Thetownend.com

Town close in on deal for  midfielder despite change of manager at Tottenham
           
           


  PAOLO Di Canio has revealed that Swindon Town are making progress in their attempts to bring Tottenham’s John Bostock to the County Ground, insisting the
  recent change of manager at White Hart Lane has not hampered the Robins’ chances of landing the midfielder on a long-term loan.

           

http://www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk/news/headlines/9803899.Town_close_in_on_deal_for__midfielder_despite_change_of_manager_at_Tottenham/?ref=rss
           
           
           

I cannot help thinking that this is a done deal.

I never really believed this signing was ever in doubt. The only problems that were existing was the fact that PDC wanted him here for pre season training and the change over with the Totenham manager. Im almost certain he will be here soon.

Isn't every signing in doubt until it's actually happened. We've been shafted over enough times over the years. Players, agents, managers blah blah. Hence why many wait for the old "scarf above head" shots.

I wont be happy till I see the picture of him holding a scarf in the county ground with Di Canio

Would be the last piece of the jigsaw I reckon.

Even allowing for Di Canio's knack for doing the unpredictable, I think I have a reasonable idea of what the starting XI will be at Hartlepool, i.e.

Foderingham

Caddis
McEveley
McCormack
Flint (or Devera or Archibald-Hen)

Ritchie
Ferry (or Miller)
Navarro
Roberts (or Rooney)

Collins
Benson (or Williams)

...so how exactly would he be looking to use Bostock I wonder? Would he be looking to bring him off the bench to change it around if things aren't going well? Or perhaps play 4-4-2 at home and a slightly different formation away?

Well Paolo was saying that it allows him to change to a 4-3-1-2 formation, with Bostock being the 1, he did pretty well in behind the striker vs Gills and Vale.

I've run out of socks.

Bostock would give lots more tactical options, including  4231 and 4141. The arrival of Roberts makes it pretty clear we will still be seeing 442 at home.

I reckon Rooney is going to be a massive player for us this season.

He's got just about everything - just needs to channel it all

 :)
In other words you dont know at all! :)

It's not just about Bostock though, the other signings all help to make other formations possible. Reckon we've got the right players for 4-2-3-1 now, as you need good defensive midfielders that can be creative and wingers that score goals.

I can't remember the last time we had such deep quality in the squad to open up other options like this.

My main concern is lack of cover for the fullbacks

I think we'll be ok at full back. Devera, although not an attacking player, showed last year when Caddis was out that he's more than capable there. Cibocchi's ample cover on the left too. Loans of there's any long term injuries.

I felt disappointed with Rooney after his first few games. I hope he comes out all guns blazing and shows us exactly what Paolo saw in him. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy and think he'll be a worthy asset in the long run but just felt he was a little flat and to predictable.   

I agree.

Rooney needs to stop being predictable and cutting inside every time.  He needs to hit the byeline occaisionally.  Defenders will work him out a lot quicker in this league unless he adds some variation to his game.

If he does that he could easily turn into a player that has the same qualities of Ritchie.

I am going to be the first to say it.I think Ritchie will have a very poor season.

What makes you think that?

Drugs would be my guess. What a bizarre statement.

Just don't think he was all that in league 1 before.Also think better left backs will be more aware of him cutting back in

Based on League 1 performances in the past, Caddis will struggle more than Ritchie but I think it's clear to see that both have improved massively. The signing of Roberts gives us another option if Ritchie is found out as he can operate on both sides.

Neither Caddis nor Ritchie will struggle in L1.

Write it down.

Those 2 are the players who we sho
uld be worrying about the least.

Jesus. Fact is you may be right because any player may have an off season, but you are talking about the best player in league two last season. He has improved dramatically, changed his game since moving to the right, is in a better side, with a better manager and tactics suited to his game. He has Championship clubs watching him, he is fit, has a superb attitude....my god, why don't Town fans appreciate him?

I do appreciate him,i just got my concerns on him stepping up a division.As for best player in division 2 that's bollocks isn't.Oh and the year we went down caddis hardly played in his natural position mor than 2 games in a row.

He won League Two Player of the Year. At the very least, he was in the top three (Behind Foderingham and McCormack, naturally).

You may remember than in 2009 a lower league journeyman named Grant Holt won the same award. He's just about managed to take the step up...

I am not saying he is poor i just got a niggling feeling we will be dissapointed with him this season.

Teams will do their homework on him and i'm sure sometimes he will struggle and games will pass him by. That said he could switch flanks at times etc. He is a class act and think he will generally be a big threat for us

I think with Roberts on the other flank, Ritchie may just have a cracking season as teams can't double up on both of them: too often last season (particularly in the first half of the year) teams would double up on Ritchie and we'd have no real threat down the left to switch to.

