Butler injury - time out slashed ?

[Donnywolf]

Reporting that he may not be out for rest of Season

     
                             =====================================

"Andy Butler is good news," Ferguson told BBC Radio Sheffield .

"Since the initial scan, he has been and seen someone and it is now down to closer to six weeks for Andy.

"The initial timescales are wrong, it has been cut in half, so you are looking at games at the start of March."

[since-1969]

It’s good news about Butler, BUT where does it leave us now. DF has stated about at least one player coming in yet in the same breath talks about a Players covering in the mean time . We were never that strong at the back before this so Saturday is going to be interesting to say the least .As I see it , both ends of the team are at there most vulnerable for all the wrong reasons . On a positive note we are often at our best with our backs to the wall. RTiD

[IDM]

I think DF means current players can cover tomorrow, but he still wants to bring one in..  What if we got an injury after the end of January?

[Draytonian III]

Luke McCullough could be on the bench tomorrow,also we have Fielding and Amos so it could be chance to give one of them a few minutes in the senior side. As the saying goes " you don't know until you try "

[since-1969]

Luke McCullough could be on the bench tomorrow,also we have Fielding and Amos so it could be chance to give one of them a few minutes in the senior side. As the saying goes " you don't know until you try "

I thought McCullough was playing 90 mins at Cantley on Saturday?

[The Red Baron]

Fergie said he would prefer McCullough to play in the friendly on Saturday morning but would consider including him in the squad in the afternoon.

[IDM]

Hopefully, we would only bring on one of the youngsters, or even McCullough to get game time, if we are winning the game comfortably.  Get them on in a low-risk scenario.

It won't harm the young lads to be unused subs too, get into the habit of the matchday team experience.

[anne honemous]

We're running the risk of doing what we did two years ago with our transfer policy and not strengthening the squad appropriately.

There's still other areas where we've been weak which we haven't addressed so far in January.

[IDM]

Fergie has said he is looking at one or two positions though?  So we are trying, aren’t we?

[RedJ]

*random Premier League youth attacking midfielder comes in for no apparent reason*

[DRFC-Hanksie]

Luke McCullough could be on the bench tomorrow,also we have Fielding and Amos so it could be chance to give one of them a few minutes in the senior side. As the saying goes " you don't know until you try "

Precisely, look at Ben Khemis at Shrewsbury. Shame he went off though.

[anne honemous]

Fergie has said he is looking at one or two positions though?  So we are trying, aren’t we?

We'll see.

I bloody hope we get three points tomorrow, otherwise the doom merchants will be saying it's five without a win.

I still don't think we'll get relegated (far from it) but we should be doing our utmost to avoid the potential squeaky bum time, when it gets past Easter and into the 'do or die' part of the season.

Other than two players we already had in the first half of the season and a young lad from Ireland, we haven't improved any of the areas where time and time again we were weak during August to December.

There's still time left so we'll see....

[Colemans Left Hook]

missed out on a "Shackell & Hyde" centre half

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42820124

he's probably going to link up with our old beanpole Webster ?? (worst player I ever saw
in a rovers shirt when coming on a a sub)

[Bristol Red Rover]

It's a dangerous gamble to not plug the central defence gap with someone experienced. A month loan should cover it? But finding the right play 

On the other hand, the risky choice of using what we have would mean giving some of our own the chance to rise to the occasion. Very risky though, as we're likely to see against Bristol who I think will be very strong on Sat.

[RedJ]

Month loans don't exist anymore so that won't be happening.

[RoversAlias]

It's a dangerous gamble to not plug the central defence gap with someone experienced. A month loan should cover it? But finding the right play 

On the other hand, the risky choice of using what we have would mean giving some of our own the chance to rise to the occasion. Very risky though, as we're likely to see against Bristol who I think will be very strong on Sat.

The change to the loan system has completely altered this particular problem. You can't sign someone for a month now, so we have to commit to a new player and his wages for the rest of the season, which may prove a total waste of time if Baudry and Butler both recover within 6-8 weeks and stay fit until the end of the season. I can see why Fergie is reticent to rush to bring someone in.

I do think we should sign a left back regardless of these new injury problems, but that's a different matter somewhat.

[Bristol Red Rover]

The change to the loan system has completely altered this particular problem. You can't sign someone for a month now, so we have to commit to a new player and his wages for the rest of the season, which may prove a total waste of time if Baudry and Butler both recover within 6-8 weeks and stay fit until the end of the season. I can see why Fergie is reticent to rush to bring someone in.

I do think we should sign a left back regardless of these new injury problems, but that's a different matter somewhat.

I didn't realise that. I think central defence is where we need to upgrade long term, but see what DF does.

[drfchound]

Six to eight weeks at this time of the season is a very long time and could involve eight to ten matches.
After so many games out, Butler and Baudry would not be match sharpe when they return to the team.
Supposing Wright or Alcock pick up a long term injury on Saturday we would then be very thin on the ground for centre backs so I reckon it would be a good move to bring a player in.

[drfchound]

Fergie has said he is looking at one or two positions though?  So we are trying, aren’t we?

We'll see.

I bloody hope we get three points tomorrow, otherwise the doom merchants will be saying it's five without a win.

I still don't think we'll get relegated (far from it) but we should be doing our utmost to avoid the potential squeaky bum time, when it gets past Easter and into the 'do or die' part of the season.

Other than two players we already had in the first half of the season and a young lad from Ireland, we haven't improved any of the areas where time and time again we were weak during August to December.

There's still time left so we'll see....

Anne, just who are these doom merchants that you and a couple of other posters keep writing about.

