Jaffka's gossip thread on the ins and outs at the 'Bok

[BWFC_Insane]

Not quite.....I don't think we're bad. With the caveat that we can loan one or two as the season goes on depending upon where we get injuries.

Also think we need a proper hard man in midfield.

Understand that, but a 'panic loan'? Hmmmmmm.

Not ideal agreed. But we're a championship side. Can't afford to carry as big a squad as might be ideal.

[officer_dibble]

Have to say id be signing a left back not a right back and im confused as to why anyone thinks different.

Ricketts is a natural right back
Mears is a natural right back, injured last year but no evidence to suggest he isnt fit
Riley is a young lad but at the age where its makeor break and he hasnt let us down yet
At left back we have a right back, and a lad who has played a few times in 2 years and generally looked shite plus he is supposed to be on his way to prison.

So thats why i would sign a left back.

[Tals-biggest-fan]

We should take a long punt at Louis Saha, still without a club and at an age where he can't really be demanding wages of huge ammount, if we could keep him fit then he'd be decent! but again him coming a long shot

[plymouth wanderer]

So should we get another right winger because LCY has been out for a year

And if petrov get's injured all we've got to rely on is Gregg Wylde who is still wet behind the ears

I know Eagles could play there but what if LCY and Petrov and Wylde were injured whose gonna play right wing

Aaaand.... if Ngog Davo and sordell got injured all we'd have is Afobe and Eaves oh and Sampson who are still wet behind the ears

Doooomed i tell ya doooomed

[plymouth wanderer]

We should take a long punt at Louis Saha, still without a club and at an age where he can't really be demanding wages of huge ammount, if we could keep him fit then he'd be decent! but again him coming a long shot

Yep put the fvcker back over the border

[boltonboris]

We should take a long punt at Louis Saha, still without a club and at an age where he can't really be demanding wages of huge ammount, if we could keep him fit then he'd be decent! but again him coming a long shot

Alternatively, he's at the age where he wants one last big contract before packing it in.

There'll be clubs in the States, China, Emirates willing to offer him daft money.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I can see Bruce's point about right-backs but I agree that left-back is more of a worry. However, more urgently we yet again need another defensive midfielder (assuming Nixon's cocksure attitude to Sanchez means that Colombian's not coming). I would be utterly unsurprised if it turned out to be Chelsea's Josh McEachran, who needs a run in a side after spending four months failing to usurp any of Swansea's Best Midfield EverTM. He's not a 'big bastard' but should be able to keep things ticking over and would add a bit of balance as a left-footer.

[BWFC_Insane]

I can see Bruce's point about right-backs but I agree that left-back is more of a worry. However, more urgently we yet again need another defensive midfielder (assuming Nixon's cocksure attitude to Sanchez means that Colombian's not coming). I would be utterly unsurprised if it turned out to be Chelsea's Josh McEachran, who needs a run in a side after spending four months failing to usurp any of Swansea's Best Midfield EverTM. He's not a 'big bastard' but should be able to keep things ticking over and would add a bit of balance as a left-footer.

For me we need a modern day Faye in there, not a McEachran.

We need someone to do the dirty work and let Mark Davies play.

Andrews might do a bit of that, but I'd like a real monster in there too, especially away at places like errr, Burnley!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I can see Bruce's point about right-backs but I agree that left-back is more of a worry. However, more urgently we yet again need another defensive midfielder (assuming Nixon's cocksure attitude to Sanchez means that Colombian's not coming). I would be utterly unsurprised if it turned out to be Chelsea's Josh McEachran, who needs a run in a side after spending four months failing to usurp any of Swansea's Best Midfield EverTM. He's not a 'big bastard' but should be able to keep things ticking over and would add a bit of balance as a left-footer.

For me we need a modern day Faye in there, not a McEachran. We need someone to do the dirty work and let Mark Davies play. Andrews might do a bit of that, but I'd like a real monster in there too, especially away at places like errr, Burnley!

I wouldn't be averse either, although we need players to be able to kick the ball as well as legs. Faye was surrounded by vastly superior players in a compact system, and if Coyle accidentally borrowed or bought someone who couldn't pass it would soon display weaknesses in our system.

You might be right - certainly the noises about this Sanchez (and trial of the Bristol City fella) suggest Coyle is thinking of a certain presence - but I would also caution against a completely uncreative central midfielder in a 4-4-2.

[Lord Kangana]

Ideally you'd pair Andrews and Holden in the middle. Thats the only way you can make 4-4-2 work. Thats why we had so much success with Holden and Muamba, and nowt afterwards. None of this fannying about with attacking midfielders, we need the wingers to get forward and the forwards to do their job.

I don't buy the idea that 4-4-2 can't work, it did, just with the right personnel. It needs two grafters in the middle. Seeing as he's not going to radically change his formation anytime soon, instead of looking for complex solutions to a simple problem, it would just be easier to put 2 grafters in there. We've done it before, don't see why we can't again. We even have the players for it.

Thats the main reason why I'd punt Mark Davies off for a decent wedge. And sign another Andrews/Holden/NRC type, plus some kid who can graft on loan to cover for injuries. Job done, promotion sorted.

[BWFC_Insane]

Ideally you'd pair Andrews and Holden in the middle. Thats the only way you can make 4-4-2 work. Thats why we had so much success with Holden and Muamba, and nowt afterwards. None of this fannying about with attacking midfielders, we need the wingers to get forward and the forwards to do their job.

I don't buy the idea that 4-4-2 can't work, it did, just with the right personnel. It needs two grafters in the middle. Seeing as he's not going to radically change his formation anytime soon, instead of looking for complex solutions to a simple problem, it would just be easier to put 2 grafters in there. We've done it before, don't see why we can't again. We even have the players for it.

