McGrath

[ravenrover]

Selby probably best to answer the question right or left for Faulkener?

[Bailey Vickerage]

Selby probably best to answer the question right or left for Faulkener?

Faulkner has to be on the right hand side. Seen him a couple of times on the left and he’s looked shaky.

[selby]

 Faulkner has played both right and left, mostly with nobody tackling in mid field in front of him whatever side he played, because that was how it was then.
 Still got a couple of goals and assists and MOM though, can't think pf many who have done that.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Very good thread this looking at all the permutations.

As said above, Long is the unknown quantity really having just not had enough game time, for such a long time. Agree Wood isn't the future. He'd have to get back fit now and put in some good 90min performances to regain our confidence.

Generally, you would look to pair an experienced CB with a young un, yet we've seen Bailey, particularly in these last couple of games, be the one who organises, making the calls, keeping Olowu and others on their toes. A very calming influence beyond his years.

If we take Bailey out of defence, who are the best combinations?

Anderson and Olowu?
Olowu and Faulkener?
Olowu  and McGrath?
Anderson and McGrath?
Faulkner and McGrath?

The latter obviously more risky with less experience and game time together.

Once in a blue moon someone exceptional like Matt Mills comes along who has ability beyond their years so you wonder and hope, McCann has seen some of that in McGrath.

Faulkener, we know has the heart of a lion and will relish the physical challenges put against him, but yet we haven't seen enough of him to be sure he can sustain a disciplined and structured approach over a period of games. Can he stay calm enough for long enough? I really hope he can.

[mushRTID]

6’odd, left footed centre half. Had a season in one of the most scouted and watched leagues by EFL clubs. If he’s remotely half decent he would have had plenty of offers.

McCann has said he had lots of offers including Championship clubs.

[selby]

  And he came here? that is a big WOW

[Alan Southstand]

The Championship clubs were not offering first team football. He would have been a ‘development’ signing.

Has anyone actually seen the lad play, yet? And I don’t mean clips on YouTube or a host of stats about him.

GM has seen something in him, so that’s a start, surely. Also, we have to measure these 2 signing against what is financially possible, given how many players we’ve got taking a wage and only performing on the physio’s bench!

[Cramby10]

Am I right in thinking that Faulkner is out of contract in the summer? I’m sure I read that. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
If he is, there’s a lot of presumption’s that he stays. The lad has been messed around by the club quite a lot. Wouldn’t surprise me if he sought opportunities elsewhere to be honest.

[Bentley Bullet]

I hope he gets more of a chance here than his Dad did! Mcgrath Senior was signed shortly before Michael McIndoe arrived, scuppering his chances as first-choice left-winger.

I recall that Dad was totally left footed, he would not even touch the Ball with his right foot, quickly got found out!

Mcindoe was about as one-footed as Heather Mills so I doubt they had anything against mono-footed players per se.

If my mate coached him at Sprotyrover Crusaders he would have consistently made him play out on his weak side to make him use both his feet!

I was exactly the same with my grandson.

I was naturally a left-footer as a kid but persevered with my right until I was just about equally as crap with either. 

[ravenrover]

I see McCann says in his interview a couple of Championship ss well as lower league teams were interested in McGrath

[selby]

  Cramby, the club have another years option on his contract, and in fairness have been good with him while injured.
  Now that is behind him he is straining at the bit to get back and fight for his place and is relishing the competition and doesn't expect anything given.

[RoversInSpain]

Very good thread this looking at all the permutations.

As said above, Long is the unknown quantity really having just not had enough game time, for such a long time. Agree Wood isn't the future. He'd have to get back fit now and put in some good 90min performances to regain our confidence.

Generally, you would look to pair an experienced CB with a young un, yet we've seen Bailey, particularly in these last couple of games, be the one who organises, making the calls, keeping Olowu and others on their toes. A very calming influence beyond his years.

If we take Bailey out of defence, who are the best combinations?

Anderson and Olowu?
Olowu and Faulkener?
Olowu  and McGrath?
Anderson and McGrath?
Faulkner and McGrath?

The latter obviously more risky with less experience and game time together.

Once in a blue moon someone exceptional like Matt Mills comes along who has ability beyond their years so you wonder and hope, McCann has seen some of that in McGrath.

Faulkener, we know has the heart of a lion and will relish the physical challenges put against him, but yet we haven't seen enough of him to be sure he can sustain a disciplined and structured approach over a period of games. Can he stay calm enough for long enough? I really hope he can.

No idea who is the best combo but to respond to your question, my huge preference and gut feeling would be Faulkner and McGrath
I’d like to see the others move on in the not too distant future.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Hope we don’t revert to 5 at the back just because we’ve a lot of centre half’s. Think we just need to get to 4 players we want to talk us forward in that position and then pick based on form.

For me the 4 are in no particular order Bailey, Faulkner, Olowu and McGrath. Also I think there’s potential in Bailey playing right back which he often basically was when playing the back 3.

