IF/when he signs for Scunthorpe, he could well line up in midfield with Neal Bishop .. combined age for the two ? .. 72+ .. speed will not be of the essence here methinks
I make us short in CB or CM, or does this mean Lapslie will step up?
Bauer/Sarr Pearce/Konsa
Kashi/? JFC/Aribo
Doesn't Reeves fit into CM I know he can play the 10 but he can also play CM
You can't have too many players covering multiple positions, if that was the case then you'd need Dion Dublin and phill jones then your squad is complete. Two for each position has to be the very minimum.
You can when it means your very promising youth players can't get a game and thus want away. Think that is what was at risk of happening here with Dijksteel and Aribo. Aribo didn't make the bench last game and Dijksteel hasn't made the bench this year. But both are good enough as back-ups in this league, and both could be light-years ahead of Crofts by the end of the season with the right nurturing.
I make us short in CB or CM, or does this mean Lapslie will step up?
Bauer/Sarr Pearce/Konsa
Kashi/? JFC/Aribo
Doesn't Reeves fit into CM I know he can play the 10 but he can also play CM
You can't have too many players covering multiple positions, if that was the case then you'd need Dion Dublin and phill jones then your squad is complete. Two for each position has to be the very minimum.
You can when it means your very promising youth players can't get a game and thus want away. Think that is what was at risk of happening here with Dijksteel and Aribo. Aribo didn't make the bench last game and Dijksteel hasn't made the bench this year. But both are good enough as back-ups in this league, and both were light-years ahead of Crofts by the end of last season
So scunthorpe have picked up two players for nothing on deadline day. - sounds like good business regardless of what people on here think about them.
Scunthorpe generally as a club and Graham Alexander in particular have good records of making the proverbial silken purse players from sows ears .. no comments please on the porcine characteristics of either Crofts or Novak .. I can't wait for our game at Glanford Park in No(Vak)ember ((:>)
I make us short in CB or CM, or does this mean Lapslie will step up?
Bauer/Sarr Pearce/Konsa
Kashi/? JFC/Aribo
Doesn't Reeves fit into CM I know he can play the 10 but he can also play CM
You can't have too many players covering multiple positions, if that was the case then you'd need Dion Dublin and phill jones then your squad is complete. Two for each position has to be the very minimum.
You can when it means your very promising youth players can't get a game and thus want away. Think that is what was at risk of happening here with Dijksteel and Aribo. Aribo didn't make the bench last game and Dijksteel hasn't made the bench this year. But both are good enough as back-ups in this league, and both could be light-years ahead of Crofts by the end of the season with the right nurturing.
I agree with this. However the key bit is "with the right nurturing". Usually that means playing a few games here and there with some sub appearances. This is very different to being forced to play in an injury stricken side for long length of time. The risk remains that if Solly, Kashi and Macgennis get injured for long periods we are in trouble.
Crofts didn't fit the high tempo football that KR craves . Against Crawley he was sooooooo slow and lost the ball far too much. For me , Novak and Crofts were the weakest players in the first team squad ( not including Jacko in this as he won't figure too much when everyone is fit ) , so no big deal . However , the replacement for Novak is a massive gamble . It proves the owner is still as clueless as ever as one more descent striker would have given us a great chance for promotion .
Robinson said we didn't have space in the squad but really likes him. Now Crofts has left, there's a space in the squad. Josh Wright has also been liking a few tweets saying about returning to Charlton. Robinson may have said we don't have anyone lined up, but I think that this may be a case of watch this space...
Crofts didn't fit the high tempo football that KR craves . Against Crawley he was sooooooo slow and lost the ball far too much. For me , Novak and Crofts were the weakest players in the first team squad ( not including Jacko in this as he won't figure too much when everyone is fit ) , so no big deal . However , the replacement for Novak is a massive gamble . It proves the owner is still as clueless as ever as one more descent striker would have given us a great chance for promotion .
I agree with you. Many Lifers seem to have either forgotten or slept through Crofts' many error-strewn games last season. Simple passes misplaced; possession lost, then puffing to get back. He's more of a liability than a asset.
Mind you, I don't much rate the youngsters many think should take his place. Aribo is casual, and needs to sharpen the accuracy of his team-play approaching the box; not blessed with much pace, either. And Konsa gets brushed aside by tough centre-forwards; remember Steve Morison making hay in our dismal 3-1 defeat at The Den last season?
I make us short in CB or CM, or does this mean Lapslie will step up?
Bauer/Sarr Pearce/Konsa
Kashi/? JFC/Aribo
Doesn't Reeves fit into CM I know he can play the 10 but he can also play CM
You can't have too many players covering multiple positions, if that was the case then you'd need Dion Dublin and phill jones then your squad is complete. Two for each position has to be the very minimum.
You can when it means your very promising youth players can't get a game and thus want away. Think that is what was at risk of happening here with Dijksteel and Aribo. Aribo didn't make the bench last game and Dijksteel hasn't made the bench this year. But both are good enough as back-ups in this league, and both could be light-years ahead of Crofts by the end of the season with the right nurturing.
I agree with this. However the key bit is "with the right nurturing". Usually that means playing a few games here and there with some sub appearances. This is very different to being forced to play in an injury stricken side for long length of time. The risk remains that if Solly, Kashi and Macgennis get injured for long periods we are in trouble.
