Interesting perspective @thecatwwfc - I could certainly understand the "do well to hold onto list."
I don't personally think we would voluntarily release GMac or Thompson, and Wheeler is such a swiss army knife that I could see us keeping him too. I feel for Kaikai, as there is a great player in there who needs minutes, so he could go either way. I am a Horgan fan, but I could understand if he is released.
I would definitely want to keep those four too. Gape is the future captain-in-waiting with JJ potentially leaving, all the more so if we did lose Scowen and revert to a Gape-Thompson axis (as it would firm up his starting spot a lot more).
I agree this is a very pre-emptive conversation, but @ReturnToSenda's discovery of the amount of our of contract players was quite the bombshell to me!
GMac isn't getting younger and more than likely on big wages. Thompson as it stands (and we all know this is far from the truth) is a waste of space. I hope we give him a chance.
Wheeler, I agree, but how long will he want to be a Swiss army knife for?
Also agree about Kaikai. Never really slotted into our system but if there was ever a chance for him to prove his worth....its now. Its up to him.
Horgan...I think he's great on his day. Can't fault his work rate and efforts, but hasn't imposed himself. I really want him to be that player that grabs the game and influences it. Yet to see it. I hope he proves me wrong because more often than not, our team looks better off with him in it when on form.
Out of the ones we will be lucky to hold onto....Scowen is the only one I can see staying, possibly Mawson if he repays the faith we have shown in him. The others, along with Mehmeti, could go. Saying that, how many higher division clubs would take Vokes "as it stands?"
Seems quite a definitive list after so much talk about not releasing contract lengths. Has this information come out or is there an element of guessing?
Personally I think at least half of them will have signed longer deals by Christmas. Some good players there.
Such a shame so many other clubs have good players too.
I take this back slightly. We have scored a reasonable amount of goals, but we've not made it easy for ourselves: we've created the joint fewest big (clear-cut) chances in the entire EFL (4) 😬
For comparison, last season we created the joint second-most big chances in League One behind Rotherham. Work to be done...
Be interesting to know how many (percentage-wise) of our goals have actually come from 'chances' this season. Most seem to have been conjured up out of nowhere (usually involving Mehmeti).
So we've scored three big chances out of six (the four we've created plus two 'created' by opposition mistakes, basically): Vokes v Sheff Wed, McCarthy v Accrington and Wheeler v Burton.
We lost and were second best sure BUT our goal was one of the best I have ever seen us score. If that had been Man City everyone would be purring. Ok they also would have got three point, even so quality.
Just realised we missed Ricky Gervais at the Swan last week but he’s at the Waterside (?next week) in Aylesbury. No good to us because there’s no parking at the theatre itself, apparently.
His early podcast stuff and xfm show were also very good.
His recent output is appalling though, I fully agree with Stewart Lee's thoughts on Afterlife and I genuinely think Derek is the worst television show ever made, to the extent that I remain convinced that he is having a private little joke to see how bad he could make something and still have people like it
In my opinion etc etc, obviously subjective, I know people love those shows
I liked Afterlife. I like Stewart Lee. I like some of Ricky Gervais stuff, I don’t like some other of his stuff. So it was with great surprise that certain corners became hysterical at the criticism. What a sad world it would be if we all liked the same stuff.
Comedy like music is so subjective . I thought the office was brilliant, extras great and he worked really well with Karl Pilkington. I can however take or leave his stand up, it’s okay but he does like to visit the “well” of saying that outrageous thing too often lately.
Stewart Lee, again I probably preferred him in Lee and Herring to his solo stuff I think he needed Richard as a foil , Fist of Fun and This Morning with.. were unmissable viewing for me.
I don't disagree that he gets horribly exposed when a pacey winger plays against him but generally that has been six to eight games a season rather than 30 odd. His dead ball creativity, positional sense and leadership have, historically, more than outweighed those one or two games where he gets done for pace over the course of the season. He is also excellent at crossing and picking out Vokes from distance.
He is probably the best defender I've ever seen at breaking up play and stopping attacks before they start. The same thing can be said of his ability to appear from nowhere and make a last ditch tackle or block where a goal would seem the certain outcome. MK away play off block was unreal.
I'm sad to see that some of that side of his game has not been up to scratch this season but in my opinion I'd much rather start with him at left back than Obita. For me, Obita is not an out and out left back, he's a left winger/left midfielder who can do a half decent job at left back when called upon. He goes missing more often than not and has been caught on more than one occasion ball watching at the back post when I feel JJ would have got goal side or made a clearance.
You may well be right, it could be one season too many for JJ but he's turned it around in the past and I think if we get our attack going again he can turn it around this season as well. Let's see what happens!
I don't disagree that he gets horribly exposed when a pacey winger plays against him but generally that has been six to eight games a season rather than 30 odd. His dead ball creativity, positional sense and leadership have, historically, more than outweighed those one or two games where he gets done for pace over the course of the season. He is also excellent at crossing and picking out Vokes from distance.
