Fantastic season only just at an end but we will inevitably now start to look forward to the next challenge with the World Cup only a minor distraction.
Maybe something we should look to add over the summer is goals from the middle of the park. KMac got 5 this season, Evans 2 and Price 0. I know Edwards and Jacobs both got goals playing attacking midfield but when you're only playing with one striker that's obviously a must.
Haven't got many names to throw into the mix but Franck Moussa from Coventry is out of contract and therefore available for free.
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/coventry-city-boss-steven-pressley-7073398
Might be more of a contender for the attacking midfield slot but Coventry certainly seem to have used him in a 442 so could probably cover both positions. Must have a better than 1 in 3 goals to games ratio for the season and impressed an Arsenal mate of mine when they visited the Emirates in the cup.
Goals from centre midfield
posted on 6/5/14
Signing up Stearman and Edwards is obviously first priority so looking forwards to seeing official news of that as soon as possible.
posted on 6/5/14
Henry also got a few goals from midfield, lizard.
Moussa seems to have been around for a while and if released by League 1 Coventry, I'm not sure that he will be what we should be looking for in the Champo.
Agree about Stears and Edwards, though.
posted on 6/5/14
Wasn''t thinking of the wingers Cyp.
Think Moussa is 24 and is only set to leave Cov because they have no cash
posted on 6/5/14
Goals were the only things that Price's game lacked, he was a bit unlucky to be fair, had a good chance on Saturday but fluffed it.
posted on 6/5/14
Of the 89 league goals we have scored, 24 have come from central midfield, the same number as scored by the top 2 strikers. Not too shabby in my book.
The goal scoring table looks like this:
Strikers
Dicko 13
Griffiths 11
Doyle 4
Sigurdarson 2
McAlinden 1
Clarke 1
Total 32
Midfielders
Sako 12
Henry 10
Edwards 9
Jacobs 8
McDonald 5
Evans 2
Total 46
Defenders
Ricketts 2
Ebanks-Landell 2
Stearman 2
Batth 2
Foley 1
Doherty 1
Golbourne 1
Total 11
posted on 6/5/14
We are playing a 4-2-3-1 formation so we need the three behind the striker to get a few goals and Sako, Henry, Jacobs and Edwards got their fair share from those positions..
McDonald, Price and Evans tend to fill the deeper midfield roles and in that formation they wont score many. But their deep role has played a big part in us having an improved defensive record. Guess you cant have it both ways.
Personally I like this formation and think the partnership of McDonald and Price has been one of the biggest positives of the season. And as a team we have not been short on goals. Where we probably should get more is from our centre backs when they go forward for free kicks and corners.
posted on 6/5/14
Good analysis, Gem
Useless defenders, eh!
Just joking of course about the defenders but one serious point that has irked me for ages is about our goal threat (or lack of it) from corners. Even in our Prem days and it has carried on this season is that we appear to get our fair share of corners but rarely seem to score from them.
A problem?
posted on 6/5/14
Another option is that we move Ward into midfield. Such is his versatility, and eye for goal, we could see a rejuvenated player after his recent successful spell at a higher level.
posted on 6/5/14
Liam Trotter plays a deeper role and I believe is out of contract and was one of Kenny's main men at Millwall.
But i would be disappointed if we don t start the season with Price and KMac side by side.