18 Aug 2026 09:06:18
Morning All.
Everybody saying we need to buy a CDM. The midfielders we've got are more than capable of defending: Gravenburch, Dom, Macca, Nyoni, just needs tactical tweet here and there.
We are not buying a CDM. Let's stop this talk please.
18 Aug 2026 09:28:16
And, if one gets injured, we got Endo running till next year, and Curtis, who is likely to go. We definitely need to start looking at the situation, maybe not buying this window.
18 Aug 2026 09:32:01
Let's keep talk of tactical tweets over on X, please.
18 Aug 2026 09:33:37
Yeah, bit that'll cut traffic on this site dramatically!
What seems like hundreds of posters all saying the same thing, we need ............. but no one at the club listening, or at least not letting us know.
18 Aug 2026 09:43:32
@strad, He listed 4 players for 2 positions. If 1 gets injured, there would still be 3 and that is not counting Endo and Jones. I would love us to bring in another quality deep lying midfielder, but unless one of those 4 (i.e. Macca) leaves, it is not as big a priority as getting a couple of wingers in. We currently have no right-wingers and are being forced to play left-wingers out of position.
There was a need to fill holes in the squad (CB, RB cover and wingers) before looking to upgrade our current options in the squad.
Our scouts will always be scouting players for all positions, so there will always be options on the table. I'm sure whoever comes in to replace Hughes will sit down with Iraola and discuss what is needed in January and beyond.
18 Aug 2026 09:45:10
No, they are not. Macca flopped in that role from the time of Jurgen. Gravenberch only works if there is a press, and he could turn on with the ball. He is a ball carrier. Szoobo is just an engine. Absolutely not, one has positional sense. Us not signing doesn't change it.
18 Aug 2026 09:48:29
5 players to play 3 positions over 60 games in an intense setup.
Yep can't see anything wrong with that.
18 Aug 2026 10:17:14
@shipley, Going into this season AI going to use 4-2-3-1, 2 midfielders are Szoboszlai and Grav/Macca, and the 3 is 2 wingers with Wirtz in the middle.
Therefore, Jones or his successor will be getting sub minutes if no-one is injured. When injuries inevitably strike, we gonna have to hope Harvey is half decent and Endo puts in decent performances.
18 Aug 2026 10:20:24
I think the problem with the set of midfielders u have named, Torben, is that they're just not aggressive enough. Only 1 that seems to relish a 50/50 is Macca, and he is just too slow to actually get there in 1st place.
I like all 4 players u have named, when they're on their game and playing well, they, imo, 4 v good players, but I think that group lack balance.
Add a defensive minded midfielder who plays with aggression, and we in business.
18 Aug 2026 10:20:57
I'm no mathematician, but Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Nyoni, Endo, Wirtz and McConnell are 7 players, not 5.
That's also assuming Jones, Elliott and Bajcetic all leave (which looks likely to be fair).
18 Aug 2026 10:56:13
Ideally we would need a proper 6 (Sadiki or Camara). If we do get one, we have enough midfielders to cover while he gets sorted and ready.
Not sure if you noticed, Macca was playing a sort of deep-lying playmaker, pinging long passes to the wings. Probably remodelling his gameplay to suit Iraola's style (and raise his value for January).
So yeah, 7 midfielders for 3 spots is plenty and enough. Agree with the need to tweak based on personnel and opposition. But still hoping for a midfield destroyer to shore up and protect our defence.
{Ed001's Note - Sadiki is not a 6. Xhaka is the 6 at Sunderland.}
18 Aug 2026 12:24:56
@strad, OP was specifically talking about the 2 in that 4-2-3-1 formation, and there are 4 players who can play in that 2, excluding Endo, Jones, Bajcetic, plus any U21s who Iraola might want to give a chance to.
My point was purely that we have loads of midfielders (just because you might not rate them doesn't mean that they don't exist, and for all you know they may be rated as good enough cover by Iraola), but we didn't have enough defenders, and we still don't have enough wingers, and whilst it would be nice to upgrade some of those midfield options, it is currently far more important that we sign players for those positions where we have no options.
Let's not forget that this current midfield won the league just over 12 months ago, so it just makes sense to fix the actual problems in the squad rather than the perceived ones that people obsess over on here.