Shopping list for the January window

[Ancient Mariner]

So MMs presser spoke heavily of our recruitment in the January window. He has ‘had good discussions with upstairs’ And will update the Ross situation in the next few days when he ‘has news’.

What odds Berisha?
I still feel sick.

 

[turbo]

I still feel sick

You should. If we sign Berisha without other supporting players it will only further demonstrate how wrong they’re getting things. Even a non football person would question how helpful that would be.

 

[Insertnamehere]

I'm lucky, I do have another team, but they're based in Melbourne and play in winter.

Pity it's collingwood.... SFC of the AFL...

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

I'm not fussed. We've got 3 strikers. 2 not really getting game time.

None which are reliable goalscorers. We had McCormack, but he was played out of position and probably never really fit into our team. What we needed, instead of him, is the sort of striker who manages to create his own chances. Not many of those around.

I agree though, we need a good No 10 - and that's not just service to our point man, but gives service to the wingers who are carrying it forwards. Which is where a few of our goals have come from to start.

But with a No 10, we need somebody to actually tell these guys how to run off the ball as well.

 

[adz]

I'm lucky, I do have another team, but they're based in Melbourne and play in winter.

Demons this year

 

[pjennings]

New keeper, new centreback, new holding midfielder or play Hiariej, new #10.

Yeah that’s the problem. I see that as the bare minimum. Are we going to sign 4 new players? I highly doubt it. But we could clearly also do with a second new CB so Rowles can take Clisbys spot at LB and a gun striker as well to replace the pudding eater.

So just the six new players needed thanks Mike and Mike. Or hey, we can continue working towards having the worst club record in the world.

Cheers
FP

From all accounts we will be losing at a minimum Ross in January. So we will have the spot for two new players at least. According to the presser we can go looking but it is likely that they will be Australian, not visa players.

We need six at least but can can only sign two. So what do we know.

1) We need another keeper
2) Cisse is slow but can read the play well
3) Millar cannot play as RB in a flat back four but offers a lot going forward, still tires easily but that will come with game time. Clisby on the left is the same.
4) Rowles is very one-footed and is getting found out at CB but can operate as well as LB.
5) McGing is ok at RB but cannot play at CB
6) Hoole is a pre-season enigma, Looks a world beater against lesser teams but is found out against good opposition.
7) Pain works hard going forward but goes missing tracking back and can also have long periods where he walks and doesn't offer himself for a switch.
8) Simon cannot play as a sole striker
9) We have no creativity so a real #10 is needed
10) Our BEST PLAYER is not playing.

First simple fix is Tom must play. GA had problems with Hutch but that was overcome. MM's first job is to repair that relationship before Tom is forced out.

Secondly, if we play with a back four we have to realise that our overlapping fullbacks will need to be McGing and Rowles who will concentrate on defence (not necessarily a bad thing) and as a result there will be little overlapping.

Thirdly, if Simon plays it cannot be alone. He brings the same problem to CCM that Timmy brought to the national team. The only route to goal seems to be to try to pick a long ball to Simon. If we are to play with a lone striker at this stage it needs to be Murray.

While I like Connor and his efforts I have the sense that Oar can be more direct than Pain, much like Millar over Hoole. McGlinchey can still offer something though I would prefer to see it off the bench at full pace because he cannot go the full 90 any more.

We will have to make a choice between a new #10 or a new striker unless more than Ross leave in January

 

[MagpieMariner]

Pity it's collingwood.... SFC of the AFL...

They all hate us 'cause they ain't us!

 

[Wombat]

From all accounts we will be losing at a minimum Ross in January. So we will have the spot for two new players at least. According to the presser we can go looking but it is likely that they will be Australian, not visa players.

We need six at least but can can only sign two. So what do we know.

1) We need another keeper
2) Cisse is slow but can read the play well
3) Millar cannot play as RB in a flat back four but offers a lot going forward, still tires easily but that will come with game time. Clisby on the left is the same.
4) Rowles is very one-footed and is getting found out at CB but can operate as well as LB.
5) McGing is ok at RB but cannot play at CB
6) Hoole is a pre-season enigma, Looks a world beater against lesser teams but is found out against good opposition.
7) Pain works hard going forward but goes missing tracking back and can also have long periods where he walks and doesn't offer himself for a switch.
8) Simon cannot play as a sole striker
9) We have no creativity so a real #10 is needed
10) Our BEST PLAYER is not playing.

First simple fix is Tom must play. GA had problems with Hutch but that was overcome. MM's first job is to repair that relationship before Tom is forced out.

Secondly, if we play with a back four we have to realise that our overlapping fullbacks will need to be McGing and Rowles who will concentrate on defence (not necessarily a bad thing) and as a relsut there will be little overlapping.

Thirdly, if Simon plays it cannot be alone. He brings the same problem to CCM that Timmy brought to the national team. The only route to goal seems to be to try to pick a long ball to Simon. If we are to play with a lone striker at this stage it needs to be Murray.

