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Where Do We Go From Here ?

Discussion in 'City Talk' started by Ulysses S Grant, Mar 13, 2024.

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  1. Ulysses S Grant

    Ulysses S Grant Squad Player
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    The season is over, even the most deluded amongst us can't possibly believe we will pick up enough points (at least 7 wins from 10) to get 7th.

    I'm confident that GA is the man for the job, but there is some major surgery needed in spine of the team in the summer to make that happen, I've assumed we will play 343 as our preferred choice.

    Keepers - Walker looks sound enough, but as has been the problem in the last few seasons, he needs genuine competition and that clearly isn't going to be Doyle.

    Central Defence - Tompkinson is likely to go back, but doesn't fill me with confidence anyway. Platt & Stubbs are sound enough. Taylor needs to go and I would move Kelly on as well. I doubt Odusina will return. We need a replacement for both, but would keep Ridehalgh as cover on the left as

    Full backs/ Wing Backs - I would revert Gilly to 1st choice LWB, Halliday is fine, not sure about Richards and there is no adequate cover at RWB/ RB. I'd keep Ridehalgh for one more season as nothing more than emergency cover. At very least we need a RWB/ RB to push Halliday. Okekoke shouldn't be coming back.

    Central Midfield - Smallwood is too inconsistent and I would replace him with a younger model, I'd keep McDonald as he has vision, but would rarely start him. We need at least two quality players in here, one of which needs to be box to box.

    Front Three - We have far too many players here, and despite his goals, I think 343 works better without Cook. I would keep him as a shape changer when required, he's a great goalscorer, but I just don't think he fits into GA's style.

    Move Oliver on and recruit a player who can fit in with Kavanagh & Young, but with more prescence. Smith is a bench warmer.

    I haven't a clue what we do with Jamie Walker, he's good at ratting but is far too injury prone to rely on, he would be on the bench for me. Same with Pattison. Chapman offers nothing different and Pointon, to me, is the new Danny Forrest - made an impact then couldn't kick on. I suspect he will have a good National League career, but isn't quite up to L2 or above, Tyriek Wright doesn't fit in. He's a winger. Adam Wilson isn't ready to be part of a promotion winning team.

    Any I have missed are squad fillers at best and should be released.

    I don't think we are massively off, but the spine of the team worries me if it involves Kelly, Smallwood & Cook next next season.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
    #1 Ulysses S Grant, Mar 13, 2024
  2. Ashton Bantam

    Ashton Bantam Fringe Player

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    Have a look through Middlesboroughs U23 team.

    There you will find your answers.
     
    #2 Ashton Bantam, Mar 13, 2024
    Ulysses S Grant, WilsdenBantam and Rcbantam like this.
  3. donhutchinsaffro

    donhutchinsaffro Regular Starter
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    WERE ON THE ROAD TO NOWHERE. DE D DE DD ED DDDDDEEE
     
    #3 donhutchinsaffro, Mar 13, 2024
  4. BearBantam

    BearBantam Fringe Player
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    "Value for money" will be our new catchphrase for the summer and beyond. Can see a lot of our high earners being moved on, whether we like it or not. Sparks will be needing to cut the cloth to a much lower strata of sustainability and GA will need to make some unpopular decisions as a consequence, whilst wanting his own players and hopefully the best we can afford.
     
    #4 BearBantam, Mar 13, 2024
    Onside likes this.
  5. Rcbantam

    Rcbantam Squad Player
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    None league. With no hope of promotion. Just like being league 2
     
    #5 Rcbantam, Mar 13, 2024
  6. Foghornleghorn

    Foghornleghorn Squad Player
    P.L.22/23 Entrant Euro 2020 P.L. 20/21 Top 10

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    The direction taken by the club financially belongs firmly in the hands of supporters and business sponsorship deals.
    Without financial commitment from either the club would simply fold.
    Good housekeeping of the monies accrued is surely paramount to success on and off the field but it would appear from the discontent vented of late the whole future of our club is in the balance.
    Ryan talks about sustainability all the time but even he must know the fine margins are all to tight for comfort.
    There's no confidence in the people who run the club that's apparent from many who no longer have the appetite to attend games.
    How do they hope to sell season tickets under the slogan It's a Bantam Thing, really so that makes everything coming out of the corridors of power acceptable.
    Not this time mark my words the storm clouds will continue to gather something as got to give and in this case it's loss of vital revenue while the product on offer is well and truly mediocre.
     
