Retain or Release?

[AustrianAndyGull]

I'd take Rendell because he can finish and he's a big lad but if not i'd certainly like to see a big target man up there for a change to make more of aerial balls, crosses, free kicks and corners which Downes apart, we have glaringly lacked these last 2 seasons at least. Get Benners in and no more nippy trickies please. Get us some competetive physical presence up there.

Oh and i LURVE the photo Matt!

[Plymouth Gull]

"Competitive physical presence" = Rene Howe.

[Lloyder5]

I'd take Rendell because he can finish and he's a big lad but if not i'd certainly like to see a big target man up there for a change to make more of aerial balls, crosses, free kicks and corners which Downes apart, we have glaringly lacked these last 2 seasons at least. Get Benners in and no more nippy trickies please. Get us some competetive physical presence up there.

Oh and i LURVE the photo Matt!

[AustrianAndyGull]

Lloyder you are right, Saah is also as adequate at Downes from corners but not often enough so i left him out. As for Howe, yes he is a competetive physical presence but i meant in terms of a corner coming in and him getting his head on the end of one. Never happens. Likewise with crosses and free kicks, we need someone adept at this.

[tufcbrett]

Would be nice to get the manager confirmed and know who's being kept soon. We can't afford to be leaving any deals to late on and if we get in early we could get some good players. Would love wright whos just been released by Shrewsbury, fast and skill full and will end up in league 2 and will cause problems

[brucie]

Rendell is playing at his level ie Conference. He is nowhere near as good as Howe.

Oastler has been poor this season, however he did play really well at Morecambe. If Knill gets the job on the evidence of him being first choice then he will be retained.

Our full backs are something of a conundrum really. We have Leadbitter and Cruise who have hardly had a look in but when they have played but have actually looked better footballers than Oastler and Nico (our two first choice full backs under both LIng and Knill).

Cruise looks excellent on the ball but his downfall is his positional sense defensively. Leadbitter to me looks a really good prospect, but looks to have been released already.

Macklin,Stevens,Halpin and Easton are looking nailed on to be released. Morris not sure about but would not be suprised if he went either.

Craig would go but is contracted. Yeoman deserves another year and surely ability wise Thompson will get signed as well.

[Jeff]

Can't really add a fantastic amount to the debate on here.

For me, we need to offer terms to Rice, Downes, Saah, Cruise, Jarvis, Yeoman, Howe. I suspect however that Howe won't accept, and I'd worry about Saah too given his propensity to follow Ling. I suppose it depends on how well settled he is. I'd also expect to see some interest from elsewhere in Downes now he's proved he's over the knee problems.

I'd also like to see Morris offered a 6-month deal to prove his fitness. He's not had a fair crack of the whip with us - his first season was hamstrung being played out of position, last season destroyed by injury. I've seen enough to think he at least warrants another chance until Christmas.

Not sure on the status of Thompson and McKenzie, but I'd like to see both retained. Thompson showed some good early ability, as did Mckenzie in his one appearance at Vale. Both worth more time, perhaps with a loan term to the BSS to give them more experience.

So, the cut list will compile:
Easton - too similar to what we already have, and not good enough
Stevens - clearly not favoured by Knill, I think his career with us has run it's course. Younger, better players will be available
Oastler - almost undecided on him, but had a shocking season and every team seems to release one "surprise" or high profile player
Leadbitter - decent player, but question marks over application. Signing for someone like Gateshead will probably see him forge a half decent career. Just not with us
Macklin - really wanted it all to work out for him, as he looked a player but never produced when it mattered
Halpin - never even looked like a footballer, not rated seemingly by Ling or Knill. Should have cashed in after that reserve hat-trick for Derby
Baker - self explanatory really

I'd also be in the camp who'd like to see something offered to Benyon. McDonald I'm not sure about - did ok but wasn't massively any better than what I saw out of McKenzie.

[SuperNickyWroe]

I've got to agree with Chunky here. There isn't one player in our squad who couldn't be replaced as evidenced by the season we have just had, we scraped clear of relegation because the players are poor to average. There's no stand out talent like O'kane in the side, the "best" player we have is Howe and he certainly isn't irreplaceable (Rendell would be my choice).

Supes seems to think we should retain them all as it's physically impossible to sign players, which is strange seeing as all the players we currently have were signed in the past. =D

A squad full of poor to average players equals a poor to average season, it's not rocket science. With most of them out of contract we have an opportunity to clear out the dead wood and freshen things up, get rid of the excess midfielders/wingers and create a more balanced squad.

actually jerry, supes doesnt. nor does supes thinks we should get rid of them all. just some or most of them.

