Which players do we think Mark Hughes will want to keep for next season?

Given how the squad has performed since Hughes took over and started putting his stamp on his prefered style, I can honestly see the retained list dwindling week by week! I don't think any of the players have covered themselves in glory and (in the case of those out of contract) have made a case for being kept on!

Don't really get the love for Paudie or Cooke myself, I think it's realistic to be able to get upgrades on both for free closed season. Physically both Cook and Walker somehow seem to have regressed. Cook looks fat and Walker seems knackered, constantly.

I hope Hughes is ruthless come the end of the season, as I look at it, id jeep Vernham who has ability, and Sutton who can drive forward and impact on games. None of the others are irreplaceable. Watt will get offered a contract so he doesn't leave for nothing. If he stays so be it. If not, so be it.

Hope he can shift on the likes of Kelleher/Threlkeld. Joke signings in the first place and are a waste of a wage. Upgrades needed all over the park for me.

Do your thing Mr H

 

I don't understand either. Hes pants.

 

I don't fully get it either but I wouldn't quite have him as pants he's just an average L2 clogger, probably an acceptable back up and certainly wouldn't push the boat out.

 

I was counting yesterday.
Headed duels attempted - 15
Headed duels won - 15

Paudie has shortcomings, like most L2 CBs. But in most games, as with yesterday, he is dominant in the air.

He's currently playing out of position on the left, to accommodate Songo'o. Put him in his natural right side position, with a more mobile footballing CB next to him and he'd be fine. McArdle was dominant in the air like Paudie, but not great on the deck, and needed an organiser like Davies or Burke alongside him to be at his best. It's about good combinations

 

Paudie has had a good season and hopefully he will stay on him Ridhalge Foulds Hendrie and Bass who I think with the experience he is getting will get better and better I think we have the basis of a solid defence with a new right back and centre half and Songo’o who has done really well since Hughes arrived

 

Problem is every player is just one incident away from becoming what you call a sicknote - I am certain Hughes is only going to look to keep those he thinks can 1 get this club promoted and 2 fit into the style(s) of play he prefers. That might include some sort of deal for those who have been injured this season

 

So a lot of this is going to depend on one crucial factor: value for money!

It's all right us saying keep x and y because they can be squad players, but if they're inordinately expensive to be used in that role, they'll have to go.

Nonetheless, here's what I wouldn't mind for next season:

-----------------------------------------------New Goalkeeper-------------------------------------------------

Luke Hendrie (cheap)------New Centre Back-----Paudie O'Connor---------New Left Back

------------------New Centre Mid--------Elliott Watt--------------New Centre Mid------------------

-----------------------------------------------Callum Cooke-----------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------Andy Cook---------------New Forward------------------------------------

Bench:

Yann Songo'o (if value is there)
Dion Pereira (if value is there as an impact sub) OR Jamie Walker
Charles Vernam (if value is there as an impact sub)
Levi Sutton
Youngsters

That, to me, feels pretty realistic?
New Goalkeeper
New Centre Back
New Left Back (although I wouldn't cry if Ridehalgh was still here)
Two New Central Midfielders
and a New Striker

Obviously we would also need competition for places - but I feel Watt would benefit massively from better players around him, as would Cooke, I think Cook would benefit massively from not being a carthouse flogged to death every week, while the defence needs something of an overhaul. I think Paudie would do better alongside a real leader, a captain-type centre back, and in fact if we can get the right man, the whole back four would be improved massively - and we've already tightened up.

I didn't pick out Bass because I think we are very unlikely to get him.

 

Doesn't look too bad to me Jon, the only one for me is Cook. The lad tries and as you say, he is usually flogged to death but on the whole he simply isn't good enough.
He's far too slow, immobile and has a terrible first touch. If we compare him with the likes of Proctor, Wilson, Smith, Dunn to name but a few, we see just how immobile he is.
Sorry to disagree but we do need better, a lot better, than Andy Cook if we are to progress next season.

 

To be fair, I think Cook will be pretty pricey, so if we end up replacing him I wouldn't lose any sleep.

I do think there's a player there that can score a lot more in the right team, so whether he's partnered up with a quality young loan player or replaced with a similar level L2 centre forward who represents better value for money, either way I'd be quite happy.

The reason I keep him here is because we aren't exactly renowned for our ability to replace quality with quality, if Cook ends the season with 12-15 goals, we need to ensure we're getting at least that next year from whoever is played up top! We know Cook is a better fit than many, so sometimes it's better the devil you know....

 

There’s got to be a lot more goals from our “non strikers” as well.
Paudie has got the same amount of league goals as Gilliead and Cooke combined.
Watt and Sutton with 2 each as well.
I’m also not convinced that we can get top 3 with Cook as a regular starter,but if he is, he definitely needs to up his game considerably.But when he doesn’t,the other 9 outfield players definitely need to chip in with a lot more than they have this season.
The goals from midfield might improve if any of them realised that they are actually allowed to have a shot from distance every now and then.

