Yep, agree with all of those. Seems a sensible signing and we have options of an attacking LB in Monty and a more orthodox one in Fitzpatrick with Mills/Crookes able to fill in for emergencies.
I thought Fitzpatrick looked leggy in the Blackpool game but I appreciate it was probably his first game in a while and he may have been behind the others in training. Askey obviously knows him really well and rates him. I hope that like Robinson people judge him after he's appeared in some Vale games rather than on the basis of half a friendly game.

Always should be giving players a few games in competitive football to make a judgement. Both solid signings this week in my opinion. Chop from the bottom and add to the top, I think we’re going into next season with a stronger squad

The big issue for me is oleyeke. He’s quality but we will be lucky if we get 20 games from him and most of them he won’t be 100% fit. Joyce is getting on a bit. Conlon inconsistent. Burgess looked very good but still young and then whitehead is a complete unknown. I think we’re 1 man short there for certain. 

3 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

The big issue for me is oleyeke. He’s quality but we will be lucky if we get 20 games from him and most of them he won’t be 100% fit. Joyce is getting on a bit. Conlon inconsistent. Burgess looked very good but still young and then whitehead is a complete unknown. I think we’re 1 man short there for certain. 

Who would you not include in the squad to do this? Ignore DTS and we still have 22 over age players when the keeper has signed.

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by JRC

16 minutes ago, JRC said:

Who would you not include in the squad to do this? Ignore DTS and we still have 22 over age players when the keeper has signed.

Good question. Can this change per game or is once it’s set it’s set for the season? 

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by valiant_593

Mills is talked of as a right back who can play left back but also defensive midfield so possibly a straight swop for Evans.

Then Whitehead can be considered a versatile replacement for Atkinson.

Trickett-Smith a replacement for Lloyd.

Hurst if the lad turns out to be a revelation like Burgess could be considered a replacement for Taylor.

Oyeleke/Burgess/Joyce/Whitehead/Conlon/Hurst/Trickett-Smith plus Worrall can play midfield and Mills so that is 9 players for 3 spots......think Askey has got it covered.

Do t forget that wozza can play in midfield as he did a few times last season and Browne can cover him up top.

4 minutes ago, valiant_593 said:

Good question. Can this change per game or is once it’s set it’s set for the season? 

I believe set until January.

Also it’s harsh to judge Fitzpatrick on his one game against Blackpool. 
 

I watched Legges debut friendly against Kidsgrove and it still gives me nightmares... and he turned out ok! 

1 hour ago, Doha said:

You're wrong, because he played in cm for nearly half of his appearances. Shrewsbury, Newport, Plymouth and Franchise. 

He was or was one off joint top scorer. We offered a cash bid to buy him Askey rates him so much. Not a big loss? Am I taking crazy pills!?

It's madness that with four out and one in, one perennial crock and the other 33, and two loanees called in without a football league appearance between them, you you think we don't actually need another central midfielder.  Two preseason games in and Oyelekes picked something up already. He's a quality, game changing player but with his ridiculous injury record it's best to assume he won't be available all season and if he is it's a nice surprise. That leaves 4, one of whom is 33 and will need resting at times. That leaves 3, for 2 spots. When you actually look into it, there's not the huge amount of depth there you think there is. I'm not on about signing someone on a permanent, I just want another youth loan from division 1/2 for rotation and breathing space.  

Age doesn't come into it. Joyce is one of the fittest players at the club. Evans and Lloyd were just bodies at the club. If both were still here people would be asking why. Oyeleke is injury hit obviously and can't be relied upon but right now he has to be considered fifth choice in the middle of the park. Obviously if a couple of those midfielders get injured then we will be tested but the same can be said for every other side in the league if they get two or three injuries in the same area of the field.

Also, we did just as well without Taylor as we did with him. That's not to say I wouldn't want or have him back at the club. But we showed as a team we don't rely on the goals he offered. That's a fact and not just my opinion.

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by TylerB

Just don't think Fitzpatrick was fit against Blackpool and must have been rusty having not played for 6 months don't think he had been even training for more than a couple of days or a week also was playing against an absolute flying machine and one of the quickest players outside the top flight....the Macc fans describe "Fitzy" as being a model professional and very consistent and reliable and at the end of the day should Monty miss a couple of games suddenly cause of a niggle if Fitzpatrick steps in after a couple of months and seamlessly puts in a 7.5 out of ten and is known to Askey to be calm and collected and reliable sounds like good back up.

This is exactly what I was saying a few months ago. 
Anyone expecting to get 46 games out of Oyeleke is delusional.
Joyce is in his thirties.
Taylor is a big loss.
There’s 4 gone from midfield in  Taylor/Atkinson/Lloyd/Evans. 
1 in, Whitehead. 

Net loss of three.
With the hurdles faced with Oyeleke and Joyce, Its going to ask a LOT of Conlon and Burgess if he doesn’t get someone else in. 

I have to agree , another midfielder should be looked at because I have concerns about manny’s fitness

I'm happy with the signing of Fitzpatrick, adds balance to the squad.

6 hours ago, JRC said:

There are no plans to sign a leftback...

Ooops

2 minutes ago, LancyTony said:

Ooops

🤔

8 minutes ago, LancyTony said:

Ooops

😂😂😂