Sheridan has hinted ....that after the Wimbledon game on Monday....he will be telling the players who will be in his plans for next season. He is suggesting that there will be big changes for next season. Has he told James Brent any of his plans for next season yet, we assume that he (Sheridan) will be here next season....his contract goes beyond next season so I cannot see Brent paying him off....it's not his style (Fletcher for instance). If Sheridan has big ideas will Brent finance them...a question mark there I think.....not going beyond whats required is the norm with Brent. So to help Sheridan out I will suggest who should stay......I have not checked how long players contracts are .....which will effect who might have to stay or be paid off. McCormick.....definately staying,unless he wants to move on of course. Cole.....limitations but passable as No 2. Nelson.....definately unless he gets a better offer. Trotman.....rough around the edges....but can be useful. Berry.....might stay by the skin of his teeth. Purrington.....on a learning curve....hope to keep him from being tempted away. Parsons.....promising as a wing back...staying. Hourihane.....cannot see him not being kept....but not as captain. Young.....in the doldrums....but a year older he might flourish,if given the starts. Banton.....will he come to life next season...already has a contract. Reid.....Will he stay....can we afford him.....I'm sure Sheridan will try to keep him. Alessandra.....can be an exciting player linking with Reid, staying. Harvey.....hope he matures and strengthens up a bit....and not over played....hope to keep him. Lecointe.....unfair to cast him out without being able to play this season.....keep him. I might of missed someone.....I hope not......not sure what to do about Wotton,he can possibly do a job now and again....the team needs someone like him, he wants one more season will Sheridan agree ? So the following I've released..........Blanchard,Richards,Boco,Blizzard,Thomas,Gurrieri,Morgan (might still have a contract for next season ?),Vassel. Hannah and Lane....will probably stay......apprentices still I believe. A mouthy captain is required.....and certainly another serious proven striker......plus others that need to fill important positions of course. OK.......rip it apart and tell me why I'm wrong.....
The big question to answer first is what formation (s) Sheridan thinks we should play. Did we go to 3:5:2 because that was the only way this particular squad would work or is it something Sheridan wants to persist with? If it's 3:5:2, he needs 4 central defenders, with one for cover, and for me, 3 (or 4) full-backs that can attack. It seems playing attackers as wingbacks in the hope they'll defend doesn't work. He then doesn't need many (or any) wide players, of which we have a lot, and any of the likes of Gurreiri, Banton and Thomas may be surplus to requirements. Players like Blizzard and Nelson who can play in either central defence or defensive midfield in an emergency will be essential (Nelson has been excellent anyway so he's a keeper). If it's going to be 4:4:2, then you need the "wingers" to use an old fashioned term but can probably get away with one less central defender. All up in the air.. but I was pleased to see that Reid is out of contract at Yeovil so at least he can't be compelled to go back there.
My thoughts, although some are with the heart and not the head! 1. Jake Cole- keep though it wouldn't surprise me if he went elsewhere 2. Luke McCormick- keep-long term deal 3. Blanchard- go, though he has been a good servant in our darkest days but no room for sentiment in football 4. Trotman- i would keep but understand why many wouldn't 5. Richards- def keep 6. Nelson- long term deal 7. Berry- sorry but goodbye 8. Young-long term deal 9. Boco- def git rid 10. Vassell- let go-will probably thrive in a different environment 11. Wotton- 1 more year 12. Gurerri- keep for sure 13. Reid (loan- parent club contract expires)- would try and sign on a 2 yr deal I suspect next year's squad wont be that much different from this year. I would also offer Thomas a year and hope that someone comes in and buys Morgan and Blizzard though I wouldn't mind if Morgan stays.
To be honest I have no idea who is in or out of contract for next season although I believe most are out. There are only a few I would be upset to see go if I'm brutally honest and as there is no sentiment in football then that is what Sheridan must be. My only keeps for definate would be...... Hourihane Alessandra Reid McCormack Young Nelson Some of the rest could stay or go as I'm not bothered either way. I think Wotton is with heart and not head lyndhurst. He can't do it anymore despite the will and the heart he shows. He was knackered in 30 minutes against Oxford. Give him some other job at the club but not player. How about President? One thing not being commented on is whether Sheridan himself should stay or go. My vote would be stay but he needs to develope ways of changing matches and he himself isn't blameless for some of the season.
