Still Short of 1 Good Signing in Midfield?

[Mike_F]

If the lads don't call Will Longbottom "Billy Shortarse" they've failed in my eyes.

[Danmckay456]

Didn't Ferguson say that we will target Premier league clubs as soon as they announce their 25 man squads

[Sammy Chung was King]

I agree with the opening post that we're about one significant midfield signing away from having a squad that we should feel very positive about.

If I was reading this as one of the Board members that has already financed some very proactive recruitment this summer, I'd be a little exasperated to see people (SWCK) saying we need to sign another five! Get in the real world. This is not Football Manager.

The turnover has already been (admittedly necessarily) high and the loan market will be there for us to use as required. The key positive difference this time is that it should be a couple of loans to add to the team rather than a load of loans to build one.

To be fair about it, i couldn't give a monkeys if the board are exasperated, they have recruited early but they had a part in us being in this mess in the first place. The signings so far have been encouraging, but until we see them play, none of us know how encouraging.
The right hand side wing needs another option, the keeper is let's be honest a cheap doing, re-signing a guy, the manager has shown no faith in. So for me if we were building the squad right, then you would have a better back up!.

Where it has cost us, is having players still around the squad, who have no future, and with financial fair play rules, it makes it tight, so i do understand the signings going a touch quieter now.
We need another option in the midfield, and striker, none of these have to be permanent signings, but you have to have good strong competition for places. I am happy with business done so far, but there are still a few bits and pieces need doing. There is still plenty of time, once a few of the players not needed, move on then the funds will more than likely, finish up the signings needed !.

[RedJ]

I agree with the opening post that we're about one significant midfield signing away from having a squad that we should feel very positive about.

If I was reading this as one of the Board members that has already financed some very proactive recruitment this summer, I'd be a little exasperated to see people (SWCK) saying we need to sign another five! Get in the real world. This is not Football Manager.

The turnover has already been (admittedly necessarily) high and the loan market will be there for us to use as required. The key positive difference this time is that it should be a couple of loans to add to the team rather than a load of loans to build one.

To be fair about it, i couldn't give a monkeys if the board are exasperated, they have recruited early but they had a part in us being in this mess in the first place.

What, even though they gave both managers funds to go and get who they wanted?

Why do you genuinely seem to think we need an absolutely massive squad?

[Sammy Chung was King]

I agree with the opening post that we're about one significant midfield signing away from having a squad that we should feel very positive about.

If I was reading this as one of the Board members that has already financed some very proactive recruitment this summer, I'd be a little exasperated to see people (SWCK) saying we need to sign another five! Get in the real world. This is not Football Manager.

The turnover has already been (admittedly necessarily) high and the loan market will be there for us to use as required. The key positive difference this time is that it should be a couple of loans to add to the team rather than a load of loans to build one.

To be fair about it, i couldn't give a monkeys if the board are exasperated, they have recruited early but they had a part in us being in this mess in the first place.

What, even though they gave both managers funds to go and get who they wanted?

Why do you genuinely seem to think we need an absolutely massive squad?

They played a part just as the players and manager did, any mistakes made by the manager, reflect back on them, because they gave him the job.

We don't need a massive squad, we need competition and options in every position. The main core of what we needed we now have. With back up keeper you probably just don't bother with that. Right hand side midfield, still light on options, striker another one needed, mandeville will need a loan at another club more than likely.
Keegan should be moved on, so we need another one in there, and defensively a defender who can cover full back and central positions, we need four more.

[Alan Southstand]

For the ones that are unaware, the squad, as it stands this morning, is:
   Marosi
   Stuckmann
   Etheridge
   Louis Jones
   Garratt
   Lund
   Butler
   Taylor-Sinclair (inj)
   Alcock
   Baudry
   Wright
   McCullough
   
   Evina
   Will Longbottom
   Copps
   Middleton
   Keegan
   Jordan Linley
   Rowe
   Blair
   Micheal Carberry
   
   McSheffrey
   Pugh
   
   Williams
   Mandeville
   N'Guessan
   Marquis

I make that 27 players, however Stuckmann and N'Guessan will probably be gone by the first league game, which leaves 25. Of that 25, 5 are untried youngsters, so we're back to 20. Then, if you consider that ATS is a long-term injury and will not be around until at least Christmas, we're down to 19. Then you can start to consider what we have left. We have a first team 11 and 8 others, one of which is Marosi, so not an outfield player. And 1 of the remaining 7 'others' is Keegan, who has an injury already.

We don't need to be having many injuries or suspensions before we're down to the 'bare bones' and I would suggest that is clearly not the basis to be planning a promotion back to Div 1.

Yes, we have been proactive this summer and its a joy to us targetting and getting what the manager thinks we need, BUT there is still work to do and it would be remiss of the entire DRFC set-up if we sit back on our laurels now and think we're done. We are, clearly, not done!

I rest my case, mi lud.

[The Red Baron]

Carberry and Linley both went at the end of last season.

[Donny Exile in York]

Great post Alan i completely agree. Another striker and a creative or box to box midfielder permanently for me then the loan market.

[IDM]

Two more seems about right - whether permanent or the long loans you have to get now..

[Red wizard]

Green will maybe sign. Then if keshi returns thats your 2.

[DonnyOsmond]

Carberry and Linley both went at the end of last season.

Yeah, only Pugh was kept on the rest of the second years were let go.

[Alan Southstand]

Thanks for the update. It changes nothing on my assessment, as I had more or less dismissed the input from the youth teamers.

[Sammy Chung was King]

Calder covers a few positions, and a few can play different positions. With that in mind a midfielder and a striker, and we are about ready.

[Alan Southstand]

I watched the '1 good signing in midfield' last night at Rosso!

[jonnydog]

I'd still be tempted to give Stuckman another chance, in this league especially. It'd be interesting to know why he's out of favour cos I thought he did well before the dip last season, and even then still did better than other players.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I'd still be tempted to give Stuckman another chance, in this league especially. It'd be interesting to know why he's out of favour cos I thought he did well before the dip last season, and even then still did better than other players.

Nope, totally disagree, made some good saves but not much more.  I'm excited about our new young keeper, it's the way to go.

I agree with Alan, you'd think Green would be the midfield player to get.

[steve@dcfd]

The kind of player you're describing is about to cost Man u 100 mill. Were in L2. We get one attribute or the other. Players with more play at a higher level.

If we can get him to stay fit. Still feel we need another like him.

We need better than Paul he one dimensional when fit. He does not have pace, lacks technical ability, cannot get forward to assist with goal scoring, is not  a creative player. He can defend apart against pace, breaks up play but that's it.

I saw that player last night at Rossington the far superior Paul, he made the midfield role look easy sign him up know no excuses he will make our midfield better than in been in the last two years.

[IDM]

I watched the '1 good signing in midfield' last night at Rosso!

This, although I wasn't there myself..

Sign him up

[Copps is Magic]

Speaking of our young new keeper, did anyone notice at Rosso he is a bit ... hmmm ... <cough> ... rotund?

[DonnyOsmond]

Similar build to Stuckmann I thought.

[Copps is Magic]

Stuckmann has the pigeon chest. Etheridge's sphere is further down.

[NickDRFC]

I didn't see a game this year until January, so my first sighting of Stuckmann was Fleetwood away. I know you don't necessarily need to be as fit as an outfield player to be a keeper, but I was really surprised at how out of shape Stuckmann looked. Carrying a fair old bit of timber.

[Dutch Uncle]

Echoes of Fatty Foulke, England football international and county cricketer for Derbyshire?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Foulke_(footballer)