January transfer window ( Now closed )

[hmfc_liam06]

1 hour ago, GinRummy said:

Keep posting bud. I know for a fact that many posters on here look forward to you posting, myself included. 

 

A genuine ITK.

[WASTREL]

17 minutes ago, Eddie The Eagle said:

From my recollection kimo wanted Craig Levein gone and was willing to take a defeat from Hibs in a league game, but only if it ensured that happened. If I recall correctly this was 3 or 4 years ago,  and in hindsight looking at what Mr Levein left behind in his trail,  I'd have also taken 1 defeat In a league game,  if it saved the complete mess he left behind him and the money we wasted trying to fix his inept management and transfer dealings 

Agree about the complete mess he left and the wasted money on those strange transfer and contract deals

[WASTREL]

4 minutes ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

 

A genuine ITK.

I agree ... you rubber stamp the snippets I get

[Eddie The Eagle]

1 minute ago, Disco Ball said:

Agree about the complete mess he left and the wasted money on those strange transfer and contract deals

Which we are still paying for and will be paying for many years to come. His mess will take years to undo

[Hashimoto]

14 hours ago, TheBigO said:

Yikes! They're like chapel hatpegs

Robert Fripp is a brilliant guitarist.....Not sure if he supports Hearts, more a Bournemouth fan I think......😜

  

[Gmcjambo]

19 minutes ago, Eddie The Eagle said:

One thing I have heard is  Mr Joe Savage is doing a wonderful job so far and is impressing everyone at the club. The French forward was originally seen as, very much out of our wage bracket, but after walsall being very difficult we went back in with an offer which he's accepted. This is very much his man and I'd expect the defender to be a solid signing too considering his database of contacts and influence down south 

Great stuff @Eddie The Eagle  and very encouraging.    Hope Savage makes a real difference to the quality of players we sign.  I’m also hoping defender is a solid CB who can cover RB if needed,  but EEN suggested it’s a RB?   We’re leaking goals at the minute. 

[TheBigO]

3 minutes ago, Gmcjambo said:

Great stuff @Eddie The Eagle  and very encouraging.    Hope Savage makes a real difference to the quality of players we sign.  I’m also hoping defender is a solid CB who can cover RB if needed,  but EEN suggested it’s a RB?   We’re leaking goals at the minute. 

Yeah a right sided Igor Rossi, or a better Clevid Dika would be ideal.  A solid, hard as nails CH, who can play a bit and athletic enough to play FB if needed.  Would be spot on.  Not sure there's many out there!  Not in January, not in our ballpark!  We'll see, I guess.

 

Go do it Joe!

[JamboAl]

1 minute ago, TheBigO said:

Yeah a right sided Igor Rossi, or a better Clevid Dika would be ideal.  A solid, hard as nails CH, who can play a bit and athletic enough to play FB if needed.  Would be spot on.  Not sure there's many out there!  Not in January, not in our ballpark!  We'll see, I guess.

 

Go do it Joe!

A decent loanee would do until Summer.

[Blackshades]

59 minutes ago, jimbojambo said:

Anyone know when the transfer window to quote Jim White slams shut in Scotland? 

Monday 1st Feb at midnight

[TheBigO]

4 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

A decent loanee would do until Summer.

Suppose there may be a Jimmy Dunne type sitting on a Prem/Champ team bench who needs the games... 

 

Would give us a few months to secure the permanent solution.

[OTT]

1 minute ago, TheBigO said:

Suppose there may be a Jimmy Dunne type sitting on a Prem/Champ team bench who needs the games... 

 

Would give us a few months to secure the permanent solution.

 

Conor Shaughnessy looks to be available now and as a free agent. Hardly impressive, but he wasn't awful either. A short deal to the end of the season gives him a chance to impress/ earn a wage and we get to assess if he's good enough for next season. At this level he should be solid enough. 

[Stendelnator]

At least this thread has shown us who the real ITKers are. 
 

The ones who don’t make a song and dance of their info. 

