Thursday deadline.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I'd rather have a real winger than Armstrong out there being played out of position. His skill set isn't that of a winger. I think his type of player is rapidly going out of fashion with only a few teams being brave enough to go with two strikers.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I'd be good in the dressing room for a tenth of what Conway will be on.  I've got a good sense of humour and loads of stories to tell. It's stepping out over the white line were my problems would start.

 

I'd rather spend that dosh on a young up and coming player from the league we've just left or one being discarded by a Premier League club.

Edited May 7, 2018 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[MarkBRFC]

I like how everyone is assuming we're going to keep 4 at the back. It's as clear as day that Mowbray will at least start the season with his favoured 3 at the back, this way he can get Williams and Bell in the same side

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

I like how everyone is assuming we're going to keep 4 at the back. It's as clear as day that Mowbray will at least start the season with his favoured 3 at the back, this way he can get Williams and Bell in the same side

I think you're right there. He must be a slow learner.

[FGS5635]

Just now, MarkBRFC said:

I like how everyone is assuming we're going to keep 4 at the back. It's as clear as day that Mowbray will at least start the season with his favoured 3 at the back, this way he can get Williams and Bell in the same side

Its really the main key to recruitment that he makes a clear choice on this. No doubt he wanted to play 3 at the back this season and thats why we had no width or wingers this season. Now we are crying out for wide men, but they would be a waste of money if he again reverts back to 3 at the back

[LDRover]

Got to get a better RB than Nyambe in the Championship. He may have excelled against a poor Oxford in a dead rubber but far sterner tests await. More telling is that the opposition always targeted him in L1 and we were often under pressure because of it. I'd expect this to continue at the level above and with better quality players there to exploit him.

[chaddyrovers]

4 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I'd rather have a real winger than Armstrong out there being played out of position. His skill set isn't that of a winger. I think his type of player is rapidly going out of fashion with only a few teams being brave enough to go with two strikers.

playing 3 at the back would give 2 up front with Dack in the 10 role with Smallwood and another midfielder behind him, Bennett and Bell as wing back with Lenihan, Mulgrew and Williams as the back 3

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, FGS5635 said:

Its really the main key to recruitment that he makes a clear choice on this. No doubt he wanted to play 3 at the back this season and thats why we had no width or wingers this season. Now we are crying out for wide men, but they would be a waste of money if he again reverts back to 3 at the back

Correct. If we play say Bennett, Linighan, Mulgrew, Williams, Bell as a back five we can't afford to have two defensive centre midfielders as well. Somebody out of those two has got to get up with the strikers regularly.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

playing 3 at the back would give 2 up front with Dack in the 10 role with Smallwood and another midfielder behind him, Bennett and Bell as wing back with Lenihan, Mulgrew and Williams as the back 3

If that's what you want to do then having Armstrong playing alongside Graham would make sense.  I'm not a great fan myself, I'd prefer to look at the players and decide what system to play based on the skills they have. Fitting players into a system that may not suit doesn't normally end well. With three centre backs it should enable Charlie to carry the ball out more than the current system does.

[islander200]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

If that's what you want to do then having Armstrong playing alongside Graham would make sense.  I'm not a great fan myself, I'd prefer to look at the players and decide what system to play based on the skills they have. Fitting players into a system that may not suit doesn't normally end well. With three centre backs it should enable Charlie to carry the ball out more than the current system does.

Agreed.We would need a deep playmaking midfielder somebody who can pass the ball and start moves. Whittingham was obviously brought in to that role last season. Perhaps this Hibs fella we have been linked with can do that job 

[FGS5635]

You look at the players we have and 3 at the back makes sense. It does seem to suit our key players.

But for whatever reason its been pretty poor whenever we have played it. Also if we cant get it to work in league 1, its certainly not going to get any easier in the championship

[FGS5635]

Most teams in league 1 have shown us a ton of respect and a plenty have parked the bus. Next season teams won tear us like that and not many will park the bus.

Its going to bring some different challenegs for some of them players. Dack will probably have a lot more space at times next year, but he will also spend more time defending.

I think armstrongs skill set was nullified a lot this yar with teams sitting deep. I actually think he'd be even better for us next season when teams attack us more.

I just hope whoever mowbray signs they have some real pace as this team does lack that. Lacks it bigtime if amrstrong doesnt return

[roversfan99]

22 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I can see Bennnett playing in centre midfield next season unless he is needed to do a defensive job out wide. 

