What is now the best solution to the AFCON question?

[Keyser Soze]

Seeing lots of different opinions now being formed on various different threads about how best to cover the absence of Boly and Saiss to the AFCON in January, so starting a thread to get a consolidated view as to what most people think should now be done, if anything, to cover the tournament?

Personally I was convinced we needed to spend big in that position (and still want that), but will admit to having my head turned to its necessity, but also don't want to be reactionary after 1 good performance and clean sheet at home... we will feel different if we concede a couple away at Norwich

What are people thinking now? The tournament lasts 9th Jan to the 6th Feb, so Saints at home, away to Brentford and maybe home to Arsenal as its just a couple of days after/travel etc. So 2/3 games without those 2 players, only 1 of which is in the starting line up currently.

Are you of the opinion too much of a big deal is being made of this? 2/3 games without 1 first team player doesn't justify the concern and we can use the existing squad to cover and play Donck or Marcal for a couple of games with no bother, and we shouldn't be looking to make a big outlay for a CB in Jan? Save it for Sanches.

Would you recall Dion Sanderson, or even the in form Toti Gomes and play them or have them as cover and give them a chance to stake a claim? Are they ever going to be good enough for a side sitting 6th in the Premier League and looking up?

Or should we investing big still, regardless of the AFCON and invest in a right sided CB for now and for the future as it's high time we bought a CB to take us to the next level as we've not done so for a long time (not including the unlucky Mosquera) and spend big on a Botman/Caleta Car type player and play them now... giving them time to settle, possibly replace the out of contract Saiss next season and perhaps the ageing Boly who is no longer first choice now rather than the summer... Has the emergence of Max Kilman changed this?

Is a back 4 the answer for these games, we all think Bruno wants to do this eventually... is Jan a good a time as any? *complicated by the Coady conundrum

Or is there another way to go. Should we be investing in a 27/28 year old oven ready experienced CB to cover AFCON and going forward?

 

[JadeWolf]

Dendoncker or Marcal could cover says if it’s only 2-3 games, recall Sanderson 1st Jan then let him go back to Blues Jan 31st if needed.

 

[Pagey]

Would like to see a new CB signed regardless, and recall Sanderson as cover, could always loan him back out the end of January.

 

[Minimalist]

I definitely wouldn’t panic about it and buy someone for the sake of it.
Anyone coming in is gonna struggle to hit the ground running and do a better job than the other options who are all integrated into our way of playing.

I’d still be looking at a big investment in a cb in the summer, but only in January if some ideal target was available, which usually isn’t the case.

 

[steve vena]

I'd rather we get a quality midfielder in .

 

[Keyser Soze]

Being integrated into our way of playing is a good point, and another reason I'd still want to invest in Jan, if the right player became available... gives them that time to become integrated quicker (although those AFCON games would be a baptism of fire)

Making some massive assumptions that Saiss, Marcal and Boly have to be replaced in the summer (less of an assumption they have a question mark over their long term futures), and that we carry on with a back 3/5 longer term than this season we would be left with going into next season, only Coady, Kilman and Mosquera (not including any promoted youngsters on loan)

A top quality right footed CB is and will be needed at some stage. If he's there then I'd want us to get him and lets get him settled and up and running to be first pick ASAP

Appreciate Botman is left footed on top of this scenario

 

[Keyser Soze]

I'd rather we get a quality midfielder in .

If it's an either/or situation vs a central midfielder then yes, a CM needed first and foremost, but asking the question assuming we can get both if we want to

 

[Dawnwolf]

I like Brunos plan.
Don't play Boly for months, he gets droppped for AFCON.
Boom we are ok.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Recall Sanderson and spend on midfield or attacking players.

The ACON players miss 3/4 games at the most hardly worth worrying about!!

We have enough cover for CB

Dendoncker Hoever Kilman Marcal Coady (Sanderson) Mosquera (Lewis Richards)

 

[Scallywolf]

I’m sure Bruno has thought about this conundrum already.

If we are to get someone, they will probably be signed very early in the window.

Kilman has showed that Big Willy is not irreplaceable and Saiss is having a good season alongside Coady.

No panic, but I would like us to make a permanent signing. Bruno has said he wants 2 top players for every position. We currently have Kilman v Boly, Coady v Saiss, maybe Marcal v ????. I don’t believe Mosquera will be up and running for quite a while yet so we are still short of central defenders imo.

Yes, Sanderson could be recalled from his loan with Brum, but he would surely only be a bench warmer at best.

Donk has played in central defence, but he will be needed in midfield, where we are short of players anyway, so leave him out of the conundrum.

