January 2022 Transfer Thread

[prawnking]

Well it's not the first penalty Semedo has conceded for us... but it's less about penalties and more about the presumption that the defensive side of the game is their forte and they'd be assets to a back four (just because they have little output going forward as wing backs generally)

Both look like they have a mistake in them and I'm not convinced that them coming under more defensive pressure in a back four is necessarily a good thing

 

[prawnking]

Do you think they're better suited going forward then?

No, see my post above haha

Tbh I think neither of them are much cop, I can live with that with Marcal as he's a cheap, experienced stop gap, unfortunately I think Semedo is a bit of a duffer, and neither fish nor fowl

 

[Tony Towner]

Semedo definitely looked better in a 4 last year. He'll never be worth £30m, it was bad business, but sunk cost, so we are where we are. If we went 4 at the back then right back would be pretty low down on where we need to upgrade behind at least 1 CH, 1 CM and a forward as a minimum for the first 11

 

[AndyWolves]

I'd argue that a fullbacks defensive role is easier / less complicated / simpler in a back 4 than it is in a wingback system.

 

[AndyWolves]

Would a back four of Marcal, Saiss, Kilman and Semedo with a DM or 2 sat in front be that horrendous?

 

[WolfMan]

Would a back four of Marcal, Saiss, Kilman and Semedo with a DM or 2 sat in front be that horrendous?

I suppose it depends how you'd want to play, I can imagine someone like Dyche making that work but there's no way your playing pretty high pressing football with them as a CB pairing. Their lack of pace would necessitate having the team playing too deep for that.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Well it's not the first penalty Semedo has conceded for us... but it's less about penalties and more about the presumption that the defensive side of the game is their forte and they'd be assets to a back four (just because they have little output going forward as wing backs generally)

Both look like they have a mistake in them and I'm not convinced that them coming under more defensive pressure in a back four is necessarily a good thing

All defenders have a mistake in them. Generally Marcal and Semedo have been ok defensively and losing their attacking play is a small loss if it is replaced by a central midfielder who can create more and better opportunities.

 

[prawnking]

All defenders have a mistake in them. Generally Marcal and Semedo have been ok defensively and losing their attacking play is a small loss if it is replaced by a central midfielder who can create more and better opportunities.

If your mistakes lead directly to goals when you're exposed then it's a concern, same as the concern about Coady has been voiced.

Andy says playing FB is easier, I'd say it leaves you open to exposure with greater frequency than if you have three CH's behind you most of the time.

I think a lot of the presumption they'll be good full backs is because they're mediocre to poor wing backs

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Jonny-Kilman-Boly-Semedo could work, maybe. Could is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence though.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Kilman seems to have gained a yard. He was breezing past Toney (admittedly not the quickest) before his mistake. Also can’t remember anyone breezing past him all season either.

 

[Tredman]

I just don't see Kilman and Boly working, both have too many brain farts for it. Kilman in a 2 is a massive worry with his pace. Perhaps 'The Saviour Botman' and Boly/Mosquera?

 

[MARKakaJIM]

I just don't see Kilman and Boly working, both have too many brain farts for it. Kilman in a 2 is a massive worry with his pace. Perhaps 'The Saviour Botman' and Boly/Mosquera?

I'd be more worried by Boly's tendency to get drawn towards the ball without Coady sweeping up behind him, leave those kind of gaps behind a flat four and you'll be in trouble.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Kilman seems to have gained a yard. He was breezing past Toney (admittedly not the quickest) before his mistake. Also can’t remember anyone breezing past him all season either.

Think he's lost a bit of timber - he doesn't look like a pear any more.

We'd still need a proper #10 (I don't think Podence is one, and I don't think MGW is good enough) and/or a Tielemans-style CM to make it work regardless. How much does that cost? More than I expect Fosun would want to pay, I suspect.

 

[AndyWolves]

I just don't see Kilman and Boly working, both have too many brain farts for it. Kilman in a 2 is a massive worry with his pace. Perhaps 'The Saviour Botman' and Boly/Mosquera?

I don't recall too many Kilman brain farts, can you refresh my memory? (I'm not being sarcy, I can only really remember United away and Brentford at home)

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't recall too many Kilman brain farts, can you refresh my memory? (I'm not being sarcy, I can only really remember United away and Brentford at home)

He was awful at home to Arsenal, I can't have too much of a go as playing him as a LB is outright mental in itself but he could easily have cost us more than once.

A ridiculous square ball vs Southampton where they were too shit to make anything of it.

Was appalling away at Burnley last season.

I don't think he's particularly reliable, but I'd rather have him in a four than Saiss or Coady. Realistically I don't think we can play it anyway, so the discussion is moot.

 

[leedswolf]

Re: Coady's ability in the air. According to FBRef he loses more than 1/2 of his aerial duels. Kilman & Saiss win between 60-70%

Obviously context is everything and I don't know where those duels occur.

In the air?

 

[BillyDee]

In the air?

I expect about half of them are at Molineux..?

 

[Johnny75]

Would a back four of Marcal, Saiss, Kilman and Semedo with a DM or 2 sat in front be that horrendous?

That's how Bruno played at Benfica but for some reason hasn't here.

He tried a flat 4-4-2 which was a disaster but he's not tried his Benfica formation which is strange.

He has 2 forwards that could play as a pair and two wide midfielders that play inverted (Pod/ Adama on the left and Trincao on the right) which would work in his system.

Very strange.

 

[WsWolf]

Doesn't have the midfielders or centre halves to do so yet. I'd assume that is the end game and why there was interest in Botman/car and Sanches.

 

[Johnny75]

Doesn't have the midfielders or centre halves to do so yet. I'd assume that is the end game and why there was interest in Botman/car and Sanches.

Centre back probably, but then you'd think he'd at least try it out with Kilman and Coady with Donk and Neves sat in front.

His defensive midfielders at Benfica weren't the most mobile.