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Post by Terrier Ramone on Mar 17, 2009 4:24:10 GMT 1
Couldn't sleep tonight & got to thinking about how good our squad actually is. We've had plenty of threads recently about Clark & I've just noticed now some about the squad. Here's my opinion about why I don't think there will be as many changes as some think:
Goalies:
Smithies has now signed a contract so if he stays great, if he goes any money can be used to strengthen other areas. Glennon & Eastwood will both do as cover for me.
Action points none
Full backs:
very weak here, our team lacks pace & height. Holdsworth has had a disappointing season - even Stan realised he is not really a RB & that is the main problem for me, Andy's best position is a wing-back, not a FB. Williams has done better since Werling came & he does have a track record of being promoted from this division with Blackpool. However, if Werling had been any improvementon Williams he would already be in the team. Skarz is young but if he was good enough surely he'd be in the team?
Action points Really need another RB, ideally a new LB too, but not before a RB or CB. Maybe an option to try Nathan Clarke as RB, he would add height to that position & I don't think he's nasty enough to be a quality CB. He wouldn't make too many overlapping runs but then again neither as AH this year.
Centre backs:
bit of an enigma here. Clarke is very poor when he is the leading CB, but looks better alongside Butler, so as just mentioned try him at RB, as his throws are a useful weapon too. Butler has been superb at home, but lots of mistakes away - he lacks pace & is slow with distribution, but would be fine for me with a faster CB alongside him. Lucketti & unsworth need to go, if contract allows, to save on wages.
Action points priority another big tall CB - admittedly very hard to find in Div 3, so alongside Butler, speed is more important.
Wingers:
Our strongest area - most teams would like 2 of Roberts, Pilks, Cads & Ainsworth. Roberts is getting critics now, but it should be remembered that under Stan, he was the only player who looked comfortable on the ball & he almost carried the team. Now we have Pilks to share the load & I'm sure we'll get 2 decent strikers, so Robbo needs to be aware that he doesn't have to do it all himself. Pilks, IMO, will be our best player til we can hold onto him no longer. Ainsworth has potential & I'm sure he'll be a good buy when he gets over his off-the-field problems... if he gets over them. Cads is worth a pay-as-you-play contract for me, but I could understand it if he doesn't get a new contract due to injuries.
Action points none
Central midfield:
Goodwin fine, Collins great going forward, often goes missing defensively. I like both Craney & Flynn - both have scored useful goals & flynn has hardly played in this, his correct position. However, I couldn't understand why Stan bought both. Because of them both being under contract next season, this is why Worthy will go - can't fault his commitment, but his passing is poor & his finishing woeful. Yeovil were on a good run when he joined but have been useless lately & he is just starting a 2 match ban, accumulating the same number of bookings as Goodwin, in less games. I'd like to try Pilks alongside Goodwin for the rest of this season, as I think he would do a lot of damage there.
Action points in an ideal world change things around, but I think we are limited about players being under contract, so Worthy misses out. No other changes.
Strikers:
our weakest point, cos even our current defence would look better without being constantly under pressure from defending one goal leads. Boothy has been magnificent, but the fact that he is still our best striker is just plain wrong & I think he should retire this season. Parker & Jevons have been a disgrace, but I don't know where we stand contractually with them, but I can't see anyone tking them off our hands. Lukas, no thanks, Broadbent & Novak both show promise but next year will probably be too early for either of them. I know lots of us are expecting lots from Novak but it's worth remembering that this season at Gateshead is the highest level of football he has scored goals - it's a big ask for him to step up 3 divisions, it would be great if he could, but let's assess him over summer.
Action points 2 strikers minimum are required. I would love Lambert or Stead, but I think both are unrealistic. Other alternatives for me are Akinfenwa, Kandol or Holt to hold the ball up & Graham or Cox to bag the majority of goals. I believe that if our stikers had scored just 10 more goals between them, we would have gained enough extra points to be in the playoffs this season - with a squad that many people on here are now saying is pants.
