Is Taylor fully match fit ? I’m guessing he’s not being rushed into contention because we don’t need to do that. A fit ending to the season and a full pre season and perhaps we’ll see what all the fuss was when we signed him.
I wish Terry, Louis or Richard C would ask about Taylor and his match availability, I know Nathan doesn't like to give much away but that's no reason not to ask those type of questions and I don't remember anyone asking about him for ages.
How do we know he's even fit? He hasn't played a reserve/unders match for a while.
Henners said he's too similar to Coventry, but we don't actually know that, because not only have they never played together, we've barely seen Taylor at all, full stop.
Remember when Dobson looked unremarkable I'm his first half a dozen games here and was dropped for a bit?
300 minutes of football, at a new club, under 2 managers (and a caretaker) isn't enough to go on IMO
Agree, and to add to that with the size of our squad and without an injury crisis there isn’t room for everyone to make the matchday squad.
That doesn’t mean Taylor won’t prove his fitness and start being involved next season. We’re set to lose a lot of CMs in the summer with loans returning and players like Fraser likely to be moved on and not involved.
I don't see our owners wanting to fund an HMS P*** the League squad for next season and PSR rules wouldn't allow that now anyway. I think the goal will be to firmly target a play-off place.
With the 8x8x8 model, I'd like to think they wouldn't count any academy graduates in the top 8.
If so, who of our current players would make the top 8? I'd also like to see most or all of that 8 being the spine of the team. So who've we got......... Isted, one of Jones or Hector, Coventry and May? That leaves 4 to get........ 2 strong centre backs, a creative midfielder and someone to play upfront alongside May. For me there isn't anyone who's currently on loan with us or on loan from us who would be good enough to fill any of these 4 slots.
Who would be in the next 8? Edmonds-Green, Small, Ramsay, Anderson and Leaburn. That leaves 3 places...... an box to box midfielder, another creative midfielder and a good winger. If Dobson isn't the box-to-box midfielder then that's another new player...... that's 5 so far. Fraser could be the second string creative midfielder but I'm really not sure Campbell is the solution to the winger slot....... so that's up to 6 new ones now.
And for the other 8? Asiimwe, Taylor (although we've no real idea about him), Kanu and Aneke (in this 8 purely because of his low availability), so we have 4 slots here. For current players and those out on loan who might be worthy we have AMB, Ness, T Watson, Mitchell, Edun, Gillesphey and Henry on our books and Bakinson who I think is worth putting in the mix. Out of those who's L1 play-off squad standard? I'd keep Edun for left-sided defence and midfield, I rate Bakinson as good enough and Ness or Mitchell. That leaves 1 newbie slot, which I'd fill with a midfielder, giving 7 new ones in total.
Who've we got then:-
Goalkeepers...... Isted and perhaps AMB if he's not worth cashing in. Plus Ward who I'm not counting in the 8x8x8...... just because I say so
Defence: Jones or Hector, Edmonds-Green, Small, Ramsay, Asiimwe, Edun, Ness or Mitchell plus 2 new (top 8) centre backs.
Midfield: Coventry, Anderson, Fraser, Bakinson, a new top 8 creative midfielder, a new top 8 box-to-box midfielder or Dobson if he can play that position and a lower 8 midfielder........ is there one in the academy?
Upfront: May, a top 8 striker, Leaburn, a middle 8 winger, Kanu and Aneke.
That's it......... Nathan Jones and Andy Scott, you're welcome and I'm available for drinks after the Cambridge game
Bakinson has had some truly abysmal games when starting. He's a disruptor - yes, a Pratley - but if you want to control a game and dominate the opposition he'll be busy giving them the ball
Has he? Truly abysmal? One or two where he didn't get involved enough, but you need to keep phrases like truly abysmal for performances that are...truly abysmal, like poor old Karoy when he kept giving the ball away and got subbed at half time. (Not writing Karoy off btw, but he's very young, and needs to be eased in, rather than played every week). I'd keep Bakinson, not necessarily as a starter, but he's a bit of a Pratley type, and gets forward into scoring positions, and makes things happen. He a;sp over 6ft tall which is useful. He wins quite a few headers in midfield. Although I'd review my opinion if his performances are dodgy towards the end of the season of course.
Is Taylor fully match fit ? I’m guessing he’s not being rushed into contention because we don’t need to do that. A fit ending to the season and a full pre season and perhaps we’ll see what all the fuss was when we signed him.
