(That long since we've had any, couldn't find the thread)

Alan Nixon: "Top Liverpool starlet Cameron Branagan will Ben allowed out on loan in Jan.

Bolton lead the race for the 20 year old midfielder"

Edited December 11, 20169 yr by Ratwhite

7 minutes ago, Ratwhite said:

I don't really understand the sentiment in saying players "upping their game". I can't really believe that any go out to play bad, in any game, it's just sometimes players have bad/off games.

@gonzo nailed it.When ACD was fit, Tutu looked better. 

I don't particularly think any of our players "played for a contract" last season but it's surely not that difficult to understand that some do

People in all lines of work respond to incentives

Whoever we end up signing, it would be good if we get as many deals as possible over the line early in the window. I like that we seem to be profiling young players with energy, physicality and potential although I’ve been duped into thinking we can build a young team that will grow together and form the basis of a successful squad for years to come before - it just never seems to work out that way. But I live in hope. 
Thankfully, there’s a World Cup this summer to help me take my mind off it - at least for a while - but I suspect the rumour mill will be unavoidably interfere.

15 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I don't particularly think any of our players "played for a contract" last season but it's surely not that difficult to understand that some do

People in all lines of work respond to incentives

whenever i think about players upping their games at the end of a season to earn a contact it reminds me of the scene below

and I like to think the managers deal with it in a similar way (not literally)
 

 

47 minutes ago, Zico said:

whenever i think about players upping their games at the end of a season to earn a contact it reminds me of the scene below

and I like to think the managers deal with it in a similar way (not literally)
 

 

Blimey..

I worked at a school in Bolton, and we had a "mockstead", basically a mock ofsted where the Academy trust big wigs came in and inspected the school. We all stayed late (9pm finish) started early, worked our socks off etc. 

In the briefing after the head teacher said she was not happy that we work like that for an ofsted but didn't work that hard every day. 

 

1 hour ago, Ratwhite said:

I don't really understand the sentiment in saying players "upping their game". I can't really believe that any go out to play bad, in any game, it's just sometimes players have bad/off games.

@gonzo nailed it.When ACD was fit, Tutu looked better. 

ACD was doing a lot of quality tracking back to make this happen which sometimes took him out of the game for periods, i suspect quality full backs are a key priority this transfer window, so whoever replaces ACD doesn't have to do it as much.

I suspect the left back become a target was less due to Gale and Cisoko and more due to EE being out of midfield through injury, who on that side was mimicking the impact ACD's tracking back was having on the right.

 

Edited May 31May 31 by Zog1

36 minutes ago, Zog1 said:

ACD was doing a lot of quality tracking back to make this happen which sometimes took him out of the game for periods, i suspect quality full backs are a key priority this transfer window, so whoever replaces ACD doesn't have to do it as much.

I suspect the left back become a target was less due to Gale and Cisoko and more due to EE being out of midfield through injury, who on that side was mimicking the impact ACD's tracking back was having on the right.

 

Exactly why Conway looks like a lamb to the slaughter on that side with Gale and no EE to drop in.

I am surprised Tutu has not been retained. But can not judge the decision untill we see who comes in to replace him. Tutu for me offers a degree of versatility, buts let’s see how we line up next season.
 

Interesting to see on the recruitment rumours so far are all about young dynamic players which is exciting but IMO we also need some older heads and someone to captain/lead the team. 

3 hours ago, Ratwhite said:

I don't really understand the sentiment in saying players "upping their game". I can't really believe that any go out to play bad, in any game, it's just sometimes players have bad/off games.

@gonzo nailed it.When ACD was fit, Tutu looked better. 

Not for me, its like those claims that Sheehan plays significantly better when RR partners him, as if he hasn't proved himself over several years.

Anyone that went to Peterboro or Wycombe (not me) probably didn't come away thinking Tutu and ACD was a dream partnership, it sounded like they didn't turn up.

There will be other examples.

For me Tutu upped his game in the play offs, that 50 yard run he did at Wembley could have been done if I'd been the right winger never mind ACD, but in most games he had no inclination to try those runs.  Nobody's telling me he held back because he didn't trust Apter or whoever to cover.

56 minutes ago, Ani said:

I am surprised Tutu has not been retained

Reading between lines I'm convinced he wasn't 'not retained' so much as 'he'd accepted a deal with a different club' ... so we either didn't offer him at all or our offer wasn't as good as (as it turned out) Charlton's.

Anyway. Cheers & best wishes.

56 minutes ago, Ani said:

I am surprised Tutu has not been retained. But can not judge the decision untill we see who comes in to replace him. Tutu for me offers a degree of versatility, buts let’s see how we line up next season.
 

