I can only say Tipton must be missing the mark by a mile if he can't get into that back line!
As we come towards the end of the year, it seems a good time to look back on the recruitment and see who’s been a hit and who’s been a miss. Some of these might be a little unfair given their limited game time, but that in itself also tells its own story…
Jodi Jones - HIT
Junior Morias - MISS
Dan Crowley - HIT
Will Randall - MISS
David McGoldrick - HIT
Ollie Tipton - MISS
Lewis Macari HIT (though HIT AND MISS might be aptest here)
Dan Gosling - MISS
Aiden Stone - MISS
Hope I haven’t missed anyone out (though Archie Mair deserves an honorable mention as a HIT for those penalty saves).
I’d like to think that some of the misses might yet come good, but the parable of the Tony Agana tells me not to count on it.
I can only say Tipton must be missing the mark by a mile if he can't get into that back line!
Reasonable assessment, almost 50% misses. So much for the radar
I wouldn't argue with the assessment either. Though in terms of misses, I think this season must be their poorest so far, and maybe there's reasons for that. ie: Not knowing which League we were gonna be operating in till late on? If any club can manage to get to, lets say @ 25% misses, I think most would say that's acceptable, especially looking at our past record in the tranny market.
Recruitment is never 100% successful, it wasn't last year or the year before. It's been okay this season and it depends on how we do in the window before we fully judge. Jones and Bostock mad a huge difference halfway through last season.
Palmer being injured leaves a huge hole in the middle, makes us less potent going forwards and more vulnerable in defence. We have to sign at least one energetic midfielder and I think a keeper too presuming Macari signs. If he doesn't we need a right sided defender as well.
I would agree with that list. Whilst some will say it’s 50/50 and that is correct the hits are bullseye ones and really good quality for this level. We all know the story with McGoldrick, wanting to finish his career here and with Jones and Crowley you’ve got two players there who for me could play in L1 and hold their own and those three are assets. Macari is young enough and has plenty of time to develop so for me is a hit as he can do a job and is capable at this level.
So I’m happy with a 50% success rate if the players that are hits are ones that could take us to and keep us at the next level.
If in 2024 we can sign another four players who are of the level of Jones, Crowley and McGoldrick in defensive and midfield positions then for me that would be enough to take us to the next level. Over to the radar.
Randall is LW’s signing..nothing to do with radar.
I’ve no idea what sort of wages McGoldrick’s on, but if we’ve skimped on paying for a decent keeper, CH, and/or midfielder to pay for them, then that’s got to go down as a miss.
Rawlinson - miss been great for us but legs have gone shouldn’t play a game for notts again
Slocombe - miss again been great for us but was clear we needed to upgrade last season even if still in national league and unfortunately we’ve bought in a keeper who’s worse
Cameron - miss there’s nothing about him that screams leader, captaincy should be given to bostock, atm it’s too easy for him guaranteed start guaranteed captain he’s just coasting needs to be dropped and forced to earn his starts then he might good enough
JOB - in between, too old to start but capable as cover, not his fault we decided to go into the season with home as only cover for two spots, deserved to stay, only Ardley relegation singling that was worth while and showed any care for the club