My concern.

[Freeman25]

My concern is that we've still got same back 4, bar the keepr

You're concerned that we have the defence that was the third best in the league last season?

[the_anticlough]

, i am just hoping
that young Will Patching might do the job, but we have not seen him play yet?

Can we call this the 'macstop solution'?

Good thread. It's true that KN never solved the problem of Yates leaving - not to get to promotion standard anyway. Will he play a 2 there or a 3? Hoping for the latter, cos I don't see a duo that's going to be good enough at this point.

[macstop]

Can we call this the 'macstop solution'?

Good thread. It's true that KN never solved the problem of Yates leaving - not to get to promotion standard anyway. Will he play a 2 there or a 3? Hoping for the latter, cos I don't see a duo that's going to be good enough at this point.

Glad someone else can see it, a defence needs someone helping out, not a ball player, some of our best performances last year came with EH and RY sat in front of it imo.

[jackal2]

Good thread. It's true that KN never solved the problem of Yates leaving - not to get to promotion standard anyway. Will he play a 2 there or a 3? Hoping for the latter, cos I don't see a duo that's going to be good enough at this point.

I've never been convinced that adding a third midfielder is the solution if the first two aren't strong enough, certainly in the lower leagues anyway. From what I've seen when we've played with three central midfielders, it tends to make each individual a little more complacent about doing their job defensively, thinking there's always someone else to back them up. Conversely, having only two central midfielders keeps them on their toes, knowing they have to take responsibility and make the tackle.

I accept you can have deep lying midfielders or attacking midfielders in certain formations like a 4-2-3-1, but I'm not sure there are such things as 'defensive' or 'attacking' central midfielders. To my mind, you're either a good all-round central midfielder, or you're not, and in 4-4-2 you need two good central midfielders.

[Notts78]

A lot depends on our style of play. Last season I would agree that there was no need for the ball playing midfielders we have now. Our back 4 missed out the midfield with long balls consistently throughout 2017/2018.
Looking at the players we have recruited I honestly don’t think we will be direct, in fact the opposite. The back 4 will be playing the ball in to midfield more so having a ball playing midfielder is paramount, hence Vaughan. Vaughan can still break up play, not in the sense that he will smash in to tackles, but more in positioning. Very much a none League 2 type. But still effective.

[crazyfists]

It's going to be interesting to see who is going to be that ball winning centre mid and I don't think Nolan knows tbh. If yesterdays accounts are to go by then Crawford could be good in there with Vaughan but will he play him. If it's Husin or Hewitt with Vaughan then we are going to lose the midfield battle in most games. For me Nolan has to improve on his ability to see who is the best in which position irrespective of experience/reputation as I'm worried we are going to shoehorn people into the centre mid position who should play together. As for Stead then I think he should be on the bench but I also worry that Nolan loves him too much to do that.

[Elite_Pie]

Firstly let me say i am really happy with our transfer dealings and yes there is a lot
to be excited about.

But my main fear is the CM, where is the ball winner, the thug you need at this level,
because as good a ball player Vaughan is he his not a Yates, O'Connor, Harding, Bishop, feel
sorry for Hewitt the poor guy can't do it on his own.

It's no coincidence last year we was bombing up until January, when Yates left and we
never replaced him, maybe because they thought O'Connor would be fit, i am just hoping
that young Will Patching might do the job, but we have not seen him play yet?

Maybe it's just me.

It's not just you. I've been saying for ages that half the battle in League 2 is stopping the opposition playing, and Hewitt and Yates did that very well last year. We never looked a great side, but we made it hard for our opponents to build anything in the middle of the park and it gained us quite a few points. Second half of the season the opposition were granted more time and space, and our results dipped accordingly. That's why I've always preferred a 'get stuck in' type with limited skills such as Ravenhill to a fancy player like Aborah, who had all the clever skills but was a waste of a shirt when the other team had the ball.

[macstop]

It's going to be interesting to see who is going to be that ball winning centre mid and I don't think Nolan knows tbh. If yesterdays accounts are to go by then Crawford could be good in there with Vaughan but will he play him. If it's Husin or Hewitt with Vaughan then we are going to lose the midfield battle in most games. For me Nolan has to improve on his ability to see who is the best in which position irrespective of experience/reputation as I'm worried we are going to shoehorn people into the centre mid position who should play together. As for Stead then I think he should be on the bench but I also worry that Nolan loves him too much to do that.

One things for certain this is a massive season for our manager and i am praying he gets things right, and leads us again next time.

[crazyfists]

One things for certain this is a massive season for our manager and i am praying he gets things right, and leads us again next time.

Yeah we're going in the right direction and with this squad we should get promoted, if we didn't then something is wrong as the players we have, most league 2 clubs would love to have. It's going to be a good season though I think and we'll be smiling come May.

[ancientpie]

My main concern is that like past Rookie managers KN doesn't seem to be learning from his mistakes ( and I honestly hope that he does). I know that yesterday was a friendly against a very good Championship side but after our signings & all the paper talk it was very disappointing to see us adopt the Stead as target man set up that failed last season. With a couple of wingers providing service Stead could well have a part to play this season, I have nothing against him, but as a lone striker forget it!!