Still Short of 1 Good Signing in Midfield?

[Alan Southstand]

Squad seems to be coming together but we are still short of a real quality midfield player, imho. And I don't mean the likes of Calder. We are short of another central physical presence and someone who has the experience of this league and the one above.

[colincramb]

Paul green? Not saying we should sign him, just playing devils advocate. Not really a 'presence', more box to box but ticks the other requirements experience wise

[The Red Baron]

I tend to agree about the need for another commanding midfielder. Although I think we'll be looking at the loan market. Also for one more striker.

[wilts rover]

Tommy Rowe isn't a quality midfielder for League 2 - really!

[RedJ]

I think he means on top of what we've already got. We've got a few wide players and a couple of defensive midfielders but not much in between.

[craigdrfc]

The boy DF went to see at Falkirk yesterday is a 'left sided' central midfielder. He would cost money though, 6 figures.

[Danmckay456]

The only way I see money being spent is if the 3 players go , very strange that Whitehouse hasn't had any interest in the non league

[steve@dcfd]

Tommy Rowe isn't a quality midfielder for League 2 - really!

Wilts I believe Alan meant on top of what we've got.
I have to agree still need another central midfield player, he may cost money if we are still spending.
We are short in that area for specialist midfield players.

Defensively
Keegan, McCullough could do a job as well.
Centrally
Rowe, quality all round central midfield player.
Copps he lacks defensive qualities and consistency for goals.
Middleton must work hard on his strength and pace to be able to compete at any level.
Wide
McSheffrey, Blair, Copps? Evina?

[Red wizard]

We need a ball winner. You dont win nothing without one in your 11.

[DearneValleyRover]

We seem overly left sided and I agree a ball winning in your face Centre mid is the missing piece

[dickos1]

We need a ball winner. You dont win nothing without one in your 11.

Keegan and McCullough

[thorneydave]

You don't win nothing? Well, that's good then because we want to win something.

[GazLaz]

Keegan should be good enough for the 4th division. People were saying he was our best player a year ago.

[Red wizard]

If we can get him to stay fit. Still feel we need another like him.

[steve@dcfd]

If we can get him to stay fit. Still feel we need another like him.

We need better than Paul he one dimensional when fit. He does not have pace, lacks technical ability, cannot get forward to assist with goal scoring, is not  a creative player. He can defend apart against pace, breaks up play but that's it.

[RedJ]

Not every single player on the pitch needs to be creative, you know?

[RoversAlias]

If we can get him to stay fit. Still feel we need another like him.

We need better than Paul he one dimensional when fit. He does not have pace, lacks technical ability, cannot get forward to assist with goal scoring, is not  a creative player. He can defend apart against pace, breaks up play but that's it.

He doesn't need to be creative nor does he need to have all the midfield tools in his back pocket. In League 2 he can more than do a job if fit.

[Red wizard]

The kind of player you're describing is about to cost Man u 100 mill. Were in L2. We get one attribute or the other. Players with more play at a higher level.

[Copps is Magic]

Luke McCullough will be player of the season next year if he continues the form from last in midfield.

[Draytonian III]

If he still there at the start of the season

[keith79]

Why would he leave?

[The Red Baron]

If he still there at the start of the season

Draytonian

It's not the first time you've posted something along these lines. If you know something please put something in the RM.

[Sammy Chung was King]

We are about four players short for me, striker, midfield, winger, defender, plus maybe keeper back up which would be five.

[DonnyOsmond]

We don't need another defender or a keeper.

[The Red Baron]

I don't think we need any more wingers either. Midfielder and striker- probably long term loans- and we're done.

[Alan Southstand]

Just looking at what we have now, there are gaps that need filling before we even consider what 'shapes' we are going to be making.

E.g. If its a 4 - diamond - Rowe at the point, Evina left side (no back up as yet), Blair right side (Copps as back up), Keegan/McCullough at the base (Keegan already injured, with maybe Middleton as back up).

If its a 5, with 3 central - LHS - Evina, RHS - Blair, Middle 3 of Copps/Rowe/Middleton? That middle 3 does not fill me with confidence for a promotion push. And where is the strength-in-depth?

I'm sure everyone has their own ideas, but to me we look to have (certainly) 1, maybe 2, places available for filling and they need to be have a bit of quality about them. Not Pogba either, Red Wizard - I mean of the same or similar quality to Rowe!

If we are serious about bouncing back, we need to lay the foundations now and not wait until it becomes obvious we are under strength and then panic sets in. We took our eye off the ball last season - please let's not fall into the same trap again.

[Retdon1]

Mccolough will start in midfield in either a 4-4-2 diamond or 3-5-2

[Jonathan]

I agree with the opening post that we're about one significant midfield signing away from having a squad that we should feel very positive about.

If I was reading this as one of the Board members that has already financed some very proactive recruitment this summer, I'd be a little exasperated to see people (SWCK) saying we need to sign another five! Get in the real world. This is not Football Manager.

The turnover has already been (admittedly necessarily) high and the loan market will be there for us to use as required. The key positive difference this time is that it should be a couple of loans to add to the team rather than a load of loans to build one.

[NickDRFC]

I would say that we currently have what I would call a "squad" of 20 players who are probably genuine contenders for the first team.

GK (2) - Etheridge, Marosi
DF (8) - Lund, Evina, Butler, Alcock, Baudry, ATS, Wright, Garratt
MF (6) - Keegan, Coppinger, Middleton, Rowe, Blair, McCullough
FW (4) - Williams, Marquis, McSheffrey, Mandeville

On top of that we have N'Guessan and Stuckmann who are probably likely to leave, plus 1-2 youngsters, although I've more or less forgotten who we offered terms to  (Longbottom?). Looking at that, we are probably a bit light in midfield and up front. The defense looks to have enough numbers and cover all over, but I would say 2 more signings and our squad will be good enough. I'm not even convinced that we need "quality" signings, I think there is more than enough quality in that first eleven. I'd be happy enough if we got a couple of youngsters with potential to be honest.

[DonnyOsmond]

We offered terms to Pugh, Longbottom is still a YT. We need Keshi and a creative midfielder.