To sum up, I think we need 2 quality defenders and 2 quality strikers, who all become automatic first team choices, to get promoted next season - not the mass cull that some are predicting.
Up the Town
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Post by stavrosslegend on Mar 17, 2009 4:37:55 GMT 1
It seems clear to me that Clark is going to want to play with two wingers. Therefore it is not unreasonable to suggest that Clark plans for next season will be based on using a 4 4 2 or 4 5 1 formation.
I make it that 11 players in the current squad are going to be out of contract next season. Holdsworth, Worthington, Kamara, Unsworth, Cadermateri, Booth, Werling, Kamara, Tehoue, Codman and Broadbent. Jutiewich will be also be leaving.
If it were up to me I would only definatly offer Holdsworth a new deal. I think that he is a decent player and whatever is said about his recent form he is the only right back at the club with significant experiance in that position.
I like Worthington, but we have two many midfielders as it is and his contract is up. Clark does not seem to rate him that highly at all.
I can't see Kamara or Unsworth getting a game, ever, so they can leave. I cant see Tehoue arriving, ever. I never really saw the point of signing Werling (another left back), but it was a short term contract with little risk. So he may leave.
I would let Cadermateri go. He is without doubt a decent player, but I can't see it ever being anything but a case of play 3 weeks and miss 6. Impossible to build a team with him in it.
The same goes for Booth. A true Town legend and hopefully can sign off with a run in the team and a couple of goals.
I would send Jutiewich back now, if possible. There is no point him been here. I would then play Broadbent, who I believe returns from Gateshead after Tuesday, in every game till now and the end of the season. I would use this period to find out if he is good enough. He seems reasonably mobile from when I have seen him and could be a good complement to Booth. If he is not up to it he may leave. I suspect he may not be as both Rushden and Gateshead have been reluctant to start him, but Town don't have a lot to lose. If he does nothing then he can leave. It is possible that Clark has already decided that Broadbent is leaving. Are Gateshead looking at him with the view to signing him in the summer as a potentail replacement for Novak?
I dont know enough about Codman to comment either way.
Of the contracted players at the club. I believe that Parker, Jevons and Lucketti would be allowed to leave on a free if someone came in for them. However, I am not sure that anyone will. Maybe Parker if he shows enough on his loan move at Hartlepool. Lucketti said on Radio Leeds that he was intending to see his contract out. Jevons has done enough in his career that someone might take a chance on him. I personally think he is a good player, but Clark seems to have had a look at him and decided that he is not what he wants.
One of Craney or Flynn maybe allowed to leave for a small fee or free transfer. Again this is dependent on someone wanting them.
Smithies has been linked with a big money move. This does not mean that one is definatly going to happen. I would like him to stay for a while yet to give Eastwood time to develop and hopefully become ready for the first team, but if he leaves the transfer fee could be useful and Glennon could come back in to do a job or a new keeper could be signed.
Of the rest I can only teams possibly coming in for Collins and Roberts. It is possible that someone would want Goodwin, Clarke or Butler, but I doubt they would fetch significant transfer fees to make this worth it.
So potentailly there could be a lot of players leaving in the summer. Realistically around 10 will. Maybe more if Town are prepared to settle some peoples contracts. Most of the players leaving will be squad players.
I would like Town to sign a new right back to provide competition to/be better than Holdsworth, a centre half with pace, a winger if Cadermateri goes, and at least one forward in addition to Novak. He is a hot prospect with a brilliant goal scoring record at Non League level. Time will tell if he can step up to this level. Ideally any signings made should be significant upgrades on what we already have. Of course any new players bought depends on what funds are available and who is available. There are a lot of players leaving, but we have a huge squad at the moment. Maybe Town would have to sell to raise cash. I would rather Town just make 3 or 4 quality signings rather than make around 10 like Stan, spend half a season gelling and then find out that only around 3 of them are capable of getting picked every week. If Clark gets this right then Town could have a very good season next year. We are not the worst team in this division and a few key signings could just do the trick. It should be pointed out that I was saying this at this time last year as well.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2009 8:58:17 GMT 1
I bet when Terrier Ramone posted that at 3.24 this morning, he wasn't expecting such a comprehensive response within 15 minutes.
