Swift to... Southampton

[NewCorkSeth]

Midfield depth concerns me too. I wonder what the options are. Chelsea won't loan Baker to us just to be a squad rotation/backup option. You almost want an experienced, reliable option who is not getting game time at a top end Champ / lower Prem team, who is happy on the bench but will give a 6/10 if called upon. Best ever example was Bryn, who knew Sidwell and Harper would be first choice.

If he wasnt in such a rich vein of form then Adam would be that man.. but for me a young up and coming talent is equally important but I suppose given the age of our mids experience is needed.

[URZZZZ]

I have always thought 2 strikers was a waste but with Baldock covering wide I am happy. Ideal for me is:
GK
FB
CB
CM
CM
WG
ST

The only problem I have with a structure like that is the changes often become too obvious, like Sarri’s Barkley for Kovacic, Pedro for William and Giroud for Higuain

Don’t know the stats or anything but would wager most are made in an attacking sense which is why I always prefer more attacking options as it keeps the opposition guessing as to what you’ll do, especially when chasing a game

Each to their own and all that though

That's an interesting point about tactical subs becoming obvious. Hadn't thought of that. I suppose the ideal is to have a striker on the bench with a particular play style that is essential to plan b? Or just have Alfie..

I guess I prefer it because, in my head at least, it maximises the positional subs. With one of the CMs being more defensive or hard working and the other being a creative type who can play a 10 role. Like Rinomhota and Olise..

The trouble with that is sometimes you don’t need a plan B if plan A is working fine

Take the four strikers we had in our last promotion campaign. Hunt and Roberts would start. Church and Le Fondre on the bench. If plan A was working and we were winning, we’d always bring Church on who could realistically bring the same sort of style that the front two had in terms of running around and being a nuisance

But if plan A wasn’t working and a new approach was needed, that’s where Le Fondre was used because he was different to the other three strikers and very often this plan worked. That’s sort of how I’d approach it anyway

And similarly you’re right with the midfielders, having two differing roles such as Olise and Rinomhota could be useful, one to chase games, one to hold. One current problem we do have is Adam rarely lasts the 90 and we’ve had the situation where we’ve been winning since Adam has come in so Rino can slot straight in for him but perhaps when chasing a game, something else may be required other than Rino

No idea how they used to cope with 1,2,3 subs etc back in the day

[NewCorkSeth]

The only problem I have with a structure like that is the changes often become too obvious, like Sarri’s Barkley for Kovacic, Pedro for William and Giroud for Higuain

Don’t know the stats or anything but would wager most are made in an attacking sense which is why I always prefer more attacking options as it keeps the opposition guessing as to what you’ll do, especially when chasing a game

Each to their own and all that though

That's an interesting point about tactical subs becoming obvious. Hadn't thought of that. I suppose the ideal is to have a striker on the bench with a particular play style that is essential to plan b? Or just have Alfie..

I guess I prefer it because, in my head at least, it maximises the positional subs. With one of the CMs being more defensive or hard working and the other being a creative type who can play a 10 role. Like Rinomhota and Olise..

The trouble with that is sometimes you don’t need a plan B if plan A is working fine

Take the four strikers we had in our last promotion campaign. Hunt and Roberts would start. Church and Le Fondre on the bench. If plan A was working and we were winning, we’d always bring Church on who could realistically bring the same sort of style that the front two had in terms of running around and being a nuisance

But if plan A wasn’t working and a new approach was needed, that’s where Le Fondre was used because he was different to the other three strikers and very often this plan worked. That’s sort of how I’d approach it anyway

And similarly you’re right with the midfielders, having two differing roles such as Olise and Rinomhota could be useful, one to chase games, one to hold. One current problem we do have is Adam rarely lasts the 90 and we’ve had the situation where we’ve been winning since Adam has come in so Rino can slot straight in for him but perhaps when chasing a game, something else may be required other than Rino

No idea how they used to cope with 1,2,3 subs etc back in the day

Well precisely. As I mentioned the "Adam Problem" is something we have to look to solve. On current form we would be fools to drop him. I saw a thing on twitter recently which put Adam as the 3rd (I think) in the list of "most time spent in a winning position" out of every player in the league. The simple fact is, while he plays we win. Dont know how or why as I still think we are going to get pounded one day due to his mobility but for now he must start.

