Jamie Walker (with Poll)

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Walker could be key next season. His freak foot injury will likely not be replicated and a fit Walker will cause a lot of problems in Lge 2 next season. Him and Patto, Kava. Bobby and Young-players with some real talent to hopefully allow Sharpe to build around with further quality.

 

I think he’s gone - the way Alexander thanked certain players at the end of the game yesterday was very telling and his reaction to Jamie and patting him on the head and whisper in ear says to me he’s gone.

 

Definitely he did and did you see Alexander with him at the end? He’s definitely gone.

 

He, he…You are right….We cannot afford the disjointed formations and personnel again. I think GA had a “formation” right from the get go, unfortunately Hughes disjointed squad meant that square pegs were needed to fit in round holes.
The basics are there for sure.

 

Don’t read too much into that whatsoever . He said player meetings arnt until Tues and Wed.

 

Keep Jamie and release Smallwood.

 

He loves smallwood.

 

If he is then I hope Oduor is on his way as well. Yesterday GA picked the strongest starting 11 available to him to give ourselves the best chance, however slight, to make 7th. Walker quite rightly was one of those players, Oduor was not. As someone else said earlier, I'd rather have Walker for 30 games a season than Oduor for 50.

 

However, Odur can play in different positions and as you say is available more.

Walker is injury prone, has 2 other players that can play in his position plus is one of the highest paid players at the club.

We need to get rid of players that have taken this club as far as it can go. GA needs his own players, people need to understand that tough decisions will be made or players you might like currently.

 

Do you think Oduor is a better player than Walker?

 

No, but unfortunately Walker is made out of plastic and misses lots of games. Plus he’s a top earner here.

Oh plus Pointon and Pattison can play in his position if required too.

I like Walker but if we let him go it wouldn’t be a shock to me.

 

No, it wouldn't to me either but it would be a big mistake UNLESS we have someone better lined up to come in.

 

I must see something different. Oduor glides past players for fun and played in his best position, can be a real threat. I wouldn’t be in a rush to get rid, we need players to get us off our seat and only Bobby and Oduor have that in this squad. As part of that front 3 against Wycombe and a couple of games before hand, he was getting rave reviews.

 

No I didn’t see that

 

Jamie Walker doesn't know if he's staying or leaving. The conversations are this week. Morais said on the wireless that a manager can't tell folk and expect it not to get out and around the squad. So I take GA at his word.

He also said Walker is a crucial player

 

If we have a bigger budget, there's no reason to release Walker.

If he's gone, that tells me the budget increase isn't very significant, as he's been our best player since GA arrived.

If we're scared to resign him because of the cost, we're basically in the same boat as this year, unable to boast strength in depth.

 

I'd keep them both. Walker picks up niggles because of the pressing/in your face way he plays, something that we miss when he isn't there. His latest injury was more than a niggle and a bit of a one off. As for Smallwood it was hard to see how he had just played a full season in the Championship and I would have let him go. However since we have started playing Kavanagh and Pointon plus Tyreik Wright and Brad Halliday as wing backs he now has options when he wins the ball in the middle of the field (which is something he does do).

 

Tough decisions coming up. I wouldn't be bothered either way if the players mentioned get new contracts or not, but its clear the team as it stands isn't good enough to go up. Isn't far off but lacks one of two in starting position but i can't quite put my finger on who from the current team would miss out to get the balance right.
We have some good players to come back in Young and Pattison but do they all fit together with the likes of Pointon and Kavanagh etc?

 

Smallwood has argubly been our best player the last month or so. I don't think we win the game at Walsall without him in the middle.

 

Sensible question for sure.

I posted our goal options yesterday. Quite a conundrum, but I would rule Smith out from the get go , especially as we have Young in the wings .
I think we have seen Derbyshire has now become part of the coaching staff and won’t be retained as a player for sure.

Decisions decisions.