No Money? No need...

[BoyWonder2]

I keep reading on here people talking about making money available for Tilson's transfer fund, and people arguing there is no money available but do we really need to spend any money on transfer fees during this transfer window?

The reason I ask this is when you look at each individual position in the squad, the ones that need replacing, or adding two, there are still quality players available on free transfers.

Goalkeeping Department:

Mildenhall and Masters are both under contact, with Joyce yet to sign a new deal. Even if he doesn't sign we still have two goalkeepers so no money needs to be spent here.

Left Back:

Yes, we have Johnny Herd but in my opinion a 50 plus game season is beyond him at the moment. The likes of Dan Harding and Matt Richards, both released from Ipswich, are still available on a free. Wages may be an issue but thats for another discussion.

Right Back:

We have Francis and Sankofa under contract there. More than happy with that, but with Brighton being interested in Francis, Tilly may sell him on, in that case there is Danny Senda and Richard Duffy, both released from Millwall available on a free.

Centre Back:

Currently we only have Barrett so this is an area that needs new blood. Yes Michael Nelson would have been a good signing but his gone to Norwich. The centre half from Daggers, and Alan Bennett still haven't gone anywhere else so they are two options. Also avaliable is Michael Duberry and Sam Sodje. Again wages maybe an issue.

Left Wing:

We have the option of Moussa and at a push James Walker who can play there, but neither are natural left wingers. Two players we have had on trial recently are still available on a free, Ishmael Demontagnac and Robert Eagle.

Right Wing:

We already have Scannell and Betsy so we are well covered. Yes I'd rather have someone better in but we do have two right wingers available to us.

Centre Midfield:

Now we have Macca, Moussa, JFC and Granty who can all play in there. Something they lack is a creative spark, someone who can thread the ball through to the likes of Barney. One player definately on a free is David Noble who was released by Bristol City. Not 100% sure about Sawyer's contract situation at Chelsea.

Centre Forwards:

We have Barnard, Freedman, Laurent, Revell and Walker still at the Club. 5 strikers should be enough, but if Tilson decides to add another forward Billy Clarke is still available on a free.

What I'm getting at is you don't have to spend big to build a decent team. Look at our double promotion winning squad, no big bucks was spent on that team.

Keep the faith!

 

[A Century United]

Hasn't Bennet gone to Brentford?

 

[leeblue]

As the run in last season showed we are only a couple of players away from making a real go of the play offs this year, but they have to be the right players, it seems every other thread on this site at the mo is a dig at the chairman or the 'war chest' I know ron spouted this that and the other but I for one have learnt over the last 25 years of supporting the blues to take everything chairman say with a pinch(or fistfull) of salt. A commanding centre back and a left back will be aquired be in no doubt about that, just because they are not signed yet does not mean they are not coming at all, chillax my fellow shrimpers all will be revealed soon(ish)

 

[palexander]

Bit misleading all that! No good saying "we dont have to spend any money" then list players that are clearly out of our wage bracket like Harding, Sodje and Duberry (do me a favour!).

If any players like this WERE to drop to League 1, then there is now a queue a mile long of 'better' clubs than us. Even given the financial situation, would you rather play at Roots Hall or St Mary's?

Unfortunately, I'm resigned to the fact that probably Tilly keeps aluding too. We are just going to have to sit it out and wait to see who's left come July/August as we cannot attract anyone decent.

I predict we will make probably 1 permanent signing at best - which will be a centre-half. Come August, we will probably pick up a left back and another CB maybe, on a free and probably a loan deal for a winger.

Other than that, dont expect anything in the way of decent incomings.

 

[NZamba Legend]

Even given the financial situation, would you rather play at Roots Hall or St Mary's?
quote]

Roots Hall, it's got half-barrel roofs and state-of-the-art barcode turnstiles.

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

Sorry but that forward line is not good enough to get us promoted and too injury prone. Revs and Walker are still injured, Barney rivals Darren Anderton, Freedman again never fit and Laurent blows hot and cold. Neither are the wide positions- Betsy and Scannel are average league 1 players. The run in last season was sparked mainly by a player good enough for the premiership. We cant hope to get anyone of his ilk on a permanent. Mentioning the likes of Duberry and Sodje is laughable, they must be both on £8-10k a week each. The centre of midfield I actually believe to be strrogn enough but only if Moussa plays there. The two right backs are decent, and we have a very good keeper.

 

[maninasuitcase]

The likes of Duberry and Sodje may be on £8-10K/week today (though I suspect Sodje is on less), but they will both be on Jobseekers allowance in two weeks time.

If the want to carry on playing professional football, then they will almost certainly have to take a pay cut to do it. Sodje has played half a dozen games for Reading in two years so probably won't get offered a contract at a CCC club. A decent offer from a league 1 side may be quite tempting for him.

