Where do we improve next? (3 Viewers)

Ring Of Steel

Well-Known Member
Just looking at the line up for last season's first game of the season vs. Southend.

Marosi, McFadz, Kelly, Dabo, Rose and Shipley all started that game.

For this season's first game, we know that Dabo and Rose are injured.

Out of Marosi, McFadz, Kelly and Shipley; possible that only Marosi is a nailed on starter this time around given the new additions. But let's say McFadz and Kelly start the first game. That's just 3 players who started the first game last season and 8 new players on the pitch since Southend last year.

More evidence as to how Robins continuously seeks improvement in all areas of the team - he's absolutely brilliant at evolving a squad.

Yeah you're right- you can see with MR that there is real method to what he's doing, a long term plan, I don't think we've seen that in a long time, even when we were splashing cash under Adams etc there never seemed to be a plan, it was just get some bodies in. I think I read that the reason Dowie got annoyed was that he wanted Darren Moore but got overruled so that we could get Dann. Dann was right, but our manager was just looking for immediate impact with no real view to the future. Everything MR does seems to be aimed at gradual improvement, its brilliant to see.
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
LWB
Young keeper
Hamer backup
CB of our own

In that order

Not sure about the Hamer back up bit.

For me Hamer, Kelly, Sheaf, Eccles and Shippers are enough in that area. I know they are slightly different players but assuming O'Hare, Allen play ahead of them. with Shippers and possibly Bapaga able to provide cover for those in attacking sense I think we are fine in midfield.
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Not sure about the Hamer back up bit.

For me Hamer, Kelly, Sheaf, Eccles and Shippers are enough in that area. I know they are slightly different players but assuming O'Hare, Allen play ahead of them. with Shippers and possibly Bapaga able to provide cover for those in attacking sense I think we are fine in midfield.
Maybe Bapaga might hold the key to Jodi being around it or vice Versa.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
Not sure about the Hamer back up bit.

For me Hamer, Kelly, Sheaf, Eccles and Shippers are enough in that area. I know they are slightly different players but assuming O'Hare, Allen play ahead of them. with Shippers and possibly Bapaga able to provide cover for those in attacking sense I think we are fine in midfield.

(By cover for Hamer I meant Liam Walsh)
 

junglej13

Well-Known Member
The squad isn’t ‘complete’, but we’ve got no major gaps in our match day 18.

A few questions Robins needs to address:

- Can Biamou play a role in the Championship? If no, a striker is needed - even a development piece
- Are we happy with Eccles/Shipley/Allen in the deeper CM role? If no, a midfielder is needed
- Are our wingers good enough to make an impact if they’re required for a formation change?
- Are the young players good enough to make the step up if needed?

I’d be interested to see what MR has in mind with these 2 signings he wants. Longer term, we need more Championship experience.
Decent summary. We've had a great window thus far in my view. If Wilson gets sold and Robins gets a bit more money to spend I'd like another DCM (would obviously love Walsh) and an attacker (maybe a Premier League loan) with pace.
 

junglej13

Well-Known Member
Slightly left field as it's not improving the first team per say, but I'd quite like to see a few more additions to the U23s. Over the past 3 seasons the backroom staff have done a fantastic job of bringing in young unknowns and developing them into first team regulars. E.g. Hyam, McCallum and Westbrooke. We're averaging one a season so the model is clearly working, both from a playing and financial point of view, and it would be great to see this good work continue into this season.

Obviously we've already brought in McGrath who will be plying his trade in the U23s for the foreseeable, but I'd certainly like to see another one or two brought in to supplement our development squad as well.
Agree with this. We've done brilliantly with this in recent years. Would like to see us go and bring in two or three younger prospects from Leagues 1 and 2 like we have done with Aaran Evans Harriott
 

Magwitch

Well-Known Member
I'd be amazed if MR was not aiming for another striker as he will want options.
Of course that is dependent on availability.
Think that will depend if one goes out as it is now we have four senior strikers all a bit different to each other and two younger ones Bremang and Bapaga who especially looks to have good potential
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Think that will depend if one goes out as it is now we have four senior strikers all a bit different to each other and two younger ones Bremang and Bapaga who especially looks to have good potential
If you watched the games you would have seen Bapaga hasn’t played as a striker
 
D

Deleted member 2477

Guest
Lots of behind scenes going on but don’t be too impatient for next announcement both ccfc Sisu and uow want to make some real progress before saying any more
They have to find something to moan about now they cant attack MR, the transfer budget or the team. Some people despite all the exellent results and backing of MR still love to knock the club
 

junglej13

Well-Known Member
Notice Walsh has been given the number 8 shirt at Bristol City. Not that it means a huge amount these days.
 

COVKIDSNEVERQUIT

Well-Known Member
Lots of behind scenes going on but don’t be too impatient for next announcement both ccfc Sisu and uow want to make some real progress before saying any more


Just give it 3 weeks. :LOL:
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member
It probably depends if players leave - I’d expect mason and Biamou to go - has kastaneer gone?
 

