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The State of the Squad

Well, that's Deadline Day done and dusted so its probably worth checking to see where the squad is at until the January window comes around...

Goalkeepers: Eliott, Worner

Right-Backs: Francis, Solly

Left-Backs: Jackson, Youga, Fry

Centre-Backs: Dailly, Doherty, Llera, Fortune

Right-Midfield: Wagstaff, Anyinsah

Central Midfield: Semedo, McCormack, Racon

Left-Midfield: Reid

Strikers: Abbott, Martin, Sodje, Benson

That gives us, to my count, 21 senior professionals, with the likes of Mambo, Stavrinou and Tuna also possible selections if required.

I think that, if we are being honest, that a senior squad of 21 senior pros is about as good as we could really wish for given the financial circumstances we find ourselves in.
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Comments

  • indeed, we would have all taken this given the state we were in not so long ago
  • I believe the only place where we are weak is GK, not because I don't rate Worner, I thought he was good tonight, but because our 3rd choice is 17(?)

    Also, another left footed midfielder/winger/striker wouldn't go amiss, just to keep Reidy on his toes
  • Pleased....

    much, mcuh better than I expected after Bailey skyed the Pen...

    Now the REAL work begins...

    Letsa got out of this poxy league!
  • According to sky sports, we could still lose Racon because the transfer window in Greece hasn't closed yet. Having said that, if he was being sold would he have been played last night?
  • Don't forget the loan window might give us a surprise...
  • Parky rubbished Racon leaving in his post match last night.
  • Quality dealings tbh... could do with another left winger imo
  • Also plenty of cover across the pitch if injurys occur I.e fry left back and centre back. Jackson left back and midfield. Martin left mid upfront. Anyinsah right mid up front. A lot more balance than last year. Well played phil
  • It's clear that Parky has brought in players who can play in a number of positions as we were always going to have a squad smaller than last year. The left midfield is only a minor concern, as Reid is arguably the strongest player we have in any position. Jackson, Martin and Waggy can play there in an emergency (Anyinsah too? Not sure if he's left or right sided).

    Another important trait in the new signings I've seen play is their work-rate and hopefully their character on and off the pitch too.

    Very happy with how the squad is looking. Think we can realistically make a playoff push with what we have, possibly more.
  • alot better than I expected to be honest and I actually think we are far stronger and more balanced than this time last year...time will tell.
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  • To be fair it is a pretty decent squad and one which should at a minimum make the play-offs.
  • Centre midfield is my concern. We don't have a "playmaker" that makes the us "tick". Hard work means a lot but it's not always a substitute for genuine creativity. I suppose Racon is our best hope in that area although I have not seen too much that makes me hopeful other than one or two games last year and actully last night against The Daggers. That role would be my priority loan.
  • [cite]Posted By: ShootersHillGuru[/cite]Centre midfield is my concern. We don't have a "playmaker" that makes the us "tick". Hard work means a lot but it's not always a substitute for genuine creativity. I suppose Racon is our best hope in that area although I have not seen too much that makes me hopeful other than one or two games last year and actully last night against The Daggers. That role would be my priority loan.
    We don't but it seems Parky wants to play two out and out wingers and going for more solid players in the centre. Even Racon to an extent, he'll sit back more than Bailey did and keep possession.
  • Agreed Sco but I think that to play with two wingers effectively you need a central midfielder who can find them with the ball regularly. We don't have that player. Wingers are a luxury if you can't get the ball to them.
  • we also may draft in some loan players
  • [cite]Posted By: ShootersHillGuru[/cite]Agreed Sco but I think that to play with two wingers effectively you need a central midfielder who can find them with the ball regularly. We don't have that player. Wingers are a luxury if you can't get the ball to them.
    Don't disagree just saying it seems that's how Parky wants to play.
  • I think Murray has gone for it. He's spent more money and brought in better players than I thought possible. That's both good and bad. It means even more pressure to get promoted this season but then we would probably have faced a slow death anyway. Parky will not have it easy - he has quickly got to find his best 11 and then get them to play as a unit. My prediction, inconsistent performances until the new year with a strong second half to the season and an outside chance of a playoff spot.
  • Also not sure I understand our situation with Fortune. Who wanted the short term deal? Him or Us? The plan appears to be send him out on loan for match fitness. But as we've only got him until xmas this doesn't leave much opportunity for him to make it into the first team. Are we getting him fit for us (in 2011) or for another club?
  • My main concerns are left-back where without Youga we are without an experienced option, Jackson is not a full-back and I would like to see Fry given a chance and Jackson moved into midfield.

