JW has stated that we are at the limit of our wage cap and there is no room for new blood so to speak. When you consider that this is almost the same team that played at the end of last season minus: Joe A ; Virgo; Beaven and a few other loanees, it makes you realise that we must be paying fairly high wages to the 3 new guys - as they were here last season as well - all be it on loan. So the burning question is .... do you think it was worth it to use up all of our available cash to take us to the top of the wage cap limit on just 3 players? We all know that they are good players, but when you look at other teams (many of whom must have a lower wage cap than us!) and some of their players they have signed you start to wonder what sort on money these guys must be on! I know we have a lot of injuries ... but we did last year as well, so there can only be one place the extra cash has gone and that is to the new players! When you look at the bench yesterday (Exeter) you begin to realise just how thin we are on the ground at present. Hopefully the situation doesn't get any worse and we start to see a few faces coming back into the squad. I know a lot of players don't rate Matt Gill, but the season before last when we were away to Bradford I thought he was one of our most influential players and when he went off (injured!) we really missed him, and he has stated that he hasn't been fully fit since he's been here. With him and GK coming back we will have 2 good senior pro's to boost the squad, and Brunty should be back as well soon ... UTG!!!
It a right pickle at the moment RG, the squad was very thin on experiance yesterday, to be honest thats tells its own story, youngsters up against seasoned pro's Coles, Woodman, Baldwin, Doherty etc, just a litlle to experianced for these boys, though Santos did well on several occasions when introduced. As I have said elsewhere, Kenneth looks a different player in terms of fitness now, may be time to be bold stick him up top, if we are to use the direct approach, load the front line up with a 6 foot plus target, I am sure he would be a handful, I think a fit Gill would be a very good foil along side JJ, should have the experiance to pick out the pass, and steady the ship through midfield, all to often yesterday possesion was lost to hoofing the ball forward as if it were a hot potatoe.
we have to fight through this period and hope no more injuried come before we get other back. when brunt, harrold, clucas, woodards come back, we will be much stronger. ward admitted he didnt want to play too many youngster at once but his hand is tied.
Its not just the new three players soaking up the money Kenneth Clarkson Woodards,Gill,Paterson were on long term contracts and top salaries to join us and struggling to recover from serious injuries. As for Kenneth looking lean and fit he never kept the ball on the ground made to many mistakes for Parkes to have a last ditch attempt to clear up he is hardly a Steve Elliot who could play up front when we needed him to change the game or lacked strikers with presence. Woodards alway played well from the back (rubbish in midfield) however Smithy has taken his position.Both Smith and Brown need to create more from the back and leave Parkes and Billy Crystal to hold the fort. As for Gill not being fully fit since he has been here perhaps that accts for his performances perhaps we should have let him go and paid up his contract as he has lacked any quality on the field saying that he may form a good partnership with O Toole. COR Its strikers and midfielders we need back not defenders
My thinking on Kenneth is on two fronts, saw him last week he looks a different player to last season, has lost weight and looks more like it now, to have a big physical target up front will put pressure on the opposion defence if we are to keep going route one, something that didnt happen once yesterday, when he is fit and ready to go dont want him getting in the way of the Parkes/McChristal partnership (although after yesterday, that might need the proverbial kick up the arse) I think its safe to say that it was a blip though (hope im right) As far as the Steve Elliot comparison is concerned, lets give him the benifit of the doubt at the moment, pretty sure we have not seen the best of him yet (as a centre half antway) Agree 100% regards shipping Gill out, but we didnt he is still ours so again lets give him the benefit, have a sneeky feeling that a fit Gill would be more than adequate along side JJ. Did not use the flanks well yesterday, for what ever reason, this needs to be sorted, I think we need experiance in this position, even with Brogs fit I think we got rid on JA to soon, another player who if no-one else was available had the physique to also play up front if required. Not sure the strikers we have, have enough goals in them, Harold is probably the most likey to get to 15, but if we get everything else right (a big if) then chances will be made at regular intervals and goals will come? Like others on here I think the best chance for ER is the striker role.
