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Post by redshank on Apr 5, 2024 10:50:05 GMT
Surely there must be some tough inspirational mid fielders about coming down from the Championship when their contracts are up, and would find Orient as a good move.I would also give Pratley another year,As a sub in difficult games he could do a decent job still.
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Post by Ramrod on Apr 5, 2024 11:10:37 GMT
We defend from the front, so can’t necessarily lay the blame on the goalie, but yes I’d like to see our own settled keeper. We need another left sided CB, because Happe is unlikely to complete a full season and Simpson may be good enough to provide competition to Beccles and Cooper, but quality wise we look a bit thin at the back. Midfield is looking good if we can retain Idris, and if we can get more out of Saunders, and Pratley can contribute to another season. Galbraith and Brown look to be our future stars. Our wingers are often our first line of defence and we need another with Theo out, so there’s not too heavy a load on Graham and O’Neill. Agyei is good and we could get by with Ruel and Pigott as back up, but we’d need to be lucky. The way we play we only need 1striker, so I’d prefer to spend our money first on a wide player. If we do get a striker in, prepare yourselves for Charlie Kelman.But Would we have fared better if, like RW apparently wanted, we'd signed Kelman in January rather than Edwards and Adu? Quite possibly he could have got a couple of goals that might have made a difference and somehow dragged us into the playoffs, so fair enough. But if Agyei gets injured in the first game the thought of him and Ruel slogging up and down the pitch all next season doesn't excite. I don't see Pigott staying.
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Post by redintheface on Apr 5, 2024 12:16:23 GMT
We defend from the front, so can’t necessarily lay the blame on the goalie, but yes I’d like to see our own settled keeper. We need another left sided CB, because Happe is unlikely to complete a full season and Simpson may be good enough to provide competition to Beccles and Cooper, but quality wise we look a bit thin at the back. Midfield is looking good if we can retain Idris, and if we can get more out of Saunders, and Pratley can contribute to another season. Galbraith and Brown look to be our future stars. Our wingers are often our first line of defence and we need another with Theo out, so there’s not too heavy a load on Graham and O’Neill. Agyei is good and we could get by with Ruel and Pigott as back up, but we’d need to be lucky. The way we play we only need 1striker, so I’d prefer to spend our money first on a wide player. If we do get a striker in, prepare yourselves for Charlie Kelman.But Would we have fared better if, like RW apparently wanted, we'd signed Kelman in January rather than Edwards and Adu? Quite possibly he could have got a couple of goals that might have made a difference and somehow dragged us into the playoffs, so fair enough. But if Agyei gets injured in the first game the thought of him and Ruel slogging up and down the pitch all next season doesn't excite. I don't see Pigott staying.
In his recent interview on “ Orient Hour”, Wellens was asked directly about the “ experienced striker” that the club tried for but didn’t get in January and he made it plain that it wasn’t Kelman but didn’t ( for obvious reasons) specify who. We’ll never know if we would have fared better had the signing taken place ( or indeed if Drinan had stayed and been given a run of games). Tbh I don’t blame the two boys that were brought in but they clearly aren’t yet up to playing in League One but I do think an opportunity was squandered to some extent. Like you, I would also not be surprised if Pigott and the club part ways in the close season which would make an additional striker essential imho. |
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Post by redshank on Apr 5, 2024 13:03:11 GMT
Not Pigotts fault I suppose some players find it difficult at one team end excel at another.
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Post by Ramrod on Apr 5, 2024 14:15:41 GMT
McKirdy has done little since rejoining Swindon, so probably unlikely we'll be back in for him.
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Post by Fisch on Apr 5, 2024 15:14:27 GMT
McKirdy has done little since rejoining Swindon, so probably unlikely we'll be back in for him. I suspect the bottle has gone, can't really blame him. |
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Post by dubioushubris on Apr 5, 2024 15:48:39 GMT
McKirdy has done little since rejoining Swindon, so probably unlikely we'll be back in for him. I suspect the bottle has gone, can't really blame him. Dunno about that. IIRC he'd signed with Swindon to be eased back into the game. Not sure anyone expected him to be more than a bit player. Too soon to speculate as to where he might be mentally and physically next season. |
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Post by redintheface on Apr 5, 2024 16:20:13 GMT
Not Pigotts fault I suppose some players find it difficult at one team end excel at another. Agreed. Personally I still think Pigott is a decent player but for whatever reason it has not worked out for him here in the set up RW employs. |
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Post by dubioushubris on Apr 5, 2024 16:29:44 GMT
Not Pigotts fault I suppose some players find it difficult at one team end excel at another. Agreed. Personally I still think Pigott is a decent player but for whatever reason it has not worked out for him here in the set up RW employs. I don't really know where you play him in any system tbh. He obviously has some skills but I'm not sure he has a skill set, if that makes sense. Seems to be not quite a target man and not quite a ten. Could see him playing sort of a Thomas Müller role, but then you need to build the team around him and that's almost certainly a stupid idea. |
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Post by redintheface on Apr 5, 2024 16:38:28 GMT
Agreed. Personally I still think Pigott is a decent player but for whatever reason it has not worked out for him here in the set up RW employs. I don't really know where you play him in any system tbh. He obviously has some skills but I'm not sure he has a skill set, if that makes sense. Seems to be not quite a target man and not quite a ten. Could see him playing sort of a Thomas Müller role, but then you need to build the team around him and that's almost certainly a stupid idea. He seems to have fared reasonably well at his previous club’s and presumably RW & the DoF thought enough of him to offer him a two year deal in August - or do you subscribe to the “ panic buy “ theory? |
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Post by dubioushubris on Apr 6, 2024 11:32:07 GMT
