''t hindsight either, I was crying out for us to buy a proven mobile centre back in summer yet we didn''t even attempt to. I''d kind of be okay if we''d signed one that turned out to be rubbish but we''ve not even addressed the issue we''ve had since dropping Bassong.

[mrs miggins 0]

Yes we were all crying out for a pacey cb and LM. Since Bassong went we only had Bennett who''s quick when he gets going, but is terribly slow off the line. Turner, Cuellar, Hooiveld, all the same players really. Miquel''s a ball playing CB but hasn''t been given the chance (must be a reason for that...I''m hoping)

[Tetteys Jig 830]

I just don''t get it sometimes, we sold Pilkington and Surman, fair enough but we never replaced them. Anyone with half a brain cell could have told them that Lafferty at Left Mid (not even left wing) was not the answer. He is a striker and was last year at Palermo behind Hernandez.

All things considered, it''d be great to carry on the Johnson at LM experiment. It was going well and he''s a natural left footer which helps. Good compliment to Olsson at full back as well.

[Barclay End Lower 0]

I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when they were talking about transfer targets in the summer. Snodgrass, Surman and Pilkington - Out, replacements in? None. A mystery like you say. We need to act quickly, we''ve hardly got anytime left. Although I can only see us picking up one or 2 from the SPL, which will be disappointing.

[The Butler 0]

One out only a dozen more to go!

[Duncan Edwards 2,220]

I think it''s a bit harsh of the club to make Hooiveld the scapegoat for the Brentford defeat.

Do they think that by sacking him, or "terminating his loan with immediate effect" that we''ll just blindly accept that as requisite action?

We saw all this before when Robson was sacrificed to protect Adams.

Hooiveld didn''t even play for heaven''s sake!! If McNally and Neil think that this will placate the fans, they''re sadly mistaken.

[Tetteys Jig 830]

[quote user="Barclay End Lower"]I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when they were talking about transfer targets in the summer. Snodgrass, Surman and Pilkington - Out, replacements in? None. A mystery like you say. We need to act quickly, we''ve hardly got anytime left. Although I can only see us picking up one or 2 from the SPL, which will be disappointing.[/quote]

I''m still quietly hoping we have some deals for the likes of Sinclair lined up and we''re just waiting for the prem teams to say no!

Just kidding, i''m not naive enough to think we''ve pulled something like that off!

I don''t know why we haven''t properly used the loan market more though. People like Bamford and Pritchard have been nothing short of phenomenal. Considering our youth team is supposed to be up there with the best in the country, I thought this was maybe because we have good youngsters already but it appears we don''t. Josh Murphy, our most promising youngster is nowhere near the level of Prichard and Bamford yet.

If that''s the case, we need to swallow our pride, wait a little longer for our youth to flourish and borrow some good players from more successful youth teams. It doesn''t cost much (well it''s less than signing McGrandles and Miquel etc) and you get some real quality players.

I think we''ve been scared of it since the Roeder era really. We should look back to the Worthy era when we got in Crouch and Hucks (and Harper). That was quality that we could barely afford if we just stuck to permanent deals but it paid massive dividends for all involved. particularly Crouch who used his time with us to regain his confidence at a level he could really thrive at.

Someone like Jordan Ibe would have chosen us over Derby in summer, i''m sure.

[Sundowner 0]

[quote user="The Butler"]One out only a dozen more to go![/quote]

Just good for him to go away. Working with a coach who has the guts to place Whittaker on midfield does not promise any good....

[0ridgemanddMMyyyy0Falseen-USTrue 0]

I would like to know whether this was an Adams choice or was it the footballing board with Mc Nally and Ricky Martin deciding who was needed. Who ever it was it was a complete waste of time and money.

[Newton 0]

Jimmy we signed 3 x Centre Halves in the summer (all cack & one suposed to have cost £1.5M)

The best of a bad bunch has given away a penalty in each of the last 3 games

There is no way Adams could have scouted that shambles - but who is to blame ?

Thats the question

[wcorkcanary 4,329]

Newton...''There is no way Adams could have scouted that shambles - but who is to blame ? ''

All together now......Tom Cavendish.

[Mr Jenkins 0]

Yes old "Twelveman". The very same!😄

[Sundowner 0]

Millwall played 0-0 with 10 men during 2nd halve. Hooiveld motm .......

[Tetteys Jig 830]

I feel the problem was not Hooiveld, it was the fact he was the same type of CB as Turner and Bassong, lumbering and slow. Yes he''d win stuff in the air, win the strength battle but it made us weak on the turn.

Essentially he was the wrong type of CB to bring in.

It''s sush basic knowledge of football to not play two slow centre backs unless they are special defenders and have full backs and a DM to cover the running. Even in my Saturday league side we woudn''t do something as tactically naive as that unless forced to. Lo and behold, when we are forced to, we go from usually winning to getting trounced!

[Thirsty Lizard 3,155]

This whole thread is a joke surely??

On the one hand we''ve got loads of people on here saying that we need a faster more mobile centre back.

On the other hand on loads of other threads this season we''ve seen people complaining that Russell Martin is being played at centre back and not right back.

Put these two facts together.