Need for fresh energy in midfield and up top.

[Montybulldog]

It's simple if we keep playing Hardie and Whittaker up front, we won't score or win any of our last two games, and pray Wednesday snd Huddersfield continue to loose.

 

[Montybulldog]

Schumacher wanted Nance to go with him but he said n

Where did you get that info from, never read this or heard this before.

 

[cheshiregreen]

Surely fresh energy and a change to waine (cant believe im saying that) and isakka up top is a win win. Going to Millwall, their players will now be on the beach, we will have players with a point to prove starting up top. And reserving morgan will fire him up for that 20th goal. Also if wednesday fail to win tommorow, we have it in our hands anyway in the final game, it reserves our best talent for a home tie against a hull side that will likely have nothing to play for

Freddie has pace for sure, but, based on service Hardie received at the Bet365 today, Freddie needs to be Usain Bolt to get to actually touch the ball as it'll be played yards ahead of him or a few feet above him.

 

[memory man]

What other clubs corporate set up puts the customers in a seat that is covered in water and will get rained on for 90 minutes for most games in a season?

I've been 3 times, once in the rain and didn't get wet. But in answer to your question I don't know. Do you,?

 

[Montybulldog]

Where did you read that pls reveal your source.

 

[PL2 3DQ]

For next season the team definitely needs athleticism and energy in midfield.
Most Championship teams also have height and muscle in midfield, we need someone like Gyabi or better.

 

[Paul green14]

Totally agree total change up front please. Might as well. Cant change much in midfield but at least something different up front. Can always bring hardie and MW on later in the game.

But frankly we should try and change something in midfield. Houghton and Randell seem as physically and mentally drained as Hardie and Whittaker in such a really difficult , demanding season
as Houghton mentioned on Argyle TV
pre-Stoke.

Perhaps Pleggy , who has played in midfield in Spain, or Gibson could play a defending role in front of the back 3 or 4, then Mumba, Devine, Issaka or possibly Roberts could be the surprise attacking link between midfield and attackers.
Whittaker could also play the former
Azaz or Cundle role as he can also put through lovely weighted passes to the forward(s) and shoot well from there too in a free role.

Then if only Mumba could find his shooting boots from last season and cause damage centrally with his speed and trickery from attacking midfield or as a number 10 , scoring goals (like against Ipswich home and away, Exeter etc.) , giving assists, winning penalties, getting yellow cards for the opposition and taking the weight off the shoulders of the forwards etc. !

Here, supposing that Forshaw is still injured and that Houghton and/or Randell can come on for the last 25 minutes or so, if needed.

 

[Green Flash]

We have a league one midfield. Houghton and Randell are ok individually to shore things up if they are playing alongside a more talented attacking midfielder - an Azaz or Cundell. Together they sit too deep, are too cautious and simply do not have the vision for the killer ball. Losing Forshaw so early was a big blow. Wright has done ok in the last few games but was found out today. He is remains a League one player. We keep making excuses for Morgan but he was absolutely dreadful today as he was against Leicester, constantly being tackled or giving the ball away. Something is going wrong there. Hardie is chasing shadows and is clearly done for the season.

What I find slightly depressing is that after a season in the championship and with a far bigger budget to last season I think the quality of the team is lower than the team we finished with last season.

We need to entirely rebuild the midfield for next season. Unfortunately I dont think we will get the large fee for Morgan we were anticipating. Nobody would pay £1m for him on the last few performances never mind £20m.

If we dont get investment I think we will be next seasons Rotherham

 

[memory man]

Need to remember though corporate profit tends to come when results on the pitch are good. Not so much profit for relegated teams investment this summer is required or else Simon's investment is likely to lose value

I hope I understand you correctly. I don't know for a fact but my impression is that corporate, like turnstile attendance, did not flag during Foster's tenure, where results were as bad as they have been for some years. .

 

[terrymechan]

Even if we do survive the drop we will need a large amount of recruitment for next season which will not be cheap as we need championship standard players all over the squad. Sell Whittaker if possible for a reasonable fee but that won’t be enough to do the full job. Also a change of tactics as we have been a one trick pony and been sussed out in many games we need to mix it up. A lack oh physicality has been shown up on a number of occasions. This league requires money if you don’t invest then we will be like Rotherham. Being in this league is good but it’s no fun watching your team struggling to compete since January

Agree. We will be next season's Rotherham if the squad is not strengthened in the Summer.

 

[Goody]

If we stay up (I want to write when, but feel today's Sheff Wed result is key to that) then would we as fans be happy selling all the major player assets; Cooper, Whittaker and Hardie? Use all that money for squad reshaping. Hoping we can identify nuggets to replace their goals. I'm thinking Hazard as he plays more can step up as goalkeeper. However, selling those assets does it make it more interesting for the new head coach, ie money to spend or less interesting without those three?

 

[mutley marvel]

All we know is the close season is going to be full on
New Manager/Head Coach - will they be bringing Backroom Staff- talk about spinning numerous plates
Players coming, Players going
For all we know our starting 11 for the 1st match of the new season could be totally different to what we have now
Our Club will have to evolve to ensure we remain competitive

 

[Graham Clark]

To continue to outsmart and outperform in the Championship will require more of a revolution than an evolution. The Schuey inspired first half of the season perhaps created a false perspective that perhaps even he knew couldn’t be sustained. The second half has been a rescue mission not helped by a wrong choice as Head Coach and the lack of recruitment in January of the physicality and energy that is an absolute prerequisite in the Championship as Stoke demonstrated yesterday.

If we are to survive this season we will still have one of, if not the lowest playing budget. The task to outsmart and outperform will be even greater than this season. This comes at a time when ourtransfer income is dependent on players whose form has deserted them lately. It comes at a time when much needed investment still eludes us. Even the increase in income from the TV deal will not give us competitive advantage.

However, we are Argyle and the One Argyle approach is something money can’t buy and is the envy of many of other teams in the Championship. I hope and pray we survive - on balance I think we do so …. Just. I love the Championship for all its inequities.

However, next season will be an even greater challenge than this. Much will depend on the recruitment of an inspiring and uniting Head Coach and player recruitment tailored to the brutality of a 46 game season in one of the best League’s in the world. Being half glass full we can do it.

 

[Balham Green]

We made a lot of mistakes off the pitch this season making it more difficult and which could still lead to relegation. Poor recruitment in January, not getting a striker last Summer OR in January plus poor decision re head coach. Surely we can can't get that so badly wrong again.

 

[Sun Stonehouse]

Yes, the drop off in performances of our midfield players has been somewhat alarming. Randell and Houghton as individuals started the season so well but Randell, in the last few games especially, seems to find it difficult to control the ball and secondly, pass it to a teammate. Houghton performances over the last few games have definitely lacked any particular influence on any of the games. That was always his strength in the past, his ability to be calm and thoughtful in the game, but that hasn't been the case recently. Also our lack of a positive goalscoring midfielder is sadly lacking. Calum Wright is not the answer and should be released, Fornshaw is always injured and our other two loanees are due to return to their parent clubs. That all adds up to a totally revamped midfield for next season. I, m personally sure that the demise of our midfield has obviously had a detrimental impact on Hardie and Whitticker, s performances. Start spending the increased attendance money ASAP.