Post by rickyqpr on May 9, 2023 12:33:26 GMT
Ainsworth faith in 4-4-2 together with the selection and encouragement given to Adomah and Martin was not really what the full house was looking for yesterday. Neither of them had good games and if they are anything other than impact subs going forward, then I will be disappointed. There is a lot of negativity about next season, but we are where we are, and so i thought I would try to look at what the club can try to do and what Gareth has to build on. Money will be in short supply to we are going to have to prioritise. It depends as well on what bids we get and when. But here we go:
Keepers
With only a year left on his contract, I think Dieng will be gone for whatever we can get. He has served us well and he will be missed. However, his passing and distribution is not part of Ainsworth set-up, so he is reduced to hoofing the ball up field. Archer is out of contract. Mahoney and Walsh (in his final year) need to be properly assessed. It would not surprise me if Archer gets a one year extension. I don’t think a goalkeeper will be high on the shopping list, even without Seny.
Full Backs
We have Hamalainen Drewe and Kakay as back-up. It seems we cannot give Hamalainen away. Kenneth Paal made some big personal sacrifices to join Beale’s circus. He has been a good signing, but I suspect that he will be looking for an out now (back to Holland and his family). Drewe probably needs a loan to develop. There are some decent full backs available on free transfers: Josh Key (Exeter) Regan Poole (Lincoln) George Cox (Fortuna Sittard). We have made several attempts to sign Cox in the past, now it looks like he is going to Eustace at Birmingham. I hope we have some free transfers lined up at full back.
Centre Backs
We have Dickie, Dunne, Clarke-Salter. We may be tempted to let Dickie move on now that he is entering his final year. He has not looked happy. Clarke-Salter has only made 13 appearances and is on a 4 year deal. We also have Gubbins, Woodman and Hawkins coming through. Unless we lose one of those three, centre back will not be a priority although we have conceded so many goals, it feels a pretty crazy statement. Clubs seem to be queuing up for Masterson. We could have done with his presence and mobility when Dickie lost form. But he had been loaned out so that Balogun could be hired. I trust Balogun will not get a contract extension. So much for developing younger players.
Midfield
If we have any cash to spend, the centre of midfield is a priority. Field has worked his socks off and he is the one player I hope we retain. However, he was the only player to raise any interest last window, so it may be tough to keep him. Johansen has a year left but does not suit the Ainsworth profile and is rumoured to be off home to Norway. Dozzell has a year left and has been a big disappointment. We have unknown quantities in Richards, Pender and Dixon-Bonner for the number 10 role. They may get a pre-season chance if Willock and Chair depart early in the window. But the chances are that player departures will be late not early. Amos is ok going forward but he pulls out of so many tackles, I think he and Owens will be released. I hope Adomah will only be a squad player in his final year.
Strikers, Wingers, Pace
We have scored so few goals, had so few shots on target, we push forward and then get caught in the transition. Ainsworth has said he wants Martin to get a new contract. If he is our first choice, we will have a major problem. Dykes is probably looking to move on. Armstrong has pace and potential but a woeful fitness record. Apart from Armstrong we are devoid of pace. Our only winger Shopido is out of contract having been loaned to Lincoln. We have some potential coming through in Lloyd (loaned to Eastleigh), Kolli and Kargbo, but they will need time. Kellman will probably be released. Lowe is out of contract at Bournemouth. Ainsworth has said he wants a striker with pace – I can’t disagree with that.
So in summary, we could see four of the five loans returning to their clubs.
Four players sold: Chair, Willock, Dykes and Dieng. Hopefully not Field though.
Dukes- McKenna, Kellman, Balogun, Owens, Masterson, Shodipo, Archer and Amos released.
We would probably like to see Dozzell, Hamalainen and Johansen moved-on.
The job then is to build a whole new midfield and to instill some pace up front.
We have a big FFP hole to bridge, but if the numbers above depart, it will have a substantial impact on the wage bill. That is why Ainsworth is saying a smaller squad and more reliance on the B Team squad. So many on that list are earning big money without being near the first team.
But I want to see a decent midfield and an inject of pace as the priority.
What do others think?
Keepers
With only a year left on his contract, I think Dieng will be gone for whatever we can get. He has served us well and he will be missed. However, his passing and distribution is not part of Ainsworth set-up, so he is reduced to hoofing the ball up field. Archer is out of contract. Mahoney and Walsh (in his final year) need to be properly assessed. It would not surprise me if Archer gets a one year extension. I don’t think a goalkeeper will be high on the shopping list, even without Seny.
Full Backs
We have Hamalainen Drewe and Kakay as back-up. It seems we cannot give Hamalainen away. Kenneth Paal made some big personal sacrifices to join Beale’s circus. He has been a good signing, but I suspect that he will be looking for an out now (back to Holland and his family). Drewe probably needs a loan to develop. There are some decent full backs available on free transfers: Josh Key (Exeter) Regan Poole (Lincoln) George Cox (Fortuna Sittard). We have made several attempts to sign Cox in the past, now it looks like he is going to Eustace at Birmingham. I hope we have some free transfers lined up at full back.
Centre Backs
We have Dickie, Dunne, Clarke-Salter. We may be tempted to let Dickie move on now that he is entering his final year. He has not looked happy. Clarke-Salter has only made 13 appearances and is on a 4 year deal. We also have Gubbins, Woodman and Hawkins coming through. Unless we lose one of those three, centre back will not be a priority although we have conceded so many goals, it feels a pretty crazy statement. Clubs seem to be queuing up for Masterson. We could have done with his presence and mobility when Dickie lost form. But he had been loaned out so that Balogun could be hired. I trust Balogun will not get a contract extension. So much for developing younger players.
Midfield
If we have any cash to spend, the centre of midfield is a priority. Field has worked his socks off and he is the one player I hope we retain. However, he was the only player to raise any interest last window, so it may be tough to keep him. Johansen has a year left but does not suit the Ainsworth profile and is rumoured to be off home to Norway. Dozzell has a year left and has been a big disappointment. We have unknown quantities in Richards, Pender and Dixon-Bonner for the number 10 role. They may get a pre-season chance if Willock and Chair depart early in the window. But the chances are that player departures will be late not early. Amos is ok going forward but he pulls out of so many tackles, I think he and Owens will be released. I hope Adomah will only be a squad player in his final year.
Strikers, Wingers, Pace
We have scored so few goals, had so few shots on target, we push forward and then get caught in the transition. Ainsworth has said he wants Martin to get a new contract. If he is our first choice, we will have a major problem. Dykes is probably looking to move on. Armstrong has pace and potential but a woeful fitness record. Apart from Armstrong we are devoid of pace. Our only winger Shopido is out of contract having been loaned to Lincoln. We have some potential coming through in Lloyd (loaned to Eastleigh), Kolli and Kargbo, but they will need time. Kellman will probably be released. Lowe is out of contract at Bournemouth. Ainsworth has said he wants a striker with pace – I can’t disagree with that.
So in summary, we could see four of the five loans returning to their clubs.
Four players sold: Chair, Willock, Dykes and Dieng. Hopefully not Field though.
Dukes- McKenna, Kellman, Balogun, Owens, Masterson, Shodipo, Archer and Amos released.
We would probably like to see Dozzell, Hamalainen and Johansen moved-on.
The job then is to build a whole new midfield and to instill some pace up front.
We have a big FFP hole to bridge, but if the numbers above depart, it will have a substantial impact on the wage bill. That is why Ainsworth is saying a smaller squad and more reliance on the B Team squad. So many on that list are earning big money without being near the first team.
But I want to see a decent midfield and an inject of pace as the priority.
What do others think?
