If anyone does get dropped I wonder if it will be Fraser. Camara doesn't score a lot of goals but he's capable of driving the team forward, as opposed to Fraser who is more about the intricate link up play. I think Holden might prefer that more direct approach with more defensive cover from Dobson and Taylor.
Brilliant. Take our most outstanding player in pre-season, the guy knitting most of our outstanding attacking play together, and drop him just when we have a team around him that he might gel with
I’d get rid of dj and loan out Henry Kanu Mitchell and Chin id keep Anderson as the 7th midfielder and Asiwme as the right back it means Hector ness Jones Thomas and deje as our five cb’s Assuming 55 games x 3 played each game they will average 33 games each so I think we are ok there its do we use Thomas and cbt as the back up left back behind edun to me we need two forwards to go with may leaburn Campbell cbt and Kirk Completely discounted Aneke
I'd persist with Kirk.. Looked homesick to me in his first season. Happens a lot. Definitely a player in there. Hopefully he's more settled in his surroundings now and we can get the best out of him.
I’m not having a go (well I suppose I am really, apologies), but what would you say are the characteristics of a homesick footballer and how do they differ from say the characteristics of a footballer low on confidence or a footballer that is just plain bad?
Henry is a weird one, wasn't it seen as a coup getting him to sign another contract? But now he looks very much surplus. Hopefully not another Morgan trajectory of being on the fringes and not developing. Would benefit from a Scott Parker style loan.
Kirk flatters in pre-season, he's done it before. I'd shift but probably not until we've got a striker in as he can at least do a job until then. DJ to go, maybe one of the young CBs.
Been impressed with Asiimwe and Anderson, but glad we're bringing another CM option in for rotation and might be worth giving Anderson at least six months of regular men's football out on loan. Would want another RWB in before loaning Asiimwe out though.
For me striker has got to be the urgent priority. At the moment we're lining up with wingers up front, and no natural partner for May. The whole time we're working on shape, it's not even the shape we presumably want to play.
Can't believe the shite luck of Miles getting injured in literally our first PSF, or Reading having their embargo lifted just in time to beat us to Smith.
No. Most people were surprised he was offered one.
Kind of felt like he was offered one just in case the takeover was delayed even further or Sandgaard Sandgaarded the deal again and we needed numbers for the opening day.
I'd persist with Kirk.. Looked homesick to me in his first season. Happens a lot. Definitely a player in there. Hopefully he's more settled in his surroundings now and we can get the best out of him.
I’m not having a go (well I suppose I am really, apologies), but what would you say are the characteristics of a homesick footballer and how do they differ from say the characteristics of a footballer low on confidence or a footballer that is just plain bad?
Well the main characteristic would probably be one who has moved a considerable distance across the country for the first time. And if they have just suffered a personal loss that's probably an exacerbating factor.
If anyone does get dropped I wonder if it will be Fraser. Camara doesn't score a lot of goals but he's capable of driving the team forward, as opposed to Fraser who is more about the intricate link up play. I think Holden might prefer that more direct approach with more defensive cover from Dobson and Taylor.
Brilliant. Take our most outstanding player in pre-season, the guy knitting most of our outstanding attacking play together, and drop him just when we have a team around him that he might gel with
Ah yeah, pre-season friendlies are famously good ways of judging players who've underperformed for us - see Charlie Kirk. I'm not saying I want him to be dropped, I'm speculating that it might be the case IF one of our current 3 end up on the bench.
I'm glad Holden has identified our midfield as somewhere that we had to strengthen. Camera and Taylor are both strong boys who can play too, no more little old Charlton getting rolled over?
I'd persist with Kirk.. Looked homesick to me in his first season. Happens a lot. Definitely a player in there. Hopefully he's more settled in his surroundings now and we can get the best out of him.
I’m not having a go (well I suppose I am really, apologies), but what would you say are the characteristics of a homesick footballer and how do they differ from say the characteristics of a footballer low on confidence or a footballer that is just plain bad?
Well the main characteristic would probably be one who has moved a considerable distance across the country for the first time. And if they have just suffered a personal loss that's probably an exacerbating factor.
Mmm I guess I’m just saying one can make those non-evidenced inferences (In terms of the affect of those things in his life). But a hard-nosed analyst might be more circumspect about what is going on with Kirk.
