Droppable?

[Snowball]

Feds

In two minds, but I wish he'd command the area.



Harte.

Defensively a really poor start to the year. He looks like
he doesn't care all that much. eg second Barnsley goal

Needs a rocket up his jacksie, a therapeutic dropping.


Khumalo

I'm not convinced yet, altho' it's early days. It really hurts to say it, but we miss Mills
(back after I've washed my mouth out)

I think Morrison should be given a run for at least 4 matches.

Pearce.

Dunno.

I think the MAIN issue is Khumalo who has the physical attributes but
seems to be pulled around and often leaving gaps. But it's looking
like none of the defenders (inc Pearce) has a lot of confidence.


Griffin

I like the bloke but he looks heavy, unfit, slower, possible cruising
in Harte mode, and now injured.

L-Wood

A star last season but ATM nothing like near his best. Has he eased off now
he has a contract or has he got a niggle, or is it all a confidence thing?

Not really droppable, but another quality DM might make him wake up a bit.


McAnuff

I like the guy but I think he's over-rated a bit. He averages a goal every 20-24 shots
and that is stupidly wasteful. No assists this year to date. Is he just going through a
patch or in decline? interesting that most fans of his former clubs think he can go off
the boil for long periods and lose his place in the team. He's captain, which makes
things difficult. Would like to see him at full-back and Obita or HRK given a run.

[readingbedding]

Droppable for whom.
I'm concerned that there isn't as much competition for places as a promotion chasing set up should have.

[Snowball]

Droppable for whom.
I'm concerned that there isn't as much competition for places as a promotion chasing set up should have.

ATM I'm thinking more "Top 8 would be nice"

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

Droppable for whom.
I'm concerned that there isn't as much competition for places as a promotion chasing set up should have.

Agreed...... team picks itself....very little strength in depth...guess when the injuries start taking their toll...the perennial Kebe, Hunt,Church...we'll see BM, Bugs and NG...re-registering as players ...handy for chairman as he already pays them, so no financial impact!

[readingbedding]

It's no secret that we're looking at new players to come in.
Again a key player left us late in the day.
Team needs a boost of new blood to get the established players feeling some competition.
Things may turn slightly stale otherwise.

[Ian Royal]

Worrying lack of depth in certain places. Good depth elsewhere.

Goalkeeper: McCarthy & Andersen - very very few clubs at our level could match that.
Righ Back: Cummings & Gunnarsson - pretty good really
Left Back: Williams & Tabb - this is one of our big weaknesses
Centreback: Morrison & Gunnarsson - this is the other main big weakness
Right Wing: Obita & Antonio - not too bad
Left Wing: Robson-Kanu - good quality, but a bit limited as HRK is also looking like playing a bigger role upfront.
Central Midfield: Howard, Tabb & Gunnarsson - this is pretty strong.
Striker: Church & one of Manset / Robson-Kanu - ok ish, if Church sorts himself out its fine, but strengtherning here or left wing if HRK can step up would be useful.

[FiNeRaIn]

How do we have a worrying lack of depth when everyone says we have a big squad and thats why our wage bill is supposedly amongst the highest in the division....lol

[Friday's Legacy]

re: mcanuff - never in a million years is he captain material. that there is one of our key problems. you make him captain to keep him here and now he's almost undroppable.

[Royal Lady]

Ian - you've rightly said that Gunnarsson can play in 3 different places, but what if he is playing in one of them - our options in the other 2 are severely dented. You say Obita and Antonio for right wing "aren't too bad" - on what evidence are you basing this on? Antonio is very raw - he may do ok in lower league for Colchester - but there's concern that he's not really ready for us.

[Ian Royal]

Ian - you've rightly said that Gunnarsson can play in 3 different places, but what if he is playing in one of them - our options in the other 2 are severely dented. You say Obita and Antonio for right wing "aren't too bad" - on what evidence are you basing this on? Antonio is very raw - he may do ok in lower league for Colchester - but there's concern that he's not really ready for us.

Gunnarsson: He's essentially emergency cover for three positions. If Three of Legs, Karacan, Howard and Tabb are unavailable at the same time as both Griffin & Cummings, or Two of Khumalo, Morrison & Pearce then any team would be in dire straits with that many people out.
To put it another way, it needs at least 5 injuries before it's an issue.

It would be a worry if he was primary back up for any of those positions. But he isn't so it's not an issue.

Antonio: I don't think he's particularly good, but he's unpredictable, quick and strong, alright as an impact sub and maybe for short starting runs.
Obita: Is extremely highly rated and in the England set up iirc. He was getting rave reviews in pre-season, so I think that speaks for itself.

Kebe usually has a few games out in a season, but he doesn't have a bad injury record, neither does McAnuff, so wingers aren't something we desperately need.

