Jorge14 wrote:We clearly lack quality throughout the spine of the team. I've never rated Taundry as a central midfielder (I've always thought him a more-than-decent full-back), Richards has spent his career as a full-back but I think he could do a job as the Osborn/Bennett/Dobson kind of midfielder which every team needs at this level if they are to do anything decent and to link defence and attack. The thing we lack is that Osborn, Bennett and Dobson had Samways, Bukran and Keates as an outlet, always there for the pass and always looking to work the ball on for the wingers or for the strikers. I've not seen the games this season, but I'd wager that Richards loses the ball and passes back so often because Taundry doesn't work himself into the positions he should be for the plain reason that he isn't a natural central midfielder. Perhaps Marshall might be a better fit? Taundry and Richards naturally play quite a similar game; it is no surprise then that we have little creativity.
You don't need pace to play in the position I'm talking about, which is why I'm pleased that Hutch is talking about getting some experience into there.
Absolutely. I'd suggest a creative central midfielder, who doesn't just show for the ball but can actually run forward with it, may be a more pressing purchase than a striker. Not sure what Marshall could do in that regard - we haven't seen enough of him, but we haven't seen him trying to be that player, more of a clone of what we have already.
Ah, Andrew Surman, Gary O'Neil... we miss you. :(