On a positive note, We've finally signed a player who can play Centre-Back! It's only a Month late. Yes, Tim Ream's finally signed on the dotted line. I can pretty much quote what I said a week ago during my Brighton Preview when it comes to my thoughts on the signing;
"I'm all for signing Ream, he's not necessarily a world-beater- but he's still a marked improvement on Dan Burn for one. So if we end up with Ream instead of Dunk then we've still gotten an improvement, and then if we end up with both then we'll have Dunk, Ream and Hutchinson as pretty decent options and being able to have cover/rotation when needed."
Obviously that was highlighting his ability to play Centre-Back, but as I said in my Hull Preview in the immediate term I think he's going to be playing Left-Back for us until Garbutt's fit. Speaking of fitness, off the back of Kit's Press Conference it seems as though Ream won't be coming in tomorrow because he isn't Fit. That's fair enough in my book, presumably while we were in limbo with the Work Permit stuff he wasn't training with Bolton or Us and he wouldn't have trained much anyway because I believe he had a Dead Leg. This leaves the debate completely open for the Defence once again, but that's for a bit later on.
When it comes to Bettinelli's injury, while we don't know the exact time-frame yet I think it's safe to say he's out Long-Term. That pretty much confirms Lonergan's starting place in the team for whatever time period Bettinelli's out for at the minimum. I've already said it in one of my Preview's this season- Bettinelli has earned his place as the #1 for us, but Lonergan is a more than competent replacement. It will be interesting to see how Lonergan performs, because if he's playing quality consistently then the Goalkeeper dynamic may well change- and if he doesn't it opens the door for Joronen to work his way back into the team.
It's my favourite talking point! The Defence, while we've taken a step toward a competent Back Four with the Ream signing is still far from acceptable. I'm working on the basis that Ream isn't playing tomorrow, Kit might be trying to work Chris Powell and have him plan to go down our Left before putting Ream in- but it's Kit, so that isn't what's happening. Hutchinson as I've seemingly said in every post is our best Centre-Back so he'll continue- especially after the Hull game where he wasn't great, but he was for me our best player. Jazz Richards will of course continue- and that's the right side sorted.
It's like I said in my Hull Review, I'm honestly beyond blaming Voser now. We know he's not good enough, surely Kit does- and yet he keeps picking him. A Notable name on the Bench for Hull was Sean Kavanagh, so he isn't "injured injured" now and hopefully with a few more days in training now he's going to be fit- or at least fit enough to take Voser's place. I've repeatedly said what I thought about Dan Burn, but he really can't be any worse than Bodurov's been at times this season, although if Nakhi Wells gets in behind him at any point tomorrow I may retract that statement. I'm really at the point where it's anything but the Left-Side we're using, so if Kavanagh isn't fit enough then I'd shift Richards over to the Left and play Tunnicliffe at Right-Back. I don't think he's played Right-Back in his whole life, but he's a Defensive Minded player who can play on the Right. I'm that desperate, and it's only August.
If Kacaniklic isn't starting tomorrow I'll scream. I haven't turned on Pringle, but his last two performances simply aren't good enough and when we've got someone who can easily step-in like Kacaniklic then it's a no-brainer. Jamie O'Hara's a given, I'm actually debating between keeping him in his current role and moving him into a more Box-to-Box role because of Christensen's largely anonymous start to the season. As with the Hull Preview I'm in two minds when it comes to Christensen, we know what he can do- we've all seen it. In fact Huddersfield at Home last season he got the Goal of the Season! With that in mind I'm willing to keep Lasse in for a little while longer before pulling the trigger on him, however I definitely wouldn't be against moving O'Hara to the Box-to-Box role and bringing in either Tunnicliffe or Matilla and playing them as a more traditional DM. Cairney along with O'Hara are the two absolute guarantees, at least with Cairney we've got the potential to score a goal out of nothing which given the complete lack of clear goalscoring chances we've created as of late is a must in the team.
I'm not happy Smith's out for 4-6 Weeks, I never want someone to get injured. However, Smith being out of the team has forced Kit's hand when it comes to an alternative selection and dynamic up-front. If it's anyone other than Dembele I will in fact kill someone. The positive impact he's had on the team pretty much every time he's come on makes him deserving of a start tomorrow, and with his pace we might not look like a completely static team like we have pretty much the whole time when Smith's started- and that in turn meaning we won't start as badly as we have the last two games. I'm still 50/50 as to whether I'd start McCormack, but as I said in my Hull Review- it's a moot point because Kit won't. If he wouldn't drop Pringle and Bodurov despite clear replacements for them after the Brighton game then there's no chance he'll drop McCormack.
Team for Huddersfield
Huddersfield were the only team we actually did the double over last season. Whether that means it carries on to this season and we're a "bogey team" for Huddersfield remains to be seen, however Kit must be praying that is indeed the case. I can't see a scenario where we lose either tomorrow or Rotherham next weekend and Kit carries on through the International Break.
The one thing we DEFINITELY can't afford to do tomorrow (apart from lose obviously) is start slowly. Both from an on the pitch standpoint and from a Kit standpoint. If we start slowly tomorrow that confirms what's been said about Kit in that he simply can't motivate the players, it really will be that simple tomorrow. Then from an on the pitch standpoint if we start slowly you can put your life savings on the crowd getting agitated and that never fails to translate onto the players.
With how volatile the Championship is, especially in these very early stages a win or two can change the whole complexion of where we are. Who knows, we might beat Huddersfield and Rotherham have 7 Points on the board heading into the International Break and things will be looking up. I doubt it, and with Kit it's more likely we'll be thoroughly depressed heading into the International Break.
With how volatile the Championship is, especially in these very early stages a win or two can change the whole complexion of where we are. Who knows, we might beat Huddersfield and Rotherham have 7 Points on the board heading into the International Break and things will be looking up. I doubt it, and with Kit it's more likely we'll be thoroughly depressed heading into the International Break.
Thanks for reading as always, I don't think I've been overly negative in this given the situation we're in and the generally horrendous games we've had to put up with in the last week. I'm also going to clarify something because some people on Twitter seem to take people wanting Kit gone as a personal attack on him. I like Kit, I'm sure he's a nice guy- he simply isn't good enough to be managing a team who at least should have promotion ambitions in the Championship. Pretty much everything whether it's his tactics, team selection everything points to that fact. Thanks again for reading, and let's hope the Review tomorrow is full of positives and I'll be reviewing our first league win. It's the hope that kills you.
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