We need a couple of decent prem CM loans which is possible but certainly not an ideal position to be in. The working assumption has to be we will be without Gilbey and JFC for a long enough as to be not considered part of the squad. Dobson and Clare are both write offs for now which so early is remarkable and unprecedented since I’ve been watching for 30 years. Clare is elegant at times but he just hasn’t been in any of the games and Dobson just doesn’t move well enough.
More I think of it, the more I feel we need 8 players. We are that far off it.
Goalkeeper - competition for MacGillivray
Centre back - Inniss can’t play as often as we’d like. Elewere is a prospect but let the lad develop naturally. Centre back is brutal position if you are not ready
Left back - Must be attacking or it’s pointless. Don’t want to see Gunter or Matthews play there. I like Purrington when he’s fit, but he is not the attacking option we will need
Central midfielder - Someone who can pass and win the ball, basically a Cullen type but that’s hard to find. There has to be someone about though
Creative midfielder - Desperately need a new number 10, chances are a premium and no club achieves success like that. Good teams in this league have a good number 10, we’ve played 2 already and it shows
Winger - We have two. One is new and dealing with personal issues which is more than fair, the other blows hot and cold and hasn’t really done enough overall. They need competition
Forward/Wide Attacker - Leko/Grant type. Someone with pace who will either get in behind, stretch defences, or make them drop off to allow the space in midfield to play
Striker - Stockley and that’s it? We haven’t replaced Aneke and that’s a huge problem. Washington I’d have involved but we are not playing with two up front. Beyond these two, Schwartz has yet to prove anything and it’s been tough for him, and Davison is simply not good enough
I would love to know why we were never in for Scott Twine (I think I recall Cawley saying he was never a target). We still need a player in his position. Right age, division form, upward scope. Don't get it.
is there actually any basis for Roddy being a problem or are people just putting two and two together?
I always thought, due to the slight ambiguity of his role, that people were just using him as an easy target to point towards when things were not going well (as this has pretty much happened since his appointment).
Now I'm starting to feel like there's no smoke without fire.
I am slightly unnerved that the Kirk signing didn’t get the standard SG ‘we’re really pleased to have got him’ signing video. May be nothing but they always love that content (as do I)
is there actually any basis for Roddy being a problem or are people just putting two and two together?
He said it himself. He will be involved with helping Gallen to get players in. Assist Adkins on the first team and have big involvement with Avory at the Academy. He's involved. No doubt about it.
When things are on the up I'm sure he'll get the plaudits. But as starts go,it ain't looking too great is it?
I would love to know why we were never in for Scott Twine (I think I recall Cawley saying he was never a target). We still need a player in his position. Right age, division form, upward scope. Don't get it.
Especially as the team have been working day and night on signings
More I think of it, the more I feel we need 8 players. We are that far off it.
Goalkeeper - competition for MacGillivray
Centre back - Inniss can’t play as often as we’d like. Elewere is a prospect but let the lad develop naturally. Centre back is brutal position if you are not ready
Left back - Must be attacking or it’s pointless. Don’t want to see Gunter or Matthews play there. I like Purrington when he’s fit, but he is not the attacking option we will need
Central midfielder - Someone who can pass and win the ball, basically a Cullen type but that’s hard to find. There has to be someone about though
Creative midfielder - Desperately need a new number 10, chances are a premium and no club achieves success like that. Good teams in this league have a good number 10, we’ve played 2 already and it shows
Winger - We have two. One is new and dealing with personal issues which is more than fair, the other blows hot and cold and hasn’t really done enough overall. They need competition
Forward/Wide Attacker - Leko/Grant type. Someone with pace who will either get in behind, stretch defences, or make them drop off to allow the space in midfield to play
Striker - Stockley and that’s it? We haven’t replaced Aneke and that’s a huge problem. Washington I’d have involved but we are not playing with two up front. Beyond these two, Schwartz has yet to prove anything and it’s been tough for him, and Davison is simply not good enough
More I think of it, the more I feel we need 8 players. We are that far off it.
