This may have already been discussed but do we think McCrumbles, seems pretty chirpy is the Spain vids, is in DH plans for this season or will he be off loaded?
If his fitness is sorted, which clearly it was at Cambridge, I’d definitely expect him to play a part.
McGrandles at worst could be a very useful squad player and at best the player we hoped we’d signed. I hope he’s given a fair crack. I’m sure he will be and have a point to prove.
I see we’re getting to that point in the window where there hasn’t been a signing for a few days so people start panicking…
I'm not panicking. Just rebuffing those who say we have until Sept 1st to sign players when we know that didnt work for us the last 2 years.
More than happy we signed May.
Happier if 2 players had signed for more than 1 year.
FWIW. I havent bought a ST and wont be. I will pick & choose games for the first few months & see where we are come xmas.
And couldn't give a toss really who Pompey & Derby sign - again just pointing out that some teams seem to think it best NOT to wait until the end of August.
Quite a reductive take though. Our signings didn't work the last 2 years for more reasons than just when we brought the players in; they simply weren't good enough and/or the right type of player for what we wanted to do. I also would like us to make signings early, but in the heirarchy of signing importance I would put good over early. Holden has already said he would rather wait for the right players rather than go for one who is free and available but less good. The question is always whether or not that player will join you and whether you've judged them right. In the 18/19 season, after Lyle on a free our next signing was Pratley on 17th July to be back-up. Steer, Bielik and Cullen didn't come in until August. We didn't get in a fit left back until January. I know that Roland isn't a good example of something to emulate but the point is that we still got promoted because in the end the players were at the right level. Last season the players who got the benefit of a full pre-season with the team were Egbo, McGrandles, Wollacott, O'Connell and Sess. Only two of those still play for us now and they played about 16 minutes for us between them. JRS on the other hand came in on 11th August and was player of the season. We had a to wait a little bit for May but he was the player people have been begging us to sign for two years. Hopefully we'll see that that was worth it. We've made three first team signings with almost a month to go before the start of the season, it would have been four if Dabo hadn't failed his medical. If Holden has identified the right players and we have to take a bit of time for them to come through then great, what we really can't have is another season of signing players like MacGillivray, Kirk, Lavelle and DJ who just aren't good enough regardless of when they sign. We'll have to see if we get the important bit right
I’ve quiet liked the looks of McGrandles in the pre season friendlies, been paying close attention to him, and notice he seems to pop up everywhere (which is what he did that Swansea game) - which is exactly what we need in our midfield.
Still not sure about how good his technical attributes are, and if he can perform in a competitive environment - but I fully expect to see him, Fraser and Dobson start together when Holden begins to give players longer minutes in games.
This may have already been discussed but do we think McCrumbles, seems pretty chirpy is the Spain vids, is in DH plans for this season or will he be off loaded?
Why off load someone we not seen yet .. he looked good at Dartford on Saturday and the feed back from Cambridge was excellent about him
We have cooled our interest in Scott Banks after talking to him few weeks ago , he played alongside Raki last night in a 1-0 defeat to Barnet now been linked with Carlisle
This may have already been discussed but do we think McCrumbles, seems pretty chirpy is the Spain vids, is in DH plans for this season or will he be off loaded?
If his fitness is sorted, which clearly it was at Cambridge, I’d definitely expect him to play a part.
He'll be like a new signing as we saw so little of him last season. Think he'll be good for us🤞
AMB Jones hector ness egbo. Cbt Dobbo McGrandles Fraser May Leaburn
so that’s the way I see our strongest 11 atm knowing that Leaburn is injured currently too.
looks ok on paper but no depth at all but do wonder if DH is going down the route of the one wingback defensive other side attacking meaning egbo falls more into rb ness into lb cover allow CBT further up the pitch.
I would say minimum we need (prior to any loans to fill the gaps) is a 1-2 actual wingbacks if this is formation DH wants 1-2 midfielders a box to box type and or a no.10 1 striker minimum
we have a few youngsters doing well though would only be Mitchell and maybe aswime I would keep in and around squad.
No source but think we’re see at least 1-2 more signings by this time next week through the door.
And although whelmed atm feeling optimistic our squad will be a lot better come start of season just whether that will be too 8 or top 6.
We have cooled our interest in Scott Banks after talking to him few weeks ago , he played alongside Raki last night in a 1-0 defeat to Barnet now been linked with Carlisle
Re Banks. Unless our interest has cooled I would think that Carlisle is an odd one. Palace had a good experience loaning us JRS and it’s a lot easier to have a player locally than at the other end of the country. Difficult for Palace and isolating for the player. Watch this space I guess.
It was great having Bielik in 2018/19 who was comfortable at centre back and defensive midfield. Gave us the option to switch from the preferred diamond to 352 mid-game without the need for subs. Might be a season too early for Mitchell, but if one of the back three could fill a dual role like that it gives some additional flexibility to the team to change things up early in a game if plan a isn't working.
Bowyer did really well at identifying when to switch it. First in the Doncaster first leg and then the play off final switching from 3-5-2 to the diamond at the right time to win those games. Shame we didn’t have Bielik after that
I don't know why we haven't, or maybe we have in training, tried Dobson in that role. He is tall enough, especially to be the "spare" man. He did play as a center back in his youth as well.
