Urgent signings required / 23 points needed

[carpon]

In light of our current horrendous predicament, I'll open this up to debate..

Long winded rant it may be.....but bear with me !!!!

For me....it's like the Ronseal Ad.....this thread says exactly what is said on the magic tin.....the tin being survival in the League.

Leam has filled in a few positions.....I feel that to stop the slide to the Blue Square we need to get at least five ( possibly more) players on board before things get beyond the point of reprieve.

These key positions need players with experience for the fight that lies ahead, so for me that rules out signing some unproved kids on loan.

Goalkeeper needs sorting on a permanent basis, be it on loan for the rest of the season or a permanent signing. To me I'd sign both Belford & Rachubka till May. If their parent clubs are paying a percentage of wages whilst they're on loan, what harm having two experienced keepers on the books (albeit temporarily )

That would sort out Goalkeeper. Give Dawber his contract...but we can't throw a lad of his age into what maybe ( and looks increasingly like ) a fight for survival.

Second place to strengthen....Central defence. An older and experienced head at Centre Half. A steadying influence with a presence. We've missed Atkinson since he went back to Fleetwood. Steel at the heart. If Atkinson is now out of reach ( as he's now their skipper & starting on a regular basis ) we need somebody of the same mould.

We now move forward to midfield. We need a real older head in here. Bryan Hughes would be a perfect signing. He's reportedly without a club, has bucketloads of experience, been here before, worn the shirt. Grovel, apologise...do what it takes to get him back......he may just be the difference between staying in League Two and a trip to Alfreton or Hyde in the BSP.

If we can dig out another like Hughes or somebody with the same credentials then what harm in signing two???

Then we move to a department where we've been lacking, even since the latter days of the Coleman era. Beattie, despite his detractors on here, might just score some crucial goals between now and the end of the season. As much as I like Amond, I've never felt that he's an "out and out" striker.

I feel we've got to find another older head who might just notch another 5-10 goals between now and the finishing line. If finances permit then we need to look at signing maybe two strikers to bolster what we've got.

There....I've made my point and said my piece. I'm not expecting us to go out ( as a club ) and spend money paying for permanent re-inforcements. Loans....Free transfers...unattached players..We need to start scoring some goals...and fast!!! And we've got to stop shipping silly goals that are costing points....As the Meerkat says...simples!!!!

But what I've outlined, for me at least, are the basic requisites for making sure we get out of the mire and stay up this season.

It will all hinge on whether Leam has the backing of the powers that be and can get the required players on board. I'm sure Leam has his own ideas on what needs strengthening and where he's looking for the required personnel.

Though I'll conclude by echoing the fears that have been expressed on other threads.

We have battled and strived to maintain League Status and punched above our weight since our arrival back in the League. I have every faith in Leam, as manager, to maintain League status and even improve our standing.IF and it's a big IF , they back Leam and want to maintain League status for this club.

With gates as they have been, I appreciate that it would be difficult to fund and push for something that may seem as beyond our means.

The perils that may lie with relegation to the BSP, for me at least don't bear comprehending. We go down...we may not get back ???

I'd urge our incredibly massive board of directors ( and we must have the biggest board in the football league!!!) to back Leam and make sure we're a League Two side come next season.

After that it takes some innovative thinking to make sure that this situation don't happen again next term; and we can push on, push upwards and get more people thro the turnstiles.

Rant over....I'll leave it up to you good folk (and fellow fans ) to debate !!!

[accybeme]

agree with players we would like, but those type of talented players are seldom free from contracts and when they are they are not willing to go to a club which has little promise of advancing their careers.
A CB that fits the bill has just become available
yesterday 15/01/13 league 1 side Portmouth ended the contract of 25 year old 6' 5" Centre Back Lubomir Michalik played for Bolton, Leeds, Carisle & Portsmouth Would Be one hell of a signing for us.
?ubomír Michalík - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Revived Red]

OK, one or two comments of mine.

Originally Posted by carpon

Goalkeeper needs sorting on a permanent basis, be it on loan for the rest of the season or a permanent signing. To me I'd sign both Belford & Rachubka till May.

I wonder if either keeper would agree to a 6-month deal. It would partly depend on their contract with their current club.

