Next season

[OldBlueLady]

That's great news if true, I was worried about Wordsworth moving on and we currently have a lack of creativity in midfield when he's out.

I believe (as my hubby remembered this bit of the conversation cos I'd had quite a few glasses of wine!) that, the number of appearances he's made have triggered an extension clause.

Kavanagh was a wily old so and so with contracts it seems!

 

[southendkid]

I'd also like to see Demetriou play RM. I was under the impression when he was at Orient we was a midfielder, and while in Cyrus his become a RB... I'd play him in RM and tell White you'll be first choice RB at the start of pre-season.

White is too slow to be a first choice full back anymore, any winger with a bit of pace will easily beat him every time.

 

[Shrimper]

This team have proved time and time again they are not good enough,the players or the manager's tactics have fallen short .

Pre season is where we are normally shambolic,then the season begins and we play catch up for the remainder of the term.I know I've banged on and on but signing these old guys on decent money is mad and rarely pays off,I find it incredible Nile was given such a long deal even though he has missed a large volume of games and put in some below par performances,Coxy has only managed 12 goals from open play whilst Fortune has slipped off the radar,the signings of Nouble and Hines was crackers which had zero benefit to the team,Ferdy has fitness issues so signing him for another season would be another massive gamble.

Strange times in my mind....clear out required IMO.

1. You do not know the money these players are on.
2. The contract may be long but he won't cost as much as the other strikers and is in his prime years some would say. He matched his best season so far in the League.
3. Only 12 goals from open? Most teams would kill to have a player like Simon Cox. He has nearly a goal every 2 games and you're complaining? This is also his best season in 2009-10 with Swindon in League One. Just looking at our last three top scorers;

Payne - 9, Corr - 16, Corr - 13.

Payne scored 8 from open play, Corr had 13 from open play in 2014/15 and 12 from open play in 2013/14. Would you have said no to Barry Corr then?

There are a few changes that are needed though;

O'Neill will probably want to leave to get 1st team football.
Whalton will return to Brighton. If we had been promoted I would of looked at getting him back on loan and sending Smith out on loan to a LG1/LG2 side. Return Inniss
Hines, Nouble and Mooney will be/should be released.
I'd let Atkinson go too.
Offer contracts to White, Thompson, Ferdinand, Williams-Alowade, Matsuzaka, Wordsworth, Cotton, Batlokwa, Bedford and use the options on Leonard and Timlin.

Leave us with;

Oxley, Smith

Thompson, Ferdinand, Coker, Demetriou, White.

Leonard, Timlin, Wordsworth, McLaughlin, McGlashan, Bridge

Cox, Ranger, Fortune, Robinson

With Younger cover in;

Kyprianou, Matsuzaka, Batlokwa, Bedford, Cotton and Williams-Alowade. Ideally, loan most out.

But looking at the above we probably need a CB, 2 wingers and not much else. We're finely poised.

 

[Floval Flyer]

We need to take a look at where we were lacking when injuries occurred and also deal with the GK situation;

GK wise I would like Walton on a season long loan - with Brighton in the Prem chances will be limited for him, so he'd be a great acquisition

CB, LB cover needed, plus a decent RB and play Demi on the wing. CM is also where we need either cover or a decent replacement for Lenny (god help us if he goes)

From my view the players we need to hold onto are; Coker, Lenny, Ranger, Cox and Thompson- for me the spine of the team. Build on that and we'll surely be pushing for auto promotion in Lge 1 next season.

 

[jtsouthend]

Peraonally I think we have over achieved this season (maybe it says more about league 1 than us) and that is going to put even more pressure on us next season to match or better this season

i am not a Brown fan really (but you can't argue with the season on season improvements). I really want to see a "system" next season and players brought in to suit it. Personally I think we just stick the best 11 players out and when it comes off it looks great and when not we look like 11 strangers on the pick,with no tactics or method of play.

love him or not....Sturrock had a philosophy and got in players to suit and they were drilled on this style

we are not built to be a direct team (Ranger is not s target name in the classic sence...it is more like organised chaos, which I think even some if the players around him struggle to read). We are not a team that gets in behind teams or runs the channels), nor a team that is solid at the back and good at set pieces. Personally I don't have a clue what we are, but we are good some days.

i can understand that we are just out of league 2 recently and it takes a few seasons to get all the pieces of a jigsaw together. With a number of contracts up then this transfer window is key...our stock is quite high and we have a few big names here, so that should allow us be a good option

we signed a lot of players this season, but I would like to see us also get a few quality (if untried fully in league football) players in on loan...there must be a few Britt'A's out there somewhere (where is our mgmt teams network).

Be nice to get in the play offs even if it is just to add to the coffers for next season

Next season is Browns toughest one really

 

[Tommy2holes]

This team have proved time and time again they are not good enough,the players or the manager's tactics have fallen short .

Pre season is where we are normally shambolic,then the season begins and we play catch up for the remainder of the term.I know I've banged on and on but signing these old guys on decent money is mad and rarely pays off,I find it incredible Nile was given such a long deal even though he has missed a large volume of games and put in some below par performances,Coxy has only managed 12 goals from open play whilst Fortune has slipped off the radar,the signings of Nouble and Hines was crackers which had zero benefit to the team,Ferdy has fitness issues so signing him for another season would be another massive gamble.

Strange times in my mind....clear out required IMO.

Great post. Personally think ranger is massively overated. Hasn't done much considering what a bright future he had not so long ago.

Compare Nile to Vaughan of bury who has probably even less scraps to feed on and has banged goals in for fun for less money.

 

[Shrimper]

Great post. Personally think ranger is massively overated. Hasn't done much considering what a bright future he had not so long ago.

Compare Nile to Vaughan of bury who has probably even less scraps to feed on and has banged goals in for fun for less money.

Nile Ranger has matched his best ever season in League One. James Vaughan, before this season, had never scored more than 14 goals in the League. Could very well be a fluke season for him with more than 20. But Ranger has done well and is entering the best years now. Give him time, he is so far doing okay. Double figures would be ideal but he has missed some time due to injury and other reasons, no doubt he would have hit it otherwise.

 

[buffalowolf]

I think if NILE RANGER can stay out off trouble during the off season and then get a good preseason under his belt and stay injury free ,then i have no doubt he will hit close to if not above that magical 20 goal season,remember people this is his first season for 5 years i believe( correct me if im wrong ),When we signed him ,he was a talent gone wrong,seems to me he really is trying to get his life back on the rails ,give him time Him and COX i think will be great together,partnerships take time to weld together and with Fortune as back up we looking good in the striker department,Also could be a good to try Robinson out wide ,he has pace and can run at a man and deliver a cross.Hopefully come next season McLaughlin will find his form again,would be a bonus.