Thoughts on McCann’s new players?

[Bentley Bullet]

Let's hope this new best thing since sliced bread is better than the old best thing since sliced bread.

[Copps is Magic]

This Ali Crawford looks half decent, and this Shawn McCoulsky looks half decent. And this Wilks looks like a promising youngster.

[ravenrover]

I will reserve final judgement until the transfer window shuts and we can evaluate what we have. There is still plenty of time to get some more players in and hopefully that will happen.

It’s not my place to comment on the budget and I’ll trust what we’ve been told - that it has not reduced. But the simple fact at this point in time is that the squad is weaker than the one that finished last season.

Williams’ departure should in theory provide an opportunity to bring in a quality striker. Mandeville’s departure compounds this. We have not addressed this yet.

Houghton’s departure highlights the need to bring in a quality central midfield player. We have not done this yet. (Crawford is more of a number 10 and hopefully adds something there).

Anderson was secured on a permanent so that one is sorted. But there’s an argument to say we need to replace Baudry if we are to maintain the status quo let alone strengthen. Especially with Alcock having gone and Garratt now leaving.

So all in all we are unquestionably weaker at this point. Plenty still to do if we are to challenge for the top 6. 

Fully agree about needing a strong def mid-fielder but again Houghton was a loan not one of ours. As for replacing Baudry surely Anderson IS the replacement

[RoversAlias]

I will reserve final judgement until the transfer window shuts and we can evaluate what we have. There is still plenty of time to get some more players in and hopefully that will happen.

It’s not my place to comment on the budget and I’ll trust what we’ve been told - that it has not reduced. But the simple fact at this point in time is that the squad is weaker than the one that finished last season.

Williams’ departure should in theory provide an opportunity to bring in a quality striker. Mandeville’s departure compounds this. We have not addressed this yet.

Houghton’s departure highlights the need to bring in a quality central midfield player. We have not done this yet. (Crawford is more of a number 10 and hopefully adds something there).

Anderson was secured on a permanent so that one is sorted. But there’s an argument to say we need to replace Baudry if we are to maintain the status quo let alone strengthen. Especially with Alcock having gone and Garratt now leaving.

So all in all we are unquestionably weaker at this point. Plenty still to do if we are to challenge for the top 6. 

Fully agree about needing a strong def mid-fielder but again Houghton was a loan not one of ours. As for replacing Baudry surely Anderson IS the replacement

Whether they were ours or not, their position needs filling in the squad. So Houghton definitely needs replacing.

And I wouldn't class Anderson as Baudry's replacement, no. We were short at CB for the first half of last season and added two defenders due to injury in January. For me, one of them was a redundant squad position (filled by Boyle) so Anderson fills that gap, but now Baudry is gone we can't possibly expect to be okay with only Wright, Butler and Anderson to play at CB.

[DonnyOsmond]

For me we need a bit more depth mainly at center mid but I'd take this team for first game of the season.

Crawford Marquis Coppinger
Rowe McCullough Whiteman
Andrew Butler Wright Mason
Lawlor

Marosi
Amos
Anderson
Blair
Beestin
Kiwomya
May

[Jonathan]

As above, I think Anderson replaces Anderson (following his brief return to Burnley). Don’t get me wrong I think he’s an excellent addition, but we are still short in central defence given that numbers wise we will be missing Baudry, Alcock, Boyle and Garratt.

[Alan Southstand]

No Wilks?

[steve@dcfd]

For me we need a bit more depth mainly at center mid but I'd take this team for first game of the season.

Crawford Marquis Coppinger
Rowe McCullough Whiteman
Andrew Butler Wright Mason
Lawlor

Marosi
Amos
Anderson
Blair
Beestin
Kiwomya
May

Where would you have Malik Wilks and Taylor(if we sign him)

[Jonathan]

For me we need a bit more depth mainly at center mid but I'd take this team for first game of the season.

