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Summer clear out

PFree

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PFree

PFree

Posted
Posted

Apologies if this has already been covered but now that we are all but safe, I wondered what other fans thoughts are, for me:

Keepers - O' Donnell (1) and Fielding (2) are okay at this level, I'm just not sure if Fielding will stay as a number 2.

Defenders - I'd keep Mark Little, Adam Matthews, Scott Golbourne and Aden Flint but would let Baker go (seems all Villa in mind and preference and little desire to stay with us). I like Luke Ayling but not sure what's gone on there or if he fits into little Lee's system but would let Derrick Williams (seems he's become a bit-part player) go and Alex Pearce can return to his club.

Midfielders - I'd keep (sign) Lee Tomlin (but would work on his fitness in the summer), Korey Smith (for me our best all round player), Joe Bryan (but he needs to step up as he's being left behind, for me he urgently needs direct coaching as next season will see him develop or drop down a level), keep Bobby Reid (but build him up in the summer please) but I'd let Pack go (excellent work ethic but lacks touch, awareness and ability at this level - good Division One player for me but nothing more), I'd also let Waggy go as the consistency isn't there (although it might be because he gets so little pitch time), For Freeman it's hard as he was one of my favourite players but he seems lost at this level and has no end product.

Attackers - would love to see Odemwingie stay (he'll add a great deal providing he plays regularly and sharpens up), keep Kodjia (but offer him direct coaching as there's a lot wrong with his game) but let Wilbs go ASAP (great club man but the sell by date has gone, no idea why we offered another year's contract unless his contract triggered it), I'd also let Agard go as whilst he's done okay, he's never shown consistency.

And I'd build around the players mentioned - mix of youth, commitment and desire but also some experience as seldom do teams succeed purely upon youth.

There are a few other players listed on the team like Garita but have no idea on those!

:yawn: Thoughts?

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Robin1988

Robin1988

Posted
Posted

I'd rather have Ayling than Little.

It said a lot that Little got found out after a time at League 1 level last year, he's pacey but he's a one-trick pony and he's not up to it defensively. As a RWB he could get away with it more.

Ayling is at least versatile, a decent defender, and positional awareness is something which can be learned.

Wilbraham will definitely be staying as he's got an extension, I'd like to keep Agard too as a bench player. He's a handful against tiring defenders and the way he harries is useful whether we're chasing a game or trying to close it out.

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LondonBristolian

LondonBristolian

Posted
Posted

Obviously the first thing to say is we have a very small squad, especially once we lose our loan players and I think we learned last summer about the perils of letting players go without having players lined up.  Our goal has to be about building the squad up rather than tearing it down and, El-Abd aside, I'm not sure there's anyone I'd want to lose until more numbers came in.

 

Beyond that, to my mind, the essentials are that we keep ROD, Flint, Golbourne, Smith, Bryan, Pack and - unless we receive a better offer than I'd expect us to get at this stage - Kodjia.  We know Reid, Burns and Wilbraham have all signed extensions.  I'm pleased about all three but hope Wilbs is very much a bit-part player influencing the dressing room more than the pitch.  I think Ayling, Williams, Fielding and Agard are absolutely fine as squad players but would not be surprised to see them leave if more players come in and we receive offers for them.  I don't think Little or Wagstaff are going to get too many chances next season so I'd also be fine if they ultimately left, although I'll always have a soft sport for Little in particular as it was his run at Sheffield United at the start of last season that started one of the best seasons in my memory.

 

Freeman is the puzzle for me.  I genuinely don't know what choice I'd want LJ to take.  Obviously the ideal would be to support him to improve next season if that is indeed possible. 

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Steve Watts

Steve Watts

Posted
Posted

Marlon Pack is without doubt the singularly most improved player this year.  Obviously there are always better players out there - whether they fall into our price bracket or not is another matter - but I think Pack deserves to be around the place and deserves the opportunity to keep improving.  At the start of the season he was a league one player - at best.  He just didn't look good enough and I said that at the time....a lot!  Since LJ came in though, he has improved immeasurably.  You don't invest and improve a player like we have with Pack just to dump him unceremoniously.  He has shown that given a period of adjustment and the right coaching, he can adapt to this level.  He deserves a chance.

  

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LondonBristolian

LondonBristolian

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Super said:

I quite like Pack but lets be honest can you see us challenging for promotion with him in midfield?

You can say that about pretty much all players though.  Obviously ultimately every one of our team could be upgraded in time but I think there's far weaker links to deal with first.  Besides, Pack was playing when we were the form team in the league.  And we have precisely two central midfielders at present - even if we got another CM we'd still need squad depth.

