So.. who to keep?

[HarryBosch]

This is the problem - you go through the squad player by player and want to keep most of them.

Despite being the most spineless bunch we've ever had to suffer, blindly hoping they enter Oafc folklore for 90 minutes twice a week, every week, builds up some irrational emotional attachment.

 

Its not an ability issue, it's a mental issue .

 

Get rid of as many as possible LJ.

 

But not Baxter.

Or Grounds.

And try and keep M'Voto.

And maybe Matt Smith.

Crofty too.......

 

.....see?

 

 

[eyres_28]

If that is our starting XI come August then I want to get as much as I can on us being relegated.

 

so given 9 of those have us 1 point from safety then I presume you are worried about the CM pairing?

 

given game time they are the future of this clubs midfield, so comfortable on the ball. Mellor is becoming so much more physical and he has an amazing first touch and a wand of a left peg... good pre-season on fitness and we have a serious player. As for Winchester I have made my opinion clear on the other thread how much I rate the lad, however it is a massive pre-season - he is desperately short physically and hasn't developed, does he know where the gym is? He needs to find it.

 

Add 5-8 of LJ's own to that XI (ok without Jose, Smith and Mvoto) and we have a playoff squad IMO.

 

That's what forums are all about though ... opinions

[Oh Heck C-Beck]

If money was no object I would keep:

 

Key first team players:

 

Baxter

Grounds

M'voto

Croft

plus one of Cisak or Bouzanis, don't think there is much difference between them.

 

Squad players, including youngsters who you would hope a couple could become first teamers:

 

M Smith

Mellor

Millar

Montano

Tarky

Belezika

maybe Brown and Winchester

 

and obviously the new young lads who have signed pro.

 

Ideally we would be adding a new first choice right back, central defender, central midfielder, strikers and left wingers.

 

I think a lot of the players will be off anyway, but a big overhaul is due, I would be worried going into next season with a similar starting XI to this season. I really hope LJ can sign some pacey players too!

[Adelatics]

For me I'd keep bouzanis, brown, tarky, grounds, croft, montano, millar, mellor, Baxter and the one I'm 50 50 on is mvoto he can be a rock at the back don't get me wrong but every time he gets the ball at his feet I flinch it terrifies me at times. Next season I'd like to see mellor dictating the tempo from centre mid maybe with a pacey option through the middle alongside him, an experienced cb that can play simple passes with scaring me, 2 strikers 1 pacey maybe a quicker/better target man (depending how you rate smith)

[oafc-latics]

This season has been :censored:, and I think more of the senior players like Simpson, Wes etc should go because they should have dragged us out of the mess.

 

But I think we need some consistency. Keep Tarky, with coaching he'll cut the errors out and will be a solid player. Keep some of the younger players who will learn from Johnson and play his way.

 

Cisak is gone, he's too good to be reserve and I don't think we've treated him well.

Edited April 18, 2013 by oafc-latics

[Lookers_Carl]

You have to ask too how many of this lot will fit in with Lee Johnsons style of play, fast tempo playing at pace.

 

Personally I don't think Byrne fits into this.

[rudemedic]

For whose wanting too get rid:

What magical pot of gold are we going to use to pay Wes off (plus others under contract such as Montano)? Wes is under contract for next season unless someone else comes in and offers him the same money (which is unlikely) it is going to cost money to get rid of him. We cannot afford to be paying players to NOT play for us.

 

Oh and BTW remember this thread for when people bemoan our lack of consistentcy in playing staff and ask why we didn't offer long term (or longer-term) contracts to some of our first XI next season.

[the_mighty_bosh]

I suppose there's just some key themes that I hope we have with our selection policy. I hope LJ:

 

Gives youth as much chance as possible.

Isn't wasteful with regards to paying off players under contract.

Understands where he wants the players he keeps on to fit into his squad for next year.

 

I think a lot of the players who have come from the youth team could go either way, but I'd keep all of Tarky, Belezika, Winchester, Mellor and Millar. At worst they'll be cheap back up players but nurtured correctly and I think they could all have a role in the 1st team. I'd extend this to Brown and Taylor who initially will be adequate back up but could also develop into more. Hughes is the only ? for me, he's looked OK from the small bits I've seen of him but he seems to have fallen out of favour.

