Squad coming together

2014/15 Squad

Goalkeepers
23 Luke McCormick

Defenders
17 Curtis Nelson
22 Jamie Richards
25 Ben Purrington
-- Aaron Bentley

Midfielders
6 Conor Hourihane
11 Dominic Blizzard
15 Paul Wotton
19 Nathan Thomas
20 Jason Banton
-- Lee Cox
-- River Allen

Strikers
7 Lewis Alessandra
9 Reuben Reid
10 Marvin Morgan
18 Tyler Harvey
21 Matt Lecointe
-- Deane Smalley


The squad is really coming together now. If you look at the players that has come in since Sheridan took over, they are almost exclusively the best players at our club - all now on permanent deals. You can say that he has signed his fair share of duffers too - but to be fair, he wastes no time in moving them on. The young players coming through are exciting - Lecointe, Purrington, Lane, Harvey and Allen.

With Gurrieri and Berry moving on, in all honesty, I consider it a blessing in disguise. Two average players that shouldn't have been starting next season. Get better first teamers in, and let the lads provide the backup. Purrington never let us down last season.

What is left to be sorted then? We need two new CBs, a RB and a LB - Purrington cover for RB and LB. In midfield we have 4 centre mids, so with Alessandra right and Banton left, Thomas provides quality backup, and maybe we can take on another young upstart of a similar mould. Up front, Reid, Morgan, Smalley and Lecointe cover all options - with Alessandra and Harvey to push on as required.

So I would calculate 5 more players needed - a starting RB, a starting CB and a starting LB, a rotation CB and a rotation winger. Plus obviously a backup keeper, which I imagine could be Cameron Dawson again.

I'm happy with everybody we have on the books right now and despite their current unpopularity I think Blizzard and Morgan will surprise everybody if they are still here next season (and by that I mean by their impact on the pitch not by the fact that they are still here).

Definitely thin at the back though. The rest looks sorted.

Defence is definitely the priority now but yes, it's coming together nicely.

What's particularly pleasing is that good business is being done early. Makes a pleasant change from the bare bones of a squad turning up for pre-season training then being in-filled with the scraps left available in the market in July and August.

Exactly.

That only applies to the kit we wear now.

Not enough quality to make the top seven, finishing in the top half of the table will be a struggle,L2 looks stronger this season than last season to me.

But we look stronger too, so that can be counter balanced, maybe even overcome.

LeoHoward wrote:

Not enough quality to make the top seven, finishing in the top half of the table will be a struggle,L2 looks stronger this season than last season to me.

Cox and Hourihane will be a strong midfield, Reidernator up front will be one of the best strikers in the division.

The questions are
1) How good will our back 4 be?
2) Will Jason Banton turn up this season?
3) Will Thomas kick on and make one of those flanks his own?

If it all slots into place we could be a very fearsome team.

Not the finished article, we have the best players from last year sure but they didn't fair that brilliantly last season, we need to gel, we need to stay fit and we need to stay grounded, I'm not getting the champers out yet.

 

ejh wrote:

LeoHoward wrote:

Not enough quality to make the top seven, finishing in the top half of the table will be a struggle,L2 looks stronger this season than last season to me.

Cox and Hourihane will be a strong midfield, Reidernator up front will be one of the best strikers in the division.

The questions are
1) How good will our back 4 be?
2) Will Jason Banton turn up this season?
3) Will Thomas kick on and make one of those flanks his own?

If it all slots into place we could be a very fearsome team.

What happens with the defence is certainly where our season will fly or fall. We've got range of options for the attack ahead of what should be a solid partnership in Cox and Hourihane.

Smalley, Banton, Lewi;        Lewi,                       Thomas;         Thomas,                 Banton
           Reid.                               Reid, Smalley.                                    Reid, Lewi

Of those 5 forwards Reid is certainly the most nailed down spot and Lewi has shown plenty of class. They're all pretty versatile to play either the wing, striker or in behind. And of course we've got Lecointe and Harvey available. Shame about Gurrieri really, not the greatest, but I felt he offered something different to any of the above. For the same reason I wouldn't mind Obadeyi coming back, but he'd be way down the pecking order in my team.

Urrgh.

X Isle wrote:

But we look stronger too, so that can be counter balanced, maybe even overcome.

