Where do we think we could strengthen?

GF7

Well-Known Member
No Goldson, Helander, Tav, Borna, Kamara, Morelos or Kent tonight. All regular starters and Stewart can be included in that as well although his starts have been limited.

That implies a strong squad but for me we could do with the below coming in before window closes.

Defence pretty solid all round, Patterson did his chances no harm tonight for being understudy to Tav. Left back cover potentially for Borna. Flanagan is OK at a push but throws out our natural balance due to lack of attacking threat. Halliday I think will move on.

Another midfielder possibly. Any 3 from Davis, Jack, Kamara and Arfield is strong. Aribo can also drop back but I feel we need one more maybe as backup (Edmundson can potentially fill that role).

Cover for Kent I think is a must as there is nobody close to bringing his running and threat. Aribo has nailed down that right hand slot and think Stewart is adequate backup.

Potentially young striker with view to long term replacement for Morelos.

Curious to hear others thoughts?
 
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I think we need another striker. I posted on another thread, concerned Alfie could accumulate a few more reds which will cost us in a critical part of the season.

Defoe is a great guy to have around, but honestly sometimes he just isn't all that suited to the physicality / how we play. He's the best finished in the country by some way. It's my personal opinion, but I'd be looking for another physical striker this window, someone who can ideally look to challenge for number 1 spot next year if Alfie leaves. It's all gone quiet on that Mohamed fella?
 
We need another striker. I think Defoe is a great striker, but needs a partner. Difficult for him to lead the line on his own. Serious concerns should Alfie succumb to long injury or corrupt ban.
I think if another does come in we might go more 4-4-2 at times with Defoe and another, with Kent /Aribo playing off them.

It's a hard sell to get someone to come and be 3rd choice. Playing someone up top with Defoe might be the answer.
 
I think if another does come in we might go more 4-4-2 at times with Defoe and another, with Kent /Aribo playing off them.

It's a hard sell to get someone to come and be 3rd choice. Playing someone up top with Defoe might be the answer.

Don't think our manager likes 2, doubt that will happen often.
 
Very straightforward for me. A left back for cover and a striker for cover. All other positions covered IMO. Plus the quality of youth coming through is very clearly improving year on year and some real prospects are coming through now which can only be a good thing. Give the boys a chance at times, Patterson has proved that it can come good if given the chance.
Left back, striker. A defensive midfielder at an absolute push but other than that we are pretty strong and well equipped for a title shot

#55
 
Very straightforward for me. A left back for cover and a striker for cover. All other positions covered IMO. Plus the quality of youth coming through is very clearly improving year on year and some real prospects are coming through now which can only be a good thing. Give the boys a chance at times, Patterson has proved that it can come good if given the chance.
Left back, striker. A defensive midfielder at an absolute push but other than that we are pretty strong and well equipped for a title shot

#55
Do you think we have adequate cover for Kent? Not just on tonight but overall I would be concerned if he isn't available; Ojo would probably be my first choice.
 
Do you think we have adequate cover for Kent? Not just on tonight but overall I would be concerned if he isn't available; Ojo would probably be my first choice.
I would say yes, because ojo can play there, aribo can play there although wrong side for him he is a lefty so could slot in there, ojo the same, but he prefers cutting in from right. And if jones pulls his finger out he can play both flanks. Arfield plays right if aribo switches, even Morelos drops deep and floats out wide. Plenty of cover for me for wide areas.
 
Do you think we have adequate cover for Kent? Not just on tonight but overall I would be concerned if he isn't available; Ojo would probably be my first choice.

kent is our only decent winger. Aribo has it all in his locker but needs to be slightly more aggressive when attacking the goal, long term aribo will move back to the middle of the park.
 
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I would say yes, because ojo can play there, aribo can play there although wrong side for him he is a lefty so could slot in there, ojo the same, but he prefers cutting in from right. And if jones pulls his finger out he can play both flanks. Arfield plays right if aribo switches, even Morelos drops deep and floats out wide. Plenty of cover for me for wide areas.
I wouldnt disagree with most of that, but I feel it means dragging players put of their better positions rather than just like for like substitute or cover. Gerrard also likes 2 players for every position. Middleton, Hastie or maybe young Kai are possible solutions, but they are all very young and I don't think ready.
 