While I like Connor and his efforts I have the sense that Oar can be more direct than Pain, much like Millar over Hoole. McGlinchey can still offer something though I would prefer to see it off the bench at full pace because he cannot go the full 90 any more.

We will have to make a choice between a new #10 or a new striker unless more than Ross leave in January

Great post Pat. My only comment would be that Pain has been easily one of our best performers thus far.

 

[MagpieMariner]

Demons this year

Yeah, nah, Magpies go one better.

 

[Coastalraider]

So Caceras isn’t in the MC squad tonight, and is not wearing a uniform in the stands.

He is an Aussie, which Mulvey alluded to, and plays a position we lack any sort of skill in.

Thoughts?

 

[greenlig]

So Caceras isn’t in the MC squad tonight, and is not wearing a uniform in the stands.

He is an Aussie, which Mulvey alluded to, and plays a position we lack any sort of skill in.

Thoughts?

Eh, was he ever creative? Technically good, but did nothing special with it.

 

[turbo]

He is an Aussie, which Mulvey alluded to, and plays a position we lack any sort of skill in.

If they’re going like for like Fornaroli is a citizen too. That might take the wind out of the Charlesworth out argument. More likely to make something on his own than Berisha too.
WSW just signed someone else so not sure if that means they’re out for him.

 

[pjennings]

Great post Pat. My only comment would be that Pain has been easily one of our best performers thus far.

He has but he does go missing. Rowdy pointed it out to me the other week and I watched him closely yesterday. Maybe I'm just talking him down and Oar up because of the reports of him possibly going to England when the window opens.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

So Caceras isn’t in the MC squad tonight, and is not wearing a uniform in the stands.

He is an Aussie, which Mulvey alluded to, and plays a position we lack any sort of skill in.

Thoughts?

He is not HAL standard.

And we need some top tier players in our spine to have any chance. Not even solid A league level would be enough to right our ailing ship imo.

At bare minimum, we need a new patty class CB and Rogic-esque 10 and a proper keeper imo - so one of the other keepers contracts has to be paid out I guess. Too important.

We haven’t had a proper 10 in five years. And a proper keeper in 4. These two positions are way too important, (we helped developed Izzo to A league standard - but he was lacking while with us)

In truth I fear we need 3 more players (as in 6) in our staring line up if we’re serious about changing our fortunes. But 3 players on par with the quality of the best players in the other HAL squads, with Tom H back, Oar fit and Murray upfront, may be enough to see us at least win a handful of our remaining games.

Not sure this will happen though if thevrumour that we’re getting a like for like striker swap is true.

Mulvey can surely see we have no control of central midfield unless teams sit back. We are not just timid, like our screaming fans yelling forward seem to think, we are outclased and unable to beat a man or hit the raking balls that switch play quick enough or play killer balls that split a defence. We’re very inconsistent even with our crosses and don’t get me started on our set pieces. And When they pressure... We are absurdly predictable and easily shut down and have little success trying to play out or forward.

And all that said, the biggest problem is that unless you drastically improve our movement off the ball, it won’t matter what else we do. We currently have the worst off the ball movement in the comp by a good margin.

MM has focused on individual mistakes and aggression, ok, but football is so much about what you do without the ball. Not rocket science, you have 22 players on the field. And only one has the ball at any given time... it’s obvious to see in good sides like Perth, who slide well, hold their lines well, track back diligently, press at the right time and break and attack with pace and confidence. That’s got nothing to do with individual skill on the ball, it’s all organisation, concentration and simple clarity of purpose of what to do when you dont have the ball.

We greatly lack this imho. Which worries me about Mulvey. I had expected a lot more from a side he coached.

He talked the talk so well, but it’s really not translating at all.

 

[pjennings]

We could use the DDS rule and for the keeper and bring in Daniel Margush in a loan swap for Pearce. Probably one of the best young keepers not getting game time.

With SWS not getting into the HAL until 2020 Mile I'd love to get him for the rest of the season before becoming the face of their club.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

We could use the DDS rule and for the keeper and bring in Daniel Margush in a loan swap for Pearce. Probably one of the best young keepers not getting game time.

With SWS not getting into the HAL until 2020 Mile I'd love to get him for the rest of the season before becoming the face of their club.

Both brilliant ideas. Please PM Shaun.

 

[turbo]

Caceras isn’t in the MC squad tonight

Just got announced on loan for Sydney

 

[Antlion]

Just got announced on loan for Sydney

Oh no! I was hoping we'd pick up a skilled midfielder who is proven at our club as an ineffective player with no vision or movement off the ball

 

[BrisRecky]

Did someone say Mularky was looking at Zac Anderson, WHY THE f**k, would we want Chesty Bond back , he was diabolical

 

[Tevor]

Did someone say Mularky was looking at Zac Anderson, WHY THE f**k, would we want Chesty Bond back , he was diabolical

Some one else to also help bring back the old Mariners culture Recky because that has worked a treat so far.