KMac and our midfield next season

[TommyFFCGun]

Interested to know what people think our midfield should be next season.

I am assuming we will be without Ryan S and Seri and wonder if the club plan to try and use a rehash of the promotion winning midfield. I think this may well be a mistake.

I had mixed feelings about Cairney signing a new deal. While he will be one of the Championship's best midfielders his deficiencies have been laid bare on the biggest stage and he's not getting any younger.  TC's sale value is only going to reduce from here. I understand why he signed a new deal especially being settled and with the birth of his first child. I do wonder if he thought it was best to be a big fish in a small pond and he was not convinced he was going to get any better offers.

I wonder how we are going to incorporate Matt O'Reilly and Luca De La Tore with TC still here. I'd like to see both given a run.

I hope Anguissa stays as there clearly is player in there.

My reason for mentioning McDonald in the subject heading is because I really believe we missed his leadership and nous on the field last season. I absolutely accept he is not athletic enough to play DM on his own in the Premier League but I would have thought if he played next to a younger DM it would have helped us immensely. For me it is vital he stays and hopefully plays. It is quite clear he is one of the real few leaders we have.

I have mixed emotions about Stef Jo's return. I did love him during our promotion run but wonder if we can do better now. As I mentioned I'd like to see the two younger players I mentioned given a run and don't know how we are going to fit everyone in.

The same conundrum can be used in respect of young Harvey and the extension of the contracts of Kebano and Ayite although it has been suggested to me Harvey is only being played to increase his tribunal value as he is signing professional terms with another club as soon as he is able. Anyone know if this is mischief or true?

I really hope we add some pace whatever we do.

COYW

[FFC1987]

If we can keep Anguissa, I quite fancy a middle 3 of Cairney, Johannson and Anguissa with McDonald in rotation. Be nice to add one more box to box player though.

[RaySmith]

I think TC, StefJo, Kmac and Anguissa can all play a role in the Championship.

I don't think Parker will play Harvey unless he could be effective, but obviously bringing him on gradually.

[Nero]

We missed a leader last year which Kmac was in the promotion season and StefJo knows how to make a tactical foul something else we missed last season.

[Captain Fulhamerica]

If I'm Scotty, I try like hell to keep Anguissa. I really think he could be a force in the Championship, in a poor man's Yaya Toure mold. I would also try to get another athletic, box-to-box type. I like Johansen, but I think an upgrade there alongside Cairney is the biggest need in the center of midfield.

[Riverside]

If we go by the end of season selections

Parker will play with Cairney and Frank as starters

I think the other midfield position could rotate between
1) a DM - logically KMac BUT he was not even on the bench . Does Parker not rate him ? Is this where he wants Harry Arter ?
2) an AM - StefJo and De La Torre are both options

[Andy S]

I cannot be bothered to speculate on what might be or what might not be. Nothing happens the way we think it will anyway. Just chill out and wait until august.

[FFC1987]

I cannot be bothered to speculate on what might be or what might not be. Nothing happens the way we think it will anyway. Just chill out and wait until august.

Yeh, come on guys, don't chat on a forum......

[Sting of the North]

I think it would be a rather boring forum if no one speculated, since actual news are few and far between. I assume that the ones not interested in speculation will do just what you propose (chill out and wait until August).

On topic, I believe we currently have a very good Championship midfield. Kmac, Cairney and Johansen showed for two seasons that they are somewhere between good and excellent for this level, and they are still not old. Anguissa showed towards the end of our season that on his day he is of PL quality (as did Cairney in my opinion).

If De La Torre and/or O'Riley are as talented as we hope, then surely they should start getting game time. And we do still have Seri on the books.

Even without Seri I believe we will have the best midfield (on paper mind you) in the Championship, so should be fine.

[Finnans Right Peg]

We defo missed kmac's leadership last season always thought of him as our real captain .I would keep hom atound even if I woudn't start gim everyweek

[WindyCity]

I really hope we add some pace whatever we do.

Yes to pace!  With Redball likely gone, I think this is a lacking function as team exists right now.  Even if Mitro stays, he is way too slow, (great in the box) and gives FFC no real potential on "transition" play.  Need some wingers with speed.

Priority #1 - Upgrade backline defense.  Priority #2 - Stiker/forward/wingers, with speed/pace.  Priority #3 - Goalkeeper upgrade.

[SuffolkWhite]

I think we may end up with Arter but not sure what part of midfield he plays.

[AnOldBrownie]

Cairney, Stefjo and Dreguissa will be the starting midfield and will be one of the best in the championship.

I wish people would stop worrying about Tom. He's a good footballer now and he'll still be a good footballer in two years.

