Are we all so sure that promoting younger players is such a bad idea? We have to have an Academy for some reason....don't we?
It's a funny one. Harriott done well but was arguably only given a chance because we didnt have a good enough LM. But we don't want to go in to the season relying on people like Fox and Piggott for example. If poor form or injuries etc happen and they get given a chance like Harriott then fair enough. But we definitely need some new players.
Are we really that short of where we need to be in terms of squad numbers?
We probably need a couple of senior(ish) strikers with one of Cook, Sho Silva, Azeez and Piggott as 4th choice. Simeon Jackson would be a great signing on paper but I wouldn't be unhappy if we, say, got Hulse and Obika back and then relied on those four youngsters and the loan system for emergencies.
We have Hughes, Gower, JJ & Stephens + Pritch and Wilson for centre mid options. We have Pritch, Wilson and Green + Cook on the right. We only have Harriott + Cook on the left so some cover/competition there would be welcome. There's also Solly/Wilson + cousins at right back, 3 senior centre backs + Semi Ajayi, Wiggins + Fox at left back and two senior GKs albeit fairly young ones.
The main area of concern right now is that Yann is the only senior striker. Other than that the squad doesn't look that thin to me and it'd need to be a pretty severe injury crisis before we were forced to pick 3 or 4 academy products in the same staring XI.
Is the squad good enough for a promotion push? Maybe not, but the realist in me says that isn't really on the agenda for next season anyway. I'm expecting another season of consolidation and won't be surprised if we finish a bit lower than 9th. That to me, is the perfect time to be trying to blood a few youngsters. As long as it's managed right then it should be positive for the club in the long run and might be our best way of building a team for a promotion push rather than buying in from outside.
May I be the first to say that Fox (LB), Poyet (CM), Holmes Dennis (CM), Gomez (CD), Piggot (S) and Edwards (LB) will all break through next season, take us to the Premier League and then go on to play for England.
We did have a bigger than average squad last year but despite losing 6 first team squad players we are still short of some quality cover.
We struggled without Hughes and the long term injuries to Wiggins and Kermo left us short. It was noticeable that we had all three back at the end of season.
Two strikers, another centre half who can play left back and another wide player should do it but even with the £1m to £1.5m saved in wages it doesn't seem there is a lot of money around for Chris to get those players in. IF we move on Hollands, Stephens and Green that should free up some more wages and maybe even give SCP a kitty for purchases.
Pretty sure he will bring people in but maybe not as soon as somebody want (yesterday) nor "names" other than Obika.
Has Evina actually been confirmed as having gone? I know he apparently rejected a new deal according to Sky Sports but havent seen it on the OS yet - assume this will happen on 1st July?
Has Evina actually been confirmed as having gone? I know he apparently rejected a new deal according to Sky Sports but havent seen it on the OS yet - assume this will happen on 1st July?
my guess is that both Evina and Haynes are hoping for better deals and CP is hoping they might accept the deals we've offered them.
How long those deals will stay on the table, if at all, is anyone's guess.
Maybe the young Irish centre back Feely is ready to make the step up
Made the bench a few times, when we were missing Cort & Taylor as cover and seems to have scored a few as well for the reserves. Can see him getting a few opportunities this season.
Maybe the young Irish centre back Feely is ready to make the step up
Another one I'd forgotten about.
I think we're actually in a pretty good place right now, as long as we're realistic about our overall expectations. With the exception of striker and left back we have at least 2 senior pros able to play in each position and also 1 or 2 promising youngsters in the 17 to 20 age bracket for a few of those positions.
We do still need a few signings (plenty of time to make them and few reasonable free transfers still available) but even now we're nowhere near 'relying' on youngsters. In most cases they are 3rd or 4th reserve, which is ideal as they should get some game time this season but shouldn't have to play for extended periods unless they do a Harriott and make themselves undroppable.
I really hope we show faith in the Academy don't push our youngsters too much further from the first team by signing a bunch of journeyman pros.
I know it's not the done thing to praise the Nigels but despite a lot of their youngsters not going onto the great things they were hyped up to expect, Palace have done a much better job of getting some use out of their young players before they have moved on. We need to do a bit more of it ourselves imo.
Agree Exiled, that's what I was getting at in the Bradley Jordan thread. We bring through the better young players, but when it comes to those that might not be quite good enough we let them go rather than give them a chance.
Looking back at last season, it might be better to give someone like Fox a few games at left back over signing an average player like Seabourne (whether that's on loan or a free). If he doesn't look like he's going to make the step up we can let him go.
We're in the Championship, not the Prem, and as long as we're not fighting relegation why not give a player we're not sure about a chance. We might just develop one of those players into a useful squad player. By 20/21 they shouldn't be far off the first team.
Agree Exiled, that's what I was getting at in the Bradley Jordan thread. We bring through the better young players, but when it comes to those that might not be quite good enough we let them go rather than give them a chance.
Looking back at last season, it might be better to give someone like Fox a few games at left back over signing an average player like Seabourne (whether that's on loan or a free). If he doesn't look like he's going to make the step up we can let him go.
We're in the Championship, not the Prem, and as long as we're not fighting relegation why not give a player we're not sure about a chance. We might just develop one of those players into a useful squad player. By 20/21 they shouldn't be far off the first team.
In fairness when we bought seabourne in we was on a bit of slippery slope but then turned the corner with wins against Cardiff, burnley and b city.
As someone who doesnt really use twitter that much and as a result wouldnt know where to look, could someone post the twitter names of the current players and any other useful players past or present that we can have a look please.
