You can’t have a team of superstars ffs. Sunderland went up with Luke O Nien as their captain, they signed him in league 1 about 6 years ago.
you’re missing the point, to improve in going forward you simply must make yourself more vulnerable, celebrating a tight defence whilst simultaneously scoring no goals and staying up on goal difference on the last day of the season is not the conclusive point to support your argument that you think it is, the truth is actually far more nuanced.
Your point was clinging onto players like that is why we will fail. Which is just utter nonsense for this level
No one has said that. The point is you don’t get rid of them without replacements in first that approach has ****ed us more than any of the players your criticising
Tell ya what, why don't you tell us who you'd sign instead, whilst also strengthening the forward areas, for what you think our budget is going to be this window, and we'll see how you get along.
In relation to Jacob I’d like to know what the issues are with his ability to be a regular - I’ve suggested his positional sense or concentration may be at fault , he’s no slower than Macca I would wager . Anybody ITK ? Like other players , a run in the team can work wonders , Hughes was bought for good money but looked v shaky for a good few weeks .
Jacob needs to go. He also takes up a squad registration spot which we desperately need to free up. Decent player I think I hope he has a good career. Waste of time for him to remain here any longer.
This seems such a childish take to me. Our history is full of players who've been described as limited but been successful for us. The Ashbee, Dawson and Meyler types have always worked out better for us than the more exciting names. That said, the other point someone made about Jacob is a good one: he wasn't picked as a backup when we had few other options, so it's hard to see how he'll play this season either. I've always liked what I've seen from him as a player and I don't really see that he lacks much in his game, but the last two managers haven't used him and that must say something.
But you're advocating letting the defensive core of the squad go. So who would you replace with who, bearing in mind we need much more work in other areas, like in front of goal, rather you blaming the defence for us not scoring. So come on. Specifics please?
He's had 2 seasons to make an impact and he's at the age now where he's probably not going to break through if he hasn't already.
To be fair one of those managers was Walter so difficult to trust his judgement of the players. Rosenior seemed to be fine with having him in the team when needed. I suspect Selles didn’t use him as he concentrated on making us hard to beat. Id like to see him given a chance at least as deputy. As others have said he’s decent going forward and committed. I think if you told him he’d be in the squad even if not in the first team on a weekly basis he might be content.
I’d keep Jones and McLoughlin until their contracts run out, which is 2026. I just don’t think the fees we’d get for either would be worth getting rid of two capable players despite their limitations. It also means having to immediately replace them this summer with better, which would be an additional expense. I’d sign one more centre-back this summer and only then would I let one of Jones or McLoughlin leave (but not both), giving us four solid centre-halves. I would’ve liked that kid from Reading Mbengue if he hasn’t already agreed a new contract with Reading. He’s young but has plenty of games under his belt.
Jacob needs to go for his own sake, go be first choice in league one develop and enjoy his career rather than sitting on the bench week in and out
The issue is players like Jacob and Macca are serviceable squad members for this level. We aren’t a parachute team so unless we get remarkably lucky we aren’t going to have a squad of 25 players all capable of starting 46 games in theory. Some players will have limitations. Macca is a great example of someone like this. Great defender, decent on the ball but has limited athleticism. Can you have him as a regular starter? Yes. Can you sign a better player? Also yes. We get so hellbent on replacing any player with a slight flaw in the armour without remembering who we are currently and what resources we have. Macca would start for 50% of the division probably more. It’s not about protecting the “hard workers” and “local lads” it’s about understanding how non parachute teams need to build a squad. This isn’t like the years under Bruce when we came down with a relative super squad. You keep these kind of players about and build on top of them not constantly churn. Paul McShane is a classic example. Pretty below par when he arrived, yet he stuck around despite the room of CB’s changing around him
