CB Situation

[Dusic]

Potentially when the window shuts we could have 6 first team CBs:

 

VVD - if he stays and somehow reintegrates (I'm not so sure...) then you have to assume he plays every game and is frst choice.

 

Hoedt - if he signs would imagine he competes for the second starting spot with Stephens and Yoshida. Adds height but Lazio fans on social media seem to think he is a little slow for the PL and ultimately that fee for a 3rd choice CB was good business.

 

Stephens - Lots of potential, needs games and has earned a chance. Would benefit from playing alongside a more dominant player in the air than Yoshida. IMO will start most weeks this season.

 

Yoshida - reliable 3rd choice for many seasons and IMO that is what he should still be for us. Less than a year left on contract so will be interesting to see what happens.

 

Gardos - got to be looking to shift, even if on loan as contract ends at end of season. Unlikely to make 25 man squad if VVD stays.

 

Bednarek - not commenting on abilities as havent seen enough but seems an odd signing, especially if VVD stays and Hoedt joins. Will likely be 5th choice if the above happens. U23 regular or loaned out to the Championship maybe? Certainly hard to see him get games even in cups if we keep the main four.

 

Then there is Alfie Jones who the club seems to rate and yet would be 7th choice as it stands.

 

Hope VVD stays but if he does and we sig Hoedt then surely Gardos goes and Bednarek is loaned out? Even then one player who is used to starting would suddenly be a 4th choice which is hard to imagine...

[Hatch]

Can any of them play right back?

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Potentially when the window shuts we could have 6 first team CBs:

 

VVD - if he stays and somehow reintegrates (I'm not so sure...) then you have to assume he plays every game and is frst choice.

 

Hoedt - if he signs would imagine he competes for the second starting spot with Stephens and Yoshida. Adds height but Lazio fans on social media seem to think he is a little slow for the PL and ultimately that fee for a 3rd choice CB was good business.

 

Stephens - Lots of potential, needs games and has earned a chance. Would benefit from playing alongside a more dominant player in the air than Yoshida. IMO will start most weeks this season.

 

Yoshida - reliable 3rd choice for many seasons and IMO that is what he should still be for us. Less than a year left on contract so will be interesting to see what happens.

 

Gardos - got to be looking to shift, even if on loan as contract ends at end of season. Unlikely to make 25 man squad if VVD stays.

 

Bednarek - not commenting on abilities as havent seen enough but seems an odd signing, especially if VVD stays and Hoedt joins. Will likely be 5th choice if the above happens. U23 regular or loaned out to the Championship maybe? Certainly hard to see him get games even in cups if we keep the main four.

 

Then there is Alfie Jones who the club seems to rate and yet would be 7th choice as it stands.

 

Hope VVD stays but if he does and we sig Hoedt then surely Gardos goes and Bednarek is loaned out? Even then one player who is used to starting would suddenly be a 4th choice which is hard to imagine...

 

VVD is staying, have you not grasped that yet

[SKD]

VVD is staying, have you not grasped that yet

 

I hope he stays, for your sake more than anything.

 

Both you and the board will look a tad silly if he goes

[Chez]

If Hoedt signs then the Bednarek signing does seem a little strange to me. No harm in overloading in this position, or any come to that, so long as there is quality as well as quantity.

[sammysaint]

Stephens played well as did Yoshi at times but both missed picking up Abrahams early on, neither can mark very well and we need a better choice CB partnership if we want to finish 7th or 8th and have a good cup run.

 

I think Stephens would be a great DM to be honest.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

I hope he stays, for your sake more than anything.

 

Both you and the board will look a tad silly if he goes

 

Thanks... but not as silly as you look regarding Bertrand

[supersonic]

Get rid of Gardos, he's ****.

 

Need to keep VVD, JS, MY and WH. Possibly loan out JB until January depending on how quickly VVD can put his toys back in his pram.

[Toon Saint]

I just see Hoedt as good succession planning for when VvD does leave next summer, a bit like when we signed Romeu when we knew Wanyama was on his way out.

 

Bednarek will likely feature in the u23's this season - I don't think that much would be expected of them this year by the way the likes of Les and Ralph have spoke about him as a young player with potential.

