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My take on the current team and recruitment 06:25 - Aug 26 with 3901 viewsBluefish

Warning will contain some dodgy analogies. I would suggest if my posts make you irrationally angry then not to read on but we all know that you will respond with abuse regardless and then say they no one cares about my posts

For me building a team is like kitting a rook out with furniture, you have to work out what you need and then measure up and find something the right size and look to match the room. There is no point having a living that only contains sofas or a dining room that only had tables.

Hurst got it wrong there for me by signing players that he would like but not considering how they go together. Kayden Jackson and Gwion Edwards are terrible but if you had 10 others together working hard as a unit and just relied on those 2 to run fast occasionally you might make it work.

Lambert just throw more and more furniture into the room and probably would have been one of those houses on hoarders from hell that have cat sh*t in the corner

Cook had the perfect opportunity to completely clear the room and instead of finding perfect size, colour and shape to fit he could start again with bold statement pieces. This seemed to start well enough. We got the 2 x CMs that a team is built around and we put in the pace of Burns and versatility of Burns to sort the wide issue. Couple of forward, couple of left backs and a couple of centre backs. We are fitting the room out well but it now seems to have gone awry, at the end we have just thrown in loads of wide players without the consideration to the size, shape of colourscheme of the room. We have now moved furniture around to accommodate and it doesn't really work, Fraser was a statement piece to build the room around and is now stuck in a corner. It has parts looking bare and others looking cluttered.

We are not far off but we need a quick reassessment to get the bits to work together properly


Already tl;dr territory but a few words on the recruits


Evans - appears to be the sh*thkuse in centre midfield. Our Scott Brown or Robbie Savage but at the moment he seems to be winding himself up more than the opposition. One minute spraying the ball round and the next giving it away cheaply. Needs to settle in quickly and just calm down a bit.

Harper- looks like a rolls royce on the ball but also like many expensive cars is therefore not used enough. Similar to how Pogba is for Man U at times will look world class but in others disappears. Really hope he can become a legend here because the talent is there

Pigott- I was very happy by the signing but I'm a bit worried. He is playing the full width of the pitch and a big team with 2 up top can't do that. He needs to be more disciplined or to be played with 2 up top. We looked better when Bonne was leading the line. I spoke to a big afc Wimbledon fan and he asked me my view, I said I had concerns about him aerially for a big man and he confirmed that he isn't good in the air. That is a problem for me for a lone striker with just small quick players playing off then. We've seen it before with Pitman, Keane and Samny Parkin boooo

Bonne - I like the look of him and he should be the one leading the line for me

Fraser - not impressed so far, very patchy but maybe needs to be central. Can we make that work though?

Chaplin- not seen enough to be impressed but the review from the Cov supporting FIL wasn't very complimentary and he is very good usually at spotting a player

Edwards- We've all said it he looks a classic apart so we just have to find ways to get him on the ball. Would have been a perfect fit with him a dobra in the wide roles

Hladky is too early to tell, he hasn't had enough to do yet. Burgess very promising but again too early.


The team looks like it is missing Matt Crooks for me, not sure if we will find a way to solve that. The midfield possibly needs to include Carolll as well while the other 2 find their way but we need to sort the shape quickly, pre season seems wasted in regard to getting the shape drilled in


Hopefully it comes good quickly starting with Saturday but once it does there isn't a great deal of room for error

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 06:36 - Aug 26 with 3148 viewsYallop

Lots of words there but not really a lot of substance.

In conclusion you are saying it's too early to tell. I agree 100%
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My take on the current team and recruitment on 06:52 - Aug 26 with 3106 viewsWarkystache

We'll win on Saturday though and that will breed confidence and set us up for a good September.

Tel's convinced he's a lucky charm and he's coming on Saturday.

Right, off to work, see you all later.....

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 07:21 - Aug 26 with 3016 viewsMeadowlark

I agree with you. About Carroll.
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My take on the current team and recruitment on 07:40 - Aug 26 with 2978 viewsFixed_It

Fair enough. Just goes to show you can talk some sense when you are not trying too hard fishing. But agee with the summary below - basically it is too early to tell.

Ready! Steady! Cook!
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My take on the current team and recruitment on 07:57 - Aug 26 with 2931 viewsHerbivore

Looking at the squad any competent manager should be able to find a team and system from those players that is capable of top 6 as a minimum. It's now up to Cook to show he can do that. I'm not overly worried, a win is needed to settle some nerves and get some points on the board, but with the quality in the squad now that win should be coming on Saturday.

