Jay Simpson and Ricky Holmes training with Blues

[mfurok]

I'm a Spartan, as is Emile Acquah I believe.

Then there can be no doubt that he is a star in the making.

 

[kentblues]

A wise man might wait and see if the National league is
abandoned first.

Perhaps also a wise man would not take that gamble...is it not another couple of weeks or so before they decide..and of course the betting at the moment is they will continue (could be wrong but thats what some "pundits say"). Even an extra point dropped in those two weeks could affect our league status. Is it wise to gamble on that? Problem is none of of knows until after the event. Including me.

 

[Bromley Blue]

A wise man might wait and see if the National league is
abandoned first.

A wise man? Really? We’ve got 3 league games between now and then and are only a point clear of the relegation places having played 3 games more than the side below us. Have I missed something and the season has been extended so we all play each other 4 times or something?

Ron’s already ****ed around with our squad and preparation enough at the start of the season to put us in this god awful position. Can we really afford to wait to strengthen the side?

 

[rigsby]

Perhaps also a wise man would not take that gamble...is it not another couple of weeks or so before they decide..and of course the betting at the moment is they will continue (could be wrong but thats what some "pundits say"). Even an extra point dropped in those two weeks could affect our league status. Is it wise to gamble on that? Problem is none of of knows until after the event. Including me.

If the 3 amigos on trial are that good and that vital to the team then we could sign them in April and still escape.

As you say none of us know but Emile Acquah has scored more goals in the last 2 seasons than those 3 put together. Thats why they are training with Southend and thats why Ron and MM don't feel the need to rush into anything.

We have endless threads on how Ron has ruined the club by paying to much in wages and signing "One last payday players". Yet still fans demand the same mistakes when we are at our lowest ever point. In fact many of them are quite angry. Me, I"ll trust MM if he thinks they can add something and are worth the gamble....Because thats exactly what it is, a gamble. Then I will be happy with his decision... Unless its Nile Ranger of course.

 

[kentblues]

If the 3 amigos on trial are that good and that vital to the team then we could sign them in April and still escape.

As you say none of us know but Emile Acquah has scored more goals in the last 2 seasons than those 3 put together. Thats why they are training with Southend and thats why Ron and MM don't feel the need to rush into anything.

We have endless threads on how Ron has ruined the club by paying to much in wages and signing "One last payday players". Yet still fans demand the same mistakes when we are at our lowest ever point. In fact many of them are quite angry. Me, I"ll trust MM if he thinks they can add something and are worth the gamble....Because thats exactly what it is, a gamble. Then I will be happy with his decision... Unless its Nile Ranger of course.

Maybe true. And if they dont add any more goal threat than Emile (who you will have noticed I am a great supporter of) then we may or may not stay up. You are right it is hopefully up to MM to decide and make the right decision. Hopefully rather than some financial restriction (although we were prepared to make a "big" contract offer to Akinde who is in his 30s and allegedly past his best).

MMs latest comments are that they are very impressed by a couple of trialists so maybe that means something will be happening this week. I just don't want to go down to the NL (which is notoriously hard to get back out of) having "left something on the table" as it were.

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

@rigsby - my philosophy is the same as yours. Many on here are hypothesising what these players will be like based on their performances from several years ago. MM and his team will have been watching them in training, seeing how their abilities complement the existing squad and how their personality fits in. They will also, I assume, have fitness monitors on them to see what their bodies are like in February 2021.

If after all of that, MM deems they are or are not worth adding to the squad then I'll go with that judgement as MM strikes me as quite a methodical and thorough person. Frankly it's worth a lot more than what someone read on a Northampton forum or who saw Simpson score a couple of screamers for Orient 5 years ago!

 

[sufc4life21]

A wise man might wait and see if the National league is
abandoned first.

I'd rather not chance it. By bringing in ranger and holmes will give us better chance of survival. 18 goals scored in 28 games is atrocious at any level!

 

[kentblues]

@rigsby - my philosophy is the same as yours. Many on here are hypothesising what these players will be like based on their performances from several years ago. MM and his team will have been watching them in training, seeing how their abilities complement the existing squad and how their personality fits in. They will also, I assume, have fitness monitors on them to see what their bodies are like in February 2021.

If after all of that, MM deems they are or are not worth adding to the squad then I'll go with that judgement as MM strikes me as quite a methodical and thorough person. Frankly it's worth a lot more than what someone read on a Northampton forum or who saw Simpson score a couple of screamers for Orient 5 years ago!

I agree with all you say (all be it there's Nothampton's games in Nov & Dec- a few weeks ago- to get an up to date analysis of Holmes on the pitch). MM needs to decide and its the waiting that kills...we all want the same thing. I am heartened by MMs comments that a couple of triallists are impressing...if they don't then I think a number of us worry about us scoring enough goals to stay up. Which I think is an entirely legitimate concern based on the season this far.

 

[Justleavingwork]

I'd rather not chance it. By bringing in ranger and holmes will give us better chance of survival. 18 goals scored in 28 games is atrocious at any level!

as long as it does not leave us in more debt. How many goals or assists are you expecting from them, 1 goal, 5,10, 20 goals or assists?