 

I think all of the players contracted beyond this summer could fit in the first team. Grounds will be difficult to replace, Montano has enough potential to work with, the worry with Baxter is that he'll be sold and I think Wes will still be useful imo despite a disappointing season.

 

The third point about what role we give to each player we keep is very important for LJ. If Baxter stays then he will be the best player to build a system around, if not then LJ has a great opportunity to mould the squad as he sees fit to.

 

With all the current first team players out of contract or who's loans are ending I wouldn't be disappointed to see any of them leave, with the exception of Croft who will be difficult to replace. Fortunately I think Croft will struggle to get a better offer and he will get a lot of games here which should help us keep him. Some of the better players like Mvoto, Barnard and Korey Smith are all likely to get better offers elsewhere but I think they are all replaceable. No idea about Jacob, I doubt Cisak will want to stay and while Bouzanis would be a decent enough 'keeper who I reckon we'll keep to have he's not worth breaking the bank for. We can do better than Simpson and while Matt Smith will be difficult to replace I don't think we need a similar player to him in a high-tempo squad, added to the fact he can get a better offer from elsewhere. Byrne is replaceable on the pitch although 1 possibly 2 experienced and influential centre-backs are needed in the squad and we could do worse than Cliff.

 

So the squad to work with imo should be:

 

Keepers: Bouzy, Jacob, Simpson

Full backs: Brown, Grounds, new RB

Centre backs: Byrne, Tarky, Belly, Cooper, new experienced signing

Centre mid: Wes, Winchester, Mellor, Gosset, 2 new signings.

Wingers: Croft, Montano, Millar, Sutherland

Forwards: Baxter, Taylor, at least 2 new signings.

 

Now that LJ has all but kept us up I think he has a pretty good 1st managerial job. He has a great opportunity to build the 1st team with his players.

[bossrocks]

Sounds like LJ rates Simpson. From fishul on why he was made captain - http://www.oldhamath...prv-781128.aspx

 

He said: "Robbie is good around the club and he is a captain in his game.

 

"He was a natural choice because of his demeanour behind the scenes and you see he is willing in his game.

 

"Robbie has bought into what I am trying to do and he has been a soldier. You would take him in the trenches.

 

"If you had to pick three or four players to go into war with, Robbie would be one of them which is why I thought it was right for him to be captain."

 

Now this could be LJ defending his decision (if he see's Simmo as the best of what we had available) but he seems to rate him as much for his attitude/personality as what he does on the pitch. This bit about picking players to go into war with, is he eluding to picking players to keep for next season?

Edited April 19, 2013 by bossrocks

[oldhamoafc]

For the people suggesting we build a team around mellor, millar, Winchester, tarky and belezika.. Are you just going to accept relegation?

 

We need to build a team around cisak/boozy, Mvoto, grounds, croft, mellor and Baxter! And possibly korey smith too.

 

If we can get our starting 11 similar to

Boozy

 

New rb

Tarky

Mvoto

Grounds

 

Croft

New cm

Mellor

New lm

 

Baxter

New cf

 

Then have millar, montano and other youngsters as back up. Would be a good base to start with!

 

 

[De_La_Vega]

Don't agree with Simpson bashing, he's one of the players with more to offer than we have exploited.

 

We have always had talented players here, but they have been spineless at times and underperformed massively. Some of those who are able to bring experience have to be retained, and for my money Wes would definitely be one of those.

 

If you analyse our season, all the bull:censored: aside, we have played out the same poor game week in and out. That includes being clinical up front and giving away sloppy goals at the back. Not many, but the drip-drip effect has eroded everything we have tried to do.

 

If JYM goes, as expected, then we are perilously short at the back. Bouzanis is too unreliable off his line to be a comfortable fit, Tarky shows no progress from the sloppy errors that he makes every week and Belezika is not ready.

 

The young players need to be encouraged through, and I want to see a lot more of Winchester and Mellor fulfilling the talent they possess. But we need to strengthen in defence and work out how we intend to score. So if that means Smith staying then we need to work out how to get the wingers onto the front foot.

