Squad

Quoted from Tommy

Ha, yeah, I get that probably sounds daft. I just mean I don't think they're that bad as individual players, and if they worked together as a solid unit we might be able to become a bit more robust. That said, I still think PH will bring in a left back and probably a centre-back too.

Interesting people point out the inexperience of Preston down our left side that other teams may target. Our left sided centre back is Pollock, so as promising as Pollock might be, that's two young and inexperienced players on the same half of our defence.

Quoted from bigdavemariner

Not sure if it's already been mentioned, and I've not watched masses of us this year so can't comment on overall performances, but Rose for me shouldn't be in our midfield, and will be surprised if Hurst keeps playing him unless he can give him a kick up the bottom.

The first goal we conceded on Saturday, if you watch it back, as the ball rolled out to the edge of our box, Rose half stuck out a leg and bottled the challenge. If he'd have thrown himself in the way of the shot, it gets blocked and stays 0-0. It's just not forgivable, not good enough, and not acceptable.

You can forgive players sometimes for being abit rubbish, but I'll never forgive a player for not being committed, backing out of challenges and not giving 100%. What we'd give for a Bradley Wood blood and thunder full back, a Shaun Pearson or Diz throwing themselves in front of everything, a Justin Whittle sticking his 50p head in the way of the ball and someone's boot. Macca, Hendrie, Hewitt, Clifton, Wright, Pollock and maybe Morais are the only ones who come close, and for me who we should be building the spine of the the squad around.

There are too many players not up for the fight, or not experienced enough for the challenge. We somehow need to bring in 5 or 6 players quickly who have that fire in their bellies and will to run through brick walls for the team. Maybe he can bring hte best out of the likes of Jackson and Gibson as can't help but feel there's something about them both.

Quoted from Tommy

Ha, yeah, I get that probably sounds daft. I just mean I don't think they're that bad as individual players, and if they worked together as a solid unit we might be able to become a bit more robust. That said, I still think PH will bring in a left back and probably a centre-back too.

Interesting people point out the inexperience of Preston down our left side that other teams may target. Our left sided centre back is Pollock, so as promising as Pollock might be, that's two young and inexperienced players on the same half of our defence.

Quoted from BobbyCummingsTackle

I haven't seen it but you make a great point; in the Man U v Villa game a Man U defender threw himself in front of a goal bound shot in the last couple of minutes and probably saved 2 points for them. I don't recall who it was.

Quoted from Tommy

Whoever is signed I don't think there would be any room for thoughts of "oh we didn't need someone to play there." No-one has played so well that they have made their position their own.

I'd probably say the back four aren't bad but could use a bit of coaching in how to defend as a collective unit. And some competition, particularly at left back but also centre-back too.

In midfield, we either have quality with no mobility or mobility but no quality. Hewitt seems to get picked out by many for having good games but I don't think he's good enough personally. Great header the other day (awful miskick for their 1st goal though) and has had a good impact in some games where we've needed someone to battle in the middle, but I think he's very limited and we can do much better. Maybe keep him as an understudy to Hendrie?

Morais has looked to have real quality but has to be kept out wide on the right. He's a good old fashioned winger who hugs the touchline and wants to make half a yard of space and put a cross in every time he gets the ball. That obviously falls down when the forwards in the box are on their heels or not doing enough to make sure it's them getting first contact on the cross.

I think as someone else has said, M.Wright would benefit from playing 442 and having a partnership with a fullback, but sadly I just can't see him completing more than a couple of games before getting injured again, so can't plan for him being in the first XI.

With Hanson - I keep thining, at his age and stage of his career, it's probably his last chance playing league football. Yes he's been having injuries and in all honesty I don't know how serious they are, but I wonder if it just reaches a point where, at his age, he might just choose to play through the pain barrier for the sake of playing some games. I don't know if pain-killing injections are still a thing?

Quoted from Nutsy

As I saw in another thread, the first half today was a Holloway team, and the second half a Hurst team.

I would be very pleased if we came out of January looking like (similar to) this:
                  McKeown
Hendrie-Nsiala-Pollock-Preston
               Hewitt-Rose
     Morais - Williams - Scannell
                   Amond

Quoted from bigdavemariner

The first goal we conceded on Saturday, if you watch it back, as the ball rolled out to the edge of our box, Rose half stuck out a leg and bottled the challenge. If he'd have thrown himself in the way of the shot, it gets blocked and stays 0-0. It's just not forgivable, not good enough, and not acceptable..

Quoted from blundellpork

Glad I’m not the only one. I thought he could have got there too, and couldn’t decide whether his legs had gone and he couldn’t accelerate, or whether he just didn’t have the drive to get there. I suspect it was the former rather than the latter. Either way, I’m convinced that a more mobile player eg Clifton would have got there.