January 2023 - Transfer Talk - Stick or Twist

Unlikely that Crichlow will be here next season,so we need Odusina to be able to step up when required.

 

According to Payne, not only did Crawley offer him more than Swindon did, they also offered more than Charlton.

 

Seen Staunton about 4 or 5 times for avenue this season, fair enough he is in a poor side, but I've struggled to see how he was out starting centre half for much of the early part of that season under McCall. Looks a complete shadow of what he was, old man goes every week and as often described him as bloody awful

 

I said at the time we risked his career by rushng him back from his initial hamstring injury that season because he was the best of a very bad bunch

 

Maybe, he’s leant not to jump on his soapbox and act like a true CEO.

 

Amazing how quick fans are to rate a player. I watched him start in the (pizza) cup games and move up to league games and he reminded .e of one of those unfortunate players who didn't really fit a position, same with Cousin-Dawson. Football really is a position specific sport, if general consensus is that an individual can play either left back or centre back then it's usually because he can't nail down either spot on a regular basis.

 

Completely agree Rog and it's why I shudder every time we sign someone described as a "utility player".

 

The only two I have rated as good player’s this season are both loan players;Wright and Cricklow. Which is poor tbh, loan players can push you up the league but you need your own players to perform at top level or at least a good percentage of them to make sufficient progress.
I am disappointed with our recruitment tbh. Yes I know they may well come good but it is not looking like that atm. Plus like others are saying position of players is important to get the best out of them. Genuine utility players ie those that are good in at least two positions are rare. If we are playing 433 then we need players who fit that system.

 

I have to disagree slightly I think Platt and Halliday have done well

 

Bottom line up to now anyway, is our inability to produce starlets that are capable of higher interest. Possibly due to aggressive scouting poaching our kids at a young age and taking the risk on them. If only one or two had the chance to serve the Club well for a few seasons. It would be great to see.

 

Have to agree, Platt has done well alongside Crichlow and Halliday has been the form player of the last two months.

 

Generally the defence has been solid. It's the 6 in front of them, with arguably the exception of Andy Cook and Tyreik Wright hat has been inconsistent. You could argue none of the others have done enough to warrant a starting place.

 

Platt looks a different player when alongside Critchlow to what he does alongside Songo'oooooo or Odusina

 

Well, one of those two isn't a midfield player so that makes things somewhat easier.

 

Lewis, Halliday, Platt, Crichlow, Banks and Wright have all been largely excellent for what we needed.

I'm also one of the few who largely defends Smallwood. I think he's left with far too much to do, because the creative three in front of him, largely have poor game management skills. Chapman, easily the most disappointing signing of the season is chief culprit here.

We know Walker is a good signing and Hendrie or certainly they're not bad ones.

Pereira has been disappointing.

I don't feel we can declare Young or Odusina as failures. With having such long term deals, they were clearly bought for the future and let's remember it took my favourite player, Robbie Blake, 18 months to get established. But I don't see any potential with East and it's probably the only signing I question.

No club has a 100% conversion rate with transfers. It was a good summer window, which is why we are firmly in the promotion race.

 

Whilst Smallwood has been largely disappointing, I agree. Stick a good partner alongside him (Not Gilliead or Sutton) and he will shine. It's our achilles heel at the moment. We need a real ball winning midfield player in the mould of Micky Kennedy/ Chris Kamara/ Nathan Doyle to get the ball back and give it to Smallwood.

 

Sorry USG I think you are giving Smallwood an easy ride. I thought, probably wrongly, that he was going to be that ball winning midfielder and inspirational captain. I'm not really sure what he does