 

[Andy_S]

Sorry but that forward line is not good enough to get us promoted and too injury prone. Revs and Walker are still injured, Barney rivals Darren Anderton, Freedman again never fit and Laurent blows hot and cold. Neither are the wide positions- Betsy and Scannel are average league 1 players. The run in last season was sparked mainly by a player good enough for the premiership. We cant hope to get anyone of his ilk on a permanent. Mentioning the likes of Duberry and Sodje is laughable, they must be both on £8-10k a week each. The centre of midfield I actually believe to be strrogn enough but only if Moussa plays there. The two right backs are decent, and we have a very good keeper.

Agreed on some of that.

I keep continually reading on here that we don't need any strikers which winds me up somewhat. Yes we don't need any numbers wise, but what we currently have are too injury prone and are all too occasionally too average. It says something in my opinion that we were a changed side with Robinson starting week in week out up front and that he scored more than any other striker apart from Barnard in his 4 months with us. I wouldn't lose any sleep if any of our strikers moved on to be honest and it's the one area that I'd like to see a total overhaul.

 

[Andy_S]

On this subject incidentally, Orient have naff all money and they've just added the useful Adrian Patulea to the already useful signing of Ben Chorley. Even they seem to be outsmarting us in the market. Hmm.

 

[Pubey]

On this subject incidentally, Orient have naff all money and they've just added the useful Adrian Patulea to the already useful signing of Ben Chorley. Even they seem to be outsmarting us in the market. Hmm.

Didn't realise Chorley had moved, definitely someone we should have been after

 

[Andy_S]

Didn't realise Chorley had moved, definitely someone we should have been after

We were I believe. :unsure:

 

[Pubey]

We were I believe. :unsure:

:O

****ing orient:punch: we're in the **** if we can't compete with them!:'(

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

Didn't realise Chorley had moved, definitely someone we should have been after

Jonny Stokes says we were, but he is Ooze scum so therefore anything he says / does should be ignored ;)

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

I keep continually reading on here that we don't need any strikers which winds me up somewhat. Yes we don't need any numbers wise

While it would be nice to see a pacey, goalscoring, consistently fit striker sign for us, the fact remains defenders are by far the bigger priority.
2 Striker places : 5 Strikers
4 Defender places: 4 Defenders

Didn't realise Chorley had moved, definitely someone we should have been after

As Andy_S said, we may well have been but there were supposedly 12 league 1 teams after him. And he chose bOrient, he's therefore clearly an mentalist and we're better off without! ;)

 

[DTS]

Agreed with Clinton.

I think were woefully under strenght.

Good Keeper

Happy with Barrett and Happy enough with Francis, our one other defender is ****ofa who is equally as enept wherever he plays.

Midfield wise I am only really happy with the middle where for once we are well stocked. Granty, JFC, Macca and Moussa all quality players and happy with two of them plus Francky boy out wide if we have too.

Right wing Betsy I think is good but I am in a minority of one, Scannell is a waster - so many chances and never does anything.

Left wing - Ha ha ha - Dont be silly

Upfront I think were weak still. Barney is class but never going to see him more than half a season - Who else have we got that everyone thinks is so great. Revell works hard but is woeful infront of goal, Walker looked ok in spells but cant really see him scoring more than 5-6 a season, Laurent was ok until he got a contract and has been **** since, Freedman the jury is still out on for me.....Anyone else.

In short I think we need

1x Left Back
x2 Centre Halves
x2 Wingers
x1 Decent forward

before we are even close to looking like a good side. At the current rate of signings we should have these six players in place by 2034 when i think we will be a pretty good side...

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

Right wing Betsy I think is good but I am in a minority of one

I'll join your club sir.

 

[djcotez]

Left Wing:

We have the option of Moussa and at a push James Walker who can play there, but neither are natural left wingers. Two players we have had on trial recently are still available on a free, Ishmael Demontagnac and Robert Eagle.

Haven't seen much mentioned about Hal Robson-Kanu... would love to see him back at the club and would rather play him on the left than than the above or anyone we already have... dont know if (1) he would sign for us and (2) we can afford him.

 

[DTS]

Haven't seen much mentioned about Hal Robson-Kanu... would love to see him back at the club and would rather play him on the left than than the above or anyone we already have... dont know if (1) he would sign for us and (2) we can afford him.

Can help but think sadly taht HRK is destined for bigger things than the Blues.

 

[IloveShrimp]

Goal keeper Mildenhall = good

Left back: Barrett and Herd = ok

Right back: Francis and Sancofa = ok

Centre backs: = eeeeerrrrr what are they??

Centre Midfield Macca, Grant, JFC = Good

Left wing: Moussa, Walker = oh dear!

Right wing: Scannell = oh no! Betsy = at a push, Laurant = ok

Strikers: Barnard = ok, Revell = not too bad, Walker, Laurant and Freedman = oh no!

I don't rate Moussa as a Centre Midfielder at all (not man enough imo)
Laurent played right wing in a game close to the of last season and done quite well imo.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Haven't seen much mentioned about Hal Robson-Kanu... would love to see him back at the club and would rather play him on the left than than the above or anyone we already have... dont know if (1) he would sign for us and (2) we can afford him.

This thread was all about naming players available on free transfers and unfortunately HRK signed a new deal with Reading towards the end of the season so wouldn't fall into that category.