He is probably the best defender I've ever seen at breaking up play and stopping attacks before they start. The same thing can be said of his ability to appear from nowhere and make a last ditch tackle or block where a goal would seem the certain outcome. MK away play off block was unreal.
I'm sad to see that some of that side of his game has not been up to scratch this season but in my opinion I'd much rather start with him at left back than Obita. For me, Obita is not an out and out left back, he's a left winger/left midfielder who can do a half decent job at left back when called upon. He goes missing more often than not and has been caught on more than one occasion ball watching at the back post when I feel JJ would have got goal side or made a clearance.
You may well be right, it could be one season too many for JJ but he's turned it around in the past and I think if we get our attack going again he can turn it around this season as well.
I don't disagree that he gets horribly exposed when a pacey winger plays against him but generally that has been six to eight games a season rather than 30 odd. His dead ball creativity, positional sense and leadership have, historically, more than outweighed those one or two games where he gets done for pace over the course of the season. He is also excellent at crossing and picking out Vokes from distance.
He is probably the best defender I've ever seen at breaking up play and stopping attacks before they start. The same thing can be said of his ability to appear from nowhere and make a last ditch tackle or block where a goal would seem the certain outcome. MK away play off block was unreal.
I'm sad to see that some of that side of his game has not been up to scratch this season but in my opinion I'd much rather start with him at left back than Obita. For me, Obita is not an out and out left back, he's a left winger/left midfielder who can do a half decent job at left back when called upon. He goes missing more often than not and has been caught on more than one occasion ball watching at the back post when I feel JJ would have got goal side or made a clearance.
You may well be right, it could be one season too many for JJ but he's turned it around in the past and I think if we get our attack going again he can turn it around this season as well.
Comments
Interesting perspective @thecatwwfc - I could certainly understand the "do well to hold onto list."
I don't personally think we would voluntarily release GMac or Thompson, and Wheeler is such a swiss army knife that I could see us keeping him too. I feel for Kaikai, as there is a great player in there who needs minutes, so he could go either way. I am a Horgan fan, but I could understand if he is released.
I would definitely want to keep those four too. Gape is the future captain-in-waiting with JJ potentially leaving, all the more so if we did lose Scowen and revert to a Gape-Thompson axis (as it would firm up his starting spot a lot more).
I agree this is a very pre-emptive conversation, but @ReturnToSenda's discovery of the amount of our of contract players was quite the bombshell to me!
Stryjek?
My verdict was based on today/as it stands.
GMac isn't getting younger and more than likely on big wages. Thompson as it stands (and we all know this is far from the truth) is a waste of space. I hope we give him a chance.
Wheeler, I agree, but how long will he want to be a Swiss army knife for?
Also agree about Kaikai. Never really slotted into our system but if there was ever a chance for him to prove his worth....its now. Its up to him.
Horgan...I think he's great on his day. Can't fault his work rate and efforts, but hasn't imposed himself. I really want him to be that player that grabs the game and influences it. Yet to see it. I hope he proves me wrong because more often than not, our team looks better off with him in it when on form.
Out of the ones we will be lucky to hold onto....Scowen is the only one I can see staying, possibly Mawson if he repays the faith we have shown in him. The others, along with Mehmeti, could go. Saying that, how many higher division clubs would take Vokes "as it stands?"
That's a hell of an out of contract list, it could certainly be a changing of the guard if we don't compete for the play offs in the end.
Whilst I hope Gareth carries on as manager, if he did go, it would be an ideal situation for a new manager to build his own squad.
Seems quite a definitive list after so much talk about not releasing contract lengths. Has this information come out or is there an element of guessing?
Personally I think at least half of them will have signed longer deals by Christmas. Some good players there.
Such a shame so many other clubs have good players too.
Not sure about him as we seemed to stop disclosing contract lengths this summer (apart from Alfie)
I take this back slightly. We have scored a reasonable amount of goals, but we've not made it easy for ourselves: we've created the joint fewest big (clear-cut) chances in the entire EFL (4) 😬
For comparison, last season we created the joint second-most big chances in League One behind Rotherham. Work to be done...
Be interesting to know how many (percentage-wise) of our goals have actually come from 'chances' this season. Most seem to have been conjured up out of nowhere (usually involving Mehmeti).
So we've scored three big chances out of six (the four we've created plus two 'created' by opposition mistakes, basically): Vokes v Sheff Wed, McCarthy v Accrington and Wheeler v Burton.
That leaves 10 more difficult goals, so to speak:
So yeah @bookertease, you're basically right.
I love the fact Mehmeti has more amazing solos than Jimi Hendrix.