[Juho_Makela_Goal_Machine]

59 minutes ago, Eddie The Eagle said:

From my recollection kimo wanted Craig Levein gone and was willing to take a defeat from Hibs in a league game, but only if it ensured that happened. If I recall correctly this was 3 or 4 years ago,  and in hindsight looking at what Mr Levein left behind in his trail,  I'd have also taken 1 defeat In a league game,  if it saved the complete mess he left behind him and the money we wasted trying to fix his inept management and transfer dealings 

 

I think this just shows clouded judgement because of personal bias. To what extent do you carry on this logic to? Hoping Hearts lose every game until he is sacked? Back the team every game and voice your opinion on the manager afterwards, but to hope we lose games, especially a derby, is weirdo behaviour imo.

[Clerry Jambo]

1 hour ago, Des Lynam said:

Ignore @kimosavi mate he wanted hibs to beat Hearts. It’s hard to believe any Hearts fan would want hibs to win any game. 

Spot on Des

[Dr. Sheldon Cooper]

People have been moaning previously about square pegs in round holes and yet there's a clamour for us to play Steven Naismith in the centre of midfield?

 

We are leaking goals as it is, by offering the defence less protection I can't see us resolving that issue any time soon.  Every team needs to be appropriately balanced, doesn't matter if you're expected to win every game or not. If we play 2 wingers, 2 strikers and Naismith in midfield then we will concede loads of chances on the counter attack.

 

An energetic box to box midfielder will help us with that. We wanted Lee to be that player when we brought him here but he didn't have the pace to fulfil the role properly. They'll be hard to find at this point but I'm sure someone will be available for us. We need more pace in the middle of the pitch to help us up the tempo as we move through the lines and that will resolve a lot of our issues.

[TheBigO]

6 minutes ago, Juho_Makela_Goal_Machine said:

 

I think this just shows clouded judgement because of personal bias. To what extent do you carry on this logic to? Hoping Hearts lose every game until he is sacked? Back the team every game and voice your opinion on the manager afterwards, but to hope we lose games, especially a derby, is weirdo behaviour imo.

Aye cos to take that to a natural conclusion.  If we win the derby, then the next game, then the next.... well the manager doesn't need to go!  As unlikely as that seemed at the time, I'll always want us to win and that upturn to be the case.  Apathy has set in to an extent from time to time, but actual will for us to lose.  Never.

[lou]

Does have Harry souttar have a loan club just now

[19/05/2012]

20 minutes ago, OTT said:

 

Conor Shaughnessy looks to be available now and as a free agent. Hardly impressive, but he wasn't awful either. A short deal to the end of the season gives him a chance to impress/ earn a wage and we get to assess if he's good enough for next season. At this level he should be solid enough. 

He was awful one of the softest centre half’s I have ever seen at Hearts

[Rogue Daddy]

2 hours ago, Jamboj1 said:

Always find comments like this Weird literally a thread for discussing and passing on info, been honest every time I’ve been asked a question and gave any info I can give but yeah I’m of course I’m just guessing and have been all this time. If you don’t like anything I post how about just ignore it 

Keep posting mate... any info appreciated. Even... 'some bloke hopefully  signing tomorrow' gets my danglies tingling! 👍

[Rogue Daddy]

1 hour ago, Eddie The Eagle said:

One thing I have heard is  Mr Joe Savage is doing a wonderful job so far and is impressing everyone at the club. The French forward was originally seen as, very much out of our wage bracket, but after walsall being very difficult we went back in with an offer which he's accepted. This is very much his man and I'd expect the defender to be a solid signing too considering his database of contacts and influence down south 

👍 Cool! Very reassuring... and long overdue!

[Robbo-Jambo]

10 hours ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

If we actually played on the front foot with better movement in the attacking 5 it shouldn’t matter. Also Naismith would be more advance with Haring being cover/protector.

 

Different time, different players, different quality but against better teams - we were basically 4-1-3-2 under Burley.

 

Brellier in the Haring role

 

If Haring gets his form back he is more than capable of providing the steel needed in this league.

Yeah true, certainly didn't have slow starts under Burley!!! 

 

The game was usually done and dusted after about half an hour. 

 

We used to come out like a hurricane from the first whistle. 

 

As you say though different time and definitely different quality of player. 

[jamboinglasgow]

13 minutes ago, lou said:

Does have Harry souttar have a loan club just now

 

Is a regular for Stoke at the moment.

[Turkishcap]

1 hour ago, Eddie The Eagle said:

One thing I have heard is  Mr Joe Savage is doing a wonderful job so far and is impressing everyone at the club. The French forward was originally seen as, very much out of our wage bracket, but after walsall being very difficult we went back in with an offer which he's accepted. This is very much his man and I'd expect the defender to be a solid signing too considering his database of contacts and influence down south 

Good to hear.

