Stevenson and Hanlon are both very good players, would get rid of Boyle long before either of them, it isn't even close.
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I agree about the balls into the box, if only he would use his physique when coming for a ball and come with belief and take the feckun thing. Instead of his half arsed flappping/punching that he all too often reverts to. Other than that reasonably happy with him, a great organiser, very vocal too.
:agree: he worries me every time a ball comes into the box as he's either rooted to his line or he decides to come for it then changes his mind leaving him in no mans land. Plus he fumbles/punches the ball too often for my liking.
His time wasting antics annoy me too.
I do think he's a good shot stopper though :greengrin
Honestly, I don't think it would bother me if Scott Robertson was not offered a new contract, as long as we manage to bring in a holding midfielder, similar to the yams Gomis. I don't think Robbo is 100% confident in that role and it's cost us in some big games this season. I think we could source better.
Frazer is a tidy player no doubt but honestly wouldn't be that bothered if he was to go. The reason I know he won't be here next season is that someone told me. I'm not saying who but they'd 100% know for sure. He has ideas way above his station (IMO) and wouldn't be here next year even if we had gone up.
Oxley - Keep. Not been so bad or inconsistent as some claim. Also, need more than 1 keeper.
Gray - Keep.
Hanlon - Undecided but would not be upset if he stayed.
Fontaine - Keep
Forster - Keep
Harris - Worth another go but quite a short leash though. Fulfill the promise or then let go.
Robertson - Tough one. Good bench player??? Mmmm. No let go even for his career.
El Alagui - Keep - With good crosses from the wings he might even get a chance facing the goal instead of back to the goal like yesterday.
Craig - Keep. I actually think next season will see more from him now the 'hangover' season from Butchers glorious tenure has passed.
Stanton - Loan him out or let go.
Stevenson - Don't get the love-in with him. He's ok but frankly is just workmanlike.
Boyle - Keep....I think.
Watson - Undecided.
Handling - Loan out or let go but as he has a long contract the former is more likely. Or maybe just keep him to do nothing on the bench.
Allan - Keep.
Fyvie - Keep.
McGeouch - A reasonable bench player but might find himself in and out too much for his own liking.
Malonga - Keep.
Dja Djedje - Undecided but probably needs more opportunities. Will he get them?
Cerny - Keep. Need more than one keeper..
Cummings - Dump. Can't handle the Sangria. :wink:
Messi - Dump him. Does not like the manager.
:flag:
Oxley is a mixed bag for me but probably in credit overall.
Poor in his command of the area which has cost us points.
Some excellent saves which have saved us points.
Most important thing is his distribution which I think is the key to us playing actual football.
Doesn't mean we have to keep him but I don't want anyone in as a replacement who doesn't look to play out from the back either through the centre backs or the wing backs. Punting the ball forward as the default is not what I want to see.
That is more to do with managerial led tactics rather than keeper preference I would think. Mixu had the same keepers as John Collins when he took over. The keepers nearly always rolled the ball out to a defender under Collins. The same keepers nearly always lumped it up to Nish under Mixu. In fact I can remember the crowd going mental at this tactic under Collins as it quite often put us under a lot of pressure as the defence clearly wasn't comfortable with this.
Probably spot on in which case I really hope we keep hold of Stubbs.
What's truly terrifying is that I look back to Michael Nelson and McGivern (sorry for dredging up bad memories) and their lumping it up the park and the conclusion must be that it was what Butcher and Fenlon wanted them to do. Given that it almost always resulted in us losing the ball it brings to mind Einstein's definition of insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.....
It also affects squad building.
From what I understand from Dempster's comments we're committed to a much smaller squad than previously.
If we have injury prone players it means we need some of the senior roles to be filled by squad players that can cover 2 positions well (pretty certain that's why we picked up Watson who hasn't really inspired for me).
If we have players that are less injury prone I'd be happier with bringing in the young guys when required or using makeshifts like Forster at right back.
McGeough - good as he's been when he's on - was less of a problem as we have good cover in his position and we can even shift the tactical approach to cover him being out.
