Replacements for Ennis, Mayor, Cosgrove...

[oldage]

I think people are sleeping on how much we miss Mayor.

He created huge amounts of space for other players to exploit. Mumba has not been as effective this year without him. Mickel Miller has looked threatening at left back, but hasn't contributed any goals or assists. Remember how many Mumba got last season and also Conor Grant in the two before that, because Mayor was so good at holding onto the ball, occupying multiple defenders and pulling them out of position?

That ability to get on the ball, shield it and get us up the pitch is glaringly absent in the current squad. Randell and Cundle (who are both good players) and Callum Wright are just not strong enough to do it. If there's one thing that has characterised this season for me, it's the long spells that we spend pinned in our own defensive third trying but failing to play our way out, and having Mayor as an outlet would greatly assist with this.

I don't think he'd be in our first choice starting 11 but if you assume Mumba, Hardie and Whittaker are the front three and Cundle and Azaz the number 8s, he'd give us a lot more as someone to come on on 60-70 minutes or starting games when we play three times in a week than the current back-ups to those players. He'd have really thrived in this formation either cutting in from the left of the front three with a full back bombing outside him, or as one of the '8's.

I really wish he'd given us one more year.

He is a regular starter with a relegation side in league 1 and as far as I am aware not scored.

 

[oldage]

Cosgrove is still playing in L1, now with Barnsley where he's scored 1 goal in 10 appearances (a bizzare one at that)

Mayor is still in L1 with Fleetwood with no goals in 14.

Ennis hit a purple patch with us when he was fit enough to play. We're yet to see if he makes the grade in the Championship. (Jason Banton ?)

What's there to replace ? We have players that on the whole are proving they can make an impact at this level, with the possible exception of Ben Waine, but he was already here and an additional development player anyway.

Apart from Bristol and Leicester, we've only lost by small margins even when we've been outclassed. Prior to Leicester we'd got 6 of 9 points available and that should have been more for the width of a white line.

It seems an eternity ago now, but was the same question asked as we put 6 past Norwich?

Just to add ,not sure if it was because of an injury but Ennis subbed after 45 mins playing for Blackburn tonight.

 

[IJN]

I just got the impression he's running around on that silly little club's pitch, taking the money and keeping his Mrs happy (who never settled in Devon).

I was chuffed to bits ever time I watched him play, and I feel sure in our team, he would have worked wonders in the Championship as well.

 

[Cobi Budge]

I just got the impression he's running around on that silly little club's pitch, taking the money and keeping his Mrs happy (who never settled in Devon).

I was chuffed to bits ever time I watched him play, and I feel sure in our team, he would have worked wonders in the Championship as well.

Mayor would have stepped up to the level in a similar way to Houghton, AKA he’d have thrived playing with better footballers in better games. I’m surprised to see people saying that they don’t think he’d have been good enough.

 

[Argyleloyal]

Just to add ,not sure if it was because of an injury but Ennis subbed after 45 mins playing for Blackburn tonight.

Probably just to get minutes and match fit, he hasn’t long come back from a injury

 

[Rogue]

Do you think he'd have coped with the running intensity?

I have no doubt he had the technical ability to cope.

 

[green pants]

I think we're in agreement. You're right about him having no track record of muscular injuries. That's good - but it highlights a different question (the one I've raised) as to why he's missed so much football for us.

I like the player. I like the combative nature. But the story is going to become very long and boring if every time he gets back into the team, he's out again through an avoidable injury.

You speak with confidence, but I'm not sure I agree that he has missed "so much football for us" this is his first long term injury. Before this season, I was under the impression the main reason he hasn't played was because he wasn't ready... 🤔

 

[Rogue]

You speak with confidence, but I'm not sure I agree that he has missed "so much football for us" this is his first long term injury. Before this season, I was under the impression the main reason he hasn't played was because he wasn't ready... 🤔

First long term yes. And that's a good thing.

He injured his shoulder in a pre-season friendly which meant he missed the start of the season.
When available, he almost immediately came back into the side and was excellent against Watford.
Then unfortunately did his ankle.

Last season he missed games because of injury too.

Almost 12 months at the club and he's made 10 appearances. I'd like that that number to be higher. Like I say, his injuries are not reoccurring muscle injuries. They're all from hefty contact. If he can find the right balance with his aggression and keeping himself fit, we'll have a real player available more.

 

[RKB]

Everyone can see that we need to shore up defensively if we are to stay in the division.
We need to be far more pragmatic and streetwise away from home. Unfortunately Kesler-Hayden, Edwards, Miller, Scarr, Pleguezuelo, Gillesphey and Mumba do not look capable of delivering consistent 100 minute defensive performances away from home in the Championship. Gibson does, Cooper and possibly Hazard do, and Earley promises much. If Galloway stays fit he's a good option but that's 3 left sided defenders in a 4 man defence.
I don't buy the argument that it's style of play. It's either lack of pace, guile, or experience.
A specialist right back and a quick, Championship-ready right-sided centre back have to be the priority.
Up front, we are scoring, but to have an Ennis-type option would be great. I really like Bundu but would like to see him on the left in a 3 with Hardie and Whittaker.

 

[JannerinCardiff]

there's no way Boro are going to let Coburn go in January

Sorry I don't agree.

Boro have said publicly they want a new striker in January - which will push Coburn down a spot in the pecking order (and potentially out of their match day squad completely). But they would still want to develop Coburn (which we've got a good recent history of doing with loanees) and I don't think they regard us a direct threat to them.

