I’m not really bothered that he might have played there sometimes at Lecce, it’s the fact that our current coaching set up haven’t played him at LB. If he was seen internally as the viable cover/competition there, then surely they at least give him a half there during pre-season?
I find it baffling as I find it impossible to look at our current squad and not see a DCM, LB and a striker as obvious areas of weakness, and the whole point of this summer window should be to strengthen so we have the depth required to try and compete on multiple fronts.
Expecting Shaw to both play twice a week and remain injury free is downright foolish - he struggled to get up and down the flank consistently for just one game a week last season - which means you need someone to regularly rotate with him. If Maz or Dorgu are regularly rotating there, then we’re taking away depth from either our attack or from FB on our other flank. That just doesn’t seem smart. And it’s not just about who’s starting - with a heavy schedule you need to be able to make impactful subs. FB can be a physically demanding position where you need to cover a lot of ground and you always want attacking options on your bench to change a game. Maz or Dorgu starting at LB means they’re not available for RB cover or attacking cover. Throw in an injury to any FB (2/3 of ours are injury prone) and suddenly you’re really exposed.
Again - fine if all we’re trying to do is “make do”, but we should be trying to consolidate and build on our top four finish so we can make qualifying for the CL a regular thing.
As I said, I tend to agree with you on those particular points. I do think if - hypothetically - someone has seen Dorgu play LB at Lecce and think he did fantastically well there, it’s a more relevant testimony to his potential there than wether Carrick has used him there these few months with the options he’s had at LB and LW so far. But I would agree it’s a clear indication that Carrick would want a LB in. I would too. But it doesn’t in itself prove that Dorgu might not be a viable back up option there.
But, again, I believe we are aiming to bring in two more players. I think we actually have not so bad depth now, after this window so far, it’s more the top quality we need to improve to take the next step. We currently have only one player of the highest order, Bruno. Apart from that there is a lot of potential. If we want to challenge for the League and CL, I think we need more top class players in key positions - some of our current ones may develop into that level (Lammens, Heaven, Yoro, Mainoo, Santos, Mount, Amad, Sesko) but it’s not a given at all. We lack that injury free top class in GK, CB, RB, LB, CM, LW, RW and S compared to the absolute best.
At that point it may also make more sense to hold out for the right deals. If we can get a Tschouameni now, maybe make do with Shaw, Amas and Dorgu at LB for a year. If we can get Hall, maybe make do with Mount, Santos and an understudy at CM. If we can get a ‘Van Dijk’ or a ‘Haaland’ now (but I don’t see them out there), maybe that is more important than filling out the depth in MF or LB with semi-expensive signings. It’s just a thought.
I think we’re in the market for two more signings, one of them probably wuite expensive. That’s my guess. But I’m not sweating and twitching at this point, no.