 

[londonblue]

A wise man? Really? We’ve got 3 league games between now and then and are only a point clear of the relegation places having played 3 games more than the side below us. Have I missed something and the season has been extended so we all play each other 4 times or something?

It's worth bearing in mind that with games in hand for both Grimsby and Barrow we are (worst case) de facto bottom.

MMs latest comments are that they are very impressed by a couple of trialists so maybe that means something will be happening this week. I just don't want to go down to the NL (which is notoriously hard to get back out of) having "left something on the table" as it were.

If the quote was accurate, i.e. he said he doubts any of them will be available this weekend (the weekend just gone) then that does imply something might happen this week, or at least soon. Time will tell.

 

[kentblues]

An interesting read

So you've been relegated from League Two. What happens next? | Martin Belam

Chin up Leyton Orient fans – it’s not all doom and gloom in non-league. But as any football supporter knows, it’s the hope that kills you

www.theguardian.com

 

[kentblues]

It's worth bearing in mind that with games in hand for both Grimsby and Barrow we are (worst case) de facto bottom.




If the quote was accurate, i.e. he said he doubts any of them will be available this weekend (the weekend just gone) then that does imply something might happen this week, or at least soon. Time will tell.

Indeed

The exact quote from the Echo/CP was, and it was in quotes so you have to assume from the horses mouth

"there are a couple training with us at the moment we like the look of"

"We will have to see how the week pans out but I'm more than happy with what's around me at the moment with the reaction and the character they've shown"

 

[sufc4life21]

as long as it does not leave us in more debt. How many goals or assists are you expecting from them, 1 goal, 5,10, 20 goals or assists?

We are already in debt. Just sign them to the end of the season, I'm sure both players will accept that. Are forward line of badship/akinola/acquah have got a grand total of 5 goals....... no way we will survive with the current forward line!

 

[Bromley Blue]

It's worth bearing in mind that with games in hand for both Grimsby and Barrow we are (worst case) de facto bottom.

Yeah I did bear that in mind, that was kinda my point but glad we agree! We can't sit around waiting for the National League to make a decision because the chances of them cancelling the season and promotion being cancelled altogether is very unlikely. We have to act on worst case scenarios and prepare accordingly. If we're worried about the implications financially should we go down then we should only sign these players on deals until the end of the season. I can't believe we'd consider anything else anyway, especially with Ranger.

Holmes especially might be pushing for a longer deal but I honestly think in that situation we offer a take it or leave it deal as anything else would be idiotic in our situation.

 

[Barry.C]

Indeed

The exact quote from the Echo/CP was, and it was in quotes so you have to assume from the horses mouth

"there are a couple training with us at the moment we like the look of"

"We will have to see how the week pans out but I'm more than happy with what's around me at the moment with the reaction and the character they've shown"

Interesting quote could just be quick throw away comment or does it also hint there's one we dont like the look of !?? or at least yet? Or in training excludes Nile R because of the calf problem, we love to dwell on every word, time will tell soon?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Perhaps in answer to your question, and putting aside what he creates, not only has Holmes scored more league goals than all our many wingers put together, he's scored more league goals then all of our wingers and strikers put together...and we have scored 18 goals in 28 games...so perhaps this is one way he is better...

Ricky Holmes last played at Roots Hall 6th October 2018. Have you seen him since then?

Emile Acquah hadn't even made his league debut in October 2018 but since then he's scored three times more league goals than Holmes, Ranger and Simpson combined.

 

[sufc4life21]

Unfortunately ron and MM failure to bring in a striker in January has left us in position where desperate times calls for desperate measures! We are currently out of the bottom 2 but that is more down to luck due to Barrow no being able to play games.

National league situation is becoming a joke and seem like no one knows what is going on. But do you gamble and leave it a few games or do we act now and just sign those players. I personally would offer Holmes, ranger and Simpson depending on how well he doing in training, a deal to the end of the season. Its upto them whether they take it or leave it.

We need more options in the forward line. If MM decide to go with what he got then its good night Vienna I'm afraid.

 

[jackj13]

Can you imagine the uproar and stick RM would get if we announce the signing of Ricky Holmes on a 2 year deal and it turns out he’s on £6K week. Wasting money on players on there last pay packet is one of the reasons we are where we are right now.

 

[BluePartridge]

Ron has ruined the club by paying to much in wages

He ruined the club by never paying players what they were owed in the first place.

 

[kentblues]

Ricky Holmes last played at Roots Hall 6th October 2018. Have you seen him since then?

Emile Acquah hadn't even made his league debut in October 2018 but since then he's scored three times more league goals than Holmes, Ranger and Simpson combined.

I agree we can make highly selective arguments to support one thing or another. At the same time we can say Holmes has scored so many more goals because our wingers are so young and inexperienced- except of course that's not true either- Akinola 27, ANG 25, RHF 23...

Of course I can only go on NT fans analysis of what he brought/how he was playing in Nov & Dec and probably they know as little about football as the rest of us/or at least may see the same things completely differently. Plus of course the match highlights. MM can of course watch all those games in full.

Anyway looks like the person that matters may be impressed- we will see either way this week I am sure.