Maybe this could be a record for the winner of the 'greatest number of words/lowest number of posts' thread.
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Post by Captainslapper on Mar 17, 2009 10:19:53 GMT 1
Drop Nathan from centre back and play him at full back? LOL This is clearly an example of what sleep deprivation can do?  |
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Post by terrierspam on Mar 17, 2009 10:24:45 GMT 1
Drop Nathan from centre back and play him at full back? LOL This is clearly an example of what sleep deprivation can do? lets play him upfront and create a new booth! |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2009 10:25:15 GMT 1
Drop Nathan from centre back and play him at full back? LOL This is clearly an example of what sleep deprivation can do? Absolutely right, Clarke is never a full back, his strengths are his reading of the game and his aerial ability. His weaknesses are pace and distribution (although he's still better at both than Butler or Lucketti). His strengths are perfectly suited to playing centre back, and not at all suited to playing full back. Can you imagine Nathan Clarke tearing down the wing supporting the wingers and putting in crosses? |
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Post by Captainslapper on Mar 17, 2009 10:31:43 GMT 1
About as much as I can imagine Roberts in goal!
Nathans been out POTS in my opinion. Another CB is a good idea, but it'll be Butler who's position is under threat way before Clarke's is.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2009 13:31:25 GMT 1
Drop Nathan from centre back and play him at full back? LOL This is clearly an example of what sleep deprivation can do? lets play him upfront and create a new booth! The only problem with that is that Booth actually wins headers |
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Post by Terrier Ramone on Mar 17, 2009 16:16:55 GMT 1
I bet when Terrier Ramone posted that at 3.24 this morning, he wasn't expecting such a comprehensive response within 15 minutes. Maybe this could be a record for the winner of the 'greatest number of words/lowest number of posts' thread. Too right |
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Post by Terrier Ramone on Mar 17, 2009 16:24:29 GMT 1
Drop Nathan from centre back and play him at full back? LOL This is clearly an example of what sleep deprivation can do? Good one capt, I don't always agree with you but I enjoy your posts. I think it's worth a try - there's obviously a split between those who rate Clarke higher than Butler and vice versa. I'm in the second camp- to me Butler has history of being promoted from this division, while Clarke has got progressively worse through the years, although he plays better with a more commanding partner. However, our goals against has been way too many for several years and the only constant is Clarke - what have we got to lose by trying him at RB? We need to do something about the defence & Clarke at RB would save us money for other positions - IF he came through. |
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Post by Terrier Ramone on Mar 17, 2009 16:28:06 GMT 1
Drop Nathan from centre back and play him at full back? LOL This is clearly an example of what sleep deprivation can do? Absolutely right, Clarke is never a full back, his strengths are his reading of the game and his aerial ability. His weaknesses are pace and distribution (although he's still better at both than Butler or Lucketti). His strengths are perfectly suited to playing centre back, and not at all suited to playing full back. Can you imagine Nathan Clarke tearing down the wing supporting the wingers and putting in crosses? Our last right back to do this must have been Mally Brown, so we wouldn't be losing out in this respect with Clarke |
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Post by Doc Halladay 32 on Mar 17, 2009 16:34:36 GMT 1
Absolutely right, Clarke is never a full back, his strengths are his reading of the game and his aerial ability. His weaknesses are pace and distribution (although he's still better at both than Butler or Lucketti). His strengths are perfectly suited to playing centre back, and not at all suited to playing full back. Can you imagine Nathan Clarke tearing down the wing supporting the wingers and putting in crosses? Our last right back to do this must have been Mally Brown, so we wouldn't be losing out in this respect with Clarke Tut tut tut you are obviously forgetting super Simon Trevitt |
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Post by timrankhan on Mar 17, 2009 16:53:16 GMT 1
Ideally we need one or two tall, pacy full backs. We are a small team, and a good bigun is alaways prefarable to a good little 'un at this level.
