Viking Supporters Co-operative

Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: steve@dcfd on January 12, 2026, 03:08:42 pm

Title: Centre Halves
Post by: steve@dcfd on January 12, 2026, 03:08:42 pm
We have the lost the best centre halve we had in ORiordon he's gone back to Blackburn and been playing.
We need at least one more with experience of league 1 or top end league 2 at least. He must have pace and be a good defender hopefully with good height. We don't need a U21 player with no league experience. Have the club got the funds to achieve this even if it is a loan fee and paying wages.
Grehan has not broken in to the league team regularly he needs more time. McGrath has not step up consistently to league 1 level. Pearson has experience but lacks pace.
Faulkner appears to be going back to Harrogate when fit. Flint is at Gateshead and won't be available for league games.
Title: Re: Centre Halves
Post by: Alan Southstand on January 12, 2026, 03:23:18 pm
We’re supposed to be looking at a 22 year old centre back at Everton? According to someone on X.
Title: Re: Centre Halves
Post by: old lad on January 12, 2026, 03:29:31 pm
Experience at league 1 of top end league 2. Quite right. So Faulkner and Flint shouldn’t come into it, for this season
Title: Re: Centre Halves
Post by: ncRover on January 12, 2026, 05:13:25 pm
If we’ve got the experience of Clark in goal and Pearson in defence, I would argue that some pace at centre half is more important than lots of experience?
Title: Re: Centre Halves
Post by: Usher wide. on January 12, 2026, 05:31:59 pm
If we’ve got the experience of Clark in goal and Pearson in defence, I would argue that some pace at centre half is more important than lots of experience?

Would agree with that.

However, pace AND awareness to go alongside in order that we have someone who can carry the ball (like O’Riordan did) out of defence & into the midfield area in order for the attacking players to take up positions higher up the pitch.

That sort of defender in January will be difficult to come by.

We can only hope Grant has that sort on his radar.
Title: Re: Centre Halves
Post by: Alan Southstand on January 12, 2026, 05:38:49 pm
COR was our best cb, so why would we NOT replace him with someone just as good?

No brainer.
Title: Re: Centre Halves
Post by: In the box on January 12, 2026, 06:34:35 pm
Why do we keep moving forward in some departments and in complete revers in others . We now have two loan keepers and only one contract a junior . No loan centre backs after not replacing Olowu who was contracted . We now have too many strikers and it was the lack of them that put in our current position when the defence was fine . Recruitment clearly on top of things … not !!
Title: Re: Centre Halves
Post by: Rovers91 on January 12, 2026, 06:51:18 pm
Bring another centre back in and put them alongside Bailey and bring a proper footballing midfielder in to play alongside Gotts.
Title: Re: Centre Halves
Post by: roversdude on January 12, 2026, 07:00:11 pm
Just looked at my calendar and it’s 12th January
Title: Re: Centre Halves
Post by: redarmi66 on January 12, 2026, 07:07:41 pm
Why do we keep moving forward in some departments and in complete revers in others . We now have two loan keepers and only one contract a junior . No loan centre backs after not replacing Olowu who was contracted . We now have too many strikers and it was the lack of them that put in our current position when the defence was fine . Recruitment clearly on top of things … not !!
Replaced Olowu with 2 contracted and 1 loan at the end of the season. The loan was recalled. So i guess we will be bringing in another CH ( ideally 2) before the end if the window. Grehan can go on loan for me and McGrath needs taking out of the first team. Really Happy with the front 2 brought in. Keeper cover sorted quickly. So im not so sure what your problem is right now. I would get it if the window closed and we had not addressed the CH issue.
Title: Re: Centre Halves
Post by: steve@dcfd on January 12, 2026, 07:49:29 pm
With 4 games before the window closes in the league I'm not suggesting there is a problem but we will after out score Wimbledon, Wigan, Leyton Orient and Bradford

God forbid if we conceded more goals than Fleetwood tomorrow
Title: Re: Centre Halves
Post by: selby on January 12, 2026, 08:43:23 pm
  We need at least three wins from them four games to not be potentially stranded and a big ask to get out of trouble.