Conway isn't meaningless cos he would be good squad man to bring when defending a lead and good in the dressing room. plus loads of experience and knowledge of this league, why get rid of that type of player. very strange

Get rid of him because his legs have gone, hes continuously injured, hes not assisted a goal all season and hes struggled even in League 1 sadly.

If he gets released, youll be insistent that it was the right thing to do anyway.

Just now, FGS5635 said:

You look at the players we have and 3 at the back makes sense. It does seem to suit our key players.

But for whatever reason its been pretty poor whenever we have played it. Also if we cant get it to work in league 1, its certainly not going to get any easier in the championship

It suits some but not all. Went back to 4-2-3-1 v Oxford and looked far better as a result. It suits our best players.

Mulgrew plays centrally in the 3 to fit Williams in, meaning that he cannot bring the ball out, whereas Williams and Lenihan are not good enough on the ball to play out from the back.

Nyambe and Williams are quite defensive full backs, therefore they are made redundant by the formation.

The focus on keeping the ball means that we play a lot slower and struggle to create chances.

Dack can become sidelined and it can affect his link up with Graham when hes having to move wide to find any space in the formation.

Stick to whats got us here in my opinion, 4-2-3-1 suits our spine down the ground. 

As you touch on itll only get harder to implement, maybe a formation that plays better on paper for our squad, and is best staying on paper.

[islander200]

Just now, FGS5635 said:

You look at the players we have and 3 at the back makes sense. It does seem to suit our key players.

But for whatever reason its been pretty poor whenever we have played it. Also if we cant get it to work in league 1, its certainly not going to get any easier in the championship

But maybe the right midfielder being bought could bring it all together.I like Smallwood but he isn't a passer same with Evans who I'm not a big fan of they both can t really spread the play.We need someone who can pick out a long pass not short passes to the player nearest them

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

7 minutes ago, islander200 said:

Agreed.We would need a deep playmaking midfielder somebody who can pass the ball and start moves. Whittingham was obviously brought in to that role last season. Perhaps this Hibs fella we have been linked with can do that job 

Maybe he's thinking Charlie can contribute more on the ball in a back three.

[roversfan99]

Just now, islander200 said:

But maybe the right midfielder being bought could bring it all together.I like Smallwood but he isn't a passer same with Evans who I'm not a big fan of they both can t really spread the play.We need someone who can pick out a long pass not short passes to the player nearest them

Whilst you may have a point in terms of needing a missing piece in the jigsaw, surely you could then argue that the same player added to what is already a proven successful structure and tactic with the rest of our players, the 4-2-3-1, would become even more efficient.

[FGS5635]

For me the key to 3 at the back is being brave and making it more of a 3-4-3. If you are not brave it quickly becomes 5 at the back and your 3 in the miiddle get over run by the 5 most other teams have  these days

[roversfan99]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Maybe he's thinking Charlie can contribute more on the ball in a back three.

I've found that when weve gone to a 3, Williams left, Lenihan right, that has left Mulgrew in the middle unable to bring the ball out anyway, such is his position.

It looked better when we improved towards the end of the last Championship campaign but Mulgrew was on the left, however Williams and Nyambe at the time were at wing back and not fit for purpose there due to their defensive tendencies.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, islander200 said:

But maybe the right midfielder being bought could bring it all together.I like Smallwood but he isn't a passer same with Evans who I'm not a big fan of they both can t really spread the play.We need someone who can pick out a long pass not short passes to the player nearest them

We need some mobility from centre midfield or you end up with seven players marking two or three opponents and you get over run in centre midfield.

First time I saw Smallwood play ( Rochdale Away )  he intercepted an opposition pass in the opponents half, put a good ball out to Bennett, sprinted into the penalty area, and then neatly  volleyed in Bennett's cross from the edge of the six yard box. A really good piece of play were we did them for numbers because they hadn't tracked him.

We need more of that.

[islander200]

Just now, roversfan99 said:

Whilst you may have a point in terms of needing a missing piece in the jigsaw, surely you could then argue that the same player added to what is already a proven successful structure and tactic with the rest of our players, the 4-2-3-1, would become even more efficient.

Oh aye I'm not saying we should go 3 at the back.My point is if Mowbray does see 3 at the back as the way he wants us to play then his recruitment needs to be tailored to that formation.

[FGS5635]

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

We need some mobility from centre midfield or you end up with seven players marking two or three opponents and you get over run in centre midfield.

