Today's Chronicle

So I've read today's Chronicle and if I've read it correctly I think LJ has shed some light on what positions he is looking at recruiting.

I think the positions he is happy with are:

GK - Davies / Dibble
RB - Bree / Evans
CB - Mawson / Roberts / Nyatanga / Cowgill
LB - Smith / Templeton
CM - Hourihane , Scowen , Pearson , Rothwell , Maris

Sounds like he is looking at getting at least 1 if not 2 strikers in ( Currently only have Winnall & Wilkinson )

No mention of getting wingers in which is a worry as I think we need to bring 2 in to complement Watkins.

We are planning without Holgate & Digby. Sounds like we are holding out for Stones to move so we get around £5 million to help with player recruitment.

Izale McLeod is one of many striker targets after Forte deal fell through last night.

Hourihane is limiting the formations we can play due to his "defensive inabilities" so Johnson wants to either play 4-4-2 diamond or 4-5-1 / 4-3-3. He will only play 3-5-2 to change a game and not from the start whilst "Hourihane is here".

More Worried or more optimistic ?

 

Hourihane is limiting the formations we can play due to his "defensive inabilities" ???????


**** me, let's not be grateful for a creative midfielder, let's bemoan the fact he can't run about a lot and kick people.

No width, no creativity. Smart.

 

Please tell me "while Hourihane is here" isn't a direct Johnson quote?

 

The Hourihane comment could be a positive one as maybe he believes he will be playing at a much higher level in the coming years

 

I don't get the comical....But Isthat really a quote from LJ. Saying that we are limited cos of Hourihanes defensive inability?

Did I miss somethin? Is he a head coach? With supposedly the ability to coach players them to be better......

 

Who are Evans and Templeton?

 

If he is to play at a higher level then his game needs to improve significantly!

 

That's how it appeared from Jack's post - not seen Chron myself like.

 

That's how I read it.

 

Agreed

 

I'm not sure what's hard to understand or what Johnson has said wrong

Hourihane can't play in a central midfield 2. He needs to play in a 3 because the defensive side of his game isn't good.

Nothing we don't already know

 

Our head coach doesn't seem to know or he'd have been working at his defensive side so we were more able to play a CM two.

 

Templeton came through the academy, Evans is from Man Utd, where he was academy player. He's primarily a left back but can play left midfield. Signed a one year deal at start of July with option for a second.

http://www.barnsley-chronicle.co.uk/sport/article/10573/evans-drennan-and-scott-in-under-21s-squad

 

Here's what he said: http://www.barnsley-chronicle.co.uk...s-hourihane-limits-the-formations-he-can-use?


I agree that he'd not be as effective in a 4-4-2 but in a 3-5-2 he'd be ideal, in fact, I would suggest that's probably the best way to use him. Pearson and Scowen in central midfield, Hourihane given license to roam further up. But I don't know whether Smith or Bree would be able to play as wing-backs just yet. Probably the hardest role to play. But in another Chronicle online interview LJ states they're both his first choice full backs and that he doesn't want to recruit experience in there.

I suppose a 4-5-1/4-3-3 could work, much as it did for us in Keith Hill's early reign, with Drinkwater and Perkins central and Butterfield pushing on. But we had O'Brien and Vaz Te out wide then, or Davies and Done. Unfortunately, as well as full backs, it seems LJ isn't trying to recruit wingers.

Which points to that ******* horrid diamond he keeps playing. Four central midfielders, with two having to go wide at times, or the strikers pulling out wide, and full backs bombing on.

It's been as obvious as the forehead above my eyes since last season (realising Jennings and Treacy were busted flushes) that we've required width, even more obvious was the need for full backs, as we spent much of the season playing centre halves there. But we're bloody months down the line and still no nearer to adding width. Instead, relying on two kids who suffered bad injuries last season, or untested kids beyond them in Templeton, Williams and Evans.


My only issues with the club right now are the lack of incoming transfers. Which is standard stuff for a supporter. It doesn't mean I want a change in manager, CEO or owner. Just putting that out there just in case. But I can't help but read those LJ quotes regards Hourihane and wonder if we're going to move him on, before he reaches the last year of his contract...

 

Thanks

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I'd say that is exactly what he means.

 

Interesting read. I can't fathom why he thinks Hourihane wouldn't play well in a 3-5-2 - given the team that we have at present I would say 3-5-2 is our ideal formation, with Hourihane at the tip of the 3, Pearson and Scowen just behind him.

 

Double post.

 

I think he's just intimidated by all the fitties.