    Centre-midfield is my other concern, we only have three centre-midfielders and there will be plenty of suspensions for Semedo and McCormack so we may need someone else to come in there.

    A really quick front-player would not go amiss either.
  • The Squad looks half decent now . If Elliot is injured long term then I have concerns about Worner being our only Keeper as his lack of experience worries me. We cannot now get anyone in on loan for Saturday so Gough may be on the bench

    The Premiership will shake out today so players will find their way down to the CCC then others will come to L1.
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  • [cite]Posted By: Ormiston Addick[/cite]A really quick front-player would not go amiss either.
    Anyinsah? Always been called a winger/striker.
  • This is all we can possibly hope for. Upgraded my prediction from mid table to maybe play offs if we stay injury free.
    "He sent the Palarse down!"
  • An awful lot of hard work by Parky and team, with support from Muzza. No prima donnas - lots of hard-working and genuine characters in that squad. Now let's hope it clicks sooner rather than later for them. An experienced keeper and more creative centre-mid on loan would finish it off nicely.
  • [cite]Posted By: UP...THE...ADDICKS[/cite]Quality dealings tbh... could do with another left winger imo

    Jackson could fill in.
  • Parky now has his own squad, and with a possible bench of Worner, Martin, McCormack, Llera, Sodje, Solly, Anyinsah and Fry with Youga and Fortune when fit and some useful kids; we now look quite strong with options everywhere. Loan players unless quality 1st picks will be a reminder of Pardew.

    None of the forthcoming six matches are against the stronger sides in this division and seven of the likely starting line-up were with us last year. I think it is time for PP to put out a side that home or away goes for the win, and give us an idea of what his game plan is. I am expecting not to see much of the long ball stuff played last night (and for much of last season) and I’m guessing wing play will be key. We will be dangerous on the break, but if they are defending the box do we just rain in high crosses? Last year we had the diminutive Burton or the aerially poor Mooney on the end of them, but I’m not sure the new strikeforce is big/tough enough to beat big defenders to these balls regularly.

    I think 14 points from these next fixtures is a must.
  • Good squad, good job in assembling it and great support from Murray. Now surely, no more excuses. That team has to be good enough to get in the playoffs.
  • Parky has done a great job assembling a squad, and tbh if this squad doesn't get playoffs in this league, they've underperformed even more than we did in our first season in the Championship.....

    Squad is decent, all depends if when we do get loan players in they can make an impact, like trotter, batt and Henry did at millwall last year and unlike Forster didn't for us...
  • I'm yet to be convinced that this squad is good enough. It seems more balanced that last year but lacks the quality up front of Burton or the goals of Bailey. Other teams, such as P'boro, Sheff Wed and Hudds, seem to have more going forward.

    Richardson is a better FB than Francis (not hard at the moment) and Solly. Sam for all his faults was also effective in scoring and making goals.

    There are a number of unknown (to me at least) and unproven (ditto) players such as Worner, Martin, Benson and Anyinsah. I'm still not sold on Docherty but can't doubt his pedigree.

    There is some quality that has been retained in Dailly, Elliot, Semedo, Reid and Jackson (and Fortune when fit) and a good ethos of hard work across the whole squad.

    We shall have to see if that is enough. Still early days for a radically changed side that needs to get into a rhythm IMHO
  • As I have said before, I really thought that we would struggle this year for signings at most 36 year old accrington stanley cast offs and 15 year olds from the kent screwfix league, taking into mind the state of the club you really have to take your hat off to parky, murray kavanagh and even waggy who I would imagine had a small part to play into getting us a squad as strong as this, special notes have to go to doherty, reid, jackson, fortune, martin, all of which could and should be playing at a higher level than we currently are. I still think there will be 1 or 2 loans in as and when needed but well done to everyone who played there part in getting the talent in.
  • [cite]Posted By: allez les addicks[/cite]and unlike Forster didn't for us...

    Harsh. Forster came here to play in a 4-4-2 ...... and he's a principally a penalty box poacher.

    He played some games as the lone striker, and in others expected to run the channels which is never his game at all.
    Credit to him at 36 years old he gave it his best shot.


    I remember watching the game away at Southampton, where Forster was the lone striker in a 4-5-1........ and yet he forced 3 good saves from their keeper, each time from half chances he chased down for himself after being isolated from our too deep midfield.

    Players like Forster need to feed off the ball in the box, but our game plan often meant that wasn't the way the team was set up. He showed his quality with that headed winner against Colchester, but he didn't often get that type of service.

    Even at 36 he's still a decent player at this level .....and remember scored 18 League goals last season.
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