So Early in the season and so many injuries

[TheBigDog]

Already we have Purdie, Jacobson, Smalley and possibly Taylor struggling with injuries.

 

It is fair to assume that Purdie and Jacobson if fit would be in the team at the expense of Gilbert and Holdsworth. However we don't have good cover for the wide boys Taylor and Smalley.

 

The net impact is that we have adopted a more defensive approach - Holdsworth playing wide right is not really giving us a penetrative threat going forward, while Taylor is just not the player he is when fully fit (you know, the guy who had the opposition double and triple marking him).

 

Defensively Brill (kicking apart) looks reasonable. We have brought in two decent full backs on loan (very impressed with :censored:) while there is still a questionmark around the centre of our defence - the next few games will soon answer that one.

 

Midfield - Furman looks to have something extra and Worthington looks like a solid holding player. But we are lacking something out wide.Purdie could be the answer but not Stephens/Lee/Whittaker methinks. Will Taylor get back to his old self?

 

Attack - Abbott decent and will cause problems and score goals - but is Parker the right partner for him? Certainly he looks a better bet than Byfield (will he ever justify his place?) and O'Grady (will he ever come good?) - but Alessandra is still my choice to be third striker.

 

Too many questions - not enough answers.

 

[RobOAFC]

Already we have Purdie, Jacobson, Smalley and possibly Taylor struggling with injuries.

 

It is fair to assume that Purdie and Jacobson if fit would be in the team at the expense of Gilbert and Holdsworth. However we don't have good cover for the wide boys Taylor and Smalley.

 

The net impact is that we have adopted a more defensive approach - Holdsworth playing wide right is not really giving us a penetrative threat going forward, while Taylor is just not the player he is when fully fit (you know, the guy who had the opposition double and triple marking him).

 

Defensively Brill (kicking apart) looks reasonable. We have brought in two decent full backs on loan (very impressed with :censored:) while there is still a questionmark around the centre of our defence - the next few games will soon answer that one.

 

Midfield - Furman looks to have something extra and Worthington looks like a solid holding player. But we are lacking something out wide.Purdie could be the answer but not Stephens/Lee/Whittaker methinks. Will Taylor get back to his old self?

 

Attack - Abbott decent and will cause problems and score goals - but is Parker the right partner for him? Certainly he looks a better bet than Byfield (will he ever justify his place?) and O'Grady (will he ever come good?) - but Alessandra is still my choice to be third striker.

 

Too many questions - not enough answers.

 

 

I thought purdie was used at RM at darlington with penney, so if smalley and purdie are fit then they are fightin it out for the RM side, holdsworth is our right back i believe, only got :censored: in becos holdsworth was needed to push up

[Hometownclub]

I think its safe to say that if Jacobsen and Purdie were fit they would be figuring strongly in first team plans.

 

I remember reading when he arrived that Purdie could play out wide, which would give us some very much needed width.

 

Taylor is not fully fit and needs to be rested until he is fit and able to fire on all cylinders.

 

Gilbert and Byfield are only on short term deals, I think Gilbert looks a decent LB and depending on wages/budget etc I think Penney might be tempted to hang on to him even when Jacobsen is back fit.

 

I liked the look of :censored: at RB against Stockport but think Holdsworth will play there when :censored:'s loan ends, Holdsworth certainly doesn't look like a wide right midfield player to me.

 

TBH I would be surprised if Byfield is kept on beyond his present short term deal unless we get some more injuries, I don't really see what he offers us that is much different to what we already have between O'Grady, Alessandra and Brooke as back up to Abbott and Parker.

 

When all fully fit a midfield of Furman, Worthington, Taylor and Purdie could be decent prospect with genuine width.

 

We still need a Centre Half as we have no cover for Gregan and Hazell other than one or two versatile players who have on occasions played there when required.

 

I certainly think there will be more to come when everybody is fully fit.

[opinions4u]

Czcucuzcuuczuczuczman out !

[GlossopLatic]

We are starting slowly because we have an entirely new team

 

My prediction at the start was that we would start slowly as the team would then gel and we would recover and finnish comfortably in mid table. I fully expect to see us spend the first 3rd of the season in the bottom half of the table its going exactly how I expect. However if we are in the bottom 6 around december without showing a way of improvement then I will start to worry.