Goalkeeper - competition for MacGillivray
Centre back - Inniss can’t play as often as we’d like. Elewere is a prospect but let the lad develop naturally. Centre back is brutal position if you are not ready
Left back - Must be attacking or it’s pointless. Don’t want to see Gunter or Matthews play there. I like Purrington when he’s fit, but he is not the attacking option we will need
Central midfielder - Someone who can pass and win the ball, basically a Cullen type but that’s hard to find. There has to be someone about though
Creative midfielder - Desperately need a new number 10, chances are a premium and no club achieves success like that. Good teams in this league have a good number 10, we’ve played 2 already and it shows
Winger - We have two. One is new and dealing with personal issues which is more than fair, the other blows hot and cold and hasn’t really done enough overall. They need competition
Forward/Wide Attacker - Leko/Grant type. Someone with pace who will either get in behind, stretch defences, or make them drop off to allow the space in midfield to play
Striker - Stockley and that’s it? We haven’t replaced Aneke and that’s a huge problem. Washington I’d have involved but we are not playing with two up front. Beyond these two, Schwartz has yet to prove anything and it’s been tough for him, and Davison is simply not good enough
Sign two reject players from average league one rivals and they turn out to be wank - shock horror.
From the second we signed them I was shot down for saying I hoped they were just squad fillers.
Now we have this Tranmere random linked.
Honestly we could bring Terry fucking Robbins out of retirement and some on here would say he showed he can score goals at Welling and give him a chance.
I would love to know why we were never in for Scott Twine (I think I recall Cawley saying he was never a target). We still need a player in his position. Right age, division form, upward scope. Don't get it.
Potentially Connor Ogilvie too, seemed such a no brainer.
More I think of it, the more I feel we need 8 players. We are that far off it.
Goalkeeper - competition for MacGillivray
Centre back - Inniss can’t play as often as we’d like. Elewere is a prospect but let the lad develop naturally. Centre back is brutal position if you are not ready
Left back - Must be attacking or it’s pointless. Don’t want to see Gunter or Matthews play there. I like Purrington when he’s fit, but he is not the attacking option we will need
Central midfielder - Someone who can pass and win the ball, basically a Cullen type but that’s hard to find. There has to be someone about though
Creative midfielder - Desperately need a new number 10, chances are a premium and no club achieves success like that. Good teams in this league have a good number 10, we’ve played 2 already and it shows
Winger - We have two. One is new and dealing with personal issues which is more than fair, the other blows hot and cold and hasn’t really done enough overall. They need competition
Forward/Wide Attacker - Leko/Grant type. Someone with pace who will either get in behind, stretch defences, or make them drop off to allow the space in midfield to play
Striker - Stockley and that’s it? We haven’t replaced Aneke and that’s a huge problem. Washington I’d have involved but we are not playing with two up front. Beyond these two, Schwartz has yet to prove anything and it’s been tough for him, and Davison is simply not good enough
Now my turn to play FM/FIFA and be unrealistic, but…
Goalkeeper - Henderson
Centre Back - Tucker
Attacking Left Back - Loanee
Central midfielder - Loanee
Creative midfielder- Loanee
Winger - Sims
Forward/Wide Attacker - Blackett-Taylor? Know nothing about him but we’re linked and he is wide player who is very fast and unpredictable
When you look at CMs we've had in the past the likes of Danny Hollands, Dale Stephens, Josh Cullen, Joe Aribo etc and you look at what we have in CM presently it's no suprise that teams just seem to pass through us and that we can't seem to keep possession and be an attacking threat. We need the quality that we have had in these past teams in league 1 to realistically have any chance of challenging for a promotion chasing side. Add to that at least one more quality striker the likes of Bart Williams or Lyle Taylor, not to mention defenders and a decent GK. Compared to passed league 1 players that we have had at the club we are nowhere near the quality needed, in fact we're miles away from it. I don't think TS gets it and whatever the recruitment squad are up to is anybodys guess. Can't help thinking that too much energy, ideas and investment has been put into other areas of the club and not enough into the 1st team squad ; a promotion challenging squad should have something about it that other teams fear or respect as was the case under Powells and Bowyers promotion winning league 1 teams. I can't say the same for the current squad and think TS, NA,JR and the rest need to take a good look at those 2 teams and learn a few truths.