 

Gardos is clearly well down the pecking order and will likely be moved on if we can find a taker.

 

I think we'll probably offer Maya an extension, which means next summer we'll have Hoedt/Stephens/Maya/Bednarek as senior CB's which is decent depth and means we can absorb the loss of VvD pretty seamlessly.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Le Timmier]

Gardos - got to be looking to shift, even if on loan as contract ends at end of season. Unlikely to make 25 man squad if VVD stays.

 

Can't really see under what circumstances he'd leave. Who would want to sign him? - he's barely played in three years. He'd have to agree personal terms too - and I can't see anyone meeting the wage we're likely to be paying him.

 

A championship club might take a punt and take him on loan, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

[SaintTex]

VVD is staying, have you not grasped that yet

Considering the severed relationship between club and player at this point, It would be stupid to decline a £70mil offer from Chelsea, City or Barcelona.

 

I am pretty confident they wont sell to Liverpool under any circumstance.

[Pamplemousse]

I hope he stays, for your sake more than anything.

 

Both you and the board will look a tad silly if he goes

 

You know all about making yourself look silly

[SKD]

Thanks... but not as silly as you look regarding Bertrand

 

Nope that was a fact, at the time of the post, Bertrand wanted out as did Long, Cedric, Virgil and Jay.

 

Had Puel stayed, all 4 would have been more vocal in their desire to leave, as it happens the manger went and we appear to have put our foot down and prevented anyone, who we don't want to leave, leaving. Which you have to credit the board for.

[Appy]

Get rid of Gardos, maybe Yoshida won't be signing a new deal?

[saintadam]

Can people forget about Gardos. He's only here to pick up his pay-check for the remainder of his contract. I don't think the club counts on him on any level.

[SaintJackoInHurworth]

So if we don't shift Gardos but don't view him among the top four or five CBs does that mean he won't take up a place in the 25 but will still draw a wage and play occasionally for the reserves? Surely loaning him out to League 1 or Championship would be a better plan even if we have to contribute towards his wages!?!

[Danbert]

If Hoedt signs then the Bednarek signing does seem a little strange to me. No harm in overloading in this position, or any come to that, so long as there is quality as well as quantity.

 

He'll take Yoshi's place when we let him go, and spend this year in the U23s, I reckon.

[Dusic]

Interesting comments from Pellegrino when asked about the need for another CB signing.

 

Effectively said he has made some decisions and its an area he thinks we need better options and can't wait because of competition.

 

Sounded to me like either, or a combination of, not being overly impressed with the CBs we have and not being overly patient in waiting for VVD to suddenly decide to play.

 

http://sfcne.ws/Press2170817

[Saint86]

The ****ing petty arguments on this site are embarrassing...

[Lets B Avenue]

The ****ing petty arguments on this site are embarrassing...

 

No they're not.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Nope that was a fact, at the time of the post, Bertrand wanted out as did Long, Cedric, Virgil and Jay.

 

Had Puel stayed, all 4 would have been more vocal in their desire to leave, as it happens the manger went and we appear to have put our foot down and prevented anyone, who we don't want to leave, leaving. Which you have to credit the board for.

 

Backtracking, you said he was definitely off...... Silly chap

[alpine_saint]

Meanwhile we are sorely lacking quality at AM since Tadic cant hit a barndoor and Boufal and Redmond are selfish and take the ball too far and lose it.

[Dusic]

Change needed here. Yoshida and Stephens both tidy players but neither dominant enough and we are always going to be vunerable to balls into the box with that pairing.

[SFC-TID!]

Nope that was a fact, at the time of the post, Bertrand wanted out as did Long, Cedric, Virgil and Jay.

 

Had Puel stayed, all 4 would have been more vocal in their desire to leave, as it happens the manger went and we appear to have put our foot down and prevented anyone, who we don't want to leave, leaving. Which you have to credit the board for.

 

Correct but add Tadic to that. Thank the manager and Reed for them all staying.

[Saint_clark]

If Hoedt signs then the Bednarek signing does seem a little strange to me. No harm in overloading in this position, or any come to that, so long as there is quality as well as quantity.

