Squad for next season

[scawsby steve]

These suggestions are not necessarily based on my opinions, but more on what Fergie might be thinking, especially as he has said that he wants 2 players for each position.

                                            Released:

                                            Williams
                                             Alcock
                                              Evina

                                            Transfer listed:

                                             Mandeville
                                              Garrett
                                                Lund

                                              Recruitments:

                                               right back
                                                left back
                                           centre back(Anderson?)
                                              left sided midfielder
                                                  striker
                                           

[Alan Southstand]

I would add a right sided midfielder to that list.

[rtid88]

These suggestions are not necessarily based on my opinions, but more on what Fergie might be thinking, especially as he has said that he wants 2 players for each position.

                                            Released:

                                            Williams
                                             Alcock
                                              Evina

                                            Transfer listed:

                                             Mandeville
                                              Garrett
                                                Lund

                                              Recruitments:

                                               right back
                                                left back
                                           centre back(Anderson?)
                                              left sided midfielder
                                                  striker
                                           

I would add Alfie May to the Transfer List, I would love for him to come good and he doesn't lack commitment and passion but unfortunately I just don't think he has the ability for League One football.

[Lifelong supporter]

Transfer listing Mandeville would be crazy.

[godlike1]

These suggestions are not necessarily based on my opinions, but more on what Fergie might be thinking, especially as he has said that he wants 2 players for each position.

                                            Released:

                                            Williams
                                             Alcock
                                              Evina

                                            Transfer listed:

                                             Mandeville
                                              Garrett
                                                Lund

                                              Recruitments:

                                               right back
                                                left back
                                           centre back(Anderson?)
                                              left sided midfielder
                                                  striker
                                           

I would add Alfie May to the Transfer List, I would love for him to come good and he doesn't lack commitment and passion but unfortunately I just don't think he has the ability for League One football.

I agree with that. At best he gets one more season and loaned out at xmas if not up to it

[Brian Young]

These suggestions are not necessarily based on my opinions, but more on what Fergie might be thinking, especially as he has said that he wants 2 players for each position.

                                            Released:

                                            Williams
                                             Alcock
                                              Evina

                                            Transfer listed:

                                             Mandeville
                                              Garrett
                                                Lund

                                              Recruitments:

                                               right back
                                                left back
                                           centre back(Anderson?)
                                              left sided midfielder
                                                  striker
                                           

Simple isn’t !

[scawsby steve]

I would add a right sided midfielder to that list.

I take your point, Alan, but I was just thinking that maybe we already have 2 for that position in Copps and Matty Blair.

[scawsby steve]

Transfer listing Mandeville would be crazy.

As I said, Lifelong, these suggestions are based on what Fergie might be thinking; he clearly had some kind of a fallout with Liam a while ago, and let's be honest, the lad doesn't seem to have done anything at Colchester. For what it's worth, I like the lad, and if it's not going to work out for him with Fergie, then it might do him the world of good to have a new start with another club.

[steve@dcfd]

I would add a right sided midfielder to that list.

I take your point, Alan, but I was just thinking that maybe we already have 2 for that position in Copps and Matty Blair.

We haven’t had a goal scoring attacking right sided midfield player all season, who can play right of a diamond, right wing back and even right of a three, either up front or middle, Kongolo has been a disappointment in that postion. Copps not played there all season and next season should not be guaranteed starter also Blair for me is a cover player next season not a first team starter.

We need a left sided midfield player again as above. Then we will have Andrew and Rowe as well who can play left, but Rowe can play at the head of a diamond.

Williams goes therefore we need another striker, height pace and is a goal scorer. A player who can also play up front if Marquis is injured.

Then a fourth centre half as long as Baudry signs as well.

Now the debate over Mandeville and May, they have to be replaced if they leave the squad. So we will have to see what happens.

The problem with transfer listing Lund and Garrett is who will want them.
Season long loans may have to happen to Conference clubs if we pay major part of their wages.

[Brian Young]

I think that you discuss your views with Fergie before you commit to selling any one .

[The Red Baron]

Transfer listing Mandeville would be crazy.

I agree. Very likely that someone would buy him for peanuts and end up making a big profit on him in a couple of years.

With regard to him and Lund, we need to be much smarter with loan deals. Fergie admitted that we should have had a break clause in Lund's loan so he could be recalled (and loaned elsewhere) in January. Similarly we ought to have checked whether Colchester just wanted Mandeville as cover.

