Who to sign for next season?

[Joe B]

With the new recruitment analyst needing a background in data I expect our business to be influenced by metrics that we as fans will have no clue about.

A cursory glance through some of the nerds I follow throw up the following undervalued names. Underlined ones would be a priority for me. All of these are currently in League so I'm sure Lg1 and National League have loads of options too:

Otis Khan - still only 25 and his career has stalled a tad after his move to Mansfield. Has only played 54% of available minutes at Tranmere and has registed zero assists. However, analysis of the chances created suggests he should have around 3-4 assists to his name. Out of contract at the end of the season, and at that stage where he could do with a few years at one club as the main man.

Wes Macdonald - A Clarke acolyte from Walsall. 23 yo, out of contract. Ranks as playing difficult passes and have a good completion rate.

Rory Holden - Another Clarke man. Also 23, playing less than half of the available minutes, but again ranks well for completing difficult passes.

Ollie Banks - just moved from Tranmere to Barrow and is seemingly one of the best passers in the league from the middle. No official disclosure of length of contract.

Andy Williams - 34, striker, decent record and hasn't done badly in a good Cheltenham side this year. The sort of experienced, penalty box poacher we've missed for a while. A risk with age but has shown that he's still got a knack of being in a good position, and a good foil for Rodney.

Jack Muldoon - 31, 12 goals in his first FL season in a poor Barrow side and gets in the right positions. Again, a risk with age but I imagine the plan will be to give more striker minutes to Rodney moving forward.

Brandon Thomas Asante - Young and not prolific, but seems to have all the ingredients bar finishing. Contracted for a while but not a regular starter + rapid management turnover may lead him to seek a more stable home.

Liam Shephard - With Gibbons injury future unclear and Mills probably not good enough, a right back may be needed. Shephard is a regular starter and a good creator for Newport, and out of contract.

Kyle Knoyle - See Liam Shephard

Dan Happe - mentioned by others. A young Leon Legge; dominant aerially but can be spun on the ground. Ideal to bring in in Legge's last year and slowly manage the transition, providing a long-term partner for Smith. Out of contract, bigger clubs will be sniffing.

I think keeper needs looking into as Brown has been subpar and commands a big wage, we have a tiny sample size for Visser and there's no evidence he is an EFL keeper, and Scott is too young.

Priorities:

Explore GK options

Big CB to take over from Legge

Both Fullbacks

A central creative player

A forward with the finishing knack

 

 

[Doha]

8 minutes ago, Joe B said:

Priorities:

Explore GK options

Big CB to take over from Legge

Both Fullbacks

A central creative player

A forward with the finishing knack

 

 

For me, in addition to that, I think we also need 

a CDM replacement as Joyce will be 34

2 of those forwards

LW. Hurst not ready, Amoo too inconsistent/always injured. Wouldn't be particularly disappointed to see him go. 

 

[Iron Curtain]

5 minutes ago, Joe B said:

With the new recruitment analyst needing a background in data I expect our business to be influenced by metrics that we as fans will have no clue about.

A cursory glance through some of the nerds I follow throw up the following undervalued names. Underlined ones would be a priority for me. All of these are currently in League so I'm sure Lg1 and National League have loads of options too:

Otis Khan - still only 25 and his career has stalled a tad after his move to Mansfield. Has only played 54% of available minutes at Tranmere and has registed zero assists. However, analysis of the chances created suggests he should have around 3-4 assists to his name. Out of contract at the end of the season, and at that stage where he could do with a few years at one club as the main man.

Wes Macdonald - A Clarke acolyte from Walsall. 23 yo, out of contract. Ranks as playing difficult passes and have a good completion rate.

Rory Holden - Another Clarke man. Also 23, playing less than half of the available minutes, but again ranks well for completing difficult passes.

Ollie Banks - just moved from Tranmere to Barrow and is seemingly one of the best passers in the league from the middle. No official disclosure of length of contract.

Andy Williams - 34, striker, decent record and hasn't done badly in a good Cheltenham side this year. The sort of experienced, penalty box poacher we've missed for a while. A risk with age but has shown that he's still got a knack of being in a good position, and a good foil for Rodney.

Jack Muldoon - 31, 12 goals in his first FL season in a poor Barrow side and gets in the right positions. Again, a risk with age but I imagine the plan will be to give more striker minutes to Rodney moving forward.

