livivoice Posted June 7, 2017 Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 Apologies if someone else has posted something like this before. My point is that remembering we have in back up to the first 4 picks the likes of Campbell, Clay, Tunbull, Mac Lean,Thomas [ and for that matter Lasley] I find myself wondering why Robinson has given a high priority towards getting another midfielder? Dont get me wrong I am happy with the players already tied up this close season. Its just that I am a wee bit concerned that Robinson may be leaving himself short when trying to improve IMHO the more needy area of defence. Perhaps Robinson sees his signings as replacing Mc Ghee`s boys like Cadden and Frear who many of us would regard as first picks? Thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted June 7, 2017 Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 I'd suggest that it's probably down to the imbalance in the squad. Yes, we've got plenty of midfielders but half a dozen of them are a similar "type". Robinson stated it himself, we don't have a lot of creativity in the side. If it's an attacking midfielder he's going after then chances are that's what he's looking to address. McHugh, Bigirimana (from what I've heard), Campbell, Clay and Lasley (if he takes up the option) are all traditional central midfielders. Cadden ran himself into the ground last season and his form suffered, equally as smashing a player as he is he doesn't create much. Which leaves you with Frear and possibly Tanner filling Ainsworth's boots as an option off the bench. obviously there are guys like Thomas and MacLean but again both are wide players. Right now as far as I can see we're still lacking a creative influence in the centre of the park. Edit to add: To be honest having read the transcript from his interview yesterday that the papers pretty much ran with he's laid out where things stand clearly. As it is he's got budget to bring in another centre half but he'd like two and a pacy striker. The additional centre half and the striker will depend on them being able to move a couple of squad players on which you'd have thought would always have been the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daver Posted June 7, 2017 Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 Our midfield simply wasn't good enough last season and we were regularly over- run forcing us to play long balls. While the signings look promising, we need a squad to cover for suspensions and injuries or we're left playing people out of position or relying on Lasley to play 90 minutes or Clay to play at all. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted June 7, 2017 Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 Our midfield simply wasn't good enough last season and we were regularly over- run forcing us to play long balls. While the signings look promising, we need a squad to cover for suspensions and injuries or we're left playing people out of position or relying on Lasley to play 90 minutes or Clay to play at all. ^^^^^ Also this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMWellfan Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 I reckon a good few of the midfielders are not in the first team plans for next year. Lasley certainly isn't - Robinson has made it clear that the one year contract extension clause "was agreed before he became manager." I also reckon that a couple of youngsters will be loaned out next season, so if I'm right, with the addition of one more midfielder ( making it ten total by my reckoning ) and with three being out of the first team picture that will leave us with seven first team midfielders, which is about right. So any notion of a glut is on paper only. Re Lasley, I reckon he's hedging his bets. He has done the wise thing by activating the one year extension to guarantee his has a wage coming in next year - he would have been foolish not to have activated that. Now he can spend the summer looking for management opportunities, whether it's within the club or elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderpig Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 Lasley is done, been a great servant to the club over the years but enough already dump him tell him he won't be getting a new deal and spend the cash on somebody who will benefit the team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobey_Dosser Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 A major overhaul of the midfield is long overdue as we haven't been able to control a game through possession, or protect the defence, for a number of years. The arrival of Bigi and a Scougall type alongside McHugh should go a long way to addressing that weakness. We then have good youth prospects in Campbell, Gordon and Turnbull to provide completion for places, albeit Turnbull may well go out on loan. Clay will be out the door if we can find a non-league team that wants him. Lasley's role remains to be seen. With Frear and Cadden key components of Robinsons team last season, my hunch is that Tanner will be in and out the team, similar to Ross McLean possibly. Will be interesting to see if Dom Thomas will be given much of a chance; I wonder how much of a role Robinson had in given him (and indeed Luke Watt) 3 year contracts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smiddy Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 rumour mill says liam grimshaw next week ??? only sayin what i heard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Made Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 See the PNE website has him listed as a defender but on loan at Chesterfield playing as a midfielder (accorfding to his wiki.) He signed a 2 and a half year contrac in Jan 2016 with PNE so would have to wonder if this is a loan or are we paying a fee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 A major overhaul of the midfield is long overdue as we haven't been able to control a game through possession, or protect the defence, for a number of years. The arrival of Bigi and a Scougall type alongside McHugh should go a long way to addressing that weakness. We then have good youth prospects in Campbell, Gordon and Turnbull to provide completion for places, albeit