In the Q&A with new Chairman, Phil Hodgkinson, it was made clear that Town now have a full squad and will only bring new players in as a result of other players leaving. He also said that our star players would only leave if we received “very big bids”, so it’s possible that the core of the current squad will be in tact when the transfer window closes in a few weeks time.
So here’s a look at the squad as it stands, looking specifically at whether we have two players for every position in Siewert’s preferred 4-3-3 system.
Goalkeepers – Grabara, Schofield and Coleman
It’s widely reported that the big Premier League teams only loan their youth players out with assurances that they will play a decent percentage of games, so it’s very likely Grabara will be our first choice keeper. I know little about him, but he’s come with a promising reputation and he seems like a good character.
It’s not yet clear who will be the backup keeper for Town next season. Coleman has more experience but Schofield is young and still improving. It may be that Grabara’s youth means Siewert prefers to have the more experienced Coleman around and Schofield could be allowed out on loan.
There’s some uncertainty with this position in the field. We definitely lack experience in our first-team goalkeepers but there is potential that Grabara could be a future star. The last keeper we signed on loan from Liverpool worked out well for us, so I’m going to hope this one does just as well.
Left-back – Kongolo and Jaden Brown
I’ve always seen Kongolo as a central defender who can play left-back but it seems like he’s going to be a our first-choice left-back for next season if we can keep hold of him. He has great pace, incredible tackling ability and can deliver a cross, so I have high hopes for him. He was one of the few players that looked Premier League quality last season, so he could really stand out in the Championship.
If Kongolo leaves or gets injured (and he had a lot of knocks last season) then we’re a bit light in this area. Jaden Brown is the only other recognised left-back in the squad and he’s still an unknown quantity. We signed him from Spurs’ youth team but he’s played very little senior level football. Herbert Bockhorn can apparently do a job at left-back, but I’ve never liked right-footed players playing on the left side of defence.
Central defence – Schindler, Elphick, Stankovic and Edmonds-Green
Schindler and Elphick have the potential to form one of the best defensive partnerships in the Championship next season. While neither is blessed with incredible pace, they are both intelligent readers of the game and can position themselves well enough to avoid being caught out.
Stankovic is a player I’ve only recently come to admire, but I think he could have a large part to play for Town next season. He’s great with the ball at his feet and can spray deadly accurate long balls upfield to start attacks. He’s likely to start behind Elphick and Schindler in the pecking order but could unseat either if he impresses when given a chance in the team.
I’ve not included Zanka in this list as he’s unlikely to play for Town again, regardless of whether he leaves this window or not. That means the fourth choice is likely to be Rarmani Edmonds-Green from the academy. It’s uncertain if he’s capable of doing a job in the Championship, so it’s possible we’ll see another central defender arrive if we can clear Zanka off the wage bill.
Right-back – Hadergjonaj and Bockhorn
This is the part of the field I have most concerns about. Hadergjonaj had a bad season for Town last time and developed some worrying habits. His tendency to continuously backpedal without making a challenge meant wingers frequently made him look silly. He also started theatrically throwing himself to the floor at every opportunity, which did him no favours with fans.
Having said that, his debut season for Town was good. He’s mobile, tackles well and can deliver the odd decent cross. Flo is likely to start as the first-choice in this position but there will be pressure on him to perform better from the start and he could lose his place if he doesn’t impress.
Summer signing Herbert Bockhorn is the alternative right-back option. Siewert must rate him, as he’s the only player he’s brought with him from his old Dortmund under-23s team. I’m less convinced, given he’s not played much senior football and the Championship represents as significant step up in quality for him.
Central midfield – Hogg, Bacuna, Mooy, Reece Brown, O’Brien and Daly
I’m expecting Siewert to prefer to play one holding midfielder and then two more attack-minded central midfielders, so we can attack teams and have more options going forward. If that’s the case than Hogg is likely to be the first choice deep-lying midfielder with Mooy and Bacuna given more creative freedom to roam forward and press high up the field.
With Billing not likely to feature, we’ve got Matt Daly, Lewis O’Brien and Reece Brown as backup options in midfield. All three have huge potential but haven’t played in the Championship before, so it’s hard to know how they’ll adjust. I’d guess that O’Brien is most likely to fit into the physical demands of the league and I can see him playing plenty of games this season.
We have specialists in other positions that can do a job in central midfield too. Stankovic did very well in defensive midfield, Flo has had the odd decent game there too and Pritchard could drop deeper if required though may lack the physical presence to excel in central midfield.
I suspect we’ll strengthen in this area of the pitch if we can move Billing on for a decent transfer fee.
Wingers – Diakhaby, Mbenza, van La Parra, Quaner, Pritchard, and Kachunga
Diakhaby and Mbenza both failed to make the impact we all hoped they would last season. However, they both showed glimmers of what they’re capable of towards the back end of the season. Championship defences are easier to break down that those in the Premier League so I suspect both of these players will look very good at this level.
Kachunga and van La Parra also didn’t look up to the standard in the Premier League but both were capable of creating and scoring goals the last time we were in the Championship and should be able to do it again. Their opportunities may be limited at times but I think they can perform if called upon.
Pritchard is the biggest loser in Town switching from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3 as there isn’t a number 10 position in this new shape. So far in preseason he’s converted to a left-wing position, which could be a good place for him to play. While he’s not the type to hug the touchline or look to go outside his fullback, he can be a real threat if allowed to drift inside and shoot from range.
Collin Quaner may find himself deployed as a winger, but it’s equally possible he’ll be a backup striker. I don’t particularly care where we use him, I just want to see his big smiling face charging around the pitch like he’s won a competition to play for Town. Regardless of his ability, he has an ability to make things happen on the pitch and I love watching him play.
Strikers – Mounié, Grant and Karoma
Karlan Grant looks to have been an excellent signing for Town, based on his performances so far. He looks hungry in the box and has a tendency to be in the right place when decent deliveries come in. If he stays fit and gets good service he will score plenty of goals this season.
Mounié needs to rebuild his confidence after a tough season in the Premier League. He has all the fundamental abilities he needs to be a great player but needs to get his head right. He’s not as quick or lethal as Grant but he’s strong, wins everything in the air and brings other players into the game well. While there have been reports of other teams being interested in him, I hope we keep him and get him back to his best.
I’m assuming that Josh Karoma is one we’ve signed for the future and we’ll only see brief cameos from him this season. He’ll need time to adjust and it may be that he has to prove himself in the development squad before he gets regular minutes on the pitch for the first team.
Verdict – an inexperienced squad with huge potential
If this squad stays the same then I’m confident we’ll have a starting XI that is as good as any other team in the Championship on their day. If we can keep hold of Schindler, Kongolo, Mooy and Grant then we have star players in every area of the pitch alongside a core group of experienced campaigners.
I’m slightly concerned that we look a bit thin in certain areas and could rely heavily on youth players when injuries and suspensions start mounting up. While it’s great to give young players a chance, it’s important not to rush the process and ruin their confidence by making inexperienced players play too many games.
I like the fact that we’ve got a team packed with young players and they will be better-equipped to play the relentless type of football that Siewert has said he prefers. If a few of them live up to their potential then we could be a very strong team next season.
