crazylegsjoe_mfc Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 I think the fact that we have build and recruited an entire squad, fixated with a back three system has hampered our recruitment a bit. We all looked at our list of central midfielders and thought it looked plentiful, yet before the season starts, they are picking themselves. Which begs the question, how many central midfielders is too many when you play up to four at a time? We've got four players in our squad now, whom if we changed formation, would all list right-back as their preferred position. Spittal was undoubtedly fantastic last season and at times carried the can of being our sole creator. In squads which are built with a degree of flexibility around formation, their are normally various sources of creativity (wingers, 10s, anywhere across the front three types) who can be changed based on form etc, but trying to replace a guy who was instrumental for us with one player is always going to be a tall order. Particularly when Spittal, who was a bit nomadic before joining us, completely outperformed everyone's expectations. The next signing could be a punt that goes the other way. I think when teams make a success of a back-three, it's more because the players available to them at a certain time are a perfect fit for us (much like when SK took over), rather than having a squad purposely built for it. I said Kettlewell had a clean slate with me this summer with recruitment and squad because of the limitations he'd had to put up with thus far as manager, but I am a bit concerned about any plan B this season. I do hope at least the signing of Stama means we are going to go with a front two, to go with our back three. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 (edited) 58 minutes ago, Swello said: Maybe as I never actually saw him in the flesh - but I'd forgotten about Lang. I remembered him as a number 9/centre forward.. Also - maybe Stuparevic might be earmarked for that role once he's settled in - Sunday might tell us.. I think the thing with Lang was that Robinson was playing him in his 433 which (clearly) didn't use a #10. Instead he relied on 'anywhere across the front three' types. To my mind Lang was probably more of a second striker than a #9 - someone who'd drop into the areas off a #9. In fact, although it's early days, you could probably draw a throughline from him to Stuparević. Although I'd agree with @Handsome_Devil's point about Stuparević on the previous page even if it is an argument over yards - he's definitely a 'forward' rather than a midfielder. In fact, other than Hammell's short lived spell of trying to make a 4231 happen it's been a long time since we've actually had a shape that used a true #10. The '1' in Kettlewell's original 3412 was really Spittal playing as the more advanced of a central midfield 3 as opposed to an attacking midfielder - again, semantics. A hill that I'll happily die on is that Turnbull is an #8 rather than a #10. Before that you had Robinson's Thunderdome with the midfield of Campbell, McHugh and Andy Rose while Baraclough/McGhee's teams had Pearson in as an #8 for the attacking mid role. As I say, I absolutely agree with you - it feels like trying to recruit a genuine #10 is probably a really difficult thing to get right. I can't remember if I've asked @RandomGuy. this before or not but I'd be interested to know who the closest comparisons to Spittal last season were. Edited July 26 by capt_oats 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YassinMoutaouakil Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 We were so close to Ross Tierney szn 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisGRAEME Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 1 hour ago, Casagolda said: Reading his interview after the Clyde game, it did sound like Miller is potentially going to be given a more advanced role this season. I'd do this. If he can get, say 8-10 goals this season, that's probably the difference between a £2 mil and a £4 mil transfer. 6 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said: We were so close to Ross Tierney szn Another bullet dodged. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie McSquackle Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 2 hours ago, Cedrics Mighty Well Army said: I thought we might have had ticket details for Ibrox by now. What, for the 1st of March? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YassinMoutaouakil Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 28 minutes ago, thisGRAEME said: I'd do this. If he can get, say 8-10 goals this season, that's probably the difference between a £2 mil and a £4 mil transfer. Another bullet dodged. In my head I've greenied this for the point about Miller playing further forward then immediately red dotted it for that last remark. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Just now, YassinMoutaouakil said: In my head I've greenied this for the point about Miller playing further forward then immediately red dotted it for that last remark. Same 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al B Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 30 minutes ago, thisGRAEME said: I'd do this. If he can get, say 8-10 goals this season, that's probably the difference between a £2 mil and a £4 mil transfer. Another bullet dodged. I 100% think that we've had interest in him over the summer that didn't come close to our valuation, and the reasoning for it has been that his goal involvement isn't high enough to warrant it, and that's why he's been put on penalties, corners and free-kicks. Brings those stats up naturally by default. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StAndrew7 Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Al B said: I 100% think that we've had interest in him over the summer that didn't come close to our valuation, and the reasoning for it has been that his goal involvement isn't high enough to warrant it, and that's why he's been put on penalties, corners and free-kicks. Brings those stats up naturally by default. Like Be a Pro mode in Fifa linked with Manager mode. Put yourself on FKs, PKs and CKs for all the goals and assists you want. Edited July 26 by StAndrew7 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisGRAEME Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 7 minutes ago, YassinMoutaouakil said: In my head I've greenied this for the point about Miller playing further forward then immediately red dotted it for that last remark. 6 minutes ago, capt_oats said: Same Well you two are welcome to dig me out at the point that Ross Tierney reappears somewhere at a higher level than us, performing to a relevant standard. I'll wait. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
real-name-hidden Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 A couple of interesting options in the free transfer market that could do a job for us… filtered by Scottish only to shrink the list a bit.. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YassinMoutaouakil Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 30 minutes ago, thisGRAEME said: Well you two are welcome to dig me out at the point that Ross Tierney reappears somewhere at a higher level than us, performing to a relevant standard. I'll wait. FC Vaduz aren't going to know what's hit them in next year's Conference League qualifiers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MurrayWell Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Jason Holt certainly seems like the sort of bogging midfield signing we'd make. Tend to agree with folk about moving Miller forward one, the lad is absolute class. I really like Nicholson and was delighted we kept him, but I'd like another creative spark in the middle. I suppose when he and Callachan are fit again, which looks like soon, we'll at least have some options in there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisGRAEME Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 4 minutes ago, real-name-hidden said: A couple of interesting options in the free transfer market that could do a job for us… filtered by Scottish only to shrink the list a bit.. We've tried for Mallan a few times, I'm sure? The only one on that list that would really answer the #10 concerns we have just now is the one on the list that's completely unrealistic, sadly. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 (edited) That's Kettlewell speaking on Slattery in his presser today. He's suggesting it'll be November before he'll be back. With him and Paton out long term that leaves us with Miller, Halliday and Zdravkovski as our only fit midfielders with Callachan and Sparrow slightly less injured than the genuinely broken two. I mean, without wanting to burn through the Thelonius money there's probably an argument that we could do with another short term centre mid beyond the obvious concerns we have on the more creative side. f**k it. Bring him home Ketts... Edited July 26 by capt_oats 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Electro Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 3 minutes ago, thisGRAEME said: We've tried for Mallan a few times, I'm sure? The only one on that list that would really answer the #10 concerns we have just now is the one on the list that's completely unrealistic, sadly. When I regularly watched us, up until 2002, we habitually took arse cheek players, extended their careers, and, mostly, maintained their performances. Russell, McAdam, Cooper, Coyne. Somehow, I agree that Stu won't be joining us anytime soon..... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisGRAEME Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 3 minutes ago, Dan Electro said: When I regularly watched us, up until 2002, we habitually took arse cheek players, extended their careers, and, mostly, maintained their performances. Russell, McAdam, Cooper, Coyne. Somehow, I agree that Stu won't be joining us anytime soon..... Florence or Fir Park? Tough choice, tbh. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Electro Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 3 minutes ago, thisGRAEME said: Florence or Fir Park? Tough choice, tbh. He'll certainly get better South Asian food in ML1, won't he? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
18May1991 Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 22 minutes ago, real-name-hidden said: A couple of interesting options in the free transfer market that could do a job for us… filtered by Scottish only to shrink the list a bit.. Yeah, I’d put Stuart Armstrong in the ‘could do a job’ category for us We’re signing Alston though, aren’t we? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vietnam91 Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 22 minutes ago, thisGRAEME said: We've tried for Mallan a few times, I'm sure? The only one on that list that would really answer the #10 concerns we have just now is the one on the list that's completely unrealistic, sadly. Jim O’Brien offers no resale sadly ….. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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