[Debut 4]

2 minutes ago, Robbo-Jambo said:

Yeah true, certainly didn't have slow starts under Burley!!! 

 

The game was usually done and dusted after about half an hour. 

 

We used to come out like a hurricane from the first whistle. 

 

As you say though different time and definitely different quality of player. 

All true but it’s a mentality issue. It’s how tuned in you are as a player when you take the field. We are nowhere near the team of 06 but you don’t have to be to at least play with the right tempo.

 

It’s that and a centre midfield issue for me. If you look at the 06 team, look how quickly Hartley moved the ball. Irving was being influenced this way under Stendel but he’s reverted back to a more languid style again. 
 

I know you need the movement in front of you but there was a good example on Saturday of his reluctance again to get forward. Naisy received a ball on the half turn on the left of the centre circle, Irving was the option on the angle but there was a clear opportunity to run beyond his marker and take the ball on the move. 
 

He held, Naisy hesitated and ended up playing an overhit pass down the park. It’s the knock on effect. It’s about runners at the right time from the middle.  You can’t just play in an area and pass all day.  

[Lfhearts]

20 minutes ago, lou said:

Does have Harry souttar have a loan club just now

Playing for Stoke every week must be close to Scotland squad.

[johnking123]

Liam Lindsay. Harry is Australian squad.

[Under the floodlight]

2 hours ago, Jamboj1 said:

Always find comments like this Weird literally a thread for discussing and passing on info, been honest every time I’ve been asked a question and gave any info I can give but yeah I’m of course I’m just guessing and have been all this time. If you don’t like anything I post how about just ignore it 

Spot on, the problem with a lot of posters on here is they don't understand how employment works. As you know its only the employer and the employee who actually know what will happen during negotiations and even then this is subject to last minute hitches. I like a lot of other posters am grateful for any snippets of info.

Keep up the good work.

[Sharky999]

11 hours ago, Robbo-Jambo said:

Looks good on paper but two strikers, two wingers leaves Naismith and Haring as your two midfielders 🤔

Fair point, but you would expect Gms or Gino to drop in to midfield if they don't have the ball👍

[Phil D. Corners]

17 minutes ago, Robbo-Jambo said:

Yeah true, certainly didn't have slow starts under Burley!!! 

 

The game was usually done and dusted after about half an hour. 

 

We used to come out like a hurricane from the first whistle. 

 

As you say though different time and definitely different quality of player. 

I feel the current team mentality is ‘we’ll score eventually’! 
 

We pass the ball, maintain possession, creat half chances, for most of 1st half... then we concede. Then the pressure is all on us and we turn up. 

[Cruyff]

Liam Lindsay is gettable. 

 

 

 

[TheBigO]

9 minutes ago, Debut 4 said:

All true but it’s a mentality issue. It’s how tuned in you are as a player when you take the field. We are nowhere near the team of 06 but you don’t have to be to at least play with the right tempo.

 

It’s that and a centre midfield issue for me. If you look at the 06 team, look how quickly Hartley moved the ball. Irving was being influenced this way under Stendel but he’s reverted back to a more languid style again. 
 

I know you need the movement in front of you but there was a good example on Saturday of his reluctance again to get forward. Naisy received a ball on the half turn on the left of the centre circle, Irving was the option on the angle but there was a clear opportunity to run beyond his marker and take the ball on the move. 
 

He held, Naisy hesitated and ended up playing an overhit pass down the park. It’s the knock on effect. It’s about runners at the right time from the middle.  You can’t just play in an area and pass all day.  

Totally agree (though not aware of the specific example here).  It's about the players being programmed to do everything at pace and positivity being the natural choice.  For years now, other than when Stendel tried to change the mentality for a bit there, our players seem to have pragmatism drilled in to them.  Every bloody thing we do is so considered and overthought.

 

Play on the front foot.  If you make a mistake, well we'll all work out tits off to win it back straight away, so don't worry about that.  Go make it happen.

 

That should be the central message imo.

 

But for a long time now, it has been more like: keep your shape, keep the ball, wait for a chance.

[bobby bombscare]

34 minutes ago, jonnothejambo said:

 

Asymmetric, dropped off, inside left channel ? Formations galore ? 