    #6 Foghornleghorn, Mar 13, 2024
    Bronco and vladimir like this.
  7. loz

    loz Impact Sub

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    mediocre is an exaggeration. We are well and truly tinpot. Can anyone see how the situation will improve? My wife, a st holder for many years will not be renewing, The only thing preventing me making the same decision is family members go to the games. Rupp has no interest, Sparks is a talk the talk man.
     
    #7 loz, Mar 13, 2024
    QCFC BANTAM, WilsdenBantam, bantamlad92 and 9 others like this.
  8. AngryGaz

    AngryGaz Impact Sub
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    Stay at home thats where you go until these fooking clowns running the club are gone.

    Honestly how many yeats at this level and how many years we looked like going up ????

    Once and we messed that up :(

    Tell what will happen a good end to the season a promise that the squad will be better and stronger and repeat again for mext season.
     
    #8 AngryGaz, Mar 14, 2024
    JudgeMental, The Evidence, Bantamsteve and 2 others like this.
  9. NorthernMonkey

    NorthernMonkey Squad Player
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    The midfield and left wing back is the huge priority for me.

    I'd also give Gilly a go at right wing back and if he does well it's up to Halliday to win the spot back again.

    If we can sort the wing backs, that's the width sorted and we can then play a 2 up front with the extra man (Walker maybe) able to break and support the front two.

    I also agree that the front line needs tweaking either way though but we'll need to be ultra careful because at the moment, there's only Cook supplying the goals so if he's not there we need a far bigger output from the others around him and at present, we haven't had it.

    I'd preferably like to see Cook/Young/Kavanagh given a go as pairings up until the end of the season just so GA can work out if there's a chance of any of them cementing a partnership.
     
    #9 NorthernMonkey, Mar 14, 2024
  10. TallinnBantam

    TallinnBantam Regular Starter
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    What IS the matter with Young? I’ve not seen any news on his injury.
     
    #10 TallinnBantam, Mar 14, 2024
  11. Onside

    Onside Squad Player
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    Is it me or do we seem to have more injured players than other clubs? Plus they are out for much longer? Does our medical need to be revitalised? They seem to go off with a niggle never to be seen again!
     
    #11 Onside, Mar 14, 2024
    vladimir likes this.
  12. chris mac

    chris mac Fringe Player
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    Kavanagh is too light weight for the riggers of league 2 , many people will not want to watch another season of shite league 2 football .The increase from a kids ticket ,19 pounds to ,the next braket is way too much .
     
    #12 chris mac, Mar 14, 2024
  13. ahar964

    ahar964 Squad Player
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    I thought he was out for the season
     
    #13 ahar964, Mar 14, 2024
  14. donhutchinsaffro

    donhutchinsaffro Regular Starter
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    Young and Pattison would walk into any team. Very bad luck there. As for Walker too light weight. Taylor and Derbyshire inspired signings .....
     
    #14 donhutchinsaffro, Mar 14, 2024
  15. Chris Redfield

    Chris Redfield Fringe Player
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    Walker too lightweight? You been sniffing glue?
     
    #15 Chris Redfield, Mar 14, 2024
    shoatsy and NorthernMonkey like this.
  16. Eccybantam

    Eccybantam Emergency Backup

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    **so funny
     
    #16 Eccybantam, Mar 14, 2024
  17. Captain Grumpy

    Captain Grumpy Impact Sub
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    Young has had an operation on his hamstring and is out for the season.
     
    #17 Captain Grumpy, Mar 14, 2024
    NorthernMonkey and Dennis like this.
  18. Ashton Bantam

    Ashton Bantam Fringe Player

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    Young has had a four month purple patch.

    He doesn't 'walk into any team'. Neither does Pattison who has done nothing beyond Harrogate.

    I think both are decent, but let's not overplay their abilities.
     
    #18 Ashton Bantam, Mar 14, 2024
    Morley Bantam, RCarol, Craven Koppite and 2 others like this.
  19. wetherbywhaler

    wetherbywhaler Impact Sub

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    Out for the season after hamstring surgery. Reported 3 weeks ago.
     
    #19 wetherbywhaler, Mar 14, 2024
  20. Bantamsteve

    Bantamsteve Impact Sub

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    Agree neither are certain starters for me in a top end L2 / mid table L1 club
    We missed out big time not selling Young in January
    I know it's unfortunate for him to pick up an injury but another missed opportunity to cash in
    We don't play his style of football
     
    #20 Bantamsteve, Mar 14, 2024
    Morley Bantam and Ashton Bantam like this.
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