You'd think we might have learned something from the Curtis Main fiasco two years ago.

[DonnyOsmond]

With Mandeville its up to him to decide whether he wants the career or if he just wants to act like a student all his life. He was probably on a similar level to Beestin is now but Beestin you can see wants it a hell of a lot more.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Mandeville and Houghton are two tough decisions for me. As is may really.  They all could be easily let go or listed.

[Alan Southstand]

Priorities - and cost/value for money - will determine what the manager can do in the summer.

You could argue that the manager is not getting value for money out of some of the current squad and that, in the end, will be the bottom line on who stays/goes/is transfer listed, etc.

IF we have intentions of better things next season, then some of the current crop of players will have to make way. Some of the younger ones may improve but are we getting to the stage where the manager can't be taking risks that a,b or c might get good enough?

[wing commander]

  Williams and Evina will free up decent money for a start..Evina signed his contract when he was doing well and we were desperate to keep him and is a high earner as is Williams..
   I really rate Mandeville but he just isn't developing for some reason and Beestin has overtaken him so I would probably list him along with May who isn't good enough..That would be 3 forward players leaving which gives us a bit of leeway to really improve our striker options..

[glosterred]

Transfer listing Mandeville would be crazy.

I agree, who would buy him the way he’s been playing for the last 6 months or so. Best just get rid

[RoversAlias]

I would keep May for now. Not to get into that whole debate again but he is presumably on lower wages and may yet still come good, providing we sufficiently replace Williams (and Mandeville if he goes) then I think we'll be okay up front keeping Marquis and May.

[Bessie Red]

Mandeville and Houghton are two tough decisions for me. As is may really.  They all could be easily let go or listed.

We should do everything we can to get Houghton permanently. It's obvious that he has the talent to play at a higher level eventually so we should buy him & maybe sell him on for a big profit in a couple of years.

[drfchound]

Houghton may be a good holding midfielder but he contributed very little to our cause against Bury in the right side role he was given.

[Chris Black come back]

Is it just me who sees the midfield as the major problem here?

Putting aside Copps for all kinds of (good and age-related) reasons, it is a real mish-mash of players in midfield. None of them really seem to have fixed positions and as a result, none of them really stay in form for sustained periods.

Houghton, Whiteman and Rowe are I imagine intended to be the core of the midfield but they are pushed around all over the place. Hougton was our anchor at the bottom of the diamond but is now playing right midfield. Whiteman I still have no idea where he should play and Rowe is as much a left-back as a left midfielder these days.

[drfchound]

I agree with you CBcb.
Too many times we are putting players into positions they are not suited to.

[Alan Southstand]

I'm with you, Chris. I think it's the biggest problem in the entire squad. Maybe, if DF wants to play the diamond most of the time, he should find the right players to fit into the system. It's pretty obvious that the midfield is not right, whatever combination of players the manager chooses.
We have 3 players vying for one defensive role. Nobody competing with an ageing Copps, Rowe wasted on the left and nobody available to cover for him. I think Matty Blair is no right back and he doesn't look overly suited to playing in the diamond, so is his time nearing its natural conclusion? Lovely lad and he's been through the mill a bit this season, but this game is ruthless and the bottom line is we need better. Maybe the manager thought Kongolo was going to make a difference but we all know how that has turned out!

Major overhaul needed in the summer but I fear may not happen. If, as most seem to want, we do indeed sign Houghton, it could well mean we can only add one more midfielder to the ranks. Why do I think that? Well, what we definately miss is a good solid partner for our main striker and that player may well gobble up quite a chunk of whatever our budget is going be next season. We all know strikers do not come cheap.

[roversdude]

Is there any news on a contract for Copps

[scawsby steve]

These suggestions are not necessarily based on my opinions, but more on what Fergie might be thinking, especially as he has said that he wants 2 players for each position.

                                            Released:

                                            Williams
                                             Alcock
                                              Evina

                                            Transfer listed:

                                             Mandeville
                                              Garrett
                                                Lund

                                              Recruitments:

                                               right back
                                                left back
                                           centre back(Anderson?)
                                              left sided midfielder
                                                  striker
                                         

I didn't do too badly did I?

[Campsall rover]

I would add a right sided midfielder to that list.

Got Beestin, Kiwoyma, Blair and Coppinger who can all play there. I think a left sided player is required which would allow Rowe to play at the head of the diamond if Copps is not playing.