quality but thin

[J-C]

Having a look at the full squad you can now see the full quality but it does also look very thin. Lets hope we don't get any more injuries or suspensions, maybe we could've kept Booth for cover and we still need cover at DM for Robertson.

[PeterboroHibee]

Personally Id say we have more than enough. We have -

2 good keepers who would say they are no.1.
6 defenders with more balance now in terms of right/left sided players, along with back up from the likes of Crane and Dunsmore.
6 midfielders, along with Stevenson who can play there and Martin who is on the fringes of the first team.
7 strikers, where we are probably spoilt for choice in terms of the options and we have at least 3 guys in Cummings, Malonga and El Alagui who all have excellent returns at this level.

Theres obviously always opportunities to improve on what you have, but even if we didnt sign anyone else Id say we have an excellent squad.

[Sir David Gray]

I'm delighted with the squad, with the exception of midfield.

We have very little depth to our midfield positions and if any of them are injured for any length of time, like McGeouch was, then we don't really have anyone ready to replace them.

Goalkeepers, defence and strikers are all fine.

[TheFamous1875]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I'm delighted with the squad, with the exception of midfield.

We have very little depth to our midfield positions and if any of them are injured for any length of time, like McGeouch was, then we don't really have anyone ready to replace them.

Goalkeepers, defence and strikers are all fine.

What about Stanton, Stevenson, Handling and young Scott Martin?

[Andy74]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I'm delighted with the squad, with the exception of midfield.

We have very little depth to our midfield positions and if any of them are injured for any length of time, like McGeouch was, then we don't really have anyone ready to replace them.

Goalkeepers, defence and strikers are all fine.

Robertson, Craig and Allan did okay when McGeough was out. Stanton can also come in. Handling too.

[Smartie]

I have to say I'm happier than ever with the squad depth. We have no obvious achilles heel at the moment and we should have enough to be able to survive the usual odd injury or 2 that comes our way.

We're probably short of wide midfielders but we don't play a formation that uses them so I'm perfectly happy to overlook that.

[worcesterhibby]

As far as I'm concerned, a thin squad is what we have had for the last five years. Squads filled to the brim with journeymen to the extent that it didn't matter who you put on the pitch, most of them were as bad as each other. Young men like Hanlon, Louis and Forster have struggled to develop properly playing alongside a catalogue of makeweights.

This squad on the other hand has quality throughout and there is quality in reserve. Stanton has showed his ability to add energy off the bench, Stevenson always looks comfortable in Midfield when needed and Cummings, Malonga, El Alagui and now Dje Dje and Boyle are fighting for one or two places up front . Now we even have two first choice keepers.

If the current squad is thin…then previous squads were very much a case of never mind the quality..feel the width.

When we get promoted..there will be more money for a bigger squad..right now I'm more than happy with where we are.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Having a look at the full squad you can now see the full quality but it does also look very thin. Lets hope we don't get any more injuries or suspensions, maybe we could've kept Booth for cover and we still need cover at DM for Robertson.

What are the terms of the loan? Total recall an option?

[TheFamous1875]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I have to say I'm happier than ever with the squad depth. We have no obvious achilles heel at the moment and we should have enough to be able to survive the usual odd injury or 2 that comes our way.

We're probably short of wide midfielders but we don't play a formation that uses them so I'm perfectly happy to overlook that.

On paper it looks like a weakness not having any real width, but we do have both Djedje and Boyle who, if need be, can play on the wings. Stubbs was still trying to find out about about the team at the beginning of the season when we had Harris and Stanton out wide, so it's obviously something he's open to, but with Allan and McGeouch being arguably our two best players, Craig being the captain and Robertson shoring up in the middle of the park, the diamond is the best suited formation to our squad - it gives our full-backs licence to get up and down and gives us two upfront and the domination of the middle of the park.

[Mikey09]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

What about Stanton, Stevenson, Handling and young Scott Martin?

And Conor Duthie.... Boys gonna be a star.

[Sir David Gray]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

What about Stanton, Stevenson, Handling and young Scott Martin?

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Robertson, Craig and Allan did okay when McGeough was out. Stanton can also come in. Handling too.

Sorry I'll rephrase that and I'll repeat what the opening poster said, which is that we're short on cover for defensive midfield.

This isn't me trying to be too critical as I think Stubbs has done a good job so far and the signs are positive. The permanent signings who have come in have all been very good and we're still to see Watson, Cerny and Djedje. I think that even if we don't make any further signings before the deadline, we are in a good position to challenge Sevco for second place and hopefully then go up through the play offs.

