A Month To Go - How Are We Looking

Hm. I don't think 'More players needed' required a ? Caz.:giggle:
GK. Cann is an unknown quantity. MH seems to think he can challenge as No.1. Even so we probably need someone else in as cover although I suppose you could get an emergency loan.
Defence. For me the biggest area of concern. Big question mark over Raggett and some rumoured doubts over Jules. So atm we may have NO central defenders. James has stated he likes to get forward but imo neither he nor Rafferty can play regularly as WBs.
So in my estimation we need at least 2 CHs and 2 FB/WB. If he arrives then Adedokun can play as FB/WB on the left.
Midfield. Dru Yearwood must (assuming he signs) be considered an unknown quantity. He could be very good. Hasn't played since December so will need lots of work. Kian Spence, Joe Powell, McWilliams and Kelly. So we don't seem too bad in MF. And, of course, we might see more of Richardson.
Attack. JCH is almost certainly off. Big imponderables particularly if (if) Sam is sold. Can the coaches at last get JH prolific? Will Holmes be loaned out? Can JJ stay fit? Is McGuckin right for this level? Will Hatton and Ayres stay, will they feature much and will they be up to it? Lots of imponderables.

I'd like to see Dan Gore or a decent AMF/10 come in. But otherwise I think we should spend mainly on defence.
 
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We only have half a squad really. No reason to be optimistic about our chances at the moment. If we don't make several quality signings soon. we are likely to get relegated. Unfortunately, I don't think that the 'Tizer "supercomputer" was bluffing! Several of our "oldies" will need replacing over the next few months too.
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If you read what MH has said on several occasions the strategy in large part appears to rely on Burbeary and his team getting fitness level improvements across the board of 20-30% and on MH, Tonge and Wood 'improving' players. MH has mentioned this repeatedly in regard to JH, JJ and others.
Fitness improvements of that magnitude are not easy and may be counterproductive in 'crocking' a few and it cannot be a given that MH is right in his supposition that he can get players to perform at an idealised level that they have not reached consistently recently if ever. We'll see.
 
I really think we need to keep everyone we've got at the moment. And then add some. We do seem to have a lot of strikers but a couple aren't really tested, another couple have been tested and found not to be the best.

I wasn't really worried about the squad with many names being linked to us - but a lot of those names have now found other employment and we seem to be looking at the third or fourth in line.

I do understand what the last few managers have said about 'getting the right person in' or 'getting someone in who wants to be here' and mostly agree - but if that person doesn't come along we could be very light going into the season in August.
 
Penny pinching.
Already lost Hamish Douglas and no news yet whether Dru Yearwood has passed his medical.
Agree about 2 Centre Backs and 2 Wing-Backs required.
If / when JCH goes then JJ and Ciaran McGuckin may have to step up.
I'm hoping we have some loan deals lined up but wouldn't expect any announcements on loan players for a while yet.
All in a little quiet but I will cut Matt Hamshaw some slack.
Personally think it will be an average season, a transitional season. Then move some on at the end of this coming season and do a proper rebuild.
 
It may all suddenly come good. But there's a few familiar Millers oddities already. For instance Dru Yearwood. Might be very good but years in the US and no club since December rings a slight alarm bell. Another is Ted Cann. Might be a real coup. But only NL experience and other L1 clubs are getting GKs in on loan from Championship and above. I heard (may be rubbish) that we didn't go for Joseph Olowu (former Doncaster CB, highly rated) because we were in for Brendan Wiredu. Olowu went on a free to Stockport. We didn't move decisively to get BW and now Plymouth and others are sniffing. I could go on - several decent targets have gone elsewhere.
 
Guy_Branston said:
Personally think it will be an average season, a transitional season. Then move some on at the end of this coming season and do a proper rebuild.
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I think that's about right, Guy. I will be happy to finish where we did this season or a couple of places higher. Prove we can play attractive football and get the interest of some good players for next season.

Whether that will happen remains to be seen.
 
I agreed with Guy and Caz and thought Mike was a little pessimistic. Now I'm not so sure. The brouhaha over signing a GK from an U21s with experience only in NL and a (potentially pretty decent) MF from Barrow starts me thinking 'smoke and mirrors.' The failure to get Fornah and Olowu and the apparent failure to get Wiredu are worrying signs. If Dan Gore goes elsewhere things will look pretty bad.
There are not loads of quality affordable CHs and FBs out there and several have already sailed away. I can feel a few kids and ageing journeymen moving ever closer to NYS. The squad is tiny and even with another six or seven it's one of the smallest in L1. There are only a handful of players who are proven at this level. A few injuries and we are in big trouble.
I think relegation is a real prospect.
 
A little thin on the ground and plenty of quality players have sailed off to other clubs.
I fully understand we can’t make too many mistakes on any signings but we still have a lot to do to become competitive this coming season.
Wing -Backs, Defenders required.
I’m hoping we have a full squad of outfield players by the time the Transfer window closes, unlike last season’s debacle.
 
League 1 promotion betting odds seem fairly predictable except I can't understand why Cardiff are 2nd favourites. The owner has embarked on a cost cutting exercise, possible takeover mooted but very uncertain, I think 12 players out and none in. Fans very pessimistic.
 
Matt Hamshaw will go with what he's got.
If he doesn't sign a right sided wing back he will set up differently.
I wouldn't be surprised if he tried Reece James as Left Wing Back, if not there then left side of a three in defence.
Nombe, Hugill, JJ, McGuckin ( 4 strikers)
Powell, Spence, Kelly, McWilliams, 2 trialists in midfield. (5)
Rafferty, Barker, Jules ( 3 at the back)
We're still well down on numbers.
Next 2 weeks could be crucial but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see loan players come in towards the end of the transfer window.( September)
 
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