So with 3 of our 4 mids being injury bait and McCleary seemingly the back up CM (after Rinomhota) what should we do? If we sign someone this window it should probably be to address this issue. After all Pele is a loan and Adam wont last much longer. (Baker would be perfect....) But we cant sign someone to be back up can we? Rinomhota is as good as any back up player we could sign and, as I have made clear, I think Olise is ready to step up to. So realistically we can only sign a starter. The most obvious of which to replace would be Pele. But I am sure there are lots on here who, rightly enough, will say "why sign a permanent Pele replacement when Rinomhota is here?

I know I've gone off on a complete tangent now but our midfield as it stands is potentially incredible. If we start next season with Rinomhota (22), Swift (24), Ejaria (22) and Olise (18) I would be delighted. Thats almost a dream midfield on paper with so much room for growth. It genuinely excites me to think of how well this could work out for us. How many other teams in the division can boast a midfield of that age, ability and potential? Just Leeds really?

[Hound]

One thing I’d say to that is Pele has shown just how much better we are with a proper holding midfielder. Rino isn’t that really - he may become one but I’d say he’s better as a energetic box to box atm

[Old Man Andrews]

Rinomhota hasn't really been anything this season. Hate to say it but he has been really poor and not kicked on at all.

[URZZZZ]

One thing I’d say to that is Pele has shown just how much better we are with a proper holding midfielder. Rino isn’t that really - he may become one but I’d say he’s better as a energetic box to box atm

This is what I was going to say. Rino and Pele aren’t really close enough substitutes to be compared to one another

It’s like comparing Van Den Berg with Williams, they’re completely different roles and we did struggle at times with Rino as the “deepest midfielder” because he didn’t fully understand the position

[WoodleyRoyal]

One thing I’d say to that is Pele has shown just how much better we are with a proper holding midfielder. Rino isn’t that really - he may become one but I’d say he’s better as a energetic box to box atm

He was never a holding midfielder and i think he just fell into that role out of necessity as he was the only player at the club last season who could sort of do that role.

Interesting article about him here where his ex-manager at Porchester was very surprised that he ended up as a holding midfielder as he had always played further up the field. https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/foot ... d-16444977

TL:DR? a couple of snippets from the article

"Andy played most of his career in midfield - he was always a kid that had a good engine to use the cliché and could get around the place.
"Certainly as he developed with AFC Portchester he was much more of an attacking midfielder than he is playing now for Reading.
"For us he was this mercurial player in the midfield that could dribble past people and had really good pace around him.
"He could get forward and although he wasn't a particularly prolific goalscorer he was someone who could make things happen in the final third.
"He was a very simple player albeit he could dribble well and beat a man - the biggest things was the simplicity of his play being in space, wanting the ball and creating moments around the pitch.
"Personally I'm a little bit surprised with the position he has ended up in as a holding midfielder and breaking up play because for us he was much more involved at the other end of the field.

[LWJ]

Owner doesn't like selling, very much an aim to go up this year so this is very doubtful

[NewCorkSeth]

One thing I’d say to that is Pele has shown just how much better we are with a proper holding midfielder. Rino isn’t that really - he may become one but I’d say he’s better as a energetic box to box atm

Said it several times that he is a bit wasted as a ball winning mid or as a screening mid in the build of Pele and that his true talent would be as a Box to Box mid. Which would explain why Leeds were purportedly interested. Would suit their style of play.

However I do think he can do well in a deeper role. He is still adapting to it and has the speed, determination and strength to succeed there. He could just do so much more.

Edit:
My point about that set of players being mouth wateringly good for this division is more with Swifts new deeper role included. A midfield 3 of:
Rinomhota---Swift
-------------Ejaria

has enough balance about it. Ejaria has little by little shown he can contribute defensively. His tracking back and concentration has convinced me a midfield 3 including Swift and Ejaria can work without the need for an out and out DM. Rinomhota would be free to make more movement up and down the pitch.