I wish Terry, Louis or Richard C would ask about Taylor and his match availability, I know Nathan doesn't like to give much away but that's no reason not to ask those type of questions and I don't remember anyone asking about him for ages.
The availability question for Taylor, Jones and Wickham was put to Hart in Jones' absence. His reply was they may be fit.
Just been watching Mansfield vs Colchester. The Colchester goalie Owen Goodman was immense. Don’t know if he’s like that every week but was very impressed
Goodman is another Harold Wood/Hill boy .. problem is he is on loan to Colchester from Palace
If Isted is in the elite 8 we are mid table at best already next season. The only player we have in the elite 8 is May. Coventry, Small, Leaburn maybe but not yet proven it. That's it.
The naivety of putting up that 8-8-8 slide 🙄 Did they not stop to think fans would take it at face value and look at new signings figuring out where they fitted in. I'd ignore it and hope they do. Just buy what's needed and better than what we have now.
Is Taylor fully match fit ? I’m guessing he’s not being rushed into contention because we don’t need to do that. A fit ending to the season and a full pre season and perhaps we’ll see what all the fuss was when we signed him.
I wish Terry, Louis or Richard C would ask about Taylor and his match availability, I know Nathan doesn't like to give much away but that's no reason not to ask those type of questions and I don't remember anyone asking about him for ages.
The availability question for Taylor, Jones and Wickham was put to Hart in Jones' absence. His reply was they may be fit.
Oh ok, I didn't catch that, thanks. Guess Taylor got injured again or had a recurrence as he played one more more U21 games a while ago. It would be good to see him play some before the season's out.
VThierry Small, KEEP Tyreeq Bakinson (his Wednesday contract. OUT expires this summer), Connor Wickham, KEEP Michael Hector, NOT SURE Panutche Camara (his Ipswich contract expires this summer), OUT Terell Thomas, OUT Lewis Ward, OUT Lucas Ness, OUT George Dobson, KEEP Jack Payne, OUT Diallang Jaiyesimi,OUT Richard Chin.OUT
Thierry Small, KEEP Tyreeq Bakinson OUT Connor Wickham NOT SURE TRUST JONES Michael Hector OUT Panutche Camara OUT Terell Thomas, KEEP Lewis Ward, Not fussed Lucas Ness, KEEP BEEN EXTENDED ANYWAY George Dobson, IRRELEVANT HE HAS GONE Jack Payne, OUT (With a thank you, he always tried his best which more than can be said for some but he just isnt good enough) Diallang Jaiyesimi, OUT Richard Chin KEEP one more season
I'd take what NJ said about no room for sentimentality and how there's been harsh discussions about it with the players, and then look at the past couple of games, and add them together to see that Thomas, Hector, Bakinson, Camara and Lua Lua definitely aren't here next season.
Wickham is a medical room stalwart, and can we realistically spend 2 players worth wages on him and Aneke to then be available for half a player's worth in total? I don't think so.
Payne, DJ and Chin will be gone, Dobbo's already gone and Ness is signed on but if we're to do well next season he has to hardly feature.
So for me after watching for the last few weeks, I'd let everyone go that's out of contract barring Small and Dobson. The rest can get in the bin
We need to be realistic though. Yes we need a massive turnover of players with, imho six or seven first team ready acquisitions but there has to be some of the current squad retained. It’s why I don’t think it’s feasible to make the squad changes required in one window.
Thierry Small Keep Tyreeq Bakinson Release Connor Wickham Release - undoubted capability riddled by injury Michael Hector Release - cannot trust his performance levels will not drop off should he sign a contract Panutche Camara Release Terell Thomas Release Lewis Ward Keep as 3rd Lucas Ness Kept George Dobson Sadly gone Jack Payne Release Diallang Jaiyesimi Release Richard Chin Release Scott Fraser Release/Sell Harry Isted Release/Sell Tennai Watson Release/Sell Louis Watson Release Fiorini (don’t know his first name 🤣) Release Ladapo Release LuaLua Release Terry Taylor Release/Sell (clearly NJ does not fancy him) Tayo Edun Release/Sell McLovehandles Release/Sell
We are going to have a proper clear out 19 to leave, 10-11 signed and the squad trimmed as NJ wants.
