The January Transfer Window thread 2022 - That's all folks!

[Borodane 6,301]

46 minutes ago, Neverbefore said:

Think he'd need to improve his passing and distribution if he wants to play there in a wilder team. He's sat at 68% pass completion for the season atm, and just watching him you can see he consistently misplaces simple passes.

I can't help but think, that if Wilder wants to focus on keeping the ball on the ground, then Crooks will be one of the current midfielders that miss out. He's not exactly the kind of player who recieves the ball in the feet. Still a useful player though but probably won't get as many minutes going forward but then again his main competitors in Howson and Siliki aren't exactly pass maestros either.

[Neverbefore 10,942]

12 minutes ago, Borodane said:

I can't help but think, that if Wilder wants to focus on keeping the ball on the ground, then Crooks will be one of the current midfielders that miss out. He's not exactly the kind of player who recieves the ball in the feet. Still a useful player though but probably won't get as many minutes going forward but then again his main competitors in Howson and Siliki aren't exactly pass maestros either.

He's not bad with his feet in terms of his touch and he is quite mobile for someone so big. If we can improve on his passing and decision making he'd be ideal for the role, but that's a big if. 

[Foogle 2,104]

1 hour ago, Neverbefore said:

Think he'd need to improve his passing and distribution if he wants to play there in a wilder team. He's sat at 68% pass completion for the season atm, and just watching him you can see he consistently misplaces simple passes.

Under Wilder I'd expect every players pass completion to increase, every players instructions under Warnock was to move the ball forward as quick as possible. As well as this Crooks has split his time as a number 10 that you'd generally expect to try riskier passes.

I think he'll prove to be very adaptable to a holding Midfield or box to box role under Wilder, as you say he's got a nice first touch and quick feet.

[Humpty 3,261]

48 minutes ago, Borodane said:

I can't help but think, that if Wilder wants to focus on keeping the ball on the ground, then Crooks will be one of the current midfielders that miss out. He's not exactly the kind of player who recieves the ball in the feet. Still a useful player though but probably won't get as many minutes going forward but then again his main competitors in Howson and Siliki aren't exactly pass maestros either.

I disagree with that assessment. He’s as capable as any of our current midfielders with the ball at his feet although I’m reserving judgement on Payero. I wouldn’t pay much attention to his passing stats either as he’s played in a multitude of positions, often in the final third where space is tight. As a defensive midfielder, there’s more space to play and he’s not looking for the killer ball everytime. With a bit of time in that position, I think he’d be very handy at this level.

[Brunners 7,982]

1 hour ago, Borodane said:

I can't help but think, that if Wilder wants to focus on keeping the ball on the ground, then Crooks will be one of the current midfielders that miss out. He's not exactly the kind of player who recieves the ball in the feet. Still a useful player though but probably won't get as many minutes going forward but then again his main competitors in Howson and Siliki aren't exactly pass maestros either.

Interesting how we can watch the same games and get completely different results out of it. For me he's one of the better players with the ball in his feet. He's got great close control for such a big lad and multiple times a game he will dance past someone he really shouldn't!

[LinoJo3 3,191]

I don’t see how we can judge crooks passing for us based on stats when our stats as a team are terrible. We barely seemed to finish games over 40% posession under warnock, sometimes getting into the 30s.

[SouthernSmoggie 4,242]

27 minutes ago, LinoJo3 said:

I don’t see how we can judge crooks passing for us based on stats when our stats as a team are terrible. We barely seemed to finish games over 40% posession under warnock, sometimes getting into the 30s.

Every player deserves a chance to be judged with fresh eyes under Wilder, including the lads on loan.

We've had a manager whose 'tactics' have hindered rather than helped most of them for two and a half years. 

[Neverbefore 10,942]

Yeah, everyone has a clean slate for me. 

Though my comment on crooks passing was less based on stats (which are also pretty poor) and more on watching him be unable to complete simple passes a lot of the time. This will need to improve and hopefully it will with more time spent on pass and move in training. It's obvious that this was near the bottom of warnock and cos priorities when we train. 

[ManBearPig 1,853]

I’d reserve judgement on all players until they play under Wilder. No midfielder was really tasked with playing in a Wilder style whilst they were under Warnock. And for the majority of the players it’s going to be a big change in approach to Pulis and Woodgate if they were here back then. 
 

Id like to think that they would relish at being asked to play football, rather than hoofball. We did at times look really good on the floor under Warnock, but it was a rare glimpse. I’d say that Crooks could definitely be capable of a DM role, but I think that Siliki could also do a good job there. 
 

Im actually pretty excited to see what bits we can work with. I think just like with Spence, a new manager will make this team   F l o u r i s h 

[Rishworthian 166]

It may be that we have a ready made DM. 

That was Dijksteel's position when he joined Charlton where  he was converted to a right back, if my memory serves me correctly.

I could imagine him playing in that role and doing it very well

[Humpty 3,261]

If we're going with three at the back we're going to need Djikesteel available to play in that three. That's his best position after all. A defensive midfielder should be a shoe in for that position every week, pulling Djikesteel about to fill in gaps when we pick up injuries at the back just disrupts the team further.

[Hendrie_7 1,073]

https://www.teamtalk.com/middlesbrough/exclusive-chris-wilder-double-sheffield-utd-raid-new-boro-tactic

"EXCLUSIVE: Wilder eyes double Sheffield Utd raid to help new Middlesbrough tactic"

It's Basham and Burke.

[Borodane 6,301]

2 minutes ago, Hendrie_7 said:

https://www.teamtalk.com/middlesbrough/exclusive-chris-wilder-double-sheffield-utd-raid-new-boro-tactic

"EXCLUSIVE: Wilder eyes double Sheffield Utd raid to help new Middlesbrough tactic"

It's Basham and Burke.

That's a fairly easy article to write isn't it? Basham a former favourite who's now out of favour and Burke one of thelast players Wilder bought but is also out of favour. I don't think I would mind Basham who should still have a few years in him but I'd stay clear of Burke unless we can strike some amazing low cost deal, but honestly I don't think he worth looking at at the expected costs.

[Hendrie_7 1,073]

6 minutes ago, Borodane said:

That's a fairly easy article to write isn't it? Basham a former favourite who's now out of favour and Burke one of thelast players Wilder bought but is also out of favour. I don't think I would mind Basham who should still have a few years in him but I'd stay clear of Burke unless we can strike some amazing low cost deal, but honestly I don't think he worth looking at at the expected costs.

Burke wouldn't make any sense to me, we already have Watmore for the fast, nuisance type striker, so it's probably just because we were linked to him last window.

[Duvel 2,446]

I think Basham coming here seems very likely, a low cost transfer would suit us and Sheff United with his contract due to run out in the summer. 

Burke I'd take but it would have to be for free and on low wages, he's literally done nothing for a few seasons now.