There are a lot of positives that come with Cosgrove if he is to be the one to arrive.
With the set up we’re working towards, he’ll be a pleasant surprise to a few. Loan market can then be utilised for another off the shoulder type forward.
This will allow Kanu to go and get minutes elsewhere.
Cosgrove was a name I heard a few weeks back, that we was looking at, and if we could get the right deal it may happen, so I would say bit of truth in this one.
Main issue with Cosgrove is he is on £20k a week at Birmingham, although his contract ends in the summer.
We may need to settle for loaning him and covering some of his wages, as per the arrangement Plymouth had for him last season.
If he does well we could bring him in on a free next season, albeit he would need to take a wage cut something I am sure he is going to need to do wherever he goes next season.
I'd hope it would be Cosgrove + 1 in terms of strikers in. Then an RWB (wouldn't mind if it is Sess ) and potentially a creative midfielder if Fraser is a long term absentee.
I'd hope it would be Cosgrove + 1 in terms of strikers in. Then an RWB (wouldn't mind if it is Sess ) and potentially a creative midfielder if Fraser is a long term absentee.
Cosgrove, a Prem loanee pacey striker to cover May, Sess, Moxon at Carlisle, a Prem loanee central defender.
So 5 more. Quite a bit if work that and for all Gallen’s detractors, we don’t have a well known and well connected conduit for the loans, at least.
I'd hope it would be Cosgrove + 1 in terms of strikers in. Then an RWB (wouldn't mind if it is Sess ) and potentially a creative midfielder if Fraser is a long term absentee.
Cosgrove, a Prem loanee pacey striker to cover May, Sess, Moxon at Carlisle, a Prem loanee central defender.
So 5 more. Quite a bit if work that and for all Gallen’s detractors, we don’t have a well known and well connected conduit for the loans, at least.
Andy Scott has been working in recruitment since 2015 and has had roles at Brentford, Swansea, Watford and Forest. I’d argue he’s more well known than Gallen who’s only recruitment roles have been with us since 2017.
I'd hope it would be Cosgrove + 1 in terms of strikers in. Then an RWB (wouldn't mind if it is Sess ) and potentially a creative midfielder if Fraser is a long term absentee.
Need a creative midfielder regardless. Cannot rely on Fraser to stay fit and blows hot and cold
I'd hope it would be Cosgrove + 1 in terms of strikers in. Then an RWB (wouldn't mind if it is Sess ) and potentially a creative midfielder if Fraser is a long term absentee.
Cosgrove, a Prem loanee pacey striker to cover May, Sess, Moxon at Carlisle, a Prem loanee central defender.
So 5 more. Quite a bit if work that and for all Gallen’s detractors, we don’t have a well known and well connected conduit for the loans, at least.
Andy Scott has been working in recruitment since 2015 and has had roles at Brentford, Swansea, Watford and Forest. I’d argue he’s more well known than Gallen who’s only recruitment roles have been with us since 2017.
Yes you’re right. Forgot about Scott for a moment.
I'd hope it would be Cosgrove + 1 in terms of strikers in. Then an RWB (wouldn't mind if it is Sess ) and potentially a creative midfielder if Fraser is a long term absentee.
Need a creative midfielder regardless. Cannot rely on Fraser to stay fit and blows hot and cold
Think that would probably mean Payne being added to the exit list (I'm fine with that I haven't been overly convinced by him) , oh to find someone on loan in the mould of Conor Gallagher
I'd hope it would be Cosgrove + 1 in terms of strikers in. Then an RWB (wouldn't mind if it is Sess ) and potentially a creative midfielder if Fraser is a long term absentee.
Yeah I agree with this. Providing we can get players out, I would like a RWB, a Striker, another CM (would quite like Joe Powell of Burton) and a left sided CB.
I'd hope it would be Cosgrove + 1 in terms of strikers in. Then an RWB (wouldn't mind if it is Sess ) and potentially a creative midfielder if Fraser is a long term absentee.
Absentee or not, a creative midfielder should be one of our top priorities.
