Will put my neck on the line and say if we sign Fraser he will be a significant upgrade on Lee.
Would hope we play him alongside Gilbey and Dobson. That midfield trio would have a bit of everything and if they can gel you would think they should be the best midfield in the league next season.
Really? Our midfield currently gets dominated nearly every game with 2/3 of next seasons best midfield - can’t see it personally.
Our midfield gets dominated because we play a formation that does not suit the players we have. Lee plays further forward than if he was in a real 3 which leaves Dobson and Gilbey with 3 players to cover between them. We also play our wingbacks so high that dobson or Gilbey have to cover back in to the full back position that leaves even more space in front of the defence.
This doesn't ring true at all. One of our issues has been how deep the wing-backs play. There's always them and the wide CB defending attacks; this hasn't been a problem. Keeping possession and stringing moves together has though
We play wingers at wing-back, of course they get forward more than they sit in. Of the 4 players we have used regularly as wingbacks 3 (DJ, Leko and CBT) are forwards/wingers.
The formation we play would be much less of an issue and would leave far less gaps if we had actual specialised wing-backs.
Hopefully Castillo will be that on one side. I don't think it is fair to point fingers at Dobson and Gilbey when they have to cover for other players as well as doing their own jobs.
We will see at the end of the season but I would be shocked if Dobson and GIlbey are not both in the top 3 for POTY, which will suggest that most fans can see the quality they have, maybe it is just you that can't.
They'll wait until the last possible moment to say no. I hope it comes off though.
I was hoping that we would be looking to sign players on the way up .. NOT other clubs failures
Yann Kermorgant Michael Morrison
I like to see young hungry players on the up too but not every signing needs to have that profile. Fraser is a good player at this level and Ipswich have a big squad with a lot of options, they can’t keep them all happy.
Powell, a manager who REALLY did the business knew Kermorgant had great potential .. Morrison ? .. he was 23/24 when he signed for us
To be honest I care much more about a players reputation after they've signed for us, not before! Dobson is a revelation. If Fraser has the same engine and effort I'll be happy. I'd rather have an average player working his socks off, than a top quality lazy fecker.
You’ll be disappointed if that’s the metric you’re using to judge him.
"Fraser may have given Washington 5 clear chances all of which were miskicked straight at the keeper but let's get Gilbey back in next game he runs a lot"
Will put my neck on the line and say if we sign Fraser he will be a significant upgrade on Lee.
Would hope we play him alongside Gilbey and Dobson. That midfield trio would have a bit of everything and if they can gel you would think they should be the best midfield in the league next season.
Really? Our midfield currently gets dominated nearly every game with 2/3 of next seasons best midfield - can’t see it personally.
Our midfield gets dominated because we play a formation that does not suit the players we have. Lee plays further forward than if he was in a real 3 which leaves Dobson and Gilbey with 3 players to cover between them. We also play our wingbacks so high that dobson or Gilbey have to cover back in to the full back position that leaves even more space in front of the defence.
This doesn't ring true at all. One of our issues has been how deep the wing-backs play. There's always them and the wide CB defending attacks; this hasn't been a problem. Keeping possession and stringing moves together has though
We play wingers at wing-back, of course they get forward more than they sit in. Of the 4 players we have used regularly as wingbacks 3 (DJ, Leko and CBT) are forwards/wingers.
The formation we play would be much less of an issue and would leave far less gaps if we had actual specialised wing-backs.
Hopefully Castillo will be that on one side. I don't think it is fair to point fingers at Dobson and Gilbey when they have to cover for other players as well as doing their own jobs.
We will see at the end of the season but I would be shocked if Dobson and GIlbey are not both in the top 3 for POTY, which will suggest that most fans can see the quality they have, maybe it is just you that can't.
Dobson should be in positions 1, 2 and 3. He is so clear it is laughable
A midfield three of Dobson, Gilbey and Fraser would be the best in the League IMO.
So you are saying we already have 2 of the 3 best midfield players in League One (Dobson & Gilbey) yet fail week after week to create anything exciting whilst languishing in the bottom half of the table.