 

It's football, not nuclear physics. 

 

Christ the game has changed in my 60 years of going to support the Hearts.

 

A simple game, complicated by coaches with their feckin folders and flip charts on the bench. 

 

Sorry, I'm not having a go mate because you are probably talking sense and old fogies like me are in the dark ages.

 

When it's drilled down it's about good crosses for the big man to attack and score a barrowload.

 

👍

 

 

sometimes, simplicity is key. For years Liverpool played nothing more than a standart 4-4-2. It won them 2 European championships. It wasn't the best formation and they didn't have the best players, but they kept it simple and had the RIGHT players for each position and it was well drilled into them.

 

I think the guys on here (managers do this as well though) are trying to find formations to get all the best players on the park. I don't think that has ever been an effective strategy. 

 

I think that Naisy, Boyce, GMS, Gino, Irvine, Harring, Walker etc may (or may not depending on opinion) be great players. But if they don't fit the formation, there will be no success from compromising it to make them fit or by playing them out of position.

 

Realistically, Naisy, Boyce, Wighton, henderson and the new boy are all strikers. Only a max of 2 of them can play there and as harsh as it is, Naisy should be finding himself on the bench and Wighton and Henderson out the squad most likely. I rate them all but they are strikers, they are not the best option for their position.

 

Wingers are Gino and GMS. they can both play either side so that is fine. Frear, Roberts and Moore are either on the bench or out the squad. Why put Henderson there if he's a striker? You wouldn't put Naisy on the wing so why Henderson? You need players that know the POSITION. Rather than a young boy who's never been trained for that position just cause he's got a bit pace and there's no room for him in the striker role.

 

Same for midfield nobody who isn't a midfielder should be there. and if you're looking for a DM and an AM, you don't just chuck to DM's on and get one to play high up. You get an AM in to play the position. Regardless of how good the DM is. 

 

You look at rangers and they way they play. You have Morelos and Roofe, both capable of scoring goals and both good players. But Gerrard still benches one of them before playing them out of position or trying to squeeze everyone into a formation.

 

I feel like at hearts, we've done this for years. Playing FB's and wingers as wing backs and playing strikers or forwards as attacking midfielders. buying players because they are good and then trying to find a way to get them into the formation. I always thought it just shouldn't be that way. When bringing in players and keeping players, it should be about getting the best player who plays in the position you need filled. Not buying a player that is really good and playing them outside their normal position.

 

Mitchell, Wighton and Mulraney as wing backs

Naisy as a midfielder

Amankwa as a left back

Meshino as a winger

Uche as a winger

Washington as a striker

Brandon as a left back

White as a left mid/wing or as a RB

 

It just doesn't work. The year we finished second under mad vlad, how many players played out of position weekly? When celtic/rangers win the league, how many players are put in random positions just to get them on the park?

 

I think if we want to have success with signings and on the pitch, we need to start buying the RIGHT players for a position, rather than the best players on the market and making them fit. It's half the reason that hearts have been taking good players and turning them to duds.

 

Edit: I'm also aware, there may be some players i forgot about or put in the wrong position but it was more to emphasise a point!

Edited January 26, 2021 by bobby bombscare

[Robbo-Jambo]

2 minutes ago, Phil D. Corners said:

I feel the current team mentality is ‘we’ll score eventually’! 
 

We pass the ball, maintain possession, creat half chances, for most of 1st half... then we concede. Then the pressure is all on us and we turn up. 

Too late at Dundee and on Saturday 😏. Games were gone by then. 

[Debut 4]

2 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

Totally agree (though not aware of the specific example here).  It's about the players being programmed to do everything at pace and positivity being the natural choice.  For years now, other than when Stendel tried to change the mentality for a bit there, our players seem to have pragmatism drilled in to them.  Every bloody thing we do is so considered and overthought.

 

Play on the front foot.  If you make a mistake, well we'll all work out tits off to win it back straight away, so don't worry about that.  Go make it happen.

 

That should be the central message imo.

 

But for a long time now, it has been more like: keep your shape, keep the ball, wait for a chance.

Totally agree, Big O, spot on. 

[Phil D. Corners]

1 minute ago, Robbo-Jambo said:

Too late at Dundee and on Saturday 😏. Games were gone by then. 

We’ve had a couple other games which scored very late to take the win. 

