Easy one with all the talk about next season If you could sign anyone who would it be and why. I would like Rovers to sign JJ O 'Toole he does exactly what is expected of him and is just what the team need on and off the field. COR
mildenhall. best keeper we have had for many a year. best keeper i have seen for rovers who commands his box and great shot stopper too. he breeds confidence into his defence.
Agree CJ with Mildenhall solid keeper very vocal needs to organise better from corners though. What about players from outside our current team? COR
I would like to see a more forceful midfielder playing alongside J2O. Today shows the need for someone to take the ball and drive through the middle of the pitch. We saw how Montenegro took England apart in the second half with that tactic. I appreciate that in this division everyone seems to chip the ball forward in the hope that bypassing weak midfields is the easiest route to get forward, but the Gillingham game showed that with four defenders across the back making great heading interceptions was pretty much all that was required to counteract that tactic.
All the lads who have come in and helped build this team into what it is, strong heart, organized and bloody hard working, if we can manage to add a couple more players in the right positions for next season then I can see positive steady improvement, a great base built for moving to the new ground. Importantly no superstars but a good solid squad of players who can be trusted to wear the Blue & White quarters.
Saph I could not understand why Hodgson did not play Parker in the midfield works hard does the dirty stuff links play well especially when Cleverly faded really bad in the second half made no sense just bringing on 1 sub Young.Anyway agree we need another to play alongside JJ however they are not cheap Disley worked well with Campbell since they left we have lost the midfield pairing that you crave for. So Long....other than yesterday I agree they reflect the managers attitude and collective spirit.You do need a couple of stand out players though that can make the difference when you are playing badley like yesterday unfortunately no one turned up except a couple of times with Elliot Richards it was really poor including JJ. COR
the issue we had under mcghee this season was we had a very weak spine of the team. ward rectified this. mildenhall, mcchrystal, o'toole and brunt all came in and all had a massive impact. brunt is the only player im sure of that we will have next season as i doubt we will sell in the summer. mildenhall and o'toole is only loans and mcchrystal is on a deal until end of the season and may not re-sign. so ward may have to get a new spine. as long as ward sorts this out for next season he can then build the rest around the spine. im really looking forward to july onwards when signings begin.
Is anyone saying we should sign Tounkara following his two goal burst at the weekend or are we waiting to see if this was a one off performance? COR
I don't think he's another Chris Dickson In his substitute outings and his game V Yate Town he has consistently shown that he is an exciting handful!. I've seen enough to say 'Sign him now... 'cos if we don't someone else certainly will.'
I think we should sign Tounkara and the other loan players mentioned. Accrington's Lee Molineaux looks good. Scunthorpe's Mark Duffy looks excellent too. But to be honest I trust Ward to do the right thing.
this. im positive we wont get o'toole back. i cant see mcdonald signing. i bet he is disappointed he hasnt had a chance seeing he was top with port vale and we were bottom when he joined. i hope we dont get back hitchcock, not seen enough to be excited by him. mildenhall will hopefully sign as he is out of contract end of the season and going by twitter he is very happy with us. we have both mcchrystal and tounkara on short term deals until end of season. i believe mcchrystal will stay. he has been getting plenty of games so im sure he will be keen to stay to continue this. tounkara said he has been disappointed not to be getting game time. but is keen to show us what he can do if given more chances. sounds keen to stay.
JJOT will be a massive missing piece of the puzzle. I don;t think we will find a player anywhere near as good whilst in league two...We need to sign the rest of the current squad though, no doubt about it otherwise we will just be back to the begining again, and the second time around it may not work as well for Ward....Let's hope it does!
CG good point we do not wish to start on the back foot,It would be positive if we are able to secure OToole on another loan deal for next season as he has a year remaining on his contract with Colchester and is out of favour with the current management. As for the rest of the squad I am unsure that I wish to see them all being retained although you need to keep the moral and spirit going.Hitchcock appears to be a fav of JW and whilst we may not want him as he fails to score perhaps Ward sees something that we dont in training or on the field. I would let Kenneth,Virgo,Gill,Hitchcock,Bevan,Paterson,Clarkson and possibly Harrold and Richards go either sold or on loan. I am not sure that Matt Harrold will come back quickly enough or be the same player given his career threatening injury. Clarkson similar comments and where would you play him.Unfortunately he has a 3yr contract so may not happen Kenneth not the right fit for the club again injury issues along with lack of ability Unfortunately he also has a 3yr contract so may not happen. Bevan If fully recovered keep him as back up to Mildenhall if we get him! Gill Let him go he appears very inconsistent rather recruit replacement from elsewhere. Richards,Mood player inconsistent can be good then fades out of the game? Anyone else to clean out COR
I would keep Harrold over Richards if it came down to it. Harrold has more to offer overall IMO and works hard. Kenneth, Virgo, Gill, Bevan should all go. Clarkson I ain't sure about really...don't think he would fit into Wards way of playing to be honest....