Current Squad: June 2020 | Page 2 | Vital Football

Current Squad: June 2020

Defenders: (4)
Max Melbourne, 21 (June 2022) - certainly got potential but would want decent competition for his spot.
Ben Coker, 31 (June 2021) - crikey, how is here? It will be difficult to offload in current situation, but imagine he will be gone ASAP.
Cian Bolger, 28 (June 2021) - we concede less with him on the pitch. Been very unlucky to be dropped a few times. A solid defender.
Aaron Lewis, 22 (June 2021) - looks to have bags of potential, but be good to have competition.

Central Midfielders: (4)
Tayo Edun, 22 (June 2022) - think he could be a real player, hope he uses this time to get super fit so he can put in sort of shifts Morrell did.
Jack Payne, 25 (June 2021) - thought he was out of contract, start of season looked incredible. Could there be a revival?
Jorge Grant, 25 (unknown) - tons of quality, I like Grant more than most I think. Happy we still have him.
Alex Bradley, 21 (unknown) - with finances as they are might get a chance. Sounds like he did well on loan.

Wingers: (2)
Zack Elbouzedi, 22 (unknown, 'long-term deal') - a huge question mark for me. Was excited we signed him. Given how quickly App got him assumed he was a gem he knew about. Not really happened as it? Needs to kick on when football does start again.
Harry Anderson, 23 (unknown, extension signed in July 2019) - love Harry, know you will get a shift.

Strikers: (3)
Tom Hopper, 26 (June 2023) - must be gutted the season abruptly ended after be far his best display. Hopefully rest does him good and we see the striker Southend had as one of of the league's best scorers before his injury.
Anthony Scully, 21 (June 2021) - looks raw but lots of potential, think App will see him as a key man.
Jordan Adebayo-Smith, 19 (June 2021) - finances might mean he gets a chance. But expect to see him out on loan again.

Think we need, at minimum:
2 keepers
Left back
Right back
2 centre halves
Ball winning tough midfielder
2 wingers (if we plan to use them)
A quality striker

Will finances allow that though? Another centre back and another centre mid on top of that wouldn't go a miss.

Expect to see full 4 loanees with App using contacts given finances.

This is all whenever the season might be of course!
 
I would prefer the number 1 goalkeeper 1 of the centre halves, the midfielder and the striker to be directly employed.

perhaps we can get some loans from West Yorkshire

I am wonder perhaps Woodyard may be a good fit
 
There is an awful a lot of work to be done. Leaving aside personal opinion on individuals look at the combination of experience and talent that has left the club and need replacing, arguably bettering:
Vickers, Eardley, Bostwick, Shackell, Toffolo, Andrade, Frecklington, O'Connor, Morrell, Walker, Akinde to just name an 11.
That is a huge task but what I take reassurance from are the signings of some promising youngsters with pedigree on permanent deals and clear signs of kudos that MA and the club have demonstrated with the loan signings of players like Bridcutt and John Jules. Covid cut backs and the significant task of rebuilding ahead, as fans we should be very, very excited about what the next instalment at LCFC may hold.
 
Given the fact that the layoff will have affected clubs to different financial degrees, the ability to sign quality players may actually be unaltered. Some clubs will always be able to pay players more than other clubs, and that will be the same regardless. All that will have happened is a readjustment of how much players as a whole are paid. There will still be a hierarchy of talent and wage demands, but they will all be lower than they were before.

Further, if the assertion of reduced squad size is true, there will actually be more players available, not fewer. That means that the clubs with more effective recruitment strategies will get those better players, they will just be paying less for them than they were before. The identity of the manager, size of home crowd, quality of stadium, quality of training facilities etc will become more significant factors. Perhaps we will see players signing for the right reasons, rather than for purely financial ones. Are the days of the financial mercenary over? Will the pandemic have handed control of the game back to the clubs?
 
Gaz_Imp said:
Defenders: (4)
Think we need, at minimum:
2 keepers
Left back
Right back
2 centre halves
Ball winning tough midfielder
2 wingers (if we plan to use them)
A quality striker

Will finances allow that though? Another centre back and another centre mid on top of that wouldn't go a miss.

Expect to see full 4 loanees with App using contacts given finances.

This is all whenever the season might be of course!
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I don't think we will see another LB. In theory we have three on the books that can play that role. We have 2 right wingers so I only expect one more winger to come in and he will be left sided with Grant able to do a job there if required.
 
Scotimp said:
Given the fact that the layoff will have affected clubs to different financial degrees, the ability to sign quality players may actually be unaltered. Some clubs will always be able to pay players more than other clubs, and that will be the same regardless. All that will have happened is a readjustment of how much players as a whole are paid. There will still be a hierarchy of talent and wage demands, but they will all be lower than they were before.

Further, if the assertion of reduced squad size is true, there will actually be more players available, not fewer. That means that the clubs with more effective recruitment strategies will get those better players, they will just be paying less for them than they were before. The identity of the manager, size of home crowd, quality of stadium, quality of training facilities etc will become more significant factors. Perhaps we will see players signing for the right reasons, rather than for purely financial ones. Are the days of the financial mercenary over? Will the pandemic have handed control of the game back to the clubs?
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I think we'll see less players moving away for contracts as well. Being closer to home and reducing travel costs will be another thing for them to consider more.
 
