Central midfield shouldn’t be a problem for Wolves, given that we’ve got 5 fit and ready players available in that position.
Yet somehow, we look short.
In countless games last season and a handful already this time around, we’ve been overpowered and overwhelmed straight down the middle of the pitch.
Criticism has been shared around.
Milijas, too lazy. Guedioura, too risky. Henry, well, I won’t open that can of worms.
We know Mick tried to get another midfielder in the summer, so I’d say it’s almost certain we’ll see one arrive in January.
Here are some of the likely candidates:
Craig Gardner
Sunderland pipped us at the post for his signature in the summer, but apparently he’s not enjoying life up north and craves a move back towards his native Midlands.
The E&S reported last week that a cheeky loan bid has already been lodged, so Mick is obviously still keen.
Whether O’Neill’s arrival at the Stadium of Light changes the situation I don’t know, but what I do know is, I’d be pleased to see him in a Wolves shirt.
More of a ‘Steady Eddy’ than a world-beater, but does good work at both ends of the pitch.
Emmanuel Frimpong
Another midfielder Wolves have been linked with in recent times, who McCarthy personally scouted. Highly rated at Arsenal and has managed a handful of first team appearances this season after a lengthy injury lay-off.
Likely to be available on a loan deal so no hefty transfer fee involved and from the glimpses I’ve seen certainly has the attributes we need; pace, power and presence.
Can definitely see this one happening and even though it would only be a temporary solution, I think he would best solve the problem.
Josh McEachran
Another highly thought of youngster, this time from Chelsea.
Broke into their first team for a short spell last season but seems to have fallen out of favour this time around, so maybe we can get him?
Doesn’t strike me as the kind of ‘all-action’ type I think we need, but could be a useful addition nevertheless.
Perhaps not as likely as the above two, but could be goer.
Jay Spearing or Jonjo Shelvey
We’ve been heavily linked with both of this Liverpool duo, but any move for either might well have hit the skids thanks to the Anfield club’s injury problems.
However, should Dalglish bring in another midfielder himself in January to cover the loss of Lucas, one of these two players could become available.
I’d personally prefer Shelvey, mainly because his physical presence and eye for a goal would come in handy.
I haven’t seen much of Spearing, but he seems busy, which is what we need i.e. someone who can get around the pitch.
Owen Hargreaves
Bit of a curveball this one, but that’s half the fun of the transfer window right?
Doesn’t seem to be getting much action in a City shirt (other than Carling Cup appearances) so perhaps he’d fancy a run of games for us?
It’s not unlikely that Mancini will spend again in January either, so Hargreaves could fall further down the pecking order.
Definitely has the qualities we need, so maybe it would suit all parties involved?
What does everyone else think?
Any other suggestions?
Sign them all :-).
Frimpong for me, looks like he has the qualities we need in the middle, pace to burn, strong in the tackle and able to pass and control a ball. Also would be relatively cheap leaving money to buy a decent centre half. Also as a defensive midfielder provides some much needed competition for Henry.
We’ve also been linked with Francis Coquelin from Arsenal on loan who would offer competition for O’hara’s more attacking berth. If we could get a deal for both it could solve our midfield problems in one move, as both are used to playing football together at Arsenal and so shouldn’t take long to slot in. Would also give us the option of playing it more effectively through the middle hopefully playing more to the strengths of Doyle and Ebanks, whilst retaining our ability to hit it wide and cross it in for Fletch.
Obviously, it doesn’t deal with the issues permanently, in much the same way as Sturridge’s loan to Bolton papered over some of their deficiencies last year, but it would hopefully help to shore us up for this season and give us time to look for a more permanent solution in the summer. Also more importantly it leaves us funds to grab a desperately needed pacey centre half and cover left back.
I don’t think that it is allowed to get two premier league players from the same club on loan at one club at the same time?? Sure I read it recently.
Owen Hargreaves & Craig Gardner… I’d love to see them two joining! Both proven players, the rest are liability’s that we can’t afford to play a risk on at the mid-point of a season or before we know it our tails are down and we’re bottom of the league! Hargreaves is a risk, but a half season loan isn’t going to hurt anyone and if he gets injured we have plenty of backup. If he plays as well as I know he can, he could be a great loan signing. Would like to see Gardner joining on a permanent basis though, give competitive for both central midfield places attacking and defensively.
Sign em’ up Mick, with your £3m ‘warchest’!!!
I reckon Hargreaves is a great left-field call there. Could be more possible than it seems at first glance, as you suggest. A midfield 5 of Hammill, Hargreaves, Milijas, O’Hara and Jarvis is quite appealing to me. A good mix of skill, steel and pace.
