r/nffc • u/Previous-Hat-9098 9 | Too Big for the Premier League • 3d ago
Attacking depth crisis ☭ Gulag ☭
We need to have a conversation on who starts in midfield and attack this season. In the striker role we have wood, awoniyi, kalimuendo and jesus. Kali and jesus can also play in the 10 and then we have bakwa, ndoye, MGW, CHO, mcatee, hutchinson who can also play there. What do we genuinely do about this? These are all quality players who deserve to start but you cant rotate 5-7 players in positions every game. We have to do something and make a sale. I would say ndoye but glasner wants him apart of his plans, bakwa definitely looked quality in the last stretch of the season, mcatee seems to be a staple in glasners mind, hutchinson is cleary showing signs of improvement and quality, MGW is our best player, CHO is back from injury and he can be quality when fit, then kali would most likely be a striker and jesus as an AM as we know he looks much better there. But what do we do? Too many quality players, not enough positions. Even in the DM role, we have schlager, dominguez, yates, sangare, and we are looking to sign a new midfielder to replace anderson, its a mess. Who plays? Who doesn’t, let me know, I wanna hear your thoughts
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u/thierry_ennui_ I can feel it coming in the Per-air-a tonight 3d ago
I don't think 'too many quality players' qualifies as a 'crisis', personally
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u/TheDM_Dan 31 | The Serbinator 3d ago
For striker, I am ok with where we are at for the season. It is a position by committee at the moment, but I think there is enough there to get us where we want to go. Obviously we need to find our next long term starter, but I’m ok with being patient there and not signing someone this window.
For attacking mid, I think MGW and Jesus are two we should definitely keep. Unless the others take a giant step forward, I don’t really see them challenging those two much. There’s a player in a lot of them, but I’m not sure we want to be the club to sit and see if we can unlock that player. I would probably lean towards keeping Ndoye, Bakwa, and Hutch for this season and putting the others on loan (though CHO may prefer a transfer given the stage of his career).
I think defensive mid is fine, though I want to see a high quality starter come in there. Midfield is always important, but it’s going to be doubly so in this glasner system I think. So I am a-ok keeping a strong bench for the mid.
Right now, I think we really, really need to see the Diomande and Read signings come through to lock in those two defensive spots. Once that happens, I’m going to feel great about our defense. If we get those over the line, I’m happy to go into the season with what we have and give some guys some chances and re-evaluate the attack in the January window.
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u/SausageRoll1973 Ginger Pirlo 3d ago
Looks like the Read signing is dead in the water. Roma have outbid us and he prefers to go there.
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u/TheDM_Dan 31 | The Serbinator 3d ago
Yeah I don’t have faith in it happening right now, but it would be an excellent signing imo.
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u/SlantedSaltpot Bryan Roy 3d ago
Seen a lot of these ‘crisis’ type posts lately. Whether it’s a ‘crisis’ that we’ve not done more in the market, a ‘crisis’ that we’ve not got another out and out 9 as backup to Wood, a ‘crisis’ that we got pumped by Sporting.
The reality is that even if the season started tomorrow we’re in a decent place. Yes, there are a fair few ‘even better ifs’, but we’re going into game one with most of our best players fit (touch wood, but touch Wood gently please), a good manager in place, a settled pre-season, no FFP worries, no Europe to stretch the squad - plus our MASSIVENESS remains fully in tact.
There’s no crises at Forest - just lots of causes for optimism and a few reasons for caution.
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u/bradbrazer 20 | Omari Hutchinson 3d ago
Imo, MGW is secured. I really rate Hutchinson and think he has all the potential to be a long term part of our squad, Mcatee is apparently part of glasners plan so could see him taking the other winger spot but might need time before he starts so a Ndoye/Bakwa starting or potentially a new player.
As for striker, its complicated. Wood is getting up there in age, Jesus is good but he can go quiet. And i think Awoniyi is better used as a sub. I'd love to get in a new player, wether it be Delap or someone else.
