Next Season

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ty cobb
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Next Season

Post by ty cobb »

To try and move on from the pain of Monday (and my goodness it is so painful just how control we were for that period before a hit and hope undid us) I have tried to turn my thoughts to next season and whether we will still be competitive. Its important to remember that we were third in the table when the season finished so it is not an unreasonable assumption to make that actually we have a very good team for this level, Pboro, Sunderland, Ipswich all spent big this season and still didn't make the play offs so that may well happen again. I am also putting far more weight on the performances over the course of the season/last season than three very odd games following a long lay off.

Goalkeeper

Provided Easty doesn't want a move up North we are well served in this position. Given how reliable he is we don't need back up beyond Stevens -if Easty suffers a bad injury we can bring someone in on loan.

Defense

Assuming Dickie leaves we have a back two of Moore and Mousinho with Atkinson as a back up. Mousinho of this season and Moore are a very good pairing and I would hope Atkinson can fill in for say 20 games - if he can't why did we sign him? Long can also cover here. Full backs, I think we need an attacking right back to push Long but both Long and Ruffles were very good in our fantastic run in the second half of the season and I would be happy with both to be first choice next season, although if we can get better in to give us the option then great.

Midfield

Sykes, Henry, Gorrin and Kelly (if he stays) are a good base. If Brannagan leaves we will need a box to box player who can chip in with the odd goal - could Sykes play that role? We need two wingers with pace, if we can get Holland and Browne back, that would more than do. Forde and Hanson are decent back up and can play at right back if Long needs to cover in the center. Unlike some I'm not sure if Brannagan would be well served by leaving. I see him as similar to Ledson who is now struggling to get a game for a average championship team. If he stays he can be linchpin next season - however, I suspect a chance to step and (and the wage increase as a result) will be too hard to turn down. So a big replacement needed here.

Strikers

This, as last season, is the area that needs most work. Essentially we have Agyei who is a very good player to bring on/as cover. Will Taylor stay? He has just been let go by a average championship team and struggled to get a run of games. Will another Championship club take him on in the current environment especially given his age and the injury niggles he has. Would a three year contract on good league one wages be enough to tempt him to stay? I really hope so - he is very very good for us and takes us to another level. Will continuing to play for his home town club be enough to tempt him or will another league one club blow us out the water with a wage offer. He will do whats best for him I think from a financial perspective, given this is his last big contract and we let him go at a early age can't blame him for that but I really hope he stays.

If he does go we need two very good strikers. I would be happy with Will Grigg if we can get that deal going again as I think Robbo will get the best from him. But this is the area we need the most money spent and the biggest worry in terms of having another good season next year.

The Manager

For me the most important person to stay, hes done a great job. If we lost him we will need to rebuild as a new manager will want their own team. It sounded very much post match that he wants big backing next year, giving the lack of crowds I think he may rightly be disappointed and he should recognise this. I get the feeling the promises made to him have not been kept but given the above I don't think we need massive surgery - if we can spend most the money we get for the players that go we should be able to bring in three quality players on a perm and some quality loans again, given the above that should put us in a very good position next year.

I worry his head has been turned though and someone will come knocking.

So next couple of months will be very interesting and I hope the players will use the disappointment to come back stronger and take the division by storm - if Coventry can do it why not us?
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Next Season

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

A good analysis. The only area which I think you’ve forgotten is our plethora of promising youngsters who could (and, given the financial uncertainty, will probably have to) make the step up. Off the top of my head:
  • Nico Jones - has started league games before for us at CB and looked very assured.
  • Fabio Lopes - exactly the sort of creative midfielder who Robbo likes, and he’s talked him up massively before.
  • Fabio Sole - a CM who friends who’ve seen him say looks a real prospect.
  • Slavi Spasov - centre-forward who Robbo has talked up before (didn’t he take a winning pen for us in a Spotascab Trophy game?).
The only other area in addition to yours that concerns me is backup GK. Eastwood has been great for us, but his form in the three playoff games makes me wonder whether we need a No 2 who can push him all the way. That may well be Jack Stevens, but if so then we need to give him more opportunities.
Shoobedoo
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Re: Next Season

Post by Shoobedoo »

A lot of sound analysis in Ty's post and I've also been doing my best to move on from Monday however much it hurts (still think the Exeter 2007 hurt more though).

Agree with KE about goalkeepers. I think Easty would benefit from some proper competition.

I think Mous is more likely to be a bit-part player next season and is likely to focus more on coaching - especially if, as is rumoured, Faz decides to call it a day. A Moore / Mous combo would have a pace issue. I hope that Rob Atkinson is the man to rise to the occasion.

If CamBran does go, then I think it becomes more important to try and sign Liam Kelly. I'm probably alone in this but I'd love to see us offer George Thorne another year. If we can patch him up, bloody hell we'd have a player.

I hope that next season will be a huge one for Mark Sykes.

Pace wide, definitely - Monday and other regular season games have proved that you can have all the possession in the world but if you can't get behind massed ranks of defenders you're not going to create chances. Holland would be a great addition if we can get him. I'm not *totally* convinced by Browne - no doubt he's a talented footballer but I just feel there are a few attitude issues that need sorting out.

Up front is key again. Matty has been an excellent fox-in-the-box and we've not had a good one of them for a while. However at 30 we shouldn't be letting him hold the club to ransom and there are other options (Grigg as Ty mentions, I think Cardiff are offloading Bogle and Reading may well dumpster Gorgeous George's brother). I hope Agyei progresses as there's definitely potential. Power and pace which adds a different dimension to our attack.

Keeping KR on board with the club is crucial.
OtmoorYellow
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Re: Next Season

Post by OtmoorYellow »

Hats off to you all for thinking about next season. I'm still processing the grief of Wembley.
ty cobb
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Re: Next Season

Post by ty cobb »

Been a pretty good pre season so far cambran and Taylor are fantastic news.
recordmeister
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Re: Next Season

Post by recordmeister »

Hummm... I'm feeling rather bullish about next season.
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