The Squad for 2018/19

[Cowshed Kid]

Some nice words from Ollie B on signing up.
It's obvious from Wembley weekend, all the tweets from previous players and loanees, even those only with us for a couple of weeks, that we hit a nerve with them.
We all think we're special and it seems we're not wrong.

 

[frenchrover]

And now Larnell Cole signs up for another year for the SWA, things are starting to come together.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Setting aside the need for a striker to partner Norwood, how many new players do people think we need now? I still think we need some quality in the wide areas.

I think we probably need:

Two strikers (one starter and another as backup).
A defensive midfielder.
Cover in the full back positions. Perhaps a utility player who can cover both left and right back.
One, or possibly two, wingers.

I think we already have enough in central defence and the creative midfield areas.

Five or six players I would think.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

And now Larnell Cole signs up for another year for the SWA, things are starting to come together.

Make that four or five players !

Good news about Cole. He has real talent, but I just hope we see it a little more consistently next season. If he has a full pre-season to build up his fitness it should help.

 

[Boz]

Setting aside the need for a striker to partner Norwood, how many new players do people think we need now? I still think we need some quality in the wide areas.

If we started tomorrow, the side would look something like this;

Davies
Gumbs Sutton Ellis Buxton
Jennings Norburn Banks Cole
Alabi Norwood

Subs Waring Devine Green +4

Hopefully Tollitt will be fit for August and at least a few more of the out of contract players will sign up again. I don't know what the situation is in terms of any of the younger players Solomon Davies etc being offered a deal. Optimistically assuming McNulty and Harris sign up, we need a left-back, striker and wide player as an absolute minimum. Arguably more than one wide player, given neither Jennings or Cole are out and out wingers. We also need to have sufficient depth in the squad to cater for injuries, 7 subs and no transfers once the season starts until the January window.

 

[aldoes mustache]

1 year deal for cole lets hope he starts to play well

 

[bigmart]

McNulty rumoured to have been offered 2 years by Southport while we have offered him 1 year, I think Ginnelly will sign for us. The key signings are likely to be the strikers we manage to bring in as I cant see Alabi or Waring featuring much with us

 

[aldoes mustache]

steve has got to look after his young familly . and a 1 year contract is not it . i can see a few team after him in the nat lg think he will get over run in lg 2 . we need some younger players . we need lots of pace we need a hunger to keep the winning feeling we have all had the last 3 years . . would hope nors has been offerd better terms to stay longer . have never seen a player work or run so hard for the white shirt and think he is gonna go realy big next season

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

McNulty rumoured to have been offered 2 years by Southport while we have offered him 1 year, I think Ginnelly will sign for us. The key signings are likely to be the strikers we manage to bring in as I cant see Alabi or Waring featuring much with us

I feared this might happen. It's a difficult one as I can see both sides. Steve is strong, fit and rarely gets injured, so a two-year deal is less of a risk. He could be the new Ian Goodison. However, he's got to stop playing eventually and may want to stay in the game. If so, why not offer him a coaching role.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

If we started tomorrow, the side would look something like this;

Davies
Gumbs Sutton Ellis Buxton
Jennings Norburn Banks Cole
Alabi Norwood

Subs Waring Devine Green +4

Hopefully Tollitt will be fit for August and at least a few more of the out of contract players will sign up again. I don't know what the situation is in terms of any of the younger players Solomon Davies etc being offered a deal. Optimistically assuming McNulty and Harris sign up, we need a left-back, striker and wide player as an absolute minimum. Arguably more than one wide player, given neither Jennings or Cole are out and out wingers. We also need to have sufficient depth in the squad to cater for injuries, 7 subs and no transfers once the season starts until the January window.

I would not be surprised to see most of that "team" form the squad for the first game and seven or eight start. I don't see us signing more than three or four more new "first team" players.

 

[bigmart]

I don't think Alabi will be involved, depending on who else is brought in it wouldn't surprise me if we played 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1

 

[aldoes mustache]

i think you will be suprised . think there will be a few players coming in . if we had to start tomorrow i would put connor up top with nors and alibi would be on the bench . just cant see him being given a chance he runs at players . we like to get the crosses in and as we know he cant use his head . and if his back is turned then he is usless . we know that mm has his targets . we need to replace clark . and if pilling moves we need a number 2 goalie think we need 2 forwards and another wide man hope young ben get a proper and full pre season behind him and then we can see the best of him . we have to remember that we have to have all bases coverd as we cant go getting in the season as we have the last 3 years ok we can loan players but we dont want to go back to having 10/15 loans a season again . so hope mm and mj are working on quality players and not the dunns or alibies or warings . of this world has to be better

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree with Mart. I don't think you will see Alabi in a Tranmere shirt again; both he and Waring will probably be shipped out on loan somewhere. I also agree that we probably won't play with orthodox wingers.
We actually need to bring in a fair number of players, as a bigger squad will be required next season and most of the players on the fringes of the team last season were deadwood who have now been moved on.

 

[Boz]

I agree that it would be surprising if Alabi featured much for Rovers next season, but chose him to illustrate that we're fairly thin on the ground for forwards at this early stage. Connor J could play up front or in 'the hole' behind a lone striker, maybe Cole likewise. Waring notched a few goals during loan spells last season, was on the books at Stoke and think started at Everton, so could he be worth keeping as a squad player? Only saw a brief sub appearance last season, so hard to judge.

My reckoning would be that we'd bring in about 3-4 more who are likely starters, which is similar to BBTC's suggestion and the same number as squad players, who have to force their way into contention.

 

[Sparky]

If Pilling doesn’t stay then there’s a lad called Karius who we could bring in as back up to Scottie!

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

If Pilling doesn’t stay then there’s a lad called Karius who we could bring in as back up to Scottie!

We have been critical of Scott this season, but I am not sure we have ever seen howlers like those from him.

 

[aldoes mustache]

my wife is in tears . and im in tears of laughter . i just thought is was TRANMERE who made life hard 4 them selves . realy disappointing by the red s@{}t tonight oh well can you think back two weeks we had won the most amazing ghoodnight

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

You are a cruel man AM.

 

[ONIGP]

We have got to include one of Alabi and Waring in the squad next season surely? In terms of McNulty, why wouldn't he sign for a season with us and then move on to to Southport? Surely more money in it for him by doing it that way?

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Assuming Pilling will leave, McNulty and Harris are the two we are still waiting for. I assume it's the same issue - length of contract - that's the problem. As I said earlier, I'm not too bothered about Jay, but Steve's leadership and presence would be almost as difficult to replace as Andy Cook's goals.

What would be equally welcome would be an extended contract for James Norwood, whose heroics last Saturday are already part of Tranmere folklore.