Defoe against a packed defence (which we come up against every week) isn't going to work, we should be buying now on the assumption Morelos will leave in the summer.

I credit Defoe with the improvement in Morelos though
 
Im happy enough with our first 11-15 players. We're well covered at the back with three solid keepers and four very good central defenders. I'm content to go with young Patterson and Flannagan as cover at full back and I think we are adequately covered in defensive midfield. (Pair any two from Davis, Jack and Kamara) It's back up in attacking midfield and on the wings that concerns me a little. In addition, if both Alfie & Defoe go down at the same time i'm not sure Ojo and Stewart are adequate long term cover. Also, I really think Defoe needs a partner when he starts, and I haven't written off Ojo for that role like others have, but Ojo and Stewart as starters for a substantial number of games just won't cut it. Likewise, Jones, Halliday, Docherty, and particularly Barker are not the standard we require. I really don't get what the gaffer sees in the later. So, if we picked up a good forward thinking midfielder (or a right sided winger) this window, i'd be happy. One key player out we can handle, but two or more and we might begin to struggle. I wouldnt be devastated if we come out the transfer window the way we went into it. However, in the summer i'd definitely be looking for at least an inside forward and a wide man and who are considerably better than the options we currently have.
 
Another option up top.

People keep on saying Stewart is third choice but he rarely gets a look in and when the opportunity arises, he's out injured.

If Morelos gets injured then we are left with Defoe - not sure if he could manage two games a week and he's not the best option when we are up against stubborn, organised, compact defensive sides.
 
We need the equivalent of a Patterson pushing Borna for a place. Andy Halliday was a decent performer along with the likes of Holt, Windass, Kiernan etc however should have left two seasons ago. One more striker in the mould of Morelos with a bit of fire in his belly . We are going to have a few games in the next four months that we need someone to come off the bench in the last ten and win it for us.
 
Get Shankland in.

Also I'm not at all sure that anything is happening out wide without Kent and Aribo. Don't like or trust Ojo, Barker or Jones.
 
We need someone who can be play across the right. Ojo isn't the answer, Barker is absolutely awful, Stewart hasn't got the fitness or mentality to be a regular starter
(well documented that he's not the fittest and hates training - was on a podcast with a boy that played with him at youth level and Dundee and talked about how he is "old school" in his training/lifestyle. Maybe it's improved but I'd imagine why we are not seeing much of him, granted he was injured yesterday is down to that. Remember Flanagan spent a long time out the squad because Gerrard thought he was overweight)

My biggest fear with Jones was he would turn out to be another Kyle Lafferty second time around (on and off the park). Yet to be convinced.
 
Games like last night, where we were without a sizeable number of first picks, really do give me the fear...

Halliday is short of what we need, Barker, Ojo & Jones were all awful last night & unpopular as it will no doubt be, I am also edging towards not offering Defoe another contract, so...to provide cover & give us a final push to get over the line, I would hope for a striker, a winger & left sided midfield player but suspect we wont get anyone.
 
Ideally a forward that can play anywhere in the front 3. We do not have depth that we can rely on other than Defoe
 
We should be trying big time to get Tyrese Campbell on a pre-contract before the end of the window then maybe slap in a 100-200k bid to get him for the 2nd half of the season with Docherty maybe going the other way as part of the deal.

Falling that we definitely need to strengthen our attack, we are a one bad injury away to Morelos from having Defoe at 37 starting every game from now till May.

Far too much on the line over the next 4 months to go with what we have.
 
We need someone who can be play across the right. Ojo isn't the answer, Barker is absolutely awful, Stewart hasn't got the fitness or mentality to be a regular starter
(well documented that he's not the fittest and hates training - was on a podcast with a boy that played with him at youth level and Dundee and talked about how he is "old school" in his training/lifestyle. Maybe it's improved but I'd imagine why we are not seeing much of him, granted he was injured yesterday is down to that. Remember Flanagan spent a long time out the squad because Gerrard thought he was overweight)

My biggest fear with Jones was he would turn out to be another Kyle Lafferty second time around (on and off the park). Yet to be convinced.
Gerrard speaks highly of Stewart to be fair and I have heard him say numerous times has trained very well. It's his pace or lack of that I think is the reason for his lack of his starts.

