Close season priorities

[rudebwoyben]

I would like to think that Santos and Jack will get some minutes in before the end of this season. They could both be key next season and it's important they get a good pre-season in. Positionally, we desperately need a better focal point up front. We needs someone in the box who will occupy defenders and 'want it' when the ball comes in.

I would still like us to look at a wide player who can get in behind and cross the ball rather than checking back inside. We need to find our new Richard Graham.

Defensively we are improving. 5 clean sheets in a row after the Orient game. Maybe we have rode our luck a little, but the shape is good overall. Wholesale changes in this area are less important compared to our attack. The fact is, if we are more clinical in the final third, we will start winning games more regularly.

Better than Richard Graham who was very inconsistent. Darren Currie or Puncheon or Andy Clarke type player please

Er, when was Richard inconsistent for us at this level? He wasn’t physically strong enough for League 2 but that’s another matter.
Quite a lot of our fan base used to criticise Andy Clarke and Jason Puncheon when they were here too.

[MCB]

Er, when was Richard inconsistent for us at this level? He wasn’t physically strong enough for League 2 but that’s another matter.
Quite a lot of our fan base used to criticise Andy Clarke and Jason Puncheon when they were here too.

Just what I was thinking! Injury took away a lot of what Richard Graham used to offer in League 2 (he only played about 15 games for us sadly). But in the Conference, what a player he was - a joy to watch, almost ever present (I still maintain that our lack of injuries in our last 2 Conference winning seasons were the understated reasons for our promotion), but the best thing was that that team had a consistency and understanding we could only dream of - the team just clicked.

I'd be more than happy to have another playmaker / winger in the Darren Currie / Richard Graham mold if they get us out this league before we need to replace them!

[ninestein]

"Tricky Dicky" was a joy to watch going forward. If anyone is in any doubt, watch the highlights of that season and you'll see exactly the sort of player we are crying out for in our current side.

[Mem Beespod]

Tricky Dicky was one of the most exciting players in our 2nd promotion winning team. He wasn’t particularly quick but used the slope at underhill to good effect to get some momentum. In the league I think he suffered from a combination of injury and league defenders being more agile and quicker off the mark than in the conference. PF’s change of tactics didn’t help either

[Mem Beespod]

The most important priority for us next season is to have quality right through the spine so a better GK than Cousins, Santos/Sweeney, a commanding CM and a good striker to play off. The options we have around those positions are decent enough but nobody wins this league with a weak spine.

For a promotion push, Wes, Jack and EMC will all need to weigh in with 10 goals, Tarpey will need at least 20 and we would need another 20 goals from a new striker. 10 goals from others in the side. 80-85 goals should be enough for promotion.

[Tuesds]

(I still maintain that our lack of injuries in our last 2 Conference winning seasons were the understated reasons for our promotion)

Agreed - and an abundance of injuries was the understated reason for our relegation last season!

Obviously McGhee was a terrible appointment (especially as even in Kleanthous's telling of the story, he didn't even mention it to Eames until the appointment was made) and there were other mistakes made. However, signing/retaining the likes of Akinde, Tarpey, Brindley, Stephens, Johnson, Weston, Vilhete etc. and then having to do without them for a huge chunk of the season was clearly a critical factor, which any club of our size in League 2 would have struggled with.

[Norfolkbee]

(I still maintain that our lack of injuries in our last 2 Conference winning seasons were the understated reasons for our promotion)

Agreed - and an abundance of injuries was the understated reason for our relegation last season!

Obviously McGhee was a terrible appointment (especially as even in Kleanthous's telling of the story, he didn't even mention it to Eames until the appointment was made) and there were other mistakes made. However, signing/retaining the likes of Akinde, Tarpey, Brindley, Stephens, Johnson, Weston, Vilhete etc. and then having to do without them for a huge chunk of the season was clearly a critical factor, which any club of our size in League 2 would have struggled with.

The lack of action in the January transfer window (other than the dire appointment of Westley) was another damaging factor. What did we bring in? A guy we had practically already signed and a bloke, whose name I can't be asked to look up, who had been playing in NLN. They didn't play a full game between them.

[Tuesds]

(I still maintain that our lack of injuries in our last 2 Conference winning seasons were the understated reasons for our promotion)

Agreed - and an abundance of injuries was the understated reason for our relegation last season!

Obviously McGhee was a terrible appointment (especially as even in Kleanthous's telling of the story, he didn't even mention it to Eames until the appointment was made) and there were other mistakes made. However, signing/retaining the likes of Akinde, Tarpey, Brindley, Stephens, Johnson, Weston, Vilhete etc. and then having to do without them for a huge chunk of the season was clearly a critical factor, which any club of our size in League 2 would have struggled with.

The lack of action in the January transfer window (other than the dire appointment of Westley) was another damaging factor. What did we bring in? A guy we had practically already signed and a bloke, whose name I can't be asked to look up, who had been playing in NLN. They didn't play a full game between them.

Yep, that definitely goes down in the 'other mistakes made' column! Don't forget the giant centre half on loan from Bristol City, who played even less than the forward from the NLN (Nicholson). I didn't have a problem with the number of players brought in, but they were clearly not of the quality we needed.

[Norfolkbee]

To be fair, we also brought in keeper George Legg on loan. He looked a decent prospect until he got injured. He's on loan at Bwood at present. I'd have him back here next season. He's big and looks commanding - and can kick!

[NoMagRyan]

However, signing/retaining the likes of Akinde, Tarpey, Brindley, Stephens, Johnson, Weston, Vilhete etc. and then having to do without them for a huge chunk of the season was clearly a critical factor, which any club of our size in League 2 would have struggled with.

100% agree