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Moussa Niakhaté

Player-12

First Team Squad
I wouldn’t be so sure, looking at the quality of our transfer targets this summer….

I agree McKenna was brilliant last year, but it’s a whole different level this year, and pace will be even more important, especially down the sides where our wider centre-halves play.

Niakhate has clearly been targeted at least in part due to his pace.


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Purely guesswork from me, but id think you want the fastest centre back to be central if you have a choice. Having that speed in the middle gives them more effective range to cover from one side to the next.

Having them out left, or out right puts the boundary on their speed in one direction. Out left, Niakhate's speed couldn't cover the channels behind our right back. Whereas centrally, he could cover the entire defence with his speed.
 

Kjetil Osvold's Cat

Kingsley Black
Purely guesswork from me, but id think you want the fastest centre back to be central if you have a choice. Having that speed in the middle gives them more effective range to cover from one side to the next.

Having them out left, or out right puts the boundary on their speed in one direction. Out left, Niakhate's speed couldn't cover the channels behind our right back. Whereas centrally, he could cover the entire defence with his speed.
"You'll never beat Niakhate!"?

Hopefully he keeps it clean and we don't need to add "cos he knows Karate" (I'm assuming that rhymes but I didn't hear someone say his name yet and I pronounced Ian Woan's surname wrong at first even I remember!).
 

Notcher

Stuart Pearce
"You'll never beat Niakhate!"?

Hopefully he keeps it clean and we don't need to add "cos he knows Karate" (I'm assuming that rhymes but I didn't hear someone say his name yet and I pronounced Ian Woan's surname wrong at first even I remember!).
I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I ask, how the hell were you pronouncing Woman?

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MaxiRobriguez

Bob McKinlay
Purely guesswork from me, but id think you want the fastest centre back to be central if you have a choice. Having that speed in the middle gives them more effective range to cover from one side to the next.

Having them out left, or out right puts the boundary on their speed in one direction. Out left, Niakhate's speed couldn't cover the channels behind our right back. Whereas centrally, he could cover the entire defence with his speed.
Most through balls are in channels, so you'd want your pace/acceleration flanking the guy in the middle if you are forced to choose. Worrall is probably our fastest defender (doesn't say much does it) but played RCB despite options in both Figs and Cook to play there and move Worrall into the middle.

If we sign Niakhate he'll play LCB. McKenna will probably end up playing in the centre of the three. Might suit McKenna better there anyway as we'll want that player to defend lofted crosses.
 

Rzar

Bob McKinlay
Purely guesswork from me, but id think you want the fastest centre back to be central if you have a choice. Having that speed in the middle gives them more effective range to cover from one side to the next.

Having them out left, or out right puts the boundary on their speed in one direction. Out left, Niakhate's speed couldn't cover the channels behind our right back. Whereas centrally, he could cover the entire defence with his speed.
I don’t agree, if the middle guy is going out wide your whole defence is unorganised.

The fast guys out wide to deal with wide men/carry the ball when you are open and the slow guys in the middle as a last resort.
 

Master Yates

John Robertson
Most through balls are in channels, so you'd want your pace/acceleration flanking the guy in the middle if you are forced to choose. Worrall is probably our fastest defender (doesn't say much does it) but played RCB despite options in both Figs and Cook to play there and move Worrall into the middle.

If we sign Niakhate he'll play LCB. McKenna will probably end up playing in the centre of the three. Might suit McKenna better there anyway as we'll want that player to defend lofted crosses.

Agreed. The number of times the wide centre-hakves find themselves in the full-back position against a winger in a quick transition, you want your pace there.

The central defender can get away with having less pace because he has cover from the two alongside him. Generally like a good passer in the middle though, which is why I think we will still get Rodon.


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Rzar

Bob McKinlay
Looking at that video you can see how much he backs himself in a foot race by how high his starting position is. Love it.
That video really won me over in terms of his ability.

I know videos can only tell you so much or paint a certain picture. Match videos like that tell you more than a highlight video will.

But he just looks like a natural footballer. Everything done at a good speed and composed. He has a massive presense about him.

Gerrim in!
 

Timothy Pope

I know that Nuno that I know that Nuno that I know
If we sign him, we can use all of those left handed bandages that Spence didn’t need.


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Haych

John Robertson
He has a release clause doesn’t he? If so it’s not up to Mainz if he leaves regardless of if they want to deal with us or not.
 

Gyros Peter

Sauce salad?
OK, two questions:

1) why they not keen on doing business with us?
2) Toby to Hull? Thought he was going back to Portugal.

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1) because we went in really low apparently
2) he was surplus for us and has gone where the money is - good luck to him!
 

ZapBrannigan

First Team Squad
Not sure he has a min. release clause.
Apparently-
"It’s claimed that the Midlands outfit offered a fee ‘far below’ €10 million (£8.6m) and that there is no longer a ‘willingness to talk’ from the Bundesliga outfit’s perspective."
 
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