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 08:19 - Aug 26 with 2838 viewsChurchman

The conclusion which appears to be too early to tell but not much time is I think correct.

The bit about Hurst signing players he would like but didn’t consider how they would go together isn’t right. I suspect he considered it, given his Shrewsbury team was all about how they played together. He just wasn’t able to do it. He also replaced Championship quality players with League 1 or 2 level ones.

Evans played his part by doing what he’d done for years in flogging players and trousering half the transfer fee, but basically, Hurst was so far out of his depth he needed a periscope. Alan Lee’s take on Hurst’s start here is worth a listen.

The worry I have is whether Cook’s players will be able to form a team? Are they good enough to do that? My expectation for an easy start was that they’d pick up points early through the quality of individuals until they bonded into a team. Neither has happened.

Early days, but he and they haven’t long to get it right.
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My take on the current team and recruitment on 08:31 - Aug 26 with 2771 viewsBanksterDebtSlave

Thanks Anna...

"They break our legs and tell us to be grateful when they offer us crutches."
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My take on the current team and recruitment on 08:40 - Aug 26 with 2727 viewsWeekender

My take on the current team and recruitment on 08:19 - Aug 26 by Churchman

The conclusion which appears to be too early to tell but not much time is I think correct.

The bit about Hurst signing players he would like but didn’t consider how they would go together isn’t right. I suspect he considered it, given his Shrewsbury team was all about how they played together. He just wasn’t able to do it. He also replaced Championship quality players with League 1 or 2 level ones.

Evans played his part by doing what he’d done for years in flogging players and trousering half the transfer fee, but basically, Hurst was so far out of his depth he needed a periscope. Alan Lee’s take on Hurst’s start here is worth a listen.

The worry I have is whether Cook’s players will be able to form a team? Are they good enough to do that? My expectation for an easy start was that they’d pick up points early through the quality of individuals until they bonded into a team. Neither has happened.

Early days, but he and they haven’t long to get it right.


I agree with your comments about finding the correct players to fit a system - as PC says himself he has a preferred system (4231) and wants to rely on that.

He looks like he is building a squad with 2 plyers for each position with some of those capable of covering other positions if needed. Like you say a contrast to Hurst and Lambert. I always felt Burley was good at doing this and everyone since (save for perhaps Royal) didn't execute this well at all. Theo only thing I wonder about is that we have 4 central midfielders who are quite similar in style.

I just think they need more time.

Edit: This was meant to be a reply to the OP!
[Post edited 26 Aug 2021 8:41]

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 08:50 - Aug 26 with 2698 viewsnodge_blue

"We are not far off but we need a quick reassessment to get the bits to work together properly "

Exactly. Let the manager do the reassessment and let it play out for a while

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 08:54 - Aug 26 with 2673 viewsChurchman

My take on the current team and recruitment on 08:40 - Aug 26 by Weekender

I agree with your comments about finding the correct players to fit a system - as PC says himself he has a preferred system (4231) and wants to rely on that.

He looks like he is building a squad with 2 plyers for each position with some of those capable of covering other positions if needed. Like you say a contrast to Hurst and Lambert. I always felt Burley was good at doing this and everyone since (save for perhaps Royal) didn't execute this well at all. Theo only thing I wonder about is that we have 4 central midfielders who are quite similar in style.

I just think they need more time.

Edit: This was meant to be a reply to the OP!
[Post edited 26 Aug 2021 8:41]


Burley was good at getting the right mix of players. I’m thinking of Holland, Jermaine Wright and Magilton who were very different midfielders and Stewart, Naylor, Scowy, Johnson offering choices up front. They really played for and complemented each other.

Royle’s team was very reliant on a powerful front two and in Bent and Kuqi he certainly had that. He also had an experienced centre half in De Vos. A real leader and something we lack. That and a good goalkeeper. JR did a great job in awful circumstances and perhaps didn’t get the credit he deserved.
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My take on the current team and recruitment on 08:55 - Aug 26 with 2667 viewsBluefish

My take on the current team and recruitment on 08:50 - Aug 26 by nodge_blue

"We are not far off but we need a quick reassessment to get the bits to work together properly "

Exactly. Let the manager do the reassessment and let it play out for a while


Time is not unlimited. We have to close the gap and get some momentum

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 09:19 - Aug 26 with 2609 viewsBlueBadger

Why do rooks need furniture?