[GinRummy]

5 minutes ago, Cruyff said:

Liam Lindsay is gettable. 

 

 

 

Sure that contradicts someone earlier in the thread. Know little about him myself. Why so confident?

[Cruyff]

Diego Simeone always plays 442, does he not. On his way to another title. 

[Cruyff]

Just now, GinRummy said:

Sure that contradicts someone earlier in the thread. Know little about him myself. Why so confident?

Because they are looking to offload him and he needs to get his career back on track. Not played a minute this season. 

[eck1874]

Thought the idea of bringing in a big striker was so we could go to a 4-4-2. 

[TheBigO]

1 minute ago, Cruyff said:

Because they are looking to offload him and he needs to get his career back on track. Not played a minute this season. 

Aye, this was my thought, but was told on here a week or so back I was being unrealistic.

 

My guess/hope was that he sees taking a step down money-wise, but a step up as far as playing each week for a good sized club can only be good for him

 

Apparently Stoke spend a couple mill on him not long ago, but perhaps just getting him off the wage bill is best they can hope,  Frankly, who is paying more than a few grand for him now.  Maybe get £250k for him.  Maybe we'd pay that.

[Jeff]

8 minutes ago, Cruyff said:

Diego Simeone always plays 442, does he not. On his way to another title. 

 

He's got an eye for a player

[Cruyff]

Just now, TheBigO said:

Aye, this was my thought, but was told on here a week or so back I was being unrealistic.

 

My guess/hope was that he sees taking a step down money-wise, but a step up as far as playing each week for a good sized club can only be good for him

 

Apparently Stoke spend a couple mill on him not long ago, but perhaps just getting him off the wage bill is best they can hope,  Frankly, who is paying more than a few grand for him now.  Maybe get £250k for him.  Maybe we'd pay that.

They paid big money for him but Michael O'Neil doesn't want him. Barely makes a squad. Only a year left on his contract after the summer so they will have to sell for a greatly reduced fee.

Rotherham want him on loan but who the feck wants to go to Rotherham when they'll be in League 1 next season with a salary cap?

He was on the fringes of a Scotland call up not long ago. He's nowhere near now. He can kick start his career here. 

[soonbe110]

53 minutes ago, lou said:

Does have Harry souttar have a loan club just now

Starts every game for Stoke. Epl clubs sniffing around. 

[TheBigO]

10 minutes ago, Cruyff said:

Diego Simeone always plays 442, does he not. On his way to another title. 

Yup, it's a misconception that 442 makes you weak in the middle.  It's down to the players.

 

That really good Iceland team a few years back who beat England and were all about being tight and strong, were a 442 and many teams who play that way are.  The classic old Stoke team was 442 under Pulis - and they played 2 wingers.  Burnley are similar now.  And contrary to belief, I think it's good football to watch, personally.  lots of guts, lots of getting the ball in the mixer, wingers trying to hit byeline, fullbacks swinging balls in from 30 yards out, forwards bullying defenders.  All good to me.

 

You need pure workrate to do it.  Your wide guys need to have legs to get up and down the park, your midfielders need to work their socks off to be winning every ball.  You need to move the ball at pace.  Your defence needs to love defending as their first and foremost job.  Do we have the players for that?  Not sure we do.  An energetic midfielder and a big CH would do it and then it can work.

[bigsuperslim1874]

Liam Lindsay would be a tremendous signing. Would take our defence up a few levels and potential for both parties to benefit should he improve and look to move back to England later on as he is at a good age.

[soonbe110]

29 minutes ago, johnking123 said:

Liam Lindsay. Harry is Australian squad.

Lindsay is available for loan at the moment. Hasn’t appeared for Stoke at all this season though. 

[upgotheheads]

On 24/01/2021 at 13:06, Le Chat said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Seymour M Hersh]

Just now, upgotheheads said:

 

 

An interesting take on things. 

[Dr. Sheldon Cooper]

25 minutes ago, bobby bombscare said:

sometimes, simplicity is key. For years Liverpool played nothing more than a standart 4-4-2. It won them 2 European championships. It wasn't the best formation and they didn't have the best players, but they kept it simple and had the RIGHT players for each position and it was well drilled into them.

 

I think the guys on here (managers do this as well though) are trying to find formations to get all the best players on the park. I don't think that has ever been an effective strategy. 