If we have some money for wages, I'd like us to be cute with the free agents. 1 years with the option for another year weighted in our favour.
There are some decent players out of contract, Ebanks-Blake , Simon church, theo Robinson - I'd have these fellas more than some of the other names mentioned for centre forward option.
I bet Yann kermorgant, when faced with the challenge of a one striker squad, would run off Death himself.
If we have some money for wages, I'd like us to be cute with the free agents. 1 years with the option for another year weighted in our favour.
There are some decent players out of contract, Ebanks-Blake , Simon church, theo Robinson - I'd have these fellas more than some of the other names mentioned for centre forward option.
I bet Yann kermorgant, when faced with the challenge of a one striker squad, would run off Death himself.
However I am sure scp has someone up his sleeve
No thanks! Saw both for Huddersfield and both were awful. Robinsons record is poor and Church isn't the same player as a few years back. Would rather Azeez and Pigott than these two
As someone who doesnt really use twitter that much and as a result wouldnt know where to look, could someone post the twitter names of the current players and any other useful players past or present that we can have a look please.
As someone who doesnt really use twitter that much and as a result wouldnt know where to look, could someone post the twitter names of the current players and any other useful players past or present that we can have a look please.
Comments
We probably need a couple of senior(ish) strikers with one of Cook, Sho Silva, Azeez and Piggott as 4th choice. Simeon Jackson would be a great signing on paper but I wouldn't be unhappy if we, say, got Hulse and Obika back and then relied on those four youngsters and the loan system for emergencies.
We have Hughes, Gower, JJ & Stephens + Pritch and Wilson for centre mid options. We have Pritch, Wilson and Green + Cook on the right. We only have Harriott + Cook on the left so some cover/competition there would be welcome. There's also Solly/Wilson + cousins at right back, 3 senior centre backs + Semi Ajayi, Wiggins + Fox at left back and two senior GKs albeit fairly young ones.
The main area of concern right now is that Yann is the only senior striker. Other than that the squad doesn't look that thin to me and it'd need to be a pretty severe injury crisis before we were forced to pick 3 or 4 academy products in the same staring XI.
Is the squad good enough for a promotion push? Maybe not, but the realist in me says that isn't really on the agenda for next season anyway. I'm expecting another season of consolidation and won't be surprised if we finish a bit lower than 9th. That to me, is the perfect time to be trying to blood a few youngsters. As long as it's managed right then it should be positive for the club in the long run and might be our best way of building a team for a promotion push rather than buying in from outside.
We struggled without Hughes and the long term injuries to Wiggins and Kermo left us short. It was noticeable that we had all three back at the end of season.
Two strikers, another centre half who can play left back and another wide player should do it but even with the £1m to £1.5m saved in wages it doesn't seem there is a lot of money around for Chris to get those players in. IF we move on Hollands, Stephens and Green that should free up some more wages and maybe even give SCP a kitty for purchases.
Pretty sure he will bring people in but maybe not as soon as somebody want (yesterday) nor "names" other than Obika.
How long those deals will stay on the table, if at all, is anyone's guess.
I think we're actually in a pretty good place right now, as long as we're realistic about our overall expectations. With the exception of striker and left back we have at least 2 senior pros able to play in each position and also 1 or 2 promising youngsters in the 17 to 20 age bracket for a few of those positions.
We do still need a few signings (plenty of time to make them and few reasonable free transfers still available) but even now we're nowhere near 'relying' on youngsters. In most cases they are 3rd or 4th reserve, which is ideal as they should get some game time this season but shouldn't have to play for extended periods unless they do a Harriott and make themselves undroppable.
I really hope we show faith in the Academy don't push our youngsters too much further from the first team by signing a bunch of journeyman pros.
I know it's not the done thing to praise the Nigels but despite a lot of their youngsters not going onto the great things they were hyped up to expect, Palace have done a much better job of getting some use out of their young players before they have moved on. We need to do a bit more of it ourselves imo.
Looking back at last season, it might be better to give someone like Fox a few games at left back over signing an average player like Seabourne (whether that's on loan or a free). If he doesn't look like he's going to make the step up we can let him go.
We're in the Championship, not the Prem, and as long as we're not fighting relegation why not give a player we're not sure about a chance. We might just develop one of those players into a useful squad player. By 20/21 they shouldn't be far off the first team.
@ceddyevina Ceddy how are ya my man?? Sneaked another year at Charlton yeah? How's 'The Secret' treating ya?
If we have some money for wages, I'd like us to be cute with the free agents. 1 years with the option for another year weighted in our favour.
There are some decent players out of contract, Ebanks-Blake , Simon church, theo Robinson - I'd have these fellas more than some of the other names mentioned for centre forward option.
I bet Yann kermorgant, when faced with the challenge of a one striker squad, would run off Death himself.
However I am sure scp has someone up his sleeve
I'll try and get some names for you now.
Johnnie Jackson @johnnie_jackson
Dale Stephens - @8stephens
Danny green - @dannygreen_7
Dorian Dervite - @Doderv23
Chris Solly - @cjsolly
Lawrie Wilson - @Lawrie_Wilson
Cédric Evina - @ceddyevina
Harry Lennon - @HLennon94
Nick Pope - @Popey1992
Adebayo Azeez - @AdeAzeez94
Diego Poyet - @diegopoyet7
Morgan Fox - @MA_Fox
Semi Ajayi - @S_Ajayi5
Kevin Feely - @KevinFeely92
Andy Hughes - @Andrew10dog
Bradley Jordan - @bjordan47
Nathan Jones - @cocowasp