Sloshed Joe

Hallam Hope would be much better suited to the roles that Nuttall & Willhouby were asked to execute today.

What are peoples opinions on having no sub keeper on the bench? We may be forced into it tomorrow but I find it odd. Especially as Unsworth hasn’t seemed keen to use the strength on the bench yet anyway. Norman got rounded off his line v Aldershot - what if he’d made a challenge and got a red? Or what if he’d started v Halifax and then got this injury a few mins in instead? Hudson wasn’t named on the bench for that match so we’d be goosed. it’s a risky tactic just to keep an extra outfielder happy with a place on the bench (who then becomes unhappy because they don’t get on the pitch anyway!!)

Where can you watch the full matches, do you need a subscription?

I think Sheron is a good utility sub & can cover CM & CB if needed. Likewise with Shelton covering CM & RB. Starting them both together in midfield doesn’t work for the team if we want to attack. it could do if we played 4-4-2 with brilliant attacking full backs & wingers (like when we played Milligan & Henry) but we don’t currently have those players to compliment that style. Likewise, our attackers would thrive with better full backs & wingers providing service. We currently only have Kitching who looks to get the ball & cross it with reasonable quality.

Dickenson could be a good signing but didn’t play at all last season due to a ligament injury. Was training with Mansfield pre-season so Clough might have given a good reference on Saturday.

I know injuries can happen at any time and are unpredictable but maybe Rhinoball makes players like Lundstram more susceptible to picking up knocks. The player already commented on how he was being asked to play differently - more high intensity pressing off the ball. Hope he makes a quick recovery.

Wasn’t it mentioned on the Pod that Lundstrum was brilliantly consistent and played every minute of every game last season Surely not a typical Latics scenerio about to hit us…

Getting that squad depth balance right is important. If we do get 3 more players in (without any more departures) then competition, even just for a place on the bench, will be tough. We’ll be picking 4 outfield subs from; Hope, Tollitt, Nuttall, Willoughby, Sheron, Sutton, Gardner, Couto, McGahey + 3 new signings (based on the last teamsheet)

Assuming that team starts the season at Southend, which of the outfield players would miss out from being on the bench? We can only pick 4 from Sutton, Couto, Sheron, Hope, Nuttall, Tollitt, Willoughby. And that’s without Gardner getting back fit. I’d go for Sheron, Hope, Nuttall & Willoughby.

Still wish we had the equivalent of Kitcb on the right hand side. It’d balance the team and increase our attacking options allowing us to keep teams guessing. It was the missing piece from Jan onwards and it’s a shame we’ve not sorted it so close to the season. Looks like we’ll either have to play Sutton, Hobson or Shelton at RB. Or Green at RWB. None of these options are ideal.

Maybe there are a few clubs ogling him?

@BP1960 Are you still scouting that player who scored a ton of goals from RB (I think). Scottish or Welsh team you maybe mentioned?

That reminds me re: Peter Clarke - Unsworth’’s media line was “I’ll let Peter tell you all what his future plans are, it’s not my place to” but then was anything ever said by Clarke? Thought he’d go into coaching, would’ve liked that to start with us at some level.

Yes it seems like the agent is the slippery type to keep trying it on until the very last second. Until something is signed with a club, I wouldn’t trust any hearsay. Sounds like they’d think nothing of turning up for talks and a medical at one club and then appear at a different club the next morning, squeezing every penny out of all the bidders to get the best deal.

Dallas & Reid played up front together quite a bit last season for Solihull so perhaps there’s a good understanding there. Maybe Reidy is the one putting in a good word to try & sway Dallas’ decision.

Rooney was dropped from the squad for the last game of the season, can anyone remember why?

we should’ve been ruthlessly trying to hijack that signing. I hope we did try.

Alty also signed 6ft 5 left sided ball playing CB Sam Roscoe from Linfield. Certainly good enough for a move to the EFL. The recruitment / scouting team at Alty certainly seem to be able to pick and entice a player. Maybe we should try and poach their recruitment team rather than their players!

It was Liandro Martis

Out of interest, when was the last time that the voted ‘player of the season’ remained at the club for the following season…?

He became a driving instructor I think and lived near Saddleworth

Given Unsworth’s seemingly preferred rudimentary style of play, I wouldn’t mind seeing us try for signing Harry Smith from L Orient (on loan at Barnet). We’ll have good communications with Wellen’s, who hasn’t really used Smith in L2 and chosen to loan him out twice this season. He scored a hatful at Barnet since joining in Feb, He’s not played much in the north, but did join Macclesfield a few years ago so not opposed to coming up ‘ere. He’s 27, so a good age for a 3 year deal. I know striker isn’t a priority, but I’d see him as an upgrade on some of the forwards we have. Can see him leading the line well in a promotion chasing team and easily scoring 20- 30 if he stays injury free. Edit: He’s out of contract in the summer. Has suffered with gambling issues so may be seen as ‘tainted’ like Colclough.

Unsworth said (pre-retained list announcement) that tough decisions and difficult conversations would be had with those we weren’t keeping. But I can’t imagine it was difficult or tough (or a surprise) to the ones announced as leaving - all pretty obvious. So maybe the tough conversations were with ones in contract that he’s happy to move on if they find interested clubs (possibly even the likes of Tollitt & Rooney) The list as currently announced probably doesn’t tell the full story of who’s in & out at this stage (with Chapman & Sambou maybe on the radar)

Maybe we should’ve stuck with Al & Mo - they certainly seemed to be able to pick players capable of shining In the NL, NLN & NLS. Maybe getting us into this division was part of their master plan after all?

Are you saying that a move to Oldham, for Jack, it’s a bridge too far?