I like Sterry but a back 4 with Bailey and Senior at full back and potentially two physically dominant 6’3 centre halves in Bobby and Jay would be interesting. I’d be trying to go that way next season if GM thinks Bobby and Jay look like the real deal.

[Chris Black come back]

It wouldn’t take a genius to realise that we are not going to be carrying all the current first team centre backs after this window.

Wood, Anderson, Olowu, Faulkner, McGrath and Long, with the lad Flint in and around the squad.

That is a huge cost we are carrying on our modest wage bill.

[Lesonthewest]

We either trust Grant or we don’t.

He says he’s ready to come in and make an impact.

He’s better qualified than us.

My thoughts entirely, if he's good enough for our manager, he's good enough for me.

[GazLaz]

If the consensus is that Bailey has been our best centre half, would moving him out of that position be wise?

[ncRover]

It wouldn’t take a genius to realise that we are not going to be carrying all the current first team centre backs after this window.

Wood, Anderson, Olowu, Faulkner, McGrath and Long, with the lad Flint in and around the squad.

That is a huge cost we are carrying on our modest wage bill.

Is it just me who finds the Richard Wood situation a bit strange?

It was supposed to be a minor calf strain and he’s only played 2 games since early September.

Never been injury prone his whole career.

[sedwardsdrfc]

If the consensus is that Bailey has been our best centre half, would moving him out of that position be wise?

Probably not but it’s an option over the course of a season that might work out. Would expect it to be Bailey and one other for now

[selby]

  CBcb, I would be surprised if Long is in the mix now.

[Cramby10]

  Cramby, the club have another years option on his contract, and in fairness have been good with him while injured.
  Now that is behind him he is straining at the bit to get back and fight for his place and is relishing the competition and doesn't expect anything given.

ok. Thanks for clearing that up. Great news.

[Pancho Regan]

Does he se McGrath and Bailey as the first choice pair then? That means Bobby is well down the pecking order. Do we need 6 centre halves!?

Do you mean we shouldn’t have signed McGrath GazLaz?
Have we made another mistake?

[GazLaz]

Does he se McGrath and Bailey as the first choice pair then? That means Bobby is well down the pecking order. Do we need 6 centre halves!?

Do you mean we shouldn’t have signed McGrath GazLaz?
Have we made another mistake?

If he’s better than what we already have, yes we should have signed him. If not, we shouldn’t! Is there a plan to get rid of some of the other lads? Wood, Anderson, Olowu, Bobby, Bailey, Long, McGrath, that’s actually 7 sorry. No man on the planet can tell me the team 19th in the 4th division should have 7 centre halves on the payroll. Does that scream good recruitment/ planning to you? Screams one guess after another to me.

Grant must think that a fair few of the lads aren’t good enough even though Wood, Anderson, Olowu and Bailey have been given contracts in the last 12months ish and Long and Bobby within the last 18 months.

It’s impossible to be confident with any signing we make of this ilk. “Trust Grant” will be the cry, and he did bring in some good players in his previous stint, but for every Sadlier, Herbie Kane and Wilks there was a Paul Taylor, Shaun Cummings and Rian McLean.

[Alan Southstand]

That reads like you’re lumping a lot of these errors onto GM, Gaz, but he’s inherited this shambles. I don’t think you mean it that way, rather we, as a Club, have been shambolic in our planning and actions, which is fair. Trouble is, what’s the manager supposed to do - put up with it or do something about it. If he leaves it until the summer (when most will be gone), we may be back in the Conference (or whatever they call it now).

[GazLaz]

That reads like you’re lumping a lot of these errors onto GM, Gaz, but he’s inherited this shambles. I don’t think you mean it that way, rather we, as a Club, have been shambolic in our planning and actions, which is fair. Trouble is, what’s the manager supposed to do - put up with it or do something about it. If he leaves it until the summer (when most will be gone), we may be back in the Conference (or whatever they call it now).

Obviously Grant isn’t responsible for what’s gone before, but the club is. We can’t just rely on managers to steer the ship.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Does he se McGrath and Bailey as the first choice pair then? That means Bobby is well down the pecking order. Do we need 6 centre halves!?

Do you mean we shouldn’t have signed McGrath GazLaz?
Have we made another mistake?

If he’s better than what we already have, yes we should have signed him. If not, we shouldn’t! Is there a plan to get rid of some of the other lads? Wood, Anderson, Olowu, Bobby, Bailey, Long, McGrath, that’s actually 7 sorry. No man on the planet can tell me the team 19th in the 4th division should have 7 centre halves on the payroll. Does that scream good recruitment/ planning to you? Screams one guess after another to me.

Grant must think that a fair few of the lads aren’t good enough even though Wood, Anderson, Olowu and Bailey have been given contracts in the last 12months ish and Long and Bobby within the last 18 months.

It’s impossible to be confident with any signing we make of this ilk. “Trust Grant” will be the cry, and he did bring in some good players in his previous stint, but for every Sadlier, Herbie Kane and Wilks there was a Paul Taylor, Shaun Cummings and Rian McLean.