Gray's injuries were more problematic as I think we're a much less effective side with him out.
Add to that most of the formations Stubbs plays seem to be heavily dependent on width from the full backs as an option and it gave us trouble - trying to play Boyle wide when Gray was out left us seriously exposed at the back.
Oxley - Keep (I like him and he's only going to get better)
Gray - Keep
Hanlon - Keep
Fontaine - Keep (Captain for next season IMO)
Forster - Keep
Harris - Keep (give him to January, no improvement, punt in transfer window)
Robertson - Let Go
El Alagui - Keep (pretty much a new signing)
Craig - Let Go (Move him on, he'll probably end up at St Mirren though)
Stanton - Keep (i'd loan him to a Championship team, could cause damage and not hurt us)
Stevenson - Keep (He needs competition for his place though)
Boyle - KEEP (first signing i'd make, pacey and not scared to have a shot. Also knows how to cross a ball)
Watson - Let Go (seems to be troubled by injuries and not sure he'd want to play second fiddle to Gray)
Handling - Keep (see Stanton)
Allan - KEEP (Oozes class)
Fyvie - Keep (I think he'll be snapped up by another team but i'd love tho keep him)
McGeouch - Let Go
Malonga - Keep
Dja Djedje - Keep (He needs a pre season with us but I believe there's a player in him)
Cerny - Let Go
Cummings - Keep (Young player who has made mistakes but top scorer in the division and he's a got a swagger about him)
All the players I'd keep are subject to Craig and Stubbs not finding better.
Goalkeeper - one of Oxley and Cerny stays. Can Perntreau step up as the other keeper?
Right back - we're sorted with Gray and Dunsmore can cover.
Centre half - Forster and Hanlon are under contract, and I'd like to keep Fontaine although he'll need the security of a 2-3 year deal to move his family up here. We then need one other for depth as I'm not convinced by Watson.
Left back - I like Stevenson but he needs competition as he tired towards the end of the season. Can that be Crane? If not, I'd look for better than Stevenson.
Midfield - balance is key. Neither Craig nor Robertson is a natural holding player so we need at least one new face, assuming Martin can play this role. I'd keep two from Craig, Fyvie and McGeouch as the support for Allan, which leaves Stanton and Handling as depth although both need to do better when given an opportunity.
Wingers - Boyle is a definite target and Harris can be depth. That leaves us needing one more, depending on Dje Dje's suitability.
Forwards - a fully fit El Alagui together with Cummings and Malonga provides us with options and both Boyle and Dje Dje provide cover. I'd send Allan out on loan.
So we need to decide on a keeper and add a centre half, holding midfielder and a winger as a minimum. Possibly also another centre half, left back, midfielder and a striker. All that is very doable, which means we are in a good position to get promotion next season.
Oxley - get rid
cerny - dont understand why he never got a chance.if stubbs doesnt think he's better than oxley i'd get rid
Gray - Keep.
Hanlon - keep
Fontaine - Keep
Forster - Keep
Harris - keep
Robertson - get rid
El Alagui - Keep
Craig - get rid
Stanton - keep
Stevenson - keep
Boyle - Keep....I think.
Watson - keep
Handling - not much we can do so have to keep
Allan - Keep but will be sold
Fyvie - Keep but dont think he will re-sign
McGeouch - keep but dont think he will sign
Malonga - Keep.
Dja Djedje - get rid
Cummings - keep
all in all we have a decent back 4 and strikers.the work in the summer will depend on the midfielders that stay or re-sign.a new keeper is a must.
:wink:
I feel the biggest signing we 100% need to tie down is Liam Fontaine. The guy has been class all season (except 1 game at Alloa in the cup) and I feel he has brought Hanlon, who also was class yesterday. Allan is clearly our most skilful but big Liam is a must for me.
Oxley - poor shot stopper, does not come for crosses. I think we can do better.
Cerny - if he is cheap enough to keep as cover then keep. But only as cover, as Stubbs obviously does not rate as high as Oxley.
Stevenson - worth a deal but only as a squad player. I expect a proper left back to be recruited.
