15 minutes ago, Burslem Academicals said:

GK Brown/Visser

RB Gibbons/Mills

CB Smith/Legge/Brisley/Crooke

LB Montano/Fitzpatrick/Cambell-Gordon

RM Burgess/Oyleke

CM Joyce/Whitehead

LM Conlon/Trickett-Smith

RW Amoo/Browne

CF Cullen/Robinson/Pope/Rodney

LW Worrall/Hurst

25 man squad......19 players retained plus 6 new signings Rodney/Whitehead/Mills/Robinson/Fitzpatrick/Visser.

No room for loan players then,  like buses two will turn up.

6 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

One thing I will add is that it’s shame for rcg. He’s always looked decent, he’s still young but we should be using are youth players far more imo. Especially for back up roles, otherwise they’ll never be good enough. He needs to go to a side in the conference on Loan to really test him. 

I agree with that. I wonder if with Askey's connections with Macc (plus the fact they have no money) we may want to get the likes of Hurst and Campbell-Gordon (plus Trickett-Smith if he's not in contention) out to them? They'll get National League games then. There's plenty of advantages in that sort of deal - if a couple of them go together then they won't be alone at a new club, it's not too far from Burslem, can't see Macc turning down some players if they don't have to pay all the wages and so on...

Fitzpatrick is a decent signing. Solid left-back that likes to defend. It also allows Askey to use Crooks as another centre-back option where he is probably better, so now we have Brisley and Crooks in reserve. If Fitzpatrick starts it also allows us to use Montano as a wide player which will keep the likes of Amoo and Worrall on their toes.

When you consider who we let go, replacing them with Robinson, Whitehead, Mills, Fitzpatrick and Rodney looks very much an upgrade. We might not necessarily have a better starting 11 than last season as it will be pretty much the same. But we certainly have a stronger squad.

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by TylerB

Think the Fitzpatrick signing would indicate that Cambell-Gordon will probably go out on loan then again the lad is a second year professional and only 19 and could do with some mens football in non-league and probably another year to grow and fill out so Fitzpatrick for a season makes sense.

The remaining questions are where will Hurst play left forward as an understudy for Worrall or left midfield cover and will Trickett-Smith get games also will Rodney get games centrally this season or wide front three and move central next season when Pope retires.

Fingers crossed that Cullen and Oyeleke stay fit throughout the season and for a spectacular promotion season.

12 minutes ago, robf said:

I agree with that. I wonder if with Askey's connections with Macc (plus the fact they have no money) we may want to get the likes of Hurst and Campbell-Gordon (plus Trickett-Smith if he's not in contention) out to them? They'll get National League games then. There's plenty of advantages in that sort of deal - if a couple of them go together then they won't be alone at a new club, it's not too far from Burslem, can't see Macc turning down some players if they don't have to pay all the wages and so on...

That’s a brilliant idea and one vale should 100% take up. No down side for any party. Would allow players like Campbell Gordon to really improve at a good level and help macc at the moment and vale in the long run. 

Still think we need an extra midfielder to add a few more goals. Who was the one Leon Legge tweeted about recently, when he said something like ....soon it will be...? 

robf.....don't think Hurst will go out on loan as the lad is now 21 and has played non-league mens football for a couple of seasons and is highly rated whereas Trickett-Smith is a bit of an enigma once highly rated Crewe academy and Liverpool now 25 but signed by Smurthwaite so does Askey utilise the midfielder if Trickett-Smith is now fit or just bomb the player out on a seasons loan till the final year on contract expires......then again if Oyeleke breaks down again we only have Burgess/Joyce/Conlon with Whitehead as back up so Hurst and Trickett-Smith are needed for squad depth.

8 minutes ago, TylerB said:

it also allows us to use Montano as a wide player which will keep the likes of Amoo and Worrall on their toes.

It sure does. 👍

We've effectively got four (Browne, Worrall, Amoo and Montano) trying to get into two places. So, there's now loads of competition right across the team... everyone has got to be on their toes to keep their place. Even Brown may have to be on his toes as Visser will be champing at the bit. There's also a number of players - Mills, Crookes, Monty, Whitehead, Rodney - who can fill various positions so we've got tons of options...