First time I saw Smallwood play ( Rochdale Away )  he intercepted an opposition pass in the opponents half, put a good ball out to Bennett, sprinted into the penalty area, and then neatly  volleyed in Bennett's cross from the edge of the six yard box. A really good piece of play were we did them for numbers because they hadn't tracked him.

We need more of that.

Agreed. Smallwood, Evans, whittingham and bennet had 6 goals combined all season in a year when we pretty much dominated most teams. We will certainly need more than that from centre mid if we are to have any success at the next level

[Fraserkirky]

Nyambe gets some amount of crap on here, the kid is 20 years old for gods sake. He is still improving. He is the same age as Travis.

Nyambe adds athleticism to the team when he plays which is very important. If Tony is going back to 3-5-2 with Wing backs, then Nyambe goes to the right side of the back three. 

Bennett and Travis at Right Wing Back. If we can find a nasty Centre half, you could move Lenihan up into Midfield. 

 

Edit: I never want to see Bennett as a winger/inside forward in a 4-2-3-1 again. Totally ineffective. Right Back/Right Wing Back or Centre Mid. Might even play him in centre mid over Smallwood and Evans, he was that good in there.

Edited May 7, 2018 by Fraserkirky

[chaddyrovers]

26 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Get rid of him because his legs have gone, hes continuously injured, hes not assisted a goal all season and hes struggled even in League 1 sadly.

If he gets released, youll be insistent that it was the right thing to do anyway.

It suits some but not all. Went back to 4-2-3-1 v Oxford and looked far better as a result. It suits our best players.

Mulgrew plays centrally in the 3 to fit Williams in, meaning that he cannot bring the ball out, whereas Williams and Lenihan are not good enough on the ball to play out from the back.

Nyambe and Williams are quite defensive full backs, therefore they are made redundant by the formation.

The focus on keeping the ball means that we play a lot slower and struggle to create chances.

Dack can become sidelined and it can affect his link up with Graham when hes having to move wide to find any space in the formation.

Stick to whats got us here in my opinion, 4-2-3-1 suits our spine down the ground. 

As you touch on itll only get harder to implement, maybe a formation that plays better on paper for our squad, and is best staying on paper.

I wont be insistent that getting rid of Conway was the right thing cos Ive just told why I would keep him but you ignore it again. cos you don't agree with it. 

Firstly out best player wasn't playing yesterday in Dack, so that's a lie again. Armstrong played up front with Graham and it look a threat. with those 2 up front and Dack in behind we could be a real threat up season. 

Williams and Nyambe can play as part of a back 3 so that point is irrelevant

playing 3-4-1-2 next season at times would give us more attacking threat and 3 at the back would make us more solid.  we need to have 2 different formations otherwise we become predictable and easy to play against

21 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I've found that when weve gone to a 3, Williams left, Lenihan right, that has left Mulgrew in the middle unable to bring the ball out anyway, such is his position.

It looked better when we improved towards the end of the last Championship campaign but Mulgrew was on the left, however Williams and Nyambe at the time were at wing back and not fit for purpose there due to their defensive tendencies.

I'm sorry but that 1st part is rubbish. Mulgrew can bring the ball out more as we have Williams and Lenihan covering and use his good passing range. both wing backs need to play high up

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, blueboy3333 said:

Good thing about this summer is that Mowbray doesn't have lots of players who offer nothing taking up a chunk of the wage bill. There are a few that we could do to get rid of but I doubt they are on big money as the wage bill is only £8.5m. Caddis and Whittingham are two I think we can do without but beyond that you could make a case for most other first-teamers staying.

 

That £8.5m wage bill worries me in light of the visit to India. If the reports are true that promotion is worth around £6m I am concerned that Venkys will look at that and offset it against the current wage bill and not increase it by too much. I sincerely hope I am wrong (and then accused of being negative) but I have a feeling this isn't going to end well.

[islander200]

4 minutes ago, arbitro said:

That £8.5m wage bill worries me in light of the visit to India. If the reports are true that promotion is worth around £6m I am concerned that Venkys will look at that and offset it against the current wage bill and not increase it by too much. I sincerely hope I am wrong (and then accused of being negative) but I have a feeling this isn't going to end well.

It was 8.5 million in league one but surely our players had relegation clauses in their contracts that meant their wages dropped?Presumably now we have been promoted their wages will increase?I'm not sure how it works to be honest.Dack is also deserving of a better deal and I would presume the club will be looking to give him that as I'm sure other clubs will be looking at him.So the wage bill will rise before any new players are through the door