[Lower West]

Will Jordan Holsgrove be on the bench next season? Appears to be gettng plenty of game time out in Spain

[Hound]

Will Jordan Holsgrove be on the bench next season? Appears to be gettng plenty of game time out in Spain

scored a cracking free kick as well. Was the one Academy lad who really stepped up pre-season from the bits I watched

[URZZZZ]

One thing I’d say to that is Pele has shown just how much better we are with a proper holding midfielder. Rino isn’t that really - he may become one but I’d say he’s better as a energetic box to box atm

Said it several times that he is a bit wasted as a ball winning mid or as a screening mid in the build of Pele and that his true talent would be as a Box to Box mid. Which would explain why Leeds were purportedly interested. Would suit their style of play.

However I do think he can do well in a deeper role. He is still adapting to it and has the speed, determination and strength to succeed there. He could just do so much more.

Edit:
My point about that set of players being mouth wateringly good for this division is more with Swifts new deeper role included. A midfield 3 of:
Rinomhota---Swift
-------------Ejaria

has enough balance about it. Ejaria has little by little shown he can contribute defensively. His tracking back and concentration has convinced me a midfield 3 including Swift and Ejaria can work without the need for an out and out DM. Rinomhota would be free to make more movement up and down the pitch.

Top teams in the world generally have an effective CDM there and not a makeshift one

City for example, Liverpool another, Leicester etc etc

Your midfield three could work, especially against smaller teams, but I’d be more wary going to more difficult games

[Snowflake Royal]

The only problem I have with a structure like that is the changes often become too obvious, like Sarri’s Barkley for Kovacic, Pedro for William and Giroud for Higuain

Don’t know the stats or anything but would wager most are made in an attacking sense which is why I always prefer more attacking options as it keeps the opposition guessing as to what you’ll do, especially when chasing a game

Each to their own and all that though

That's an interesting point about tactical subs becoming obvious. Hadn't thought of that. I suppose the ideal is to have a striker on the bench with a particular play style that is essential to plan b? Or just have Alfie..

I guess I prefer it because, in my head at least, it maximises the positional subs. With one of the CMs being more defensive or hard working and the other being a creative type who can play a 10 role. Like Rinomhota and Olise..

The trouble with that is sometimes you don’t need a plan B if plan A is working fine

Take the four strikers we had in our last promotion campaign. Hunt and Roberts would start. Church and Le Fondre on the bench. If plan A was working and we were winning, we’d always bring Church on who could realistically bring the same sort of style that the front two had in terms of running around and being a nuisance

But if plan A wasn’t working and a new approach was needed, that’s where Le Fondre was used because he was different to the other three strikers and very often this plan worked. That’s sort of how I’d approach it anyway

And similarly you’re right with the midfielders, having two differing roles such as Olise and Rinomhota could be useful, one to chase games, one to hold. One current problem we do have is Adam rarely lasts the 90 and we’ve had the situation where we’ve been winning since Adam has come in so Rino can slot straight in for him but perhaps when chasing a game, something else may be required other than Rino

No idea how they used to cope with 1,2,3 subs etc back in the day

Utility players. You'd often have no keeper on the bench and an outfield player in the team who did keeper training (Williams).

I think 3 subs came on much less often and you just stuck with:
Utility defender
Utility midfielder
Utility forward

Much smaller squads as well so chances are in 95, for example, we'd have struggled to fill a 7 man bench.

Shaka, Bernal, Gilkes, Wdowczyk, Williams, McPherson, Gooding, Osborn, Taylor, Lovell, Nogan

Sheppard, Hopkins, Kerr, Parkinson, Quinn.... er I'm about tapped at this point... admittedly Tranmere in the POs was the first ever game I saw any of, so I'm not exactly knowledgeable on the team that season.

