| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer 13:58 - Mar 30 with 1088 views | Luk38644 |
Just looking at our squad briefly and it sticks out like a sore thumb that the main core of our play-off side is quite old. Just looking at the likes of Chambers, Berra, Skuse, Pitman, McGoldrick etc; and it does make me wonder, is it time for an overhaul, especially considering some of their performances this season?
Will be interesting to see what a new manager does in the summer if Mick decides to go. I think it's almost certain that Berra is going but most of our squad are under question I would have thought. Can we still build a team around McG? Is Skuse too slow in the midfield? Is Chambers even going to stay? Can we keep Bart? Huge decisions. |  | | |  |
| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:02 - Mar 30 with 1058 views | Kieran_Knows |
Think it'll all depend on who is manager to be honest.
Berra will definitely go IMO, as will Best, Coke & Douglas (which we already knew). Possibly Gerken, Digby, Spence and Taylor will go as well if a new manager comes in, but I can see them staying if Mick stays on.
I think Chambers will stay personally, as will Bart. [Post edited 30 Mar 2017 14:03]
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| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:04 - Mar 30 with 1025 views | Luk38644 |
| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:02 - Mar 30 by Kieran_Knows |
Think it'll all depend on who is manager to be honest.
Berra will definitely go IMO, as will Best, Coke & Douglas (which we already knew). Possibly Gerken, Digby, Spence and Taylor will go as well if a new manager comes in, but I can see them staying if Mick stays on.
I think Chambers will stay personally, as will Bart. [Post edited 30 Mar 2017 14:03]
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Interesting you mention Spence because, while he's done OK here, I honestly don't see him as good enough for long term. Is he really capable of playing 40+ games at RB or RWB?
He's a bit like Liam Feeney last season, he did a job on the wing but but can do better and should to do so. | | | |
| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:07 - Mar 30 with 999 views | Kieran_Knows |
| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:04 - Mar 30 by Luk38644 |
Interesting you mention Spence because, while he's done OK here, I honestly don't see him as good enough for long term. Is he really capable of playing 40+ games at RB or RWB?
He's a bit like Liam Feeney last season, he did a job on the wing but but can do better and should to do so. |
I think he'd be a decent 'squad' player, but how many more of those can we keep carrying.
Irrespective of who is manager, I hope Bishop, Dozzell and Benyu can really kick on in pre-season as they could be part of our midfield for years to come.
With regards to Pitman as well, he'll probably go if Mick is still here, but could (and should) flourish under a better forward thinking manager (like he did with Howe at Bournemouth). | |
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| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:11 - Mar 30 with 978 views | Steve_M |
| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:04 - Mar 30 by Luk38644 |
Interesting you mention Spence because, while he's done OK here, I honestly don't see him as good enough for long term. Is he really capable of playing 40+ games at RB or RWB?
He's a bit like Liam Feeney last season, he did a job on the wing but but can do better and should to do so. |
We need to be careful of falling back into thinking that every half-decent player can be easily upgraded; we've done that repeatedly over the time ME has owned this club. Look how may said we wouldn't miss Anderson, Hunt and Tabb. Spence to me looks a decent footballer and, with Emmanuel developing, the two of them should cover right back for next season pretty well.
As to the wider point, it was clear a year ago that we needed to refresh the core of the squad. Webster counts as part of that, although the only other change there is selling, and not replacing, Murphy. That need remains the case regardless of who the manager is. |  |
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| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:13 - Mar 30 with 962 views | Luk38644 |
| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:07 - Mar 30 by Kieran_Knows |
I think he'd be a decent 'squad' player, but how many more of those can we keep carrying.
Irrespective of who is manager, I hope Bishop, Dozzell and Benyu can really kick on in pre-season as they could be part of our midfield for years to come.