Hanlon - under contract
Fontaine - definite keep
Gray - under contract but we will need an able deputy as he is injury prone.
Forster - under contract (I think) Able deputy anyway.
Watson - let go
Robertson - keep
Craig - let go ( we need more dynamic goal scoring mids)
Mcgeoch - let go as above and injury prone
Allen - must keep
Fyvie - keep
Handling - let go (4 year deal a mystery to me)
Stanton - let go
Harris - let go
Boyle - let go
Malonga - under contract but I would move on if we could
Cummings - keep
Farid - keep
Dje Dje - 18 month deal a mystery, be good if we could get out of it. A black mark for the new scouting network.
Next season we need to improve in just about every area if we are to win the league and get back to the top flight.
Obviously I'd have no problems with us improving in every area but I'd expect the current squad with a good pre-season and the manager with a full year's experience under his belt to win the division comfortably next year.
The only caveat would be if the Rangers are still with us but find some cash through the latest selection of rogues running their sorry excuse for a club.
I will though be more than happy to accept improvements in every area ;)
Well I'm friends with Frasers dad and that is not the case. I'll ask him. As far as I know he is to sit down with Hibs and does love it here. Like most of the team. But all depends on what else gets offered. He has two very young kids and his mum lives up north. So ITC might be an option. But don't rule out a deal with us.
We need as much continuity as possible, the last thing we need is to be starting the season with untested players. We could be looking at a whole new midfield, which wouldn't be ideal.
Consistency would definitely be nice but I reckon that some of it will be outwith our control.
If we do need to find new players then Dempster will hopefully be influential in not leaving it till the end of transfer window bargain basement days.
Also hoping Stubbs is clear on what he wants/needs - I've generally liked his signings and he's usually kept the less good ones in the short term loan bracket.
Happy to be proved wrong but of the proper signings that were long-ish term I'd only quibble with Djedje.
Looking at his signings Oxley is a decent keeper, Fontaine and Gray were much better than what we had and Allan, Fyvie and McGeough have been three of the mainstays of midfield. Unlucky with El Alagui up front but Malonga gave a decent return (and before anyone rides me on that remember James Collins ;) )
Fitba fans are ****ing mental.
Oxley - i don't care either way.
Gray - Keep. Potential Captain but not so sure he will stay injury free all season.
Hanlon - Keep
Fontaine - Keep. Another potential skipper.
Forster - Keep
Harris - Keep. I'd like to see what Stubbs can get out of him.
Robertson - Not too sure but would tend to let him go.
El Alagui - Keep
Craig - Leave, no doubts in my mind.
Stanton - Keep. I trust Stubbs to get more from him.
Stevenson - I love him but it's time for him to go. Sorry, gutted saying that.
Boyle - Keep. If only we had been able to use his pace against Sevco.
Watson - Leave
Handling - Keep. No doubts in my mind that he will go on to be a decent player for us.
Allan - Keep. Well worth paying every penny to watch.
Fyvie - Keep
McGeouch - Keep
Malonga - Keep. Some of the criticism he gets is unfair IMHO.
Dja Djedje -I haven't seen enough to decide either way.
Cerny - Keep Subject to fitness.
Cummings - Keep
Oxley - Good keeper for this level but if he doesn't want to stay then Cerny for #1
Gray - Keep
Hanlon - Keep
Fontaine - Keep
Forster - Keep
Harris - Wouldn't keep both him and Boyle and if I had to choose one then i'd go for Boyle. Leave
Robertson - Keep. Improved lots
El Alagui - Keep. If we can keep him fit then this guy will be our top goalscorer next season
Craig - Would try and keep but not fussed if he left
Stanton - Keep but loan out
Stevenson - Keep
Watson - Leave. Use Dunsmore as cover for Gray and save a wage
Handling - Leave. Not shown much really
Allan - Keep at all costs
Fyvie - Keep.
McGeouch - Keep
Malonga - Keep
Dja Djedje - Not really shown anything but hasn't really been given enough game time either. Leave
Cerny - See Oxley
Cummings - Keep
Boyle - Keep. See Harris