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Super

Super

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, wheatus59 said:

So once again Pack becomes the whipping boy , apart from Tomlin hes been our best player since Cotterill left .

I wouldn't get rid of him but just think we need a top quality midfielder. Just my opinion

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ChippenhamRed

ChippenhamRed

Posted
Posted

Playing devil's advocate a little here, but it strikes me that our current back for of Matthews-Flint-Baker-Golbourne all seem to get a lot of praise.  The consensus seems to be:-

Matthews - looks very good, hope we can sign him permanently.

Flint - really hope we can hold onto him, bigger clubs after him.

Baker - generally excellent, really hope we can sign him permanently, but will probably go back to Villa.

Golbourne - a decent Championship defender.

Generally I would agree with all of this.  Note I use the word "consensus" - I am not claiming to speak for all individuals.  So, on the basis of our broadly favourable opinions of all of these players, it stands to reason that most of us would be happy to sign Baker and Matthews permanently and have this as our back four next season.  But are they really good enough for us to push on?  Baker and Flint were part of a defence that leaked plenty of goals before Cotterill left, and even since Johnson arrived, whenever we have come up against one of the better teams we have invariably shipped a lot of goals - 4 v Brighton, 4 v Hull and 3 v Derby.  So if we are hopeful of pushing on next year, what makes us think we wouldn't continue to ship 3 or 4 goals against the better teams, if this was to be our back four?  Or do we accept they are as good as we are likely to be able to sign and expect a few hammerings again next season?

(I realise Bryan played LB last night)

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'Orns

'Orns

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

 , hope we can sign him permanently.

Flint - really hope we can hold onto him, bigger clubs after him.

Baker - generally excellent, really hope we can sign him permanently, but will probably go back to Villa.

Golbourne - a decent Championship defender.

Generally I would agree with all of this.  Note I use the word "consensus" - I am not claiming to speak for all individuals.  So, on the basis of our broadly favourable opinions of all of these players, it stands to reason that most of us would be happy to sign Baker and Matthews permanently and have this as our back four next season.  But are they really good enough for us to push on?  Baker and Flint were part of a defence that leaked plenty of goals before Cotterill left, and even since Johnson arrived, whenever we have come up against one of the better teams we have invariably shipped a lot of goals - 4 v Brighton, 4 v Hull and 3 v Derby.  So if we are hopeful of pushing on next year, what makes us think we wouldn't continue to ship 3 or 4 goals against the better teams, if this was to be our back four?  Or do we accept they are as good as we are likely to be able to sign and expect a few hammerings again next season?

(I realise Bryan played LB last night)

Get your point, but the three teams mentioned are big hitters at this level, I'm not surprised they were teams that thumped us

Hull have a team full of ex PL and international footballers. We have neither. Derby have spent a shit load of money, again. Brighton at AG was just a wonderful performance, that can happen

It does concern me that we have the ability (?) to concede heavily from time to time, but it's something that I would expect to happen less next season. Another years experience, a few quid spent etc

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JoeAman08

JoeAman08

Posted
Posted
25 minutes ago, Super said:

I quite like Pack but lets be honest can you see us challenging for promotion with him in midfield?

We've been a top 6 team or about since January with Pack playing every minute. It's not the end all be all but it's evidence that the team excels with him in there. He constantly breaks up play, covers full backs and wins aerial battles with top target men in the league. Put him in Derby or Hull and they don't miss a beat I think. 

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EnderMB

EnderMB

Posted
Posted
30 minutes ago, Super said:

I quite like Pack but lets be honest can you see us challenging for promotion with him in midfield?

We won't be anywhere near promotion unless we sign players of better quality than the ones we've already mentioned. I agree with you, but I think that the reason we have some of these players is because they're the best we'll get with what we're willing to pay.

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Super

Super

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

We've been a top 6 team or about since January with Pack playing every minute. It's not the end all be all but it's evidence that the team excels with him in there. He constantly breaks up play, covers full backs and wins aerial battles with top target men in the league. Put him in Derby or Hull and they don't miss a beat I think. 

Certainly not knocking the players but we need far better quality in all areas of the pitch.

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REDOXO

REDOXO

Posted
Posted

W ho is out of contract in June? It is highly likely they will become free agents!

players on loan will either stay here with a shiny new contract go back to the mother club or end up somewhere else 

Those with a contract have value so anybody 'let go' will Bring in revenue from a sale. 