So, I think we will have:
AMB 2nd choice Ward 3rd choice
Ramsay Asiimwe Small REG Ness Jones Gillesphy
Coventry Anderson T Campbell
May Kanu Leaburn Aneke
I reckon 1x GK, 2 x CB, 1 x LB or LWB, 3 x CM/CDM, 2 x CAMs, 1 x Winger (who can play both sides) and 1 x STR - proper focus on quality… 🙏🙏🙏
Thierry Small Keep Tyreeq Bakinson Release Connor Wickham Release - undoubted capability riddled by injury Michael Hector Release - cannot trust his performance levels will not drop off should he sign a contract Panutche Camara Release Terell Thomas Release Lewis Ward Keep as 3rd Lucas Ness Kept George Dobson Sadly gone Jack Payne Release Diallang Jaiyesimi Release Richard Chin Release Scott Fraser Release/Sell Harry Isted Release/Sell Tennai Watson Release/Sell Louis Watson Release Fiorini (don’t know his first name 🤣) Release Ladapo Release LuaLua Release Terry Taylor Release/Sell (clearly NJ does not fancy him) Tayo Edun Release/Sell McLovehandles Release/Sell
We are going to have a proper clear out 19 to leave, 10-11 signed and the squad trimmed as NJ wants.
So, I think we will have:
AMB 2nd choice Ward 3rd choice
Ramsay Asiimwe Small REG Ness Jones Gillesphy
Coventry Anderson T Campbell
May Kanu Leaburn Aneke
I reckon 1x GK, 2 x CB, 1 x LB or LWB, 3 x CM/CDM, 2 x CAMs, 1 x Winger (who can play both sides) and 1 x STR - proper focus on quality… 🙏🙏🙏
Seeing those names in bold really hammers home that we need the rebuild of all rebuilds to anywhere near challenging.
So for me after watching for the last few weeks, I'd let everyone go that's out of contract barring Small and Dobson. The rest can get in the bin
We need to be realistic though. Yes we need a massive turnover of players with, imho six or seven first team ready acquisitions but there has to be some of the current squad retained. It’s why I don’t think it’s feasible to make the squad changes required in one window.
I saw enough in Fiorini at Wycombe to give him a deal. Won’t cost much given his lack of games over the last two seasons. Highly thought of at Man City and has a point to prove.
I saw enough in Fiorini at Wycombe to give him a deal. Won’t cost much given his lack of games over the last two seasons. Highly thought of at Man City and has a point to prove.
So Highly thought of that they are willing to get rid of him? Or are you talking about another loan? Which I think is a bad idea.
I saw enough in Fiorini at Wycombe to give him a deal. Won’t cost much given his lack of games over the last two seasons. Highly thought of at Man City and has a point to prove.
So Highly thought of that they are willing to get rid of him? Or are you talking about another loan? Which I think is a bad idea.
I think he’s out on loan from Man City not because at this point they want to retain him but because he’s now very much a punt for them that didn’t work out. They paid I believe good money for him and although I doubt, even without his injury problems he would have made it at City. I think he’ll be released without them wanting a fee. I’d offer him a years deal and see where it went. He’s obviously got talent enough for league one.
Sign Small 100%. Not sure why Chin not fancied. He had a few games last season, out of position and didnt let us down, even when playing as right footed LB.
He’s 22 in October and been on his third loan spell in the National League South. If he was that good he’d be pushing for the first team or at least on loan at a higher level.
Comments
Lincoln will make the play-offs and my is bet they will get promoted- on a fraction of the wage bill maybe 25%
With the 8x8x8 model, I'd like to think they wouldn't count any academy graduates in the top 8.
If so, who of our current players would make the top 8? I'd also like to see most or all of that 8 being the spine of the team. So who've we got......... Isted, one of Jones or Hector, Coventry and May? That leaves 4 to get........ 2 strong centre backs, a creative midfielder and someone to play upfront alongside May. For me there isn't anyone who's currently on loan with us or on loan from us who would be good enough to fill any of these 4 slots.
Who would be in the next 8? Edmonds-Green, Small, Ramsay, Anderson and Leaburn. That leaves 3 places...... an box to box midfielder, another creative midfielder and a good winger. If Dobson isn't the box-to-box midfielder then that's another new player...... that's 5 so far. Fraser could be the second string creative midfielder but I'm really not sure Campbell is the solution to the winger slot....... so that's up to 6 new ones now.