[royalgull]

Rendell's career has gone backwards since his season here and the enxt at Wycombe. A lot fo his goals were pens but he was still useful for them, how Oxford, Rovers, Luton haven't got more out of him is peculiar. Dont' think we have the players to get the maximum out of him, for a big lad he wasn't particularly the target man type but technically decent and got in good scoring positions. We'd need to make 3 or 4 good additions just to get something out of Rendell, tough ask. Knill has no previous with him either so I can't see that happening.

Benyon will get offered something I'm certain of that, we need 2 wingers, a central midfielder and then I wouldn't be surprised to see us go for someone like Andy Bishop at Bury. another one although his scoring record has never been fantastic is Chadwick at Argyle, he's more of a unit target man that may create space for others and do well from wingers putting the ball in the box. Could be a good foil for Benyon someone like that.

Actually quite looking forward to this summer, we need changes, a mini cull and this is the best time to do it. We could have quite a different looking line up come August and that can only be a good thing.

[Fonda]

Rendell's career has gone backwards since his season here and the enxt at Wycombe. A lot fo his goals were pens but he was still useful for them, how Oxford, Rovers, Luton haven't got more out of him is peculiar. Dont' think we have the players to get the maximum out of him, for a big lad he wasn't particularly the target man type but technically decent and got in good scoring positions. We'd need to make 3 or 4 good additions just to get something out of Rendell, tough ask. Knill has no previous with him either so I can't see that happening.

Benyon will get offered something I'm certain of that, we need 2 wingers, a central midfielder and then I wouldn't be surprised to see us go for someone like Andy Bishop at Bury. another one although his scoring record has never been fantastic is Chadwick at Argyle, he's more of a unit target man that may create space for others and do well from wingers putting the ball in the box. Could be a good foil for Benyon someone like that.

Actually quite looking forward to this summer, we need changes, a mini cull and this is the best time to do it. We could have quite a different looking line up come August and that can only be a good thing.

Seem to remember us signing Mickey Evans from them previously to fulfill that role. He was an embarassment. If Chadwick isn't good enough for Argyle, he shouldn't be good enough for us. Bishop is a good shout though...

[royalgull]

Seem to remember us signing Mickey Evans from them previously to fulfill that role. He was an embarassment. If Chadwick isn't good enough for Argyle, he shouldn't be good enough for us. Bishop is a good shout though...

Bit younger and mobile than Evans but it's a fair point, wouldn't be my first choice but as a 'plan b' somebody like that could be an option.

[royalgull]

Luke McCormick,
Damian Batt,
Michael Duberry,
Harry Worley,
Liam Davis,
Tony Capaldi,
Simon Heslop,
Peter Leven,
Josh Parker,
Tom Craddock,
Jon-Paul Pittman
Justin Richards

Oxford's released list.

Craddock, Heslop, Leven, Batt, Davis are all good players at this level.

[Sunnysideup]

Rendell's career has gone backwards since his season here and the enxt at Wycombe. A lot fo his goals were pens but he was still useful for them, how Oxford, Rovers, Luton haven't got more out of him is peculiar. Dont' think we have the players to get the maximum out of him, for a big lad he wasn't particularly the target man type but technically decent and got in good scoring positions. We'd need to make 3 or 4 good additions just to get something out of Rendell, tough ask. Knill has no previous with him either so I can't see that happening.

Benyon will get offered something I'm certain of that, we need 2 wingers, a central midfielder and then I wouldn't be surprised to see us go for someone like Andy Bishop at Bury. another one although his scoring record has never been fantastic is Chadwick at Argyle, he's more of a unit target man that may create space for others and do well from wingers putting the ball in the box. Could be a good foil for Benyon someone like that.

Actually quite looking forward to this summer, we need changes, a mini cull and this is the best time to do it. We could have quite a different looking line up come August and that can only be a good thing.

I dont think Scotty took a penalty when he was here. Nicky Wroe had that job I seem to remember? Guessing I know, but him and Benners would probably have got 30 between them had Scotty not broken his arm midseason. Dont forget that was in a newly promoted, struggling team as well.

[royalgull]

i meant for Wycombe. Scored bundles of pens for them the year they went up

[Fonda]

Not sure if it was this thread or another one that I posted in, but I'd definitely be getting rid of: Rice, Leadbitter, Easton, Stevens, Halpin and Macklin.

I'd probably offer the following something, with the intention of using them as squad fillers: Morris, Jarvis, Thompson and Oastler.

Definite keeps/offers being: Poke, Saah, Downes, Nicho, Manse, Lathrope, Craig, Bodin, Howe

And on my shopping list I'd have: 1 keeper, 1 centre Back, 1 Right Back, 1 Centre Midfielder, 2 Wingers, 2 Strikers