Good point, although I don't know that there is one way to blood a young player. For some, an extended run in the side would be really helpful as it allows them to grow and learn week in and week out. You saw that last year with Aribo where he put a good run of games together. For others, playing in cup games and making the occasional sub appearance for a couple years is good enough.
But I think for Aribo and Dijksteel, players who could anchor our midfield for years to come, they feel they're ready now. In their minds missing out on the 18 in the league isn't good enough, and I'm inclined to agree. Yes, there are questions about what happens if they need a long run in the side, but Konsa can play right back, as can RCC, so if something went terribly wrong for Dijksteel or he got hurt he'd have reprieve. Those same two players can provide cover in midfield as well.
I think every team in this division is one or two key injuries away from trouble. I think we often overestimate the squads in League One. And we are definitely too light up front, there is no doubt about that. But when it comes to midfield I think we have good cover through hungry players who are ready to break through.
This news just about wraps it up for me - best transfer window we have had since the Belgium's have been here. Looking forward to enjoy the football now. In an ideal world we'd have another ready made proven striker but one that was prepared to sit on the bench as Magennis understudy was never likely to happen. I always felt if a Grigg or somebody came in then Magennis would go. What happened in a Dodoo type loan was always the likely outcome.
Thought he looked well past it last season, barely left the centre circle, no loss at all would rather see some young players given a chance as back up. Hopefully this leaves some room to bring in one of Lambert, Miller or Best all of whom would be better than the striker options we currently have barring Josh. Not convinced that will happen though.
Josh Wright can fuck right off, stay at Gillingham and keep playing safe sideways passes.
I'm astonished the consensus is a good one about getting rid of 2 senior professionals who carry a couple of decades of invaluable experience and bringing in a bloke who can't score in Scotland
Nah, nothings changed. We will be in the bargain bucket again come January when we realise people get injured and relying on kids when the heat is on isn't the way to go
Crofts was good at doing the dirty work but did not have the legs and pace any longer that enabled him to play Premier league football earlier in his career.
He was unfortunate to have to play alongside two similarly immobile players in either dear old Jacko or Foley on arrival rather than someone with 'legs' to do his running. As a consequence he looked exposed and thus worse than he was as the good 'dirty' work he did was often not noticed.
As I've said before football is all about the blend. Matt Holland with Kinsella and Keane or Kinsella and Parker looked decent. As the 'main man' himself he looked poor.
So it was at a lower level with Crofts. Alongside someone to do his running he still had something to offer. That said, assuming everyone is fit and still at the Club, he wouldn't make my first X1 this season.
Offloading Crofts and replacing him with Josh Wright is an improvement and shrewd move in my opinion.
I don't think Josh Wright is a world beater but he will be better competition to Kashi and Forster Caskey than Crofts (and decent as a freebie). Kashi may not last a 40 odd game season so we need good squad depth.
Karl and seen an opportunity to improve the squad and he's hopefully going to take it.....that's his job (not to just keep players in the squad because they're good blokes / seasoned professionals).
Comments
no comments please on the porcine characteristics of either Crofts or Novak ..
I can't wait for our game at Glanford Park in No(Vak)ember ((:>)
I miss him
Robinson said we didn't have space in the squad but really likes him. Now Crofts has left, there's a space in the squad. Josh Wright has also been liking a few tweets saying about returning to Charlton. Robinson may have said we don't have anyone lined up, but I think that this may be a case of watch this space...
Mind you, I don't much rate the youngsters many think should take his place. Aribo is casual, and needs to sharpen the accuracy of his team-play approaching the box; not blessed with much pace, either. And Konsa gets brushed aside by tough centre-forwards; remember Steve Morison making hay in our dismal 3-1 defeat at The Den last season?
But I think for Aribo and Dijksteel, players who could anchor our midfield for years to come, they feel they're ready now. In their minds missing out on the 18 in the league isn't good enough, and I'm inclined to agree. Yes, there are questions about what happens if they need a long run in the side, but Konsa can play right back, as can RCC, so if something went terribly wrong for Dijksteel or he got hurt he'd have reprieve. Those same two players can provide cover in midfield as well.
I think every team in this division is one or two key injuries away from trouble. I think we often overestimate the squads in League One. And we are definitely too light up front, there is no doubt about that. But when it comes to midfield I think we have good cover through hungry players who are ready to break through.
I'm astonished the consensus is a good one about getting rid of 2 senior professionals who carry a couple of decades of invaluable experience and bringing in a bloke who can't score in Scotland
Nah, nothings changed. We will be in the bargain bucket again come January when we realise people get injured and relying on kids when the heat is on isn't the way to go
He was unfortunate to have to play alongside two similarly immobile players in either dear old Jacko or Foley on arrival rather than someone with 'legs' to do his running. As a consequence he looked exposed and thus worse than he was as the good 'dirty' work he did was often not noticed.
As I've said before football is all about the blend. Matt Holland with Kinsella and Keane or Kinsella and Parker looked decent. As the 'main man' himself he looked poor.
So it was at a lower level with Crofts. Alongside someone to do his running he still had something to offer. That said, assuming everyone is fit and still at the Club, he wouldn't make my first X1 this season.
I don't think Josh Wright is a world beater but he will be better competition to Kashi and Forster Caskey than Crofts (and decent as a freebie). Kashi may not last a 40 odd game season so we need good squad depth.
Karl and seen an opportunity to improve the squad and he's hopefully going to take it.....that's his job (not to just keep players in the squad because they're good blokes / seasoned professionals).