Most liked posts in thread: This Season's Recruitment

I can’t be bothered going back through the last 5 games that Taylor played to see if Jon’s claims are correct, but the most recent 5 games have seen us concede a total of 1 goal. I doubt he’s beating that. Every now and then a terrible player comes along who a minority will try to go against the majority’s obvious observations, Bruenker was another when Park started bizarrely calling people racist for calling him out for being absolutely shite. Can’t say that with this lump of wood, he’s just a lump of wood simple as. I’d be shocked if our shots on target haven’t drastically reduced when he’s left the team.

 

Sorry Jon, its been average at best - a good performance v Wycombe and a poor performance tonight don't change the opinion of most fair-minded fans.
The players are trying, no doubt about that, but our mid table placing is a true reflection of the team and our recruitment.

 

It’s the non performing loanees where we have struggled . Clubs normally bring in loanees to be in the matchday squad , certainly mostly playing in the first 11. We have brought in loanees as back up to the 11 . As a result they don’t get game time and don’t progress. Some of the 11’s we have played it appears at least 30% of the opponents side are loanees ….US……..Practically zero % .

 

We’ve had worse recruitment seasons, but we went from 6th last season to bottom half all this. While some of those players maybe ok to half decent individually, it’s a team sport where balance is key. We don’t have a balanced squad which is why we chopped and changed for so long and find ourselves 15th in league 2 at this moment. For me that is what you look at when recruiting, not just rating some of the individuals. The proof is in the pudding.

 

McDonald - legs have well and truly gone but there's still some smarts in there. Poor recruitment in terms of giving him a 2 year deal.
Oduor - only just started clicking after 25 fairly forgettable appearances, the last 4 or 5 have been way better. Again, nothing to suggest a 3 year deal though is the 'poor' side to his recruitment.
Pattison - Looks a talent but his injury record has followed him here.
Smith - followed career trends, struggles for consistency, which means minutes and form drop too. Non-league starter, squad player at best in a mid-table L2 team.
Taylor - utterly shocking signing, with another season on his deal.
Richards - another with talent but another with a bad injury history that is following him here. Looks to get a start then misses 4 or 5 games.
Wilson - not seen enough, doesn't look a GA player. But another with a 3 year deal, just why?
Walker - early to judge but looks a very solid keeper so far.
Kavanagh - again early to judge but a very bright start.

How many of these would get into a top 7 team? Not many I'd suggest. We seem to have just signed a lot of OK players, who don't exactly prop you up the table. But the 2 or 3 year deals on offer to average players or complete unknowns is what brings most signings down too.

No idea how anyone could sign off on 2 years for McDonald with his recent history is beyond me. Odour couldn't get first team football anywhere, couldn't impress at relegation doomed Hartlepool, which obviously equalled a 3 year deal here. Tyler Smith, another with nothing in his career to suggest a 3 year deal was key. And they all have a 1 year extension option according to Sparks too.

 

You just love Ash Taylor don't you? Go on admit it.

 

To be fair to Bruneker he's playing at a similar standard to what we are at now. He's no worse than half the donkeys I see playing in league 2.

 

At the time be certainly wasn’t good enough, although I believe he is playing at an ok standard in Germany now. But neither is Taylor anymore, he has zero mobility and it feels like he’s lost a lot of in game match sharpness, he’s out of position for fun and doesn’t have the physical attributes to make up for it. If he was playing in the National League North he wouldn’t be professional either and tbh I wouldn’t be shocked. No doubt he had more ability at one time, his career apps prove it. But players in any sport always lose it at some point, he definitely has.

 

Legend!

 

He's also spent the majority of the time on the bench I believe and came on as a sub to grab that assist against Bayern.
Still an impressive result but he's not quite a leading light, even at that level.

 

Even 2 Liga teams in Poland would turn us over. These clubs in the lower leagues of European countries are free to sign anyone. We can only sign English, Scottish or Irish players for the most part which has made the lower leagues in England worse.

Always loved around 2004-2012 when random European players would pop up in the leagues like that lad called Franz Burgmeier from Liechtenstein at Darlington had who they signed due to the owner's grandson finding him on Football Manager

 

Apart from Pattison, not one of those screams promotion. A couple have potential but as we know, they could go either way.

I get that we aren't signing a complete team of superstars but when you fail to even criticise the signing of Taylor then you've completely lost any credence in the point.

 

Wilson, Taylor, Smith, Pattison - all generally "meh" to me personally for different reasons. Everyone else we have signed are ok but no improvement on what we had

Sparks bangs on in every interview that we are stronger after the January transfer window, which is a load of old shite IMO and he is just defending Gent, who is possibly the worst employee we have ever had at the club

 

Is he a terrible signing or am I wrong?

 

Not one single one of them would get in a Wrexham, Stockport or Mansfield starting 11. That’s the bar for me are they good enough to get us automatically out of this league… answers no to all of them!

 

7 of these 9 were Hughes' appointments. Alexander (the last 2) only had a January session to pick up what was available; and we all know that the choice in the January sales is pretty poor. I've written off this season. I reckon that it just might be next season before we can see an Alexander side, and even then the Hughes' influence will linger.

 

Not the best but you do go on about it. You made your point (several times) but you keep going on, and on, and on, and on, and on about it. It's almost like it's personal.