Crawford Marquis Coppinger
Rowe McCullough Whiteman
Andrew Butler Wright Mason
Lawlor

Marosi
Amos
Anderson
Blair
Beestin
Kiwomya
May

Where would you have Malik Wilks and Taylor(if we sign him)

I know the question isn’t directed at me, but I simply wouldn’t sign him. There are surely other priorities. A striker, at least one central midfield player and cover in central defence.

[steve@dcfd]

As above, I think Anderson replaces Anderson (following his brief return to Burnley). Don’t get me wrong I think he’s an excellent addition, but we are still short in central defence given that numbers wise we will be missing Baudry, Alcock, Boyle and Garratt.

Agree but Lund in place of Garrett and I think Boyle was an extra but we have not got a replacements yet for Baudry and Alcock.

The centre midfield is the concerning area the players we are linked with apart from AG are in tha attacking three it appears.

[Metalmicky]

McCann says business done....

[steve@dcfd]

McCann says business done....

Where is this been put into the public domain please?

[DonnyOsmond]

You could say Blaney replaces Baudry. Also, we won't be playing 3 a the back.

[RoversAlias]

Okay, so consensus seems to be forming that, positions-wise, we need to replace Alcock, Baudry, Houghton and Williams. I'd agree with that.

In the line-up DonnyOsmond has posted, I'd actually be reasonably confident in that line-up providing we sign another central midfielder. That's before factoring in injuries throughout the season of course.

[steve@dcfd]

You could say Blaney replaces Baudry. Also, we won't be playing 3 a the back.

You can say that but he is learning his trade will be playing in the development squad. We lost three centre halves in two weeks and we were lucky it was in the transfer window, we had to bring in two centre halves. Therefore 4 centre halves doesn’t mean have to play a three.

[Retdon1]

McCann says business done....

Where is this been put into the public domain please?

It’s a story just been released on the free press website that McCann has pretty much said 1 more attacking player and we’re about done...
so we have lost baudry, Williams, evina, Alcock, plus the loans of houghton, kongolo and Boyle and only brought in Anderson, Crawford and the young lad on loan from Leeds... the board says the budget has gone up but where the hell has it been spent. We’re still 4 players short of having a competitive squad. Not looking good.

[steve@dcfd]

https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/football/doncaster-rovers/doncaster-rovers-grant-mccann-not-planning-much-more-business-in-transfer-market-1-9250195

If he believes that then let’s hope it’s just talk because if it’s actually the case we won’t be good enough for top 10 in my opinion

[Alan Southstand]

And we've moved out Mandeville and will be trying to find Garrett a Club!

Please tell me this is either a joke or McCann is playing poker with Peterborough.

We are nowhere near ready yet!

[Jonathan]

A note of pedantry. The budget may well have gone up so it’s not right to cast doubt on that at this stage. But if we start the season anything like we are right now then actual (and projected) expenditure on wages and transfers will surely reduce significantly. There is still time to use more of the increased budget.

And presumably the club will continue to operate in the same way, whereby if a special opportunity arises (I don’t mean Taylor) then we could make a move outside the budget.

[bedale rover]

McCann says business done....

Where is this been put into the public domain please?

It’s a story just been released on the free press website that McCann has pretty much said 1 more attacking player and we’re about done...
so we have lost baudry, Williams, evina, Alcock, plus the loans of houghton, kongolo and Boyle and only brought in Anderson, Crawford and the young lad on loan from Leeds... the board says the budget has gone up but where the hell has it been spent. We’re still 4 players short of having a competitive squad. Not looking good.

But we have Amos who is also a CB/lb
We also have some of the graduates from the youth system longbottom for example
So

Are we getting obsessed with signing players just for the sake of signing them?

[steve@dcfd]

McCann says business done....

Where is this been put into the public domain please?

It’s a story just been released on the free press website that McCann has pretty much said 1 more attacking player and we’re about done...
so we have lost baudry, Williams, evina, Alcock, plus the loans of houghton, kongolo and Boyle and only brought in Anderson, Crawford and the young lad on loan from Leeds... the board says the budget has gone up but where the hell has it been spent. We’re still 4 players short of having a competitive squad. Not looking good.

