Next season's squad

Very premature I know, as we don't know which division we will be in, or who the manager will be, but I thought it would be interesting to see what we'll be working with as it stands:

GK
Alnwick
Horvarth
Turner

tbh that seems fine - there may be better keepers out there (freddie woodman is available on a free) but not really a necessity.

Defenders
Chambers
Daland
Fish
Ng
Bagan
Odowda
Lawler
Giles
Kpakio

Unsurprisingly - this is an area of concern.

If we go with 2 centre backs we've got Chambers, Daland, Fish and Lawler (my personal opinion is Ng or Bagan are better suited to a back 3)- which in theory shouldn't be terrible, but neither Chambers or Daland have lived upto their billing there for us *yet*. As it stands we'd probably want to bring in a leader at the back (or hope we see some dramatic improvement in that area very quickly)

Then left back we would have O'Dowda, Bagan, and Giles - which seems ok

Right back - Ng and Kpakio - probably a bit light unless Kpakio really steps up, but there's every chance him and giles will get sent out on loan I suppose.

If we went with 3 at the back that brings in Ng and Bagan into the picture for the back 3, but means we need even more need for a couple of wingbacks.

Central Midfield
Turnbull
Robertson
Chambers
Wintle
R. Colwill
J Colwill
King

and you'd expect a contract extension to at least one of Ramsey or Ralls (or both).

Joel Colwill and Eli King aren't currently looking like they'll be demanding a first team place. Rubin might have a future in central midfield, but still pretty untested there. But again it looks a bit light.


Central attacking midfield
R Colwill
Robertson
Robinson

Ramsey if he signs

Wingers
O'Dowda
Ashford
Willock
Tanner
Davies

that doesn't seem terrible, compared to other positions, especially as we're (presumably) losing el ghazi, meite and alves in the summer.

Centre Forwards
Salech
Robinson
Davies
Simic
Reindorf
Etete

A couple of those will probably go back out on loan, but again not a disaster compared to other areas.


Knowing us we'll probably sign a goalkeeper 2 wingers and a striker in the summer :hehe:

I'm almost certainly forgetting a few here and there.

Why do we always seem to have loads of central midfielders but none that work well together?
In general we're going to have quite a young team, and there don't seem to be many leaders amongst them (as much it's possible to tell that from watching from afar) so that would be the prioroty for me - in defence and midfield.

Chambers isn't a center back physically at this point of his career, so we definitely need another option there as a priority. Need a quality Championship level center midfielder and winger. Probably a few more depth options but those would be the first 3 I'd look at, assuming there aren't any sales out of the group you have listed.

Tsunoda?

I think we can use this as the core of the squad
Alnwick, Horvath
Fish
Ng
Bagan, O'Dowda
Robertson, Chambers, R Colwill, Turnbull
Tanner, Ashford
Salech, Robinson, Davies

The rest, I'm not fussed. I'm not including any kids as I don't think we can make a call yet. We probably need 2 centre halves at least, a centre mid who can play and break up play (I'd keep Mannsverk), 2 wingers and go from there. I would not be upset to see anyone I've not mentioned leave, and I'm not fussed on Turnbull to be honest.

Why doesn't Will Fish get more of a look in? Defending is our Achillies heel this season but Fish has looked good in the games I have seen him play. Also shouldn't we also get a decent defence coach?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rjk

Very premature I know, as we don't know which division we will be in, or who the manager will be, but I thought it would be interesting to see what we'll be working with as it stands:

GK
Alnwick
Horvarth
Turner

tbh that seems fine - there may be better keepers out there (freddie woodman is available on a free) but not really a necessity.

Defenders
Chambers
Daland
Fish
Ng
Bagan
Odowda
Lawler
Giles
Kpakio

Unsurprisingly - this is an area of concern.

If we go with 2 centre backs we've got Chambers, Daland, Fish and Lawler (my personal opinion is Ng or Bagan are better suited to a back 3)- which in theory shouldn't be terrible, but neither Chambers or Daland have lived upto their billing there for us *yet*. As it stands we'd probably want to bring in a leader at the back (or hope we see some dramatic improvement in that area very quickly)

Then left back we would have O'Dowda, Bagan, and Giles - which seems ok

Right back - Ng and Kpakio - probably a bit light unless Kpakio really steps up, but there's every chance him and giles will get sent out on loan I suppose.

If we went with 3 at the back that brings in Ng and Bagan into the picture for the back 3, but means we need even more need for a couple of wingbacks.

