Jake on the move?

[Spider]

You're right - I would put together a new team even if everyone I bought in was a free. And I will tell you why. Firstly, and most obviously, the current squad is PROVEN to be useless. There is the chance, with good management, that the new players would be a vast improvement. How much did the squad that won the third division in 2001 cost? Zamora was £100k but beyond that it was peanuts. You don't need money to succeed in a shit division like ours. Secondly it shows the fans that at least we're trying. My biggest frustration with the albion is this 'closed shop' mentality that means once any player has a contract he's virtually guaranteed a job for life. I want to see a more ruthless approach and I could accept a new squad every season even if they were rubbish, because at least the club would be trying to make things happen. Just keeping the same dross every year is boring, cheap, and easy. In virtually every case we need to get rid.

Saying the squad is PROVEN to be useless is clearly nonsense though, since we finished 7th last year, and had we had a combination of the right signings to improve the team we had, coupled with the a manager who got the best out of the team they are a decent bunch of players. I'm also not sure about any 'closed shop' mentality at the club. I agree (as everyone does) that the resigning of Mayo and Hart was a bizarre choice, seemingly for no other purpose than sympathy, but other than that I can't see any evidence to suggest we are more willing to keep hold of deadwood than any other club. We had 13 fit outfield players this week, if you think we can get a whole squad of Division beating transfers, apparently all on a free as you assure me is possible, I think you're deluded.

 

[Spider]

I think he's just gone stale really. He needs a new club. But I think, and I know you won't agree, if he goes to a league two club next season (someone like Aldershot for example) I reckon he'd be REALLY good.

It'll take a new club and a new manager to bring it out of him, but I think he has da skillz to pay da billz

And I think El-Abd would be a perfectly good League 2 midfielder, as I think he is a perfectly good League 1 midfielder (when coupled with the right midfield partner). I'd love to see Jake do well at another League club, I can't see it happening, but I'm more than willing to be proved wrong.

 

[algie]

Not at all. If someone says you're a fool for having a harmless opinion then, for me, that's just weakening their own argument.

Fair enough.I just can't see how you can defend Jake now.He has been switched from a striker to a winger as he isn't good enough.At 22 years of age all his early promise has gone.A bit like Cox really.I think it's right we should of load him.

 

[Spider]

Fair enough.I just can't see how you can defend Jake now.He has been switched from a striker to a winger as he isn't good enough.At 22 years of age all his early promise has gone.A bit like Cox really.I think it's right we should of load him.

I think Cox is slightly different though. He seems to have gone off the boil but unlike Robinson his game developed a huge amount when given a run in the team. Whilst he's definetely lost the excitement of early displays, he's a much more dependable winger now, and when he's on form he's good enough for the division. Unfortunately Robinson seemed to hit one bad spell after scoring a hatful of goals and never really recovered.

 

[Zesh Rehman]

Agreed. He had talent that is for sure, and still think with a run in the team he is a good enough player to come off the bench and cause problems...

yeh agreed, really suprised hes getting released, especially as ive campaigned for years for it to happen

 

[algie]

I think Cox is slightly different though. He seems to have gone off the boil but unlike Robinson his game developed a huge amount when given a run in the team. Whilst he's definetely lost the excitement of early displays, he's a much more dependable winger now, and when he's on form he's good enough for the division. Unfortunately Robinson seemed to hit one bad spell after scoring a hatful of goals and never really recovered.

I really Like Cox but have been hugely disappointed with him for quite sometime.I believe he needs to buck up his ideas a bit too.As for Cox being a winger i'm still not convinced by it.A winger needs to be able to take on players and beat them.Cox doesn't do that.

 

[Spider]

2006/2007 - the football was shit and we just stayed up.
2007/2008 - the football was dire for long parts, but some good loan signings and a couple of months of good form resulted in a decent position in the league.
2008/2009 - football is woeful and clueless, squad is shocking, we're on our way down.

To me that's completely unacceptable. If any other club was in that position I think they would be far more proactive in dramatically changing their squad. Whereas we seem to just persist with the same players year after year. Look at Tuesday's game and how many of those players have been here over a year. Virtually everyone. At some point you have to bite the bullet and just admit these guys aren't good enough. I guarantee you that if we lost every single player this summer, we would be able to sign a whole new squad inside our wage budget, and that squad would be a damn sight more appealing to watch and couldn't be a lot worse either.

I think any club who finished seventh would be looking to improve on what was already a good team with the right reinforcements, whether they were loan players, as helped us reach that position, or permanent signings.

