Away vs Oldham Feb 1st

Bang on. I didn't really have a problem with it when we were getting results but I just can't remember anything like how we've played since December.

 

I disagree. I think we have (and had) enough 'good enough' players to get us out of this league at the first time of asking. It's 100% down to the management and coaching of those players imo that we are now self destructing.

 

We'll have to disagree there, I think it's really shit squad, bloated with bang average to poor players and that the league table lied, as it can. We got 6 points v Mansfield & Morecambe where we were outplayed in both.

Top 3 players in our squad? Ones Swindon or Exeter would take as starters? Can't think of 1.

 

There's a lot of fat to trim, but the core XI is easily good enough for promotion even after we shipped out the best forwards in League Two.

 

No club with hopes of top 3 would want our any of our CB's, we don't have any strikers for them either and don't have a midfielder as good as bleedin Nicky Law. That's my opinion, I must be just really unlucky when I've seen them, every time.

 

Well Swindon did take 2.

I believe at the start of the season the squad was 100% good enough for top 3

The problem is with the manager.. it's crystal clear.

 

That was then though...who would you think Swindon or Exeter would now take from us as a starter?

 

As @Fordy117 says, Swindon just took Palmer. Palmer was widely considered the worst of our midfielders getting regular game time. I don't know of they would take BRE, but AOC and his pathetic attitude would more than likely get games at a top three club.

Wood also likely gets in, and Mellor is proven at this level believe it or not.

Vaughan and Doyle, even Donaldson are EASILY good enough for every team in this division and would play week in week out.

Cooke, likewise, is top end League Two.

I also guarantee someone in the top three would play Reeves despite him not suiting us at all.

 

As I say they have just taken 2 players from us.

Bowyer couldn't get a tune out of Doyle
Palmer looked like one of the worse midfielders ever but Swindon still wanted him.
Vaughan has moved to a div 1 side.

The manager has to improve players and get them firing. Liverpool are where they're not because they spend like Utd @SimonW (he knows more) but because they have turned the likes of Andy Robinson into one of the best left backs in world football. Utd did it when they had the class of 92 etc.

You've to get your recruitment right and then have coaches to improve. We still have Drury who is not up to it at this level. I said in the summer it's the worse mistake the club made in keeping him.

To answer your question it wouldn't shock me to see Reeves, Akpan, Wood, AOC all find clubs higher than us in the summer.

 

So none then. Broadly agree with your 4 names there for our better players but I think only Reeves would have a chance in an auto promotion team.

 

I don't even rate Reeves at all. Think he's made us worse but I believe under a better manger with better coaches he would be ok like Palmer.

I think them 4 would get into the current top 3 teams.

Our manager is sh&te and that's the issue.

 

I think you are wanting Reeves to be something he is not, never was nor ever will be, I think he's good footballer at this level. Wasn't bothered if Bowyer was sacked a few games ago, but now after the window, I think a new manager would be on a total hiding to nothing.

The freebie Morecambe kid Carlos Gomes made all our midfielders look daft at VP, he stood out a mile, ours are all blah.

 

And continuing with Bowyer won't be?

 

I wasn't offering a solution, just think a new manager now, will end up inheriting negative baggage, just like Hopkin & Bowyer did and our options will be better in the summer.

 

Unfortunately the two main forwards we signed are contracted until the end of next season.

Not a chance we can keep Bowyer until then. The change has to happen now.

 

I think you have mentioned our biggest problem in your post the coaches and coaching. It was Collins /Drury Greyson/Drury Hopkins /Drury and now Bowyer /Drury dos'nt that tell you something.

 

I think we'll fail, Bowyer or no Bowyer, my consideration is the next guy, I'd prefer to see the season dead or over before we get the new man for reasons I've already posted.

 

Massive problem with that is fans don't like Bowyer and we have season ticket sales to think about.

Best of getting rid, getting a manger in then look to create some kind of identity.

Rather than fans, Rhodes, Rupp and everyone wasting their time and money with Bowyer.

 

Its a difficult one to argue against for sure, yet my take is why would Bowyer be happy letting Drury take any form of coaching if he knew it was not getting results from the team during games.

 

Interestingly Oldham's assistant manager is John Dreyer , a man who knows more about League football than Drury.