 

It makes me wonder if we're planning on going 3 at the back again, which could see us play 2 up top (we've been calling for Austin and Gabbi).

[Saint Martini]

So now we have VVD, Hoedt, Yoshida and Stephens with Bednarek as a back-up (on for the future). Surely Gardos must be on the way out? Can't see him making the 25 man squad as it is right now. How long a contract does he have? One more season?

[Portugalsaint]

End June 2018. He would be wise to go now. Only valued at 2m.

[Le Timmier]

End June 2018. He would be wise to go now. Only valued at 2m.

 

What club would pay £2m for him, do you think?

[S-Clarke]

What club would pay £2m for him, do you think?

 

West Ham would pay £20m for him. We should try it.

[Mike8272]

First choice would like be VVD and Hoedt or Stephens, but Hoedt and Stephens would be my second choice if VVD leaves.

 

Out of interest, does anyone think we'll eventually start to play around with the possibility of going 3-4-3 like other teams have done this season?

 

Forster

Stephens - VVD - Hoedt

Cedric - Romeu - Lemina - Bertrand

Redmond - Gabbiadini - Tadic

[Alain Perrin]

No they're not.

 

You would say that. Bed wetter.

[Redslo]

First choice would like be VVD and Hoedt or Stephens, but Hoedt and Stephens would be my second choice if VVD leaves.

 

Out of interest, does anyone think we'll eventually start to play around with the possibility of going 3-4-3 like other teams have done this season?

 

Forster

Stephens - VVD - Hoedt

Cedric - Romeu - Lemina - Bertrand

Redmond - Gabbiadini - Tadic

 

Or possibly

 

Forster

Stephens-VVD-Hoedt

Cedric-JWP-Romeu-Lemina Betrand

Gabbiadini-Austin

[benjii]

Why do people keep wanting to pick Stephens over Yoshida? Yoshida is better.

[Avenue_Saint]

Why do people keep wanting to pick Stephens over Yoshida? Yoshida is better.

 

This

[tajjuk]

Gardos seems nowhere near any team, hasn't played in either U23 game yet and did he play any of the friendlies? I suspect he might our Winston Bogarde and we'll only get rid of him when his contract expires.

 

Basically we have 4 first team defenders really, Hoedt, Yoshida, Stephens and Bednerak.

 

VVD is in the wilderness at the moment, once the window shuts he still has to be re-integrated into the team and get match fit so that could take a while. Then in reality he's only here for another year.

[Dusic]

Gardos situation is bizarre. He will obviously be released at the end of the season and it will be interesting to see if he signs for anyone or just gives it up - he looked awful in the pre season games and hasnt really played for the entire four years of his contract.

 

Bednarek also wasting his time at the moment. Playing U23 games won't help his development. If we don't find him a loan move in January then we will have not done right by him.

 

To have 6 'senior' CBs on the books and only 3 strikers and 3 attacking midfielders is quite odd.

[Black Sea Saint]

 

To have 6 'senior' CBs on the books and only 3 strikers and 3 attacking midfielders is quite odd.

 

The stuff of dreams for Liverpool, thought.

[Saint Garrett]

Yeah - was weird this summer, guess we were covering all bases half expecting a last min big bid from someone for VVD. Bednarek I never understood. Stephens seemed to fill that "4th choice" upcoming centre back role, unless maybe we half expected Yoshida to go.

 

Guessing we were trying to get rid of Gardos but people wont pay his wages. Isn't he nearly 30 now!?

[SuperSAINT]

Yeah - was weird this summer, guess we were covering all bases half expecting a last min big bid from someone for VVD. Bednarek I never understood. Stephens seemed to fill that "4th choice" upcoming centre back role, unless maybe we half expected Yoshida to go.

 

Guessing we were trying to get rid of Gardos but people wont pay his wages. Isn't he nearly 30 now!?

 

Indeed he is.

 

We really aren't very good at selling players we don't want.

[SaintMB]

Wow, didn't realise he was already at his 'peak'. I assumed he was 24 or something.

Looking at the stats, it's not been a great move for him (well, maybe financially).

 

One cup app in the last two and a third seasons - the tonking by Arsenal before we went to Swansea and capitulated.. (remember that, all you 'Puel was great' revisionists?)