Originally Posted by carpon

Second place to strengthen....Central defence. An older and experienced head at Centre Half. A steadying influence with a presence.

I do have to agree with this. I have seen how players such as Duberry, Purse and (despite his frequent moves) Branston are able to read a game and encourage others around them.

Originally Posted by carpon

We now move forward to midfield. We need a real older head in here. Bryan Hughes would be a perfect signing. He's reportedly without a club, has bucketloads of experience, been here before, worn the shirt. Grovel, apologise...do what it takes to get him back......he may just be the difference between staying in League Two and a trip to Alfreton or Hyde in the BSP.

If we can dig out another like Hughes or somebody with the same credentials then what harm in signing two???

I'm not convinced about Bryan Hughes. Nor am I sure that we actually need an older head. I think we need to find the correct blend for the players we have.

Originally Posted by carpon

Then we move to a department where we've been lacking, even since the latter days of the Coleman era. Beattie, despite his detractors on here, might just score some crucial goals between now and the end of the season. As much as I like Amond, I've never felt that he's an "out and out" striker.

I feel we've got to find another older head who might just notch another 5-10 goals between now and the finishing line. If finances permit then we need to look at signing maybe two strikers to bolster what we've got.

Yet another "older head". I'm not sure how many of these we want. We have been lacking a good striker for a long time. I never rated Gornell - for the same reason I don't rate Podge as a striker. Never less than 100% effort, but not enough goals. The only two who came anywhere near the required standard were, to my mind, Symes and Smith.

It would help if we could address the really simple things such as lack of movement at throw ins; lack of challenge when opponents have possession; ensuring that corners and free kicks reach the danger area. Do we actually need to spend money on new personnel to get these simple things right?

[football19]

Its all down to money and availability.
If players are available,i am sure others clubs in our prediciment will be thinking the same.
A lot of RR replies make sense,but you would be suprised what average players are wanting,never mind the half decent ones.
There are no guarntees that they will be successful,for example Atkinson( who i like),was central defender,when Oxford put five past us,but wasnt playing when we beat Fleetwood.
RR mentioned young Smith,but he played against Aldershot in the 0-0 draw 12 months ago and never got a kick!!
Think we have to hold our nerve,but a few more ball winners would be nice, IMHO,we have to go with a system that suits the players we have,and not try and shoehorn them into a system.

[Outback Ozzy]

Whilst I agree with most things you have said RR, I cannot agree with the statement about the goalkeeping situation. Paul Rachubka is 3rd choice at Leeds and would be putting himself in the shop window if he signed a 6 month deal with Stanley. Same with Cameron Belford. With regards to strikers, I would like to see Bohan Dixon up front as centre forward with Beattie and Boco playing just off him and supplying him the balls. Yes he is young, but when I saw him against Man Utd in the youth cup at Leyland, he looked a class above and could do a job for us.
Central midfield is a must area for me. we need a midfield general along the lines of Vidic and/or Ferdinand. I am not saying they are perfect, but you don't win so many titles with no generals. With regards to the defence, play the players where they are best suited, i.e. right sided players on the right and left sided on the left and not opposite way round.
In finishing, I agree with the final sentence of football19's statement. i.e. go with a system that suits the player not attempting to shoehorn them into a system

[Redraine]

[QUOTE=Revived Red;1037184]I have seen how players such as Duberry, Purse and (despite his frequent moves) Branston are able to read a game and encourage others around them.

A new centre half anywhere near the standard of those guys would make the single most important difference to our current squad IMO. We have had them in the past, Smithy and others who I can see in my minds eye, but can't remember their names at the mo, but others probably can?

[alan7554]

jez baldwin greg challander to name but 2 old fashioned gutsy centre halves to many to nice players in the team now we need to get nasty play to survive

[smobile]

Tom Bender’s loan at Chelmsford City ran out on January 7th – knows the club well, could do a job.

[maccawozzagod]

Originally Posted by alan7554

jez baldwin greg challander to name but 2 old fashioned gutsy centre halves to many to nice players in the team now we need to get nasty play to survive

they were crap for the level we played at! Darren Quick on the other hand .... I'll give him a ring see what he's up to.

Steve Bramwell is on a go slow on the fish market as well, maybe he could step into the breach?