And for the other 8? Asiimwe, Taylor (although we've no real idea about him), Kanu and Aneke (in this 8 purely because of his low availability), so we have 4 slots here. For current players and those out on loan who might be worthy we have AMB, Ness, T Watson, Mitchell, Edun, Gillesphey and Henry on our books and Bakinson who I think is worth putting in the mix. Out of those who's L1 play-off squad standard? I'd keep Edun for left-sided defence and midfield, I rate Bakinson as good enough and Ness or Mitchell. That leaves 1 newbie slot, which I'd fill with a midfielder, giving 7 new ones in total.
Who've we got then:-
Goalkeepers...... Isted and perhaps AMB if he's not worth cashing in. Plus Ward who I'm not counting in the 8x8x8...... just because I say so
Defence: Jones or Hector, Edmonds-Green, Small, Ramsay, Asiimwe, Edun, Ness or Mitchell plus 2 new (top 8) centre backs.
Midfield: Coventry, Anderson, Fraser, Bakinson, a new top 8 creative midfielder, a new top 8 box-to-box midfielder or Dobson if he can play that position and a lower 8 midfielder........ is there one in the academy?
Upfront: May, a top 8 striker, Leaburn, a middle 8 winger, Kanu and Aneke.
That's it......... Nathan Jones and Andy Scott, you're welcome and I'm available for drinks after the Cambridge game
I'd keep Bakinson, not necessarily as a starter, but he's a bit of a Pratley type, and gets forward into scoring positions, and makes things happen. He a;sp over 6ft tall which is useful. He wins quite a few headers in midfield.
Although I'd review my opinion if his performances are dodgy towards the end of the season of course.
His reply was they may be fit.
Oh sorry - wrong era
Tyreeq Bakinson (his Wednesday contract. OUT expires this summer),
Connor Wickham, KEEP
Michael Hector, NOT SURE
Panutche Camara (his Ipswich contract expires this summer), OUT
Terell Thomas, OUT
Lewis Ward, OUT
Lucas Ness, OUT
George Dobson, KEEP
Jack Payne, OUT
Diallang Jaiyesimi,OUT
Richard Chin.OUT
Tyreeq Bakinson OUT
Connor Wickham NOT SURE TRUST JONES
Michael Hector OUT
Panutche Camara OUT
Terell Thomas, KEEP
Lewis Ward, Not fussed
Lucas Ness, KEEP BEEN EXTENDED ANYWAY
George Dobson, IRRELEVANT HE HAS GONE
Jack Payne, OUT (With a thank you, he always tried his best which more than can be said for some but he just isnt good enough)
Diallang Jaiyesimi, OUT
Richard Chin KEEP one more season
Wickham is a medical room stalwart, and can we realistically spend 2 players worth wages on him and Aneke to then be available for half a player's worth in total? I don't think so.
Payne, DJ and Chin will be gone, Dobbo's already gone and Ness is signed on but if we're to do well next season he has to hardly feature.
Only one I'd keep is Small.
Tyreeq Bakinson Release
Connor Wickham Release - undoubted capability riddled by injury
Michael Hector Release - cannot trust his performance levels will not drop off should he sign a contract
Panutche Camara Release
Terell Thomas Release
Lewis Ward Keep as 3rd
Lucas Ness Kept
George Dobson Sadly gone
Jack Payne Release
Diallang Jaiyesimi Release
Richard Chin Release
Scott Fraser Release/Sell
Harry Isted Release/Sell
Tennai Watson Release/Sell
Louis Watson Release
Fiorini (don’t know his first name 🤣) Release
Ladapo Release
LuaLua Release
Terry Taylor Release/Sell (clearly NJ does not fancy him)
Tayo Edun Release/Sell
McLovehandles Release/Sell
We are going to have a proper clear out 19 to leave, 10-11 signed and the squad trimmed as NJ wants.
AMB 2nd choice
Ward 3rd choice
Ramsay
Asiimwe
Small
REG
Ness
Jones
Gillesphy
Coventry
Anderson
T Campbell
May
Kanu
Leaburn
Aneke
I reckon 1x GK, 2 x CB, 1 x LB or LWB, 3 x CM/CDM, 2 x CAMs, 1 x Winger (who can play both sides) and 1 x STR - proper focus on quality… 🙏🙏🙏
Small will be here either way next season but hopefully it’s on a long term contract.
The only other one I would consider is Wickham but that’s very much down to fitness.
The rest of those out contract can now leave. I’ve had enough.
I would have kept Hector but I just don’t see any leadership in him which is what we lack in defence.
I am also convinced we triggered the Ness extension to sell him this summer.
Or are you talking about another loan? Which I think is a bad idea.