I don't understand this attitude of how poor we were last year. We certainly weren't a massively exciting team, and we had some spells of poor games, but I don't think the football was at all dire. There's very few teams in League 1 who have the financial backing to be able to assemble a team that are capable of producing consistent results and fancy football. I doubt you were moaning when McGhee got us promoted, when I'd argue the football was a lot less attractive than some of our play under Wilkins.

 

[algie]

If Matt Richards is is happy about taking a pay cut and signs for us then i think 150k would be better spent elsewhere.All our money should be pumped into bringing in 2 or 3 midfielders in.Fleetwood i would sign if he was a freebie.

 

[Zesh Rehman]

I think any club who finished seventh would be looking to improve on what was already a good team with the right reinforcements, whether they were loan players, as helped us reach that position, or permanent signings.

I don't understand this attitude of how poor we were last year. We certainly weren't a massively exciting team, and we had some spells of poor games, but I don't think the football was at all dire. There's very few teams in League 1 who have the financial backing to be able to assemble a team that are capable of producing consistent results and fancy football. I doubt you were moaning when McGhee got us promoted, when I'd argue the football was a lot less attractive than some of our play under Wilkins.

We finished 7th, but most people still cant believe we did finish 7th. League 1 was very bad last, this year its alot harder. We were really bad for parts of last season, and very very inconsistent. Fair enough we did have some good games and did put a run together, but for didnt deserve to finish 7 and get the credit some people give us. Lets not forget we were only 1 place from the play offs, but 7 points, and we werent good enough to a) win the play offs b) have a chance of winning a single game in the championship.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

We finished 7th, but most people still cant believe we did finish 7th. League 1 was very bad last, this year its alot harder .

Has this view now been enshrined in law? Was I away on holiday?

 

[Russell Slade's hat]

I think a number on your list will still be under contract in June so "releasing" them will involve paying up their contracts - is this what you'd advocate? The following players are out of contract in the summer:

Andrew Whing
Kerry Mayo
Adam Hinshelwood
John Sullivan
Gary Hart
Doug Loft
Jake Robinson
Tom Fraser
Kane Wills
Kane Louis
Dan Royce
Andy Pearson
Sam Gargan

I completely agree,

Its a shame, but it's quite clear he is out of favour with Adams

 

[supaseagull]

I get sick of supporters and managers using two of the most talented players we've produced through the youth system as scapegoats.

I've read this thread with interest being a big fan of Robinson and not once has anyone questioned WHY both him and Cox have failed to produce what they did in their first couple of seasons and I think it's quite simple....PLAY THEM IN THE CORRECT POSITIONS.

Firstly, Dean Cox is a central midfielder - FFS even Stevie Wonder with a stigmatism can see that so why is he played on the wing...We're screaming out for Cox to play in the centre of the park and not on the wing, where he doesn't have the pace to take full backs on.

Secondly, Robinson is NOT a winger and it does take a genius to realise that he couldn't cross a road let alone a football. HE IS A STRIKER.

When you have a look at Robinson's record a couple of seasons ago when he was scoring goals for fun.

Personally, I'd give Murray and Robinson up front a go and not just one game as the latter often gets and I'd get rid of Fleetwood because the lad is NOT a league footballer despite his pace!

 

[S'hampton Seagull]

Has this view now been enshrined in law? Was I away on holiday?

Yes, we were given a points handicap at the start of the season which meant we couldn't possibly finish as high as seventh.

I can't believe you missed that!

 

[skr80]

How many of our team would command a transfer fee? If not many, then surely there are other similar players out there that would maybe actually try, and be committed to us - I have not seen much passion / loyalty to the club by the players over the last few years - why not clear out the dead wood and try again - on the basis of the results at the moment we are a lower league standard (Div 4) club with Div 4 players. How many of our current squad would we expect / want to stay if we got relegated

 

[Spider]

Personally, I'd give Murray and Robinson up front a go and not just one game as the latter often gets and I'd get rid of Fleetwood because the lad is NOT a league footballer despite his pace!

So you'd drop Forster, who has consistently been our most reliable performer and recently has also been our biggest goal threat. Not to mention the fact that he is the one many in attack who is willing to try and create chances for others. Unbelievable.

 

[supaseagull]

So you'd drop Forster, who has consistently been our most reliable performer and recently has also been our biggest goal threat. Not to mention the fact that he is the one many in attack who is willing to try and create chances for others. Unbelievable.

Yes - If it was for the good of the team. One player should not be undroppable and besides, I've seen plenty of other games where someones been dropped after playing well.

Forster is 35 and is not getting any younger. Whilst you can't fault his tenacity, you can't deny that this season he has struggled.