eholm

Balance, as you say, is the key. UE has often stated how he wants us to be more assertive and control the game more at home. Hence why we saw a more attacking approach with a higher line. Unfortunately with this comes a more defensive vulnerability with a mid-table ability squad. (Reminded me a bit of the Liverpool game). Couple this with some very poor individual errors and results like this happen. Unai is still trying to find that balance and also backs himself to improve the standards of the players with his coaching. All of this takes time - we knew this from day one and all expected bumps in the road and some bad runs of form. We are the quintessential mid-table team who are not terrible, not great but who are often inconsistent. UE’s task now is to see who he can improve to take onto the next step with him along with the multiple players we will sign in the Summer. This is the classic transition season so let’s try and stay sane and measured as this won’t be the last bad result but it really is a means to an end and that end is UE transforming this squad within the next 6-12 months. Enjoy the ride.

Think we will get a loan as now have a free space with Bednarek leaving. Not sure which position but would guess a striker if no move for Dembele.

Frees up a loan space - possibly for a striker imo.

It was tongue in cheek really….little dig at the ‘YouTube Compilation’ phenomenon However, joking aside I do actually think he would be a good fit and give us something we haven’t really had since CB in regards to profile and apparent strengths. One can hope.

Too true, mate!! Small steps.....

Absolutely. Look, i know its a 'youtube special' but every transfer is a gamble and for what should be a moderate outlay on a 26yr old player there are way more pros than cons, imo.

Well, thats me sold

Oh jeez!!!......another childhood infatuation ruined forever!! haha!

..and definitely wouldn't look like Kelly leBrock unfortunately

It be will be a winger/striker type forward…..don’t see us buying a specialist striker until the Summer.

Hopefully NOT - £3M to us if Wham stay up.

Agree with the current logic but UE has constantly talked about different profiles to what we have. A classic winger (although that’s what I would class Bailey as) would give us more options and with our squad being so imbalanced in regards to width and pace. Reckon UE would feel he could use a winger in the Bailey role but I agree that there would have to be some decent finishing ability present.

Definitely the type of player we need

Only probably see a winger come in now - can’t see a CM as well; prob wait until the Summer for Guendouzi or the like.

I think competition for Bailey is exactly what UE is targeting this month. The striker signing will not happen until the Summer imo. Watkins, Ings, Bailey and New Winger/Wide Forward will get us through to the Summer.

I think we would have done this one by now if UE genuinely wanted him. I reckon he’s off to Bournemouth.

Agree mate. He clearly knows what he wants to do but his body does not facilitate it anymore. Need to quickly move him on and try to free up some wages if we can so as not to encroach too much on FFP with new signings.

Just not up to the physicallity or pace of the league anymore. His legs have gone and we are not good enough to carry any pasengers. That adrenaline-driven, new club bounce spell was clealry the exception. Never looks like beating a man, scoring or opening up a low block defence. Great player back in the day but sadly not what we need now. A very expensive mistake that I am sure we will cut our losses on in the Summer whilst supplementing his salary for the rest of his contract.

Would he be suited to one of the wide 8 roles though?...and if so I'm not sure he is the upgrade we really need.

I really don't see what McKennie would bring - he just seems bang average at most things but good at none......happy to be proven wrong.

He’d have ambitions of getting back into French team so could defo see him looking to move on.

Agree. However, I just can’t see Digne willing to sit in bench for a prolonged period at his stage of his career - and Moreno would prob be more ofa starter as he will be UE’s man. It would be great to have that depth at LB but I could see Digne moving on in summer so we can recoup a decent fee and a younger LB coming in.

I’m not sure tbh. UE likes pace out wide and Digne just does not have enough pace to regularly beat his man. Hence the reason he is looking to bring in Moreno who is much quicker. Digne’s attacking strength is crossing but I think UE wants a pacy full back who can drive forward into opposition box more and cut back for the strikers as opposed to just crossing it in.

Irrespective of his best role…..the way he has developed in 6 months is staggering. To be dominating opponents like he does in the Championship at 19 is really something. He is precisely the type of player that UE will want in his team. Apart from the obvious, for me he is the most promising youngster I have seen in years; will be a better all round player than JJ imo. Has all the ability and quality to become an excellent PL midfielder and nailed on to start that journey in the Summer ready for next season. Can’t wait.

It’s a real dilemma, I imagine, for UE. However, I’m not sure his default defensive tactic is a high line. Definitely didn’t play with one vs Brighton….in fact quite the opposite. I see an experienced coach who has the ability to tweak the system depending on the opponent. Going back to my earlier post, he is still in the early stages of assessing what the players can and can’t do….so he has to utilise the tactical approach he wants for each game and then hope that the players can adapt to it. So, vs Pool he will have seen that we struggled with a high line…..does he now completely abandon that option until he has had the opportunity to remodel the defence? Or does he persist with intense coaching of the tactic confident that he will be able to improve them at least a certain amount? That’s his dilemma. I wouldn’t be surprised if NSWE have given him the rest of this season to improve the current squad as much as he can prior to significant changes in the Summer if required. Not to say it’s a free hit…..more a patient process to clarify and confirm what we need to do to progress in 23/24.