|
Post by 61666 on Oct 9, 2022 10:16:39 GMT
Around a quarter of the way into the season and we can now see who can prosper at this level - and it's looking like it ain't many. Just talking about survival here, not promotion and for what it's worth here are my stayers:
Keeper: either will do, with Earle as back up, but not both
Defenders: Hoyte, Ellul, Galvin and maybe Mensah for whom it is too early
Midfield: Booty, Corne
Attack: Deacon
Impact subs: Odusanya, Pattisson, Barham
Impossible to say whether JB-W and Luque are good enough till they are fit.
In effect therefore we have only seven players who would get into another team in the bottom half of the NL, while we are short of quality of all over the pitch. For me, only Booty and maybe Corne might attract one of the top sides. Feel free to disagree, it is only an opinion, but certainly shows how big the gap is we have to close. Arguably, there must be 8-10 players on our books who need to move on, so that their wages can be spent on a decent centre back, holding midfield player and a striker. The squad is too big and we need quality, not quantity.
|
|
|
Post by Harry on Oct 9, 2022 10:29:53 GMT
Not far out imo.
But isn't Galvin just on loan with us ?
I think Barham may be good enough with the right type of service. Plainly lacking at the moment.
|
|
|
Post by deadly on Oct 9, 2022 10:35:21 GMT
Mensah too early ? Just a shade ! But I thought he did ok yesterday.
|
|
|
Post by holysmokes66 on Oct 9, 2022 10:46:24 GMT
Not far out imo. But isn't Galvin just on loan with us ? I think Barham may be good enough with the right type of service. Plainly lacking at the moment. Keeping Galvin until the end of the season would be huge, he's impressed me every time I've seen him. Certainly wouldn't play if he went back to Sheffield Wednesday and currently playing week in week out here for the foreseeable future, so fingers crossed.
|
|
|
Post by daveu on Oct 9, 2022 10:49:36 GMT
Mensah too early ? Just a shade ! But I thought he did ok yesterday. Looked pretty good to me, apart from inheriting the 60 yard hopeful punt from the rest of the team. Certainly reads the game well and not afraid to head the ball unlike a certain loanee we've had for a few games. With Ellul, Fowler and Mensah the centre backs are starting to look decent. Could probably do with one more. Still short of cover for the full backs although when Jerome is back we'll be ok on the left, but still no cover for Gavin. Roarie may have been able to do it last season but at this level he's not good enough defensively.
|
|
|
Post by holysmokes66 on Oct 9, 2022 11:03:39 GMT
Mensah too early ? Just a shade ! But I thought he did ok yesterday. Looked pretty good to me, apart from inheriting the 60 yard hopeful punt from the rest of the team. Certainly reads the game well and not afraid to head the ball unlike a certain loanee we've had for a few games. With Ellul, Fowler and Mensah the centre backs are starting to look decent. Could probably do with one more. Still short of cover for the full backs although when Jerome is back we'll be ok on the left, but still no cover for Gavin. Roarie may have been able to do it last season but at this level he's not good enough defensively. I wondered the other day if we'd want Charlie Seaman in (loanee from a couple of seasons ago). Still on Doncasters books but not playing and not on loan anywhere. Impressed in the curtailed Covid season we had and was brilliant going forward. Thoughts on Cawley? The opinions still out for me - had good games vs York and Aldershot, but been way off the pace in others. Hard one to read, a tad casual at times and doesn't look the kind of player you need in a relegation scrap perhaps?
|
|
|
Post by sword65 on Oct 9, 2022 12:40:26 GMT
Mensah too early ? Just a shade ! But I thought he did ok yesterday. Looked pretty good to me, apart from inheriting the 60 yard hopeful punt from the rest of the team. Certainly reads the game well and not afraid to head the ball unlike a certain loanee we've had for a few games. With Ellul, Fowler and Mensah the centre backs are starting to look decent. Could probably do with one more. Still short of cover for the full backs although when Jerome is back we'll be ok on the left, but still no cover for Gavin. Roarie may have been able to do it last season but at this level he's not good enough defensively. I was told yesterday that Jerome is one week away from possible selection.
|
|
|
Post by daveu on Oct 9, 2022 12:59:52 GMT
Looked pretty good to me, apart from inheriting the 60 yard hopeful punt from the rest of the team. Certainly reads the game well and not afraid to head the ball unlike a certain loanee we've had for a few games. With Ellul, Fowler and Mensah the centre backs are starting to look decent. Could probably do with one more. Still short of cover for the full backs although when Jerome is back we'll be ok on the left, but still no cover for Gavin. Roarie may have been able to do it last season but at this level he's not good enough defensively. I was told yesterday that Jerome is one week away from possible selection. I'd heard he was back in training but wasn't sure how long before he'd be back in the squad. Galvin's done ok so we'll at least have cover until his loan is up.
|
|
|
Post by swampy on Oct 9, 2022 13:30:11 GMT
Looked pretty good to me, apart from inheriting the 60 yard hopeful punt from the rest of the team. Certainly reads the game well and not afraid to head the ball unlike a certain loanee we've had for a few games. With Ellul, Fowler and Mensah the centre backs are starting to look decent. Could probably do with one more. Still short of cover for the full backs although when Jerome is back we'll be ok on the left, but still no cover for Gavin. Roarie may have been able to do it last season but at this level he's not good enough defensively. I was told yesterday that Jerome is one week away from possible selection. Jerome need to be 1 week away because I doubt Sheffield Wednesday will allow Galvin to become cup tied.
