If Vic's confirmed gone...

I'm the same as Paddy, I can't really remember his performances in the EL.

I actually struggle to remember things from the recent past, think my short term memory might be shot to bits from years of abusing my brain cells.

 

I'm not saying he'd be a like-for-like replacement for Wanyama, but he would certainly add more defensive-ness to the midfield, more than Brown and Ledley would.

He's usually the midfielder who is closest to the defence anyway:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc-2NLD8FZ0


Edit:

Actually, watching that video he reminds me ever so slightly of Paul Lambert when he's on the ball...........

 

Against the non-elite teams I would be delighted to have Brown Kayal and Ledley as a middle three. Against the better teams I think we need a shield infront of the defence. Otherwise I agree.

 

Maybe like you said we could utilise Mulgrew in that role when the need arises, his set pieces will be vital in those kind of games anyway so it would be good to have him on the park.

Use the other three at all other times and sign a playmaker instead?

 

The thing is, if Kayal were to play as our deepest midfielder, it wouldn't be like the way Wanyama played it, who was primarily a ball winner who could drive forward and even pick out a pass. While Kayal would be the type who'd dictate play from deep, he wouldn't run as much, he wouldn't get physical as much, however he'd certainly control the play.

I've always though Kayal was best as a deep lying playmaker with a player with a great engine like Brown or Ledley beside him.

Similar to how Alonso and Khedira work. (no I'm not comparing Kayal to Alonso or Ledley to Khedira, just using this an example), Kayal like Alonso, dictating play from deep, Khedira driving slightly forward, in the process either getting the ball to our number 10 (most likely Commons.... Ozil for RM) quickly or just simply using his runs to create space.

I believe this could work very well.

Brown and Ledley together without a proper deep player would certainly not work.

Ideally if we still had Ki, he could have played the deep lying playmaker role, but Kayal is more than capable of it too.


Anticipating the likelihood that both Hooper and Wanyama will leave, I'd imagine this would be our best option (minus any further signings).

Kayal Ledley
McGeoch Commons Samaras
Stokes

Or something to that effect.
​

 

I personally would not want Mulgrew in any defensive midfielder position - although, he might do a job in a "Pirlo" role imo.

 

i have to agree. Park will be one step ahead of the game.

Kayal will get more game time though. he is a great player for us when on form and will share the DM role more with whoever comes in to replace the big man.

 

Can we please kill the 'Ambrose will take over the Wanyama role in midfield' rumours right now. He is dodgy enough in defence, never mind playing in the middle of the park. It was only a cameo but his performance from the bench in the Cup Final highlights how bad he would be in that position. He had 1 good game there on his debut against Raith Rovers at home in the CIS Cup. That's it.

When Wanyama leaves, I would still expect Lennon to be given roughly £5-7million from it to spend. I'd use that to buy another left back, defensive midfielder, 'number 10' type attacking midfielder and a winger. Use the rest of the money to give Hooper a bumper new contract and bank the rest for debt/infrastructure/academy purposes. That would leave us with a 30 man squad of something like:

Forster, Zaluska, Thomson
Lustig, Matthews
Van Dijk, Wilson, Mulgrew, Ambrose, Toshney, Fraser
Izaguirre, New LB
Forrest, Commons, McGeough, New Winger
New CDM, New CAM, Brown, Ledley, Kayal, Rogic, Twardzik
Hooper, Balde, Samaras, Stokes, Watt, Atajic

 

Not a bad squad though I think we'd be hard-pressed to get guys ready to contribute at all the positions you're looking at for 7 mil.
I think our biggest problem is we're still a bit over-loaded at CM. Brown, Kayal and Ledley could all easily start week-in, week-out but they all offer a fairly similar game. Vic was the one of the four that offered something really different with his strength in the center of the park. We'll have trouble replacing that and it's vital that we do for European games. I'd like to see Kayal get more game-time but I think it'd have to be at the expense of either Ledley or Brown because I don't see a Kayal/Brown/Ledley combo being the answer in the center of the park for Europe. We need someone with similar brute strength to Vic though I don't know where we'll find someone who could combine it with the skill he displayed at times.

 

Kayal will struggle to shield the back four in Europe. He's an excellent harrier of the opposition, but as Devlin said his positional indiscipline would leave him exposed if playing as the only defensive midfielder. Our win over Helsingborg away is the perfect example; despite winning the game we were like a sieve in that match without Wanyama. This was largely due to Kayal not suiting the role he was given.

 

I think van dijk is wanyama's replacement actually.

 

I would like to think that if were going to spend 2.6 million on a replacement for Wanyama we would buy an actual midfielder.

 

Is he gone?

 

Nope.

Still a Celtic player - despite several fictitious rumours

 

Ok

 

He's replacing Hooper.

His nickname is "Space Hopper".

 

Ive retired Hammer :bbpd:

 

Hoping we use 1-2 mill for another star of the future and bank the rest. ESP with the state the spl is in just now.