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Post by strettonbrewer on Dec 17, 2023 15:21:01 GMT
What's your plan?
For me:
Powell and Hughes - Sell if not signing a new contract. Can't afford to lose both on an inevitable free in summer
Blackman - Sell - Max established as number 1. Get a keeper on loan
Seddon - I'll drive him back to Oxford
Gilligan - Loan
Josh Gordon - came with promise but seems so far out of his depth
I'd look to bring in a Winger, CM, LB and GK on loan.
What do you do?
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Post by superbrewer on Dec 17, 2023 16:13:36 GMT
You have got the likes of Harper,Kamwa ,Chauke,Walker and Caprice who are also totally out of their depth but we are stuck with them .What we do with inbounds I don't know as they will be tying up a lot of our budget.It doesn't look good.
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Post by Fred Andrews on Dec 17, 2023 16:44:42 GMT
Bloody hell where do you start, I agree with pretty much everything above. These two year contract signings could really screw us over.
As I've said on previous threads, the worrying thing is that many of the players who have really struggled this season, are only 6 months into 2 year deals, which puts us in a tricky spot. Look at how we've struggled to get rid of Lakin who we signed on a three year deal, he's either been sat in the stands or out on loan for the best part of the last two seasons.
Hughes and Powell, I agree, probably our two best players on paper but out of contract in the summer, chances of them re-signing given our current state are low, and I'd imagine they could field some interest so you can't rule out either leaving for £30/40k. Powell is being completely wasted in defensive midfield, obviously we don't know how he feels about being played in that role, but let's be honest, he's an attacking midfielder and should be played as such. It's a tricky one for us, you don't want to lose anyone for free, but in the interests of keeping us up, we'd be stronger with both until the end of the season even if we lose both on a free in the summer.
As for who can go? (Starting in defence and moving up the pitch).
- Blackman - I think we all expected him to be No1 when he joined, and according to Exeter fans he was their best paid player, so he's going to be on a good wedge here. Not 100% sure of his contract length, possibly a loan out somewhere to free up some money. Their is clealy a good keeper in there somewhere, but Crocombe has pretty much already won our Player of the Season and has saved us from some absolute batterings.
- Seddon - In on loan, he's had a couple of strong games, but as with our left back position over the last number of seasons, we have been very weak on that side again. He's good going forwards, but poor defensively. Possibly cut short his loan if we can.
- Brayford - Honestly I doubt we'll see any movement here, but let's be honest about him, he's really looking his age this season, very slow and off the pace and being run ragged, if we get a hint of a sniff from Mr Clough then maybe it's time for one last spell under Nigel for him. We can't deny his commitment to the cause but at 36, commitment us beginning to be all he's got.
- Caprice - Has been probably our worst defender this season, he's looked really poor at both right and left back, as others have said he looked great against us, but for us it's not been good at all. On a 2 year deal, so may be a problem getting rid, with Hamer out for a few more months though, we're very short on options, so will probably stay.
- Gilligan - As we said in the summer, has barely played this season yet again. How much longer can we persist with him? A loan spell out has to be coming surely?
- Chauke - Barely featured, even less so than Gilligan, and when he has played has looked out of his depth. Another on a two year deal. Only 20 years old though. A loan spell out? (If he's not injured).
- Carayol - Out of contract in January, let him go. 35 now and will free us up some much needed £££.
- Kamwa - Another that has barely featured this season, has been injured on and off, likely not on big wages, and out of contract in the summer. Probably best if we can move him on in some fashion.
- Walker - Looks out of his depth at this level, not helped by being played out wide, but this level looks beyond him. He's almost 26 so it's not like he's a young lad with potential at this point. I don't know what sort of fee we did pay for him though, so it could be an expensive loss, contract length is unknown, but given we signed him in January you'd think it'll be until 2025. Maybe a loan out.
- Gordon - No goals in 23 games this season. Scored 15 last year at Barrow, alas in League 2. Has really struggled for us so far, another one on a two year deal. Is he being mis-played or just not up to this level?
- Stockton - Who knows what will happen here? If we can get him firing and he's not unhappy, he could be the man to save our season with some important goals. I hope he stays as he's the only out and out striker we really have.
- Lubala - Out of contract in January, has shown flashes of promise and scored a few goals but will we extend the deal, or let him go and look for better? I'm 50/50 on him, my gut says let him go.
If we can get 5 or 6 out of the door in January, hopefully have a new manager on the cards with some fresh ideas, we might just have a chance of saving this season. Ideally I think we need a few midfielders in the door, (proper midfielders), and some quality wide additions and another striker, we might have enough. A new left back and some right back cover too would be a bonus.
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Post by rhys0204 on Dec 17, 2023 17:58:56 GMT
I disagree about Carayol, if we're to utilise Stockton, we need to keep him and Baah around, as they seem like the only two players capable of delivering a cross.
Gilligan will stay on the grounds he's an academy graduate (Perhaps this will change next season with Finn Delap, Will Tamen and the others all breaking through).
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Post by sinfinbovril on Dec 17, 2023 21:46:24 GMT
I say it every time and I'll say it again.
Cairan Gilligan has it in him to be a good player. He needs time on the pitch. He looks a nightmare to play against.