I'll wait and see before making any judgement about the relative strength of the squad.Where Argyle have foundered many times in the past [it could be argued that losing Alessandra at a crucial stage last season and being unable to replace him was a case in point] has been in the depth of quality in the group of players when injuries and suspensions kick in.All very well having a potentially strong first team but 46 games is a long old season and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if the loan market was heavily tapped again next year,especially as the policy seems to have switched from bearing a large squad to a smaller one.Not going to go overboard just yet about how good Argyle are going to be,Reid [and hopefully Cox and Smalley] is a good start but there is a long way to go and a lot of recruiting to do before it can be said that Argyle are likely to finish above last seasons effort.

We cannot start Reid without Alessandra, if you look at Reid's goals a fair few have come from unselfish hard work from Lewi, and when he got injured Reid even spoke of how importamt he was and how good of a strike partnership they've formed. Those two up front for me or Alessandra in there somewhere if we start with just the one up top.

Then we have a range of options and impact subs, the idea of Smalley and Thomas already excites me more than that of say Boco and Gurrieri, Cox for Young is one that will no doubt benefit us though the latter should have been kept really, but oh well.. Need to move on.

Can't see any team willing to pay wages for MM and DB so guess we're stuck with them. Blizzard can do an emergency job at centre back if the need arises and with his experience and attitude he could be useful off the football pitch too, especially helping our young central midfield partnership. Morgan is pretty much useless and only seems to care about his clothing brand, but with the wealth of attacking options we have I would be surprised to see him play a big part, he's got to be last choice of all our forwards, right?

Defensively is where we need it all to fall into place now. I'm happy with Purrington at left back so a left footed, commanding centre back who can cover for Ben P would be great. Hartley would have been fantastic but looks like he's moving to Port Vale so I guess that's one we can cross off. A centre back in that mould, a right back and another full back who can do a job either side but right footed ideally would be good. Then a second choice keeper and we're basically done. If we do end up shipping off a few then a new utility man might be good to get but it depends on how happy Shez is to use Bentley and Allen. Guessw e'll find out soon.

Already very excited for the new season now, cannot wait!

What CBs would you personally like to see brought in? What kind of candidates are we in the market for? This is one position Sheridan is particularly ruthless in - Anthony Charles, Branston and Trotman were first team players one minute, unemployed the next.

In terms of a RB, David Gray is available having been released by Stevenage. He looked decent when on loan from Man Utd back in the day. Ryan Dickson has been released by Colchester too.

Elsewhere, Shane Lowry, Gozie Ugwu, Joe Lennox, Luke Summerfield and Luke Daley are looking for new employers.

ejh wrote:

2014/15 Squad

Goalkeepers
23 Luke McCormick

Defenders
17 Curtis Nelson
25 Ben Purrington
-- Carl McHugh
-- Peter Hartley
-- Aaron Bentley
22 Jamie Richards (LOANED)

Midfielders
6 Conor Hourihane
11 Dominic Blizzard
15 Paul Wotton
19 Nathan Thomas
20 Jason Banton
-- Lee Cox
-- River Allen

Strikers
7 Lewis Alessandra
9 Reuben Reid
10 Marvin Morgan
18 Tyler Harvey
21 Matt Lecointe
-- Deane Smalley

Couldn't update it so have had to edit them in via quote.

With too many strikers, one or both of Harvey and Lecointe will need to be loaned out.

I personally think the squad is gearing up for 3-5-2.

----------------------------- McCormick -------------------------------------


---------------- Nelson -------- Hartley -------- McHugh -----------------


Alessandra ---------------Cox ------ Blizzard ---------- Purrington

----------------- Hourihane ------------------ Banton ----------------------

--------------------------------- Reid -----------------------------



Or potentially Hourihane back for Blizzard, Harvey/Alessandra/Smalley alongside Banton and behind Reid. Thomas to come on for 35 mins against tired legs.



Otherwise under 4-4-2 it's looking like:


----------------------------- McCormick -------------------------------------


Nelson -------- Hartley -------------- McHugh -----------------Purrington


Alessandra -------------Cox ----------- Hourihane ---------- Banton



--------------------- Reid -----------Morgan / Smalley ------------------


Some great options to have.

MODs could we clean the thread and have a sticky  on the confirm in and out.