'He was excellent when he played against us last season'.
This phrase comes up time & time again, but the truth is most teams in this division have someone who was excellent when playing us because we allow them to play. I wonder if they are so good when they play against Wigan, Rotherham, Oxford etc, because that is the standard we need to get to, too be in the mix.
The best midfield isn't always one that has the best (individual) players, but the one that works best as a unit. That applies to whatever shape you use.
Dobson is a first choice in that pivot/defensive position on merit so now we need to find the right combination of Lee/John/Gilbey/Morgan (and possibly Fraser) that can work together most effectively.
if we sign fraser then i would say we have signed John to primarily be cover for dobson with the added bonus that he can probably play in any of the midfield positions
when Fraser played against us for Burton he rang rings around our team but I seem to remember that against MK Dons we put Pratley to man mark him and Fraser was ineffective - or have I got that wrong.
A midfield three of Dobson, Gilbey and Fraser would be the best in the League IMO.
I don't think Gilbey gets into any best midfield in the league, personally. He has not shown any consistent form for us.
Gilbey has to cover too much ground in our current formation. Too many gaps around him and tries to do too much to compensate.
He's evidently willing to put in the effort but it's asking too much of him at full stretch - and composure on the ball suffers.
Remember, Gilbey has had no pre-season after being badly hit by Covid. There's a very decent player in there, great engine, always moving, can pick a pass.
He's trying to do what he's asked to do within the current formation, instead of playing to his own abilities.
When the window opened we were looking to bring in two and possibly three players. Burstow has displaced Davison and we have added Chucks. We have bought in a left wing back who is out of contract in the summer so if he does well we may be able to make permanent. The extra one is an exciting youngster who looks destined for the Spurs 1st team in the near future. Overall a good January window.
Now we after a fourth and yet some are saying it is another disaster. If we do manage to get one of the two suggested targets on a permanent it will change a good window to a fantastic window IMO. We are edging towards having a squad of players that are actually our players which is good.
Still light in the goalscoring department
Stockley, Chucks, Washington and Burstow isn’t bad at this level, and I think we did well to sign a CF in a January window. If it had been another CF with a similar record as Chucks coming in from the Championship we would have been much happier because there is an excitement in seeing new players, where as we know all about Chucks.
I'd feel more comfortable at that quartet if I was confident that Stockley was going to be back soon. The recent history of Charlton shows an awful lot of players who have innocuous injuries that seem to drag on for an eternity
Lee, as well as Leko, can also play up front. He regularly played as one of the wide forwards for Luton, and even occasionally as a 9
They'll wait until the last possible moment to say no. I hope it comes off though.
I was hoping that we would be looking to sign players on the way up .. NOT other clubs failures
Would be great if that could happen...like DJ and Kirk, they weren't "failures" at their previous clubs before coming here were they, thing is until they arrive we really don't know if they will fit in..
were both wingers in L2 playing against weaker defences than in L1 .. DJ a failure ? .. I do not agree with your one eyed analysis .. so you're happy that we pay a lot of money for Fraser in the hope 'that he'll fit in' .. I'd rather our scouting staff and those deciding which players to buy would have more insight and a good idea of any player's suitability before signing him .. Fraser's signing (is it definite) smacks to me of a bit of a panic shot in the dark .. as ever, we will see
Sorry you feel that I have a "one eyed" analysis..🧐. I understand your take that Fraser seems a failure at Ipswich, so why would we be interested, I get that, thing is he clearly hasn't fitted in for whatever reason that may be, but a failure, he wasn't a failure at Mk was he, we wanted him at the same time, we will see if anything comes of it, both DJ and Kirk arrived with a reasonable history from their previous clubs, but must be said, neither have set the place alight. Deadline day...you can't beat it can you...
when Fraser played against us for Burton he rang rings around our team but I seem to remember that against MK Dons we put Pratley to man mark him and Fraser was ineffective - or have I got that wrong.
Yeah and we burgled a fairly lucky and extremely unwatchable 1-0 win. It wouldn't be a sustainable tactic for any team. When the game isn't effectively rendered 10v10 he's a bloody good player
They'll wait until the last possible moment to say no. I hope it comes off though.