[BenRad]

I thought purdie was used at RM at darlington with penney, so if smalley and purdie are fit then they are fightin it out for the RM side, holdsworth is our right back i believe, only got :censored: in becos holdsworth was needed to push up

 

Has anyone seen Purdie play? or heard if he is actually any good? I got the impression when we signed him that he was a utility player so maybe not fully suited to one roll, is he the answer at RM? have to wait and see i suppose

[Stevie Whitehall]

Has anyone seen Purdie play? or heard if he is actually any good? I got the impression when we signed him that he was a utility player so maybe not fully suited to one roll, is he the answer at RM? have to wait and see i suppose

 

A Rochdale fan I know has said he is quality. But we will wait and see..

[garcon]

Has anyone seen Purdie play? or heard if he is actually any good? I got the impression when we signed him that he was a utility player so maybe not fully suited to one roll, is he the answer at RM? have to wait and see i suppose

Player of the season at Darlo last season, despite playing in about secen different positions.

 

I get the feeling right midfield is his best position and that's where he'll play when everyone else is fit.

[Haribo_man]

[quote name=I wonder if it would be worth sticking parker on the left wing while we are suffering personnel wise with injuries then go with either O'Grady or Lewi partnering big Pav? Would give us a more attacking bias then?

 

Just a thought like

[RobOAFC]

Remember we do still have smalley who will be challengin for the right wing.. personally i thought as the season went on last season he seemed to become better

[daniel8157]

Has anyone seen Purdie play? or heard if he is actually any good? I got the impression when we signed him that he was a utility player so maybe not fully suited to one roll, is he the answer at RM? have to wait and see i suppose

 

 

Couple of Darlo fans I spoke to think very highly of him and both said they were not suprised that he was the fist player DP went to sign.

[RobOAFC]

Remember we do still have smalley who will be challengin for the right wing.. personally i thought as the season went on last season he seemed to become better

[creepy]

im surprised nobody has said

 

'the players were in for pre season training far too early, this is why they are injured' blah blah

 

'the players are already over worked this is why they are injured' blah blah

 

there you go ive said it, does anybody want to carry it on?

[TheBigDog]

im surprised nobody has said

 

'the players were in for pre season training far too early, this is why they are injured' blah blah

 

'the players are already over worked this is why they are injured' blah blah

 

there you go ive said it, does anybody want to carry it on?

 

Nope

[garcon]

I wonder if it would be worth sticking parker on the left wing while we are suffering personnel wise with injuries then go with either O'Grady or Lewi partnering big Pav? Would give us a more attacking bias then?

 

Just a thought like

Not sure about Parker on the left. If Taylor's fit I'd rather see us try Parker on the right wing and Byfield with Pav. If Taylor's not fit, I think Whitaker's our best option on the left.

[Stevie Whitehall]

Not sure about Parker on the left. If Taylor's fit I'd rather see us try Parker on the right wing and Byfield with Pav. If Taylor's not fit, I think Whitaker's our best option on the left.

 

Rene Steer?

[garcon]

Don't think he's ready yet, and 45 mins v Sunderland showed he's really a left back.

[RobOAFC]

the players we have brought in are not fit enough, not athletic enough

[bensonio]

the players we have brought in are not fit enough, not athletic enough

 

No. Just...No.

 

Lol

[leeslover]

the players we have brought in are not fit enough, not athletic enough

We need less Athletic players and some more energetic Dynamos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Takes drunken trouble-making hat off*

[TheBigDog]

Already we have Purdie, Jacobson, Smalley and possibly Taylor struggling with injuries.

 

It is fair to assume that Purdie and Jacobson if fit would be in the team at the expense of Gilbert and Holdsworth. However we don't have good cover for the wide boys Taylor and Smalley.

 

The net impact is that we have adopted a more defensive approach - Holdsworth playing wide right is not really giving us a penetrative threat going forward, while Taylor is just not the player he is when fully fit (you know, the guy who had the opposition double and triple marking him).

 

Defensively Brill (kicking apart) looks reasonable. We have brought in two decent full backs on loan (very impressed with :censored:) while there is still a questionmark around the centre of our defence - the next few games will soon answer that one.

 

Midfield - Furman looks to have something extra and Worthington looks like a solid holding player. But we are lacking something out wide.Purdie could be the answer but not Stephens/Lee/Whittaker methinks. Will Taylor get back to his old self?

 

Attack - Abbott decent and will cause problems and score goals - but is Parker the right partner for him? Certainly he looks a better bet than Byfield (will he ever justify his place?) and O'Grady (will he ever come good?) - but Alessandra is still my choice to be third striker.

 

Too many questions - not enough answers.

 

I see that DP has agreed with my expert analysis ( ) regarding the lack of cover for our 'wide boys' - cheers Dave!

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-fea...es-a-wider-view