Well that was a surprise! I did not see that coming but can understand the transfer from the point of view of all parties concerned. Good luck to Niall and I hope he does well at Bradford. I watched the players in pre-season training at HP (fine dining experience) and I have to say that Niall looked one of the fittest and strongest players in the Argyle squad. He seems to have a positive character for the dressing room also. That stoppage time goal against Stevenage will live long in the memory! :scarf: So Argyle picked up a fee for a player who likely would have left in 6 months' time, Canavan gets to go back up North with his family, and Bradford get a quality League Two defender. And Argyle free up salary cap space. Why not?
League One is definitely a step up from League Two however and it's the pace of the strikers that I think we have found it difficult to cope with. I have always been a big defender (no pun intended) of Niall but the Rochdale game really soured my views of our defensive unit generally. Too easy that day.
Has Opoku's loan been extended past January? I know Watts is here for the season. I see these two players as having great upside. Although last time I said that, we got hammered by Fleetwood. However, I think they will both play in the top two leagues of the English game. I suppose it's the relationship you have when loaning young players from higher divisions - they are young and will make errors. They're making errors at Argyle and not Newcastle or Fulham. Good for them, bad for us. But we then have access to these players and, with the right coaching, they have the ability to perform at a level that other players perhaps could not (that Argyle can afford).
Having seen Aimson from the Devonport End, I think he is a good defender at this level. He is only 27 so has a lot of good years ahead of him. He was a revelation when he was fit enough to come in to the team last season and I can see why Lowe really wanted to bring him down from Bury. He's got something but needs to cut out the silly errors.
Which brings me on to Wooton. Did he play DCM for Argyle vs Huddersfield at the end or was it just me? Is that a crazy idea if McLeod or Fornah are injured/unavailable/subbed? Wooton is quite confident on the ball and passes it well. I like the security of him not being the last man. Stranger things have happened when players have tried out new positions but I suppose he's 29... maybe a bit late for a change... :coat:
Sawyer will return to fitness but I sincerely worry about his pace in League One. Perhaps that coaching role beckons...
Ultimately, I think it's important to remember that Lowe's system puts the three CBs under constant pressure both from a defensive sense and from a need to play the ball out from the back in a positive manner. It would be interesting to note how well these defenders would play in a 4-4-2 with CM protection and a more defensively minded manager.
