Our Wembley back 4

[Riversider]

Only one of them available for our first game of the season !
Puts in to perspective the enormity of the task ahead of us,
The players return in just two weeks time , these next two working weeks are going to be manic I guess in the way of incoming,
It takes time to integrate and mould a defensive unit and I'm guessing that Slavisa will want as much time as possible with his new players.
COYSW

[St Eve]

Ream and Odoi

[res]

Ream and Odoi

Odoi is suspended for one game

[hovewhite]

Ream and Odoi

odoi won't he be suspended after his sending off at Wembley?

[St Eve]

Forgot about that

[filham]

No doubt at all that we need that big strong ugly centre back more than ever now. Surely Jocanovic realises that.

[Deeping_white]

Well it's actually two is it not seeing as Christie is still here and was on the pitch at full time

[MJG]

No doubt at all that we need that big strong ugly centre back more than ever now. Surely Jocanovic realises that.

of course there is doubt in that requirement.

[Riversider]

Well it's actually two is it not seeing as Christie is still here and was on the pitch at full time

He didn't start though did he .

[filham]

No doubt at all that we need that big strong ugly centre back more than ever now. Surely Jocanovic realises that.

of course there is doubt in that requirement.

Well name three centre backs on our books capable of holding the world class strikers they will be facing in the Premier league.

[MJG]

No doubt at all that we need that big strong ugly centre back more than ever now. Surely Jocanovic realises that.

of course there is doubt in that requirement.

Well name three centre backs on our books capable of holding the world class strikers they will be facing in the Premier league.

I was questioning the requirement for "big strong ugly' not the need for CB's.

[Marcel_Gecov]

No doubt at all that we need that big strong ugly centre back more than ever now. Surely Jocanovic realises that.

of course there is doubt in that requirement.

Well name three centre backs on our books capable of holding the world class strikers they will be facing in the Premier league.

I was questioning the requirement for "big strong ugly' not the need for CB's.

+1
The fact that our player of the season was a relatively short weak midfielder whom we happen to play at centre back, alongside an equally short weak left back whom we also played as a centre back, demonstrates quite clearly the importance of intelligence, composure, ball control and passing ability over height and brute strength, even in that position.

This player needs to be in the mould of a Arsenal/ Man City/ Barca or similar ex-youth player with experience in that setup as opposed to a Player from your more traditional English academy. If we could find a young Eric Dier (such as when Spurs found him) that would almost be perfect

[filham]

No doubt at all that we need that big strong ugly centre back more than ever now. Surely Jocanovic realises that.

of course there is doubt in that requirement.

Well name three centre backs on our books capable of holding the world class strikers they will be facing in the Premier league.

I was questioning the requirement for "big strong ugly' not the need for CB's.

+1
The fact that our player of the season was a relatively short weak midfielder whom we happen to play at centre back, alongside an equally short weak left back whom we also played as a centre back, demonstrates quite clearly the importance of intelligence, composure, ball control and passing ability over height and brute strength, even in that position.

This player needs to be in the mould of a Arsenal/ Man City/ Barca or similar ex-youth player with experience in that setup as opposed to a Player from your more traditional English academy. If we could find a young Eric Dier (such as when Spurs found him) that would almost be perfect
[/quote

The first priority has to be a centre back capable of holding some very strong strikers we are going to face this season, if in addition he is a ball player,  and a schemer so much the better, I for one would welcome a modern Brown and Gale at the centre of our defence or a Hangeland and Hughes.

[Southcoastffc]

"Only one of them available for our first game of the season!"
I don't get why this is a big deal.  Sure, we need to strengthen the squad and Freddo needs replacement but if our first game saw a back line of Christie, Ream, Kalas and Sess it would hardly be a crisis. (And yes I prefer Sess to play further forward, but I see no reason to be sensationalist)

[Twig]

"Only one of them available for our first game of the season!"
I don't get why this is a big deal.  Sure, we need to strengthen the squad and Freddo needs replacement but if our first game saw a back line of Christie, Ream, Kalas and Sess it would hardly be a crisis. (And yes I prefer Sess to play further forward, but I see no reason to be sensationalist)

To the best of my knowledge Kalas is not a Fulham player? Sess in the back four didn't work last season, why would it work in the prem? That leaves Ream (fine) and Christie (not really proven in the Fulham side or at Prem level). That seems very thin to me.

[Southcoastffc]

No, Kalas isn't ours, but there is a reasonable chance he will be and Sess played in that position for a good number of games. I'm not at all suggesting that Christie, Kalas, Ream, Sess is ideal but it's not cause for alarm either.

[Riversider]

"Only one of them available for our first game of the season!"
I don't get why this is a big deal.  Sure, we need to strengthen the squad and Freddo needs replacement but if our first game saw a back line of Christie, Ream, Kalas and Sess it would hardly be a crisis. (And yes I prefer Sess to play further forward, but I see no reason to be sensationalist)

Good grief  😕

[St Eve]

Well based upon the transfer rumours we have put offers in on about 50 players, not including Savage and Koumas, so we should be OK

[filham]

"Only one of them available for our first game of the season!"
I don't get why this is a big deal.  Sure, we need to strengthen the squad and Freddo needs replacement but if our first game saw a back line of Christie, Ream, Kalas and Sess it would hardly be a crisis. (And yes I prefer Sess to play further forward, but I see no reason to be sensationalist)

Good grief  😕

If Sess is in the back four for the 1st game then he is probably there until January, we can't have that.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Do not misunderstand me, I am not getting impatient, just stating the facts.
We are very thin on the ground for defenders, and last season we weren't actualy bursting at the seams for quality defenders anyway. One of them was on loan and another was playing out of position, square pegs in round holes will not hack it in the Premier League.
If that is not concerning enough, then if Sess ends up starting at left back, then the Recruitment Team have failed in more ways than one.
It's not long before July is upon us, and suddenly the starting post is in sight.
Now on one hand we could all wake up one morning in a few weeks time, and find we have signed half a dozen players over night.
On the other hand, what quality will they be, some other clubs throw outs, somebody else's dead wood maybe.
This is of course If Jok signs a new contract.
Of course there is reasonable time at the moment.
But let us remind ourselves, that we already had a thin squad, before Fred jumped ship, and the loans returned.
We already have Odoi suspended for the first match, and who knows what injuries will be incurred preseason.
So l cannot wait to check all the new recruits, could be anything up to ten, as it currently stands.
Let's hope the stats merchants don't get all their own way for Fulhams sake, and Jok with new contract tucked under his arm is permitted to have the players he requires.
Otherwise we could end up with a few more passengers, and it's hard enough to negotiate for the players that have been identified as genuine targets to strengthen us.
The club cannot afford to recruit any more preseason dissapointing signings, after the last few seasons.
They need to ensure their judgement is a lot better this preseason.