January window | Page 7 | Vital Football

January window

Seems an odd signing to me, when we already have plenty of defensive midfielders. We have been crying out (for more than a season) for a creative, attack minded midfielder who can hoth open up defences with quality passing as well as chipping in with some goals. A Dewsbury Hall or Ronan type player. That and a decent shooter up front to improve our goals column
 
People probably won't remember, but I set out during pre-season how NC wants to play, and that includes two central midfielders that are 'scrappers'; players with high energy and work rate, who win the ball back and play it in into the more creative players. Players who protect the defence, allowing the full backs to really bomb on. On his day, Kevin Stewart seems to fit this bill, and like Dougall, he's done it at Championship level.

My guess is that although this is not a position of urgent need, he's seen as an upgrade on what we have there (like Garbutt was) and that his period without a club (like Dougall and Garbutt) has made him attainable. He'll obviously take time to get up to speed (although Dougall didn't!), but I suspect he's been brought in with one eye on next season.

With the reduction to 20 man squads next season (working on the basis that we'll be in L1 next season), we'll inevitably see some departures from central midfield in the coming months. I've said previously that Williams was a goner (I always felt we brought him in when others higher up the wishlist weren't attainable at that particular point in time), and I think you now have to put a big question mark against Ward who's felt like a square peg in a round hole throughout his time here (not disputing that he's a decent player by the way).

I always said that NC was likely to need three windows to get the squad as he wanted it, and I think this signing is another step in the right direction in that regard. We'll just need to continue to be patient and hope it comes together.
 
bfcpete said:
Seems an odd signing to me, when we already have plenty of defensive midfielders. We have been crying out (for more than a season) for a creative, attack minded midfielder who can hoth open up defences with quality passing as well as chipping in with some goals. A Dewsbury Hall or Ronan type player. That and a decent shooter up front to improve our goals column
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Might sound harsh, but today proved we don’t have enough good defensive midfielders.

as Abel says, clear that the game plan is 2 deeper midfielders, whilst Dougall is clearly 1 - everyone who plays next to him has big flaws.

agree we still need that creative midfielder as well though, but I can see the sense is this signing.
 
inside_man said:
Might sound harsh, but today proved we don’t have enough good defensive midfielders.

as Abel says, clear that the game plan is 2 deeper midfielders, whilst Dougall is clearly 1 - everyone who plays next to him has big flaws.

agree we still need that creative midfielder as well though, but I can see the sense is this signing.
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I think it couldn't be any clearer that Williams was just a cheap stop-gap on the list of options, after the Everton lad loan proved too be too expensive after the salary cap vote went in. And then it all went quiet for two weeks. And Robson can't do the one in front of a four and he's just a left-footer on a free because we didn't have one. Dougall could be that guy to help copy the Liverpool formation, but he's never done that either. And Ward (who I expect KS to replace and is a player of no-fixed position, but OK on the ball) has been the stop-gap next to him since deciding 4-1-2-3 wasn't going to cut it for the first time against MK Dons. And with the prospect of getting outnumbered by their wing back set up. Which I think was the first time that the opposition were recognised as being something to think about.

The question mark for me is why they extended Virtue's contract unless it was cheap and it gives them more thinking time beyond this season for whether to stick or twist. As the 4-2-3-1 looks to be intended as three different departments who only link up via a pass and stay in their line rather than box-to-box movement. And he seems to want to be a bit of allsorts.
 
poolfc said:
I think it couldn't be any clearer that Williams was just a cheap stop-gap on the list of options, after the Everton lad loan proved too be too expensive after the salary cap vote went in. And then it all went quiet for two weeks. And Robson can't do the one in front of a four and he's just a left-footer on a free because we didn't have one. Dougall could be that guy to help copy the Liverpool formation, but he's never done that either. And Ward (who I expect KS to replace and is a player of no-fixed position, but OK on the ball) has been the stop-gap next to him since deciding 4-1-2-3 wasn't going to cut it for the first time against MK Dons. And with the prospect of getting outnumbered by their wing back set up. Which I think was the first time that the opposition were recognised as being something to think about.

The question mark for me is why they extended Virtue's contract unless it was cheap and it gives them more thinking time beyond this season for whether to stick or twist. As the 4-2-3-1 looks to be intended as three different departments who only link up via a pass and stay in their line rather than box-to-box movement. And he seems to want to be a bit of allsorts.
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I think some of that is a little harsh.

Robson showed early on in the season that he's more than capable of getting stuck in, and that he has bags of energy. Admittedly he's not been the same player since the AFC Wimbledon sending off, but I think there's something to work with there. People have short memories in football.

Virtue is obviously much more 'box to box' v 'scrapper', but he has bags of energy as well and I suspect, that having worked with him previously, NC will be backing himself to turn him into a 'scrapper'.

Think a first choice pairing of Dougall and Stewart with Virtue and Robson as cover is a good place to be in in L1 and leaps and bounds ahead from where we've been in recent times.

We now need to turn attention to getting the other areas right.
 
AbelBFC said:
I think some of that is a little harsh.

Robson showed early on in the season that he's more than capable of getting stuck in, and that he has bags of energy. Admittedly he's not been the same player since the AFC Wimbledon sending off, but I think there's something to work with there. People have short memories in football.

Virtue is obviously much more 'box to box' v 'scrapper', but he has bags of energy as well and I suspect, that having worked with him previously, NC will be backing himself to turn him into a 'scrapper'.

Think a first choice pairing of Dougall and Stewart with Virtue and Robson as cover is a good place to be in in L1 and leaps and bounds ahead from where we've been in recent times.

We now need to turn attention to getting the other areas right.
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Some one is an early riser early days yet we are still at mix and match,but the window is still open .
 
AbelBFC said:
I think some of that is a little harsh.

Robson showed early on in the season that he's more than capable of getting stuck in, and that he has bags of energy. Admittedly he's not been the same player since the AFC Wimbledon sending off, but I think there's something to work with there. People have short memories in football.

Virtue is obviously much more 'box to box' v 'scrapper', but he has bags of energy as well and I suspect, that having worked with him previously, NC will be backing himself to turn him into a 'scrapper'.

Think a first choice pairing of Dougall and Stewart with Virtue and Robson as cover is a good place to be in in L1 and leaps and bounds ahead from where we've been in recent times.

We now need to turn attention to getting the other areas right.
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Think it's three league starts in twelve for Robson since the red card, and Critchley dropping the formation and midfield he set off with, bringing Ward into the mix in the holding pair, and now this signing. You would think these lads approaching mid-20's would rather not be second choice in a league one squad, unless the money is good. Williams going looks a given but I can see there being further churn.
 
I could see Williams providing useful cover at centre back....doubt he will be on the way out this window.
 
Bear1951 said:
I could see Williams providing useful cover at centre back....doubt he will be on the way out this window.
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Husband and Turton are next in line as designated centre half cover. And there's also full back cover for those two with four other players, if either have to go and cover elsewhere.

Williams is only on a 12 month contract so at best I'd say he'll see that out and then the one year option won't be taken up. Six players for two defensive midfield places looks like overkill to me when you're on a numbers limit.
 
poolfc said:
Husband and Turton are next in line as designated centre half cover. And there's also full back cover for those two with four other players, if either have to go and cover elsewhere.

Williams is only on a 12 month contract so at best I'd say he'll see that out and then the one year option won't be taken up. Six players for two defensive midfield places looks like overkill to me when you're on a numbers limit.
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If we didn't have all the injuries/illnesses at the moment I'd be expecting Williams to be loaned out for the rest of the year. As you say, we are well covered for numbers in that area if lacking in quality somewhat.
 
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