The squad next season - in reply to Proggs

[Proggs]

The point about Haber is more how he got unfavourable press, mainly as he wasn't always available. In hindsight he had a good season in L1, in a poor side, than Bowery in half a season. I bet Haber was only available 10 more times than Bowery has been? Anyway, all academic. The point is probably as Alexknowall said, and I would have to agree on the last 3 at least games.

Initially Bowery improved us, at times was the reason we did positive. But it does seem to have died off - his energy and his role, and that is worrying for a player who needs a team.....

The question I keep saying out loud is "Surely we can do better?", and if we can't then we need to be happy with 'just safe' because a lot of these players have showed they are not up to game-in-game-out over a long, hard and cold season.

Based on DARAWA run, you could easily chop whole defence (and remember Zooms is not an Artell fav, only in due to injury. Before that it was change the formation before play Zooms). Bing + Hollands too injury prone for what we need and there just has to be better out there! Bowery not ours and already said above. Could easily justify a cull of 6 or so in immediate team and similar in squad ranks.

I'm not saying that'll happen, but some who stay need to change and quickly.

[Furberstreet]

Fully agree. We cannot keep retaining the same players who have taken us to the cusp of relegation to non-league following last season's relegation and the dog fights prior that. Same defensive frailties and weak midfield. The squad needs to be culled, but I hope that Artell is given sufficient funds to sign players to enhance the side rather than make up the numbers. I agree that Bowery's form has really tailed off. Early on I thought he might be a good signing, but no longer.

[gazan]

I agree with all that we need major changes. Clearly full backs are a problem, though maybe Perry can help out a little there. On the basis of Ray post-managerial change, I would want to keep him. I don't understand Guthrie- all that investment in him -doesn't he realise that he would attract more attention if he was part of a more stable effective defence (hopefully next year!). Also, same old problem, the club are not stopping him from moving but surely for the investment of time and money the club have made, he realises that we need a return on that investment.
As for the midfield, i seriously believe we should be looking at 4 not 3 playing there. For a lot of the season the mids have been overstretched and I feel that doesn't help our defensive record. One of those needs to be a combative holding midfielder and another needs to have the drive and ball-control of Callum Cooke. I'm not sure about Bowery. Dagger's goalscoring streak has coincided with the appearance of JB and I'm not sure that is entirely a coincidence. That leaves Cooper, Ainley, Kirk, Udoh and Lowery. George - has he actually turned up for the last 4 games? = squad player. To me Ainley is a future star but a role needs to be sorted for him. Davis wasted him on the wing- he is much better charging through the middle -maybe a number 10 BUT if I'm suggesting only 2 up front where does he fit in? Kirk had 2 really good games and then got injured - he is yet to prove himself. Udoh I'm not sure about-has he had a chance? Lowery is a definite for the future -shows good control on the ball.
In addition to these Dale is a prospect -short but an eye for goal. I've also heard good things about Poscha.
So....... we will need another CH (possibly 2) a couple of full backs a hard-tackling mid and maybe another big striker. Not much to ask?