Summer transfer priorities

But Stubbs is decent cover.
What we need is a replacement for Tomkinson - a mobile CB who reads the game well, can pass and can carry the ball forward. If we get that, and a decent left wingback, then we’ll have a bloody good defence next season.

 

That's 5 players.........we ain't going into a season with only those 5 as our MF options!!! Chapman will be released, McDonald will be told he can go (thats 2 decent earners there) and Wilson will probably go out on loan, Oduor is another who may be told to look elsewhere. There is your opportunity to improve by bringing in two of real quality making up 7 options, plus someone like Freddy Jeffreys to plump up the numbers.

Smallwood may well leave yet anyway, who knows. Im not against that.

 

What I am saying is these are 1st team players. Surely, GA wants to bring in new 1st team midfielders. If he doesn’t then for me he will struggle next season.

We will have to create room.

 

We need a squad to compete and every player should be 1st team quality. For someone who moans about lack of ambition surely you know this is what is needed.

And getting McDonald, Chapman, Wilson and possibly Oduor of the books should allow for 2 decent players to come in and cement a place in the first 11.

 

Unusually for a Bradford City team, we find ourselves with a lot of attacking talent and weaknesses that need addressing in CM and defence.

Cook, Walker, Kavanagh, Pattison (if fit), Young, Pointon are all strong first 11 players for any League 2 squad, but obv can't all start in one team.

I feel like we could lose one of the above and reinvest the fee/wages into other areas. Young and Pointon are two players who could command a decent fee.

Hypothetically, who would you prefer us to sell if a decent offer came in - Young or Pointon?

 

I think he'd just started to settle into that central role and he has the attributes to do well. We may have to put up with the odd error or horror show if we did take him again though and he especially worries me in the air.

 

That carrier, I believe, is Oyegoke. I think he's our first defensive target as Alexander likes him.

The jury is out for me but he does have the physical attributes to be very good at this level, even if he rarely wins a header.

 

Yes still a lot to learn , at the side of Stubbs, that may be a goer for me. Him at one side Kelly at the other and Platt as back up Plus AnOther.?

 

I know what you mean. I think he's started to get his head to more balls but there's no real conviction (or direction) his headers

 

I hope 100% of City fans would say sell Young over Bobby, and yes that is me being bias. But also, Bobby has for more attributes to be successful rather than just someone who contributes with a run of goals now and again, he can be a real provider for this team and chip in with goals.

 

I'm not too worried about direction just yet, I was just glad he started at least competing and even won a couple.

He's a strong boy and certainly should be much stronger in the air than he is.

 

Doesn't Smallwood look much better with pacey willing runners around him? He probably had that at Hull.

 

I do wonder with Oyegoke that if we aren’t able to keep Halliday that he might be moved to RWB. He has the attributes and regularly played there for England U21. He’s better in the final 3rd than Halliday as well and his lack of aerial ability is less of an issue

 

Personally thought Oyegoke looked better as part of the 3 at the back as opposed to right wing back

 

However, you don’t want an unhappy squad.

For me the likes of Smallwood don’t cut it here.

 

He depends on Halliday for that outlet either sideways or diagonal. Not so much to our left, but his break up play says another deal , a deeper role as suggested and reduced terms?

 

He might but hard to fully say.

Maybe, Gilly is better in his role now. Both starting is a no go.

 

Well tough? Competition is healthy. I want the club to suceed, dont care about players feelings.

Players not playing is just football.

 

People shouldn’t bother with the “if ‘player we have option on goes’…” as the likes of Halliday, Pointon, Walker, are going NOWHERE. Unless we don’t want them or we sell them. We can activate their contracts for another year. Not sure some understand that

 

Platt won't be looking to be a back up at this club. He rightly deserves to the starting CB and will probably look to go elsewhere. I don't see Stubbs staying at all. I know he was injured but we haven't had any updates on him or Taylor for weeks. I might be wrong, but I don't think Stubbs and GA saw eye to eye.