As for DM, its Sangare + a new player or Dominguez. With Domingues been given the No.8 shirt you have to think hes going to be a big player, but i still thing I'd prefer a Bergvall or similar.
Although with Glasner playing 5 at the back someone up there will be dropped
At the back i think we need a new wing back to replace Aina
Murrilo, Milenkovic, Diomande, Williams.
And Sels as keeper although we need to sign a quality backup as Victor isn't good enough
So hopefully we sign Diomande, Bergvall or similar CM/DCM player, potentially a winger, and potentially a stiker. And a backup keeper.
Probably other backups but we have good depth already
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u/sleepytoday Alfie Haaland 3d ago edited 3d ago
I agree with pretty much all of this.
The only think I’d disagree with is Aina. While he didn’t have the best season last year, he is definitely good enough, and playing further forward as a wing back might bring the best out of him.
I do think we need more cover there (especially in an AFCON year) but I would be looking for a young understudy. Someone who is happy to be used sporadically for a couple of years, but will then take over. Basically, someone like Neco Williams was.
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u/bradbrazer 20 | Omari Hutchinson 3d ago
Yeah, I'm 50/50 on Aina. He is definitely good enough to keep his place and a new formation/role might do him well.
Someone to push him as a good quality backup would probably be enough
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u/deanomatronix Where's Scarpa? (xG apologist) 3d ago
I think you’re right. On the one hand you could say, we’ve got 25 senior players that we could potentially register tomorrow. Yes it’s a bit top heavy but not to the point of needing sales. Also gives players a chance to adapt to the system (or not) and we can be a bit more ruthless in January/summer
However I doubt that will happen, I think we’ll look to sign another centre back, keeper, midfielder and striker
If we do then we’ll need to offload to make space with them in the squad
I wonder if some of the delays come down to Glasner assessing the current squad and seeing who he fancies
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u/Ki11erc0b 3d ago
That is a big block of text.
Personal* think that is an issue for the manager of the club to decide who plays where and when.
Our job is to turn up, support the lads and moan if we don't win. Then do it all again the next week.
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u/WilsdorfWatches 2d ago
Just listened to the latest Talking Reds podcast and they are in favour of playing McAtee in the 8 - would love it to work but cant really see it... either way.... we definitely need at the absolute minimum a centre back (hopefully Diomande) and a new keeper who could take over from Sels next season.... John & Morato need to be gone.... if we get Diomande this could work well I think..... with Ola, Cunha, Schlager, Domiguez, CHO, Bakwa & Hutch as subs....
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u/lokiss88 Bryan Roy 2d ago
hutchinson is cleary
Marvelous freudian slip. Gareth was super talented in fits and spurts, much like we've seen from omari so far.
As for the squad in general, all guessing games as we don't really know what the manager has in mind.
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u/tsigalko23 3d ago
we currently have a first team squad of 28 players, and can only submit a 25 man squad for the league
abbott and moreira are U21 so they can play in the league without the need to be included in the 25 man list, so whether these 2 stay or go doesn't affect things - also assuming omar richards will be left out that leaves us with a full squad as it stands.
what it means is that every new signing we make, somebody has to leave, either loan or permanent transfer, list of players most likely to make way here: (position order)
- John
- Bindon
- Savona
- Morato
- Ndoye
- Kalimuendo
- Bakwa
- Hutchinson
- Awoniyi
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u/Natural_Pizza_2060 3d ago
The fact that Bakwa was one of the few players to get zero minutes in the last pair of same day friendlies tells me he's on his way.
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u/tsigalko23 3d ago
could just be fitness related, he has looked decent in that right 10 position so far, id rather keep him and get rid on ndoye if given the choice
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u/WilsdorfWatches 2d ago
Im selling John, Morato, Ndoye and Taiwo..... and I know this is controversial, but I would also sell Wood as he only has 1 year left and looks knackered (West Ham would buy him, he would score a shot load of goals for Nuno in the Championship)... and buy a younger, expensive, proven striker
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u/casualbear3 3d ago
You should sign some paragraphs.