All well and good to say that, but he hasn't played a single minute there for us. Why would we want half-arsed solutions.
It’s not inconceivable all three could go straight back down but think Burnley will scrape itOk, let’s look at the performance of the promoted teams so far.
P10 W0 D1 L9 GF9 GA27
It’s an inarguable fact that last year was a weak league.
They played on the playoff final alongside Hamer who was far above the level.Is this a joke?
5 players for 1xAM spot (Palmer Ohare Ayari Saka Allen)
3 players for 2xDM spots (Sheaf Eccles Kelly)
I know its not as easy as "just getting a body in" but MR clearly wants to play 2 up top and the imbalance is glaring
And if someone trots out Lati at DM for the 1856746th time Im gonna jump out a window!
Lati drops in there, now a new Kitching has been fitted.
Happy days.
I was just answering the extreme case mentioned. Which is backed up by Robins starting his comment "Well, potentially". You know, that bit not highlighted.
Extreme case? You think 2 of the 3 CDM's we have available being injured is an extreme case? Doesn't even have to be an injury, they could just have a knock or generally be tired.
I'm not here for a scrap pal. Yes, I personally think we'd be extremely unlucky to have 2 out of our 3 out and out CDMs injured at the same time.
Good news to have Allen back soon too. He has played a deeper role quite well previously.
See extended edited reply above. I don't mind Allen as an option, but there have been times where he has been a liability that deep.
We won't get much better at this level than Ben sheaf in the holding roleI don't agree with all of that I'm afraid. The negativity towards Eccles, Allen, and Palmer is causing Sheaf to get exaggerated. He can't go forward. The last two games he's wasted some of our best chances and when he's not in a high attacking midfield position he frequently loses possession by playing long balls that don't reach their target. Somehow a lot of his greatest fans appear to have gone to buy hotdogs every time this happens.
He's strong in the DM position generally, and does make some great challenges at times, but even there he switches off and has been partially to blame for a few goals this season. People were quick to blame Thomas for their second today, but Sheaf absolutely flapped putting any kind of challenge in too.
People don't want to hear it, but in general we need an upgrade across the whole midfield. To answer the OP, yes we do have a problem. None of them are an exception. Before today Eccles was our best midfielder this season, and whilst I like him, we need someone more in the Hamer mould if we are going to reach the next level. The rest of the pitch I feel will grow into it, but in the middle I think we are crying out for more quality.
We’re missing an out and out 8We won't get much better at this level than Ben sheaf in the holding role
I agree some fans tend to overlook his mistakes etc , but in general his performances have been very good for some time now
Xeka - Player profile 24/25
Xeka, 30, from Portugal ➤ Estoril Praia, since 2024 ➤ Central Midfield ➤ Market value: €2.00m ➤ * Nov 10, 1994 in Paredes, Portugalwww.transfermarkt.co.uk
It’s obviously good to have faith in the manager, and I hope that I’m speaking for all of us when I say that I will back Robins this season no matter what as he’s clearly capable of taking a team into the Prem (penalties is out of his hands in my eyes).I find the dismissal of Eccles (and Sheaf by some) quite astounding. If MR rates him and prefers to play them ahead of these free agent fancy dans that are good on FM, then I am happy to trust his judgement over and above the likes of bedwetters like Saddlebrains and Matt Smith.
I find the dismissal of Eccles (and Sheaf by some) quite astounding. If MR rates him and prefers to play them ahead of these free agent fancy dans that are good on FM, then I am happy to trust his judgement over and above the likes of bedwetters like Saddlebrains and Matt Smith.
I don’t think it’s that astounding. We’ve seen enough of Eccles to judge now, and to me it seems clear he doesn’t (yet) have the technical or tactical attributes to push us into the top 6.
I’m not dismissing sheaf and Eccles at all.Welcome to the Football Manager world where a computer game trumps reality! It appears MR was interested in O'Brien but he went to Middlesbrough. He would clearly have made it into our first XI but aside from him he clearly wasn't prepared to spend on the other midfielders that were available pre deadline, probably because whoever he brought in wouldn't necessarily start ahead of Eccles, Sheaf, Ayari, Palmer, or O'Hare and Allen when they're fit.
I find the dismissal of Eccles (and Sheaf by some) quite astounding. If MR rates him and prefers to play them ahead of these free agent fancy dans that are good on FM, then I am happy to trust his judgement over and above the likes of bedwetters like Saddlebrains and Matt Smith.
Maybe he was after one to play WITH Sheaf and Eccles, not instead of them.I’m not dismissing sheaf and Eccles at all.
Eccles is a good squad player, but him and sheaf are too similar.
Quite clear robins agrees with us on the dynamic of the midfield otherwise he wouldn’t have been after one would he
That’s the point though, without a hamer type the balance isn’t what it should be.H
Maybe he was after one to play WITH Sheaf and Eccles, not instead of them.
And we already have 8 midfielders competing for 3 positions as it is.
And FYI, no one was complaining about Sheaf and Eccles when we had Hamer in the side.
Oh, And another thing, how many games have we lost since Hamer left???
I don’t think it’s that astounding. We’ve seen enough of Eccles to judge now, and to me it seems clear he doesn’t (yet) have the technical or tactical attributes to push us into the top 6.
That’s the point though, without a hamer type the balance isn’t what it should be.
Probably the most concise way of summing this all up, i.e. Eccles is not a Hamer replacement, hence why our midfield isn’t working that well.Imagine if we never replaced Vik when he was sold and kept Walker instead.
Imagine if we never replaced Vik when he was sold and kept Walker instead,
Agreed on O HareIn respect of balance, the whole team is in a transformation period at the moment given the introduction of so many new players, so I would expect that to improve as we move forward. Bringing in another midfielder might have exacerbated that even further for a while! I suspect a fit O'Hare will also improve the overall shape of the team anyway.
We will get there, O'hare back in a few weeks, and others to settle in.That’s the point though, without a hamer type the balance isn’t what it should be.
We will get there, O'hare back in a few weeks, and others to settle in.
Palmer was excellent Saturday, just needs to add the goals to his game.
I think Wright has done enough to be a permanent starter ahead of Simms, and when the team is settled the partnerships will develop.
Ayari showed some great touches, and will be good once he understands what MR wants from him.
Agreed, I hope he's recovered mentally as well as physically, and can get back to the player he was before the injury.Watching O'Hare play is going to be more nerve wracking than the play off penalty shoot out.
Everything he goes near the ball will be heart in mouth time.
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