2 minutes ago, robf said:

I agree with that. I wonder if with Askey's connections with Macc (plus the fact they have no money) we may want to get the likes of Hurst and Campbell-Gordon (plus Trickett-Smith if he's not in contention) out to them? They'll get National League games then. There's plenty of advantages in that sort of deal - if a couple of them go together then they won't be alone at a new club, it's not too far from Burslem, can't see Macc turning down some players if they don't have to pay all the wages and so on...

Hurst and RCG aren't problems. We have too many player over 22. I saw a draft of the rules and it did say that the limit was going to be based on players who had played in a first team game. I don't think the full rules have been released yet but the club will almost certainly know the wording by now. It may be a bizarre situation where, for example, Visser at 31 can be in the squad despite being 31 on the basis of not having played in the EFL before.  I believe players not in the 22 man squad are still allowed to play in all 3 cup competitions. I think it seems certain RCG will be out on loan somewhere - as soon as there is somewhere to send him.

Does seem a strange signing as he has limited EFL games and not really someone who has set the league on fire. I guess it says something about where Askey sees RCG at the moment. That said there were very few leftbacks released so there were very few options;  I would go as far to say he was the only leftback I can think of who was released. I think he is a little better than he looked against Blackpool, when he had only done a day of preseason. Be interesting to see how he does with a bit more time under his belt. My biggest concern about this is it may be that Oyeleke's injury is worse than the club have indicated, freeing up a space in the squad for a few months. Don't know if he is back in full training yet?

Thing is with manny. Even if this isn’t that serious of an injury, there will be many more niggles throughout the season. I can’t see him playing 20 games this year, certainly not close to the level we know he can get to as most the time he will be playing his first game back after a few weeks out. 

I really think we need a creative Cm. To replace Taylor who was a key player and to cover if manny is injured. Maybe take another younger player on loan? 

Only just spotted this statement about the keeper from Askeys interview in the sentinel.
“I think last year we would probably have got a loan in if anything had happened to Browny. But at this stage we would see how Dino went for a few games.”
 
Proves that Askey never thought Maddison was good enough.

Surely if we sign Visser and Brown were to get injured this season we would need a loan keeper to at least sit on the bench.

56 minutes ago, Iron Curtain said:

Only just spotted this statement about the keeper from Askeys interview in the sentinel.

“I think last year we would probably have got a loan in if anything had happened to Browny. But at this stage we would see how Dino went for a few games.”
 

Proves that Askey never thought Maddison was good enough.

And this "Or, if Browny does get injured, then somebody who we are not worried about putting in."

3 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

Thing is with manny. Even if this isn’t that serious of an injury, there will be many more niggles throughout the season. I can’t see him playing 20 games this year, certainly not close to the level we know he can get to as most the time he will be playing his first game back after a few weeks out. 

I really think we need a creative Cm. To replace Taylor who was a key player and to cover if manny is injured. Maybe take another younger player on loan? 

I believe loan players of any age are going to count as over 21 - if that is the case it isn't an option. I think its to stop teams circumventing the rules by bringing in a load of highly rated and highly paid young players from bigger clubs. The full regulations on how it will work aren't one the EFL pages yet (or as of 24 hours ago). 

9 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

Thing is with manny. Even if this isn’t that serious of an injury, there will be many more niggles throughout the season. I can’t see him playing 20 games this year, certainly not close to the level we know he can get to as most the time he will be playing his first game back after a few weeks out. 

I really think we need a creative Cm. To replace Taylor who was a key player and to cover if manny is injured. Maybe take another younger player on loan? 

Taylor wasn't creative though? Yeah, he sure had a knack for being in the right position at the right time to score goals, but how many actual chances did he created for others? I think Conlon higher up the pitch would be a more creative player than Taylor.

I do agree that whoever we choose in midfield it's going to be more workmanlike than creative. So the onus is on the full-backs to get forward to help create chances for us. Fortunately Gibbons is capable of that and so is Monty if he starts at left-back. But a Bridge-Wilkinson type player would be lovely!

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by TylerB

1 minute ago, TylerB said:

Taylor wasn't creative though? Yeah, he sure had a knack for being in the right position at the right time to score goals, but how many actual chances did he created for others? I think Conlon higher up the pitch would be a more creative player than Taylor.

I'd agree - Taylor had a knack for being in the right place to score a goal.