Summer 24- Who are you keeping

[JoeMezz]

It’s not the defenders - it’s the complete lack of defensive midfield cover.

This has been the problem all season and would be so easily rectified.

[Peter Venkman]

This has been the problem all season and would be so easily rectified.

I think as fans we can see, or think that is the problem, yet first Flynn and now Gunning, as well as Russell seem to disagree with us.

For me its been a gaping hole in the team all season and most of last season too. Plenty of freebies out there that would do the job I am sure.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

I suppose it’s not just having a bespoke DM, it’s the fact the midfielders we do have are all small, slightly built players. There’s no physicality there.

I haven’t bothered to look but do those teams up the top play with DMs?

[Nemo]

I think as fans we can see, or think that is the problem, yet first Flynn and now Gunning, as well as Russell seem to disagree with us.

For me its been a gaping hole in the team all season and most of last season too. Plenty of freebies out there that would do the job I am sure.

And Chorley, Garner, Lindsey, Sandro & Morris too to be fair - Garner had Grant but preferred Reed, a much more "in possession" DM and everyone since has used Khan as a DM despite him being a lot more of an all round industrious midfielder than a true screen/destroyer/anchor type.

Completely agree that it seems obvious to me but there must be a reason where so many experienced football people (and Sandro Di Michele) have overlooked it.

[Peter Venkman]

I haven’t bothered to look but do those teams up the top play with DMs?

Off the top of my head Crewe use Offord and Mansfield Boateng and Wrexham use Evans as DMC's not sure about the rest though.

[Peter Venkman]

And Chorley, Garner, Lindsey, Sandro & Morris too to be fair - Garner had Grant but preferred Reed, a much more "in possession" DM and everyone since has used Khan as a DM despite him being a lot more of an all round industrious midfielder than a true screen/destroyer/anchor type.

Completely agree that it seems obvious to me but there must be a reason where so many experienced football people (and Sandro Di Michele) have overlooked it.

Absolutely, the only DMC we brought in that specialised in the role really in the last 2 years was Kadji from the Shitheads and he was utterly terrible.

Reed and Kinsella were as you say more possession style DMC but certainly not tough tackers by any way shape or form.

Plus, with the exception again of Kadji, all were midget proportions with zero presence physically.

[Nemo]

Kinsella could definitely tackle, but he wasn't super physical and frankly, we barely used him until a month before we sold him again!

[TailBetweenLegs]

I honestly think it just comes down to ability.

Look at the season under Garner, did a midfield of Payne Reed and Williams offer that much protection? We moaned about the likes of Conroy and Baudry but based on the last 2 seasons do we have much better than that

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

Off the top of my head Crewe use Offord and Mansfield Boateng and Wrexham use Evans as DMC's not sure about the rest though.

Mansfield use Reed at the base of a diamond - but for starting things off rather than destroying - as we know. Boateng on the right of the diamond but he hasn’t played much at all this season.

Again, Evans at Wrexham starts things off. So maybe a DM in the sense of what we are all calling for isn’t that widely used by the better teams.

[Wobbly Bob]

It's  horses for courses isn't it?
An element of luck (large dollop of I suspect) combined with some forward planning sees success in this division.

We'd started well in 2019-20 & Grant came in to initially replace Lyden I think & didn't put a foot wrong thereafter.

We had the luck with pretty much all of the signings paying off that season.
Established experience in defence coupled with a variety of talented forward options were also part of the jigsaw.

That season could have panned out differently if circumstances dictated an over reliance on a misfiring Adam May for example.

If we can keep the majority of the current front 6 or 7 options together for next season then that would be a start.

A McCarthy like figure or two at CB would be crucial.
Low confidence on ability of club to effect retention of key players over the summer though.
Agree with PV's mantra that successful sides are built from the back.

Benchmark for me would be the removal of the majority of the squad involved in the Aldershot game & progress has been made towards this.

Then depends on how Gunning wants to play next season (I reckon that he'll get the gig barring a dismal run which I don't think will happen). If he wants to mirror Garner then I'd like to see George retained & recruit accordingly in midfield around that.

Promotion winning sides are always about whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
A low rent approach could still work in that respect with clever being the operative word in terms of recruitment.

Loads of variables involved.
Even more so with us it would seem & herein lies the problem, possibly.

Chucking money at it isn't always the solution.
Wouldn't be surprised if visits to North Wales & Nottingham were still on the schedule next season.
Not an issue if the powers that be don't shit themselves as a result.

Yeah, it's all bollocks.

[iParadise]

We have one of the worst defences in the entire football league and people are wanting to keep most of them? Nah.

   You’re spot on!

[BambooToTheFuture]

I had heard a few rumours that he wasn't particularly happy at times this season. I think he's played really well recently so if we can get him tied down onto an extended contract that would be a big statement.

Not read back but perhaps he's exerting himself a little more in order to make more smooth a move/be attractive to other employers in the Summer? Signing an extension obviously helps the club if he were still intending to move on.

I personally feel he'll be gone in the Summer. A shame because in the right team, he's probably good enough at the top end of L2, if not the lower steppes of L1