The Squad List (2024/25 Edition)

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

I’d want to keep

Ofoborh
Ripley
Drinan
Glatzel
Ameen
Bycroft

….in that order.

I’d love to see McGurk come good but don’t feel like that’s going to happen. Probably time to move on from McGurk.
Also don’t think we really need to keep Cain.

Not fussed either way on Cox.

As for the loans.
I’d take Westley on a free if he was available. Nichols is probably a done deal anyway. Freckleton might be worth a deal if he’s a free agent as a left back.

I’d have Tshimanga back if they introduce rolling subs so we can just put him on for penalties.

That's more or less where I'm at. I'm convinced it's going to suddenly click for Glatzel sooner rather than later (bit of continuity / full pre season with Holloway etc) and I'd much rather that happened with us than some other club. I  would also take a punt on Westley as I just think he has something about him (but what do I know)
Did anyone notice by the way that it was an absolutely superb ball through from Tshimanga that led to the pen for the first goal?

Freckleton encapsulates our season really and illustrates what a difference a decent manager makes. It also goes to show there is a  world of difference between a player 'playing badly' and a 'bad player' and that we shouldn't be too quick to write them off as the latter...                                                                   

[SwindonCoops]

Freckleton encapsulates our season really and illustrates what a difference a decent manager makes. It also goes to show there is a  world of difference between a player 'playing badly' and a 'bad player' and that we shouldn't be too quick to write them off as the latter...                                                                   

Absolutely this. I know I wasn't alone in wanting Freckleton to be nowhere near a Swindon Town pitch back in October / November, but I'm more than happy to hold my hands up and acknowledge that I had it wrong. Yes, he makes mistakes, but  he's still developing and with good man management he is only going to get better. Plus, this is league 2, so how many players out there don't make mistakes. Loved his goal on Saturday - even more so because he had a chance maybe a minute earlier from a similar position and probably thought he wouldn't get another opportunity - and loved the celebrations.

[adje]

That's more or less where I'm at. I'm convinced it's going to suddenly click for Glatzel sooner rather than later (bit of continuity / full pre season with Holloway etc) and I'd much rather that happened with us than some other club. I  would also take a punt on Westley as I just think he has something about him (but what do I know)
Did anyone notice by the way that it was an absolutely superb ball through from Tshimanga that led to the pen for the first goal?

Freckleton encapsulates our season really and illustrates what a difference a decent manager makes. It also goes to show there is a  world of difference between a player 'playing badly' and a 'bad player' and that we shouldn't be too quick to write them off as the latter...                                                                   

Agree again. Bad players remain bad players

[Anonymous77]

STFC Loan Round Up.

Tariq Uwakwe played 15 mins for Aldershot as they lost 7-2 to York City.

Dylan Mitchell not in the Hereford FC squad (no mention of injury).

Jaxon Brown started in a 2-0 win for Aveley, their first win in 11 games.

Anton Dworzak came off the bench in a 1-0 win for Supermarine, now 3 points above the relegation zone.

Miles Obodo came on in the 62nd minute as Marlow FC lost 2-1 to Hungerford.

[Mexicano Rojo]

So next year we could potentially have the bulk of the same team and management.
As DV said get Ripley and bycroft signed up, decent 1 and 2, get cox signed up and you then have as the backline sobowale, MacGregor, wright, Delaney, minturn, hart, Kirkland and cox.

Sign ofoborh, alongside Kilkenny, Clarke,  and maybe 2 others needed.
Plus up front, sign glatzel, Ameen and Drinan, add Harry Smith, and maybe one or two others ( Nichols would be nice and tshimaga is getting better week on week)

This to me alongside the continuity of Holloway is looking like a healthy promotion push.

[Ƭ̵̬̊: The Artist Formerly Known as CWIG]

Assuming we can keep most of who we want to with the reduced budget....and if we do that we actually have some players that can come in and the wheels don't fall off when we have to go to two games a week.

[UTR]

So next year we could potentially have the bulk of the same team and management.
As DV said get Ripley and bycroft signed up, decent 1 and 2, get cox signed up and you then have as the backline sobowale, MacGregor, wright, Delaney, minturn, hart, Kirkland and cox.