[URZZZZ]

That's an interesting point about tactical subs becoming obvious. Hadn't thought of that. I suppose the ideal is to have a striker on the bench with a particular play style that is essential to plan b? Or just have Alfie..

I guess I prefer it because, in my head at least, it maximises the positional subs. With one of the CMs being more defensive or hard working and the other being a creative type who can play a 10 role. Like Rinomhota and Olise..

The trouble with that is sometimes you don’t need a plan B if plan A is working fine

Take the four strikers we had in our last promotion campaign. Hunt and Roberts would start. Church and Le Fondre on the bench. If plan A was working and we were winning, we’d always bring Church on who could realistically bring the same sort of style that the front two had in terms of running around and being a nuisance

But if plan A wasn’t working and a new approach was needed, that’s where Le Fondre was used because he was different to the other three strikers and very often this plan worked. That’s sort of how I’d approach it anyway

And similarly you’re right with the midfielders, having two differing roles such as Olise and Rinomhota could be useful, one to chase games, one to hold. One current problem we do have is Adam rarely lasts the 90 and we’ve had the situation where we’ve been winning since Adam has come in so Rino can slot straight in for him but perhaps when chasing a game, something else may be required other than Rino

No idea how they used to cope with 1,2,3 subs etc back in the day

Utility players. You'd often have no keeper on the bench and an outfield player in the team who did keeper training (Williams).

I think 3 subs came on much less often and you just stuck with:
Utility defender
Utility midfielder
Utility forward

Much smaller squads as well so chances are in 95, for example, we'd have struggled to fill a 7 man bench.

Shaka, Bernal, Gilkes, Wdowczyk, Williams, McPherson, Gooding, Osborn, Taylor, Lovell, Nogan

Sheppard, Hopkins, Kerr, Parkinson, Quinn.... er I'm about tapped at this point... admittedly Tranmere in the POs was the first ever game I saw any of, so I'm not exactly knowledgeable on the team that season.

You know more than I do about that season then

Still, an insight into how different football is now to how it was. I guess you wouldn’t have people going off after a slight knock though then compared to how weak the footballers are and their mentality nowadays

[Snowflake Royal]

The trouble with that is sometimes you don’t need a plan B if plan A is working fine

Take the four strikers we had in our last promotion campaign. Hunt and Roberts would start. Church and Le Fondre on the bench. If plan A was working and we were winning, we’d always bring Church on who could realistically bring the same sort of style that the front two had in terms of running around and being a nuisance

But if plan A wasn’t working and a new approach was needed, that’s where Le Fondre was used because he was different to the other three strikers and very often this plan worked. That’s sort of how I’d approach it anyway

And similarly you’re right with the midfielders, having two differing roles such as Olise and Rinomhota could be useful, one to chase games, one to hold. One current problem we do have is Adam rarely lasts the 90 and we’ve had the situation where we’ve been winning since Adam has come in so Rino can slot straight in for him but perhaps when chasing a game, something else may be required other than Rino

No idea how they used to cope with 1,2,3 subs etc back in the day

Utility players. You'd often have no keeper on the bench and an outfield player in the team who did keeper training (Williams).

I think 3 subs came on much less often and you just stuck with:
Utility defender
Utility midfielder
Utility forward

Much smaller squads as well so chances are in 95, for example, we'd have struggled to fill a 7 man bench.

Shaka, Bernal, Gilkes, Wdowczyk, Williams, McPherson, Gooding, Osborn, Taylor, Lovell, Nogan

Sheppard, Hopkins, Kerr, Parkinson, Quinn.... er I'm about tapped at this point... admittedly Tranmere in the POs was the first ever game I saw any of, so I'm not exactly knowledgeable on the team that season.

You know more than I do about that season then

Still, an insight into how different football is now to how it was. I guess you wouldn’t have people going off after a slight knock though then compared to how weak the footballers are and their mentality nowadays

Ask Mick Gooding about Wdowczyk.

Wanted to come off with a muscle strain... calf or hamstring I think. Gooding and Quinn refused to sub him and made him play on injured.

Gooding has since described him as having the heart of a mouse.

