The upcoming season

[fulhamben]

BTW where do you stand on K Mac? Good enough or likely to be caught out at prem level?

Funnily enough this thread about old players got me thinking about KMac, and IMO he's at least as good as Etuhu and we didn't too badly with Etuhu in the 2010 team, did we.

Nonetheless he's probably gone from being our 3rd/4th best player to one of the most limited players in the first XI, and he's surely too old to improve much. I both hope and expect we'll bring in someone to at least compete with him, given we've been linked with lots of DMs recently.

What about you? 

I think that for the prem SJ will revert to a back four with two CBs (not three as Fulham Ben suggests).  Assuming that to be the case then we absolutely do require someone in the mould of K Mac.  I think that, initially at least, SJ will go with K Mac because of his familiarity with what is left of our team. The squad has (necessarily) been very disrupted so a bit of continuity is essential.  in addition K Mac is vocal and influential on the pitch.

However he is approaching 30 so I am sure we will be thinking about bringing in his successor, possibly with K Mac staying on as cover?  I could see this being a January signing rather than in the remaining few days f this window.

I've never once suggested a back 3. I can't stand defencive tactics

Sorry Ben, in your post above you said that "three good CM's would be just as effective" and reading it again I realise I got the wrong end of the stick.

BTW where do you stand on K Mac? Good enough or likely to be caught out at prem level?

Funnily enough this thread about old players got me thinking about KMac, and IMO he's at least as good as Etuhu and we didn't too badly with Etuhu in the 2010 team, did we.

Nonetheless he's probably gone from being our 3rd/4th best player to one of the most limited players in the first XI, and he's surely too old to improve much. I both hope and expect we'll bring in someone to at least compete with him, given we've been linked with lots of DMs recently.

What about you? 

I think that for the prem SJ will revert to a back four with two CBs (not three as Fulham Ben suggests).  Assuming that to be the case then we absolutely do require someone in the mould of K Mac.  I think that, initially at least, SJ will go with K Mac because of his familiarity with what is left of our team. The squad has (necessarily) been very disrupted so a bit of continuity is essential.  in addition K Mac is vocal and influential on the pitch.

However he is approaching 30 so I am sure we will be thinking about bringing in his successor, possibly with K Mac staying on as cover?  I could see this being a January signing rather than in the remaining few days f this window.

I've never once suggested a back 3. I can't stand defencive tactics

Sorry Ben, in your post above you said that "three good CM's would be just as effective" and reading it again I realise I got the wrong end of the stick.

yes I was thinking more of midfield 3 of seri Johansen and Cairney as opposed to playing a recognised dm

[Mitch]

I admire your optimism. I'm looking forward to it, but it's nowhere near the best or most prepared squad we've ever had. Half of them have never played more than a few games if any at all in the league. We should temper our expectations just a little.