 

[JannerinCardiff]

When Saxon got the injury I looked up his record. That's the first real career injury he's had on record. Remarkably clean history considering his combative style. So I'm not sure where that perspective comes from. He broke into the team and got unlucky. Time will tell over the longer term, but I couldn't find anything to suggest that he's delicate.

When I think about it, when fit he could be a possible midfield enforcer like Matete. I think he's played midfield before too in his career. He loves a tackle and he's got a pass on him.

Quite like that idea of Earley playing as a CDM

 

[Mazza26]

Sorry to bring this up again. Genuinely not trying to stir up any bad vibes or anything like that... however...
I did think in the summer it was bizarre that these three players weren't properly replaced. I was ridiculed months ago by many on here and by various Argyle friends of mine who just went along with the line of "Schuey, Dewsnip and co know what they are doing... chill out..." However it's clear now that not replacing AT LEAST two of these three players have cost us.

Weirdly, many people will react with the fact that Ennis is injury prone. That's not the point at all. His presence last season, along with those other two i've mentioned made the difference between finishing top and in the play offs where I'm fairly sure we'd have been beaten, lacking that one-match edge that other teams have. So we needed to find a replacement for Ennis in the summer as mentioned when he signed for Blackburn. But that's proven to be a difficult task even for our management, who for the most part so far have been top quality.

Not a brainbusting theory but it's obviously far more difficult to attract great attacking players, as they generally cost more and obviously bringing in Whittaker and then Azaz back on loan was good business. For me the signing of Luke Cundle has been the third best bit of business (behind Gibson/Whittaker) in the summer transfer window however it doesn't take away the fact we never replaced Ennis, Mayor and Cosgrove. Even if you count Bundu he is nothing in terms of positioning like the three players above.

When we go round and round and round on various posts regarding defeat after defeat this point doesn't really get mentioned, but the reality is we should have replaced these players AND not only that but with BETTER players. Simple stuff, but difficult to implement. Arguments about the defence being a bit porous are kind of invalid, or who should play at full back (I mean that's another argument as in a back 4 do we have proper full backs at hand?) BUT ultimately it's all about goals...goals keep you in a division especially if you can't keep clean sheets and we just can't rely on Hardie, Whittaker and Cundle.

So my initial theory months ago was that we need to stay above that relegation zone, as far up as possible until the January transfer window kicks in... to then strengthen especially up front, however with talks of most / all of the budget blown I wonder what the plan is from the board and management moving forward? To have one senior striker on the books along with a very young player in BW is extroadinary! IF we can't improve our attacking options then our only hope is to drastically improve defensively and rely on nicking draws here and there (contradicts my porous comment lol.) That means that even Cooper in goal isn't guaranteed a spot because our defensive unit have all been at fault for goals conceded these past few weeks.

Sorry to bring this up again but threads / opinions about Hazard being not good enough (he's the least of our worries) or our defence being too weak etc. or Foster's style of play is small-talk. In the grand scheme of things this is mainly why we are where we are BEARING IN MIND THIS THREAD WAS MADE BEFORE CUNDLE AND AZAZ HAD LEFT. SINCE THEN WE'VE BROUGHT IN DEVINE... A CHAP THAT PLAYED PREDOMINANTLY IN CDM FOR PORT VALE. IN SUMMARY (SORRY I'M SHOUTING IT'S BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY LISTENS) WE SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT IN AT LEAST TWO MORE ATTACKING PLAYERS... AND ONE OF THOSE FOR SURE A STRIKER... WE HAVEN'T BROUGHT IN A FORWARD FOR 3 TRANSFER WINDOWS... WHO IS TO BLAME? YOU TELL ME?
1) SCOUTS
2) DEWSNIP
3) HALLETT
4) FORSTER
5) SCHUEY

 

[elburtontrev]

Sorry to bring this up again but threads / opinions about Hazard being not good enough (he's the least of our worries) or our defence being too weak etc. or Foster's style of play is small-talk. In the grand scheme of things this is mainly why we are where we are BEARING IN MIND THIS THREAD WAS MADE BEFORE CUNDLE AND AZAZ HAD LEFT. SINCE THEN WE'VE BROUGHT IN DEVINE... A CHAP THAT PLAYED PREDOMINANTLY IN CDM FOR PORT VALE. IN SUMMARY (SORRY I'M SHOUTING IT'S BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY LISTENS) WE SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT IN AT LEAST TWO MORE ATTACKING PLAYERS... AND ONE OF THOSE FOR SURE A STRIKER... WE HAVEN'T BROUGHT IN A FORWARD FOR 3 TRANSFER WINDOWS... WHO IS TO BLAME? YOU TELL ME?
1) SCOUTS
2) DEWSNIP
3) HALLETT
4) FORSTER
5) SCHUEY

Spot on!!!

Desperately needed different options up top, got nothing and lost Azaz!!

 

[Greenscombe]

Yes, we should have.

2 problems: everyone else at this level is also looking for the same positions. There are only so many players of the required quality to go around.

Secondly, market values are high - few players, high demand. We can't compete financially for the standard of players needed at this level YET.

So yes, we should have brought in attacking players but it wasn't possible. It doesn't always have to be about blame and having someone to target frustrations on.

 

[evil dave 86]

We've scored plenty of goals this season without those 3 players. I'm not convinced that is the issue.