After another disappointing result, i think Sheridan needs to take a good look at himself first! He has to take some of the blame as we were all but in the play offs and going well.. then the wheels come off.. hope fully the only good thing will be Excretia going with Torquay to the conference.. or will Torquay survive..
I'm with you Joe, Sheridan is too quick to blame the players in public and ignore the fact he's responsible for tactics. It looks as if there's no motivation and perhaps that's part of the reason. I will give him credit for the fact we're 9th and disappointed: that's a big change from preceding years. However, if he gets to completely change the squad over the summer and we aren't in the Top 7 in November, questions are bound to be asked....
After another disappointing result, i think Sheridan needs to take a good look at himself first! He has to take some of the blame as we were all but in the play offs and going well.. then the wheels come off.. hope fully the only good thing will be Excretia going with Torquay to the conference.. or will Torquay survive..
Disappointing isn't quite as I would put it. How about downright gutless AGAIN. Funnily enough my player for todays match would be Banton. For once he really put in the effort. That is both up front and at the back when required. Now if I was a total cynical git then I might just think the Manager spoke about contracts before this match and possibly when that is to the forefront he comes alive. If he played like this every week then I would want to keep him. One match however doesn't make a contract candidate.
Fairly certain Banton has another year on his contract but agree he was probably MOTM- certainly his best performance since he returned. it is a pity the others didn't look like they were playing for their futures. Wotton had a shocker and despite what I said above, it is time he gave up. my only definite keeps are Mccormick, Nelson, Conner, Young,Reid and Allessandra .
Bleddy ell! We actually agree on two things now lyndhurst. That's todays MOTM and who should stay. I'm not going to bother doing a write up of todays fiasco. All that needs to be said is that the players went on holiday several games ago and are still there. The supporters however believed that the players cared which was their biggest mistake. Any other business and there would be P45's being handed out.
Listening to Sheridan on GoS today is a bit worrying.....you get the feeling that he has no idea what to do and why there is no response from the players.....you do wonder if he knows how to change things.....and if a different set of players next season would make any difference to what happens....he just doesn't seem to be able to motivate....but seems quick to blame.
Don't be too quick to start a "Sheridan OUT" shout just yet plym. He does need to look at himself as well as the players but I don't think you can blame a manager for the lack of bottle in his squad. No backbone is my call on a lot of them and I don't think any amount of motivational talks will change that. What he needs first and foremost is a massive clear out and to start again. There are better players out there as some sides who have come here have shown. I'd like to see a return to a small squad of say 20 players with a bit more quality in a few to replace the numbers. If you have to pay 4 or 5 less players then you can pay better ones more as an insentive to come here. Kitson for Oxford was a prime example. He pretty much wandered all over the pitch and bossed the match. Old he may be but class is still there.
I don't think anyone is starting a Sheridan out campaign. What is unusual though is how quick he is to criticise the players in public. As he picks the team and selects the tactics, he can get away with that once in a while but not all the time. He did say at one point that he'd pick very attack minded sides as we were either going to get into the play-offs or end up in mid-table boredom, so it was worth having a go. That seemed the right thing to do but he seems to have forgotten it now that we've been caught out at it (and to be fair, it would seem so have the fans). You just can't play Gurrieri and Thomas as "full-backs" as he did against Oxford without running the risk of it back-firing. I hope he has a long think before embarking on Summer Of The Long Knives. Firstly, is it 4:4:2, 4:3:3 or 3:5:1? Whilst Champions League players may be able to switch seamlessly, at this level I suspect you need to pick a basic system, get a good First 11 (or vice versa) and then makes sure you have substitutes and reserves that can fit the pattern, not provide confusing choices. I've seen players like Gurrieri, Trotman and Berry play very well - until Sheridan got the idea of playing Berry on the wrong side of the pitch anyway. Wotton is a legend but there is no way of getting over the fact that his legs have gone. Boco is a waste of space. Torquay let Showunmi go when they were themselves short of players due to a rash of injuries & suspensions. That should tell you something. Morgan is neither one thing nor the other for me, too tall to be elusive and not strong enough to dominate. How many of Banton, Gurrieri, Thomas do we need to keep? Obvious keepers (for me) are Alessandra, McCormick, Reid, Nelson, Trotman plus Harvey, Purrington and Lecointe because of their as yet unfulfilled potential. If we have Alessandra, Reid, Lecointe, Gurrieri, Harvey and Banton, how many more strikers do we need in a part of the team where suspensions are rare?
