Shrimpsvoices

With all the talk of full backs being all at sea and centre backs not playing too well against PNE lets just see who you would start off with in defence. Name your first choice keeper and also your first choice back four. IMO the centre of defence looks more solid with Bentley and Artell playing along side each other. So if the season started tomorrow who would you go for??

Whoever SAMMY picks - there's a long way to go yet.

Roche

Yates - Bentley - McStay - Adams

How about 3 centre 1/2's and wingbacks? Worth a try in a friendly? say;

__________________Davies/Roache__________________________

____________McStay___Bentley_____Artell___________________

Yates/QOS fella_______McClaughlin__________________Howard

____________________Drummond_________________________

____________Baker__________Twiss___________________

______________O'Carrol/Blinkhorn____________________

Not a bad formation but wouldn't have drummond in there, Carr looks a far better player. I was always a big fan of drummond but when he came back last year i was disapointed with him.
And it would be a tough one between Twissy and wainwright, Twiss one of my faviourate players,
But i know its only pre season but wainwright looks like he could be a good buy (but then dont forget howel who skinned that wolves team and was shit for the rest of the season!)
Very Impressed with Roach in the goal too.

Weetabix Kid wrote:McClaughlin

Have we signed a new player?

Have we signed a new player?

Nope, Fraser McLachlan

Davies

Yates Jimbo Mcstay Howard

The Red Knight wrote:Roche

Yates - Bentley - McStay - Adams

What he said.

Jolly rog branch wrote:With all the talk of full backs being all at sea and centre backs not playing too well against PNE lets just see who you would start off with in defence. Name your first choice keeper and also your first choice back four. IMO the centre of defence looks more solid with Bentley and Artell playing along side each other. So if the season started tomorrow who would you go for??

Would be a crime to leave McStay out after his performances at the end of the season. By far our best center back - nearly winning us a point single handedly away at Rochdale. I'd go almost as last year with Yatesy/Parrish -- Bentley-- McStay-- Adams.
Defence wasn't really the main problem last year, it was the pressure put on the defence through our lack of creativity - be that through fatigue, opposition tactics - that resulted in a lot of 1 nils against us. I love Artell to bits but towards the end of the season I'd have felt more confident playing Christie The Cat alongside Jimbo. The place is Henrys until someone proves otherwise.

Roche
Mcstay Bentley Artell Howard

Quite how Howard can be picked having not played much last season is laughable. POTY Adams is Mr Consistent at left back.

Skid wrote:Quite how Howard can be picked having not played much last season is laughable. POTY Adams is Mr Consistent at left back.

Objectivity is a bit too much to ask for though... especially at the expense our Player of the Year.

Was only my opinion if i am allowed.

Unless we sign a natural left winger, Id prefer Howard over Adams as he was give us more going forward.

Plus Howard has seen more action in the friendlies thus far

Peter McDonnell

Graham Jones. Keith Kennedy. Steve Brookes. Kenny Gordon

I would have Kennedy at left back though, with Gordon in the middle.

Weetabix Kid wrote:How about 3 centre 1/2's and wingbacks? Worth a try in a friendly? say;

__________________Davies/Roache__________________________

____________McStay___Bentley_____Artell___________________

Yates/QOS fella_______McClaughlin__________________Howard

____________________Drummond_________________________

____________Baker__________Twiss___________________

______________O'Carrol/Blinkhorn____________________

why do we need 5 defenders and a defensive midfielder?
and you must be mad picking howard over adams!
who would you swap baker for now then? my vote would be swap Blinks to there and put this new on-loan striker in. And hunter instead of Drummond.
And no Artell. Infact, i would probably change the whole thing, but thats only my humble opinion, one which i am probably not allowed to have

shrimper wrote:

The Red Knight wrote:Roche

Yates - Bentley - McStay - Adams

What he said.

that makes 3 of us

MorecambeMickey wrote:

Skid wrote:Quite how Howard can be picked having not played much last season is laughable. POTY Adams is Mr Consistent at left back.

Objectivity is a bit too much to ask for though... especially at the expense our Player of the Year.

Was that not how Adams got in in the first place? Adams is Mr Consistent at left back replace with Howard 18 months ago and you have a mirror like situation

MorecambeMickey wrote:

Skid wrote:Quite how Howard can be picked having not played much last season is laughable. POTY Adams is Mr Consistent at left back.

Objectivity is a bit too much to ask for though... especially at the expense our Player of the Year.

Why?

Just because he was PoY last year?

DA hasn't exactly come back from pre-season in good condition.

Those at Barrow will have noticed that he appears to have put on a bit of weight.

Agreed. I know it's only pre season, but last week at Barrow, everything got past DA, in the air, along the floor - his man got past him every time. Howard is younger, fitter, faster, and better at going forward. Yes Danny is better at defending, and reads the game well. But he was given a chance, in close season to get fit and lose weight and he hasn't. Time for Howard to have a chance methinks.

Jody wrote:Agreed. I know it's only pre season, but last week at Barrow, everything got past DA, in the air, along the floor - his man got past him every time. Howard is younger, fitter, faster, and better at going forward. Yes Danny is better at defending, and reads the game well. But he was given a chance, in close season to get fit and lose weight and he hasn't. Time for Howard to have a chance methinks.

Clearly, you weren't at Saturday's game.

Since when have you two been fitness coaches for the club?

The thought of CC being one is laughable. Some fans need to stop clutching at straws, making up rumours to try and justify why Howard should be in the team.

On the basis of what we've got then I'd go with:

--------- Roache/Davies ---------
Yates --- Bentley --- McStay --- Adams

I'm no fitness coach but I do have eyes and Danny Adams isn't the quickest. He's a great player and hard-working but he's not in his prime. In my view we're incredibly vulnerable down the left, particularly if we've got no left-sided midfielder to cover. Wayne is not great in defence.

On the right Yatesy needs to improve from last season. He gives the ball away to easily under pressure and, unlike the Conference, its is very hard to win it back again. Hopefully his lack of form was down to the injury. I haven't seen enough of Parrish but understand he's stronger in the centre. And Ryan McCann is really either right or centre midfield, which is probably why he hasn't set the world on fire at right back.

For me the more interesting debate is who starts where in midfield and what's missing. Currently we've got:

Craig Stanley
Stewart Drummond
Fraser McLachlan
Garry Hunter
Ryan McCann
Michael Carr
Neil Wainwright
Paul Lloyd

Last season the midfield, bar Carl and Thommo, contributed very little in the way of goals scored or created. It is critical someone steps up now these players have gone.