[Bentley Bullet]

We should have signed Chris Brown and converted him to a central defender, but no one listens to me.

[silent majority]

We're running the risk of doing what we did two years ago with our transfer policy and not strengthening the squad appropriately.

There's still other areas where we've been weak which we haven't addressed so far in January.

Comparing one season against another and trying to fit that with some kind of transfer policy is very wide of the mark. What is this transfer policy you refer to?

[NickDRFC]

We're running the risk of doing what we did two years ago with our transfer policy and not strengthening the squad appropriately.

There's still other areas where we've been weak which we haven't addressed so far in January.

Comparing one season against another and trying to fit that with some kind of transfer policy is very wide of the mark. What is this transfer policy you refer to?

Not to put words in Anne’s mouth, but two years ago we came into January on the back of some good results and didn’t strengthen, evidently thinking that was enough to keep us there or even push on. We didn’t sign anyone in January and then collapsed with our existing squad.

Won’t necessarily (and probably pretty unlikely to) happen this year but we had (and still have) a couple of problem areas, as well as now a few injury problems, and I think Anne is pretty reasonable in hoping that we address them rather than being satisfied with what we’ve got like two years ago.

[anne honemous]

We're running the risk of doing what we did two years ago with our transfer policy and not strengthening the squad appropriately.

There's still other areas where we've been weak which we haven't addressed so far in January.

Comparing one season against another and trying to fit that with some kind of transfer policy is very wide of the mark. What is this transfer policy you refer to?

Not to put words in Anne’s mouth, but two years ago we came into January on the back of some good results and didn’t strengthen, evidently thinking that was enough to keep us there or even push on. We didn’t sign anyone in January and then collapsed with our existing squad.

Won’t necessarily (and probably pretty unlikely to) happen this year but we had (and still have) a couple of problem areas, as well as now a few injury problems, and I think Anne is pretty reasonable in hoping that we address them rather than being satisfied with what we’ve got like two years ago.

Exactly this.

I understand we've got some high earners on the books who will almost inevitably be shipped out in the summer and we're probably still paying part of the wages paying for Lund, Evina, etc.

However, it's frustrating that we haven't yet improved in any of the areas where we were weak in the first half of the season.

In the worst case scenario, which happened two years ago, nobody will be praising the board for prudence/keeping the pennies tight (however you want to call it). They'll be another long and drawn out inquest into why we didn't improve the squad during the one month of the season when we had the opportunity to do so.

[Harrogate Rover]

We should have signed Chris Brown and converted him to a central defender, but no one listens to me.

Funnily enough there's a bloke who sits near me keeps banging on about Chris Brown.

Nobody listens to him either   

[silent majority]

We're running the risk of doing what we did two years ago with our transfer policy and not strengthening the squad appropriately.

There's still other areas where we've been weak which we haven't addressed so far in January.

Comparing one season against another and trying to fit that with some kind of transfer policy is very wide of the mark. What is this transfer policy you refer to?

Not to put words in Anne’s mouth, but two years ago we came into January on the back of some good results and didn’t strengthen, evidently thinking that was enough to keep us there or even push on. We didn’t sign anyone in January and then collapsed with our existing squad.

Won’t necessarily (and probably pretty unlikely to) happen this year but we had (and still have) a couple of problem areas, as well as now a few injury problems, and I think Anne is pretty reasonable in hoping that we address them rather than being satisfied with what we’ve got like two years ago.

Exactly this.

I understand we've got some high earners on the books who will almost inevitably be shipped out in the summer and we're probably still paying part of the wages paying for Lund, Evina, etc.

However, it's frustrating that we haven't yet improved in any of the areas where we were weak in the first half of the season.

In the worst case scenario, which happened two years ago, nobody will be praising the board for prudence/keeping the pennies tight (however you want to call it). They'll be another long and drawn out inquest into why we didn't improve the squad during the one month of the season when we had the opportunity to do so.

Nope! I asked a specific question, i.e. what is this transfer policy that you refer to?

And again, I have to ask what do you mean by keeping the pennies tight? Have we not just shattered the budget by signing Ben Whiteman on a permanent and Houghton an an extended loan deal but under new financial arrangements?

The situation 2 years ago is different to today and can't possibly be a 'policy' as such. My question to you is when does the budget become exhausted?

[anne honemous]

Read Nick's post. I can't be bothered arguing.

[silent majority]

Read Nick's post. I can't be bothered arguing.

You were the one who stated it was a transfer policy. Have the gall to answer the question. Not being bothered to answer the question is hardly a grown up answer is it?

[Chris Black come back]

Silver cloud is hopefully this means four at back now at least until everyone is back fit. If we can start calling spade a spade then maybe we can get Garratt in at left back and avoid Tommy Rowe playing there again.

[RedJ]

We're running the risk of doing what we did two years ago with our transfer policy and not strengthening the squad appropriately.

There's still other areas where we've been weak which we haven't addressed so far in January.

Comparing one season against another and trying to fit that with some kind of transfer policy is very wide of the mark. What is this transfer policy you refer to?

Not to put words in Anne’s mouth, but two years ago we came into January on the back of some good results and didn’t strengthen, evidently thinking that was enough to keep us there or even push on. We didn’t sign anyone in January and then collapsed with our existing squad.

Won’t necessarily (and probably pretty unlikely to) happen this year but we had (and still have) a couple of problem areas, as well as now a few injury problems, and I think Anne is pretty reasonable in hoping that we address them rather than being satisfied with what we’ve got like two years ago.

That's not fair. We signed Lynden Gooch and Eddie Lecygne for no apparent reason.