In regards to the left back position, perhaps we won't see Coker there - if he stays, might he be used as a left-sided centre back? I believe he has played the position in the past, and if he's on economical wages that might mean he becomes a useful option.
 
So, Ellis Chapman has apparently departed and rumours suggest we are set to announce one or two signings this week. The problem areas are obvious - players are needed in all areas of the pitch, although the budget and possible wage cap will dictate exactly how large the squad will be. With the start of the new season mooted for either 29 August or 12 September, things are set to move very soon.

Goalkeepers: (0)

Defenders: (4)
Max Melbourne, 21 (June 2022)
Ben Coker, 31 (June 2021)
Cian Bolger, 28 (June 2021)
Aaron Lewis, 22 (June 2021)

Central Midfielders: (4)
Tayo Edun, 22 (June 2022)
Jack Payne, 25 (June 2021)
Jorge Grant, 25 (unknown)
Alex Bradley, 21 (unknown)

Wingers: (2)
Zack Elbouzedi, 22 (unknown, 'long-term deal')
Harry Anderson, 23 (unknown, extension signed in July 2019)

Strikers: (3)
Tom Hopper, 26 (June 2023)
Anthony Scully, 21 (June 2021)
Jordan Adebayo-Smith, 19 (June 2021)

Total: 13
Contracted: 13
On loan: 0

Average age at 30 June 2020: 23 years 10 months.
 
I know football has to move on and progress, but I think in a way it's quite sad that there are only two players left from our 'successful years' and one of them was only here for six months of those success (Bolger).
 
NottyImp said:
I quite like the look of our strike-force. Some potential there.
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Hopper has been hampered by serious injuries and not had the benefit of a good run in a side which has been mooted as something a player of his attributes particularly benefits from. If we can get him going for 12 games I expect we'll know either way.
Scully appears to have bags of potential and in theory if anyone can coach Adebayo-Smith to his full abilities MA can.
At our level even one out of three strikers coming good makes a huge difference and it is interesting that all of them are very much at different stages of their careers (nice balance). I only expect one more striker to come in so finances and manager perspective will likely decide whether it's somebody in the Walker or alternatively John-Jules mould.
 
hulloutpost said:
Hopper has been hampered by serious injuries and not had the benefit of a good run in a side which has been mooted as something a player of his attributes particularly benefits from. If we can get him going for 12 games I expect we'll know either way.
Scully appears to have bags of potential and in theory if anyone can coach Adebayo-Smith to his full abilities MA can.
At our level even one out of three strikers coming good makes a huge difference and it is interesting that all of them are very much at different stages of their careers (nice balance). I only expect one more striker to come in so finances and manager perspective will likely decide whether it's somebody in the Walker or alternatively John-Jules mould.
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Wonder whether Walker will be available again to us. I notice he wasn’t in the match day squad for Forest vs Derby so assume he’s currently surplus to requirements.
 
Londonimp12 said:
Wonder whether Walker will be available again to us. I notice he wasn’t in the match day squad for Forest vs Derby so assume he’s currently surplus to requirements.
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Walker is likely to be sold as I think he only has 12 months on his contract at Forest and unfortunately we won't be able to afford him. Can't see them wanting another loan and then release him at the end of that
 
The Imposter said:
I know football has to move on and progress, but I think in a way it's quite sad that there are only two players left from our 'successful years' and one of them was only here for six months of those success (Bolger).
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As MA said recently:

"We found it was a very ageing squad that was very good at a certain level. It would only be a squad that would only ever survive at this level. We had to address the average age and bring a different type of player in."
 
Updated following the signing of James Jones.

Goalkeepers: (0)

Defenders: (4)
Max Melbourne, 21 (June 2022)
Ben Coker, 31 (June 2021)
Cian Bolger, 28 (June 2021)
Aaron Lewis, 22 (June 2021)

Central Midfielders: (5)
James Jones, 24 (June 2023)
Tayo Edun, 22 (June 2022)
Jack Payne, 25 (June 2021)
Jorge Grant, 25 (unknown)
Alex Bradley, 21 (unknown)

Wingers: (2)
Zack Elbouzedi, 22 (unknown, 'long-term deal')
Harry Anderson, 23 (unknown, extension signed in July 2019)

Strikers: (3)
Tom Hopper, 26 (June 2023)
Anthony Scully, 21 (June 2021)
Jordan Adebayo-Smith, 19 (June 2021)

Total: 14
Contracted: 14
On loan: 0

Average age at 30 June 2020: 23 years 11 months.
 
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So probably two keepers, two centre backs, one forward and one utility winger/midfield player needed at least do we think? That would give us 20 in the squad so wondering what size it will end up being.
 
Already a notably young squad, and I have a feeling Coker will be moving on soon.

EDIT: 24-year-old Jones is our sixth oldest player.
 
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