I was hoping that we would be looking to sign players on the way up .. NOT other clubs failures
Would be great if that could happen...like DJ and Kirk, they weren't "failures" at their previous clubs before coming here were they, thing is until they arrive we really don't know if they will fit in..
were both wingers in L2 playing against weaker defences than in L1 .. DJ a failure ? .. I do not agree with your one eyed analysis .. so you're happy that we pay a lot of money for Fraser in the hope 'that he'll fit in' .. I'd rather our scouting staff and those deciding which players to buy would have more insight and a good idea of any player's suitability before signing him .. Fraser's signing (is it definite) smacks to me of a bit of a panic shot in the dark .. as ever, we will see
Sorry you feel that I have a "one eyed" analysis..🧐. I understand your take that Fraser seems a failure at Ipswich, so why would we be interested, I get that, thing is he clearly hasn't fitted in for whatever reason that may be, but a failure, he wasn't a failure at Mk was he, we wanted him at the same time, we will see if anything comes of it, both DJ and Kirk arrived with a reasonable history from their previous clubs, but must be said, neither have set the place alight. Deadline day...you can't beat it can you...
when Fraser played against us for Burton he rang rings around our team but I seem to remember that against MK Dons we put Pratley to man mark him and Fraser was ineffective - or have I got that wrong.
That was Pratley was at his best.. man marking someone out of the game, and kicking them up in the air!
I’m surprised we’ve done nothing to address the RWB slot for me I’d have sent Leko packing and been all over Villa for Kane Kessler or Spurs for the lad we were linked with.
we good really do with an upgrade in that position given DJ still can’t play for 90mins
DJ can.play 90 mins but he's NOT a RWB He's a winger Wide mifielder Right of a front 3
But NOT a wing back!
I beg to disagree, watch him every game he looks dead on his feet come 70 mins - no matter where he plays.
But we do agree on the fact that he’s not a RWB.
It's easy to overlook the sheer amount of hard running demanded of a wingback, especially one expected to continually attack.
A midfield three of Dobson, Gilbey and Fraser would be the best in the League IMO.
I don't think Gilbey gets into any best midfield in the league, personally. He has not shown any consistent form for us.
Gilbey has to cover too much ground in our current formation. Too many gaps around him and tries to do too much to compensate.
He's evidently willing to put in the effort but it's asking too much of him at full stretch - and composure on the ball suffers.
Remember, Gilbey has had no pre-season after being badly hit by Covid. There's a very decent player in there, great engine, always moving, can pick a pass.
He's trying to do what he's asked to do within the current formation, instead of playing to his own abilities.
No pre-season?! He played more or less the second half of last season!! EDIT: fine he did have Covid badly, but clearly the effects are long behind him given that he can run so much at least.
At some point you have to stop making excuses for a player who barely creates anything. At some point it is a them problem and not an everyone else problem.
Bringing in Fraser as well as John, along with Gilbey and with JFC due to come back at some point, does seem a glut of "Number 8s", considering Morgan can also play there, and indeed Watson. Plus the likes of Henry in the U23s. AND Clare (that's his natural position)
I think Gilbey oozes potential. He works hard, runs at defences and is not short of quality. He is still improving but I think you put them three in together and it helps them all.
Bringing in Fraser as well as John, along with Gilbey and with JFC due to come back at some point, does seem a glut of "Number 8s", considering Morgan can also play there, and indeed Watson. Plus the likes of Henry in the U23s. What we don't have is any cover for Dobson.
Do tend to agree on cover for Dobson but unfortunately Watson is here until the summer & we'll be getting someone else in that position only once he's gone and the wages are freed up.
when Fraser played against us for Burton he rang rings around our team but I seem to remember that against MK Dons we put Pratley to man mark him and Fraser was ineffective - or have I got that wrong.
That was Pratley was at his best.. man marking someone out of the game, and kicking them up in the air!