 

[Wall heath Wanderer]

play 2 at the back 2 in the midfield and 6 up front. It's the future.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Sanderson is in the Brum team and playing week in week out. Yes we have a recall option but is it in his best interest to come back to us for Jan and sit on our bench when he would be playing and starting with Brum?

Would that move annoy them where they miss out on the player for the month and so then go and loan someone else instead and Dion misses out on what is shaping to be an excellent development season for him in the Champ, to then be replaced by reserves football again

 

[Keyser Soze]

Recall Sanderson and spend on midfield or attacking players.

The ACON players miss 3/4 games at the most hardly worth worrying about!!

We have enough cover for CB

Dendoncker Hoever Kilman Marcal Coady (Sanderson) Mosquera (Lewis Richards)

Forgot about Hoever as an option... some saying in the club he's still seen as a CB long term

EDIT; not getting a lot of game time this season at any level, perhaps has been told he's the man to replace Saiss in Jan and is building towards that

 

[OLDGOLD]

I'd rather we get a quality midfielder in .

Absolutely.
If its a choice between a decent cb and a decent midfield player or just one better than decent midfield player, then in Jan imo we should go for the latter. Imo we have enough options at the club to cover us defensively against Brentford, Saints and Arsenal, especially as 2 of those games I would like to hope we won't have to do much defending...


Not sure about the Brentford game

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

Sanderson for cover is fine I think. Centre Mid the absolute key

 

[Minimalist]

Sanderson is in the Brum team and playing week in week out. Yes we have a recall option but is it in his best interest to come back to us for Jan and sit on our bench when he would be playing and starting with Brum?

Would that move annoy them where they miss out on the player for the month and so then go and loan someone else instead and Dion misses out on what is shaping to be an excellent development season for him in the Champ, to then be replaced by reserves football again

He could come back and play though (for a month) a back 3 of
Sanderson-Coady-Killman
Isn’t bad at all. He could certainly play the cup game (or hopefully two).
I think Brum would except it if they knew we planned to let him go back at the end of January.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Sanderson for cover is fine I think. Centre Mid the absolute key

Well said I’d rather us spend big on 1/2 midfielders would really take us to next level with Jonny & Neto back soon. Let’s just say the best is yet to come from this team

 

[old wittonian]

I’m sure Bruno has thought about this conundrum already.

If we are to get someone, they will probably be signed very early in the window.

Kilman has showed that Big Willy is not irreplaceable and Saiss is having a good season alongside Coady.

No panic, but I would like us to make a permanent signing. Bruno has said he wants 2 top players for every position. We currently have Kilman v Boly, Coady v Saiss, maybe Marcal v ????. I don’t believe Mosquera will be up and running for quite a while yet so we are still short of central defenders imo.

Yes, Sanderson could be recalled from his loan with Brum, but he would surely only be a bench warmer at best.

Donk has played in central defence, but he will be needed in midfield, where we are short of players anyway, so leave him out of the conundrum.

Donk came on against Wales in the week and played right centre back.

 

[Scallywolf]

Donk came on against Wales in the week and played right centre back.

We need him in midfield imo OW, especially if Ruben or Moûts get an injury

 

[JOSWolf]

We need a centre back to come in early in the window along with a central midfield player. Hopefully the club are working on this as its obvious we will need bolstering with Saiss and Boly gone.

 

[AndyWolves]

Recall Sanderson for a few games and then loan him back to Brum when our players return from ACON.

Unless of course Sanderson looks decent then keep him hear.

 

[purplepault69]

Sanderson is in the Brum team and playing week in week out. Yes we have a recall option but is it in his best interest to come back to us for Jan and sit on our bench when he would be playing and starting with Brum?

Would that move annoy them where they miss out on the player for the month and so then go and loan someone else instead and Dion misses out on what is shaping to be an excellent development season for him in the Champ, to then be replaced by reserves football again

Really dont think that we should recall him and **** about with the potential development of Sanderson who seems to be having a good loan period at Brum --plus wouldnt do the clubs credibility by playing Okey Cokey with a young players career.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Really dont think that we should recall him and **** about with the potential development of Sanderson who seems to be having a good loan period at Brum --plus wouldnt do the clubs credibility by playing Okey Cokey with a young players career.

I’d be concerned about messing him about too, would love to see him succeed with us, and he’s looking good at Brum but a little surprised so many are so comfortable with seeing him potentially play against Saints and Brentford. Would be great if he’s playing Prem top half quality football at Brum, hope to see more of him there over Xmas to be as comfortable with him doing that job

It’s still buy a top young right footed CB for me, one for now and the future.

