Whatever happens next month, suggest our recruitment record needs to improve on the last window.

Players permanently signed
McCormick - injured and just one start in Papa John's

Ruddy - recruited to cover McCormick injury. Thankfully not needed in League games.

G Cooper - in and out side, influence on games and assists much less than in League 2 so far.

MacLeod - started well then injured for long spell. Jury out.

Nouble - enigmatic. Had some influential cameos other times hardly involved.

Reeves - not many starts. Career indicates he has some pedigree but apart from the volley v Lincoln has had little influence.

Camara - highest level he has played at. Drive and energy, but not yet the finished article. Suffered ignominy of substituted in less than 15 mins at Fleetwood.


Loans
Hardie - see G Cooper entry. Created chances for Jephcott but only hit net once himself in League.

Opoku - Generally OK but learning his trade would benefit from an experienced and organising defender next to him.

Watts - played most minutes of our outfield players. Started tentatively then had really strong sell. Last couple games looked like he too needed more experience around him.

Fornah - steady in CDM role. Tidy on ball, but, another learning trade in what is an out of form team.

Abraham - hardly made match day squad let alone team. Will be heading back to Craven Cottage soon.

Of the above guess you could make cases for Watts, Fornah, Opoku and Camara being positive additions although last three could easily fall into jury out category. Only one permanent signing in the group.

Jury out - time to come good and prove worth - Cooper, Nouble, Macleod Hardie Mccormick.

Disappointment/poor use of budget Abraham Ruddy and Reeves..

Or to sum up. RL has no idea of the standard of player required for league 1.

A test of any manager’s long term future is how he responds to a series of setbacks.
The next few months are a massive test for RL and I hope that he manages to turn things around.

[PL2 3DQ]

Nothing has changed, we still need a centre-back!

A test of any manager’s long term future is how he responds to a series of setbacks.
The next few months are a massive test for RL and I hope that he manages to turn things around.

I hope so too. The one positive to cling into is that last January window he found players who made us better.

Hopefully after watching us in league one now for a few months he realises where to improve the team.

[Ottawa Green]

Who will be gone, i think the following

Abraham (already gone)
Ruddy
Opoku
Telford
Reeves

I also think that Sawyer and McCormick should retire.

Who will be gone, i think the following

Abraham (already gone)
Ruddy
Opoku
Telford
Reeves

I also think that Sawyer and McCormick should retire.

Would you retire at this uncertain time when the club have given you 12 months contract
Cant see Reeves leaving or Telford if I'm honest either.i think our team building will depend if someone comes in for Jephcott tbh

An upgrade from Nouble and Telford as a back-up striker (send Telford out on loan) and desperate for a genuinely mobile and effective central defender. That's a big ask !

Pennington who we were linked with has signed for Shrewsbury on loan

[Biggs]

Part of me thinks a dominating centre back won’t be THAT hard to find, especially in English football. Certainly compared to a goal-scoring striker.

Obviously we need a higher standard now, but when we picked up players like Wotton, Purse and Branston in L2 it massively improved us.

With ball-playing centre backs all the rage, it could be there are quite a few big, vocal, ‘old fashioned’ types out there who could organise our defence. We may have to change our style a tad though...

I’ve discovered something that I didn’t think was a problem but I’m coming to a conclusion that maybe the GK position is actually an issue.

It’s clear we need organisation and a voice from the root of defence. Something that we do not have presently.

For me it uas to be the defence. Without a solid foundation the midfield or strikers cannot get on the ball and play.

Still on the fence with Mayor, would like to see what he can do with a stronger defence before i fully make my mind up

[PL2 3DQ]

So now we need a left-wing back.

Conor Grant and Byron Moore can do a job although it is a specialist position requiring someone to be energetic and extremely fit to get up and down. A proper LWB might also bring the best out of Danny Mayor.

So now we need a left-wing back.

Conor Grant and Byron Moore can do a job although it is a specialist position requiring someone to be energetic and extremely fit to get up and down. A proper LWB might also bring the best out of Danny Mayor.

Also requires someone who can defend which Cooper could never do. I prefer Grant anyway so don't think we do need a lwb. We need a commanding centre half and a target man up front as Nouble clearly cannot do that.