Or for arguments sake, a mix of one injury prone player, one slow work shy centre midfielder, and three others that can’t pass straight!!
Seriously, though Hargreaves was brilliant, but now he’s another Darren Anderton waiting to happen; quality, but extremely expensive and injury prone. I don’t think I could stand half a season of just watching every opposition player kick him to make knees to break down.
Owen Hargreaves?! What have you been drinking Thomas? We would NEVER pay his wages.
I do however agree that we should be looking for established talent, and of the others only Gardner fits that mould (and even he’s quite green). I can’t see O’Neill letting a good player go to a rival though.
I see no problem with getting loan players in, especially if they have attributes that our current team lacks, but can they hack the responsibility of a relegation battle being so young AND going back to their parent club afterwards no matter the outcome?
I would love to see players who’ve seen and done it all before come in. Guys who have been around the block and have the guts to get the job done in a relegation battle.
I read that Petrov could be available from Villa, he’d be a good candidate for me if it were possible + one of the more mobile youngsters on loan.
Getting youngsters on loan can be a risk (anyone remember can’t-score cole stint at the molineux a few seasons ago). But Sturridge, Wilshire, Vela, Cleverley, O’hara and most of all Hart suggest that it can be worth the risk and can turn a relegation fight. If they’ve got the attributes ala Frimpong and there at the right price (as close to free as possible) why not give them a go. If they’re young enough they don’t count towards our 25 anyway so it doesn’t necessarily force us to have to release players.
As for guys who’ve been around the block and done it all they can be as much of a risk, remember Luzhny and Ketsbia!! Also Johnson has hardly set the world alight since rocking up at the Molineux. The risk with established players is they are more expensive (Hargreaves would be astronomical unless we could get him on a similar deal to the deal that Citeh did with Bellamy last year) and they sometimes have a tendency to just be happy to pick their paycheck up without really adding anything to the team (Beattie at Blackpool last year for example).
You are making a lot of sense.
Oh, I totally agree. I DO remember Ketsbaia and Luzhny, what a waste of time they were. This is why you need to find seasoned professionals who have the desire to put in a shift, such as Irwin and Ince.
I guess this is Mick’s job.
Re Frimpong and Coquelin from Arsenal. I believe the rules do not allow clubs to borrow two or more players from the same club. So it would have to be one or the other.
I’m not sure on that. I’m pretty sure that the rules state a Premier league club is only allowed to loan out a maximum of six players at a time and loan in two (barring occasions where emergency loans for goalkeepers are necessary).
Certainly, in the football league you are allowed more than one loan player from the same club, Peterborough currently have a few of United’s starlets, but I have to admit their maybe differing rules for top flight clubs. Unfortunately, a quick Google search didn’t do me any favours in finding out either. However, the rumour mill at Arsenal has us in for both on loan (but as for how trustworthy rumours are!!!) and McCarthy has been down to scout players at Arsenal.
I think Dave’s right, although my source is the express and star…
You’d think it would be a fairly easy thing to find out. But all I can find rules and regs for the 2003-2004 season in the football league!
If it is right, I’d take Frimpong first and if theirs the cash or room for a second look to loan in somebody like McCechran or Shelvey to partner him and offer competition for O’hara’s place.
Ah, perhaps I should have read further before posting. As mentioned before, I’m with Dave on this.
Yes I too wanted us to sign Hargreaves in the summer when he was released by United, he would be a great addition on loan till end of season. Whatever his wages, that will be more than paid for if we stay in the Premier League.
Again I would happily take Gardner on a permanent move or Frimpong on loan as well, I think we have a number of players in the midfield engineroom of our team that need to be moved on. We need to bring in some quality, and these 3 would all be better than what we currently have.
Yes please Mick.
Looks like Forest want to sell Lewis Mcgugan, one of the best midfielders outside the premier league and scored a handful too. Could be worth a go…
Having seen him play, he is worth a punt, however I think he would probably be a bit pricey for our 3 million war chest especially as at least a couple of other top flight clubs appear to be interested.
Unfortunately, I think we will have to shift out some of the squad players; Keogh, Milijas, Elokobi etc before we’ll have the money to make a major signing. So loans or loan to buy are probably the way to go in January with possibly one permanent signing.
Think mcugan would be good signing to.
I don’t even know anymore. Cambiasso? Sounds likely.
Have y’all gone mad
None of you have mentioned Henry and Ward.
There’s 2 straightaway who can really hold down the midfield, so why on earth do we need anyone else.
(This hotel computer won’t type the question mark symbol so plase forgive my woeful punkchewayshun.)
Ward will play anywhere McDickhead puts him, and Henry will never be dropped, so why the debate.
