Players out of contract in June 2023 including Retained List

Whoever we end up signing at least 3 of them need to be able to put in a deadly set-piece. Carlisle have Moxon, Watt at Salford (though his set-pieces for us were average) and I'm sure others at Orient et al; that's a key area we need to improve upon

 

I'm certainly not particularly enamoured by the retained list (Cook aside)
Similar to my feelings last close season, when we were told mediocrity isn't an option, then MH's offered Angol a contract.
More of the same even at this very early stage.

 

We scored quite a few from set pieces late on to be fair. Obviously the set peice taker helps but I think adding Stubbs also made us better at them and if we can get in one or two more physical lads we should be ok in that department even if it's Smallwood taking the majority.

 

Well we will certainly have Smallwood and Gilliead in midfield, so that’s no more than 4 goals between them next season. I’ve heard fans say they will be ok as backup players but that won’t happen they will both be certain starters. Got to get a couple of goal scoring midfielders now to play alongside them or it’s going to be a long hard season.

 

Smallwood has become the new Watt. It does annoy me how quickly we jump on players for missing a pass.

 

Smallwood will be fine if he's shifted back to the base of the midfield and we get two proper central midfielders to play in front.

 

"Daft"? "Sensationist"??. feck me pal you are a drama queen if ever there was one. Say you don't agree but don't be an argumentative insulting nob about it

 

Just name one.

Look, you don’t have to agree with everything the club does!

If you think 1 goal and 1 assist is good for a midfielder in a season then what does bad look like to you? He’s bang average at best.

 

I certainly do not agree with everything the club does pal, maybe you have me mixed up with someone else

My point is, for a 4th division player, he is far from the worst midfielder out there. We've had Jake Reeves & Josh Wright ffs, and they came with much more expectation than Gilly did. I don't remember an outcry like this when we re-signed him? In any case, he might even decide not to accept the terms offered. Lets wait and see

 

We ranked 8th in the league for set-piece goals (excluding play offs). So not as bad as I thought but defo scope for improvement. 4 of the teams who finished above us scored more from set-pieces so defo shows there's room for improvement. I daresay if we'd scored 7 or 8 more we'd have been pushing for 3rd

 

Ok, so if it wasn't either sensationalist or daft then name me just one of these "best defensive midfielders of the last 40 years" without an assist in their whole career.

Either that or just read it back and realise why I've posted what I have?

 

I'd probably say the defensive stats from set pieces were more of a worry too. That's definitely something we need to correct going forward.

 

Wasn’t it Clayton taking them on our left instead of Smallwood where we saw the improvement?

 

Stop jumping on someone else’s comment . “ Just name one” . They happened to be right, but yours is just an echo.

 

Orient are interesting - did ok for own goals but didn't come near the top in any of the other categories

 

Playing the same style of football as us...

Shows how close we were.

 

I think what their season shows is that if you can get out ahead at the start of the season then it's easier to stay ahead. They had 9 wins and a draw from the first 10 I think and from then on were just as average as everyone else really

 

Agreed totally, and while it won't always work, starting as slowly as Stockport did might yet cost them promotion - if Carlisle beat them of course.

 

Yeah Clayton has taken a few. So did Banks I think but we did score a few from Smallwood's. Both at Northampton spring immediately to mind.

 

If we start with Smallwood & Gilliead as our central midfield next season we won't be going up.