Central Midfield
Turnbull
Robertson
Chambers
Wintle
R. Colwill
J Colwill
King

and you'd expect a contract extension to at least one of Ramsey or Ralls (or both).

Joel Colwill and Eli King aren't currently looking like they'll be demanding a first team place. Rubin might have a future in central midfield, but still pretty untested there. But again it looks a bit light.


Central attacking midfield
R Colwill
Robertson
Robinson

Ramsey if he signs

Wingers
O'Dowda
Ashford
Willock
Tanner
Davies

that doesn't seem terrible, compared to other positions, especially as we're (presumably) losing el ghazi, meite and alves in the summer.

Centre Forwards
Salech
Robinson
Davies
Simic
Reindorf
Etete

A couple of those will probably go back out on loan, but again not a disaster compared to other areas.


Knowing us we'll probably sign a goalkeeper 2 wingers and a striker in the summer :hehe:

I'm almost certainly forgetting a few here and there.

Why do we always seem to have loads of central midfielders but none that work well together?
In general we're going to have quite a young team, and there don't seem to be many leaders amongst them (as much it's possible to tell that from watching from afar) so that would be the prioroty for me - in defence and midfield.

---

I am shocked you haven't mentioned Rhinohmota , at least you weren't negative about him...thats a first... :thumbup:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy the Jock

I am shocked you haven't mentioned Rhinohmota , at least you weren't negative about him...thats a first... :thumbup:

---

Isn't he out of contract this summer?

As well as being my Player Of The Season shout. Even if I'm in a minority of one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jimmy the Jock

I am shocked you haven't mentioned Rhinohmota , at least you weren't negative about him...thats a first... :thumbup:

---

I left out any players who aren't renewed for next year - Ralls there's an extension clause that might get triggered apparently, and not sure what's going on with Ramsey

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rjk

I left out any players who aren't renewed for next year - Ralls there's an extension clause that might get triggered apparently, and not sure what's going on with Ramsey

---

It's appearance based, I'd be shocked if that doesn't get triggered

I’d we want to progress as in top 6 we need a lot of players. To stay up, hopefully just a few more,

Top 6:
Keeper
Right back
CB
CM x 2
Wingers x 2
Striker x 1

Plenty to try and move on, Willock, Turnbull mainly off the wage bill.

Before we sort out any squad we need to sort out the manager, if it’s Riza, I can’t see wholesale changes, just a case of replacing the players leaving & the loans. A different manager may have a totally different ideas.

We've got to stay up first. We are in relegation trouble for a reason. The squad is poor and we need a clear out.

Some under contract players need moving on ideally as big mistakes in the transfer window.

I wouldn't renew anymore out of contract players.

We are miles away from being a play off side. On the pitch , the coaching set up , the board. All simply not good enough.

The young players though do give us hope - but we need 5 or 6 quality signings and a new managerial set up to progress and help them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 2b2bdoo

I’d we want to progress as in top 6 we need a lot of players. To stay up, hopefully just a few more,

Top 6:
Keeper
Right back
CB
CM x 2
Wingers x 2
Striker x 1

Plenty to try and move on, Willock, Turnbull mainly off the wage bill.

---

I agree Willock and Turnbull should be moved on they simply haven't worked.

That said there are plenty of talented players in this squad. However, the defense seems not to know how to defend. Whilst recent games are encouraging, I have wondered all season who is training them because they are not doing a great job.

One of the central midfielders could be a repurposed Rubin Colwill?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NinianKnight

I agree Willock and Turnbull should be moved on they simply haven't worked.

That said there are plenty of talented players in this squad. However, the defense seems not to know how to defend. Whilst recent games are encouraging, I have wondered all season who is training them because they are not doing a great job.

One of the central midfielders could be a repurposed Rubin Colwill?

---

A few months ago (?) Riza gave a fairly comprehensive explanation of all the roles in his coaching team during a (I think) pre-match press conference. I think it was Glen Williams from WOL asking the question - and in the context of the coaching team being smaller than in recent times even after Richard Shaw was brought in.

I have had a quick look and can't find it straight away (club video or WOL article), but from memory Riza himself takes the lead on the attack; Tom Ramasut on the defence; Gavin Ward with help from Darren Purse on set plays (?) and I can't remember what he said about Shaw.

Former defenders don't necessarily make the best defence coaches, but I did think at the time that it was odd both Shaw and Purse were doing more bits and pieces (all very important) whilst the defence was creaking. But there were definitely clearly defined roles for all the coaches.