What player are we missing now?

[Chris]

Let's say we play for the rest of the season like we did against man u second half. It IS possible that this might be the case, we'll find out against Bolton I suppose.
But let's just dream that this is now us, we've clicked, the players are settling in and are understanding each other.

What is next? More goals from the forwards of course, but that's not hard to imagine if we keep playing like that.

So who is next on the target list? How do we progress from here?

I can't see how Moyes can 'change the team' without getting rid of some key players to fundamentally change how we play. Not unless he just buys some more in and has a few different ways of setting the team up depending on who plays. That (imo) spreads us a bit thin and we never really master any particualy formation and players that belong in certain roles are constantly rotated due to differing formations so never really click (see the fat head waiters constant rotation the past 2 seasons).
I'm interested to know what people think we could do to take it to the next level.

 

[Number_25]

Marlon King please

 

[Dutch Toffee]

Still need a creative midfielder and a pacey, skillfull winger, just to give us some options. And a strong defensive midfielder would also be nice, if we'll opt for a 4-5-1. Ah well, maybe Segundo Castillo will prove to be that in a while.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

A pacy winger and a defensive midfielder for me. I think we could move Arteta/Pienaar into the central creative midfield role to save money. If we've got the money then I'd also like to see a play maker coming in.

 

[Dutch Toffee]

A pacy winger and a defensive midfielder for me. I think we could move Arteta/Pienaar into the central creative midfield role to save money. If we've got the money then I'd also like to see a play maker coming in.

I see Manny hasn't been mentioned in this thread.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

I see Manny hasn't been mentioned in this thread.

Sharpy hasn't been in yet, he'll mention the great one.

 

[Sharpys top lip]

Sharpy hasn't been in yet, he'll mention the great one.

i did this morning.....

You know what, i was going to mention him aswell!!

going to tell everyone not to mention his name..

read me like a book TB.

Anyhoo, i think we need a defencive mid an a proper winger. Either wing will do as Pienaar an Arteta can play inside or down both flanks.

 

[Nebbiolo]

There is still that Obina guy to wonder about. It wouldn't surprise me if we sort something out for him January.

If so, then he might well be the winger that we need. Moving Arteta into the centre wouldn't just be making do, it would be improving our overall game. He's more than capable of being the creative midfieder that we crave.

Other position is a defensive midfielder, or holding position. I think it's vital we get someone in here. Maybe we'll go back in for MBia? He did begin to look like a tit last summer, though.

Any more ideas on that? I'm guessing we will have £10m to spend, seeing as we spent bugger all this summer. If Obina was loaned, we would surely get something decent on the continent for that amount of cash.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

I've always liked Alou Diarra, I thought we where going to sign him in the summer. Ex red reserve yes but still a good player and exactly what we need. A more advanced version of Momo Sissoko so to speak. Big, strong, atheltic and likes a tackle. I think he'd be a decent signing if where looking for a Carsley upgrade.

I'd love Obinna here, I think he'd be great.

 

[Dutch Toffee]

There is still that Obina guy to wonder about. It wouldn't surprise me if we sort something out for him January.

If so, then he might well be the winger that we need. Moving Arteta into the centre wouldn't just be making do, it would be improving our overall game. He's more than capable of being the creative midfieder that we crave.

Other position is a defensive midfielder, or holding position. I think it's vital we get someone in here. Maybe we'll go back in for MBia? He did begin to look like a tit last summer, though.

Any more ideas on that? I'm guessing we will have £10m to spend, seeing as we spent bugger all this summer. If Obina was loaned, we would surely get something decent on the continent for that amount of cash.

Getting Obinna, so we could move Arteta into the centre would be great, but I still believe we'd need another creative midfielder. If Arteta isn't performing, we should be able to replace him. To be honest, I'm not so sure about MBia anymore. He started sounding like a real prick during the summer. Maybe Nigel de Jong would be a good signing.

 

[Goat]

Doesnt matter what player we are missing, the mere fact that we are missing about 5-10m to buy them is the real issue. Anybody who thinks we have any money to buy without selling is very wrong IMO!

 

[Neiler]

For me we need two wingers Obinna maybe on loan with a view to a permenent move, Downing will also leave Boro at some point, while i wouldnt mind haveing a punt on Barnes, Hunt, Ledley, Kightly and Jarvis from the championship.

Still need a DM, perhaps Mbia, Ive always been impressed with Emana from Cameroon, while id make a cheeky bid for Diarra at pompey as they seem to need the cash.

I also think we need another creative midfeilder of the ilk of Mouthino, Tiago, Fernandes etc.

 

[Nebbiolo]

For me we need two wingers Obinna maybe on loan with a view to a permenent move, Downing will also leave Boro at some point, while i wouldnt mind haveing a punt on Barnes, Hunt, Ledley, Kightly and Jarvis from the championship.

Still need a DM, perhaps Mbia, Ive always been impressed with Emana from Cameroon, while id make a cheeky bid for Diarra at pompey as they seem to need the cash.

I also think we need another creative midfeilder of the ilk of Mouthino, Tiago, Fernandes etc.

I also like Downing, but most people on here seem to think he's overrated. But at over £10m, which is steep, I think he's out of our price-range, at least for now (maybe in the summer things will pick up on that front).

Diarra at Pompey is an interesting one. Now that Harry has left, I think a number of senior players will want to follow that lead. Plus, didn't Diarra himself claim that he still wanted to be playing for a top club, that Portsmouth was effectively a stop-gap? But then are we a top club?

 

[Goat]

I also like Downing, but most people on here seem to think he's overrated. But at over £10m, which is steep, I think he's out of our price-range, at least for now (maybe in the summer things will pick up on that front).

Diarra at Pompey is an interesting one. Now that Harry has left, I think a number of senior players will want to follow that lead. Plus, didn't Diarra himself claim that he still wanted to be playing for a top club, that Portsmouth was effectively a stop-gap? But then are we a top club?

The thing to look at now is the problem that faced Moyes in the summer, to buy players that will improve a 1st 11, if you consider our best 11 were would Diara fit into that? Where does Downing? You can possibly see a place for Diara because we are lacking a DM, Moyes clearly doesnt think Castillo is up to the job, which is a shame cos i could see some talent there and who knows he may come back into the frame.

I cant see a place for Downing, we do lack wingers, but i dont consider him to be a better player than Arteta or Pienaar. I would like to see us make a move for Kightly, but i think Wolves will come up this season, so that rules him out. We clearly need more options on the wings and i would like to see us make a move for a big target man.

It has to be said tho unless we get some major cash i cant see us having any money to spend, but i think we have a decent squad and they have vastly under-performed thus far this season, but we have some quality players and i consider this to be the best squad we have had at the club for years.

 

[Dom1878]

We needa center midfielder (Fernandes) and a Left/Right winger who is skillful yet pacy.