Thats the main reason why I'd punt Mark Davies off for a decent wedge. And sign another Andrews/Holden/NRC type, plus some kid who can graft on loan to cover for injuries. Job done, promotion sorted.

It worked because Holden was outstanding. You clearly need two players who can cover the ground. But DSB is right in that two Muamba's wouldn't cut it as you'd not have enough passing ability in there.

[Lord Kangana]

I've never suggested two Muambas, so I don't understand the point you're answering. Andrews provides the right balance at this level. He can score and graft. It could easily work. I'm not bothered what happens the season after. The only goal we now have is promotion.

[Worthy4England]

Ideally you'd pair Andrews and Holden in the middle. Thats the only way you can make 4-4-2 work. Thats why we had so much success with Holden and Muamba, and nowt afterwards. None of this fannying about with attacking midfielders, we need the wingers to get forward and the forwards to do their job.

I don't buy the idea that 4-4-2 can't work, it did, just with the right personnel. It needs two grafters in the middle. Seeing as he's not going to radically change his formation anytime soon, instead of looking for complex solutions to a simple problem, it would just be easier to put 2 grafters in there. We've done it before, don't see why we can't again. We even have the players for it.

Thats the main reason why I'd punt Mark Davies off for a decent wedge. And sign another Andrews/Holden/NRC type, plus some kid who can graft on loan to cover for injuries. Job done, promotion sorted.

Agree with most of this, but I'm not sure people were saying 4-4-2 couldn't work, it was that it couldn't work with the people that Coyle was picking to play it. I seem to recall one incarnation (with Muamba fit) was something like NRC, Pratley, Petrov, Eagles. That's just asking to be bent over and take one for the team. It was like Custer's last friggin stand for NRC.

[Lord Kangana]

Which is the point I'm making. Seeing as we're not going to get rid of the manager anytime soon, and seeing as he's not going to have a Damascene conversion, I see the simplest hope and most realistic hope we have is that he reverts back to when it actually worked.

[officer_dibble]

Agree LK...a defensive mid in my mind would allow for a 442, plus a 4231 on special occasions! With Mark D/Eagles in behind the front man.
I think Vela potentially could fill in till we get a fully firing Stuey H back, certainly in a 4231 job with the extra cover. So yeah, sell Mark Davies and replace with a defensive mid, and a rock at the back.

[Worthy4England]

Oh for the heady days of trying to find that elusive creative midfielder (knowing full well we had two decent DM's).

[Prufrock]

Ideally you'd pair Andrews and Holden in the middle. Thats the only way you can make 4-4-2 work. Thats why we had so much success with Holden and Muamba, and nowt afterwards. None of this fannying about with attacking midfielders, we need the wingers to get forward and the forwards to do their job.

I don't buy the idea that 4-4-2 can't work, it did, just with the right personnel. It needs two grafters in the middle. Seeing as he's not going to radically change his formation anytime soon, instead of looking for complex solutions to a simple problem, it would just be easier to put 2 grafters in there. We've done it before, don't see why we can't again. We even have the players for it.

Thats the main reason why I'd punt Mark Davies off for a decent wedge. And sign another Andrews/Holden/NRC type, plus some kid who can graft on loan to cover for injuries. Job done, promotion sorted.

Agree with most of this, but I'm not sure people were saying 4-4-2 couldn't work, it was that it couldn't work with the people that Coyle was picking to play it. I seem to recall one incarnation (with Muamba fit) was something like NRC, Pratley, Petrov, Eagles. That's just asking to be bent over and take one for the team. It was like Custer's last friggin stand for NRC.

Villa at home we had a midfield four of Tuncay, Mavies, Pratley and Eagles. NRC was injured, but, surprisingly, Fab was on the bench. That was the game when I went from thinking unfortunately he probably needed sacking to oh-my-god-is-he-trying-to-get-us-relegated-be-gone-be-gone.

[Worthy4England]

Ideally you'd pair Andrews and Holden in the middle. Thats the only way you can make 4-4-2 work. Thats why we had so much success with Holden and Muamba, and nowt afterwards. None of this fannying about with attacking midfielders, we need the wingers to get forward and the forwards to do their job.

I don't buy the idea that 4-4-2 can't work, it did, just with the right personnel. It needs two grafters in the middle. Seeing as he's not going to radically change his formation anytime soon, instead of looking for complex solutions to a simple problem, it would just be easier to put 2 grafters in there. We've done it before, don't see why we can't again. We even have the players for it.

Thats the main reason why I'd punt Mark Davies off for a decent wedge. And sign another Andrews/Holden/NRC type, plus some kid who can graft on loan to cover for injuries. Job done, promotion sorted.

Agree with most of this, but I'm not sure people were saying 4-4-2 couldn't work, it was that it couldn't work with the people that Coyle was picking to play it. I seem to recall one incarnation (with Muamba fit) was something like NRC, Pratley, Petrov, Eagles. That's just asking to be bent over and take one for the team. It was like Custer's last friggin stand for NRC.

Villa at home we had a midfield four of Tuncay, Mavies, Pratley and Eagles. NRC was injured, but, surprisingly, Fab was on the bench. That was the game when I went from thinking unfortunately he probably needed sacking to oh-my-god-is-he-trying-to-get-us-relegated-be-gone-be-gone.

Thanks me.

That was the one I was trying to recall, I thought it had Tuncay in it.

And then I thought no one could've been that fcukin stupid.

[Prufrock]

I'm welcome.

[CrazyHorse]

You one have blown my mind.