But we have Amos who is also a CB/lb
We also have some of the graduates from the youth system longbottom for example
So

Are we getting obsessed with signing players just for the sake of signing them?

Do you believe the squad we have will achieve a top six finish the club’s goal

[Alan Southstand]

Be dale - are you serious?

The Board's stated aim this season is top 6, not bottom 6! We are nowhere near a strong enough squad to challenge the upper reaches of this division......yet. It is to be hoped that there are a couple of rabbits yet to be pulled out of the proverbial hat.

[DonnyOsmond]

Amos - Garratt
Lund - Alcock
Anderson - Anderson
Blaney - Baudry

[DonnyOsmond]

We need more depth but at the moment we've got a decent first XI.

[sedwardsdrfc]

For me we need a bit more depth mainly at center mid but I'd take this team for first game of the season.

Crawford Marquis Coppinger
Rowe McCullough Whiteman
Andrew Butler Wright Mason
Lawlor

Marosi
Amos
Anderson
Blair
Beestin
Kiwomya
May

that 11 isn't bad and there's Besestin/Kiwomya/Wilks who can come in for copps or Crawford (who may be in the midfield 3 we don't know yet) so there is depth in attack. But i'd like us to focus on getting another proper number 9 to compete with Marquis (or if he gets sold very late on) and another proper midfielder to replace McCullough. Grant from Posh fits the midfield description and the striker from Bristol City could be the 9. A club our size can't operate with 3 players for every position we're always going to need players like Mason or Blair to come in and do a job.

[steve@dcfd]

Like last season we can wait and see with Hindsight how GM has used the resources he’s been given.

[steve@dcfd]

For me we need a bit more depth mainly at center mid but I'd take this team for first game of the season.

Crawford Marquis Coppinger
Rowe McCullough Whiteman
Andrew Butler Wright Mason
Lawlor

Marosi
Amos
Anderson
Blair
Beestin
Kiwomya
May

that 11 isn't bad and there's Besestin/Kiwomya/Wilks who can come in for copps or Crawford (who may be in the midfield 3 we don't know yet) so there is depth in attack. But i'd like us to focus on getting another proper number 9 to compete with Marquis (or if he gets sold very late on) and another proper midfielder to replace McCullough. Grant from Posh fits the midfield description and the striker from Bristol City could be the 9. A club our size can't operate with 3 players for every position we're always going to need players like Mason or Blair to come in and do a job.

What square pegs in round holes never?

[Alan Southstand]

We need more depth but at the moment we've got a decent first XI.

I disagree, as the midfield is nowhere near strong enough for this division, let alone top 6.

[sedwardsdrfc]

For me we need a bit more depth mainly at center mid but I'd take this team for first game of the season.

Crawford Marquis Coppinger
Rowe McCullough Whiteman
Andrew Butler Wright Mason
Lawlor

Marosi
Amos
Anderson
Blair
Beestin
Kiwomya
May

that 11 isn't bad and there's Besestin/Kiwomya/Wilks who can come in for copps or Crawford (who may be in the midfield 3 we don't know yet) so there is depth in attack. But i'd like us to focus on getting another proper number 9 to compete with Marquis (or if he gets sold very late on) and another proper midfielder to replace McCullough. Grant from Posh fits the midfield description and the striker from Bristol City could be the 9. A club our size can't operate with 3 players for every position we're always going to need players like Mason or Blair to come in and do a job.

What square pegs in round holes never?

Yes if you've a right back (Mason) and then he gets injured and then the reserve gets injured you may have to play a square peg in a round hole. We will have a squad of 25 in a case like that we will have no choice just like all the other teams in the league

[godlike1]

https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/football/doncaster-rovers/doncaster-rovers-grant-mccann-not-planning-much-more-business-in-transfer-market-1-9250195

If he believes that then let’s hope it’s just talk because if it’s actually the case we won’t be good enough for top 10 in my opinion

I’d agree with that, there are no signs off a push for promotion with this team at this moment in time.