Im not sure if another CB is a priority, Lucketti has looked good and with two quick fuill backs are lack of pace through the centre is less likely to be exposed.
Goodwin is guaranteed a start next season IMO, but we need someone alongside him who can provide a bit of creativity...like Collins does now and again.
Upfront is a no brainer, everyone has said it for a couple of seasons, Lambert would be nice but cant see it, Cox would be good if Swindon go down, Graham would be better than what we have, Stead wont happen. I guess it'll depend on who we can ship out and clear off the wage bill
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2009 18:24:12 GMT 1
Drop Nathan from centre back and play him at full back? LOL This is clearly an example of what sleep deprivation can do? Good one capt, I don't always agree with you but I enjoy your posts. I think it's worth a try - there's obviously a split between those who rate Clarke higher than Butler and vice versa. I'm in the second camp- to me Butler has history of being promoted from this division, while Clarke has got progressively worse through the years, although he plays better with a more commanding partner. However, our goals against has been way too many for several years and the only constant is Clarke - what have we got to lose by trying him at RB? We need to do something about the defence & Clarke at RB would save us money for other positions - IF he came through. Butler only made 4 starts when Scunny were promoted though and couldn't get in the team |
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Post by robk49 on Mar 17, 2009 18:45:37 GMT 1
I make it that 11 players in the current squad are going to be out of contract next season. Holdsworth, Worthington, Kamara, Unsworth, Cadermateri, Booth, Werling, Kamara, Tehoue, Codman and Broadbent. Jutiewich will be also be leaving. My take on the "out of contract men" - unfortunately it looks like we are stuck with some of the dross (e.g. Jevons, Parker) Holdsworth - bad season but I'd give him a 12 month chance Worthington - I like him. Clarke doesn't. He'll go. Kamara - looks better than Ainsworth to me but he'll go. Unsworth - no brainer - he'll go Cadermateri - WE MUST KEEP HIM - but on a contract linked to performances Boothy - sadly - the end has come Werling - keep him if he's cheap - Robbie drifts in and out of form Tehoue - hopefully he'll come eventually the clips look good Codman / Broadbent - may as well keep - cost very little yet Lucas - he has to go - presumably Everton will also bin him |
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Post by huddy on Mar 17, 2009 19:47:27 GMT 1
Striker noone has mentioned on here I think we have a chance with, still not properly proven but changed game against us at Stockport, looks powerful not afraid to have a go and has scored a fair few since breaking into their team.. Oli Johnson IMO would be the ideal replacement for Boothy.
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Post by BLUE&WHITE on Mar 17, 2009 20:32:30 GMT 1
Don't know much about ilu Johnson other than he's scored a few recently.
How come noones mentioned tom Clarke for rb?