I'd hope it would be Cosgrove + 1 in terms of strikers in. Then an RWB (wouldn't mind if it is Sess ) and potentially a creative midfielder if Fraser is a long term absentee.
Need a creative midfielder regardless. Cannot rely on Fraser to stay fit and blows hot and cold
Think that would probably mean Payne being added to the exit list (I'm fine with that I haven't been overly convinced by him) , oh to find someone on loan in the mould of Conor Gallagher
I don’t think Holden trusts Payne to play in the midfield 3 (and I agree with that judgement). But he does seem to like using him off the bench or further forward like on Saturday. Payne hasn’t lived up to expectations but he’s still done alright and chipped in with the odd goal or assist from the bench which is useful to have
Others in our squad I would prefer to move on before Payne. That being said, if reducing the squad is a necessity before we can bring anyone in and we can’t get any takers for Kirk, DJ etc then we’ll need to let others go.
Probably not on our radar, but think that Mo Eisa would be a good option still. Double figures in most seasons including a relegated MK last season. Already 2 in 2 this season. Think he’d be a good alternative to May.
May, Cosgrove, Leaburn, Eisa, and Aneke is strong. Maybe not realistic as that would be hard to keep everyone happy, but thought I would put it out there as I know it’s been discussed on here in previous windows.
Not sure about eisa but if we go for a league 2 striker as a back up/squad option, I would offer Kanu for the season as part of the deal
Not sure many league 2 teams would be happy with Kanu, definitely not MK Dons. If he goes out on loan it will be non-league
If Kanu goes out on loan, it has to be a league 2 minimum..🤷♂️ we need him to be tested at that level...
I’m not sure he’s ready. What if he goes to league 2 and doesn’t do particularly well? Not good for his development if he’s sat around for months not playing
I agree, I don’t yet think Kanu is good enough for League Two. He needs a solid non-league loan.
Keep it local, somewhere like Ebbsfleet where he can play alongside Dominic Poleon, learn from hI’m, and have Chris Solly around for good influence too.
Totally agree with you.......but If he's not good enough for League 2 football then what the f**k is he doing on our bench....and coming on in the 2nd half !
He is on our bench because our squad is poor.
And that situation will not change unless Gobby Methven and Absent Scott do their jobs
Charlie Kirk out on loan even if we have to pay half his wages. DJ hopefully would be wanted by League 2 club. If both Charlie and DJ were not worthy of being in our squad last season then surely not this season when we want to kick on. In football you take a hit with players that don't fit in. It happens to every club. I'm sure that Andy Scott is working hard with his network of contracts to get the unwanted out and get a few better signings in.
Probably not on our radar, but think that Mo Eisa would be a good option still. Double figures in most seasons including a relegated MK last season. Already 2 in 2 this season. Think he’d be a good alternative to May.
May, Cosgrove, Leaburn, Eisa, and Aneke is strong. Maybe not realistic as that would be hard to keep everyone happy, but thought I would put it out there as I know it’s been discussed on here in previous windows.
Not sure about eisa but if we go for a league 2 striker as a back up/squad option, I would offer Kanu for the season as part of the deal
Not sure many league 2 teams would be happy with Kanu, definitely not MK Dons. If he goes out on loan it will be non-league
If Kanu goes out on loan, it has to be a league 2 minimum..🤷♂️ we need him to be tested at that level...
I’m not sure he’s ready. What if he goes to league 2 and doesn’t do particularly well? Not good for his development if he’s sat around for months not playing
I agree, I don’t yet think Kanu is good enough for League Two. He needs a solid non-league loan.
Keep it local, somewhere like Ebbsfleet where he can play alongside Dominic Poleon, learn from hI’m, and have Chris Solly around for good influence too.
Totally agree with you.......but If he's not good enough for League 2 football then what the f**k is he doing on our bench....and coming on in the 2nd half !
He is on our bench because our squad is poor.
And that situation will not change unless Gobby Methven and Absent Scott do their jobs
I'd hope it would be Cosgrove + 1 in terms of strikers in. Then an RWB (wouldn't mind if it is Sess ) and potentially a creative midfielder if Fraser is a long term absentee.
