Yes, I think a little harsh. Personally, I'd put Mumba and Omobamidele in the Unknown category and I'd probably place Rupp and Hernandez in a Prem/Champs question-mark category, but I agree with your basic message that we need to add more quality.
My take on DH's categories: 7 players who could play in a mid-table Prem team [Krul, Aarons, Gilmour, Cantwell, Pukki, Gibson, Giannoulis] 5 players who could play for a bottom 5 Prem team [Hanley, Dowell, McLean, Gunn, Byram, Hernandez] 3 Championship+ players [Zimmerman, Hugill, McGovern] And then there's 6 unknowns [Rashica, Lees-Melou, Idah, Sørensen, Mumba, Placheta] Of my upgrades, Gibson and Giannoulis have top level experience and look PL quality to me and Byram showed enough two years ago to make him PL quality. Hanley's improvement last season warrants at least category 2. The unknowns are separate because we haven't really seen them in a PL context, but I'm fairly confident that Rashica and Lees-Melou will be in one of the PL categories given their Bundesliga and Ligue 1 experience and the others we'll have to see where they might fit, including Placheta because of his pace and potential development.
DF using a 4-3-2-1 formation last night and a 3-4-2-1 previously in pre-season suggests that they may well be PL options this season, perhaps depending on the opposition and/or injuries. That may also depend on whether we sign a specialist DM.
I pretty much agree with your ratings, the only point of disagreement is Krul. I think he's top six material.
DF is certainly showing some formation tweaks so far in the pre-season with a back 3 early on and then the midfield 3 we saw against Gillingham. The formation is popular in Germany where a deep-lying playmaker or 'quarterback', Gilmour in our case, takes on these responsibilities: Sits in front of the defence Creative playmaker from deep Distributes the ball, near and far Sets the team’s tempo Capable of tackling as part of the 3 The other two midfielders, Lees-Melou and Rupp, dropped back into a 3 man screen with Gilmour in front of the defence when the ball was lost, then moved forward to support the attack when we won it back. DF added his own twist though, by encouraging the midfield 3 to create and occupy vacated space in a rotation with each other and Cantwell and Dowell. It bamboozled the Gillingham players and it would be interesting to see it applied against Newcastle tomorrow.
All well and good if the "quarterback" actually does "sit in front of the defence". However a quarterback who operates in a midfield three "encouraged to create and occupy vacated space in rotation with each other and Cantwell and Dowell", clearly is not tasked with "sitting in front of the defence". Presumably the idea is that, when Gilmour does what he is being encouraged to do, either Rupp or Lees-Melou (or whoever else makes up the 3) is expected to drop back and "sit in front of the defence" in his place. Does anybody seriously think that that will work for us in the EPL as a substitute for an Ollie Skipp-style DM?
I'd need to watch the game again, Robbie, but my recollection was that Gilmour occasionally moved laterally when we had the ball, but got back quickly when the ball was lost, especially in the first half. Once we were so far ahead and Gillingham faded, however, he ventured further forward. This is why I said that it would be "interesting to see it applied against Newcastle tomorrow" when more pressure was being applied to the defence.
I think when Sorensen came on he was more rigid in sitting back and protecting the back four as a screen
True, but he also scored a goal. It'll be interesting to see how he develops in that role if DF goes that way. Gilmour's strength is to hold on to the ball and judge the best moment to pass forward. Presumably our coaches will work on his defensive skills wherever he plays. Lees-Melou looks comfortable with or against the ball and like McLean and Rupp, can help to cover when the FBs move forward. He also looks capable of scoring his share of goals as well.
I'm not sure a player getting their head on a set piece delivery says a whole lot about their open play positioning. Just re-watching the highlights from when Sorensen was on the pitch, it was interesting to see that he was prepared to stride forward and play balls to Idah's feet, and make forward runs to look to receive a return - but he did then drop back into a sitting midfielder role once it was clear he wasn't immediately getting the ball back.
Personally, I don't think it's too bad, although the white part on the upper arm is overkill IMO and the design would be much better without it.