McCarthy: Signings Have Made Midfield More Potent
Saturday, 8th Jul 2017 18:40

Blues boss Mick McCarthy believes his summer signings should make his midfield a more potent force in the season to come.

McCarthy has added last season’s loan star Emyr Huws and Tom Adeyemi on a permanent basis and Bersant Celina on loan from Manchester City.

“Tom himself got eight goals last year, he got almost as many as our midfield did all season,” McCarthy reflected. “I’m hoping he’s going to replicate that.

“And, of course, Emyr had a very big impact when he came in and scored his goals, the most memorable against Newcastle.

“It’s looking a lot better and hopefully we can get Bish back fit and playing. And I really do like Flynn Downes as well, I think he’ll contribute this season.”

Owner Marcus Evans has loosened the purse strings to a greater degre this summer with both Huws and striker Joe Garner understood to have cost in the region of a million pounds.

Asked whether the Huws deal would have been one which couldn’t have been done last summer, McCarthy said: “It’s just been done, hasn’t it? It does make it a lot easier when he’s been at the club and he’s been such a success as he was to be able to do that deal.

“I’m pleased Marcus has done it. It’s not a cheap deal by any stretch, and he’s a good player. I think there’s goodness in him, he’s 23, I think, he can get a lot better. I’m delighted he’s signed.”

McCarthy wouldn’t comment on whether there was a loan fee to bring Celina to Portman Road but says that that also wasn’t a cheap signing.

“You have to take care of their salaries,” he added. “I wouldn’t speak about specifics of the deal, I’m just pleased that we’ve got him. He got five goals playing for FC Twente last year.

“He plays wide left and comes in on his right foot or he plays in behind. He’s a good footballer. But as yet I haven’t seen him with us. He came and just did a little bit of training and then he’s been poorly.”

Is there still any money left in the pot? “We’ll see. It depends whether we lose anybody, of course. I’d really like to have a really solid squad, I think we’re getting there, but we might lose some, so we’re still looking.”

Earlier in the week McCarthy mentioned interest in one of his players but he says there’s been no progress on that front: “Not at the moment, we’ll wait until we get back and see if it goes any further.”

Photo: TWTD

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LWNR2013 added 18:52 - Jul 8 Potent is good.
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therein61 added 18:54 - Jul 8

Yes Mick the new signings add potency to the midfield and would make us more of a threat going forward and giving the strikers the service they need, but then of course the premiership class Skuse being on the field ahead of 2 of them means negativity!!! the fact is Skuse is just not good enough, and while he is your number 1 on the team sheet questions your ability as a Town manager you are in the last chance saloon big man get it right for Christ's sake or go you have no excuses left.

Mark added 18:55 - Jul 8

The midfield was crying out for investment, as I think starting last season with Kevin Bru demonstrated. We have been far too poor for far too long in midfield. I like the signing of Huws, Adeyemi and Celina a lot and hope to see a big improvement. Bishop needs a big season too. I would also like to see Dozzell involved, as the England man is 18 now.

As for money left in the pot, surely we need to reinforce the defence with Berra and Digby having left, Taylor not (yet) signed, and Emmanuel about to go out on loan. I do still worry about the strikers too as we don't have a target man to replace Murphy or a player with a recent record of scoring goals. Investment is still needed to be sure of staying up (bookies have us as 5th favourites for relegation) let alone pushing for the play-offs.

casanovacrow added 19:58 - Jul 8 The less than potent midfield we had I put down to negative tactics forced onto players by the manager. I don't see the new blood getting their chance to shine under Mick with his every point is a prisoner mentality. We will see after the first few months of Mick influence I guess .... If he lasts that long :-/
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midastouch added 20:18 - Jul 8 Any midfield with a player that is lucky to get 1 goal a season can't really be defined as potent! Take Mr Exscuseme out of the starting 11 though and things are looking a lot more rosy. Remember when he got injured last season and Ward went into the middle, unsurprisingly we looked a lot better as a result.
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Swn98 added 20:29 - Jul 8 Mark dont worry about going down get to paddy Power and take the 100/1 e/w that will be blinding value to trade come christmas.
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Swn98 added 20:32 - Jul 8 see they have been cut to 80/1
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KiwiBlue2 added 02:03 - Jul 9

I like the look of the midfield now. Preference would be Huws and Adeyemi in middle and Celina and Ward in wide positions. Back up being Rowe, Bishop, Dozzel and Downes. Someone missing I hear you saying ..... yes Scuse would be on the bench but would MM be that bold......?
With a midfield like that I would keep Pitman as a sub who is likely to do much better with the service new midfield would provide......

blue75 added 07:20 - Jul 9 A potent midfield won't include 2 defensive midfielders then?
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Keaneish added 08:02 - Jul 9 Celina will have to do well to get anywhere close to the impact that Lawrence had and Huw's was here last season so really, Adeyemi will need to make a big impact to change anything drastically to make us more potent. Are they collectively better? Quite likely. Are they collectively more potent? To early to tell so this statement is a bit of PR drivel.
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Penguinblue added 08:20 - Jul 9 A decent manager to get the best out of the new players is what is required. McCarthy has stubbornly remained where he is not wanted due to the weakness of Milne and inaction of Evans Hope the next few months ends his negative excuse ridden ways and he is eeking his last million out of the club.
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