Stephen Wearne

Quoted from RichMariner

Rose is a solid central striker but I think he still needs more support from the wide attackers like Eisa and Gnouha, and no one's really making a claim for that no. 10 position in the middle, just behind, a la McAtee.

We haven't played a formation that uses a number 10 all season though and without trying one of the wingers there then the only possible players in the squad that could do that are probably Ainley and Clifton at a push.

Gnaouha looked very comfortable and effective against MK Dons in that role. I'd also argue that Alex Hunt is someone who would be very good in that role.

The biggest issue in our team at present is that any attacking intent can only come from wide.  There's nothing going to happen centrally before it gets to Rose.  Our wingers are ineffective with the exception of Eisa's shooting and there's nothing coming centrally either.  Solution is we either put someone in a central position who can create something and/or run beyond Rose or start to seriously stretch sides from wide areas too, ideally both.

Not sure at all what's happened with Ainley, anyone know if he's injured?

Quoted from diehardmariner

Gnaouha looked very comfortable and effective against MK Dons in that role. I'd also argue that Alex Hunt is someone who would be very good in that role.

The biggest issue in our team at present is that any attacking intent can only come from wide.  There's nothing going to happen centrally before it gets to Rose.  Our wingers are ineffective with the exception of Eisa's shooting and there's nothing coming centrally either.  Solution is we either put someone in a central position who can create something and/or run beyond Rose or start to seriously stretch sides from wide areas too, ideally both.

Not sure at all what's happened with Ainley, anyone know if he's injured?

Good point on Hunt, agree that he could be decent there potentially. Have to admit I was stone cold sober at MK and didn't even realise Gnahoua had played in that role! Had a good game though you're right.

Ainley must be injured when you look at the fact that we've had Cam Gardner on the bench. Surely DA would go with a senior player over a youth player if both were fit? Ainley was also at the Crewe match on Boxing Day with a few other ex-Crewe players, which surely wouldn't have been signed off if he was fit and available. Jury definitely still well and truly out on his future at BP if you ask me.

Quoted from ginnywings

The stats say he hasn't scored loads of goals at this level, but that doesn't tell the whole story. There is a reason he plays almost every game for all the clubs he has played for.

Not scoring a shedload of goals for his previous clubs doesn't mean he isn't a good player.

I'd also point out that for us, he is scoring at a level never achieved before, so we must be doing something right. We've got better up front than previous seasons, but have gone backwards at the other end, which is annoying.

With regards to Orsi, there is the opinion that Hurst "got rid of him", when If I remember right, it was more a decision for him wanting more game time, which Hurst couldn't guarantee, and he was never going to be first choice ahead of Rose, which meant he wouldn't be getting started in the system we play with one main striker.

Rose is a player that normally does the donkey work for better goalscorers - he is a very very good striker for this level imo ; it should be his best goalscoring season to barring disaster to  , surely should be 15+ .

Quoted from Son of Cod

Good point on Hunt, agree that he could be decent there potentially. Have to admit I was stone cold sober at MK and didn't even realise Gnahoua had played in that role! Had a good game though you're right.

Ainley must be injured when you look at the fact that we've had Cam Gardner on the bench. Surely DA would go with a senior player over a youth player if both were fit? Ainley was also at the Crewe match on Boxing Day with a few other ex-Crewe players, which surely wouldn't have been signed off if he was fit and available. Jury definitely still well and truly out on his future at BP if you ask me.

Wasn't Ainley already injured when he arrived.

Just another in a long line of injured players Hurst seemed to want to sign.

He played v Wrexham and Crawley just after signing.


(2 games, not a Dagenham and Redbridge type thing)

Quoted from arryarryarry

Wasn't Ainley already injured when he arrived.

Just another in a long line of injured players Hurst seemed to want to sign.

no he wasnt. He was in the squad at Bradford the day he signed.

But lets have another dig at Hurst

Quoted from Hagrid

no he wasnt. He was in the squad at Bradford the day he signed.

But lets have another dig at Hurst

Hurst signed him after he'd been out for nearly 18 months (on and off) due to injuries, he was always a gamble and hasn't been as successful as Eisa who was also a risk, oh and Vernam....

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Hurst signed him after he'd been out for nearly 18 months (on and off) due to injuries, he was always a gamble and hasn't been as successful as Eisa who was also a risk, oh and Vernam....

Hurst signed him after Vernam got injured. Basically you take either an option that is risky that could pay off, or you take someone, young and inexperienced, which we'd tried before without much luck, or you take someone not wanted by their club... after the transfer window, which is unlikely.

I cannot fault Hurst for signing Ainley. It just probably hasn't worked out. He was on the bench for a few Artell matches, so maybe I'll be wrong on this, but so far, not great.

On the main topic, good luck to Stephen Wearne. I hope he has a good career. He's got another opportunity in the football league and I hope he grasps it with both hands. Maybe he needed to drop down to get games and find that ingredient he was missing. Players are human and sometimes it's the roadblocks in life that push players to get the best out of himself. Hurst was not psychic and didn't see the future so he only can make a decision with what he sees and the information he has.

Wearne needed time that Hurst could not give him to find his best position and develop.

Dropping to Gateshead has given him time against a slightly lower opposition level to blossom and become a player who has some goal scoring ability, likewise Manny this season, who could have given Rose closer support and fed off his hold up play.

I still think that a player of the ilk of Kabamba of Barnet is who we should be looking at, first as a goal scorer, 2nd as a physical.presence, and 3rdly to be able to rest Rose before he gets burn out, or gets injured.

I would like to know how Lewis Richardson, ex youth loanee is doing now, as he was the best of the bunch last year before injury, had no fears of tackling, and looked like he could be a developed no 10 link player with some good training in place.