[Ian Royal]

How do we have a worrying lack of depth when everyone says we have a big squad and thats why our wage bill is supposedly amongst the highest in the division....lol

Because we don't have a worrying lack of depth. We're a little weak in a couple of places. Every season people say our squad is weak and then the back up players step up and largely perform very well.

[RoyalBlue]

It's no secret that we're looking at new players to come in.
Again a key player left us late in the day.

Like no one saw that coming!

This is a perfect example of how the unreasonable financial constraints prevent proactive moves. Long was always going to go, it was only a question of when. If they intended to get another striker in (amazingly it appears they might not want to), then that striker could and should have been signed before Long left. In the extremely unlikely event that Long then stayed, that new striker could, if necessary and assuming he was any good, have been loaned out.

[Cypry]

Right Wing: Obita & Antonio - not too bad
Left Wing: Robson-Kanu - good quality, but a bit limited as HRK is also looking like playing a bigger role upfront.

When Obita played at Bristol Rovers in pre-season he was on the left wing....
Suspect first choice right wing cover in case Kebe gets injured is actually Jobi (moving back to his more natural side) and HRK or Obita then dropping in for him on the left....

[Cypry]

It's no secret that we're looking at new players to come in.
Again a key player left us late in the day.

Like no one saw that coming!

This is a perfect example of how the unreasonable financial constraints prevent proactive moves. Long was always going to go, it was only a question of when. If they intended to get another striker in (amazingly it appears they might not want to), then that striker could and should have been signed before Long left. In the extremely unlikely event that Long then stayed, that new striker could, if necessary and assuming he was any good, have been loaned out.

Thing is, the argument could be that if Hunt, Church, Manset, HRK, Bignall and Williams don't give us an adequate strike force between them, then we really should be offloading one or two of them in addition to Long.....

[AthleticoSpizz]

Feds

In two minds, but I wish he'd command the area.



Harte.

Defensively a really poor start to the year. He looks like
he doesn't care all that much. eg second Barnsley goalNeeds a rocket up his jacksie, a therapeutic dropping.


Khumalo

I'm not convinced yet, altho' it's early days. It really hurts to say it, but we miss Mills
(back after I've washed my mouth out)

I think Morrison should be given a run for at least 4 matches.

Pearce.

Dunno.

I think the MAIN issue is Khumalo who has the physical attributes but
seems to be pulled around and often leaving gaps. But it's looking
like none of the defenders (inc Pearce) has a lot of confidence.


Griffin

I like the bloke but he looks heavy, unfit, slower, possible cruising
in Harte mode, and now injured.

L-Wood

A star last season but ATM nothing like near his best. Has he eased off now
he has a contract or has he got a niggle, or is it all a confidence thing?

Not really droppable, but another quality DM might make him wake up a bit.


McAnuff

I like the guy but I think he's over-rated a bit. He averages a goal every 20-24 shots
and that is stupidly wasteful. No assists this year to date. Is he just going through a
patch or in decline? interesting that most fans of his former clubs think he can go off
the boil for long periods and lose his place in the team. He's captain, which makes
things difficult. Would like to see him at full-back and Obita or HRK given a run.

so far on here thats:

Gunnarsson's, Pearce's and Hartes fault for their second goal

[Ian Royal]

Right Wing: Obita & Antonio - not too bad
Left Wing: Robson-Kanu - good quality, but a bit limited as HRK is also looking like playing a bigger role upfront.

When Obita played at Bristol Rovers in pre-season he was on the left wing....
Suspect first choice right wing cover in case Kebe gets injured is actually Jobi (moving back to his more natural side) and HRK or Obita then dropping in for him on the left....

Aha, thanks. Either way, we've got 5 wingers on the books, three we know are good, one who's very promising and one who's just about ok. We've played HRK on the right wing before too.

[Simon's Church]

At Swindon Obita played about 10mins on the left the switched to the right for the final 10 mins. Looked comfortable on both sides.

[bennno]

This is a perfect example of how the unreasonable financial constraints prevent proactive moves. Long was always going to go, it was only a question of when. If they intended to get another striker in (amazingly it appears they might not want to), then that striker could and should have been signed before Long left. In the extremely unlikely event that Long then stayed, that new striker could, if necessary and assuming he was any good, have been loaned out.

Did the aquisition of Manset and Morrison perhaps take place long ago in January on the basis that Long and Ingy would be off at the end of season?

[SouthDownsRoyal]

drop some players cos we need win games and we lose 2 in a row, miss two pen not good enough

danger is coming our way soon maybe

[roadrunner]

McDermott, as much as I like him, reminds me of Coppell in how much he stands by certain players. Federici and Griffin will need to do a lot wrong to lose their places.

I hope McCarthy and Cummings (almost fit) get a run in the side soon.