Who is good enough [to retain]?

[matt_magpie]

I agree with that. We've gone from having a handful of genuine stars who should be playing higher up the pyramid to having maybe one, but he's injury-prone and constantly played out of position. Jones is a wide forward or winger. I'm cool with him playing on the right and cutting in, but he needs to be on the ball where he can do more damage.

Way too many average players in our squad. Way too many lightweight players who don't affect the game enough. Not enough big personalities.

Oh and Jatta is good enough. He scored 20 goals and is the second top scorer in the league. He's just out of form, as is the entire team.

I agree with that and said it all season we have a solid squad with the magic dust of JJ, Crowley and Didzy but we all know what has happened with them this season.
I don?t think SMs been awful, he?s done ok but unfortunately ok doesn?t get you promoted with a squad that has had clear limitations.

[durhampie]

The first thing to do is to get rid of SM and appoint a complete new coaching team. Next season we need to utilise our players in their favoured position, and not trying to convert them into wingbacks. I think we also need to revert to playing a back four, as this three at the back crap just hasn't worked out.
As regards new players, i think we need to bulk up the centre mid with players capable of winning first and second balls. I would also like to see a Paul Mullin type player up top who wouldnt be pushed off the ball too easily, like Jatta and Traore.

[MagpieNate]

Should hopefully see a retained list next week and really interested to see who is let go/allowed to explore other opportunities. Think I mentioned it on another thread I started that the players we already have are well suited to a 4231 and would love to see us recruit towards that this summer. Wouldn?t be against a new management team but I don?t SM leaving unless we?re off the pace towards the end of the year. If he?s here at the start of pre season, he must surely realise he needs to try something new. Let?s get Jones and Jarvis up around the striker and bin off this horrible wing back system. Get Didzy contracted, get competition in for Jatta, get energy in the middle to replace Abbott.

[Piessince67]

Please can we. have a Paul Harding type cruncher

[irishpete]

Please can we. have a Paul Harding type cruncher

Or a Dean Thomas

[SwalePie]

Luke Williams. He's good enough.

[Piessince67]

Ok guys there is a consensus building here.Dump wing backs , go back 4 play jones and jarvis high.A couple of thugs and a creative goalscoring midfield player.Have i read this right?

[matt_magpie]

Ok guys there is a consensus building here.Dump wing backs , go back 4 play jones and jarvis high.A couple of thugs and a creative goalscoring midfield player.Have i read this right?

That would be my preference with JJ and Jarvis 100%. Them 2 with a good preseason behind them should be absolutely firing start of the season.

[nw6pie]

The first thing to do is to get rid of SM and appoint a complete new coaching team. Next season we need to utilise our players in their favoured position, and not trying to convert them into wingbacks. I think we also need to revert to playing a back four, as this three at the back crap just hasn't worked out.
As regards new players, i think we need to bulk up the centre mid with players capable of winning first and second balls. I would also like to see a Paul Mullin type player up top who wouldnt be pushed off the ball too easily, like Jatta and Traore.

4231 seems to be the favoured formation in the Premier League these days, with 352 considered old-fashioned. I think it’s time we moved on too - four solid defenders and two aggressive, mobile midfielders at the base, and four creative players wreaking havoc up front.

Overall, this season has left me with many questions, the main ones concerning the fitness of the players (did the lack of a proper training ground in preseason have an impact on us? Are the backroom staff doing the best job with injuries and fitness levels?); the departure of the Saunders bros and their replacement Alves at a pivotal time, leaving SM looking isolated; and the weakening of the side through Crowley’s departure in January - there’s no doubt our record was better with him in the side, so how did the club envisage covering that loss? With a kid from Everton’s development team who’d recently returned from injury?

Finally, on Feb 2, we were third and with a great chance of going up. What went wrong in the final 16 games so that we lost half of them so meekly, including to the likes of Barrow and Cheltenham at home?

[durhampie]

Luke Williams. He's good enough.

Give over....