[De_La_Vega]

Sorry, not clinical up front.

[the_mighty_bosh]

For the people suggesting we build a team around mellor, millar, Winchester, tarky and belezika.. Are you just going to accept relegation?

 

 

Nope. I think the starting XI needs a bit of an overhaul but I'd like to see those youngsters with potential making up the rest of the squad. They'd be cheap, it would be satisfying to see them succeed and it would give us extra room in the budget to buy higher quality first teamers.

[De_La_Vega]

 

 

Nope. I think the starting XI needs a bit of an overhaul but I'd like to see those youngsters with potential making up the rest of the squad. They'd be cheap, it would be satisfying to see them succeed and it would give us extra room in the budget to buy higher quality first teamers.

 

Tarky this year has shown that if you aren't ready then having decent players around you will not stop the team losing. Any good player will get frustrated by weekly defeats caused by poor defending.

 

To that end, going into a season expecting lots of games from Tarky and Belezika is a very dangerous proposition.

 

I'd like to see Taylor, Mellor and Winchester get significant game time, although I am still unsure of Winchester's best position. Millar has looked sharp too over the last couple of games, so he may be worth a punt...

 

Definitely need reinforcements at centre-half though.

[leeslover]

Tarky this year has shown that if you aren't ready then having decent players around you will not stop the team losing. Any good player will get frustrated by weekly defeats caused by poor defending.

 

To that end, going into a season expecting lots of games from Tarky and Belezika is a very dangerous proposition.

 

I'd like to see Taylor, Mellor and Winchester get significant game time, although I am still unsure of Winchester's best position. Millar has looked sharp too over the last couple of games, so he may be worth a punt...

 

Definitely need reinforcements at centre-half though.

Rio Ferdinand was known for dropping clangers at a later age than Tarky, partly through trying to overplay it, yet he still developed into a colossal :censored: defender of international stature. I would say Tarky needs to be in a position where he is one of several fighting for a start, certainly not a likely first place but in there for it.

[HarryBosch]

Rio Ferdinand was known for dropping clangers at a later age than Tarky, partly through trying to overplay it, yet he still developed into a colossal :censored: defender of international stature. I would say Tarky needs to be in a position where he is one of several fighting for a start, certainly not a likely first place but in there for it.

 

The future of central defending is baffling the opposition forwards by having a player who can't kick the ball properly.

 

100% record since we've introduced an exponent of this art to the side.

[BP1960]

The future of central defending is baffling the opposition forwards by having a player who can't kick the ball properly.

 

100% record since we've introduced an exponent of this art to the side.

 

On the flip side of the coin pace isn't something you often see from a central defender, did Paul Hayes have a kick during the whole match ?

[philsalt]

Cisak is too good to warm the bench, before losing his place i'd have said he would be off to bigger and better things. Not much between him and Dean really.

 

Brown has great potential, more games and he'll be seen as a bargain im sure. He's only a kid and he's always seemed a long term investment to me, same with Tarky.

 

Keep Grounds and Crofty definitely, Simpson can go as we could use the money he's on.

 

Think our targets for the transfer window are a defender and a striker, Smith has done well but even if he stays he can't play like he has been all season. Could do with someone to play off him.

[Crusoe]

Would there be any interest in me posting a squad list and updating it with confirmed news on contracts/movements, like I did last summer?

[JA11K]

That'd be great, Crusoe.

[Matt]

Would there be any interest in me posting a squad list and updating it with confirmed news on contracts/movements, like I did last summer?

 

Good idea, go ahead.

[HarryBosch]

The same form these players have produced under LJ would see us on 80 points over a full season.

 

The plot thickens.

[Zorrro]

There are too many variables to suggest the same set of players would be challenging the top spots based on their recent form.

[opinions4u]

There are too many variables to suggest the same set of players would be challenging the top spots based on their recent form.

 

We haven't been particularly special in the three straight wins.

 

But I'll take a manager who can grind out results with cabbages on the pitch!

[JohnnyPimp]

According to the LJ article in the Chron tonight, it would appear that Baxter either doesn't have a release clause in his contractor or if there is one, it is at a level set by us.