Not to the detriment of signing a central midfielder though, it’s not either/or for me. I would want and expect us to have the budget for both, especially if one ends up a loan to buy

 

[lets all have a disco]

Hopefully Jonny maybe back as well...I'm sure Jonny used to play centre back at times for celta viga in a 3.... recall Sanderson even if it's to have a look at him in the FA cup games in January....... If we are short and don't recall Sanderson then you have to question why he is at the club....donk hoever marcal can also play there..

 

[YouGottaRaulWithIt]

Sell Traore... and buy Botman and Doucoure (lens).

 

[JOSWolf]

Isnt Jonny a bit short to play centre back?

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

I said before the season began the defence is ok. Kilman has been a good player all along; Nuno didn't see it. We're ok here. Mf is the priority in January + another striker to allow Silva to loan out somewhere to get game time.

 

[lets all have a disco]

Sell Traore... and buy Botman and Doucoure (lens).

Doucoure will be at the afcon with Mali..

 

[Tring Wolf]

Buy Sanches. Move Dendoncker back.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

Buy Sanches. Move Dendoncker back.

Good shout. 3/4 games not exactly that much! So if it was 6-10 games I’d be concerned but it’s not. We have plenty of cover. Let’s improve our midfield and creative options.

 

[YouGottaRaulWithIt]

Doucoure will be at the afcon with Mali..

Dooooooh. I know, I want whatever Bruno wants.

 

[Deleted member LP 3925]

Would like to see a new rapid CB signed regardless.....

A Pagey Centre Back? I like your thinking

 

[Boss Hogg]

We will need to do something in the summer anyway as Saiss and Marcal both out of contract and Boly would just have a year left I believe - so why not try and get our new man in January and give him time to bed in

 

[maws]

Personally I think we are ok. Marcal will be fine as a lcb, or put Hoever in at rcb and move max over. Really don’t like buying players in January as their prices seem much higher.

 

[Chris H]

Isnt Jonny a bit short to play centre back?

Apparently only an inch shorter than Azpilicueta who has played in a back 3 for Chelsea plenty of times.

I wouldn’t mind seeing Marcal LCB with Ait Nouri outside of him. Play that hybrid back 3/back 4 we tried in preseason.

Jonny is supposed to be back by then anyway so one of Hoever or Marcal could be viewed as a CB option as we don’t really need 5 players solely as full backs in the squad.

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

Marcal was apparently much better at CB than LWB for Lyon. He'd be fine there imo. No worse than Saiss on the ball and physically strong.

 

[lobodelsur]

We need him in midfield imo OW, especially if Ruben or Moûts get an injury

If we were to buy a CM we would have cover /competition for Ruben & Moutinho and Donk becomes another option at the back.

 

[JonahWolf]

Hmmm. Bit difficult. Were it not for Afcon and Mosquera’s injury, would we really be bothered that much about shopping for a CB with how Kilman has been this season?

Will probably see Marcal come in for Saiss (if by some miracle he’s fit), no point shifting Kilman’s sides when he’s doing what he’s doing. Then Dendoncker is the only sub/cover.
Jonny might be just about ready to step on a pitch by the time they’re away, but he’ll be miles off.

Do we really need another CB when they’re all back home and fit? Wouldn’t mind one tbh, but you’re looking at a proper star to be better than all of our current defenders to make it properly worthwhile. Saiss isn’t as easy to replace as we might think (as excellently demonstrated in one of Gully’s vids, with evidence).
As per @lobodelsur above, much rather buy a midfielder and have Donk covering the defence, then another in the summer.
That would then be 5 decent CBs, and one top prospect.

 

[Deleted member 8455jwf]

Hmmm. Bit difficult. Were it not for Afcon and Mosquera’s injury, would we really be bothered that much about shopping for a CB with how Kilman has been this season?

Will probably see Marcal come in for Saiss (if by some miracle he’s fit), no point shifting Kilman’s sides when he’s doing what he’s doing. Then Dendoncker is the only sub/cover.
Jonny might be just about ready to step on a pitch by the time they’re away, but he’ll be miles off.

Do we really need another CB when they’re all back home and fit? Wouldn’t mind one tbh, but you’re looking at a proper star to be better than all of our current defenders to make it properly worthwhile. Saiss isn’t as easy to replace as we might think (as excellently demonstrated in one of Gully’s vids, with evidence).

Jonny is back next month, already in training atm

 

[Brockmoorwolf]

Really dont think that we should recall him and **** about with the potential development of Sanderson who seems to be having a good loan period at Brum --plus wouldnt do the clubs credibility by playing Okey Cokey with a young players career.

Wasnt sanderson recalled to train with the squad the last international break. I'm sure bruno had a real good look at his development then.
If he is recalled in jan it wont be to warm the bench.
If he isn't his development continues at brum.