The Midfield

[matty_f]

I think Deegan and Cairney have been good additions, but my question is did we look better without Stevenson yesterday?

Not wanting to turn this into a player bashing thread, but from the Hibs tv highlights it looked to me that Claros offered more, and it's interesting to see on the stings thread that some people had Claros above Williams and Griffiths for MOTM despite them both providing pivotal moments in the game.

[Septimus]

Kicking a man when he is down is a sending off offence........unless, of course, you play for Hearts?

[col02]

Now there is good footballers in the shape of Cairney and Deegan in there we are starting to see Wotherspoon regain his confidence and Claros also looking like he has settled in Scotland now. Football is very much a confidence game and the midfield appear to have the confidence to play some nice stuff. Long may it continue! :flag:

[matty_f]

Kicking a man when he is down is a sending off offence........unless, of course, you play for Hearts?

Sorry...who exactly is getting kicked here?

[NorthNorfolkHFC]

We are a bit thin in the midfield. Pat mentioned it in the post game interview.

Reckon we will see one or two additions. If this lad Forsyth and an other came then i'd be much more confident for this season.

Things are looking up. If we sort out our home form against the saints then we are onto a winner!!!

[muzzhfc]

I said ages ago that spoony was at his best when he had better players round him (1st season as an example). He seems to be growing in confidence and enjoying the role he has been given this season

[NorthNorfolkHFC]

I said ages ago that spoony was at his best when he had better players round him (1st season as an example). He seems to be growing in confidence and enjoying the role he has been given this season

Absolutely. He was one player that entertained fans back when Yogi was in charge then nosedived.

Hopefully we see a resurgence, there is a good player in there. With any luck the same will happen to booth.

[Billychaotic182]

Absolutely. He was one player that entertained fans back when Yogi was in charge then nosedived.

Hopefully we see a resurgence, there is a good player in there. With any luck the same will happen to booth.

I really hope we see booth more but I don't think pat fancys him at all which is ashame as te kid has bags of talent.

[Keith_M]

Now that we have a few (from what we know so far) decent additions to the squad, how many more new players does everyone think we need before the season starts?

[Col2]

We are a bit thin in the midfield. Pat mentioned it in the post game interview.

Reckon we will see one or two additions. If this lad Forsyth and an other came then i'd be much more confident for this season.

Things are looking up. If we sort out our home form against the saints then we are onto a winner!!!

Yup he definitely indicated he wanted to strengthen in midfield. I still think we lack a bit of creativity, if that comes from an addition in the centre of midfield on on the wing the. Fine either way.

I think he will get one more midfielder/winger and if possible two.you have to think he will want to move a few out at the same time mind.

[truehibernian]

I really hope we see booth more but I don't think pat fancys him at all which is ashame as te kid has bags of talent.

I would love to see Callum tried in midfield but the quandary is CB's defensive capability. I was musing over summer and it would be interesting to see him used centrally much like Murray Davidson. Difficult though if Deegan, Claros and Cairney make midfield positions their own.

[sbell1875]

I think Deegan and Cairney have been good additions, but my question is did we look better without Stevenson yesterday?

Not wanting to turn this into a player bashing thread, but from the Hibs tv highlights it looked to me that Claros offered more, and it's interesting to see on the stings thread that some people had Claros above Williams and Griffiths for MOTM despite them both providing pivotal moments in the game.

I actually though Claros was arguably our man of the match yesterday. His range of passing was superb and he shifted around the midfield area really well. He completed an entire 90 minutes which for him is quite unusual!

I saw yesterday what PF obviously sees in him. I've never been one to question Lewis's work rate but I just think Claros is a better all round footballer and I hope he really kicks on now with a consistent run in the side.

[HibbyAndy]

Claros was great yesterday and played well against Hearts too, Would be like a new signin if he can keep up the good work.

I believe Hibs are another 2 good signins away from being top 4 ..I believe this side is top 6 material anyway but another couple of players would be brilliant...Motherwell Killie Stmidden ICT haven't strengthened really and we will finish above those teams IMO..A creative winger with a killer pass would do nicely.

[jacomo]

Claros was great yesterday and played well against Hearts too, Would be like a new signin if he can keep up the good work.

I believe Hibs are another 2 good signins away from being top 4 ..I believe this side is top 6 material anyway but another couple of players would be brilliant...Motherwell Killie Stmidden ICT haven't strengthened really and we will finish above those teams IMO..A creative winger with a killer pass would do nicely.

Loving the optimism but an injury or two and we will be horribly exposed. PF has built a decent first 11 it seems (and all credit to him for that) and there are some promising youngsters... But in midfield especially we lack quality in depth.

I would have liked us to sign Gary Teale but the spine of the team worries me more... Better cover at centre back and a holding midfielder please.

[R'Albin]

Loving the optimism but an injury or two and we will be horribly exposed. PF has built a decent first 11 it seems (and all credit to him for that) and there are some promising youngsters... But in midfield especially we lack quality in depth.

I would have liked us to sign Gary Teale but the spine of the team worries me more... Better cover at centre back and a holding midfielder please.

Everybody else is on the same boat though, you look at pretty much every team and they would be the exact same.

[HibbyAndy]

Loving the optimism but an injury or two and we will be horribly exposed. PF has built a decent first 11 it seems (and all credit to him for that) and there are some promising youngsters... But in midfield especially we lack quality in depth.

I would have liked us to sign Gary Teale but the spine of the team worries me more... Better cover at centre back and a holding midfielder please.



Id imagine bar Celtic every other team in the spl are in exactly the same boat tho.

We have a decent spine now..Williams, Mcpake, Deegan and Sparky...Like a sais 1 or 2 more 'quality' players and we are in the mix for top 4 (imo).

[ScottB]

I don't know, I think personally we have a pretty decent squad in terms of depth (within the realms of realistic expectation).

Defence we have the starters Maybury, McPake, Hanlon and Clancy. We have plenty cover at left back to allow Maybury to fill in any of the other positions should that be needed. Clancy can also fill in at CB if need be. With that in mind bringing in another CB seems like a waste of resources that would be better focused on midfield, where we maybe are a bit light on the wings (unless Booth is moved to left mid, but that still leaves no usable back up for Spoony), and in the centre, where I'd like some sort of back up for Deegan. Lewis is fine as a squad player alongside him, but I wouldn't be thrilled to have to use Lewis and Claros as a central pairing if we can at all avoid it.

So a winger and another tough CM would probably do for me. If we can get on a run over the next few games I agree that top 4 is very achievable. If we can ship out Sproule, Galbraith and one of O'Hanlon and Stephens so much the better.

[Franck Stanton]

I don't know, I think personally we have a pretty decent squad in terms of depth (within the realms of realistic expectation).

Defence we have the starters Maybury, McPake, Hanlon and Clancy. We have plenty cover at left back to allow Maybury to fill in any of the other positions should that be needed. Clancy can also fill in at CB if need be. With that in mind bringing in another CB seems like a waste of resources that would be better focused on midfield, where we maybe are a bit light on the wings (unless Booth is moved to left mid, but that still leaves no usable back up for Spoony), and in the centre, where I'd like some sort of back up for Deegan. Lewis is fine as a squad player alongside him, but I wouldn't be thrilled to have to use Lewis and Claros as a central pairing if we can at all avoid it.

So a winger and another tough CM would probably do for me. If we can get on a run over the next few games I agree that top 4 is very achievable. If we can ship out Sproule, Galbraith and one of O'Hanlon and Stephens so much the better.

Maybe we could offer a BOGOF - take O'Hanlon and we will give you Stephens free .