A random thing that to me says a lot is how often Adkins says honest, hard-working group of players. Not once has he ever described them as talented when I am fairly sure he has with a handful of players we had last season. Aneke, Millar, and Maatsen all come to mind.
Adkins is not stupid by any means, he knows himself this squad is not even close to the one we had last season when he took over.
Unless we sign the quality we so badly need, and there is a lot of it too, then so much for all that maintaining or improving in every position bollocks.
Could be and probably are getting this totally wrong but the ‘we’ve looked at lots of players but who knows’ sounds like Adkins isn’t getting the ones he wants and is frustrated. That could be it’s hard to do deals, although that seems unlikely when you look at signings made by our rivals. Or is Thomas refusing to pay bucks for the best players? Clare and Dobson would suggest so. This Tranmere reject adds to that.
RCB not just for back up, more like 20 games. LB for the love of god get it done. CDM Dobson not good enough so far. CAM Morgan still squad player at the moment. Winger, squad back up. STR, as good as Stockley.
1) As long as Ben Watson has a contract we probably won’t use budget for a CDM. He’s one of our top earners and we’re not going to shift him.
2) Similar to the CDM scenario, we need to shift Shwartz before we sing someone. Even then, are we going to spend money on someone to watch Jayden Stockley from the bench?
No we don't need a striker to watch Stockley from the bench, we need a striker that Stockley will be watching
I remember lots of people on here saying Eisa was rubbish and glad we didn’t sign him! Could be some egg on faces tonight. I think he’s just what we’re missing.
Whatever is going on something isn’t right in the camp. Have a gut feel Adkins will walk before long.
What, in the 3 minutes he played in the league for them, or the one Cup appearance?
Not saying he might not be any good, I've no idea either way, but surely you'd mention how he's done where he's actually played?
To me that sounds like a manager who was told at around 6pm this evening who he is & who he's played for in the past.
Exactly.
They've told him they are looking at a kid at Tranmere who was at Villa and played for England at youth levels and so it's "did well at Villa & England".
I remember lots of people on here saying Eisa was rubbish and glad we didn’t sign him! Could be some egg on faces tonight. I think he’s just what we’re missing.
Whatever is going on something isn’t right in the camp. Have a gut feel Adkins will walk before long.
I said on the other thread that MKD's front 3 were all realistic targets for us, and would have added some real quality and depth to the squad. And been ready for the start of the season, not September
Yes it's early days, but we're 8 points behind Pompey and Burton already
Cannot believe the number of unhappy people on here. We are in my opinion in a much better position than we have been for years. A engaged and enthusiastic owner who I don’t think anyone can argue against is laying solid foundations for the club to improve
A experienced and successful manager with a good back room staff.
I think we have made excellent acquisitions for this level so far and every confidence there will be more before the window shuts
Good academy players coming through who may not be ready to play a significant part in the first team yet but the future looks bright
And yet after a perfectly acceptable first league game and I agree a poor cup performance people are looking at relegation odds having a pop at the owner and manager writing off the new signings and the academy players and generally going into meltdown
I am not saying we will blow through this league but am confident we will be in the promotion picture at the end of the season
come on people less negatively on here COYR
The club as a whole is hopefully in it's strongest position (due to having an honest owner), than it has been since pre Jiminez/Slater.
But a stable club is much reduced if it cannot field 11 players of top 6 L1 ability.
AS OF TODAY/RIGHT NOW, the squad is debatably the worst in my living memory. We have arguably 12/13 fit decent players. Purrington & Gilbey make 14/15.
Arguably 5 players out injured/suspended is somewhere around the norm, which would leave us with 9 or 10 if you include Elerewy (the only academy player able to step up to the squad on last night's performance).
We need at least 6 first team level players and now have 3 week left. We need a LW, LB, CAM, striker, CH & GK in that prioity.
Our season is totally dependant on the signings/no signings.
6 good signings and we could be challenging for automatic promotion. 3/4 good signings and we could be challenging for the play offs. NO good signings and we'll be relegated. Heaven help us as it stands if Stockley, Innis, Famewo and MacGillivray get injured.
The next 3 weeks are so crucial. I've all but given up hope on smashing through this league, being Champions, Premier League in 4 years and europe a few years after.