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Post by everard on Dec 18, 2023 0:15:34 GMT
We need full backs who can get blocks and tackles in, wingers who can get great crosses in, a mid-field and 2 or 3 strikers in case Stockton gets injured or fires too many blanks! Then we'll be OK!
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Post by mikeyboy on Dec 18, 2023 9:18:50 GMT
We need full backs who can get blocks and tackles in, wingers who can get great crosses in, a mid-field and 2 or 3 strikers in case Stockton gets injured or fires too many blanks! Then we'll be OK! Blimey.
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Post by bancroft on Dec 18, 2023 10:11:21 GMT
I think we need to sort the coaching out before any transfer stuff
take Rekeem Harper for example. He's been at some big clubs, played for England age groups, decent transfer fee when he went to Ipswich. Still only 23. But he's not shown himself to be much good for us so far
a good coach would be able to work out his best position/role in the team and get him firing on all cylinders. or, if he's already in decline and not going to make it, get him moved on
there's a few similar examples across the squad.
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jeanf
Schoolboy Papers
Posts: 85
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Post by jeanf on Dec 20, 2023 15:06:12 GMT
Frankly I can't think of the January window until a new manager has been selected.
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Post by craig1 on Dec 20, 2023 15:40:20 GMT
I think we really need to try and get a forward in on loan similar to Dale Taylor baby… Someone possibly from a higher league prem?, that has something to prove. I can think of at least two that could go out on loan maybe….
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Post by strettonbrewer on Jan 7, 2024 9:53:13 GMT
Walker and Girdon seemingly on their way out.
Neither have done anything near enough for me to warrant a place on the bench let alone playing.
Hopefully free some funds up for a more effective player or two that HOPEFULLY can provide service to stockton and not replace
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Post by mikeyboy on Jan 7, 2024 12:38:57 GMT
Walker and Girdon seemingly on their way out. Neither have done anything near enough for me to warrant a place on the bench let alone playing. Hopefully free some funds up for a more effective player or two that HOPEFULLY can provide service to stockton and not replace Walker back to a National League club maybe with someone coming in the other direction and Gordon to League 2 in a similar sort of deal?
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Post by colstoncrawford on Jan 7, 2024 14:18:40 GMT
I wonder if perhaps Kamwa and Lubala have moved people's views a little since the early posts on this thread?
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Post by strettonbrewer on Jan 7, 2024 15:29:22 GMT
I wonder if perhaps Kamwa and Lubala have moved people's views a little since the early posts on this thread? Always been a dan of Lubala. Would sign him on an 18 month deal. Kamwa still looks to find a role in the team. Is it a starter on the left? Central? Impact sub? Love his energy and FGR away last year I sung his name all the way home but feel he has more to offer than Carayol
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Post by Fred Andrews on Jan 7, 2024 15:55:20 GMT
Whilst I don't necessarily think Lubala and Kamwa are the long term answer going forward, they've certainly done a lot more than others who will be on bigger pay-packets.
Kamwa has always been a good bench option, although has never seemed quite good enough to be a starter.
Lubala is our top scorer now on 6 in 23 (Stockton, Gordon, Bennett, Walker have 5 between them), and dependant on January activity, could be worth an extension until the summer.
At this point I'm more intrigued to see who leaves than who comes in.
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Post by uttoxbrewer on Jan 7, 2024 17:01:34 GMT
I wonder if perhaps Kamwa and Lubala have moved people's views a little since the early posts on this thread? Both got to be worth keeping at least for the rest of this season if Stockton, Gordon and Walker move on in this January transfer window
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footyman
Youth Team
Lloyd’s Foundry Ground to Pirelli Stadium supporter.
Posts: 102
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Post by footyman on Jan 8, 2024 8:18:40 GMT
Whilst I don't necessarily think Lubala and Kamwa are the long term answer going forward, they've certainly done a lot more than others who will be on bigger pay-packets. Kamwa has always been a good bench option, although has never seemed quite good enough to be a starter. Lubala is our top scorer now on 6 in 23 (Stockton, Gordon, Bennett, Walker have 5 between them), and dependant on January activity, could be worth an extension until the summer. At this point I'm more intrigued to see who leaves than who comes in. One of our ‘better’ players (not many to choose from) will have to be sold in order to finance the annual influx of players who have failed to impress at their current clubs . This has been our way of working in recent seasons although very few of these January punts seem to be successful longer term. Bearing in mind in our relatively small squad we are carrying too many ‘part-time’ players who are not up to the demands of league one football.
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Post by Ilson Brewer on Jan 8, 2024 8:32:20 GMT
I don’t feel that we have any “poor” players and we have a few who are clearly very good. I think our problem is that we have many players who appear to be playing positionally out of their comfort zone and who don’t appear to have the versatility or ability to play as “generic forward midfielders with strong defensive skills”. We are generally asking 5 players in every team to be just that, when most of them actually want to be strikers.
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Post by bornandbrewed on Jan 10, 2024 13:44:46 GMT
Joe Hugill incoming on loan from Man Utd apparently. 20 year old centre-forward. 7 goals in 9 for their U21s this season.
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Post by everard on Jan 10, 2024 14:14:56 GMT
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