The players we have can perform better, and would do under a new manager, simple
Sack the dick, job done.
I need a drink, normal service will be resumed from Houston on Thursday.
|FOMM
Also need to strengthen at centre bank. Understand Danny Bathe from Sheff W looks promising perhaps we could look at him.
Whoops I meant centre back !
and ‘Batth’ 😉
He will be back from his loan on Jan 3. I’m not sure whether we have to name him in the squad or not. If not, I expect him to be in and around our bench. I’d hate to see him sold.
I really messed that one up sorry Louie
Funny…. On FIFA Manager Mode I signed Owen Hargreaves and got some good results.
I signed Lassana Diarra and Scott Parker and got a few good results on FIFA as well :-).
signs of things to come? hopefully
http://www.teamtalk.com/papertalk/7376605/Paper-Talk-QPR-target-De-Jong-loan-deal
Diame linked with Wolves in a 2 mill move
Ah, interesting. I totally forgot about him even though we’ve been linked before.
Would take him for £2 million.
Probably worth more but with his contract running down, we could get a deal.
If Stoke are interested though, I’d imagine they’re a more attractive proposition.
Frimpong and Craig Gardner are my favorites
Frimpong would seem the fashionable choice. When I hear him and McEachran being linked, I can’t help but be a bit disappointed that we would be taking a chance on these lads when we have some of the best young kids in our own youth team that conversely will not be getting the same opportunity.
Yes, some might say that this is purely down to quality, but it seems to me that we would be nurturing players – who have no affinity to the area etc – for a bigger club’s benefit while our kids suffer as a consequence.
Who is to say McAlinden isn’t as good as McEachran when the former would never get a look in (despite endless reports about his quality)
Someone I would like to see us linked with: Adam Clayton at Leeds. I saw him playing for Carlisle Utd in the JPT a couple of years ago when he scored past Leeds at Brunton Park. Grayson obviously likes what he saw and bought him, and he is now outshining Jonny Howson and co (another player I like the look of)
Man City schooled. Mobile. Young. Hungry. Eye for goal. etc etc!
Hi Ben I can see your point, but I don’t see Frimpong and McCechran as negative moves. The majority of our youth players have no first team experience at any level and thrusting them into the spotlight too early is more than likely to be detrimental. Much better to send them on loan elsewhere to get some experience lower down the divisions first, then bring them through when they return. Batth would be the classic example when he returns he will have bags more experience and be more prepared to deal with the pressure. Its the model that most players go through: few step straight into the first team.
Frimpong and/or McCechran would bring an extra bit of quality and some (if limited) experience at this level to the squad for the right price (next to nothing!). In addition they are both young enough to not count towards our 25 and as a result we would still have a space free even if we fail to sell anyone.
Finally, bringing in players in doesn’t necessarily have to limit our youth players opportunities. Youth players don’t have to be registered in the 25 so if they’re good enough and ready we can play them. I would suggest based on MM previous performance on playing youngsters (our couple of seasons with him in the championship) he would be playing them if he felt they were up to it. MM has generally kept Wolves as being a fairly young side with a few senior experienced heads to steady the ship, he isn’t a Dave Jones with the creaking band of footballing pensioners. That said I would like to see the likes of Batth given ago later in the season, he does look like a decent talent.
To be fair Sheffield, I was mega excited when I heard us linked with Frimpong, but I have just offset my enthusiasm by thinking of our own kids.
I wouldn’t view it negatively if Frmipers and McEachran came in, but…
I just think that if Wenger can give Frimpong a bit of experience at the beginning of the season, then why can McAlinden not get on the bench and play one or two games here himself.
What we would then know is one of two things:
a) He isn’t ready and he goes on loan / continues to learn
b) He is actually something of a revelation, keeps playing and injects copious amounts of excitement and entusiasm around the stadium. Can you imagine how much more we’d look forward to a game if he knew that a young kid from the city was playing?! The atmosophere would be amazing!
The only scenario we have right now is:
1. Kid comes through the ranks who everyone waxes lyrical over. 2. No chance given, bar a sub shirt at Chelsea or Carling Cup game. 3. Goes on loan to Burton. 4. Kid’s enthusiasm and verve is booted out of him by the harum-scarum world of NPower.
If we have only got a youth t
To be fair I agree in principle to what your saying, but I don’t see the NPower league as a detrimental thing to a young players career. I see it more as a place a player can learn his trade without the constant punishing of the slightest mistake that goes on in the top flight. A good stint in the lower leagues can give a player the confidence to kick on and do well higher up.
Danny Batth is a good example his confidence must be sky high with the praise he’s getting at Wednesday and that along with the experience he’s gaining will be priceless when he gets a start at the Wolves which can’t be too long away.