Permanent Signings Complete?
BFP suggesting thats all folks - (although unless you are counting either Richardson or Ephraim, I make it 17 not 18 permanents and 6 not 7 new permanent signings).
What do we make of the bunch of 2015. For me Rowe genuinely exciting, the rest if being honest and totally transparent (?!) possibly just a little underwhelming. Maybe my expectations from last season have got ahead of reality.
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i totally agree, for me we had a better squad of players this time last year. for me Banton also excites me, thinks we are really lacking a creative midfielder. its we have lost players such as Mawson, PCH, Scowen, Saunders, Nico, and replaced them with Rowe, Thompson, Sellers, Stewart...for me the quality has defo decreased.
Obviously this comment is meaningless:
"There are still a few positions I'd like to add to and we're in discussions with a number of clubs regarding the possibility of bringing their players to Adams Park where we can help them with their development on and off the pitch."
I think that the feeling of "underwhelming" is because we are comparing the signings of Pierre & Hayes with this years of Thompson, Sellers, Stewart et al.
If Thompson proves as football intelligent as Hayes, this could prove to be a very key signing. As last season, we can't expect Hayes to go through a whole season without injury/fatigue. If Thompson can perform that role that could be significant. Rowe is deffo a quality signing and may yet prove to be as good as Mawson with game time? We know what Stewart offers, his departure from the club last season will obviously cloud the fans' judgement but we all were desperate for him to stay so here's hoping he can reproduce the levels of 2013/2014 season. Barton is a clear mirror for PCH and as such it may take time to get him to perform to a high standard on a regular basis. I believe the coaching team took half a season with PCH some patience may be the key here.
As for the rest, "in GA we trust" as has been said many times. I just hope that we as a general fan base can show restraint if results don't start going our way right from the off. We should keep some perspective in that last seasons start was an exception rather than the rule. If we are in the top third come the Christmas period, it will give us all hope for at least a playoff slot, which I for one would take right now if it were on offer.
For me, last summer's most exciting signing was Peter Murphy, and he's the one we've not replaced. At last we had a strong partner for Scowen in the middle - someone who could link up play intelligently, would pop up with the occasional goal, was confident in the tackle and clever in his positioning, and allowed Scowen to do what he did best without having to cover the whole of the centre of the pitch.
It all went to pot after Scowen left and now we have neither of them. I think we've got an adequate Scowen replacement in Rowe - but I really don't see yet who'll partner him in the centre. Maybe we're waiting for Saunders to accept he needs to drop down a couple of levels (he has his swimming trunks company to get off the ground though, which may mean he can't afford to take the pay cut).
If he doesn't arrive though what do we do? With the squad as it stands, I'd play Rowe as a defensive midfielder and Harriman doing box-to-box stuff in a 4-4-2. With O'Nien coming on to add a creative edge (hopefully) in the second half. I see Bloomfield, Bean and Kretch as bench fodder this year. But this isn't a central midfield that particularly inspires me. I really think we need a creative midfielder still. Then I'll be happy!
Fair response to be honest.
No doubt there will be a loanee or two before start of season and possibly on the negative side an injury or two, but as of now, what would you see the starting team against York
Maybe
442
ingram: Jombatti Pierre Rowe Jacobsen: Banton Bean Harriman Wood: Holloway thompson
or 433
Ingram, Jombatti, Pierre Rowe Jacobsen: Harriman Bean Wood: Thompson Holloway Hayes
Actually that 433 substituting Bean for loanee Saunders (or similar) with Banton to come off bench + possibly a fast loanee forward on bench too doesnt feel too shabby at all. Cover from Stewart, ONien, Bean Bloomers Sellers and Kretch. Its not bad.
I think we will still sign at least one more player on a permanent deal.
Why else would Gareth still have trialists in the squad?
I think everyone is underestimating the potential of O'Nien. He was highly thought of by Watford and I suspect he would have been retained if they hadn't got promoted to the Premier League.
I think some people are comparing apples to pears - Saunders and Yennaris didn't arrive until almost the end of Feb so it's not fair to include them in comparisons of the squad now with the squad that did a large amount of the donkey work to get us in the promotion spots in the early part of last season.
We didn't have a truly creative midfielder at the start last season either. Yes Murphy gave us a goal threat (for a short spell) but he's not a ball-playing creator of chances for the forwards. I'm hoping that O'Nien will give us that although that's just from what I've read about him as I haven't seen him in action yet, and he may take a while to find his feet at this level.
I think Rowe is a perfectly adequate replacement for Scowen and if Stewart fulfills his original promise he won't be far off Mawson. Banton excites me and there's no reason why the coaching staff can't do with him what they did with PCH.
