So the first team squad gets thinner with the season less than 3 weeks away. It would seem the owner has realized he cannot afford to spend big on the squad and keep losses down. so will we be looking at a load of loan players from youth squads and crocks let go by other clubs.
FYI - We released Shinnie back in May
It's funny isn't it, talk of the squad getting thinner. I actually can't look at any player under contract with us currently that I can imagine being sold before the end of the window for a fee. We don't need the money from player sales, and there's no name there that I see being a player that another club would want to pay money to prise him away from us.
We've always had a Doughty, an Aribo, a Holmes etc etc but this season I don't look at the squad right now and go "hope someone doesn't put in a bid for ******"
Stockley would be one seeing as we paid a fee for him and Portsmouth were willing to also. DJ possibly another, but you do make a good point.
I agree Jaiyesimi, Stockley and would add Washington to the list of players that I wouldn't want to lose.
Someone I really enjoyed watching for the positive side of his game. Would have been a real asset in Bowyer's promotion winning year, if not always a starter then. I want to see him play, but I'd have probably let him go as our midfield was too slow paced with very little dynamic defensive energy.
Can't remember Dobson, but MK Dons were one of the best passing teams against us. So hopefully he's physical and moves the ball forward quickly. Still we desperately need some pace in the team, and someone to replace Shinnie's assists.
Good luck to Andy, he was a joy to watch at times. Especially the brilliant goal against Bristol Rovers.
Someone I really enjoyed watching for the positive side of his game. Would have been a real asset in Bowyer's promotion winning year, if not always a starter then. I want to see him play, but I'd have probably let him go as our midfield was too slow paced with very little dynamic defensive energy.
Can't remember Dobson, but MK Dons were one of the best passing teams against us. So hopefully he's physical and moves the ball forward quickly. Still we desperately need some pace in the team, and someone to replace Shinnie's assists.
Good luck to Andy, he was a joy to watch at times. Especially the brilliant goal against Bristol Rovers.
Dobson hasnt played for MK Dons... We signed him after his loan spell @ AFC Wimbledon
Shinnie will always be, to me, the poster boy for everything that was wrong with our squad last season.
Really nice tidy player but where to you play him? More importantly who do you play him with and in what system?
Despite having what felt like dozens of midfielders over the season it was impossible to ever perm the right 3 or 4 for any period of time because they were all pretty good but all so one dimensional.
It wasn't Shinnie's fault though.
When he first joined in October he settled in straightaway and very much looked the part. He then got injured about the same time as Famewo and Inniss, and the team performances started to fall apart.
I remember him coming back as a late sub in the quagmire at Peterboro's ground, all too soon for him after a longish injury layoff as he was off the pace and clearly not sharp enough.
After that he struggled for a while in a struggling team, managed by a struggling manager. But he still looked neat and tidy - and perhaps our most creative player.
Plus all those assists for Stockley!
Adkins swept in, took one look at the team and changed the system. Shinnie didn't fit in and was often sidelined.
The system was against him. His age was against him. And his contract expired. Wrong place for him, wrong time.
Good player though - goals in his locker and assists galore.
Shinnie will always be, to me, the poster boy for everything that was wrong with our squad last season.
Really nice tidy player but where to you play him? More importantly who do you play him with and in what system?
Despite having what felt like dozens of midfielders over the season it was impossible to ever perm the right 3 or 4 for any period of time because they were all pretty good but all so one dimensional.
It wasn't Shinnie's fault though.
When he first joined in October he settled in straightaway and very much looked the part. He then got injured about the same time as Famewo and Inniss, and the team performances started to fall apart.
I remember him coming back as a late sub in the quagmire at Peterboro's ground, all too soon for him after a longish injury layoff as he was off the pace and clearly not sharp enough.
After that he struggled for a while in a struggling team, managed by a struggling manager. But he still looked neat and tidy - and perhaps our most creative player.
Plus all those assists for Stockley!
Adkins swept in, took one look at the team and changed the system. Shinnie didn't fit in and was often sidelined.
The system was against him. His age was against him. And his contract expired. Wrong place for him, wrong time.
Good player though - goals in his locker and assists galore.
I completely agree. It wasn't his fault and it wasn't like he was a bad player. The same could be said for every midfielder we had last season. Almost all of them were just sort of there without any idea of where to play them.
Shinnie will always be, to me, the poster boy for everything that was wrong with our squad last season.
Really nice tidy player but where to you play him? More importantly who do you play him with and in what system?
Despite having what felt like dozens of midfielders over the season it was impossible to ever perm the right 3 or 4 for any period of time because they were all pretty good but all so one dimensional.
It wasn't Shinnie's fault though.
When he first joined in October he settled in straightaway and very much looked the part. He then got injured about the same time as Famewo and Inniss, and the team performances started to fall apart.
I remember him coming back as a late sub in the quagmire at Peterboro's ground, all too soon for him after a longish injury layoff as he was off the pace and clearly not sharp enough.
After that he struggled for a while in a struggling team, managed by a struggling manager. But he still looked neat and tidy - and perhaps our most creative player.
Plus all those assists for Stockley!
Adkins swept in, took one look at the team and changed the system. Shinnie didn't fit in and was often sidelined.