|
|
7oaks
Junior Member
Posts: 87
|
Post by 7oaks on Oct 9, 2022 14:54:34 GMT
"I wondered the other day if we'd want Charlie Seaman in (loanee from a couple of seasons ago). Still on Doncasters books but not playing and not on loan anywhere. Impressed in the curtailed Covid season we had and was brilliant going forward." I too had thought of Charlie, I rated him whilst he was here. He seems to be Rovers regular 89th minute substitute or EFL Cup game starter. Although normally a right back he played on the left on a number of occasions and in midfield too. Perhaps regular football would suit him now.
|
|
|
Post by 1018 on Oct 9, 2022 16:16:34 GMT
Mensah too early ? Just a shade ! But I thought he did ok yesterday. Looked pretty good to me, apart from inheriting the 60 yard hopeful punt from the rest of the team. Certainly reads the game well and not afraid to head the ball unlike a certain loanee we've had for a few games. With Ellul, Fowler and Mensah the centre backs are starting to look decent. Could probably do with one more. Still short of cover for the full backs although when Jerome is back we'll be ok on the left, but still no cover for Gavin. Roarie may have been able to do it last season but at this level he's not good enough defensively. Glad that I'm not the only one who thought that Barkers was afraid to challenge for headers. Hopefully the fact that he was subbed on 53 minutes suggests that Hak has seen enough of him to realise that he's made a mistake in signing him.
|
|
|
Post by HartleyHare on Oct 9, 2022 17:21:04 GMT
Looked pretty good to me, apart from inheriting the 60 yard hopeful punt from the rest of the team. Certainly reads the game well and not afraid to head the ball unlike a certain loanee we've had for a few games. With Ellul, Fowler and Mensah the centre backs are starting to look decent. Could probably do with one more. Still short of cover for the full backs although when Jerome is back we'll be ok on the left, but still no cover for Gavin. Roarie may have been able to do it last season but at this level he's not good enough defensively. Glad that I'm not the only one who thought that Barkers was afraid to challenge for headers. Hopefully the fact that he was subbed on 53 minutes suggests that Hak has seen enough of him to realise that he's made a mistake in signing him. Will need clarification from Dave on that one as i thought he was talking about a certain KLF.... who hopefully we have seen the last of. Mensah should be a decent enough signing i think. Seaman on loan could be decent, IF it were to transpire.
|
|
|
Post by daveu on Oct 9, 2022 18:34:41 GMT
Glad that I'm not the only one who thought that Barkers was afraid to challenge for headers. Hopefully the fact that he was subbed on 53 minutes suggests that Hak has seen enough of him to realise that he's made a mistake in signing him. Will need clarification from Dave on that one as i thought he was talking about a certain KLF.... who hopefully we have seen the last of. Mensah should be a decent enough signing i think. Seaman on loan could be decent, IF it were to transpire. I was indeed talking about KLF. Worst defender I've seen in a Stones shirt.
|
|
|
Post by jdl on Oct 9, 2022 22:04:01 GMT
After yesterday, my immediate answer to this question was "just Ellul, Booty and Fowler".
Plus Galvin, if loans count, and maybe Mensah (too early to tell).
I don't think anyone else has done enough over the last few games to justify a place. Even favourites of mine like Deacon and Hoyte seem to have gone off the boil.
This is not the answer I wanted to give, as I was initially glad that Hak had kept so many of last season's Championship squad - and in pre-season, I'd been impressed with 2 or 3 of the new players.
But, after Saturday... Jesus, that was bad, but if we run into a team who know how to play and score, the way things are at the moment, we'll be looking back on the Wrexham game as getting off lightly.
|
|
|
Post by Nick on Oct 10, 2022 8:39:06 GMT
Yea, I know how you feel jdl.
Like you, I was happy like you see our star players from last season offered new contracts, but I was surprised the numbers extended well into the fringe players.
We all anticipated new signings to strengthen the squad, but in truth not a single signing can be desribed as achieving this objective.
With some of the 21/22 players failings to bridge the gap between the 2 leagues, the team's failing have been inevitable and transparent.
Which leaves the club with something of a dilemma !
Re-building the squad mid-season has its problems, nobody wants a return of the horrendous days of the Wheeler.
Financing a competitive squad, may be beyond the club's means, but we wait to hear from Oliver Ash.
We can be sure that the owners are doing their best and the money tree is soon to be shaken (hopefully).
After that it depends on Hak and Terry.
Tbh, so far their performances this season have been disappointing, with their chosen squad of players under-performing.
Pretty sure thats how the owners will view it too.
But they have plenty of credit in the shed and the experience to turn things around.
No question changes are required if we are not to return to the NLS next season.
There's a lot to do.
Interesting times ahead.
For what its worth, whilst I don't think the mangement team has done great so far, its not how you are doing in October that matters at the end of the day, its where you finish at the end of the season.
I personally back them 100% to keep the good ship Stones in the National League.
|
|