The signing of Declan John

He is a loan player brought in as cover. Wallace should go straight back when fit but we need a new first team LB in the transfer window.
 
John is a definite step up from Hodson, there’s just no question of that. He was really culpable for their second goal last night but he was also one of our best attacking threats. As others have suggested having him play wide left with Wallace at LB once fit must be the preferred option.
 
Exactly that, it’s an entirely different game when you’re coming onto the attack overlapping and having a run on the defender than being marked by the opposition full back and having to take him on
Totally agree here.
However, I do think it’s Declan’s (smiley inserted but not showing) direct running that’ll be the asset as opposed to him overlapping.
Older bears will have seen similar with David Robertson but it was his overlapping that was the success.
I see a lot of Robertson in Wallace, not the pace of course and think he could do similar with Declan (as before) as he did with McKay quite successfully at times.
 
Surely there are other more worthy targets of criticism than Declan John. Since his second game for us he’s been excellent and wherever we play him, we must get him signed as a priority. Him and Jack were our best players last night.
( I would definitely keep Alves, McCrorie, John, Jack, Dorrans and Morelos... the rest are very replaceable )
 
Typical new age full back.... decent going forward, shocking at defending!

Wallace is the exact same. Tav also!

We really must adapt our style to suit the players we have at our disposal.

Crying out for 3-5-2!
 
Is it just me who feels Beerman at left back and John in front of him would be more preferable to John and Miller on left hand side?
Not just you, bud.
I said similar weeks ago, maybe after Wallace got injured, definitely when it became obvious that Windass was the preferred left mid selection.
In fact, I even mentioned the Thompson lad as a better option.
 
We actually need defenders who CAN DEFEND ; Being good going forward is an added bonus .......
But defend , first and foremost , like the good old days - as it should be ....
( This has been the case for years now , not just this season ) .
Here is one of the main problems that we have struggled with. Tav great going forward poor defender, Dec John great going forward but can't defend. Last night was so obvious and Alves wasn't there too. We need two strong defenders to build from the back, every time we get pressed back I feel we are like a waiting sieve, full of holes.
 
Of our four defenders tonight only McCrorie enjoys defending and gettng stuck in, the other three don't. That's a negative right away and a major cause of our problems.

You don't think Tav gets stuck in?

Must be watching something completely different to me.
 
You don't think Tav gets stuck in?

Must be watching something completely different to me.
Watch Tav at the second goal, typical play from him in a defensive situation. Superb going forward but weak as f**k as a defender.
 
I really like him. Okay he defended horribly at the goal but going forward he’s very dangerous.

In fact it reminds me of Bale’s situation, he started as a left back even though he wasn’t a great defender but had obvious attacking qualities.

When Wallace is fit i’d play him left mid ahead of Windass.

With Windass in the middle behind Morelos I hope your suggestion is too, in his natural role.
 
DoF signed him or at least recommended him.
JJ recommended Morleos.
Probably 2 of our best signings.

Which doesn't say much about Caixhina's judgement on a player.

I am more concerned our left back had to tuck in so far.
SA got a free run and carved up the middle of our defence far too easily
 
When playing with shell shocked average players,you become an average shell shocked average player.
 
Our whole team are playing in the wrong positions and generally cannot interact together. Fullbacks that cannot defend but are creative going forward. Strikers that cannot finish as they use all their energy dropping so deep that the midfield are in front of them. The midfield are total strangers to each other and usually fail to find each other with simple one twos moving forward as the 2nd pass goes backwards.
I think this tends to point out our current predicament.
 
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