next season...

[DcfcMadness12]

Don't know much about Jon Taylor,but being quick alone isn't enough to get me excited.John Robertson wasn't quick,neither is Snodgrass,but both offered good delivery into the box.I can remember Terry Curran,he was very quick,but.....

I agree.But I feel we Lack pace out wide to beat full backs or cut inside with overtop balls.Jamie offers it us on the Left.Coutts did up until Christmas but has look tired ever since.Hes skilful and quick and I know clough dosent like players not doing the basics but if we can get him to express himself and even Jacobs for that matter they would be really entertaining taking on players at speed means the team we are playing would have to double up on those players which would leave us with a man spare in attacking positions.

[ramblur]

Terry Currant did he play for wendy. Curly hair?

Can't remember the first bit,but you might be right-think we got him from the gumps.Yeh,if my memory's right,dark,curly hair.

[Gritstone Ram]

Can't remember the first bit,but you might be right-think we got him from the gumps.Yeh,if my memory's right,dark,curly hair.

I think he moved on from us to wednesday.

[eddie]

Can't remember the first bit,but you might be right-think we got him from the gumps.Yeh,if my memory's right,dark,curly hair.

 

He was one of Docherty's first signings. By default, that makes him crap.

 

We sold him to Southampton.

[uttoxram75]

He was one of Docherty's first signings. By default, that makes him crap.

 

We sold him to Southampton.

Curran, Moreland, Caskey.......oh how those names still roll off the tongue after all these years. Were they all Docherty's signings?

[Gritstone Ram]

He was one of Docherty's first signings. By default, that makes him crap.

We sold him to Southampton.

may be but i'm sure he missed a penno against us at swillsborough in the early 80's.

[Ambitious]

I think realistically it'll be another frustrating season, with new players/faces in the team I mean look at the difference in the team from this time last season (last starting 11) baring in mind injuries, but we will always get injuries - part and parcel of playing football.

 

5 March 2013-------6 March 2012--------------5 March 2011

 

Legzdins             Fielding               Fielding
Gjokaj                 Green                 Brayford
Buxton                Barker                Barker
Keogh                 Shackell             Ayala
Roberts               Roberts              Roberts
Bavies                 Bavies               Cwyka
Forsyth               Carroll                Pearson
Coutts                 Bryson              Green
Hendrick              Hendrick            Savage
Sammon              Robinson           Robinson
Martin                  Savies               Ward
 

I think just looking at our last 3 starting 11s around this time, you can see it changes quite dramatically - as I said I know there are injuries but you've got to account for that, and you've got to be able to manage it. I think apart from in goal, and perhaps at right back we need to strengthen everywhere else, without going through-out the team... I would suggest to get anywhere near the top end of this division we need.

 

(1)A first choice centre back..

(2)A first choice left back..
(3)An centre midfield anchor, not necessary all the time but all our midfielders are similar, need something different.

(4)A first choice left midfielder.. we've got Jacobs someone to come and play over him.

(5)A second choice right midfielder.. we've got Coutts, someone to give him competition (like Jacobs is ideal)
(6)A striker to hold the ball up..

(7)A striker to play off the striker above..

(8)A impact off the bench striker..

 

Leaves us with a squad realistically 

 

Frank Fielding, Adam Legzdins and Mats Morch.

John Brayford and Kieron Freeman
(1), Shaun Barker, Richard Keogh, Jake Buxton, Valetin Gjokaj and Mark O'Brien. 
(2) and Michael Hoganson

Paul Coutts and (5)
Will Hughes, Jeff Hendrick, Craig Bryson, (3)
(4) and Michael Jacobs
(6), (7), Jamie Ward, (8), Conor Sammon and Mason Bennett. 

 

Leaves us with a squad of 27.. it's a bit excessive and it can't be done but if you add the correct 8 people to that, we will be in a good position. 

[eddie]

Curran, Moreland, Caskey.......oh how those names still roll off the tongue after all these years. Were they all Docherty's signings?

 

Here's a little song to blow those blues away...

 

"All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

Brian Clough bought them all.

 

He bought us Archie Gemmill,

He bought us Colin Todd,

He also bought McGovern

The silly blooming sod"

 

(repeat)

[ramblur]

may be but i'm sure he missed a penno against us at swillsborough in the early 80's.

 

Think he dropped down a division to go to them after he left us and they got promoted,so you could well be right.

[Albert]

I think realistically it'll be another frustrating season, with new players/faces in the team I mean look at the difference in the team from this time last season (last starting 11) baring in mind injuries, but we will always get injuries - part and parcel of playing football.

5 March 2013-------6 March 2012--------------5 March 2011

Legzdins             Fielding               Fielding

Gjokaj                 Green                 Brayford

Buxton                Barker                Barker

Keogh                 Shackell             Ayala

Roberts               Roberts              Roberts

Bavies                 Bavies               Cwyka

Forsyth               Carroll                Pearson

Coutts                 Bryson              Green

Hendrick              Hendrick            Savage

Sammon              Robinson           Robinson

Martin                  Savies               Ward

I think just looking at our last 3 starting 11s around this time, you can see it changes quite dramatically - as I said I know there are injuries but you've got to account for that, and you've got to be able to manage it. I think apart from in goal, and perhaps at right back we need to strengthen everywhere else, without going through-out the team... I would suggest to get anywhere near the top end of this division we need.

 

(1)A first choice centre back..

(2)A first choice left back..

(3)An centre midfield anchor, not necessary all the time but all our midfielders are similar, need something different.

(4)A first choice left midfielder.. we've got Jacobs someone to come and play over him.

(5)A second choice right midfielder.. we've got Coutts, someone to give him competition (like Jacobs is ideal)

(6)A striker to hold the ball up..

(7)A striker to play off the striker above..