 

Ridealgh, Watt, POC, Songo'O, Vernam.

The rest don't score enough and we need goalscorers across the park.

 

A tough one. Think there are a few we have written off who might be ok under Hughes. Definately need better but some of those out of contract will be as good as you can get for L2 back ups in terms of quality and wages.

Paudie, Songo, Sutton, Watt, Cooke, Vernam....if they stay but we sign better for their positions then all 6 will do for me as squad players. Think we need to focus on shifting and replacing Kelleher, Threlkeld, Eisa. Not a Hendrie or Ridehalgh fan either.

Think we have to be realistic. Rather pump our time and resources into bringing in quality over quantity. Keep a core group of the 'better' players and add 5 or 6 with some really quality.

Up top is my real bug bear. We constantly sign quantity over quality. It is scandalous we are paying Elliot, Lavery, Robinson and Defenouso (i cant rven be bothered to look up his name) a combined wage when we could have signed 2 far better strikers for the same wages.

If Angol and Cook stay as part of a striker quartet then Im ok with that.

 

If we let Evans go we could probably sign at least 3 of the under 19 team that has just won the league for the same outlay

 

The stats over the last eight games support that view

 

That's a fair comment and I've been a big critic of Paudies in the past.

We certainly need that mobile partner with him though because the lack of pace in that area makes us hugely vulnerable.

 

We currently don't have one player at the club who can't be realistically replaced by a better standard of player in their chosen position. What we do have is a nucleus of players who, if fit, can play to the standard expected of a Mark Hughes side. What we currently don't have is either the quality nor the balance of player with the ability to get us promoted.
And this balance and style of play is all important when discussing the merits of who to and not to keep.
It's clear Hughes favours an expansive possession based game where players are comfortable with the ball and being able to pass. Straight away that brings up our forward line and our centre back pairing, non of which are good enough with ball at feet. A new striker is an absolute must, one of who can run the channels and have good hold up and link up play, whether as part of a two or a lone striker. Angol is a good example but without the fitness issues. At centre back, you can take your pick of either O'Connor or Songo'o, but both together will not get you promoted.
Amongst the others, we have players who if still here can take on a role in Hughes team, players such as Elliot Watt, Callum Cooke, Perriera, Vernam. Players like Hendrie and Ridehalgh are willing workers who could fit into a good team ethic of the right quality around them was improved.
Get the key positions right of CB, CM and striker first and the rest will fall in line.

 

Out of contract this summer:
O'Donnell, Paudie, Cooke, Foulds, Vernam, Evans, Watt, Angol, Robinson, Sutton & Lavery.

Currently contracted for 22/23:
Threlkeld, Ridehalgh, Songo'o, Eisa, Cook, Gilliead, Hornby, Kelleher, Staunton, FCD & Scales.

I honestly could see every single one of the out of contract players leaving the club. ROD, Evans, Robinson & Lavery are gone. Angol is most likely gone too although Hughes hasn't seen much of him.

Sutton, Vernam, Foulds, Paudie, Cooke & Watt.... I think Watt and Paudie are gone, we may well offer them something but they wont be staying, they'll get a L1 club even as squad players on more money than we can/would offer. Sutton, Vernam, Foulds and Cooke i reckon again will get offered a deal but might want to see what else is out there. Some of those have had 4 or 5 managers at City and are just not moving forward with their careers. Cooke i'd say will probably leave, doesn't start much these days. Sutton & Foulds could be useful squad players but need upgrading in the starting 11. Vernam is a weird one to judge as he's just never consistently fit, might play into how much we offer him but there will be L2 clubs after Vernam, again might be another wanting a change of scenery.

Threlkeld & Kelleher will either be offered a termination or moved on for very little money fingers crossed. Hornby will be back up most likely to a new GK. Huge turnover this summer.

 

We are less vulnerable the way MH has set them up Dave. Under Adams he had Canavan and Paudie compressing play into the opponents half. Simple long ball over the top had them both on toast. Hughes let’s them sit further back , thus pace has less effect.

This doesn’t hide the fact neither of our two are mobile enough against pacey opponents in and around the box. What they ARE good at is last ditch blocks etc. They have pulled out all the stops , especially Songo’o in the last few games. I can’t knock them both for that aspect of their play.

Re Northampton…They didn’t play with what most fans would regard as a centre forward from memory, hence Paudie’s better game?

 

Unless Northampton had injuries then I can't believe how the manager set them up? Didn't he watch the Bristol Rovers game and how they pulled our defence apart?

 

It certainly was strange. It looked like they set up not to lose rather than to win. I don’t know , but there was no mention of forward player injuries. Even the lad who was their top scorer, Pinnock or similar had that one shot wrong side of the post…other than that largely ineffective.