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 09:23 - Aug 26 with 2597 viewsBluefish

My take on the current team and recruitment on 09:19 - Aug 26 by BlueBadger

Why do rooks need furniture?


To sit on

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 09:29 - Aug 26 with 2562 viewsBlueBadger

My take on the current team and recruitment on 09:23 - Aug 26 by Bluefish

To sit on


Also: in this analogy, would our room be an episode of changing rooms at about two thirds of the way in?

Lots of old rubbish thrown out but a some good has gone as well, there's a lot of expensive flashy-looking parts that aren't quite in the right place at the moment and we're all hoping it comes together nicely rather than ending up being something you rip out and start again with again in around 6 months' time.

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 10:04 - Aug 26 with 2487 viewsHighgateBlue

I agree with a fair amount of that.

Out of interest, what team would you pick for our next game (assuming Cook's formation of choice), and how would that change if everyone were fit?

I appreciate that this is a hard game, as most of us have never seen Edmundson, still less Edmundson and Burgess together, and there's not really much evidence to go on in terms of forward combinations because there's been a lot of chopping and changing while Cook works out his best XI. But I'd be interested nonetheless...
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My take on the current team and recruitment on 10:49 - Aug 26 with 2390 viewsRocky

My take on the current team and recruitment on 10:04 - Aug 26 by HighgateBlue

I agree with a fair amount of that.

Out of interest, what team would you pick for our next game (assuming Cook's formation of choice), and how would that change if everyone were fit?

I appreciate that this is a hard game, as most of us have never seen Edmundson, still less Edmundson and Burgess together, and there's not really much evidence to go on in terms of forward combinations because there's been a lot of chopping and changing while Cook works out his best XI. But I'd be interested nonetheless...


Never agree with Blubbers.
It confuses him.
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My take on the current team and recruitment on 10:54 - Aug 26 with 2374 viewshype313

My take on the current team and recruitment on 10:49 - Aug 26 by Rocky

Never agree with Blubbers.
It confuses him.


Bit like Partridge and Bangkok Chickboys.

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 10:57 - Aug 26 with 2369 viewsnodge_blue

My take on the current team and recruitment on 08:55 - Aug 26 by Bluefish

Time is not unlimited. We have to close the gap and get some momentum


True. What I'm concerned about is that we all get too impatien, too quickly and the booing gets worse and players lose confidence before we get out of August. Surely we just have to back the team for now. Some of your assessments may be correct. I thought Evans looked good first game. He was more a good younger skuse.

To some degree I'd take better performance s and less points. We saw the converse under Lambert and knew it wouldn't last. Now maybe we are seeing better performances, but not the points yet.

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 11:02 - Aug 26 with 2355 viewsBluefish

My take on the current team and recruitment on 10:04 - Aug 26 by HighgateBlue

I agree with a fair amount of that.

Out of interest, what team would you pick for our next game (assuming Cook's formation of choice), and how would that change if everyone were fit?

I appreciate that this is a hard game, as most of us have never seen Edmundson, still less Edmundson and Burgess together, and there's not really much evidence to go on in terms of forward combinations because there's been a lot of chopping and changing while Cook works out his best XI. But I'd be interested nonetheless...


Tough to work out really and that is part of the issue. We look like we need 3 in the middle but you can't leave out Edwards. Pigott needs another striker until he becomes more disciplined but we also want Fraser behind the striker

I would go with Hladky, he need the faith put in him.

Right back either kvy or burns. Kvy has looked a bit short of confidence but I would stick with him albeit I would rest him occasionally

Centre backs. Woolf and Burgess. No reason to change, woolf is playing well despite the weird criticism

Left back. I haven't seen coulson yet but happy enough with penney he has a good engine. From what I've heard coulson will be better

Now is the issue. I am a fan of 2 up top but that would mean 442 (4411 is the same) and cook is unlikely to do that.

For now I'll stick with Harper and Cook but I would be ready to bring Carroll on when needed. He should have come on vs Cheltenham early on in the 2nd half

Edwards left and either dobra or burns on the right

Bonne up top and then either pig or fraser behind. Not convinced by Fraser but he needs a run in that position and to be given the ball, he doesn't seem to go looking for it out wide

It is all I can judge on at the moment so time will tell for the other players

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 11:11 - Aug 26 with 2311 viewsThe_Realist_09

My take on the current team and recruitment on 11:02 - Aug 26 by Bluefish

Tough to work out really and that is part of the issue. We look like we need 3 in the middle but you can't leave out Edwards. Pigott needs another striker until he becomes more disciplined but we also want Fraser behind the striker

I would go with Hladky, he need the faith put in him.