(8)A impact off the bench striker..

 

Leaves us with a squad realistically 

 

Frank Fielding, Adam Legzdins and Mats Morch.

John Brayford and Kieron Freeman

(1), Shaun Barker, Richard Keogh, Jake Buxton, Valetin Gjokaj and Mark O'Brien. 

(2) and Michael Hoganson

Paul Coutts and (5)

Will Hughes, Jeff Hendrick, Craig Bryson, (3)

(4) and Michael Jacobs

(6), (7), Jamie Ward, (8), Conor Sammon and Mason Bennett. 

 

Leaves us with a squad of 27.. it's a bit excessive and it can't be done but if you add the correct 8 people to that, we will be in a good position.

That is excessive beyond words and very unrealistic. We shouldn't be looking for an overhaul, we don't need one. We should be looking to one or two key signings, then a couple of others to make sure we're covered for a whole season. 8 signings would most likely end up as 8 very mediocre signings, and would basically get us nowhere.

We don't need to sign 3 strikers, that would be simply ridiculous. We've got Ward, Sammon, Mason and most probably Martin. Honestly, if we were to sign a striker, all I'd go for is someone who has that natural goal scoring ability, even if they aren't "proven".

The most important signing has to be at leftback, ideally someone who can add a little going forward as well. This has to be the priority, I know we all dream of a striker zoo we can visit once every week or so, but we need to have this position firmed up.

Beyond that, a winger to play on the right would be nice, someone to battle with Coutts for the position, but someone who is more of a winger. Clough seems to like having players more like Coutts there than true wingers though, so we'll see what happens on that front.

At centrehalf we have some options, the problem is injuries. If there is the right target, at the right age, at the right price, then sure. At the end of the day though we shouldn't be straining for this position, especially if Barker can recover.

As for the centre of midfield, if we did bring in a player who could battle Coutts on the right, then it's possible that we could use Coutts as that extra midfielder. There is the question of a holding player here, but I really don't know what we should do here. If we signed someone with experience and some ability here, they would surely have to be first choice. We have some good options here though between Hendrick, Bryson and Hughes.

If people think we're going to go out and sign a pile of players, or change things up in a big way, I think we're going to have a lot of disappointed posters here. We don't even need an overhaul, we just need some key additions. Keogh with a solid partner whether Barker or someone new, a new permanent fixture at leftback for the long term and maybe another option for the right wing and up front and we would could be a much better side. Our issues this year have been away from home, and we've not looked out of place either, we've not been one of those teams that's looked terrible and out of it away from home, and if we can fix the away form we will end up a much better side. It may even be a case that with a season of experience that our young squad will be better and more prepared for road next season, but we'll see how that goes.

[RodleyRam]

I agree with Albert here, I don't think we need an overhaul.

 

The difference between midtable sides and the top 6 is a bit of experience at the back and in the middle and a bit of cutting edge at the top.

 

If (big IF in fairness) Wardy can stay fit, we already have that cutting edge up top, Barker coming back could give us the experience at the back but I think we seriously need another quality centre half to partner Keogh, and a maturing midfield will also be better next season.

 

We've been vulnerable down the left with Roberts getting on a bit, so a left back is a must.

 

We haven't really struggled to score goals at home so I don't think there's much lacking up top in terms of personnel, it's more down to the mentality we take with us away from home.

 

So in reality, we need to keep the players we've got (losing a couple of fringe players) and make sure we add, a left back, an experienced centre half (could be Barker but I think we need to plan for him not being there) and perhaps some competition on the right. If there's space for a goal scorer then great but I don't see that as being the problem personally. There's enough goals in the side, we just need to utilise what we've got a bit better.

 

I think we'll do well next season but we need to go away from home, play with more conviction and take our chances.

[Salford ram]

I agree with Albert, left back, striker, right winger, is enough in summer, quality and experience please Nigel.

[Ambitious]

I just think our strength in depth is poor, quality wise I think we are a little bit off don't get me wrong - but we've got players that can't play at the top end and ultimately this has tripped us up on a few occasions. I think this season upto now we have been quite lucky with only 6 midfielders in the first team.. you're going to run into trouble, or should do... we haven't this season but it shouldn't mask the issue.

[nfb]

I agree, no overhaul, it woulldnt be sanctioned anyway because of cost....  unless of course If we get sold !

I think everything depends on who goes and who stays, as to NC's shopping list. We could speculate for ever about that, so lets...........

[notts_ram]

Next season we will be having the same desultory debates about why we finished mid-table yet again, why the board failed to sanction high profile acquisitions during the transfer windows, why Clough persists in playing 1 upfront away from home ad nauseam

[Gritstone Ram]

Think he dropped down a division to go to them after he left us and they got promoted,so you could well be right.

Done a bit of digging and I found some info he was signed by Jack Charlton and won promotion from Div 3 in 1979/80. I can remember him playing against us at Hillborough on 7 March 1981 and missing a penalty.

I remember it well because it was my first away match as a wee nipper.

[needles]

I don't want lots of signings, because lads like Freeman, Gjokaj, Bennett and the new crop need to see their way into the first team.

I want a couple of key positions filled with better players than we've got.

[Boycie]

The end of season will bring more promise of pushing on next season from the CEO. Raised optimism and excitement building up to the opening of the transfer window, after the first 3 weeks of that, a gradual decline in spirits with a out going shock transfer on the last day of the window closing.

Together we are Derby.

[Gritstone Ram]

DNA

[Stedcfc]

Gotta agree.

 

Definitely quality not quantity this summer. We've got a good first 11 but we need 3 quality buys in the positions people have mentioned.

 

This should push some of the current first 11 onto the bench and make the squad stronger.

 

I think its pretty obvious Clough likes a small squad and luckily it seems the youth players coming through to the first team should continue.