The system was against him. His age was against him. And his contract expired. Wrong place for him, wrong time.
Good player though - goals in his locker and assists galore.
I completely agree. It wasn't his fault and it wasn't like he was a bad player. The same could be said for every midfielder we had last season. Almost all of them were just sort of there without any idea of where to play them.
And that surely was down to the manager and his thinking, at that time?
Shinnie will always be, to me, the poster boy for everything that was wrong with our squad last season.
Really nice tidy player but where to you play him? More importantly who do you play him with and in what system?
Despite having what felt like dozens of midfielders over the season it was impossible to ever perm the right 3 or 4 for any period of time because they were all pretty good but all so one dimensional.
It wasn't Shinnie's fault though.
When he first joined in October he settled in straightaway and very much looked the part. He then got injured about the same time as Famewo and Inniss, and the team performances started to fall apart.
I remember him coming back as a late sub in the quagmire at Peterboro's ground, all too soon for him after a longish injury layoff as he was off the pace and clearly not sharp enough.
After that he struggled for a while in a struggling team, managed by a struggling manager. But he still looked neat and tidy - and perhaps our most creative player.
Plus all those assists for Stockley!
Adkins swept in, took one look at the team and changed the system. Shinnie didn't fit in and was often sidelined.
The system was against him. His age was against him. And his contract expired. Wrong place for him, wrong time.
Good player though - goals in his locker and assists galore.
I completely agree. It wasn't his fault and it wasn't like he was a bad player. The same could be said for every midfielder we had last season. Almost all of them were just sort of there without any idea of where to play them.
And that surely was down to the manager and his thinking, at that time?
I would have kept Shinnie. If we had he would be one of the best midfielders at the club in our current squad (and probably the best if you exclude JFC and Gilbey).
I imagine the factors that counted against him were age and a perception he couldn't play a high pressing game. Unfortunately that overlooks the fact he is a very capable footballer at this level.
I would have kept Shinnie. If we had he would be one of the best midfielders at the club in our current squad (and probably the best if you exclude JFC and Gilbey).
I imagine the factors that counted against him were age and a perception he couldn't play a high pressing game. Unfortunately that overlooks the fact he is a very capable footballer at this level.
Not sure it's a perception he couldn't play a pressing game, he can't. Fwiw I quite like him as a player and yes right now he'd be an upgrade on what we have but the end of last season Gilbey was a much better option and I'd imagine most of us would have thought someone else would have come in.
I guess we'll never know ultimately whose decision it was to not offer a new contract but if no one else is brought in questions do need to be asked as if the aim was always to go through this season with Gilbey and Morgan as the advanced midfielder then that to me isn't strong enough to be pushing automatic promotion.
It's no secret I was a big fan of Shinnie, I think he was a big part of our better performances last year and clearly struck up a great partnership with Stockley.
It made zero sense to me to get rid of him without a clear improvement on him guaranteed to come through the door.
If we don't get a better ball playing midfielder in before the end of the window then that's a huge mistake in my eyes.
Clamouring for the likes of Shinnie and Amos who helped us achieve the lofty heights of 7th place…We need to stop romanticising about former players who were frankly very average.
I know the current lot don’t look up to much, but retaining average journeyman players isn’t the answer.
Clamouring for the likes of Shinnie and Amos who helped us achieve the lofty heights of 7th place…We need to stop romanticising about former players who were frankly very average.
I know the current lot don’t look up to much, but retaining average journeyman players isn’t the answer.
This. With bells on. There isn’t a member of last year’s squad that I’d have missed if they’d left. But what we have now is just substandard on so many levels. I’m amazed how many former players suddenly become brilliant in supporters’minds after they have left.
Comments
Can't remember Dobson, but MK Dons were one of the best passing teams against us. So hopefully he's physical and moves the ball forward quickly. Still we desperately need some pace in the team, and someone to replace Shinnie's assists.
Good luck to Andy, he was a joy to watch at times. Especially the brilliant goal against Bristol Rovers.
When he first joined in October he settled in straightaway and very much looked the part.
He then got injured about the same time as Famewo and Inniss, and the team performances started to fall apart.
I remember him coming back as a late sub in the quagmire at Peterboro's ground, all too soon for him after a longish injury layoff as he was off the pace and clearly not sharp enough.
After that he struggled for a while in a struggling team, managed by a struggling manager.
But he still looked neat and tidy - and perhaps our most creative player.
Plus all those assists for Stockley!
Adkins swept in, took one look at the team and changed the system.
Shinnie didn't fit in and was often sidelined.
The system was against him. His age was against him. And his contract expired.
Wrong place for him, wrong time.
Good player though - goals in his locker and assists galore.
I imagine the factors that counted against him were age and a perception he couldn't play a high pressing game. Unfortunately that overlooks the fact he is a very capable footballer at this level.
Odd decision when you look at what we've got now.
I guess we'll never know ultimately whose decision it was to not offer a new contract but if no one else is brought in questions do need to be asked as if the aim was always to go through this season with Gilbey and Morgan as the advanced midfielder then that to me isn't strong enough to be pushing automatic promotion.
It made zero sense to me to get rid of him without a clear improvement on him guaranteed to come through the door.
If we don't get a better ball playing midfielder in before the end of the window then that's a huge mistake in my eyes.