Alex Mitchell - gone on a season long loan to Plymouth Argyle (p11)

I would say Bell, Ramsay, Jones, Burke, JRC, Carey and Edwards can all comfortably play at this level (imo).

Kelman is starting to look like he can. Coventry is capable but his stats don't lie, big difference from last season. Kaminski has the pedigree, but not the form. Leaburn can but he's young and inconsistent.

sam3110 said:

Good enough for a championship squad:
Kaminski
Jones, Ramsay, Bell, Burke, Edwards, Bree
Coventry, Rankin-Costello, Carey
Kelman, Godden

On the fence:
Leaburn, Campbell, Apter

Probably not good enough:
Olaofe, Knibbs, Docherty, Mannion, Anderson, Berry

Definitely not:
Gillesphey, Maynard-Brewer, Hernandez, Roussillon

Too young to write off:
Kanu, Mbick, Fullah, Gough, Enslin

I make that 10 to definitely replace and another 3 that need to improve. 

Of the 10 that I deem good enough I'd only want max half of them in the starting XI, as it stands that would be Jones, Bell, Edwards, Kelman and maybe Coventry 

I think there’s some that we signed or that are own players that we know aren’t championship players yet, but they can develop into championship players. Take Leaburn for example, a month ago no one would have had him at championship level, now it’s unsure, by the end of the season he might be in that championship level group. TC and Apter could develop between now and the start of next season too 

I think it’s too early to write off players we signed in the summer, just look at Costello, maybe take a view at the end of the season on those, but I definitely think there is more to come from Knibbs at least, less hopeful about Olaofe but still too early to write him off 

Why is the debate about being championship standard? Mitchell isn't, but he can do a better job than Gough, Lacq and if we don't get  a loan centre back, then Mitchell is an upgrade on what we are currently seeing as cover.

 I know I'd have been more comfortable with him replacing Burke yesterday and leaving Bell on the left..

Garrymanilow said:

Worth remembering that the main reason Mitchell is out on loan instead of sitting as backup for Jones is because he wants to play. He lost his place to Ramsay, looked very ropey on the occasions he did come back in, fell behind McIntyre for a bit and then understandably didn’t want to sit most of this season out. I don’t think he’d be happy to be recalled from a loan where he’s playing regularly to be cover until Ramsay/Burke are back and then a bit of cover for Jones after that. Nathan Jones likes a small happy squad, I don’t think there’d be a huge amount of value in Mitchell coming back in for a few games and then being miserable when first teamers are back 

Also he’s probably on a decent wage that Plymouth will be covering a chunk of. Would rather use that money on our new signings. If we are to recall then I’d go with Zach Mitchell, he’s not playing on loan so happier to come back and just be cover here, and he’s probably earning a lot less than Alex 

I like AM a lot but he's not good enough for the Championship.

Would have thought it more likely we push Plymouth to make it a permanant deal so we aren't paying any wages and we maybe get a small fee.

Same for Taylor and Ahadme although I doubt we'

Gassan hasn't featured since end of November for Stevenage, out of favour or injured?

My Plymouth supporting friend is desperate to sign him on a perm, he’s a proper fan favourite down there and apparently always puts a shift in.

fenaddick said:

Fortune 82nd Minute said:

WillmoreTheRed said:

My Plymouth supporting friend is desperate to sign him on a perm, he’s a proper fan favourite down there and apparently always puts a shift in.

He clearly has no future here if we stay in the championship. So why didn't we try and sell him for a few bob in the last transfer window ?

They had no real reason to buy him, we can sell in the summer 

Precisely this, I imagine we probably did offer him on a permanent transfer but they had no particular need to get it done then and if they said no then there's not much to be done about it.

Athletico Charlton said:

He's a very likable fella, 100% effort defender, would have loved him to have stepped up with us but L1 seems his level for now at least.  Would hope we could recoup all our money in the summer anyway.

I think he could play in the middle of a back the in the championship but not as well as Jones , obviously 

I-SAW-POUSO-PLAY said:

He will play in the championship at some point. Just not for us at the moment. He couldn’t get in our team last year. NJ played Tom McIntyre instead.

That was a mistake .  He can’t play in the wider positions - they require pace and some ability in the ball .  

Played 30 games for us last year did decently played a part in helping take us up. Paid 300k plus a 20% sell on, with football finances now an experienced decent L1 24 year old cb we’re easily going to make a profit on this deal. Even if he hasn’t reached the levels we hoped still been a very good bit of business 

Given Alex’s level of performance, there may also be other League 1 interest, although Plymouth seems the obvious destination. 

He's showing he can play well at that level where I think he had less opportunities last year. Still early twenties, I quite like him, he's improving and I'd rather him as a squad option next year than Burke who's rarely available.