I don't expect him to stay healthy for an entire season and I expect O'Reilly and De La to get plenty of play.

Sent from my BND-L34 using Tapatalk

[Statto]

Agree with the general sentiment on this thread that McDonald, Johansen and Cairney have a solid track record in the Championship (did anyone else notice Johansen made the play-offs for the third season in a row?) and having added Anguissa to that, we've nothing to worry about in CM.

I haven't yet seen any credible, specific rumours about Seri and perhaps I'm the only one, but I really hope he also stays, albeit unlikely. I actually think he's probably the most inherently talented player in our squad and getting dropped for Chambers, a hugely less talented player, was purely down to the fact that in a relegation battle, a bus is more useful than a Bugatti unfortunately. But Seri would be some player in the Championship IMO.

[We Are Premier League]

I'm not to worried about cm so I would only bring in someone cheap for depth, Josh McEachran is free...Leroy Fer would be a great signing.

A few other freebies that can make up the numbers: will Keane, Gary hooper, Martin olsson,

[Fernhurst]

Ryan Tunnicliffe???

[AnOldBrownie]

Agree with the general sentiment on this thread that McDonald, Johansen and Cairney have a solid track record in the Championship (did anyone else notice Johansen made the play-offs for the third season in a row?) and having added Anguissa to that, we've nothing to worry about in CM.

I haven't yet seen any credible, specific rumours about Seri and perhaps I'm the only one, but I really hope he also stays, albeit unlikely. I actually think he's probably the most inherently talented player in our squad and getting dropped for Chambers, a hugely less talented player, was purely down to the fact that in a relegation battle, a bus is more useful than a Bugatti unfortunately. But Seri would be some player in the Championship IMO.

I won't question why you think he is what I bolded, but I will say that I wouldn't want him starting over the 3 other players I mentioned as starters...and I'd almost bet my car that HE wouldn't be ok as a bench player.   That would only hurt his stock in the long run.

Seri might well be a good championship midfielder...but he's 6th on the squad when it comes to midfielders I want to see playing on the pitch.   

[ALG01]

I am very concerned that anguisa remains. He is lazy, inconsistent and too much of a flash harry.
He willbe IMO a mega liability in the championship where you need to be on top of your attitude 100% of the time, and bemoreohysical. He will not fancy it, feign injury from september to march and maybe have one good game in april... bit like this season, one of TKs worst signings ever, snd that takes some doing.

[The Rational Fan]

Agree with the general sentiment on this thread that McDonald, Johansen and Cairney have a solid track record in the Championship (did anyone else notice Johansen made the play-offs for the third season in a row?) and having added Anguissa to that, we've nothing to worry about in CM.

I haven't yet seen any credible, specific rumours about Seri and perhaps I'm the only one, but I really hope he also stays, albeit unlikely. I actually think he's probably the most inherently talented player in our squad and getting dropped for Chambers, a hugely less talented player, was purely down to the fact that in a relegation battle, a bus is more useful than a Bugatti unfortunately. But Seri would be some player in the Championship IMO.

I won't question why you think he is what I bolded, but I will say that I wouldn't want him starting over the 3 other players I mentioned as starters...and I'd almost bet my car that HE wouldn't be ok as a bench player.   That would only hurt his stock in the long run.

Seri might well be a good championship midfielder...but he's 6th on the squad when it comes to midfielders I want to see playing on the pitch.   

Who are the five midfielders better than Seri? Based on current form McDonald, Anguissa, Johasen and Cairney maybe ahead of him, but i think coming off the bench next season it won't be long before he breaks into the team's regular starting XI. Who is the fifth central midfielder better than him, please don't tell me Cisse?

[TommyFFCGun]

Who are the five midfielders better than Seri? Based on current form McDonald, Anguissa, Johasen and Cairney maybe ahead of him, but i think coming off the bench next season it won't be long before he breaks into the team's regular starting XI. Who is the fifth central midfielder better than him, please don't tell me Cisse?
[/quote]

I honestly don't see the infatuation with Seri. I have no doubt he has talent but after a blistering start he faded and I cannot see how someone once strongly linked with Barcelona is going to settle for the a season or more in the Championship. He is more likely to go than Ryan S. As for Cisse I do not know why he has never been given a consistent run. I am not saying he is any sort of answer but it would be worth knowing what we have. A midfield featuring a combination of Anguissa, McDonald, Cairney, Luca DT, O'Reilly, Stefand maybe Cisse all battling for places is good enough for me. It's up top and the defence that concerns me more. As I said I want to see some real pace injected into the team.