[greenlex]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Having a look at the full squad you can now see the full quality but it does also look very thin. Lets hope we don't get any more injuries or suspensions, maybe we could've kept Booth for cover and we still need cover at DM for Robertson.

Surely we just bring Booth back early. It's the done thing dontcha know.

[Sir David Gray]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Surely we just bring Booth back early. It's the done thing dontcha know.

Harris too, while we're at it.

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

Really happy with the squad. Enough cover I think, and what we have makes sense based on how Stubbs likes to set up and play. Wee gripe would be, that i wish that this manager and this group of players, were all in place six weeks before the season started.

[Sir David Gray]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Really happy with the squad. Enough cover I think, and what we have makes sense based on how Stubbs likes to set up and play. Wee gripe would be, that i wish that this manager and this group of players, were all in place six weeks before the season started.

I wish they had all been in place six months before last season finished.

[jacomo]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Sorry I'll rephrase that and I'll repeat what the opening poster said, which is that we're short on cover for defensive midfield.

This isn't me trying to be too critical as I think Stubbs has done a good job so far and the signs are positive. The permanent signings who have come in have all been very good and we're still to see Watson, Cerny and Djedje. I think that even if we don't make any further signings before the deadline, we are in a good position to challenge Sevco for second place and hopefully then go up through the play offs.

Moving Stevenson to midfield as cover just causes an issue at left back, so not an ideal answer.

Six midfielders in the 1st team squad when we are playing four in a diamond every match is a bit slight if you ask me. LD herself said that the plan was for 2 players per position - haven't yet seen if anyone from the development squad is really ready to step up. I'd feel much happier if we had an option like Jorge Claros as well.

However... we are now spoiled for choice up front, can batter teams for an hour and then bring on fresh legs to batter them for another 30 mins if need be? As plans go, I've heard worse!

[Smartie]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I have to say I'm happier than ever with the squad depth. We have no obvious achilles heel at the moment and we should have enough to be able to survive the usual odd injury or 2 that comes our way.

We're probably short of wide midfielders but we don't play a formation that uses them so I'm perfectly happy to overlook that.

Is 72 hours too soon for me to perform a u-turn?

Some have rightly pointed out the lack of strength in depth we have in midfield.

2 knocks to central midfielders and we've got an under 20 player making his debut and Danny Handling. Handling is a tidy enough player to put on if you're 3 or 4 goals up to make the odd tidy pass but the last person you want to turn to when you're closing out a game.

It was a recipe for disaster bring them into a game when Allan was tiring (had he taken a knock?) and Craig was having a bit of a howler.

Is it too much to expect to bring in another midfielder before the window closes?

Also, where was Stanton today? Was he on the bench? He'd have been the first person I'd have put on today.

[keep the faith]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Is 72 hours too soon for me to perform a u-turn?

Some have rightly pointed out the lack of strength in depth we have in midfield.

2 knocks to central midfielders and we've got an under 20 player making his debut and Danny Handling. Handling is a tidy enough player to put on if you're 3 or 4 goals up to make the odd tidy pass but the last person you want to turn to when you're closing out a game.

It was a recipe for disaster bring them into a game when Allan was tiring (had he taken a knock?) and Craig was having a bit of a howler.

Is it too much to expect to bring in another midfielder before the window closes?

Also, where was Stanton today? Was he on the bench? He'd have been the first person I'd have put on today.

I thought the problem was squarely the strikers today. Midfield (or Allan) made loads of chances and we saw a complete lack of quality in the finishing.
Bringing Handling in instead of Stanton was strange though and no idea why Craig wasn't hooked.

[Smartie]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I thought the problem was squarely the strikers today. Midfield (or Allan) made loads of chances and we saw a complete lack of quality in the finishing.
Bringing Handling in instead of Stanton was strange though and no idea why Craig wasn't hooked.

I agree that if the strikers had done their job then we would have been out of sight.

But I thought we fell out the game horribly in the last 15-20 minutes and we lost our grip on the midfield.

Talking about squad depth, if we needed to change the strikers then we've got Malonga, Dje Dje, Farid and possibly Heff or Lewis Allan who could slot in there.

It's harder to see what else we could do with the midfielders we have at our disposal.

