Liam Walker trialist - pending offer ?

[Proudpie]

According to The Post
Anonymous against Forest
Grafter against Wigan
29 years old as well so not going to get any better or quicker
Is he any better than what we have ?
We need extra quality i.e. a ball player not another water carrier or destroyer.
Think the salary could be spent better elsewhere like better quality CB and CF
Thoughts ?

[jackal2]

I agree.

And as I've said in another thread, whatever you think about the rights and wrongs of the decision to release Stanley Aborah, one of Nolan's comments was that Stan had bounced around a lot of clubs during his career without sticking very long anywhere. Liam Walker's career history (and age) is very similar, in fact many of the clubs Aborah played for were of significantly higher calibre.

I'm sorry, but you have to call it as you see it, and I think (Jorge Grant apart) Notts County's recruitment drive this summer has failed to achieve its targets and we're now looking for the scraps.

[Carlton_Pie]

I agree.

And as I've said in another thread, whatever you think about the rights and wrongs of the decision to release Stanley Aborah, one of Nolan's comments was that Stan had bounced around a lot of clubs during his career without sticking very long anywhere. Liam Walker's career history (and age) is very similar, in fact many of the clubs Aborah played for were of significantly higher calibre.

I'm sorry, but you have to call it as you see it, and I think (Jorge Grant apart) Notts County's recruitment drive this summer has failed to achieve its targets and we're now looking for the scraps.

How has it failed....the summer isn't over. I'd rather Notts go into the first game a few players short with potential to get more in, than panic buy and be light in quality but no room to add.

I also believe the players that have brought in are decent: Alessandra will be at brilliant Notts, a wide player with an eye for a goal who can also play behind the striker or up front. Hawkridge was very good in Vanamara, no reason he can't transition that a division up. Dan Jones: I wasn't happy with this signing but seeing him play, he is quick, 6 feet+ and better than Dickinson. Grant is...Grant! One of the best signings of any League 2 club.

If there were no more players added to this squad I'd guess we would finish 10th-14th due to a lack of quality at centre back. With hopefully a few more signings, that end of season prediction will be higher.

[jackal2]

How has it failed....the summer isn't over. I'd rather Notts go into the first game a few players short with potential to get more in, than panic buy and be light in quality but no room to add.

I also believe the players that have brought in are decent: Alessandra will be at brilliant Notts, a wide player with an eye for a goal who can also play behind the striker or up front. Hawkridge was very good in Vanamara, no reason he can't transition that a division up. Dan Jones: I wasn't happy with this signing but seeing him play, he is quick, 6 feet+ and better than Dickinson. Grant is...Grant! One of the best signings of any League 2 club.

If there were no more players added to this squad I'd guess we would finish 10th-14th due to a lack of quality at centre back. With hopefully a few more signings, that end of season prediction will be higher.

You answer your own question with your last paragraph.

It's true the summer isn't over, and to be fair I broadly agree with your assessment of the players that have arrived, but the fact that we are two weeks away from the new season and we still haven't recruited two dominant centre-halves and a quality striker suggests we haven't landed our key targets, or worse still that we don't recognise the problem. I tend to think the first explanation is more likely, because these are key weaknesses in the spine of the team and I can't believe Kevin Nolan wouldn't know that. Faffing around with the likes of Liam Walker and Callum Saunders is like fiddling while Rome burns.

[Carlton_Pie]

You answer your own question with your last paragraph.

It's true the summer isn't over, and to be fair I broadly agree with your assessment of the players that have arrived, but the fact that we are two weeks away from the new season and we still haven't recruited two dominant centre-halves and a quality striker suggests we haven't landed our key targets, or worse still that we don't recognise the problem. I tend to think the first explanation is more likely, because these are key weaknesses in the spine of the team and I can't believe Kevin Nolan wouldn't know that. Faffing around with the likes of Liam Walker and Callum Saunders is like fiddling while Rome burns.

Maybe we haven't landed our first choice targets, so what thats life and we have no divine rights over players

The season isn't over if we don't have all the players we want in by the first game. The club have a strategy of only signing players we 100% want and if this means they have to wait, so be it and the fans must be patient.

[Bohinen]

The club have a strategy of only signing players we 100% want and if this means they have to wait, so be it and the fans must be patient.

Fair enough, so why are we looking at signing Liam Walker?

[intheinaka]

I agree.

And as I've said in another thread, whatever you think about the rights and wrongs of the decision to release Stanley Aborah, one of Nolan's comments was that Stan had bounced around a lot of clubs during his career without sticking very long anywhere. Liam Walker's career history (and age) is very similar, in fact many of the clubs Aborah played for were of significantly higher calibre.

I'm sorry, but you have to call it as you see it, and I think (Jorge Grant apart) Notts County's recruitment drive this summer has failed to achieve its targets and we're now looking for the scraps.

Walker and Aborah have both plied their trade at my club, Portsmouth, and in terms of technical ability, Aborah is the far superior player. Looked head and shoulders above most players in League Two at the back end of last season when he got a run in the team, and quite a few fans were disappointed to see Jackett release him over the summer. However, Liam Walker is a totally different player. He'll work hard, get up and down the pitch, keeps things neat and tidy, and should chip in with a few goals and assists, but he's not going to spray pinpoint 40-yard passes or turn his marker inside out. Good, honest pro, and if your side is looking for that sort of thing then he'll be a decent signing. If you're more in need of some flair, then not so much.

[SwalePie]

Walker and Aborah have both plied their trade at my club, Portsmouth, and in terms of technical ability, Aborah is the far superior player. Looked head and shoulders above most players in League Two at the back end of last season when he got a run in the team, and quite a few fans were disappointed to see Jackett release him over the summer. However, Liam Walker is a totally different player. He'll work hard, get up and down the pitch, keeps things neat and tidy, and should chip in with a few goals and assists, but he's not going to spray pinpoint 40-yard passes or turn his marker inside out. Good, honest pro, and if your side is looking for that sort of thing then he'll be a decent signing. If you're more in need of some flair, then not so much.

Thanks for that. Always good to get something from someone who's actually seen a signing play before. To be honest if we're building some depth into the squad he sounds, from your summation, like a good guy to have in there.

As for Aborah...what a waste of talent that guy's career is. So much technical ability but it seems his attitude is what let's him down at club after club. On his day a joy to watch.

[LaxtonLad]

Walker and Aborah have both plied their trade at my club, Portsmouth, and in terms of technical ability, Aborah is the far superior player. Looked head and shoulders above most players in League Two at the back end of last season when he got a run in the team, and quite a few fans were disappointed to see Jackett release him over the summer. However, Liam Walker is a totally different player. He'll work hard, get up and down the pitch, keeps things neat and tidy, and should chip in with a few goals and assists, but he's not going to spray pinpoint 40-yard passes or turn his marker inside out. Good, honest pro, and if your side is looking for that sort of thing then he'll be a decent signing. If you're more in need of some flair, then not so much.

Aborah may be the superior player but if he keeps this superiority in his pocket where we can't see it and he can't use it, then he's not much use is he? Many a manager has given up on Stanley Aborah, including your own.

[Elite_Pie]

However, Liam Walker is a totally different player. He'll work hard.

Well summed up. Walker is nothing flashy, but from the bit I've seen of him he will get stuck in. Your gaffer did the right thing in binning Aborah - for all of his undoubted technical ability he offers the team very little. He doesn't score goals, he doesn't create goals, and when the other team have the ball you are effectively playing with 10 men.