I'd keep Kirk, DJ can go, when he got clear last night, had no faith in him being able to finish that chance off
Jesus christ, he didn't ever get fully clear, he did absolutely everything 100% correct and laid on an even better chance for someone else, who hit it at the keeper
I'd keep Kirk, DJ can go, when he got clear last night, had no faith in him being able to finish that chance off
Jesus christ, he didn't ever get fully clear, he did absolutely everything 100% correct and laid on an even better chance for someone else, who hit it at the keeper
From where I was sitting, it looked like he could have got a clean hit off and worked the keeper
I'd keep Kirk and Mcgrandles, let some of the youngsters out on loan - Kanu, Mitchell for example and move on DJ. Fraser has been excellent during pre-season, why would we drop him...madness. Now he has better players around him he is the player to help make things happen.
Watch the interview he did last night. He’s going nowhere.
People always seem to think when we sign decent competition it’s because we want to sell the other player. Competition for places is good and healthy 👍
Watch the interview he did last night. He’s going nowhere.
People always seem to think when we sign decent competition it’s because we want to sell the other player. Competition for places is good and healthy 👍
I'd move Payne and DJ on, Payne is too lightweight and not good enough, DJ is behind Campbell and I'd preferably want someone better than Campbell.
Loan out Deji, I think he has a future here but he needs game time, potentially loan out Karoy Anderson but that's only if Payne stays as we may need the cover, loan out Aaron Henry, I actually don't see much of a player there, hopefully a loan with a national League side or league 2 would prove me wrong.
Kirk is a tricky one, I would sell if it meant we replace with better but he may be the best we can get for now.
Keep McGrandles, it's nice to have options for once and with cup games as well we may need him
I can't see much trimming either way other than the obvious DJ, Henry and maybe Kirk
I reckon we need at least 3 in maybe 4 still.
A centre back, I'm not sold on Ness, Hector already is being managed for minutes, Jones seems the same way, Deji still too raw and Thomas not good enough, haven't watched Mitchell enough to have a solid view yet. Priority is a main stay centre back and a striking partner for May.
A striker obviously, I've watched a lot of Nombe now and I'm not sure, he seems quite similar to May and a lot of his goals seem to have come from other people's plays, it's a real shame we couldn't snap up Stockton cause he would have been a great strike pairing for May, I genuinely think JCH is our best option in this league now, I don't watch enough championship or league 2 for any other ideas
Then as the luxury 3rd and 4th another left sided player and someone who can play across the front 3, Aaron Collins as an example but he would be unattainable.
Another wildcard move would be Colby Bishop, get the feelers on him. He's got a contract till 2026 but he scored a lot of goals last season and if we are gonna spend money on a striker, it would be nice to put a dent in the squad of what I imagine will be a bit of a rival this season
Watch the interview he did last night. He’s going nowhere.
People always seem to think when we sign decent competition it’s because we want to sell the other player. Competition for places is good and healthy 👍
I think we need to hit pause on Anderson and Asiimwe. We do this every year. A couple youth do well in pre season and we automatically assume they should be in the match day squad and then they struggle. Charlie barker, Deji, Henry are just recent examples. Now maybe Anderson and Asiimwe are different but let’s develop them properly. For as well as Anderson did yesterday, two of the times he gave the ball away led to the counter attacks that millwall scored. Let the kids play in the cups and for the U23s and if they are ready then it will become apparent as the year progresses. I would hate to transfer an experienced reserve like McGrandles only to be left short if one of youth doesn’tmake the step up to league football as well as we hoped.
DJ is a bit stuck in this squad. He's never really been a natural winger because he doesn't have the pace. He can do a bit as an inside forward who's surprisingly good at winning the ball in the air but the system has to suit him exactly and he's not good enough to justify building a team around him. He tried hard at wingback but his lack of pace and stamina means he has to sacrifice either going forwards or backwards and to his credit he generally chooses the defensive side. That ends up turning him into more of an advanced full back though and he isn't a very good full back so it doesn't work. He could play as a striker but he's not got a complete enough game to control the ball in tight spaces, not strong enough to hold it up and not fast enough to play off the shoulder. He'd probably be best as a 10 but he's behind Fraser and Payne for that spot and the evidence we've seen he wouldn't be all that great there anyway. Best to move him on because he's always going to be, at best, third choice in any position he could fill and there's far more benefit in having a developing young player there than a senior player who is declining more than he's improving.
Watch the interview he did last night. He’s going nowhere.
People always seem to think when we sign decent competition it’s because we want to sell the other player. Competition for places is good and healthy 👍
I'd persist with Kirk.. Looked homesick to me in his first season. Happens a lot. Definitely a player in there. Hopefully he's more settled in his surroundings now and we can get the best out of him.
I’m not having a go (well I suppose I am really, apologies), but what would you say are the characteristics of a homesick footballer and how do they differ from say the characteristics of a footballer low on confidence or a footballer that is just plain bad?
Purely just a hunch on my part. Nothing more.
He looked lost to me on the occasions I saw him. A shadow of the player that had been bought up at Crewe, where he excelled When you also consider the bereavement, it's understandable that he was showing signs of not really wanting to be here. Not all players can hit the ground running. We've persisted with players far worse than Kirk for far longer in our recent past.
I'd look to move DJ, Kirk and Payne on. Asimwe, Kanu and Henry out on loans til January to see how they get on with regular men's football.
That leaves us short at RWB and 10. I'd like to see us sign a senior RWB ahead of Egbo but Payne is a good cover for Fraser in that advanced role and I don't think we'll get a better backup in that space to come on as a sub and impact games late on without spending a lot and bringing in a player who will expect to make a lot more starts than he'd get with Fraser in front of him. The ideal scenario is Fraser does well as our 10, Payne comes on to help us get that extra goal where needed, we get promoted or at least come close while building up for the next attempt and let Payne go at the end of this season when his contract is up
Comments
id keep Anderson as the 7th midfielder and Asiwme as the right back
it means Hector ness Jones Thomas and deje as our five cb’s Assuming 55 games x 3 played each game they will average 33 games each so I think we are ok there
its do we use Thomas and cbt as the back up left back behind edun
to me we need two forwards to go with may leaburn Campbell cbt and Kirk Completely discounted Aneke
I think we will see more 4 3 3 against the lesser sides Dean has been talking all preseason about multiple formations
Fraser has been excellent during pre-season, why would we drop him...madness.
Now he has better players around him he is the player to help make things happen.
Loan out Deji, I think he has a future here but he needs game time, potentially loan out Karoy Anderson but that's only if Payne stays as we may need the cover, loan out Aaron Henry, I actually don't see much of a player there, hopefully a loan with a national League side or league 2 would prove me wrong.
Kirk is a tricky one, I would sell if it meant we replace with better but he may be the best we can get for now.
Keep McGrandles, it's nice to have options for once and with cup games as well we may need him
I can't see much trimming either way other than the obvious DJ, Henry and maybe Kirk
I reckon we need at least 3 in maybe 4 still.
A centre back, I'm not sold on Ness, Hector already is being managed for minutes, Jones seems the same way, Deji still too raw and Thomas not good enough, haven't watched Mitchell enough to have a solid view yet. Priority is a main stay centre back and a striking partner for May.
A striker obviously, I've watched a lot of Nombe now and I'm not sure, he seems quite similar to May and a lot of his goals seem to have come from other people's plays, it's a real shame we couldn't snap up Stockton cause he would have been a great strike pairing for May, I genuinely think JCH is our best option in this league now, I don't watch enough championship or league 2 for any other ideas
Then as the luxury 3rd and 4th another left sided player and someone who can play across the front 3, Aaron Collins as an example but he would be unattainable.
Another wildcard move would be Colby Bishop, get the feelers on him. He's got a contract till 2026 but he scored a lot of goals last season and if we are gonna spend money on a striker, it would be nice to put a dent in the squad of what I imagine will be a bit of a rival this season
Scott Banks?
He looked lost to me on the occasions I saw him. A shadow of the player that had been bought up at Crewe, where he excelled
When you also consider the bereavement, it's understandable that he was showing signs of not really wanting to be here.
Not all players can hit the ground running. We've persisted with players far worse than Kirk for far longer in our recent past.