Interesting to see on the recruitment rumours so far are all about young dynamic players which is exciting but IMO we also need some older heads and someone to captain/lead the team. 

He got to the end of his contract, he had every right to get the best deal he could.  As much as I'd like to have kept him as you say for his versatility (and ability), its unlikely we'd be offering him a 3 year deal when in all likelihood we'd be signing a RB and he wouldn't be first choice.  Same with GJ, I think he could do a job in the squad but he's out of contract and he'll get the best deal he can, and that's unlikely to be with us.

I think people might be jumping the gun a bit with JOT signing a contract elsewhere

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

Exactly why Conway looks like a lamb to the slaughter on that side with Gale and no EE to drop in.

Was about to make the same post. At times, Conway gets pelters from some who can’t see the bigger picture. For me, Conway is a better all-round player than Tutu.

4 minutes ago, Rival Son said:

Was about to make the same post. At times, Conway gets pelters from some who can’t see the bigger picture. For me, Conway is a better all-round player than Tutu.

Little between them at the moment both better at attacking than defending, but Conway has not reached his full potential yet and will get better with coaching and hopefully better players next season.  He might be on the bench for most of the coming season

I think JOT is well ahead of Conway personally

He was getting bombarded in the second-half of the second-leg and dealt with practically everything thrown his way

Conway cant even do basic defending a lot of the times. Out of position frequently and gives his man far too much space.

21 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

Little between them at the moment both better at attacking than defending

It's like a tallest dwarf competition.

I still think that technically - Conway is one of the best players at the club. 

Whether he's solid enough to play LB/LWB in the championship quite yet is another matter altogether. 

That's where I think he'll end up though eventually. 

11 minutes ago, kent_white said:

I still think that technically - Conway is one of the best players at the club. 

Whether he's solid enough to play LB/LWB in the championship quite yet is another matter altogether. 

That's where I think he'll end up though eventually. 

Funny how people see things differently, isn't it?

My take is that he had a good season at L2, found himself unexpectedly in the team for us at L1 and di well early doors.
Teams seemed to have worked him out after a couple of months and he didn't look half the player.

He's not quick and lacks positional awareness.
He does seem strong though, so if he worked (very hard) on the defensive side of his game, he could still be a full back.
He's not a wing back or winger.

1 minute ago, Traf said:

He's not a wing back or winger.

I think that's his main problem. I don't think he nearly fits into either at the moment. 

I think that you're right that he tailed off towards the end of the year. Although I think he was our stand out early doors. 

I think he's going to need to work on his positional play - and become a bit more physical. And he's lacking that bit of pace that someone like Bradley had. 

But I think his passing and vision are as good as anybody at the club. Just scratching my head about where he fits if that makes sense.

I can see why he infuriates people when he's targeted and diagonals are getting knocked in behind him. 

Needs the right career move I think - but I like him and think he could have a decent future. 

I think the best option for him at this stage of his career is another season working on his game in the third tier

Then see where we and he are next summer

Need better than conway

As relevant now as it ever was 😁 

45 minutes ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

I think the best option for him at this stage of his career is another season working on his game in the third tier

Then see where we and he are next summer

That would be a lot of recruitment needed for one position.  This season we had Taylor, Conway, GJ, Tutu and possibly JDC playing left back at some point.  3 have left and 1 is bound to leave/not play (Taylor).  If Conway goes on loan (never going to happen), we'd have to sign at least 2 championship standard LBs, possibly 3 if you count left sided CBs to replace GJ and Taylor.  We'd end up with Christie at LB at some point.

11 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

That would be a lot of recruitment needed for one position.  This season we had Taylor, Conway, GJ, Tutu and possibly JDC playing left back at some point.  3 have left and 1 is bound to leave/not play (Taylor).  If Conway goes on loan (never going to happen), we'd have to sign at least 2 championship standard LBs, possibly 3 if you count left sided CBs to replace GJ and Taylor.  We'd end up with Christie at LB at some point.

Okay, but he wasn't putting in good enough performances to retain his place in the team last season and now we're playing a league above

He surely won't be our starting left-back next season and I'm not sure a season sat watching us from the dugout is in the best interests of his career

Maybe he'd benefit from training alongside better teammates but there's nothing like playing

4 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

He got to the end of his contract, he had every right to get the best deal he could.  As much as I'd like to have kept him as you say for his versatility (and ability), its unlikely we'd be offering him a 3 year deal when in all likelihood we'd be signing a RB and he wouldn't be first choice.  Same with GJ, I think he could do a job in the squad but he's out of contract and he'll get the best deal he can, and that's unlikely to be with us.

As I said we won’t know till we see who comes in.