 

I think that Naisy, Boyce, GMS, Gino, Irvine, Harring, Walker etc may (or may not depending on opinion) be great players. But if they don't fit the formation, there will be no success from compromising it to make them fit or by playing them out of position.

 

Realistically, Naisy, Boyce, Wighton, henderson and the new boy are all strikers. Only a max of 2 of them can play there and as harsh as it is, Naisy should be finding himself on the bench and Wighton and Henderson out the squad most likely. I rate them all but they are strikers, they are not the best option for their position.

 

Wingers are Gino and GMS. they can both play either side so that is fine. Frear, Roberts and Moore are either on the bench or out the squad. Why put Henderson there if he's a striker? You wouldn't put Naisy on the wing so why Henderson? You need players that know the POSITION. Rather than a young boy who's never been trained for that position just cause he's got a bit pace and there's no room for him in the striker role.

 

Same for midfield nobody who isn't a midfielder should be there. and if you're looking for a DM and an AM, you don't just chuck to DM's on and get one to play high up. You get an AM in to play the position. Regardless of how good the DM is. 

 

You look at rangers and they way they play. You have Morelos and Roofe, both capable of scoring goals and both good players. But Gerrard still benches one of them before playing them out of position or trying to squeeze everyone into a formation.

 

I feel like at hearts, we've done this for years. Playing FB's and wingers as wing backs and playing strikers or forwards as attacking midfielders. buying players because they are good and then trying to find a way to get them into the formation. I always thought it just shouldn't be that way. When bringing in players and keeping players, it should be about getting the best player who plays in the position you need filled. Not buying a player that is really good and playing them outside their normal position.

 

Mitchell, Wighton and Mulraney as wing backs

Naisy as a midfielder

Amankwa as a left back

Meshino as a winger

Uche as a winger

Washington as a striker

Brandon as a left back

White as a left mid/wing or as a RB

 

It just doesn't work. The year we finished second under mad vlad, how many players played out of position weekly? When celtic/rangers win the league, how many players are put in random positions just to get them on the park?

 

I think if we want to have success with signings and on the pitch, we need to start buying the RIGHT players for a position, rather than the best players on the market and making them fit. It's half the reason that hearts have been taking good players and turning them to duds.

 

Edit: I'm also aware, there may be some players i forgot about or put in the wrong position but it was more to emphasise a point!

 

Washington is a striker though? 

 

Having players who are versatile and fill more than one position/role are valuable players to have when you're working to a tight budget. We've got a few of them in the squad at the moment. Yes players will have always have a strongest position but they're capable of filling in elsewhere too. Haring, Halliday, Smith and White are all examples of that.

 

You should always sign players to fit the style and shape of the team which is definitely what Neilson has been trying to do this season. You are right though, you can't just chuck players into a formation and expect it to work. The formation isn't what matters either, it's the players playing in that formation and their chosen roles that makes it work.

 

I've already alluded to the fact that there have been calls for 4-4-2 with Boyce, Gnanduillet, Naismith, GMS and Ginnelly all in the team. There's no balance there. Yes we might attack and create chances but we would be prone to being caught on the counter attack. A manager is paid to make tough decisions and Gnanduillet coming in gives us another selection problem, but it's up to Neilson to decide who does and who doesn't play if we are wanting to change the shape of the team.

[Berra than you]

11 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

Yup, it's a misconception that 442 makes you weak in the middle.  It's down to the players.

 

That really good Iceland team a few years back who beat England and were all about being tight and strong, were a 442 and many teams who play that way are.  The classic old Stoke team was 442 under Pulis - and they played 2 wingers.  Burnley are similar now.  And contrary to belief, I think it's good football to watch, personally.  lots of guts, lots of getting the ball in the mixer, wingers trying to hit byeline, fullbacks swinging balls in from 30 yards out, forwards bullying defenders.  All good to me.

 

You need pure workrate to do it.  Your wide guys need to have legs to get up and down the park, your midfielders need to work their socks off to be winning every ball.  You need to move the ball at pace.  Your defence needs to love defending as their first and foremost job.  Do we have the players for that?  Not sure we do.  An energetic midfielder and a big CH would do it and then it can work.

This is where I am at with it. In principle it can work brilliantly. But I think we are missing the centre halfs and an energetic cm to play it successfully.