If we ship out Bidwell as rumoured then can see another defender coming in too
I think we have room for 1 more signing unless we offload some. Midfield is the next area to improve.
GK - Rushworth, Wilson, Dovin
CB - Thomas, Kitching, Woolfenden, Latibeaudiere
RB - van Ewijk, Kesler-Hayden
LB - Dasilva, Bidwell, Brau
CM - Grimes, Torp, Eccles, Allen, Andrews*
AM - Rudoni
RW - Sakamoto, Esse
LW - Mason-Clark, Min-hyeok
ST - Wright, Simms, Thomas-Asante
*Doesn't count towards player limit.
GK - Rushworth, Wilson, Dovin
CB - Thomas, Kitching, Woolfenden, Latibeaudiere
RB - van Ewijk, Kesler-Hayden
LB - Dasilva, Bidwell, Brau
CM - Grimes, Torp, Eccles, Allen, Andrews*
AM - Rudoni
RW - Sakamoto, Esse
LW - Mason-Clark, Min-hyeok
ST - Wright, Simms, Thomas-Asante
*Doesn't count towards player limit.
Not happening but I'd love to see us get in Ryan Giles at LWB from Hull
If that happens and we get a LB too, that would be the cherry on top and a 11/10 window. We'd have everything we need.
He didn't set the place alight the last 2 times he was here. Still he could be the new Richard Duffy
Haha. 8 assists in 24 games this season suggests an improvementHe didn't set the place alight the last 2 times he was here. Still he could be the new Richard Duffy
Priority has to be an attacking midfielder then? Or are we happy for Eccles to play that role if needs be?
Torp is the highest scoring midfielder in the league
I'd say a deeper CM. Torp, Esse, Eccles & Rudoni can play in the AMC role.
I'd like a decent CM to so the drop off to Allen (no offcnce, club legend) isn't so noticeable.
I'd still like a better LWB to compete with JDS and we can then let Bidwell leave
I'd still like a better LWB to compete with JDS and we can then let Bidwell leave
Well we signed Grimes from out of nowhere this time last year so we may be in for another Midfielder. I'd like someone who can sit alongside Grimes and be a nasty b*stard as I think we are too lightweight in the middle.
What people often miss is that transfers can only do so much, and just how crucial our number 8 is to how we play. Check out our run…
6 Dec – Lost 3–0 Ipswich → Torp missing
9 Dec – Drew 1–1 Preston → Torp missing
13 Dec – Won 1–1 Bristol → Torp returns, but clearly still recovering from illness
20 Dec – Drew 1–1 Southampton → Torp plays, but down to 10 men
26 Dec – Won 1–0 Swansea → Torp plays
29 Dec – Lost 2–0 Ipswich → Torp plays but not fit, carrying an injury, hooked in the second half
4 Jan – Lost 3–2 Birmingham → Torp missing
That’s no coincidence, it’s just how this team works. When Torp isn’t on the pitch or isn’t fit enough to run properly, Coventry doesn’t function as well. The stats back it up. The intensity in the middle drops, we see fewer players arriving in the box, and counter-pressing isn’t as quick. The result is predictable - the team slows the game down, keeps possession more, and gets vulnerable when we lose the ball.
We need to sign a proper No.8 who can cover for Torp and keep the balance of the side when he’s not fully available.
6 Dec – Lost 3–0 Ipswich → Torp missing
9 Dec – Drew 1–1 Preston → Torp missing
13 Dec – Won 1–1 Bristol → Torp returns, but clearly still recovering from illness
20 Dec – Drew 1–1 Southampton → Torp plays, but down to 10 men
26 Dec – Won 1–0 Swansea → Torp plays
29 Dec – Lost 2–0 Ipswich → Torp plays but not fit, carrying an injury, hooked in the second half
4 Jan – Lost 3–2 Birmingham → Torp missing
That’s no coincidence, it’s just how this team works. When Torp isn’t on the pitch or isn’t fit enough to run properly, Coventry doesn’t function as well. The stats back it up. The intensity in the middle drops, we see fewer players arriving in the box, and counter-pressing isn’t as quick. The result is predictable - the team slows the game down, keeps possession more, and gets vulnerable when we lose the ball.
We need to sign a proper No.8 who can cover for Torp and keep the balance of the side when he’s not fully available.
Yes, I said the same thing during the Blues match thread. Grimes is completely isolated when Torp doesn't play, and Eccles and Allen can't progress the ball forward. Another CM to sit next to Grimes when Torp is out is the next area we should target for me.
Rudoni isn’t the only problem, but the way we’re using him isn’t helping. When Rudoni plays at 10, our play slows down. Players wait for the ball instead of making runs beyond it, leaving the striker isolated. Rudoni’s no longer a box-to-box runner. We keep possession but lose tempo and unpredictability. That makes us easier to defend against and harder to break down. Plus, with Torp out or not fully fit, we lack runners and chaos, which leaves us vulnerable when we lose the ball. You just need to look at the Birmingham game to see how this played out.
To be fair with the amount of crosses we put could be a good asset. How many has he got this season from open play?
YMH and Romaine Esse have given me Josh Wilson-Esbrand and Brook Norton-Cuffy vibes…
People are saying we need an AM and as I have said before, we need to put in an offer for J.James on loan at Leicester, they have hit a snag and can't afford him so we can pinch him. A really class player.
How much would his team want for a perm? I remember teams bidding on him in the summer
Can’t argue against this - CM is vital next
Haji leaves and Piroe and Wilson sign that’s good by me.