I'd like to see a speedster brought in up front and that for me would be a great permanent squad with which to start the season. To then be supplemented as and when with loanees - and if they are of the quality of Sam and Nico then all the better.
What excites me the most however for the start of the season and which strengthens the front line enormously is a fully fit Aaron Holloway. I found him a joy to watch in the second half of the season as he found his fitness and started to gain decent experience, and I think he will terrorise defences this year.
COYB!
Rowe is a great signing. I'm quietly confident that Thompson is going to be a big player this year.
I still think we are short of one quality central midfielder. Maybe that's O'Nien, who knows?
I agree with Fidget. Stewart and Pierre should be a great pairing. Rowe is also a good signing...on a par with getting Pierre I reckon. I'm not so sure everyone was so very confident with the squad at the start of last season...a bit of hindsight I think. For me Gaz has done better than I expected in replacing Alfie (Stewart WAS a class act after all) and PCH/Fred (Banton) and Danny Rowe may well help us accept the loss of Josh just a litte bit. If Thompson is anywhere near as good and still hungry as the skipper proved to be that will be a bonus, and we haven't lost Ingram, Blooms Sido, JJ and Woody in the so far which is no mean feat considering we are still in League Two...so we have to, in some respects, make do with what we can get.
Granted it was only Wealdstone but Danny Rowe was superb last tuesday. I think he is going to be the transfer coup of the season
Oh and of course, if Holloway is fit he will be lifted by the AP crowd and may be a very exciting player for us next season!
I definitely think our 'squad' is stronger because whatever our starting line up is we can always bring on a Jason Banton, Luke O'Nien or Ryan Sellers to change a game. Over the past few years not very often has brought on a sub where the crowd can really count on the player having an instant impact on the game, and I think this year we have that.
do not agree at all. squad was alot stronger last year.
Ok, let's compare the beginning of last season with this, assuming we're lining up 4-4-2:
2014 - 2015 - who's better
Ingram - Ingram - now (a season more experience)
Jacobson - Jacobson - same
Jombati - Harriman - now
Pierre - Pierre - now (a season more experience)
Mawson - Stewart - then (though only with hindsight)
Wood - Wood - same
Cowan-Hall - Banton - then
Scowen - Rowe - then
Murphy - Bean or Bloomfield or O'Nien - then
Hayes - Hayes or Holloway - now
Craig - Thompson - now
Bench then: Bloomfield, McClure, Holloway, Walker, Rowe, Richardson, Holloway, Kretzschmar
Bench now: Bloomfield, Bean, O'Nien (two of the three), Jombati, Sellers, Lynch, Hayes (or Holloway), Kretzschmar
Better bench - now
To me our defence is better now, even without Mawson, because of the additional experience Ingram and Pierre have in particular.
Our strikeforce is far better, though we need one more for the bench.
Our midfield is substantially worse.
Our bench is more experienced and exciting.
Overall I'd say we're in a better position now... but only just.
Harriman won't be playing RB ahead of Sido.
For me, we need a creating midfielder and a pacey striker, if we get these on board then i think we will be in a strong position for promotion!
I can't wait to see Holloway this season. This could be his year to really shine.
4-2-3-1 formation
GK. Ingram
RB. Sido
CB. Stewart
CB. Pierre
LB. JJ
DM. Rowe
DM.Harriman
LW. Wood/Banton
RW. Thompson
CAM. Hayes
ST. Holloway
This would get is near the buisness end of the table for certain.
I think we will definitely see a version of the above ........ If Saunders does join I wonder how it would work out ??
Spot on. Comparing this season's starting 11 with last is. More accurate measure. Many are thinking of our best 11 including all players brought in on loan during the season.
I'd argue the squad looks very similar to the one we started last season with. Lots of players capable of playing multiple positions, very limited number but (in theory) decent quality. I would argue the only area we seem weaker is central midfield. Scowen and Murphy started the season superbly and I don't see that we have the same quality in there again.
Nonetheless, I suspect injuries and loanees will have a massive impact again. The fact that we avoided suspension and injury almost entirely until the second half of the season was hugely important last year. And when we did suffer Fred, Yennaris and Saunders came in and proved to be three of the best performing loanees we've ever had.
I think the right back position may be covered now? How many have we got that can slot in there mentioned to date? Is it five maybe six?
I think the whole back four is pretty well covered now.
RB: Sido, Harriman, Rowe, Stewart, Bean, O'Nien
LB: JJ, Sellers, Wood
CB: Pierre, Stewart, Rowe, Sido
Need 3 more LB's then? I like to see a balanced team!