Anis: Bold as Love
We lost and were second best sure BUT our goal was one of the best I have ever seen us score. If that had been Man City everyone would be purring. Ok they also would have got three point, even so quality.
Maybe those moments where Mehmeti goes cheat code should actually be called Purple Haze.
Or simply 'Fire'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGaoLs6F4ro
@drcongo Is this the first time somebody has bullet pointed the gasroom?
raised the level on @oilysailor imho.
gonna have to be a worldie FA Cup poem to trump this
Just realised we missed Ricky Gervais at the Swan last week but he’s at the Waterside (?next week) in Aylesbury. No good to us because there’s no parking at the theatre itself, apparently.
Is that a miss though?
Great work with the Office, but essentially a bit of a berk?
I'd call that a bonus missing him
His early podcast stuff and xfm show were also very good.
His recent output is appalling though, I fully agree with Stewart Lee's thoughts on Afterlife and I genuinely think Derek is the worst television show ever made, to the extent that I remain convinced that he is having a private little joke to see how bad he could make something and still have people like it
In my opinion etc etc, obviously subjective, I know people love those shows
How did we get onto this subject ???
I liked Afterlife. I like Stewart Lee. I like some of Ricky Gervais stuff, I don’t like some other of his stuff. So it was with great surprise that certain corners became hysterical at the criticism. What a sad world it would be if we all liked the same stuff.
It's that out of control thread hijacker @micra again
Comedy like music is so subjective . I thought the office was brilliant, extras great and he worked really well with Karl Pilkington. I can however take or leave his stand up, it’s okay but he does like to visit the “well” of saying that outrageous thing too often lately.
Stewart Lee, again I probably preferred him in Lee and Herring to his solo stuff I think he needed Richard as a foil , Fist of Fun and This Morning with.. were unmissable viewing for me.
Anyhow how did we get onto this..
Own up @LX1 !
I don't disagree that he gets horribly exposed when a pacey winger plays against him but generally that has been six to eight games a season rather than 30 odd. His dead ball creativity, positional sense and leadership have, historically, more than outweighed those one or two games where he gets done for pace over the course of the season. He is also excellent at crossing and picking out Vokes from distance.
He is probably the best defender I've ever seen at breaking up play and stopping attacks before they start. The same thing can be said of his ability to appear from nowhere and make a last ditch tackle or block where a goal would seem the certain outcome. MK away play off block was unreal.
I'm sad to see that some of that side of his game has not been up to scratch this season but in my opinion I'd much rather start with him at left back than Obita. For me, Obita is not an out and out left back, he's a left winger/left midfielder who can do a half decent job at left back when called upon. He goes missing more often than not and has been caught on more than one occasion ball watching at the back post when I feel JJ would have got goal side or made a clearance.
You may well be right, it could be one season too many for JJ but he's turned it around in the past and I think if we get our attack going again he can turn it around this season as well. Let's see what happens!
I don't disagree that he gets horribly exposed when a pacey winger plays against him but generally that has been six to eight games a season rather than 30 odd. His dead ball creativity, positional sense and leadership have, historically, more than outweighed those one or two games where he gets done for pace over the course of the season. He is also excellent at crossing and picking out Vokes from distance.
He is probably the best defender I've ever seen at breaking up play and stopping attacks before they start. The same thing can be said of his ability to appear from nowhere and make a last ditch tackle or block where a goal would seem the certain outcome. MK away play off block was unreal.
I'm sad to see that some of that side of his game has not been up to scratch this season but in my opinion I'd much rather start with him at left back than Obita. For me, Obita is not an out and out left back, he's a left winger/left midfielder who can do a half decent job at left back when called upon. He goes missing more often than not and has been caught on more than one occasion ball watching at the back post when I feel JJ would have got goal side or made a clearance.
You may well be right, it could be one season too many for JJ but he's turned it around in the past and I think if we get our attack going again he can turn it around this season as well.
I don't disagree that he gets horribly exposed when a pacey winger plays against him but generally that has been six to eight games a season rather than 30 odd. His dead ball creativity, positional sense and leadership have, historically, more than outweighed those one or two games where he gets done for pace over the course of the season. He is also excellent at crossing and picking out Vokes from distance.
He is probably the best defender I've ever seen at breaking up play and stopping attacks before they start. The same thing can be said of his ability to appear from nowhere and make a last ditch tackle or block where a goal would seem the certain outcome. MK away play off block was unreal.
I'm sad to see that some of that side of his game has not been up to scratch this season but in my opinion I'd much rather start with him at left back than Obita. For me, Obita is not an out and out left back, he's a left winger/left midfielder who can do a half decent job at left back when called upon. He goes missing more often than not and has been caught on more than one occasion ball watching at the back post when I feel JJ would have got goal side or made a clearance.
You may well be right, it could be one season too many for JJ but he's turned it around in the past and I think if we get our attack going again he can turn it around this season as well.