Sign ofoborh, alongside Kilkenny, Clarke,  and maybe 2 others needed.
Plus up front, sign glatzel, Ameen and Drinan, add Harry Smith, and maybe one or two others ( Nichols would be nice and tshimaga is getting better week on week)

This to me alongside the continuity of Holloway is looking like a healthy promotion push.

Not sure you can keep all of the defenders, this is the area we will have to improve most going into next season and you don’t have room to keep them all and bring in some improvements.

Also depends what formation we play as to how many we need in each area. Hall is likely off, is Kirkman going to develop into a CB or a LB?

Would want another first team CB in for sure. Then that gives you Wright, Delaney, Minturn + another.

If push came to shove and we had to do 1 in, 1 out then Sobowale would be one I’d be fine with moving on. I’m sure that will split opinions though.

[DV]

Defence has been an issues certainly but how much of that is the quality of the players as much as the fitness & durability.

Delaney looked garbage to start with. Got immensely better & then got injured again.
If we had a fit Delaney all season our goals against would look better; obviously you can’t really rely on Delaney for a full season.

Also, goals against impacted by the keeper situation. Ripley for a full season brings that’s number down too.

Definitely need another back there though - ideally what we all thought (hoped?) Hall was going to be.

[Pericardinho]

I really like Delaney. Heads everything and organises those around him. The issue is obvious - he's only good for around half a season.

Will Wright is an excellent footballer (the best you'll see at CB in league 2) but his defending is at an average level. When he's bad, he's really bad.

I did a similar posts a few months back where I asked if Will Wright was a luxury player.

Not for one minute saying we should sell, but if a crazy offer came in I don't think he's somebody who's irreplaceable. Especially when his key skill sets are attributes that you do not associate with a CB.

Our centre back is very good at free kicks, corners and penalties. Yeah great, but he's been ever present in a team that's conceded 61 goals. So what do you do?

[Batch]

Defence has been an issues certainly but how much of that is the quality of the players as much as the fitness & durability.

To me quality doesn't really matter.  I'm as good van Dijk when he's injured.

[river monster]

Not a fan of wright's corners tbh. They might be better if just one of our players knew he was going front post every time. I get it, if you get 1st contact at near post it nearly always sets up a chance but we seem to be never there

[Freeloader]

I really like Delaney. Heads everything and organises those around him. The issue is obvious - he's only good for around half a season.

Will Wright is an excellent footballer (the best you'll see at CB in league 2) but his defending is at an average level. When he's bad, he's really bad.

I did a similar posts a few months back where I asked if Will Wright was a luxury player.

Not for one minute saying we should sell, but if a crazy offer came in I don't think he's somebody who's irreplaceable. Especially when his key skill sets are attributes that you do not associate with a CB.

Our centre back is very good at free kicks, corners and penalties. Yeah great, but he's been ever present in a team that's conceded 61 goals. So what do you do?

Will Wright is interesting  - why didn't he stay with Crawley and play in League 1?    Perhaps, he wouldn't get games at a higher level.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

Will Wright is interesting  - why didn't he stay with Crawley and play in League 1?    Perhaps, he wouldn't get games at a higher level.

Yeah, I've never quite fathomed that one. Not complaining mind you...

[DV]

I really like Delaney. Heads everything and organises those around him. The issue is obvious - he's only good for around half a season.

Will Wright is an excellent footballer (the best you'll see at CB in league 2) but his defending is at an average level. When he's bad, he's really bad.

I did a similar posts a few months back where I asked if Will Wright was a luxury player.

Not for one minute saying we should sell, but if a crazy offer came in I don't think he's somebody who's irreplaceable. Especially when his key skill sets are attributes that you do not associate with a CB.

Our centre back is very good at free kicks, corners and penalties. Yeah great, but he's been ever present in a team that's conceded 61 goals. So what do you do?

Will Wright is a back 3 centre back.
He’s the luxury ball player with the more defensive defenders either side of him. That his role.
His defending gets exploited when he plays in a 2 or in a 3 with Clarke who is actually a midfielder.

Not too dissimilar to Dion Conroy in that respect. His ball playing abilities outranking his defensive abilities.

[DV]

Yeah, I've never quite fathomed that one. Not complaining mind you...

I assume it had sweet FA to do with the level & more so to do with the contract.
You’d take L2 on a longer contract & better wage than L1 on a shorter contract & lower wage.
Particularly when you’re in your mid to late 20s & the dream of rising up the leagues to the top is long gone.