Need a creative midfielder regardless. Cannot rely on Fraser to stay fit and blows hot and cold
Think that would probably mean Payne being added to the exit list (I'm fine with that I haven't been overly convinced by him) , oh to find someone on loan in the mould of Conor Gallagher
I don’t think Holden trusts Payne to play in the midfield 3 (and I agree with that judgement). But he does seem to like using him off the bench or further forward like on Saturday. Payne hasn’t lived up to expectations but he’s still done alright and chipped in with the odd goal or assist from the bench which is useful to have
There is a decent sized list of players I would be looking to offoad before Payne. He lacks a bit of quality ultimately but gives a lot of energy, does score goals and can be very useful from the bench. Would a team of Payne's get us where we want to be, certainly not, but he is a useful player for us. You do have to play a squad game and he is a decent squad player.
We have a great bellwether of what it takes to get promoted from this division. 18/19 wasn’t too long ago and our squad realistically is absolutely nowhere near as good. In that side almost every player was capable of and went on to play at a higher level.
Who out of our current squad gets in that 18/19 team?
Sobering comparison. We’re currently miles off.
Look at the team that started the 2018/19 promotion season though. To draw direct comparison with our current campaign after 2 games, this was the line up in our 2-1 home win v Shrewsbury Town:
Note in particular no Cullen, Bielik, Purrington, Williams, Parker even. Starting with Mark Marshall, George Lapslie, Lewis Page and Chris Solly; plus Ajose and a host of unproven youngsters on the bench, Maynard-Brewer, Dijksteel, Maloney, Morgan and Henry Hackett-Lovechild
Sarr and Dijksteel didn't establish themselves until during the the 2nd half of the season.
Right now, our squad is not fully assembled, but what's so deifferent than 5 years ago? That 2018/19 promotion side only started putting a run together during the last 12 games, from around the beginning of March - once the injured began to return,
As always, it's a long old season.
But it did have Taylor and Grant up front. You can actually be quite average if you have strikers that can hold onto the ball and be threatening.
I grant you that, although Chuks Vetokele missed huge chunks of the season out injured.
We have Leaburn out injured and arguably he's the nearest we have right now to Lyle Taylor - if Taylor had been injured, think how stuffed we'd have been then with just Grant up front? And we did in fact find out in the Championship the following season, when Taylor crocked himself playing for his country and missing for several months.
Once Grant was sold, Parker was signed last minute in desperation - but at least he could effectively play as foil for Taylor. Right now, we don't even have that, erm ..... luxury of playing Josh Parker!
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Loan market can then be utilised for another off the shoulder type forward.
We may need to settle for loaning him and covering some of his wages, as per the arrangement Plymouth had for him last season.
If he does well we could bring him in on a free next season, albeit he would need to take a wage cut something I am sure he is going to need to do wherever he goes next season.
Think that would probably mean Payne being added to the exit list (I'm fine with that I haven't been overly convinced by him) , oh to find someone on loan in the mould of Conor Gallagher
If we can get 3 out of those four, I’d be happy.
And that situation will not change unless Gobby Methven and Absent Scott do their jobs
DJ hopefully would be wanted by League 2 club.
If both Charlie and DJ were not worthy of being in our squad last season then surely not this season when we want to kick on.
In football you take a hit with players that don't fit in. It happens to every club.
I'm sure that Andy Scott is working hard with his network of contracts to get the unwanted out and get a few better signings in.
I have some doubts as to whether May would be the right choice.
Suspect it would be May anyway.
https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/alfie-may-happy-to-take-on-penalty-taking-role-at-charlton-athletic/
We have Leaburn out injured and arguably he's the nearest we have right now to Lyle Taylor - if Taylor had been injured, think how stuffed we'd have been then with just Grant up front? And we did in fact find out in the Championship the following season, when Taylor crocked himself playing for his country and missing for several months.
Once Grant was sold, Parker was signed last minute in desperation - but at least he could effectively play as foil for Taylor.
Right now, we don't even have that, erm ..... luxury of playing Josh Parker!
https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=48454
Edit: Just seen reading back up the thread, the nighthawks on here beat me to it.
Why is it this site loads the latest post first .... ?