I read that report by Sheridan where he says he is at a loss to explain what has gone wrong with player attitudes. Well blow me down I thought he was the Manager and it was his hob to know those things. Most disappointing from him and I agree with you notdistant he should not be forever slagging off his players in public and using them as his excuse. (Note to self:- must stop agreeing with people)
In my post No11 on this thread I said that I was worried about Sheridan's approach to problems and slating off the players everytime that things go wrong. You wonder if another group of players would get on any better with Sheridan and his coaching team. Surely this present group of players are not impossible to coach and to take instructions on how to proceed against the weekly opposition. So he promises to take tough decisions before next season and put a better team together that will be an improvement on this season. How will he do that then ? He complained enough about not being able to get his targets to come to Home Park this season.......how will that change next season ? Slating your players off in public will not get the best out of them....and bringing in new players won't be easy with that approach to team building. I feel that he is losing the plot at times and blaming the players for his own and his coaching staffs short comings. Unless he is lucky and gets three or four real gems in,... in major positions....and has a strong experienced captain leading on the field...I cannot see things improving for the better. If that doesn't happen then I can see Sheridan getting frayed around the edges and walking away or even being sacked.....Brent needs success on the field to bring bigger crowds and then of course more income through the turnstiles. If the grandstand development starts in the summer then the pressure on the management will increase and promotion will be more important....so Sheridan will be expected to deliver.
Sheridan OUT ok i will start it. In the process of relocating and staying at Mums at the mo, she doesn't do 'puters or internet bless her, so been offline for a bit. have seen a few games and frickin useless at best. Keepers Luke, Nels,Richards, Houri(if we are lucky) Aless, Wotts, Parsons and (Banton & Gurri maybe) and the youth contingent all of them except Vassell. Rest can pretty much bugger off depending on price and available options Blizz, Reid, Berry, Morgan to possibly stay. So we are pretty much were we where last season no width, no big centre forward but we at least have left back when the clown eventually realised we had a decent left back in the youth team. First priority for me is a smart manager.
Interestingly, Sheridan has said recently that he'd like to have players who not only shouted on the pitch but also stood up & disagreed with him as the manager. I wonder if that extends to disagreeing with him in public. I rather suspect it doesn't and if he expects players to keep it within the walls of the dressing room, then perhaps he should do that himself.
Looking at the teams that have done well against us (i know that is most of them) and at the risk of stating the bleeding obvious it seems that to succeed in this division you only need a team of averagely talented footballers- but they need to be well drilled, fit, know how to play in the chosen formation and be motivated. What you don't need is individual highly talented superstars who only perform in some matches. Man for man I think we are probably as talented as most of the other teams so that is a tick, I think that they are fitter than in previous seasons(tick) but they don't appear to know what they are supposed to be doing week to week and this is obviously not helped by constantly changing team selections and/or formations. Am not suggesting wholesale changes to personnel , nor a change of manager(yet) but Sheridan needs to come up with a plan and as far as possible stick to it. He is correct in that we are one of the quietest teams around but Wotton is sadly no longer the answer-especially as his motivational skills are of a dubious nature. Need a motivator/organiser at the back who should probably also be the Captain; some decent wingbacks/midfielders and a smaller squad to prevent excessive tinkering, so my vote would be maybe 4 new faces who would regularly make the starting 11. PS I have changed my mind on wottsie since my earlier post based on some rubbish performances- who says football fans are fickle!
In total shock at moment! A month or so ago after winning our game in hand the team were up and ready for the playoffs.....but went in total reverse gear....mmmm
Argyle's home matches are now complete....finishing...W8...D7...L8....31pts.....very average, and if we had not done reasonably well on are travels that could of meant relegation form. With one game to play at Portsmouth away results are...W8...D4....L10....28pts at present....presentable. Goals at home were only a poor 23 scored.....remember we did score 5 in one game !!!....we have at present got 25 away from home....overall we are minus 7 goals....for a team that is 9th in the league that is poor. Sheridan talking on GoS after the game said that he knows who he is releasing after the Portsmouth game.....and suggested that he needs to bring in 6 or 7 players. He said that he needed ....'a group of players that will get us out of this division'....most of us would agree that that was the uttermost minimal requirement. It will be interesting to see who those players are....GoS mentioned that out of yesterdays starting eleven eight players would be out of contract this summer...other than Banton I'm not sure who the other two players are.