I suppose its also creating different problem though.
That Definitely could've been an option but with the like of youngsters Deji and Mitchell and the senior guys in Thomas, Hector and Jones and not forgetting Ness to play in a 3 or 4, I have said for the last 12 months can Dobbo become Cafc answer to Declan Rice and evolve into a midfielder with more attacking intent (as Rice did after just being the holding midfielder) George has a great engine and has had a couple of raids forward but he will have to improve on his can't hit a cow's arse with a banjo shooting!
Don't like right footed players at LB or LB playing on the right wing but finding an effective position for a player which can benefit the team is fine and if that's means that young Zac Mitchell does become a midfielder or Deji becomes the ball playing RCB who has licence to charge forward then fine.
All down to Dean Holden and his coaches at Sparrows lane to decide what potentially may work.
Re Banks. Unless our interest has cooled I would think that Carlisle is an odd one. Palace had a good experience loaning us JRS and it’s a lot easier to have a player locally than at the other end of the country. Difficult for Palace and isolating for the player. Watch this space I guess.
Re Banks. Unless our interest has cooled I would think that Carlisle is an odd one. Palace had a good experience loaning us JRS and it’s a lot easier to have a player locally than at the other end of the country. Difficult for Palace and isolating for the player. Watch this space I guess.
Scottish Lad? Nearer to home then
Yep that’s true. About 100 miles from home. Not close enough to make it a massive consideration though is it ?
Re Banks. Unless our interest has cooled I would think that Carlisle is an odd one. Palace had a good experience loaning us JRS and it’s a lot easier to have a player locally than at the other end of the country. Difficult for Palace and isolating for the player. Watch this space I guess.
Scottish Lad? Nearer to home then
Yep that’s true. About 100 miles from home. Not close enough to make it a massive consideration though is it ?
Unsure on the young man’s current situation so unable to answer your question there however if he does go to Carlisle or even to us for that matter he would be playing in a higher division than he was last season when he was with Bradford.
Interesting that since Palace bought him 3 years ago all his loan spells have been north of the border bar last season of course.
That is good news for Kone, his parents and his agent. For Cafc, as he hadn't signed and most of his peer group have we would've lost him anyway similar to Beadle who went North to Brighton (Dale Stephens Satnav)
I always get the impression that McGrandles is bewildered when playing. Is that down to poor management? Or poor eyesight on my part?
"Bewildered" would be a very generous description of his performances for Charlton last season. His performances at Cambridge have to have been entirely different. If he plays in August, Holden will see what he's got and still have time to jettison/replace. Can't see him supplanting a fit Fraser or Dobson, all 3 together might work in a 352/532 sort of shape. He remains an unknown quantity in Charlton red.
Performances in preseason friendlies rarely provide reliable evidence for the white hot heat of even shitty 3rd division competition They all ought to have looked like world beaters against Dartford and Welling
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That Cambridge loan done him the world of good.
Is that down to poor management? Or poor eyesight on my part?
Jones hector ness
egbo. Cbt
Dobbo McGrandles
Fraser
May Leaburn
so that’s the way I see our strongest 11 atm knowing that Leaburn is injured currently too.
looks ok on paper but no depth at all but do wonder if DH is going down the route of the one wingback defensive other side attacking meaning egbo falls more into rb ness into lb cover allow CBT further up the pitch.
I would say minimum we need (prior to any loans to fill the gaps) is a 1-2 actual wingbacks if this is formation DH wants
1-2 midfielders a box to box type and or a no.10
1 striker minimum
we have a few youngsters doing well though would only be Mitchell and maybe aswime I would keep in and around squad.
No source but think we’re see at least 1-2 more signings by this time next week through the door.
coyrs
That Definitely could've been an option but with the like of youngsters Deji and Mitchell and the senior guys in Thomas, Hector and Jones and not forgetting Ness to play in a 3 or 4, I have said for the last 12 months can Dobbo become Cafc answer to Declan Rice and evolve into a midfielder with more attacking intent (as Rice did after just being the holding midfielder) George has a great engine and has had a couple of raids forward but he will have to improve on his can't hit a cow's arse with a banjo shooting!
Don't like right footed players at LB or LB playing on the right wing but finding an effective position for a player which can benefit the team is fine and if that's means that young Zac Mitchell does become a midfielder or Deji becomes the ball playing RCB who has licence to charge forward then fine.
All down to Dean Holden and his coaches at Sparrows lane to decide what potentially may work.
At least Clare didn't look like he would be blown away in a stiff breeze.
That is good news for Kone, his parents and his agent.
For Cafc, as he hadn't signed and most of his peer group have we would've lost him anyway similar to Beadle who went North to Brighton (Dale Stephens Satnav)
Given that he never signed a pro contract, I wonder if the club will receive any compensation from the Qataris ?
His performances at Cambridge have to have been entirely different.
If he plays in August, Holden will see what he's got and still have time to jettison/replace.
Can't see him supplanting a fit Fraser or Dobson, all 3 together might work in a 352/532 sort of shape.
He remains an unknown quantity in Charlton red.
Performances in preseason friendlies rarely provide reliable evidence for the white hot heat of even shitty 3rd division competition
They all ought to have looked like world beaters against Dartford and Welling