Lets be having you....Anymore through the door?

[MichaelDebeve]

Do we think we will make anymore signings in the next couple of days?

I think the window has been a relatively successful one already to date ... but what gives me further hope is that Luke Thomas was pretty much a surprise so we are able to keep things under wraps until we announce it - meaning silence doesnt necessarily mean no activity!

If you think we will - lets have a name too!

Go go go go!

 

[Starbuck]

Only a CF needed and that is down to fitness of Coburn and Lath. If MR goes maybe a replacement for him comes in. Whatever happens I would hope its done by tomorrow to allow plenty of preparation for Sunday

 

[MichaelDebeve]

Starbuck - love the logic, explained beautifully .... but I need a vote otherwise it means nothing to me.

 

[Starbuck]

Starbuck - love the logic, explained beautifully .... but I need a vote otherwise it means nothing to me.

Sorry Michael, I didnt see the vote when I opened first time. Rectified

 

[MichaelDebeve]

Sorry Michael, I didnt see the vote when I opened first time. Rectified

Good man

 

[Air Resistance]

Even if Roger’s goes, a striker is all we need and probably have room for in the squad

 

[MichaelDebeve]

Agree, I wonder if the Rogers link has been there behind closed doors all January (and before) and the Azaz signing was made in preparation, or in case.

 

[Ash88]

Even if Roger’s goes, a striker is all we need and probably have room for in the squad

I agree - Defense is probably the best we've had for a few seasons...

LB - Thomas, Engel, Bangura
CB - Fry, McNair
CB - RVDB, Clarke
RB - Ayling, Dijksteel

and that's without Lenihan and Smith.

CDM is sorted with O'Brien coming back, joining Hackney, Howson, Barlasar and potentially Gilbert.

How we've lined up so far this season (and where Azaz played for Plymouth) suggests...

LW - McGree, Azaz, Greenwood, Silvera
CAM - Rogers, Crooks
RW - Jones, Forss

which I'm also happy with. If Rogers does leave... Azaz/McGree/Greenwood "can" all play the 10 role.

Striker is our only weak link in my opinion.

 

[VestasBoro]

I think Azaz was signed knowing there was serious interest in Rogers, so if/when he goes i dont think we'll be rushing to replace him
We seem well stocked everywhere else so a striker perhaps but im not so sure. MC may just be looking at Greenwood, Coburn, Forss and eventually ELL and feel he has enough there.

 

[MichaelDebeve]

I agree - Defense is probably the best we've had for a few seasons...

LB - Thomas, Engel, Bangura
CB - Fry, McNair
CB - RVDB, Clarke
RB - Ayling, Dijksteel

and that's without Lenihan and Smith.

CDM is sorted with O'Brien coming back, joining Hackney, Howson, Barlasar and potentially Gilbert.

How we've lined up so far this season (and where Azaz played for Plymouth) suggests...

LW - McGree, Azaz, Greenwood, Silvera
CAM - Rogers, Crooks
RW - Jones, Forss

which I'm also happy with. If Rogers does leave... Azaz/McGree/Greenwood "can" all play the 10 role.

Striker is our only weak link in my opinion.

Cant argue with that - apart from Gilbert as a CDM would scare the life out of me!

 

[Ash88]

Cant argue with that - apart from Gilbert as a CDM would scare the life out of me!

That's the position he played at Brentford B, where he was captain.... He hasn't looked up to it for us, but technically he is playing "out of his natural position"

 

[Starbuck]

I think Striker is weak because they are both injury prone.

 

[Ash88]

I think Azaz was signed knowing there was serious interest in Rogers, so if/when he goes i dont think we'll be rushing to replace him
We seem well stocked everywhere else so a striker perhaps but im not so sure. MC may just be looking at Greenwood, Coburn, Forss and eventually ELL and feel he has enough there.

The problem with Forss as a ST is that MC (and most managers) like 2 players for every position.... and it would leave Jones as our only RW.

I would like to play Forss as a ST personally, but it means we need to sign cover at RW.

 

[atypical_boro]

As much as I think Rogers is decent and has a lot of potential, I'm still not even convinced that he would start in my first choice Boro XI.

Or, put another way, if everyone gets fit again (and rediscovers form in the case of Greenwood), I'm not convinced we'll miss him even if he leaves and isn't replaced.

McGree/Jones wide and then the #10 spot battled out by Silvera, Crooks, Gilbert, Azaz, Greenwood and maybe even Barlaser.

Mind you, I'd prefer to get a replacement.

 

[MichaelDebeve]

That's the position he played at Brentford B, where he was captain.... He hasn't looked up to it for us, but technically he is playing "out of his natural position"

I'm shocked by that!

Genuinely just assumed he was more an attacking midfielder.

From what I've seen I dont think he would cut it at CDM (at the minute anyway)

 

[MichaelDebeve]

As much as I think Rogers is decent and has a lot of potential, I'm still not even convinced that he would start in my first choice Boro XI.

Or, put another way, if everyone gets fit again, I'm not convinced we'll miss him even if he leaves and isn't replaced.

Had that same discussion with a few mates over the weekend.

I was slated for that same opinion.

I think a few fans have elevated Rogers due to the Villa interest. Decent player for us dont get me wrong, but he is in the mix with everyone else vying for that position, certainly not head and shoulders above anyone.

He is showing a bit more consistency now though which needs to be recognised.

 

[Priv]

Striker and maybe a RW, depending how long Jones is out for, we just dont look the same without his pace, ideally someone adept on the left as well who doesnt mind tracking the fullback, Greenwood doesnt track back enough for me, silvera doesnt track back and is very hit and miss. McGree would be first choice ont the left for me, but even he wasnt helping his fullback in the games he played at the start of the season, left coulson isolated alot, strange as last year he helped Giles no end.

I expect Azaz to play 10.

 

[atypical_boro]

I think a few fans have elevated Rogers due to the Villa interest.

This often happens, because some fans start to view him as a £15m PL player rather than the player he actually is.

He does have potential to fulfil that profile, but he could quite easily do a Djed Spence as well.

I'm just looking at his goal contribution of 2 (+ 6 'assists') in 26 Championship appearances and feel like that isn't all that tough to replace.

To give him his due, he was great for us in the cup, but that's over now, and most teams we played were in the leagues below.

 

[MickaelDebevePhenomenal]

We could do with a striker, but it's not one where we need to get one in for the sake of it. I'd only take a loan if they are gonna be of the right quality to play most games and have an impact. Otherwise id rather keep the windfall to invest in the summer.

 

[Ash88]

I'm shocked by that!

Genuinely just assumed he was more an attacking midfielder.

From what I've seen I dont think he would cut it at CDM (at the minute anyway)

He was a LW as a U18/21 at West Brom - also playing as a RW CAM and a ST - in the same team as Morgan Rogers and Fin Azaz at U21.

He moved to Brentford B where he's played most of his "professional games" (if it's really professional at Brentford B because they're not in a league)...

...where he was a "Hackney type of player"... Positionally a CDM but still very attacking in a similar formation to what we play.

He's also been to Swindon on loan who moved him back too LW/ST.... Kind of a jack of all trades but not yet a master of any.