I posted this 7 days ago and few if any agreed. I think I was bang on. 2 weeks to go now. I have very little confidence as we had not signed ONE decent brand new player this summer before Kirk. Clare, Dobson and MacGillivray don't look good enough to me.
Left back… Conor Grant at Plymouth. Exactly the sort of option we need - link up play with Kirk would be sublime, not to mention he takes a half decent set piece with his left peg. Someone in the press please print it so it’s an official rumour and not just my wishlist. Thanks.
Comments
Goalkeeper - competition for MacGillivray
Centre back - Inniss can’t play as often as we’d like. Elewere is a prospect but let the lad develop naturally. Centre back is brutal position if you are not ready
Left back - Must be attacking or it’s pointless. Don’t want to see Gunter or Matthews play there. I like Purrington when he’s fit, but he is not the attacking option we will need
Central midfielder - Someone who can pass and win the ball, basically a Cullen type but that’s hard to find. There has to be someone about though
Creative midfielder - Desperately need a new number 10, chances are a premium and no club achieves success like that. Good teams in this league have a good number 10, we’ve played 2 already and it shows
Winger - We have two. One is new and dealing with personal issues which is more than fair, the other blows hot and cold and hasn’t really done enough overall. They need competition
Forward/Wide Attacker - Leko/Grant type. Someone with pace who will either get in behind, stretch defences, or make them drop off to allow the space in midfield to play
Striker - Stockley and that’s it? We haven’t replaced Aneke and that’s a huge problem. Washington I’d have involved but we are not playing with two up front. Beyond these two, Schwartz has yet to prove anything and it’s been tough for him, and Davison is simply not good enough
When things are on the up I'm sure he'll get the plaudits. But as starts go,it ain't looking too great is it?
From the second we signed them I was shot down for saying I hoped they were just squad fillers.
Now we have this Tranmere random linked.
Honestly we could bring Terry fucking Robbins out of retirement and some on here would say he showed he can score goals at Welling and give him a chance.
Goalkeeper - Henderson
Centre Back - Tucker
Attacking Left Back - Loanee
Central midfielder - Loanee
Creative midfielder- Loanee
Winger - Sims
Forward/Wide Attacker - Blackett-Taylor? Know nothing about him but we’re linked and he is wide player who is very fast and unpredictable
Striker - Jephcott
https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/nigel-adkins-addresses-reports-linking-charlton-to-a-move-for-former-aston-villa-man-corey-blackett-taylor/
We need the quality that we have had in these past teams in league 1 to realistically have any chance of challenging for a promotion chasing side.
Add to that at least one more quality striker the likes of Bart Williams or Lyle Taylor, not to mention defenders and a decent GK.
Compared to passed league 1 players that we have had at the club we are nowhere near the quality needed, in fact we're miles away from it.
I don't think TS gets it and whatever the recruitment squad are up to is anybodys guess.
Can't help thinking that too much energy, ideas and investment has been put into other areas of the club and not enough into the 1st team squad ; a promotion challenging squad should have something about it that other teams fear or respect as was the case under Powells and Bowyers promotion winning league 1 teams. I can't say the same for the current squad and think TS, NA,JR and the rest need to take a good look at those 2 teams and learn a few truths.
who knows?!
Said it about Dobson…. And Clare….. and will say it about this guy. We need better.
Adkins is not stupid by any means, he knows himself this squad is not even close to the one we had last season when he took over.
Unless we sign the quality we so badly need, and there is a lot of it too, then so much for all that maintaining or improving in every position bollocks.
What, in the 3 minutes he played in the league for them, or the one Cup appearance?
Not saying he might not be any good, I've no idea either way, but surely you'd mention how he's done where he's actually played?
Whatever is going on something isn’t right in the camp. Have a gut feel Adkins will walk before long.
They've told him they are looking at a kid at Tranmere who was at Villa and played for England at youth levels and so it's "did well at Villa & England".
Yes it's early days, but we're 8 points behind Pompey and Burton already
I think I was bang on.
2 weeks to go now.
I have very little confidence as we had not signed ONE decent brand new player this summer before Kirk.
Clare, Dobson and MacGillivray don't look good enough to me.