You know if you go to the right barn in the dead of night you can watch this stuff without any football getting in the way
Bringing in Fraser as well as John, along with Gilbey and with JFC due to come back at some point, does seem a glut of "Number 8s", considering Morgan can also play there, and indeed Watson. Plus the likes of Henry in the U23s. AND Clare (that's his natural position)
What we don't have is any cover for Dobson.
agreed .. we need a central defender and a striker at least .. now we will see what happens in the summer .. midfield is certainly well over stocked .. I am hoping for a summer end of stock sale in that department
Bringing in Fraser as well as John, along with Gilbey and with JFC due to come back at some point, does seem a glut of "Number 8s", considering Morgan can also play there, and indeed Watson. Plus the likes of Henry in the U23s. AND Clare (that's his natural position)
What we don't have is any cover for Dobson.
Pretty sure John is cover for dobson - the young prem player that we tried to sign on loan a few weeks back who i knew about was a CDM with ability to play elsewhere in midfield - i'd say John, whilst not a specialist CDM, is probably the alternative to that signing
A midfield three of Dobson, Gilbey and Fraser would be the best in the League IMO.
So you are saying we already have 2 of the 3 best midfield players in League One (Dobson & Gilbey) yet fail week after week to create anything exciting whilst languishing in the bottom half of the table.
I think it was quoted somewhere we have the best defence when fit, and the best striker. Imagine where wed be if we didn’t have all of these riches!!🤣
A midfield three of Dobson, Gilbey and Fraser would be the best in the League IMO.
I don't think Gilbey gets into any best midfield in the league, personally. He has not shown any consistent form for us.
Gilbey has to cover too much ground in our current formation. Too many gaps around him and tries to do too much to compensate.
He's evidently willing to put in the effort but it's asking too much of him at full stretch - and composure on the ball suffers.
Remember, Gilbey has had no pre-season after being badly hit by Covid. There's a very decent player in there, great engine, always moving, can pick a pass.
He's trying to do what he's asked to do within the current formation, instead of playing to his own abilities.
No pre-season?! He played more or less the second half of last season!!
At some point you have to stop making excuses for a player who barely creates anything. At some point it is a them problem and not an everyone else problem.
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The formation we play would be much less of an issue and would leave far less gaps if we had actual specialised wing-backs.
Hopefully Castillo will be that on one side. I don't think it is fair to point fingers at Dobson and Gilbey when they have to cover for other players as well as doing their own jobs.
We will see at the end of the season but I would be shocked if Dobson and GIlbey are not both in the top 3 for POTY, which will suggest that most fans can see the quality they have, maybe it is just you that can't.
This phrase comes up time & time again, but the truth is most teams in this division have someone who was excellent when playing us because we allow them to play. I wonder if they are so good when they play against Wigan, Rotherham, Oxford etc, because that is the standard we need to get to, too be in the mix.
Dobson is a first choice in that pivot/defensive position on merit so now we need to find the right combination of Lee/John/Gilbey/Morgan (and possibly Fraser) that can work together most effectively.
Too many gaps around him and tries to do too much to compensate.
He's evidently willing to put in the effort but it's asking too much of him at full stretch - and composure on the ball suffers.
Remember, Gilbey has had no pre-season after being badly hit by Covid.
There's a very decent player in there, great engine, always moving, can pick a pass.
He's trying to do what he's asked to do within the current formation, instead of playing to his own abilities.
Lee, as well as Leko, can also play up front. He regularly played as one of the wide forwards for Luton, and even occasionally as a 9
I understand your take that Fraser seems a failure at Ipswich, so why would we be interested, I get that, thing is he clearly hasn't fitted in for whatever reason that may be, but a failure, he wasn't a failure at Mk was he, we wanted him at the same time, we will see if anything comes of it, both DJ and Kirk arrived with a reasonable history from their previous clubs, but must be said, neither have set the place alight.
Deadline day...you can't beat it can you...
We desperately need the right players in wing back roles if we go that way though. Oh for a Roys Wiggins and fit Chris Solly......
At some point you have to stop making excuses for a player who barely creates anything. At some point it is a them problem and not an everyone else problem.
What we don't have is any cover for Dobson.