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Post by chipbarm on May 2, 2024 15:50:51 GMT
In the least surprising news of the day, Stevie Mallan is leaving the club. He'll hardly be missed as he bothered the medics far more than the coaching staff in his time here Mallan? Mallan? Ah yes…..l remember him, vaguely. We’re not going to miss him are we? Err....no
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Post by dannyboy on May 3, 2024 7:11:28 GMT
I heard a few times from league two pundits that the midfield three of Ashley, Watt and Mallan would be one of the strongest in the division. I don’t they got much, if any game time together due to injuries and both Stevie and Ossama were regularly played out position in my book. Mallan always seemed more suited to being an attacking midfielder yet played just in front of the back four more often than not this season. Also Ossama had the billing of a defensive midfielder when arriving but was used by wood as a pressing attacking midfielder when he did get a few games. Stevie was too slow across the ground to play as a single defensive midfielder, but it was a needs must situation with Watt out early in the season for a long spell. I felt maybe Wood didn’t trust Ashley with a defensive role as he was a younger player who’s decision looked a bit rash at times. Never having been much of a fan of Mallan, especially put alongside a player “lacking power and pace” (Nicky Butt’s words not just mine) like Watt did make us very pedestrian in the middle of the park. I still think that given a more mobile strike force than Smith and Hendry - and more energy on midfield - that Neil Wood may have succeeded in turning to the high pressing team that seemed to be the promise when he joined. I think the massive drop off in our physicality after the first 8 games under Karl shows that this squad of players cannot sustain that kind of intensity week in week out. So maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that we get to rebuild the majority of the team from scratch next season due to all the expected departures.
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Post by Chris P. Bacon on May 3, 2024 9:21:26 GMT
I’ve been saying for ages that pace over skill wins for me more often than not in this league. How many times have we been beaten at home and said……”I wouldn’t mind if they were good but they looked as poor as us.” But they are ghosting past our defence and midfield with ease and eventually they get rewarded for it.
You can have the most creative players in the league, but it’s useless without pace. The only Salford player that comes to mind when I think about pace is Luamba. We’ve seen the damage he can do, but we need more of it. The only other player that comes close to running through midfield is McAleny, but not due to pace….mainly skill, jinking in and out and confusing defenders. Our midfield are static and most of the great tackles our defence make are recovery tackles after the player has waltzed past them.
I don’t envy the choices KR and the owners have to make this Summer. There are some easy choices to keep or let go, but how many would be better with good players around them? One thing I would urge, is caution around players injury records. I accept NBs statement that you have to take a chance in this league but we took too many chances on the fitness of too many players in the last couple of seasons and Sod’s Law….most were out injured for lengthy periods.
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Post by dannyboy on May 11, 2024 19:17:41 GMT
I’m hearing about a rumour of striker James Norwood leaving Oldham to come to Salford? He’s far too good to be in the National League and I’ve heard he’s on about £4k per week at Oldham. With Smith and Mallan leaving then that possibly leaves some room in the budget to bring him in. From what I’ve seen he’s intimidating, not in terms of his size, but more his attitude on the pitch.
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Post by chipbarm on May 11, 2024 19:32:35 GMT
I’m hearing about a rumour of striker James Norwood leaving Oldham to come to Salford? He’s far too good to be in the National League and I’ve heard he’s on about £4k per week at Oldham. With Smith and Mallan leaving then that possibly leaves some room in the budget to bring him in. From what I’ve seen he’s intimidating, not in terms of his size, but more his attitude on the pitch. He'll be 34 in September so I'd be dubious about taking on yet another ageing journeyman. I thought we'd gone away from that and personally I'd rather we look for much younger players who we can develop than a one season wonder on a last hurrah to boost his bank balance
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Post by dannyboy on May 11, 2024 19:59:20 GMT
Agree with you CB. I’d also say that skill set wise he probably overlaps too much with Hendry although I’d say Norwood is a more clinical finisher than Callum
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Post by chipbarm on May 15, 2024 17:05:38 GMT
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Post by tangerinedream on May 15, 2024 17:13:46 GMT
Looks useful on the enclosed video and fits into the young and athletic type that KR obviously likes.
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Post by chipbarm on May 15, 2024 17:19:23 GMT
I'm guessing he's one for the B team with a view to bringing him through which is a positive in my mind
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Post by alanb on May 15, 2024 20:15:35 GMT
He once played for the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. Now there's a name for a football (er, sorry... soccer ) team, eh.
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Post by chipbarm on May 15, 2024 20:58:58 GMT
Looks useful on the enclosed video and fits into the young and athletic type that KR obviously likes.
He looks very left footed in that show reel, something we're lacking in forward areas. He is raw but seems to have plenty of potential although of course a 4 minute highlight package won't give a full picture.
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Post by odell86 on May 15, 2024 22:20:33 GMT
Bizarre
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Post by Chris P. Bacon on May 16, 2024 6:00:39 GMT
I assume he’ll be a squad or B team player? He looks good in this video but obviously at a much lower level. Seems the kind of player we need in the squad. I still have NBs words ringing in my head “at this level we have to take a chance”. This is the type of player we should be takin*chances on. Not ageing, injury prone players, but young players with pace that might break through. Who knows, he might get his chance and take it. I see this as a positive signing.
Looking forward to some nailed-on first-teamers now.
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Post by Chris P. Bacon on May 17, 2024 9:07:58 GMT
Sarcevic leaving Stockport. Always thought he was a decent player, but not actually watched him much. Any good?
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Post by chipbarm on May 17, 2024 10:36:03 GMT
Sarcevic leaving Stockport. Always thought he was a decent player, but not actually watched him much. Any good? Yes I'd have him, decent player and a few goals in him. Reckon he might follow Madden to Chesterfield though
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