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Post by terrier19 on Mar 17, 2009 21:36:29 GMT 1
I make it that 11 players in the current squad are going to be out of contract next season. Holdsworth, Worthington, Kamara, Unsworth, Cadermateri, Booth, Werling, Kamara, Tehoue, Codman and Broadbent. Jutiewich will be also be leaving. My take on the "out of contract men" - unfortunately it looks like we are stuck with some of the dross (e.g. Jevons, Parker) Holdsworth - bad season but I'd give him a 12 month chance Worthington - I like him. Clarke doesn't. He'll go. Kamara - looks better than Ainsworth to me but he'll go.Unsworth - no brainer - he'll go Cadermateri - WE MUST KEEP HIM - but on a contract linked to performances Boothy - sadly - the end has come Werling - keep him if he's cheap - Robbie drifts in and out of form Tehoue - hopefully he'll come eventually the clips look good Codman / Broadbent - may as well keep - cost very little yet Lucas - he has to go - presumably Everton will also bin him Funniest thing i've read for ages, only thing Kamara does is fall over and post about his diary entries on here |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2009 21:56:53 GMT 1
Don't know much about ilu Johnson other than he's scored a few recently. How come noones mentioned tom Clarke for rb? Just signed for Stockport from Nostell Minors Welfare, tall and pacey. Think he's a West Yorkshire lad as well and was playing non league under our noses almost... Still got tons to prove though. |
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Post by pozza on Mar 17, 2009 22:05:01 GMT 1
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Post by specialun on Mar 17, 2009 22:10:32 GMT 1
Holdsworth - New contract. Disappointing season after being terrrific last season (most assists in league 1, won every award going etc). We need a specialist right back but holdsworth gives qulaity options/versatility for centre mid, rwb, right back.
Unsworth - Good riddance
Werling - Anyone's guess - his arrival has coincided with improvement in williams, but he needs to be pushing for first team and isn't.
Codman - Think he'll be off
Kamara - Not the villan some like to make out, but will go
Worthy - Clark has inherited the midfield mess stan created. Take your pick from flynn/craney/worthy...just happens that he's out of contract and will be going
Cadders - Think he will get an offer, 1 year, highly appearance based. Might be cadders or Boothy.
Broadbent - Keep
I'd try offload lucketti, craney or flynn, parker or jevons. Unlikely to be all 5, so I'd prefer keeping craney and jevons. Maybe dependent on demand.
In: 2 strikers, right back, centre half. No need to add to midfield with signings in thus far and holdsowrth freed up to challenge for a role to play where he won player of the season.
Not a bad post for 3.37am!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2009 23:32:26 GMT 1
Holdsworth - New contract. Disappointing season after being terrrific last season (most assists in league 1, won every award going etc). We need a specialist right back but holdsworth gives qulaity options/versatility for centre mid, rwb, right back. Unsworth - Good riddance Werling - Anyone's guess - his arrival has coincided with improvement in williams, but he needs to be pushing for first team and isn't. Codman - Think he'll be off Kamara - Not the villan some like to make out, but will go Worthy - Clark has inherited the midfield mess stan created. Take your pick from flynn/craney/worthy...just happens that he's out of contract and will be going Cadders - Think he will get an offer, 1 year, highly appearance based. Might be cadders or Boothy. Broadbent - Keep I'd try offload lucketti, craney or flynn, parker or jevons. Unlikely to be all 5, so I'd prefer keeping craney and jevons. Maybe dependent on demand. In: 2 strikers, right back, centre half. No need to add to midfield with signings in thus far and holdsowrth freed up to challenge for a role to play where he won player of the season. Not a bad post for 3.37am! Agree with every single word of that. |
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Post by Floyds on Mar 18, 2009 12:38:39 GMT 1
We need more than one centre back if Lucketti and Unsworth go (which i hope they do)
That would leave us with Butler, Clarke and the new guy. Butler and Clarke partnership is not strong enough to be first choice in a promotion winning side - and if we get one or two injuries we would be struggling
Maybe AH does deserve a new contract - very dubious though. We certainly need a decen rightback anyway. Is Williams good enough as well? I dunno.
And we definitely need more in central midfield. If we presume that Worthy and Flynn go - i dont reckon two from four of:
Goodwin, Collins, Berrett and Craney - are they strong/consistent/good enough - especially away from home - to get promoted? Not on recent evidence i would suggest.
Obviously we need two or three strikers and hopefully Jevons, Parker and Booth will not be around next season...
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2009 13:28:55 GMT 1
Kamara - looks better than Ainsworth to me but he'll go. Post of the season. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2009 13:37:44 GMT 1
Kamara - looks better than Ainsworth to me but he'll go. Post of the season. He has clearly forgotten who Kamara is and is unsure which Town player Ainsworth is  |
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