Of course 7 isn't ideal, but nobody should forget we've been victims of circumstance with long term injuries which had forced the manager of the day to recruit to fill gaps.

Take Faulkner out of the equation. Then take Wood out (yes, we can debate the merit of that) and Bailey who wasn't recruited as a centre half and your left with 4, who were recruited by different managers. Four isn't unreasonable to support the team through the course of a normal season to provide competition and cover.

McCann has probably made some decisions and to get from A to B, for a short time, we have to carry more players than necessary in that department.

[DonnyOsmond]

Does he se McGrath and Bailey as the first choice pair then? That means Bobby is well down the pecking order. Do we need 6 centre halves!?

Do you mean we shouldn’t have signed McGrath GazLaz?
Have we made another mistake?

If he’s better than what we already have, yes we should have signed him. If not, we shouldn’t! Is there a plan to get rid of some of the other lads? Wood, Anderson, Olowu, Bobby, Bailey, Long, McGrath, that’s actually 7 sorry. No man on the planet can tell me the team 19th in the 4th division should have 7 centre halves on the payroll. Does that scream good recruitment/ planning to you? Screams one guess after another to me.

Grant must think that a fair few of the lads aren’t good enough even though Wood, Anderson, Olowu and Bailey have been given contracts in the last 12months ish and Long and Bobby within the last 18 months.

It’s impossible to be confident with any signing we make of this ilk. “Trust Grant” will be the cry, and he did bring in some good players in his previous stint, but for every Sadlier, Herbie Kane and Wilks there was a Paul Taylor, Shaun Cummings and Rian McLean.

Don't forget Madger.

[roversdude]

Cummings was a decent player until injury struck, Madger had a spell where he was on fire (and then looked like he’d never kicked a ball before)

[dickos1]

Does he se McGrath and Bailey as the first choice pair then? That means Bobby is well down the pecking order. Do we need 6 centre halves!?

Do you mean we shouldn’t have signed McGrath GazLaz?
Have we made another mistake?

If he’s better than what we already have, yes we should have signed him. If not, we shouldn’t! Is there a plan to get rid of some of the other lads? Wood, Anderson, Olowu, Bobby, Bailey, Long, McGrath, that’s actually 7 sorry. No man on the planet can tell me the team 19th in the 4th division should have 7 centre halves on the payroll. Does that scream good recruitment/ planning to you? Screams one guess after another to me.

Grant must think that a fair few of the lads aren’t good enough even though Wood, Anderson, Olowu and Bailey have been given contracts in the last 12months ish and Long and Bobby within the last 18 months.

It’s impossible to be confident with any signing we make of this ilk. “Trust Grant” will be the cry, and he did bring in some good players in his previous stint, but for every Sadlier, Herbie Kane and Wilks there was a Paul Taylor, Shaun Cummings and Rian McLean.

McCann hasn’t signed the 7 centre halves though, he’s maybe signed 2 of them. So if you were manager and had the opportunity to bring in players you thought were better would you say, oh no I can’t do that as I already have 6 centre halves who are shite that the last manager signed.

And every manager on the planet makes good and bad signings, so yes of course he made bad signings even the best managers on the planet do that.

[GazLaz]

Does he se McGrath and Bailey as the first choice pair then? That means Bobby is well down the pecking order. Do we need 6 centre halves!?

Do you mean we shouldn’t have signed McGrath GazLaz?
Have we made another mistake?

If he’s better than what we already have, yes we should have signed him. If not, we shouldn’t! Is there a plan to get rid of some of the other lads? Wood, Anderson, Olowu, Bobby, Bailey, Long, McGrath, that’s actually 7 sorry. No man on the planet can tell me the team 19th in the 4th division should have 7 centre halves on the payroll. Does that scream good recruitment/ planning to you? Screams one guess after another to me.

Grant must think that a fair few of the lads aren’t good enough even though Wood, Anderson, Olowu and Bailey have been given contracts in the last 12months ish and Long and Bobby within the last 18 months.

It’s impossible to be confident with any signing we make of this ilk. “Trust Grant” will be the cry, and he did bring in some good players in his previous stint, but for every Sadlier, Herbie Kane and Wilks there was a Paul Taylor, Shaun Cummings and Rian McLean.

McCann hasn’t signed the 7 centre halves though, he’s maybe signed 2 of them. So if you were manager and had the opportunity to bring in players you thought were better would you say, oh no I can’t do that as I already have 6 centre halves who are shite that the last manager signed.

And every manager on the planet makes good and bad signings, so yes of course he made bad signings even the best managers on the planet do that.

No he hasn’t signed them all but it’s certainly not a positive sign for the clubs recruitment system when you have to say “we’ve got 6 centre halves, 5 arent good enough, let’s sign another”. 

[Alan Southstand]

I’d say the club’s ’recruitment system’ has quite a task on its hands, due to limited finances.

We seem to be working with one hand tied behind our backs, constantly. Trying to find good quality, robust players for next to nothing must be a bit of a headache, at times.