Brandon Thomas Asante - Young and not prolific, but seems to have all the ingredients bar finishing. Contracted for a while but not a regular starter + rapid management turnover may lead him to seek a more stable home.

Liam Shephard - With Gibbons injury future unclear and Mills probably not good enough, a right back may be needed. Shephard is a regular starter and a good creator for Newport, and out of contract.

Kyle Knoyle - See Liam Shephard

Dan Happe - mentioned by others. A young Leon Legge; dominant aerially but can be spun on the ground. Ideal to bring in in Legge's last year and slowly manage the transition, providing a long-term partner for Smith. Out of contract, bigger clubs will be sniffing.

I think keeper needs looking into as Brown has been subpar and commands a big wage, we have a tiny sample size for Visser and there's no evidence he is an EFL keeper, and Scott is too young.

Priorities:

Explore GK options

Big CB to take over from Legge

Both Fullbacks

A central creative player

A forward with the finishing knack

 

 

The Walsall forum was full of people fearful that Holden would leave when DC came here... they rate him highly.

I have always thought MacDonald would be a good acquisition too.... but conscious I don't want to go down the "Manager raids old club" route we have gone down before. That said I would be happy with pinching a few well thought out players.

Im not sure of Josh Gordons contract situation... but he has stalled a bit recently after a very impressive start to his Walsall career. Local lad, big mates with Monty according to their pre season training videos.

 

 

[Doha]

Gordon was dire last night. I had the Smallsall forum open while I was watching the game and they feel about him the way we do Robinson. 

[Joe B]

4 minutes ago, Doha said:

For me, in addition to that, I think we also need 

a CDM replacement as Joyce will be 34

2 of those forwards

LW. Hurst not ready, Amoo too inconsistent/always injured. Wouldn't be particularly disappointed to see him go. 

 

Agree with that. CDM has to be a nasty destroyer. I like Joyce and he has a lot of qualities, but he won't destroy a midfield. Need a Griffith figure.

Never have too many wingers at this level. As we saw in 12/13, they are the difference in chance creation.

[boslemportvale91]

Left back is a must for me. Big fan of Monty but when he's injured we lack that attacking threat going forward. 

I wouldn't mind Taft from Bolton as CB but he's gone scunthorpe I believe 

[rayzer]

1 hour ago, Playa Amodores said:

Rayner, I can only admire you’re knowledge of lower league players, but looking at how tall the players you’ve mentioned are, we’d look like a basketball team.

I was purposely looking for tall players because for years we have had a team that was too small. Every game we play we lose out from loads of crosses put in because of this lack of height. Without Pope we lack height up front and at the back we only have height when Legge is on. Mickey Adams used to say you need at least 6  six footers to get out of division 2.

 

3 hours ago, Playa Amodores said:

Rayner, I can only admire you’re knowledge of lower league players, but looking at how tall the players you’ve mentioned are, we’d look like a basketball team.

 

[valefan16]

Knoyle if the lad from Cambridge is massively rated, think a lot of clubs a division or two higher or sniffing around there.

[Santa]

If the EFL still persist with the 21 man squad rule next season, we might have to be looking to sign one or two under 21s as squad players, so it will be worth keeping an eye on the free agents coming from Premier League academies.

[Iron Curtain]

1 hour ago, Doha said:

Gordon was dire last night. I had the Smallsall forum open while I was watching the game and they feel about him the way we do Robinson. 

His career seems to have taken a nosedive.. I'm sure at one point there was championship interest in him.

Must be getting to him playing for an M6 billboard with a football club attached

🙂 

[geoff1]

1 hour ago, Santa said:

If the EFL still persist with the 21 man squad rule next season, we might have to be looking to sign one or two under 21s as squad players, so it will be worth keeping an eye on the free agents coming from Premier League academies.

messi might be on a "free"!🤩

[geosname]

Can we get a coach driver to ferry all the coaches around 😁

[Andy Proctor]

Would anybody take scott quigley as he is clearly alot better player than what he was at vale a few years ago.

[werstayinup]

I think we will sign a few experienced players of better quality but i also think there could be more younger ones than we think as thats where carol sees us going

[philmpv]

Would anybody take scott quigley as he is clearly alot better player than what he was at vale a few years ago.

He is, I agree, and I maintain that, like most of our other strikers over the past 4 years, he was never given any real chance to bed in and improve