I don't really know where you play him in any system tbh. He obviously has some skills but I'm not sure he has a skill set, if that makes sense. Seems to be not quite a target man and not quite a ten. Could see him playing sort of a Thomas Müller role, but then you need to build the team around him and that's almost certainly a stupid idea. He seems to have fared reasonably well at his previous club’s and presumably RW & the DoF thought enough of him to offer him a two year deal in August - or do you subscribe to the “ panic buy “ theory? Not at all. I just think we can't afford a striker who has proven himself consistently at this level. Our budget doesn't stretch to someone who can guarantee 15-20 goals a season so we have to take a gamble on someone who's at least managed it once or twice before and hope they can rediscover their best form. Pigs is exactly that. He's 30 with two good seasons under his belt. It was probably his last chance to prove he can still do it in L1 and it hasn't worked out, sadly. Maybe we're a more attractive prospect now, but I'd imagine any striker we might sign this summer would be more or less in the same category. |
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Post by mayland0s on Apr 6, 2024 12:04:40 GMT
He seems to have fared reasonably well at his previous club’s and presumably RW & the DoF thought enough of him to offer him a two year deal in August - or do you subscribe to the “ panic buy “ theory? Not at all. I just think we can't afford a striker who has proven himself consistently at this level. Our budget doesn't stretch to someone who can guarantee 15-20 goals a season so we have to take a gamble on someone who's at least managed it once or twice before and hope they can rediscover their best form. Pigs is exactly that. He's 30 with two good seasons under his belt. It was probably his last chance to prove he can still do it in L1 and it hasn't worked out, sadly. Maybe we're a more attractive prospect now, but I'd imagine any striker we might sign this summer would be more or less in the same category. I agree with all of that and I do believe that if the rest of the team step up and score more we would be further up the table . Let’s face it our defenders seem to be incapable of scoring from set piece play . Or MF do not get enough . People rave over Jordan Graham but how many did he score ? What about El Mia’s record ,the others have chipped in a few but nowhere near what they should be scoring . |
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Post by Thor on Apr 6, 2024 13:36:12 GMT
He seems to have fared reasonably well at his previous club’s and presumably RW & the DoF thought enough of him to offer him a two year deal in August - or do you subscribe to the “ panic buy “ theory? Not at all. I just think we can't afford a striker who has proven himself consistently at this level. Our budget doesn't stretch to someone who can guarantee 15-20 goals a season so we have to take a gamble on someone who's at least managed it once or twice before and hope they can rediscover their best form. Pigs is exactly that. He's 30 with two good seasons under his belt. It was probably his last chance to prove he can still do it in L1 and it hasn't worked out, sadly. Maybe we're a more attractive prospect now, but I'd imagine any striker we might sign this summer would be more or less in the same category. please.god not Kelman or it will be the same as it is now. He's not good enough. However, we should look downwards on a younger player with a point to prove. That's where the value is, who that is I don't know, but value, hunger and desire is below us. |
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Post by peterthepunter on Apr 6, 2024 13:51:34 GMT
Very good thread.
I think I'm with the majority here in that I wouldn't go all in for a new striker. In fact, if we keep the current squad AND we have reasonable luck with injuries, it is good enough for a top six finish next season.
I think you just need to go for quality rather than any one particular position. We are not particularly weak in any area. I'd certainly keep Brynn despite last week's howler, and of course Miz is a must, if possible. The other loanees can return and we should aim to strengthen the squad generally when replacing them.
Basically, we're not doing a lot wrong. i'm certainly looking foreard to 2024/25.
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Post by redshank on Apr 7, 2024 11:09:21 GMT
I think Graham is a provider rather than a scorer with a possible 8 goals per season type.
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Post by dubioushubris on Apr 7, 2024 11:15:57 GMT
I think Graham is a provider rather than a scorer with a possible 8 goals per season type. I like him but that time he crossed it when he was right in front of the goal still winds me up thinking about it. |
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Post by redshank on Apr 7, 2024 12:16:52 GMT
I think Graham is a provider rather than a scorer with a possible 8 goals per season type. I like him but that time he crossed it when he was right in front of the goal still winds me up thinking about it. Decent point but you cannot judge on one move,understand the anger though.I hold back on Sol because he is a young goalkeeper.If you asked would I like him for next season my answer would be in the negative. |
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Post by dubioushubris on Apr 7, 2024 14:39:31 GMT
I like him but that time he crossed it when he was right in front of the goal still winds me up thinking about it. Decent point but you cannot judge on one move,understand the anger though. Not angry, just gives me pause. I rate him but that seemed to be indicative of a potential flaw in his game that has seemed to grow more pertinent somehow without him. As others have said, we're not getting enough goals from midfield. Are we expecting too much from his return if he's sending in lovely crosses to players who can't head a ball while also not scoring? I know what you mean. I don't like to slag kids either. I think I've clarified my feelings about Sol elsewhere: Alright for a L1 team that just got promoted, not great for a L1 team trying to get promoted. I thought some people were getting a bit carried away with the praise early on but don't hear so much of it now. Maybe others are starting to feel the same now that expectations have been raised? I'd be disappointed if we signed him next season, but if there's really noone better available, it's far from the worst case scenario. He'll get better but I currently see nothing to suggest he'll ever make Middlesbrough's first team. There are too many aspects he needs to improve. |
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Post by SW O on Apr 7, 2024 14:54:13 GMT
Brynn isn't Vigs, but only 5 teams have conceded fewer goals than us.
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Post by mrb on Apr 7, 2024 14:59:43 GMT
I think Graham is a provider rather than a scorer with a possible 8 goals per season type. I like him but that time he crossed it when he was right in front of the goal still winds me up thinking about it. Yeah I remember that |
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