Right back either kvy or burns. Kvy has looked a bit short of confidence but I would stick with him albeit I would rest him occasionally

Centre backs. Woolf and Burgess. No reason to change, woolf is playing well despite the weird criticism

Left back. I haven't seen coulson yet but happy enough with penney he has a good engine. From what I've heard coulson will be better

Now is the issue. I am a fan of 2 up top but that would mean 442 (4411 is the same) and cook is unlikely to do that.

For now I'll stick with Harper and Cook but I would be ready to bring Carroll on when needed. He should have come on vs Cheltenham early on in the 2nd half

Edwards left and either dobra or burns on the right

Bonne up top and then either pig or fraser behind. Not convinced by Fraser but he needs a run in that position and to be given the ball, he doesn't seem to go looking for it out wide

It is all I can judge on at the moment so time will tell for the other players


Little harsh on Fraser. He's got quality in and around the box.

He's got a goal and an assist already in a new side, could have easily been 2 goals if he'd scored the pen.

He got an assist vs Col U in pre-season and should have had one against Newport when he cut it back for Dobs to miss a sitter.
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My take on the current team and recruitment on 11:13 - Aug 26 with 2301 viewsBlueBadger

My take on the current team and recruitment on 10:57 - Aug 26 by nodge_blue

True. What I'm concerned about is that we all get too impatien, too quickly and the booing gets worse and players lose confidence before we get out of August. Surely we just have to back the team for now. Some of your assessments may be correct. I thought Evans looked good first game. He was more a good younger skuse.

To some degree I'd take better performance s and less points. We saw the converse under Lambert and knew it wouldn't last. Now maybe we are seeing better performances, but not the points yet.


Although is should be rememberered that we also saw 'improved performances' and piss poor results under Lambert as well....


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My take on the current team and recruitment on 11:15 - Aug 26 with 2300 viewsGuthrum

That all looks pretty reasonable to me.

I suspect a couple of the second-hand bits of furniture we went for were not for sale, or had already gone. Plus maybe winning two speculative bids on Ebay when we'd only really required one of them. Thus we perhaps have two sofas, but not enough bookcases.

We've also had a bit of bother with some of the furniture arriving damaged, or the legs coming unscrewed the first time we used them.

The interior designer is enthusiastic and has a good reputation, but not got things right yet.

Good Lord! Whatever is it?
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My take on the current team and recruitment on 11:16 - Aug 26 with 2288 viewshype313

My take on the current team and recruitment on 11:11 - Aug 26 by The_Realist_09

Little harsh on Fraser. He's got quality in and around the box.

He's got a goal and an assist already in a new side, could have easily been 2 goals if he'd scored the pen.

He got an assist vs Col U in pre-season and should have had one against Newport when he cut it back for Dobs to miss a sitter.


From the games I've seen, and granted he hasn't been playing in his preferred role, he has looked pretty bang average to me.

His set piece and corners have been dreadful, one particular bug bear of mine is someone who takes a corner and can't get it past the first man is doing the basics badly.

That said, it sounded like he had a good game in the number ten role, so hopefully we utilise him in the right place going forward to make sure we maximise on his best position.

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My take on the current team and recruitment on 12:19 - Aug 26 with 2188 viewscatch74

My take on the current team and recruitment on 09:29 - Aug 26 by BlueBadger

Also: in this analogy, would our room be an episode of changing rooms at about two thirds of the way in?

Lots of old rubbish thrown out but a some good has gone as well, there's a lot of expensive flashy-looking parts that aren't quite in the right place at the moment and we're all hoping it comes together nicely rather than ending up being something you rip out and start again with again in around 6 months' time.



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My take on the current team and recruitment on 12:44 - Aug 26 with 2124 viewsHighgateBlue

My take on the current team and recruitment on 11:16 - Aug 26 by hype313

From the games I've seen, and granted he hasn't been playing in his preferred role, he has looked pretty bang average to me.

His set piece and corners have been dreadful, one particular bug bear of mine is someone who takes a corner and can't get it past the first man is doing the basics badly.

That said, it sounded like he had a good game in the number ten role, so hopefully we utilise him in the right place going forward to make sure we maximise on his best position.


I agree. And on the topic of set pieces, there's that penalty too.

Let's hope a run in the team in his preferred position will work wonders.
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