!st XI: Last Season v Next Season

Our best, arguably, line-up come the end of last season was:

1. Cole
2. Berry
3. Parsons
4. Hourihane
5. Nelson
6. Trotman
7. Alessandra
8. Blizzard
9. Reid
10. Young
11. Thomas

Next season it looks like being:

1. McCormick
2. Mellor
3. McHugh
4. Cox
5. Nelson
6. Hartley
7. Alessandra
8. Blizzard
9. Reid
10. Allen
11. Banton

That's a huge change in personnel in just a few months and we have worryingly few options in midfield beyond playing people who are really forwards out of position.

In comparison the GK is better, the FBs can't be much worse, Hartley would appear to be a better option than Trotman and a forward line of Reid/Alessandra/Banton is actually quite exciting.

Cox is a welcome addition to midfield but Blizzard is more of a second choice than a starter and River Allen is a first year pro. We're very short here.

With a couple of astute additions to midfield we should be stronger than last year.

Last year we finished 10th.

We really could be hitting a play-off spot, or higher, next season.

What are the odds on us going up?

JS has said that the Play-Offs are the minimum target.

It all depends on how long it takes the team to gel and also what sort of start they have. I would rather see Argyle build up to the minium target goal than go all guns blazing and fade out in the latter stages of the season.

Having said that, I am looking forward to the new season with more optimism of late.

Sheridan has to say that or else he's basically admitting to us not even trying to be promoted.

The team should be helped to gel by being signed up for pre-season.

It feels like we're miles ahead of where we have been at this stage in recent years.

Yup. The signings look better than their predecessors, a good hard pre-season of effort and they 'should' start better than their predecessors too. Momentum only comes from a solid start and i'm sure with these early moves in the transfer market that's what he's aiming to achieve.

Looking forward to it.

I agree we're miles ahead of the game in terms of previous seasons, let's hope there are no more backward steps, there has been interest shown in Nelson(allegedly) Our most consistent performer IMO and somebody we'd struggle to replace at this level.

I agree but would be bitterly disappointed in either Argyle or the lad if he went (unless it was for stupid money). Hourihane indicated he wanted to leave and wouldn't sign a new contract next summer. Nelson on the other hand indicated he wanted to stay by signing a new contract. For any transfer therefore either Argyle or Nelson would have to dishonor that contract.

And I agree with you, however contracts are broken in football with astonishing regularity. Anyway let's just hope it's gossip and nothing comes of it.

The player along with Reid we'd miss more than any other and that's assuming Reid continues the form of last season, now he's our player he'll probs be poop!

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

Our best, arguably, line-up come the end of last season was:

1. Cole
2. Berry
3. Parsons
4. Hourihane
5. Nelson
6. Trotman
7. Alessandra
8. Blizzard
9. Reid
10. Young
11. Thomas

Next season it looks like being:

1. McCormick
2. Mellor
3. McHugh
4. Cox
5. Nelson
6. Hartley
7. Alessandra
8. Blizzard
9. Reid
10. Allen
11. Banton

That's a huge change in personnel in just a few months and we have worryingly few options in midfield beyond playing people who are really forwards out of position.

In comparison the GK is better, the FBs can't be much worse, Hartley would appear to be a better option than Trotman and a forward line of Reid/Alessandra/Banton is actually quite exciting.

Cox is a welcome addition to midfield but Blizzard is more of a second choice than a starter and River Allen is a first year pro. We're very short here.

With a couple of astute additions to midfield we should be stronger than last year.

Last year we finished 10th.

We really could be hitting a play-off spot, or higher, next season.

What are the odds on us going up?

Can you really envisage River Allen and Blizzard starting the first match of the season? Number 10. will be Harvey if our cheques suddenly start bouncing.

All talk of comparison is way too early. 2 - 3 players are still yet to be signed.

3 quality players could see us promoted as champions. 3 shite players and we will struggle for 10th.

Until the last faces are in can we judge, because two of them will be very important first team players.

Frankly how anybody can compare players we have just signed AND not even seen play yet, with last season's players is to totally beyond me. Most fans have never heard of any of them except Cox. I certainly haven't so I'll reserve judgement until I've actually seen these players play a few times and given them a chance to knit into a team.
First though I want to see at least three additions to the midfield to replace those sold and released.

Richard Blight wrote:

Frankly how anybody can compare players we have just signed AND not even seen play yet, with last season's players is to totally beyond me. Most fans have never heard of any of them except Cox. I certainly haven't so I'll reserve judgement until I've actually seen these players play a few times and given them a chance to knit into a team.
First though I want to see at least three additions to the midfield to replace those sold and released.

I totally agree that judging the new against the old is problematic for the very reasons you give.

I do feel able to pass judgement on those no longer with us though and with the exceptions of Hourihane and Young I'm somewhat less than sad to see them go. Admittedly it's a stretch of imagination to be sure that the newcomers are better players but I'll wager a pint that they are!

Midfielders that's what we need. Urgently.

(I forgot about Tyler Harvey in my original post.)

Judging the new is tricky, and we should wait until we see them. However, it's an argument that's been bugging me lately as by some people's logic I'm not allowed to be happy about any sort of signing because I haven't seen them play yet. If it wasn't for Boco then I doubt I'd be having this little rant, really gets to me.

According to some (nobody on here) I can't be positive or negative due to the fact I haven't seen them yet.

I'd bet a lot of money that with a good Hourihane replacement, our squad this season would thrash our squad from last season.

If we find a good replacement for Hourihane and decent cover and competition for Luke McCormick aswell as someone who can cover the wings like Andres Gurrieri could (only better) then we have the squad that can be promotion favourites. We have a stronger squad with more depth than last year so it can be done.



*all going to plan of course.