With regards to Pitman as well, he'll probably go if Mick is still here, but could (and should) flourish under a better forward thinking manager (like he did with Howe at Bournemouth). |
Regarding the young midfield three, I think it's going to be a case of Bishop being a first team player with the other two hopefully kicking at his heels to nick his place. Add to them McDonnell and hopefully Huws, we could actually have some really decent, young footballers in that midfield. | | | |
| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:17 - Mar 30 with 938 views | Luk38644 |
| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:11 - Mar 30 by Steve_M |
We need to be careful of falling back into thinking that every half-decent player can be easily upgraded; we've done that repeatedly over the time ME has owned this club. Look how may said we wouldn't miss Anderson, Hunt and Tabb. Spence to me looks a decent footballer and, with Emmanuel developing, the two of them should cover right back for next season pretty well.
As to the wider point, it was clear a year ago that we needed to refresh the core of the squad. Webster counts as part of that, although the only other change there is selling, and not replacing, Murphy. That need remains the case regardless of who the manager is. |
I suppose we'll agree to disagree regarding Spence because I just don't see him as good enough to play either RB or RWB. He mainly flourished when he was playing on the right of a back three but if Mick doesn't stay, will a new manager actually use the wing-backs system? I'd like to see us get an experienced right-back who can get forward and someone who Emmanuel can learn from.
Regarding Anderson, Hunt and Tabb, I would argue that Lawrence, Ward and Rowe are a better trio but the players/squad around them has worsened. No Murph, rarely fit Didz, Sears out of form, Bishop out of form, Hyam injured. While they did a job here, we have to try and move away from 'work hard' players and try inject some quality and build, but of course, having a crap season has put us backwards in that regard. | | | |
| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:40 - Mar 30 with 873 views | Steve_M |
| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:17 - Mar 30 by Luk38644 |
I suppose we'll agree to disagree regarding Spence because I just don't see him as good enough to play either RB or RWB. He mainly flourished when he was playing on the right of a back three but if Mick doesn't stay, will a new manager actually use the wing-backs system? I'd like to see us get an experienced right-back who can get forward and someone who Emmanuel can learn from.
Regarding Anderson, Hunt and Tabb, I would argue that Lawrence, Ward and Rowe are a better trio but the players/squad around them has worsened. No Murph, rarely fit Didz, Sears out of form, Bishop out of form, Hyam injured. While they did a job here, we have to try and move away from 'work hard' players and try inject some quality and build, but of course, having a crap season has put us backwards in that regard. |
He was excellent against Leeds, with the notable exception of getting caught for the goal, and very good against Norwich too. He looks a perfectly adequate Championship player - given what we now look to be spending on players that will do.
How is Rowe a better player when he has played about 15 minutes for the first team? He might turn out to be but no-one can make that judgement now. The problem with just adding quality at the expense of effort is that we end up like Jewell's squad - sporadically very good but then utterly rubbish.
That there is a definite need for a more positive aesthetically pleasing approach, or even another month like February even, doesn't distract from the fact that teams have to be able to compete in this division. | |
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| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:47 - Mar 30 with 843 views | Luk38644 |
| BIG squad decisions to be made this summer on 14:40 - Mar 30 by Steve_M |
He was excellent against Leeds, with the notable exception of getting caught for the goal, and very good against Norwich too. He looks a perfectly adequate Championship player - given what we now look to be spending on players that will do.
How is Rowe a better player when he has played about 15 minutes for the first team? He might turn out to be but no-one can make that judgement now. The problem with just adding quality at the expense of effort is that we end up like Jewell's squad - sporadically very good but then utterly rubbish.
That there is a definite need for a more positive aesthetically pleasing approach, or even another month like February even, doesn't distract from the fact that teams have to be able to compete in this division. |
I suppose that's the main factor in all of this - Will ME free up more funds or are we going to have to look at players like Spence to improve and become established? If it's the latter, Spence is worth a contract, I just wish we had more desire to consistently improve the squad.
I mean collectively. Rowe is still under question of course but a collective of Ward, Lawrence and Rowe is a better set of wingers than Tabb, Anderson and Hunt. As I said, I honestly think that the latter 3 benefited from a thriving squad around them, but we do sorely miss Anderson's assists, I admit that. | | | |
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