Some players are also suited for games at home, Defoe and Stewart prime examples, but due to having had so little home games over the last couple of months they have spent a lot of time on the bench. I think we will see more of Stewart over next mo th or so if fit.
 
Get Shankland in.

Also I'm not at all sure that anything is happening out wide without Kent and Aribo. Don't like or trust Ojo, Barker or Jones.
Shankland clearly knows how to hit the back of the net but my worry is he wouldnt be anything different to what we have but I say that having seen very little of him. I think if we do bring in a 3rd option it has to be someone versatile who can partner Defoe - A Hateley to McCoist type scenario.
 
We need another striker in this window. The next 2 games are massive and going in without Alfie is gony be hard
 
We need another striker in this window. The next 2 games are massive and going in without Alfie is gony be hard
It really shouldn't be hard to beat St Mirren and Hearts without Morelos but i do agree we need another attacking player in, not necessarily a striker for me but someone who can play in the front 3 and score goals
 
It really shouldn't be hard to beat St Mirren and Hearts without Morelos
Morelos actually had one of his very rare poorer games last time out at Tynecastle.

Defoe for me would be starting at home against St Mirren anyway. That seems to be how we have been approaching it and it's worked very well - Defoe starts the bread and butter games at home, Morelos comes off the bench if needed or for a run out.
 
Shankland isn't worth the money he would cost and he's not exactly the type of player we require.

He's the complete opposite to Morelos in terms of ability, work rate, movement, quality, link up, physicality, what he would bring to the side.

Look how we struggle with Defoe in the side against dogged, determined, organised, packed defences.
 
Left back cover is an absolute priority -- we saw last night just how dismal we are on the left without an attacking left back.
Our entire style is based upon having such movement and quality from the sides (and credit to Patterson for doing what he did).

If Borna gets crocked (or surprise surprise multiple red carded) within the next few weeks, we'll have a problem.
 
Left back cover is an absolute priority -- we saw last night just how dismal we are on the left without an attacking left back.
Our entire style is based upon having such movement and quality from the sides (and credit to Patterson for doing what he did).

If Borna gets crocked (or surprise surprise multiple red carded) within the next few weeks, we'll have a problem.

Halliday most certainly isn't the answer to fill in at left back and neither is Flanagan.

Do we have a young left sided, Nathan Patterson?
 
Striker and a Winger to rely on other than Barker, Jones and Ojo.

I know a lot on here are fine with Stewart as cover for Alfie and Defoe but I'd prefer someone better since he was inconsistent at Kilmarnock.
 
Striker and a Winger to rely on other than Barker, Jones and Ojo.

I know a lot on here are fine with Stewart as cover for Alfie and Defoe but I'd prefer someone better since he was inconsistent at Kilmarnock.

We’ve got to consider the possibility of Ryan Kent or Alfie being injured/ corruptly banned if we want to win the league.
 
I see a lot are now including Jones in the Ojo/Barker grouping.

Got to remember it’s his first appearance since August after making a positive start.

Aribo Morelos/Defoe Kent obviously first picks.

Stewart and Jones decent back up options.

Still need one other with same quality as first picks.
 
I see a lot are now including Jones in the Ojo/Barker grouping.

Got to remember it’s his first appearance since August after making a positive start.

Aribo Morelos/Defoe Kent obviously first picks.

Stewart and Jones decent back up options.

Still need one other with same quality as first picks.
For me that positive start from Jones has been somewhat inflated the longer he was out. 5 starts from 13 including East Fife and St Joseph's.

The game in Denmark gave him a lot of credit in the bank but outwith that I am not so sure what he is showing to make the 18. Gerrard was not happy with him last night
 
I hope the days of us signing cover players are over. Its almost always wasted money. We should only be looking to add someone if they can challenge to get in to and improve our starting 11. No more Barkers, Joneses or Lafferty's please. We've come a million miles in the last in months as far as building a squad, we now need to be more ruthless in cutting out the non contributors taking a wage, and failing to make an impact when given the opportunity.
 
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