STFC Transfer Rumours

[Peter Venkman]

TBF Matt Smith is not good in a defensive midfield position, he only looks good when given freedom, Conroy looks better than him when played there letting Matt go where he wants. He is often roaming well out of position when asked to play the DMC role.

Grant still looks good at times but injuries and fitness and speed of the game has hampered him so far, but Sheridan doesn't seem to fancy him there anyway.

Also if we are going 3 centre backs there isn't so much of a need for a DMC as usually the centre of the 3 will push on a little more filling in, something we know Conroy can do.

[Flashheart]

Would anyone likely to better than the 2 departing? Doubtful.

What JJ said. M smith is not a DM, and Grant just has not been all that great this season

[Shrivvy Road]

Clubs will start to lose patience with us soon if we just keep playing their youngsters in wrong positions then fucking them off when they do not perform

[Boeta]

Personally, think our best midfield would be Grant, Smith and Lyden.

Grant got overrun when playing alongside Smith but adding Lyden in there (rather than playing a no. 10) would add great balance. That is if we are looking to dictate play (which surely we've got the players to now) rather than lump it long as has become increasingly common.

Matt Smith has had a quiet Dec-Jan but singlehandedly kept us going through October and November. Not seen many better than him during that spell - shades of Luongo. I'd hope that with a bit more rest recently he'd be ready to recapture that form.

[Peter Venkman]

Clubs will start to lose patience with us soon if we just keep playing their youngsters in wrong positions then fucking them off when they do not perform

I was speaking to another TEF'er yesterday about this exact same problem, I doubt Arsenal, Sheff Utd, Shitty, Leeds and Man Utd will be so eager to send us developing players from now on.

Word gets around quickly about clubs being more difficult to deal with and not playing players in correct positions etc etc.

[horlock07]

I was speaking to another TEF'er yesterday about this exact same problem, I doubt Arsenal, Sheff Utd, Shitty, Leeds and Man Utd will be so eager to send us developing players from now on.

Word gets around quickly about clubs being more difficult to deal with and not playing players in correct positions etc etc.

After we appear to have essentially destroyed Kovar I think the Man Utd ship will have sailed already, albeit not sure how much of that was Wellens doing a favour for his old club anyway?

[Formerly Drummer Boy]

It makes me wonder if Matt Smith and A Grant did leave, it was strongly mentioned when signing that Materson could play in a Defensive Midfield role too, so that might be part of the plan considering the number of centre backs we have in the squad...?

[Peter Venkman]

After we appear to have essentially destroyed Kovar I think the Man Utd ship will have sailed already, albeit not sure how much of that was Wellens doing a favour for his old club anyway?

I think Wellens had more than a large influence on him being sent to us.

[Berniman]

Personally, think our best midfield would be Grant, Smith and Lyden.

Grant got overrun when playing alongside Smith but adding Lyden in there (rather than playing a no. 10) would add great balance. That is if we are looking to dictate play (which surely we've got the players to now) rather than lump it long as has become increasingly common.

Matt Smith has had a quiet Dec-Jan but singlehandedly kept us going through October and November. Not seen many better than him during that spell - shades of Luongo. I'd hope that with a bit more rest recently he'd be ready to recapture that form.

I agree with this completely.  I think we have been way too quick to write Grant off (he was playing with little support and being expected to do the work of two players, while carrying knocks) and IMO Matt Smith has comfortably been our best player all season, albeit in need of a rest in the past few weeks.  A rotation of 3 CM of Grant, Lyden, Smith, Palmer, Twine, Payne would make sense to me, preffered being Grant, Lyden, Smith closely followed by Palmer/Twine/Payne and rotated more than the first half of the season and changed depending on opposition/venue.

It seems that I am in a minority though..

[RedRag]

I was speaking to another TEF'er yesterday about this exact same problem, I doubt Arsenal, Sheff Utd, Shitty, Leeds and Man Utd will be so eager to send us developing players from now on.

Word gets around quickly about clubs being more difficult to deal with and not playing players in correct positions etc etc.

You may have a point.  Putting a playmaking prodigy like Kovar in goal must have had Man Utd fuming.  

[REDBUCK]

Can't see Arsenal complaining either unless it's because we've worn the lad out.

[Shrivvy Road]

Can't see Arsenal complaining either unless it's because we've worn the lad out.

I was meaning more if we send him back

[welshred]

We'd be mental to send Matt Smith back. He's far better suited in a pressing team like we had under Wellens, but he can still offer a hell of a lot. Easily our most consistent performer for the first few months.

[Riddick]

We'd be mental to send Matt Smith back. He's far better suited in a pressing team like we had under Wellens, but he can still offer a hell of a lot. Easily our most consistent performer for the first few months.

This.

Comfortably our best midfield player bar none. Do we really think Lyden will make it through the season with his injury record? And we all know Grant is not the player he was last season.

Personally i think M Smith should be in the team ahead of Twine. Heresy to say with the love-in for Twine from a lot of people i know.

[RobertT]

If we were to go 3-5-2 then Grant, Lyden and Smith would be the starting three in the middle away, every time they are all fit.  At home you could maybe give one of Grant or Lyden a rest and pop in Twine or Payne to play behind the front two.  Upfront you probably have the new guy and Pitman, one to be busy, the other to knock them in.  Again, you could drop out Pitman away and have Twine playing behind a front man if you want to add further bodies in defensive set-up's.