We seem to be undergoing a massive change in players at the Gate many leaving as out of contract following our relegation Foster having his contract terminated That is 9 out and we have already signed 4 players for the first team squad another for the development squad and it looks like another one in and one out and another goalkeeper to come, this after our head coach said something to the effect that we shouldn't expect too big a shake up. Well 10/11 players out Stead, Heaton, Gerken, Skuse, Foster, Mark Wilson, Matthew Bates, Brian Howard, Dean Gerken and Lewis Carey with Nyatanga not signing a new contract it looks like he has gone as well. Anderson could be on his way to Ipswich with JET arriving at the Gate as replacement so that is a massive 12 players out before any possable bids on any of our current first team squad. Arrivals Wynter, Williams, Flint, and Fielding plus JET perhaps there will be at least one more keeper and a couple of other players it is almost certain.
Lets hope we retain Davies, Cunningham and Baldock and cash in on Albert. If we do we may have a decent season, but we need to get off to a good start.
I have this feeling that the arrival of Jay Emmanuel Thomas might hasten the departure of Neil Kilkenny as he would be fighting to get a subs place on the bench with Reid and I can't see the Aussie Ego putting up with that for long perhaps 45 mins of the first match? If Albert does go then I can see us playing without recognised wide players using our full backs as wing backs in a 3-4-3 or a 3-4-1-2 formation in either case I don't see where NK would play he couldn't play as part of a 3 up top or as the one in the hole as he lacks pace and JET is at least as good a passer and better all round player, from what I have seen of him.
JET would be an inspired signing. He was touted to be a future England star when at Arsenal, and he's played under SOD before. If he can get the best out of him then he should put in some good performances this year. The pessimist in me believes that SOD is happy to see so many players go. Most fans can see that the players gave up last season, and that the club has been living in the past for at least three years. The core of the team was still GJ's old team. Neither Millen or McInnes were given the time to build their own team, and only after relegation was SOD allowed to start building his own team. I don't expect the old guard to play much next season, because SOD now knows who has under-performed, and who will go forward to perform for the club.
Cunningham, Kelly, Davies, Baldock, Anderson, Adomah These are the old guard that I feel will be the rock upon which SOD builds his ship. Cant see him interested in using many others. Come in Pearson, Killa, Fontaine. Your time is up
We have been supposedly looking for that player for at least 3 years Brightred but have failed at every attempt. Let's hope he's out there and wants to come our way because you build the team around your mid-field strengths and unless we can add that critical type of player we may be no further ahead than last season except for being in a lower division.