[bobbybottler]

.....Shaka, Bernal, Gilkes, Wdowczyk, Williams, McPherson, Gooding, Osborn, Taylor, Lovell, Nogan

Sheppard, Hopkins, Kerr, Parkinson, Quinn.... er I'm about tapped at this point... admittedly Tranmere in the POs was the first ever game I saw any of, so I'm not exactly knowledgeable on the team that season.

The obvious ones you've missed off are Lambert, Hartenberger, Holsgrove and Tom Jones.

We also had loanees such as Adrian Viveash and Yateley Cricket Club's very own Darren Barnard.

It's also worth pointing out that although you mention Osborn as an implied first choice, he missed around a third of the season with a knee injury. Holsgrove played a lot instead and was generally excellent. There, I said it.

....Wdowczyk.

Wanted to come off with a muscle strain... calf or hamstring I think. Gooding and Quinn refused to sub him and made him play on injured.

Gooding has since described him as having the heart of a mouse.

which pretty much finished his career.

Notwithstanding heart / pea ratios, Wdowcyzk is the best centre back I've seen play for us.

By some distance.

[NewCorkSeth]

Utility players. You'd often have no keeper on the bench and an outfield player in the team who did keeper training (Williams).

I think 3 subs came on much less often and you just stuck with:
Utility defender
Utility midfielder
Utility forward

Much smaller squads as well so chances are in 95, for example, we'd have struggled to fill a 7 man bench.

Shaka, Bernal, Gilkes, Wdowczyk, Williams, McPherson, Gooding, Osborn, Taylor, Lovell, Nogan

Sheppard, Hopkins, Kerr, Parkinson, Quinn.... er I'm about tapped at this point... admittedly Tranmere in the POs was the first ever game I saw any of, so I'm not exactly knowledgeable on the team that season.

You know more than I do about that season then

Still, an insight into how different football is now to how it was. I guess you wouldn’t have people going off after a slight knock though then compared to how weak the footballers are and their mentality nowadays

Ask Mick Gooding about Wdowczyk.

Wanted to come off with a muscle strain... calf or hamstring I think. Gooding and Quinn refused to sub him and made him play on injured.

Gooding has since described him as having the heart of a mouse.

That is genuinely a sad indictment of where football used to be.

[Snowflake Royal]

.....Shaka, Bernal, Gilkes, Wdowczyk, Williams, McPherson, Gooding, Osborn, Taylor, Lovell, Nogan

Sheppard, Hopkins, Kerr, Parkinson, Quinn.... er I'm about tapped at this point... admittedly Tranmere in the POs was the first ever game I saw any of, so I'm not exactly knowledgeable on the team that season.

The obvious ones you've missed off are Lambert, Hartenberger, Holsgrove and Tom Jones.

We also had loanees such as Adrian Viveash and Yateley Cricket Club's very own Darren Barnard.

It's also worth pointing out that although you mention Osborn as an implied first choice, he missed around a third of the season with a knee injury. Holsgrove played a lot instead and was generally excellent. There, I said it.

....Wdowczyk.

Wanted to come off with a muscle strain... calf or hamstring I think. Gooding and Quinn refused to sub him and made him play on injured.

Gooding has since described him as having the heart of a mouse.

which pretty much finished his career.

Notwithstanding heart / pea ratios, Wdowcyzk is the best centre back I've seen play for us.

By some distance.

Wdowczyk was phenomenally cultured as a CB. Loved him. Though wish he'd hacked down De Freitus at Wembley.

Holsgrove was always shit when I saw him in later seasons. Wasn't sure when Hartenburger was around. Lambert must have been young... remember him in later seasons. Remember Jones now too.

[LWJ]

Owner doesn't like selling, very much an aim to go up this year so this is very doubtful

https://twitter.com/jonathanl50/status/ ... 74881?s=21

[John Smith]

Owner doesn't like selling, very much an aim to go up this year so this is very doubtful

https://twitter.com/jonathanl50/status/ ... 74881?s=21

Also the fact they have James Ward-Prowse who is a better version of Swift would have answered that.