07 Apr 2025 10:38:41
I have heard we don't see midfield as a priority which is baffling to me as quite clearly our midfield has been getting bullied recently and in patches throughout the season. Its weird that we have done brilliantly this season we can still improve in defence, midfield and attack this will only happen with new additions and selling players.
07 Apr 2025 11:01:58
seeing as you have ears close to the ground, maybe you can influence them to think otherwise.
07 Apr 2025 11:02:03
I reckon that is a bluff, mate.
07 Apr 2025 11:08:16
To be fair we do have 4 midfielders who are deemed by Slot as good enough to start in Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister and Jones. They're all aged 22-26 as well so not even in their prime years. I'd have thought the main issue with our midfield is that Slot clearly doesn't trust Elliott and Endo from the start, or trust Morton at all. Hopefully McConnell and/ or Nyoni can kick on next season as they seem well liked by Slot. But we should at least look to replace Morton in my opinion with someone Slot will actually utilise even if it's just off the bench. Endo and Elliott are at least used as impact subs but Morton doesn't get anywhere near the pitch.
We should definitely be focusing our priorities on positions in the starting XI though. That will be replacing Robertson and Nunez with a LB and ST we can rely on. Then it's likely to be about replacing players who are rumoured to push to leave (Trent, Konate, Diaz etc) . We may even have to replace Salah and Virgil if they don't sign new deals which is still up in the air.
I can see why midfield is not considered a priority. Whether we agree with it or not is another matter entirely, but 4 out of the last 6 players we've signed in the last 2 years were midfielders. Whereas the last time we signed a defender was Konate in 2021. As I said above though, I hope we replace Morton so Slot's got another option for next season.
07 Apr 2025 11:49:46
Slot wanted Zubemendi 10 months ago. So let’s not bluff about him not wanting a midfielder. 4 paragraph essay won’t change that. If we end up not signing one then it’s down to us not having enough cash to sign rather than slot not wanting to. It’s that simple. You can’t go into a 60 games a season with 4 midfielders for 3 positions.
07 Apr 2025 12:02:23
We are on 73 points with 4 midfielders this season.
07 Apr 2025 12:34:49
We may be 73 points with this team but you can put your house on this time next year 73 points will only have you in the mix not leading by 11.
07 Apr 2025 13:01:06
Harry, nobody has said he doesn't want a midfielder. I merely explained why it would make sense for it to no longer be a priority. Gravenberch and Jones both stepped up to do quite well and in the same time frame Nunez/ Jota have both regressed massively whilst Robertson has seemingly hit a steep decline. Then you have the 3 contracts still not sorted.
Presumably English isn't your first language, but "priority" just means what you will focus on first. A midfielder not being a priority doesn't mean we won't look at signing one, it just means other areas might be more important. Hard to disagree looking at the state of our defending yesterday, and the fact that 32 year old out of contract Salah has more goals/ assists than our other 5 forwards combined.
07 Apr 2025 13:11:10
We clearly lack phsycality in midfield and attack that's why players like semenyo, baleba, varela, cunha, etc are welcome in games where we face physical teams.
07 Apr 2025 13:58:08
TIR, it’s not 4 anyway. It’s 7 senior midfielders and 2 academy midfielders. Grav, Szoboszlai, Macca, Jones, Endo, Elliott, Morton, McConnell and Nyoni makes 9 with my maths. Harry just likes to post hyperbole. Or maybe he simply can’t count as my first post was clearly 3 paragraphs, not 4 as he claimed ?
Hailstones, I’d also like some more physical players. Not sure we’ll get that wish though.
07 Apr 2025 15:18:23
John
I remember last season people putting their house on Liverpool struggling to make top 4 this season, yet here we are.
07 Apr 2025 15:36:45
Àh City are going to be back to 2019 form without just about anyone from that side and Arsenal won't get one injury or red card all season. I reckon ye'll need 115 pts to be champs next year just to make sure.
07 Apr 2025 15:59:40
115 pts or 115 charges? Asking for a Manc friend.
{Ed025's Note - love it Zed..