Grimsby Home 8th Feb

Are there any decent non contracted players who we can afford out there to recruit?

 

Answer's on a postcard Briggus? Hopefully with what I assume will be the case that we start to keep the ball and actually attack the opposition it might not be as much of an issue and highlighted as much if we start getting goals in the side.

 

Not really wrong, just think Pritchard is a much better player than Cooke and therefore deserves to be in that attacking role.

 

I'm sure there will be and if it is a position which McCall deems essential then surely monies should be made available.

Tom Adeyimi is available, could do alot worse than someone like that - not an out an out ball winner but good box to box player once he settled here.

 

With Bowyer's "style" of football we needed several ball winners as the other team had it most of the time.
Although I wasn't over keen on some of Bowyer's signings I think this squad is far more capable than it has been showing. If there is anything there McCall will find it and like you say it we are passing the ball and keeping possession ball winners aren't needs so much.

 

If we did however, Marc Wilson ex Bolton is still out of contract, i'm sure he used to like to put a tackle in. Jordan Mutch 6ft2 ex palace player out of contract, went to south korea but it didn't work out. Also Emmanuel Osadebe recently released from Macclesfield 6ft1 likes to put himself about. Tom Carroll has just been released by Swansea, we'd never get him but i'm shocked how far he's fallen.

 

Donaldson ------ Novak

Middleton ------ AOC ------ Connolly ------ DMH

Wood ------ BRE ------ POC ------ Henley

O'Donnelll
​

For me.

 

Not sold on Pritchard. Reserving judgement until the end of the season where hopefully he's playing in an attacking team. Seems a bit soft and a bit weak and doen't really influence the game that much. Thought he was going to be more positive and a bit more of a goal threat. Granted the team hasn't been great but I was expecting more. Maybe with more of the ball he might improve.

 

I would put AC as a defensive midfielder as well, he played well against Sunderland in that position and will give good cover for BRE and POC. I would change Devitt for Connolly in midfield .

 

Luke Mulholland out of contract, last at Real Salt Lake (like Henley). Pretty much played his full career in the states though but is from Lancaster originally and has said he'd like to go back to England and play.

 

Square pegs round holes again. Going by McCall's old way of playing I would've thought he will go with Cooke and Reeves. Should work better with movement up top and the wingers and full backs pushed on. Would've thought there should be more options available to a Centre Midfielder under the new regime. Will be interesting to see.

 

I really like him when he arrived, looked to get on the ball and attack, but think he may have been Bowyered! A little bet with you, I think Stuart will get a grip of him and we may well see a different player.

 

Yes for AOC but he has played there a lot. He's played there more than Danny Devine! But why Connolly? He has 35 appearances as an attacking central midfielder and scored 13 goals from that position.

 

In last spell he had law moving in and played just 1 wideman.

 

——————-O’Donnell—————-

Wood—-- BRE——AOC——-Henley

Middleton—Reeves—Cooke—Connelly

———————Devitt———————-

——————Donaldson——————-

4-4-1-1

 

But we were better in the 16/17 season when we played Marshall on the left, Gilliead on the right. Vince and Cullen central.

 

Think Connolly might struggle in a McCall team. A good outlet pace wise but not a very gifted footballer. Think he will be used as a game changer from the bench. If he was fit Ismail would absolutely flourish under him. The amount of ball he would receive and McCall would just let him play his natural game which would be effective in the systems he usually plays. Hopefully McCall can find a team and system that works quicker than GB did.

 

What even is Zelis injury? He doesn't even make 1 in 4 games and is fast becoming the forgotten member of the squad. I genuinely forget about him until he gets mentioned on here..

 

OD
Mellor - AOC - BRE - Wood
Connolly - Reeves - Cook - Middleton/Pritchard
Devitt
Donaldson

I think Reeves under McCall pre Jan 2018 was looking good - hopefully the sideways safety first passing was an instruction rather than his preferred. Cook whilst being an attacking midfielder has been our best defensive midfielder this season, I'm assuming more emphasis will be on ball retention and building play rather than missing out midfield so these are my two in there.

I don't know anything about Middleton, going on previous McCall didn't play with 2 out and out wingers so a Pritchard type who can took in may work.

Finally I just can't see us lining up with two target men under McCall, I was tempted to throw in McCarton but have gone with Devitt as dropping deep off the front - could very easily switch him with Pritchard/Middleton though.

 

It's a recurring calf injury.