Individual players may have poor games now and again, maybe even poor runs, but the team we're putting together gives me real hope that we have enough different attacking threats that we can have a Plan B, C and D rather than just pass to Caddis/Ritchie and hope for the best.

I think that says more about the expectations of the fans rather than Ritchies actual performances

He's not really stepping up a league though is he. He's played in League 1 already. He'll be fine, pretty sure the rest of the side will be too

If you are worried about Ritchie,.it follows you'll be worried about Alan Mc, Foderingham, Caddis....it doesn't make sense. He's like Cox was when he was with us... best player, nobody sings his name... just don't get it.

I have to admit, when we first signed Matt Ritchie on loan i thought he was fucking crap and a waste of time.

How times have changed.

Not like cox at all.I have my reservations that's all,hope i am wrong and likely to be but just saying it will not suprise me if he doesn't stand out as much as alot of our fans are expecting.

Simon Ferry is our best player.

Matt Ritchie is a decent player and not much more. He didnt set the world alright at all last time in L1 but was playing in a piss poor team. During our play off season he couldnt get in the team.

He'll do a decent job, a better job than last time in a better team.

I'd still swap him for Danny Ward all day long!

Really? No one whips in a ball like Ritchie on his day though. At one stage last season he was unstoppable. Subsequently opposing teams doubled-up on him and negated his impact. In a team with more similar outlets (Roberts for one) it won't be as easy to stop him. I think he suffered from the fact we played through him so persistently and became too predictable. We also lost Caddis for a time and that lessened the amount of decent ball he got still further.

It just goes to show how far we've come as a team if we can say that one of our best players isn't that great. I for one rate Ritchie and I think he'll be of a handful this season.

Likewise. Now i'm a big Ferry fan but to play devils advocate DV - Ferry couldn't even get into that piss poor team you speak of so think your argument may be a little flawed.

IMO both Richie and Ferry are decent league one players as (hopefully) we'll find out next season.

Playing devil's advocate to your devil's advocate, but Prutton was the man keeping him out the team.  I still can't work out how, so maybe Wilson was flawed. Or something.

Ferry is a valuable player to us based on last years efforts. That said,he isn't our best player. His stature which sees him knocked off the ball at times and his lack of goals the 2 reasons why. This coming season could go either way for him individually.

League 1 is Ferrys level.  I think he will play an important part in us competing at the top end.  But this is his level.  If we go up, he would I would say thanks and goodbye too!

Agree with the last 2 posts.

Think one of the centre mid slots is his to lose but wouldn't be surprised if he does lose it. The other spot is key to this seasons success imo and will play a major part in Ferry's form too i think.
Like i said could go either way for him i reckon.

Agree with that ! Poor decision making at the time by Wilson buggered up both Ferry the team and himself the longer he preferred Prutton.

Ferry had already proved what an asset he can be in league one and under PDC will show that again no doubt.

But the real question is why couldnt Simon Ferry get into that team? If you can find me anybody in the entire universe other than Danny Wilson who thought Prutton was a better alternative then I will be amazed. I have no idea what Wilson was playing at - but surely everyone thinks we'd have been better off with Ferry in the middle? Apart from Wilson. Whatever the reasons, I dont think it was ever about Ferrys talent.


I still think he's our best player. In my experience alot of the players say the same thing. You're right in that fact he's not perfect and has areas he needs to improve in. We've not had many players for a long long time who have the passing range Ferry does though.


Bah, could play in the Championship....and will do one day.

We'll see I suppose...

I think it was more to do with Fitton going over his head and making signings that he didn't necessarily want, then trying to prove Fitton wrong by bringing in his own man and playing him every week.

Ferry was as shit as the others that season. He was looked on favourably by a lot of fans as he wasn't playing. He's a good player but he was shit when he played that season. I think the fact he was good the season before, was young and cost money ensured he was kept.

Ferry only started 18 league games that season.

He was looked upon favourably because he was and still is alot better than the shite we had playing infront of him.

I also dont think Di Canio would have let things like 'good the season before' 'young' and 'cost money' stop him getting rid of Ferry if he wanted to

I think he nearly bombed Ferry out, its fair to say a few noticed he was carrying a few pounds after presumably giving up under Wilson.

But under PDC he seemed to pull himself together and get back to what he was. Lets face it, if he hadn't reacted the right way PDC would either have sold him or twatted him :)

Prutton was miles better than Ferry that season.

Yeah, ok Danny...

 :fishing: