Lewis Macari

Our back three is such a conundrum, the only way we will strengthen what we already have is by signing a player in the mould of Aden Flint at stags, but he's a real outlier at this level. Getting the mix right between technical ability and pace to cope with our high line together with domineering physicality must be almost impossible in the fourth tier.

Surely he would prefer not to play first team football at Stoke than not play it here.

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Originally Posted by Woodypie

Surely he would prefer not to play first team football at Stoke than not play it here.

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It is strange.

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Originally Posted by Woodypie

Surely he would prefer not to play first team football at Stoke than not play it here.

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He's closer to the starting line up here than Stoke wouldn't even make their matchday squad that's why they sent him out on loan

If our coaches do not believe he is nailed on to start at top end of League Two level, then you can presume he is a long way off playing for a midtable Championship side. Huge step up.

I rate the lad and from what I have seen he is picking up the Notts County (LW Method) style of play and is fitting in nicely and can only grow into a better player

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Originally Posted by the_anticlough

Macari isn't the defensive super-athlete we'd need most but would still be a great signing.

We don't have enough players in his age bracket
He seems to be happy here and positive about the club
Easily good enough on the ball to be a LW defender
From his interviews, it seems he fits our criteria of good characters
Good on the right of a 3, or conventional RB if ever we revert to a 4, maybe LCB or RWB at a push.

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Agree with all that, but we'd still need a big ogre of a defender in addition to Macari. Fingers crossed we can get that Conor Keeley, or someone like that.

Ideally over the next 18 months if we continue with 3 central defenders, pressing and playing with a high line. they need to be over 6ft good in the air,quick and comfortable in possession
For me only Baldwin fits that description

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Originally Posted by Proactive not Reactive

Ideally over the next 18 months if we continue with 3 central defenders, pressing and playing with a high line. they need to be over 6ft good in the air,quick and comfortable in possession
For me only Baldwin fits that description

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And quite possibly with better players around him Baldwin might be able to be more decisive in possession. I can only presume that all this stopping, looking and then turning again (repeat and then have to rush a pass!) is either a lack of movement for his pass or a lack of confidence in who he has available? He looks comfortable on the ball and looks more than good enough when he is on his game.

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Originally Posted by slack_pie

Agree with all that, but we'd still need a big ogre of a defender in addition to Macari. Fingers crossed we can get that Conor Keeley, or someone like that.

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Interesting. A back 3 of Macari-Baldwin-Cameron could win promotion I think but only if Macari continues to develop and Cameron finds his very best form, so both of them get closer to the level of Baldwin. And with the WBs being close to non-factors defensively we'd need Palmer back or a CM pairing that provides very good cover.
And everything else would have to be right in front of them.
Getting there would be a different matter to holding our own in L1 - for that we'd probably need something more at the back.