Gibbo

Well-Known Member
I’d want to see a fair few of those out on loan.

Targets for me would be extra cover at CM allowing Eccles to go out on a season long loan, a genuine LWB of our own and possibly let Mason go (though I do like him) and...I’m struggling beyond that.
Everybody goes on about "sending players out on loan" although there is no evidence of a strong market out there for Coventry City players . Ponticelli went to non-league, Ngandu's gone to Iceland. Are there any others? Has any in the Robins era gone out then come back and made it to the 1st team?

This may change now we are a league higher, but surely most L1 and L2 clubs are looking at the bloated Premiership squads, just like we were. Would a season in the National League be good for Jones? Doubt it.

I suspect it's a fantasy. Those players will fill in when injuries etc strike, and if they play well, keep their place. Anyway who would come in as a loan or sale who was any good, knowing their chances of being in the 1st team are slim?
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
For me the weakest area of the squad now is goalkeeper.

Marosi is decent, and hopefully will make the step up.

Wilson however is really poor and if Marosi gets injured we're in big trouble.

Problem is would we want to invest in a backup keeper? And if we signed a decent young keeper they aren't going to want to sit on the bench. It would also cost a lot to get a good enough keeper to dislodge Marosi. So we might be a bit stuck
 

Gibbo

Well-Known Member
To elaborate further. At RB we have Dabo-> Pask-> Burroughs -> Rowe -> (Dacosta?)

To bring in a back up to Dabo, we need to loan out two/three players. Why bother?
 

SlowerThanPlatt

Well-Known Member
Everybody goes on about "sending players out on loan" although there is no evidence of a strong market out there for Coventry City players . Ponticelli went to non-league, Ngandu's gone to Iceland. Are there any others? Has any in the Robins era gone out then come back and made it to the 1st team?

This may change now we are a league higher, but surely most L1 and L2 clubs are looking at the bloated Premiership squads, just like we were. Would a season in the National League be good for Jones? Doubt it.

I suspect it's a fantasy. Those players will fill in when injuries etc strike, and if they play well, keep their place. Anyway who would come in as a loan or sale who was any good, knowing their chances of being in the 1st team are slim?

It’s a fair point - the majority of the players who we have sold on for any significant amount of money have gone straight into the first team without being loaned out.

In the Championship though Turner went to Peterborough, Christie was at Hinckley and Wilson went to Tamworth I think. McSheffrey Luton?
 

SBT

Well-Known Member
Not sure about the Hamer back up bit.

For me Hamer, Kelly, Sheaf, Eccles and Shippers are enough in that area. I know they are slightly different players but assuming O'Hare, Allen play ahead of them. with Shippers and possibly Bapaga able to provide cover for those in attacking sense I think we are fine in midfield.

I think if Hamer goes down long-term we're more likely to change the system than try and play with a backup. Wouldn't be surprised if we revert to Robins' original Plan A from last season (433 with endless crosses from Jobello etc)
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
I think if Hamer goes down long-term we're more likely to change the system than try and play with a backup. Wouldn't be surprised if we revert to Robins' original Plan A from last season (433 with endless crosses from Jobello etc)
I would be surprised if he did that, but CCFC has kept surprising me these last couple of seasons, so always expect the unexpected!
 

Sky_Blue_Dreamer

Well-Known Member
To elaborate further. At RB we have Dabo-> Pask-> Burroughs -> Rowe -> (Dacosta?)

To bring in a back up to Dabo, we need to loan out two/three players. Why bother?

Two of those aren't even right backs. One isn't even a defender, he's an attacking midfielder by nature. Rowe is just out of the academy.

That's like saying we didn't need Sheaf because we've got Kelly, Hamer, Shipley, Allen, Hilssner, Eccles, Pask, Bartlett, Young and Lafferty
 

lordy_87

Well-Known Member
Off topic but would like to see Bapaga go on loan to a decent L2 team. Clearly has a lot of potential and great skill so I think a loan to a passing L2 side would be perfect for his development as it's unlikely he'll get much game time here this season.
 

higgs

Well-Known Member
Off topic but would like to see Bapaga go on loan to a decent L2 team. Clearly has a lot of potential and great skill so I think a loan to a passing L2 side would be perfect for his development as it's unlikely he'll get much game time here this season.
Bolton wanderers should be challenging for the title could be a shout

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 

Briles

Well-Known Member
Slightly left field as it's not improving the first team per say, but I'd quite like to see a few more additions to the U23s. Over the past 3 seasons the backroom staff have done a fantastic job of bringing in young unknowns and developing them into first team regulars. E.g. Hyam, McCallum and Westbrooke. We're averaging one a season so the model is clearly working, both from a playing and financial point of view, and it would be great to see this good work continue into this season.

Obviously we've already brought in McGrath who will be plying his trade in the U23s for the foreseeable, but I'd certainly like to see another one or two brought in to supplement our development squad as well.


Evans-Harriot will be a first teamer in a few seasons
 

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