[J-C]

I did say in my OP that we lacked depth in midfield and it was proved today, bringing on an young development player when we're trying to see out a game was just not on. Moving a creative player in McGeouch to DM changed the dynamics of the team and we started playing on the back foot and we lost that drive McGeouch gives you, Craig should dropped into the DM position allowing the creative players to create.

[The_Horde]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I did say in my OP that we lacked depth in midfield and it was proved today, bringing on an young development player when we're trying to see out a game was just not on. Moving a creative player in McGeouch to DM changed the dynamics of the team and we started playing on the back foot and we lost that drive McGeouch gives you, Craig should dropped into the DM position allowing the creative players to create.

In a way I agree but in a way I don't as well. Dylan was breaking things up and stopping attacks in the second half which was protecting our lead, yeah we missed him going forward but we still created more chances. He was taken off because of an injury and young Martin was brought in. That's where I agree we needed someone experienced to step in. But the goal is Craig's fault.

[J-C]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

In a way I agree but in a way I don't as well. Dylan was breaking things up and stopping attacks in the second half which was protecting our lead, yeah we missed him going forward but we still created more chances. He was taken off because of an injury and young Martin was brought in. That's where I agree we needed someone experienced to step in. But the goal is Craig's fault.

The problem with blaming Craig is he's a midfielder whos is average in the air, surely when you have a big lump of a forward like Nade it's the resposibiliy of your strongest CH to an mark him, to me that should've been the job of Fontaine, who decides who marks who at set pieces?

[Turkish Green]

I believe that LD and AS have done a grand job considering the squad at the start of the season. If (repeat IF) we do not get promoted this season, then I will be looking forward to next season.

[Sir David Gray]

It could be another rebuilding job in the summer for Stubbs as I think there's a number of players who are out of contract at the end of this season.

I make it;

Oxley (end of loan)
Cerny
Fontaine
Robertson
Craig
Heffernan
Stevenson
Boyle (end of loan)
Watson (end of loan)
McGeouch (end of loan)

[WillowbraeHibby]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

It could be another rebuilding job in the summer for Stubbs as I think there's a number of players who are out of contract at the end of this season.

I make it;

Oxley (end of loan)
Cerny
Fontaine
Robertson
Craig
Heffernan
Stevenson
Boyle (end of loan)
Watson (end of loan)
McGeouch (end of loan)

Going to be very interesting to see who will be left?..

[J-C]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

It could be another rebuilding job in the summer for Stubbs as I think there's a number of players who are out of contract at the end of this season.

I make it;

Oxley (end of loan)
Cerny
Fontaine ​need to extend his stay
Robertson would give him another year
Craig
Heffernan
Stevenson can't believe he's not been offered a new deal yet.
Boyle (end of loan) Posible permanent signing
Watson (end of loan)
McGeouch (end of loan)depends if we get promoted will depend if we can sign him

.

[Aldo]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Sorry I'll rephrase that and I'll repeat what the opening poster said, which is that we're short on cover for defensive midfield. This isn't me trying to be too critical as I think Stubbs has done a good job so far and the signs are positive. The permanent signings who have come in have all been very good and we're still to see Watson, Cerny and Djedje. I think that even if we don't make any further signings before the deadline, we are in a good position to challenge Sevco for second place and hopefully then go up through the play offs.

Trig I think it showed Robertsons worth to the team when he went off yesterday. The shape etc and with McGeouch moving back I think we missed him in the final 3rd as Handling didn't have to same authority etc on the game as McGeouch did.

[Eyrie]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

It could be another rebuilding job in the summer for Stubbs as I think there's a number of players who are out of contract at the end of this season.

I make it;

Oxley (end of loan)
Cerny
Fontaine
Robertson
Craig
Heffernan
Stevenson
Boyle (end of loan)
Watson (end of loan)
McGeouch (end of loan)

I wouldn't mind Oxley staying, but would expect us to look for better. We may have already done so with Cerny and it will be interesting to see if he gets any games.

I'd keep Fontaine and Stevenson without question.

Robertson isn't a natural in the holding role, and Craig has too many off days so I'd be willing to let both walk. Robertson could be depth and Craig might stay because I don't expect McGeouch to sign unless we get promoted.

Watson will depend on his other offers as he'd be behind Gray.

Boyle and Heffernan lose out because with everyone back we'll have five strikers of our own.

So I'm looking for a keeper, RB/CH, defensive midfielder and another two midfielders at a minimum. I'm assuming that Crane can understudy Stevenson at LB.