Turnbull may well go out on loan. Clay will be out the door if we can find a non-league team that wants him. Lasley's role remains to be seen. With Frear and Cadden key components of Robinsons team last season, my hunch is that Tanner will be in and out the team, similar to Ross McLean possibly. Will be interesting to see if Dom Thomas will be given much of a chance; I wonder how much of a role Robinson had in given him (and indeed Luke Watt) 3 year contracts. Pretty much agree with that and with other posters along the same lines. Although we seem to have a surfeit of midfield players the balance or mix has been all wrong. In the centre we've lacked pace and creativity. In many games even against inferior opposition we've struggled. It now seems as though Stephen Robinson is getting to grips with that deficiency. I know its academic now but I can't believe just how lazy or inadequate our recruitment process was last year. It seems our almost our whole support has been aware of our midfield problems for years and yet nothing has been done about it until now. Better late than never! Its encouraging that that seems to be changing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 It's been a while since we've seen it at Fir Park but competition for places, the ability to rotate and adjust and having strong options on the bench are generally considered good things in football. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellowell Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 We've lost Pearson ,Lucas, Ainsworth , and Lasley(possibly) from midfield so I have no problem with bringing in an attacking midfielder but sure that will be last in that department unless Clay leaves . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilwell86 Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 It's the same Liam Grimshaw that was on loan at us two seasons ago so you should have an idea based on that where he plays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daver Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 Played well for us but I think don't think anyone would describe him as a creative or attacking midfielder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 Played well for us but I think don't think anyone would describe him as a creative or attacking midfielder. Pretty much. I wouldn't be surprised to see Grimshaw back at some point. We tried to sign him when his loan deal was up after all and he's a pretty versatile player, though I'd imagine his wage would be a bit more than a utility man for us would warrant. Obviously he played most of his games for us in midfield but Craigan had him in at right back for the game against Thistle after Baraclough was emptied and if his Transfermarkt info is accurate (I know) that's where he seems to have played for Preston at the start of last season. Would it be that wild a shout if he was one of the defensive options we were looking at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthefringes Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 He knows nothing about any move... and that's from the horse's mouth little over an hour ago. He's well liked, not so sure he's what we are looking for given those already signed and the outlook projected. He fits the bill as he is on holiday though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texanwellfan Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 rumour mill says liam grimshaw next week ??? only sayin what i heard I recall hearing that rumour towards the end of the season, apprently form a reliable source. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 At the moment we have four centre midfielders under contract. Bigirmana McHugh Clay Campbell And three wide midfielders, wingers Frear Cadden Tanner With Lasley triggering a clause he adds another option in the middle although I suspect only from the bench when we're looking to see games out. Also expect Gordon to offer an option there. Then you have MacLean and Thomas in wide areas. Looking at that, it's not inconceivable that we want another couple of midfielders. Others seem to suspect that Clay will be moved on and Campbell is still pretty young and untested like MacLean. Dom Thomas? Who knows whether the long overdue period on loan will have sharpened him up enough for him to be ready to contribute in the first team. Must confess, a couple of days ago I was thinking "too many midfieldera, unbalanced squad" but starting to see that there may be room for one more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Made Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 It's the same Liam Grimshaw that was on loan at us two seasons ago so you should have an idea based on that where he plays. I am aware of that, with the news that we have another midfielder coming in, we don't need him in that role. Hence why I was wondering if he'd settled into a defence role, but obviously not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadgey Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 He knows nothing about any move... and that's from the horse's mouth little over an hour ago. He's well liked, not so sure he's what we are looking for given those already signed and the outlook projected. He fits the bill as he is on holiday though. Sorry, I'm not getting who you're referring to to. Do you mean Liam Grimshaw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthefringes Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 Considering the debate was discussing him at the time, yes, Liam Grimshaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadgey Posted June 9, 2017 Report Share Posted June 9, 2017 Yeh ok, thanks very much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthefringes Posted June 9, 2017 Report Share Posted June 9, 2017 Yeh ok, thanks very much It's been a hard week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadgey Posted June 9, 2017 Report Share Posted June 9, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMWellfan Posted June 9, 2017 Report Share Posted June 9, 2017 I'm in Thailand with two sons and three nephews The weekend has begun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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