Best DA signing who is still in the squad?

slingsbypobble · Jan 30, 2020

Lots of grumbling at the end of last season about DA's "poor signings" bringing us down to L2. Yes some have left and we've got a new crop of Ryan Lowe ex-Bury stars helping us this season, but I can't help pondering which of DA's signings is performing best/most consistently for us?

Canavan?
Sarce?
Sawyer?

(sorry I don't know how to do a poll but I'm interested in the discussion more than the result)

xmastree · Jan 30, 2020

More harking back to DA. Why? They are Lowe's players now. Canavan, Wootton and probably Sarcevic have shown better form under RL. Sawyer and C Grant have been at a similar level under the two managers, whilst Joel and Taylor have achieved less. Taylor was an excellent DA signing, but not when judged for what he is contributing to RL's team.

IMHO it was the fact that the players gave up that got us relegated. Last season's squad included a lot of good (some fantastic) DA signings - Carey, Lameiras, Ladapo, Fox, Sawyer, Sarcevic, Taylor, Songo'o, and Threlkeld. We shouldn't have gone down with that lot. Yes there were a batch of poor signings in the summer of 2018, but all managers have some that don't work out.

xmastree · Jan 30, 2020

I'd also add that Ryan Lowe's "Bury stars" have had limited input to our success this season - 4 of the 5 didn't play in last 2 games. Byron Moore's been good, McFadzean started well, Mayor's been up and down, Telford's never got going, and Aimson's hardly featured. Overall fitness record of the "famous five" has been very poor.

slingsbypobble · Jan 30, 2020

xmastree":qfcl8way said:
More harking back to DA. Why? They are Lowe's players now.

Chill out mate, it's only a question. I'm interested in how players' abilities can seemingly change under different managers. I'm no DA apologist, trust me.

slingsbypobble · Jan 30, 2020

Also it's interesting (to me) that a lot of us were calling for Canavan/Wooton's heads earlier in the season (if not before the summer) and Canavan has turned it around big time, he's doing really well. Sarce also on a fantastic streak.

I'd agree with anyone who opined that some of this must be down to RL man management.

WoodsyGreen · Jan 30, 2020

It's a difficult question to answer given that these players are playing a level down from last season. We all knew that Sarcevic was decent in League Two, but he's definitely more integral to the team now that he's managed to stay fit and clear of suspensions. I'm not sure if Lowe can be given any credit for that, but we aren't privy to their relationship and Lowe's methods behind the scenes so who knows.

The rest have been underwhelming this season, apart from possibly Canavan. Wooton is a poor player in my view and needs to be replaced, while the two Grants are no more than average squad players. Sawyer is probably playing his last season as a first-team regular - especially if we go up.

So to answer your question and as the poll is proving - Sarce by a country mile. The rest? I'd release them all in the summer apart from Canavan.

slingsbypobble · Jan 30, 2020

WoodsyGreen":syhag652 said:
It's a difficult question to answer given that these players are playing a level down from last season. We all knew that Sarcevic was decent in League Two, but he's definitely more integral to the team now that he's managed to stay fit and clear of suspensions. I'm not sure if Lowe can be given any credit for that, but we aren't privy to their relationship and Lowe's methods behind the scenes so who knows.

The rest have been underwhelming this season, apart from possibly Canavan. Wooton is a poor player in my view and needs to be replaced, while the two Grants are no more than average squad players. Sawyer is probably playing his last season as a first-team regular - especially if we go up.

So to answer your question and as the poll is proving - Sarce by a country mile. The rest? I'd release them all in the summer apart from Canavan.

Good point, I suppose they ought to shine if they were bought for the purposes of League 1... then again I don't think the difference between L1 and L2 is quite so clear cut.

We maybe thought Sawyer was in his final throes last season but he's proved us wrong, it would be a shame to get rid of someone who's clearly been committed to the cause so thoroughly (spilling his blood for the cause in fact, in the past two games). I'd have thought he would be good backup/sub material for next season, no?

Taylor is an interesting one. I've seen him have one great game (ironically at Oxford where we got him from) but apart from that he's been frustrating to watch and frustrating to think about in terms of wages v appearances. I'm sure he's not responsible for the injuries but it's not a great bang per buck.

WoodsyGreen · Jan 30, 2020

I have no idea what kind of contract Sawyer is on, but if keeping him around as a squad player next season means we can't afford to bring in Sonny Bradley Mk II then we should release him. There can't be any sentiment in football, and the fact that he puts his body on the line doesn't make up for the amount of time he's been beaten for pace this season.

Taylor is a dead cert to leave in the summer.

Joe Totale · Jan 30, 2020

I've got no idea what plans Gary Sawyer has regarding his retirement but it'd be nice to see him move into the coaching set up.
Perhaps next season he could be on a player/coach deal with the idea that he'd be a back up player but would also be kept busy with the coaching side of things.

HC Green · Jan 30, 2020

Mike Cooper, without a doubt.

Nobby · Jan 30, 2020

HC Green":c9g0ia25 said:
Mike Cooper, without a doubt.

Mike Cooper's been in our academy since 2009. Not sure you can credit Derek Adams for that.

Pogleswoody · Jan 30, 2020

HC Green":3jb5khby said:
Mike Cooper, without a doubt.

'Signing' to me, implies a player that you have scouted, chosen and signed from another club.
Not a yoof player that you spotted on the training ground, recommended to you by your staff.
A player who was associated with the club 6 years before you rocked up!! :doh:

PL2 3DQ · Jan 30, 2020

Sarcevic has always been a decent player, it's just that he's been inconsistent. He would have one good game followed by three or four very average games but this season he's been very consistent and is churning out good game after good game.

Sarcevic, Wootton, Canavan and Sawyer have all improved this season.

edmonds200 · Jan 30, 2020

PL2 3DQ":c5j97rfa said:
Sarcevic has always been a decent player, it's just that he's been inconsistent. He would have one good game followed by three or four very average games but this season he's been very consistent and is churning out good game after good game.

Sarcevic, Wootton, Canavan and Sawyer have all improved this season.

No they haven't we are just in a lower league. The defence also has a top keeper to organise them unlike Macey

demportdave · Jan 30, 2020

How can we say any player has improved from last season now that we are playing at a lower level against even poorer sides?

Adams recruitment for League 1 last year was abysmal but fortunately, many of them have left. Those who remain are still only average at League 2 level.

Our back 3 is 'iffy' at best and if we were to be promoted, they would all need to be replaced. Whilst we are not conceding too many goals, that is more because of the poor standard of finishing at League 2 level rather than good defending. The Mansfield game is a good example of that, we should have been dead and buried in the first half-hour. Also, we have an excellent Keeper this season although he is not ours; however, Mike Cooper should be ready to be the No 1 next year.

Sarcevic is having a decent season but that's because he has found his level in League 2 and despite playing at a lower level, Conor Grant still offers very little, as does Joel Grant.

Best DA signing who is still in the squad?

Best Derek Adams player still at the club?

Antoni Sarcevic

Gary Sawyer

Niall Canavan

Scott Wootton

Joel Grant

Ryan Taylor

Conor Grant

slingsbypobble

xmastree

xmastree

slingsbypobble

slingsbypobble

WoodsyGreen

slingsbypobble

WoodsyGreen

Joe Totale

HC Green

Nobby

Pogleswoody

PL2 3DQ

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edmonds200

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