Mackerel difference to the squid, with his leadership qualities.
The Rebuild
- Bob Sacamano
- Posts: 1589
- Karma: 843
Re: The Rebuild
Have his legs gone? He's only 30.brap2 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 30, 2025 9:41 am So like...he's a 'midfielder' in that he is technically listed as a midfield player, who takes one of your middle spots.
But he doesn't do *anything* a midfielder should be able to do. Pass, win the ball, carry the ball, progress from one end to the other, provide an option when getting pressed - even compared to our own midfielders who are already slugs!
What you get is a midfield that is suddenly even worse on the ball, is even worse when getting pressed, even worse at getting the ball to Grealish, even worse at defending, even worse at pressing, even worse at covering breaks....
But 6 times a year he stands up tall at the back post and scores a header.
It's not just that he's bad at being a midfielder, he's NOT a midfielder, and the opportunity cost of losing a midfielder to play someone who will challenge for headers and occasionally poke one home is something you have to balance.
If he was an okay midfielder who scored 10 goals a year then I'd bite your hand off, but he's a bad midfielder (now his legs have gone) who scored 10 last year playing every game as a forward.
Doesn't score that many headers, gets lots with his feet.
Scored more than 6 goals in each of the last 2 seasons so why would he suddenly only score that playing for us?
No one's saying he's the final piece in the puzzle, just a handy option for probably relatively low cost that keeps Tim out of the starting line up.
Everyone knows we need an athletic 23 year old Gaz Baz regen instead, but we don't have £40m to buy one this window. We need bodies though, especially in CM so sometimes you've got to eat your cheese sandwich because you haven't got the cash for a dominos pizza.
Re: The Rebuild
He'll add physicality and goals, but we're desperate for a player with the ability to dominate possession and build play, haven't had that for yonks.
Edit: *I'm desperate.
Edit: *I'm desperate.
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Bluebridge
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