So who had lack of depth in central midfield being one of our biggest issues in their pre-season evaluation?

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Because I certainly didn't

I was much more worried about what would happen at center back, but injuries to Delph and Gbamin, the suspension of Schneiderlin and the sales of Williams and McCarthy, and the loaning of Beni and Besic have highlighted the fact that we're pretty gosh darn thin in the center of midfield right now

Basically we have Gomes, Schneiderlin and Davies right now (And possibly Delph if he is indeed healthy, but how long will it be before he gets injured again?)

That's a tad terrifying actually

I'll hold my hands up and admit I didn't see this coming at all. The discussions around left/right back, wing, defense and striker were in great supply, but this area seemed to slip under the radar

You'd think that Brands will have to forgo his usual aversion to buying in January to get at least one more midfielder in if Gbamin is indeed going to be out for a long time?

 

[roy vernon]

I never saw it coming

 

[Desaparecido]

Football is unpredictable like that but we wouldn't have it any other way

 

[Eggs]

...have we lost two (Gueye and McCarthy) and got two in (Delph and Gbamin)?

McCarthy was rarely available and hardly used. Besic was on loan last season and unavailable. Williams was on loan and not a first teamer. Gomes is now permanent, as opposed to on loan. Davies is still here, Baningime was not used last season.

If Delph and Gbamin were fit and firing, I think we’d have sufficient cover. We might even have more depth than last year.

 

[Charro]

Might as well not count Delph as a player. Wont get 20 games out of him

 

[micknick]

Where did Beni go?

 

[Tubey]

I don't think it's a lack of depth; I just think it's highlighted more as we never had a prayer of replacing Gana.

 

[Neiler]

Not sure we do have a lack of depth to be honest we have four covering central midfield players for two positions, Davies, Delph, Schneidrlin, Gomes.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

...have we lost two (Gueye and McCarthy) and got two in (Delph and Gbamin)?

McCarthy was rarely available and hardly used. Gomes is now permanent, as opposed to on loan. Davies is still here, Baningime was not used last season.

If Delph and Gbamin were fit and firing, I think we’d have sufficient cover. We might even have more depth than last year.

McCarthy was actually available quite a lot towards the end of last season, he just wasn't getting picked

To me, he would have been a natural guy to plug in with Gana gone and the spate of injuries/suspensions that we've had

Of course, his fitness would always have a question mark over it, but couldn't you say the same for Delph?

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Where did Beni go?

He may still be here actually

Wikipedia says he's loaned, but to Wigan, which I think was last season

 

[blue to the bone]

No one can really predict injuries.
If any club picked up 2 or 3 in a specified position they would also struggle.

 

[Deleted member 38674]

...have we lost two (Gueye and McCarthy) and got two in (Delph and Gbamin)?

McCarthy was rarely available and hardly used. Gomes is now permanent, as opposed to on loan. Davies is still here, Baningime was not used last season.

If Delph and Gbamin were fit and firing, I think we’d have sufficient cover. We might even have more depth than last year.

Yeah I don't think too much has changed in terms of numbers really. I think we're particularly short on quality rather than numbers to be honest.

Gbamin is out for 3 months and it may be post-Christmas till we see the best of him. Gomes doesn't appear to be the player we thought him to be.

Delph is a decent player but he's always been injury-prone. Schneiderlin and Davies have never been good enough.

5 players covering 2 positions is more than sufficient, even if you factor in that one is particularly injury prone.

In any case, It's going to mean we'll have to significantly compromise on quality through the middle, while we are also taking a gamble in defence and up front.

Yet more spectacular mismanagement of resources.

 

[Cameron Manning]

...have we lost two (Gueye and McCarthy) and got two in (Delph and Gbamin)?

McCarthy was rarely available and hardly used. Besic was on loan last season and unavailable. Williams was on loan and not a first teamer. Gomes is now permanent, as opposed to on loan. Davies is still here, Baningime was not used last season.

If Delph and Gbamin were fit and firing, I think we’d have sufficient cover. We might even have more depth than last year.

True Eggs, but we are a bit weak at the moment.

 

[Eggs]

McCarthy was actually available quite a lot towards the end of last season, he just wasn't getting picked

To me, he would have been a natural guy to plug in with Gana gone and the spate of injuries/suspensions that we've had

Of course, his fitness would always have a question mark over it, but couldn't you say the same for Delph?

...we’ll have to wait and see how Delph fares from an injury perspective, but given who we had available (when fit) last season compared to this season, we don’t seem any worst off in the way of numbers;

Last Season;
Gomes
Gueye
Schneiderlin
McCarthy
Davies
(Williams, Besic, Baningime on loan)

This Season;
Gomes
Delph
Gbamin
Schneiderlin
Davies
(Besic, Baningime on loan).

 

[Nymzee]

We have 5 senior players for 2 positions. That’s depth.