Half a dozen players will be on the possible lists of other clubs and this will include those not getting starts as much as anyone. Williams, Little Agard all have some to significant value. 

Flinty Joe Korey and Codge all have a very decent cash value and have already attracted interest. 

Its up to LJ AND THE BoD to decide what's available if we accept an offer, interesting summer ahead! 

 

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Rich_s

Rich_s

Posted
Posted

Really can't understand your reason for letting Pack go. Possibly the most improved player this season, seldom makes a mistake, work-rate is always top notch and his ability to pick out a forward pass is one of the best in our midfield. Without his tracking back and interceptions I think we would still be in the relegation places. However, it's all about opinions and I wouldn't keep Little.

I'm not convinced on Odemwingie either. We've already got one 35+ striker and we don't really need another. 

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Big C

Big C

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Playing devil's advocate a little here, but it strikes me that our current back for of Matthews-Flint-Baker-Golbourne all seem to get a lot of praise.  The consensus seems to be:-

Matthews - looks very good, hope we can sign him permanently.

Flint - really hope we can hold onto him, bigger clubs after him.

Baker - generally excellent, really hope we can sign him permanently, but will probably go back to Villa.

Golbourne - a decent Championship defender.

Generally I would agree with all of this.  Note I use the word "consensus" - I am not claiming to speak for all individuals.  So, on the basis of our broadly favourable opinions of all of these players, it stands to reason that most of us would be happy to sign Baker and Matthews permanently and have this as our back four next season.  But are they really good enough for us to push on?  Baker and Flint were part of a defence that leaked plenty of goals before Cotterill left, and even since Johnson arrived, whenever we have come up against one of the better teams we have invariably shipped a lot of goals - 4 v Brighton, 4 v Hull and 3 v Derby.  So if we are hopeful of pushing on next year, what makes us think we wouldn't continue to ship 3 or 4 goals against the better teams, if this was to be our back four?  Or do we accept they are as good as we are likely to be able to sign and expect a few hammerings again next season?

(I realise Bryan played LB last night)

Against Brighton we only had 2 of the 4 playing and only 3 of them last night. It was only the Hull game when all 4 played and then we didn't have Smith in front of them :shifty::thumbsup:

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dunsteral

dunsteral

Posted
Posted
Quote

we need a big improvement defensively, we have conceded the 3rd highest number of goals in the division this

season which is why we are 4th from bottom. i am not worried about whether baker stays or not, i would be glad

if flint stays, but if we get a good offer for him i would let him go (no way is he a premiership ch aguero, kane, vardy

etc would have him on toast. our defensive lineup all season has been flint, baker, pack, smith all deemed as good

players but concede goals for fun. i notice on the bcfc list of player stats that joe bryan is listed as a defender? since when?

we have ruined joe this season, last season everton were rumoured to be looking at him when he was an attacking player

(albeit in cotterells 3-5-2) he was awful last night but he was playing at lb.

i think we have to trust lee johnson,s ability to build his own team, and accept that whoever he lets go will hopefully be

replaced by someone better.

 

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Ivorguy

Ivorguy

Posted
Posted

We need, and I am confident, we will get, a massive influx.

If I am wrong and we go with a large core from this season we will struggle again

Lee can't work miracles and it would require precisely that if we fail to recruit quality.

I would try and get rid of El Abd Osbourne Little Agard Williams Fielding Freeman Wagstaff 

I would not sign Pearce Baker Odemwingie

I would accept sensible offers for any of the others

This is a make or break summer

 

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Merrick's Marvels

Merrick's Marvels

Posted
Posted
38 minutes ago, Ivorguy said:

We need, and I am confident, we will get, a massive influx.

If I am wrong and we go with a large core from this season we will struggle again

Lee can't work miracles and it would require precisely that if we fail to recruit quality.

I would try and get rid of El Abd Osbourne Little Agard Williams Fielding Freeman Wagstaff 

I would not sign Pearce Baker Odemwingie

I would accept sensible offers for any of the others

This is a make or break summer

 

 

Agree with every single word of that

(I would consider keeping Williams, to use as cover for Left back, if only so that Joe Bryan is never wasted there again)

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GrahamC

GrahamC

Posted
Posted

Two of our current squad are out of contract this summer, so unless we get an offer we can't refuse for someone that we'd like to keep, I doubt there will be much of a clear out at all.

We need six new faces and even if we shop wisely that won't be cheap so I doubt too many who are under contract for 16/17 will be leaving.

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