The Squad for 2017/18

[bring back the cowshed!]

My feeling with McNulty is that against the better sides like fgr and Aldershot, who have pace and movement, he will struggle unless you take measures to protect him. Hence, he came in for a lot of criticism towards the end of last season. However, against 80% of teams at this level he strolls through games, which is why our overall defensive record was so good.

Against the better sides with pacey forwards, McNulty needs a more mobile partner and a decent tackler in front of them like Jay Harris or Steve Jennings. The defence had no protection against FGR at Wembley, so we are where we are.

The stats for last season could not be more true. We never lost against teams in the bottom half and never beat anyone else in the top five during the regular league season. The explanation probably lies in RLC's post above. If you are after promotion, you can afford to lose to the poorer teams but less so to your rivals. Against the other 22 teams, we had a better record than Lincoln but the loss of six points against them gave them a four-point cushion. We need to be more competitive against the better teams, as ironically Gary Brabin was.

 

[drwhoman]

Fair comment BBTC. The Lincoln results turned out to be crucial. However, we did miss 8 (?) pens which must have lost us some points! Must be a record of some sort. On defenders I see that Tilt from Wrexham has gone to Blackpool.

 

[Mal]

To be fair, Tranmere came second and one home win against Lincoln would have clinched first. Tranmere's Highest number of wins , highest points total. There ain't much tweaking to do.

 

[Cowshed Kid]

With you RLC on Macca.
The number of times he kills attacks with a measured chest down or cushioned header to Davies far exceed the times he's been exposed.
Thankfully we haven't had to experience the Goodison factor - he doesn't play and the team implodes.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

It may well be that 95 points will clinch the title next season. Surely there won't be another Lincoln and another manager like Danny Cowley.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Both John Still and Gary Waddock have achieved 100 plus points with their current clubs. It will be very difficult to win the league, but I don't think we will be far away.

 

[Ian]

I do think now that we have MM in for a full season our chances have increased for the title. Although I'm certainly not saying it's going to be easy!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Going off-topic, rumours are circulating that Peter Shaw has been fired due to the Wirral Live event making a loss. Can anyone confirm this is true ?

 

[Sparky]

I've heard a similar rumour RLC.

On the subject of rumours, strong suggestions we are signing Paul Mullin this week from Morecambe. The 22 year old liverpudlian is a striker and his record at the Shrimps is 102 games, 21 goals. From what I recall, he is a target man and not really a goal poacher like Amond who we have been linked with. Last season in L2 he scored 9 goals in 40 games, and 8 in 42 the season before. Not exactly a marquee signing and hopefully this won't mean Cook remains unhappy and wants to leave. Possibly just a replacement for Cole although I would have preferred a poacher type as we don't really have one.

 

[Boz]

The rumours about making a loss on the Wirral Live event are worrying, given we also lose academy funding. Don't suppose we'll ever get told. Wonder if this has been a factor for things going fairly quiet on player recruitment

It was always going to be a challenge to prise away a contracted player like Amond from a play-off rival. I've never seen Mullin in action, but if his Wiki page is accurate, at 5'9.5", he isn't the tallest and so not an obvious target man.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

If the rumours about Shaw are true, it makes you wonder if there has been some scapegoating as Palios would surely have been all over the figures when the concerts were planned.

Regarding recruitment, two weeks ago Palios told the supporters we have the same budget as last season. Unless something disastrous has happened in the interim, that does not suggest we would be struggling to recruit for financial reasons. I think it is more a case that the squad is already strong and would only be improved by the very top players. Those players are difficult to recruit at any time.

 

[Boz]

RLC, you reported from the meeting around a fortnight ago that we were close to bringing in a couple of players as well as Dunn. Obviously, the Palioi didn't define 'close to' but my expectation on reading that was that we'd have had another arrival or two by now. Otherwise why be that specific? I would have thought by that point, the financial outcome of the gigs would have been known and it could have been a chance to dampen down expectations, if things had gone pear-shaped. That it doesn't seem to have happened, might be a cause for optimism that either things weren't as bad or we can bear the loss.

 

[bigmart]

we are only probably looking to sign 3 or 4 more depending on the situations with pilling, Vaughan & steve Jennings so we are probably biding our time and as RLC says these will be hard to recruit as likely to be competition for them

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

RLC, you reported from the meeting around a fortnight ago that we were close to bringing in a couple of players as well as Dunn. Obviously, the Palioi didn't define 'close to' but my expectation on reading that was that we'd have had another arrival or two by now. Otherwise why be that specific?

They said we had made bids for / were in talks with another couple of players. How long it takes to get a deal completed is like asking how long is a piece of string.

 

[drwhoman]

As Liverpool are finding, if clubs and or decent players think you have money they will push hard for the best financial deal. It will not have helped our position if the Wirral Live event lost money. If I recall the last financials correctly we have lost an FA (?) grant while the ingleborough sale was a one off. Let us hope that it is simply a matter of negotiation but I am sure that non of us want to be poring all over the trialists pre-season. That said, maybe MM feels we are currently strong enough to be able to do that!

 

[Ian]

I've heard that there will be a few signings announced with a week or two. Whether they are contenders for the first XI or just fillers, I'm not sure.

 

[Boz]

They said we had made bids for / were in talks with another couple of players. How long it takes to get a deal completed is like asking how long is a piece of string.

Agreed, but the way the remark reads suggests sooner rather than later and it raised expectations. Think I'd rather we played down the prospect of early signings and it would be a pleasant surprise when the new player(s) arrive.

Ian, I'd hope any signings, save perhaps a second keeper, would fall into the first team contenders categories.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

How many and who we sign will depend on Messrs Vaughan, Pilling and Jennings (S). We have replaced Maynard and Mekki with Norburn and Dunn. So all we really need is another striker, a mobile centre half and possibly a right back and reserve keeper. We are almost ready to go. What I would not do at this stage is to sign any squad players. I would rather give the likes of Clarke, Gumbs and Duggan the chance to step up during pre-season. If we need temporary back up, that's what the loan system is for.

 

[Boz]

Looks like Paul Mullin is heading to Lincoln now.

 

[Sparky]

Steve Jennings joins relegated Southport. Not a total surprise and possibly his level now. Good luck to him.