Squad assessment and improvement

So Hurst has a very important transfer window for the club and a very short time to assess his squad. He is going to have to put a lot of trust on Moore and Davies' judgement on the current squad and his own contacts and knowledge of the game to bring in reinforcements. I'm hoping PH has been advised somewhere similar to the following:

GOALKEEPERS
For league 2 I think in Macca we have an adequate GK. Yes his distribution is not the best but im guessing Hurst wont be sticking to the Ollie style of playing out from defence, instantly putting our defence under pressure to lose the ball or for them to lump it forward to our current small strikers. In Russell I'd like to think we have cover and so we can go as we are till the end of the season.

DEFENCE
For me Hendrie at RB is more than enough with Hewitt (not Clifton) ample cover. In the centre, 'IF' Pollock stays we need a new CB to play alongside him, with pace. Someone like Toto as when against quick strikers we have been exposed at the back and Waterfall's performances have been poor and littered with mistakes and bad judgement, compounded with his red card the other week. At LB, Preston is strong enough to keep his place though he really needs cover/competition to maintain performances.

MIDFIELD
Here is where we are seriously lacking any form of creativity and an engine and changes MUST be made. Firstly cutting short Bennett's and Taylor's loans. Was going to say Morton too but he has been recalled.
Morais is a good old fashioned winger who is clever on the ball so he is a must and Rose, Clifton, Hewitt, Williams should be options from the bench. Requiring 2 x CMs and a left sided winger to replace Edwards. Admittedly our strikeforce is poor but with the shocking build up play from midfield we are devoid of goalscoring chances.
We also really need Wright and Scannell back in the fold.

STRIKERS
Quite simply we HAVE to acquire 2 new strikers who know where the goal is, have the movement and intelligence to make the ball stick at the top end of the pitch. Hanson could have been 1 piece of that but simply cant stay fit and i think its time for Green, Sesay and Gomis to move on.  Gibson and Jackson Jnr, though possibly ones for the future clearly arent ready yet without sustained coaching.

To summarise we need a LB, CB, 2 x CM, a LM and 2 strikers. 6/7 players that walk straight into the team as opposed to squad players.
End all of the loan players contracts for a more compact squad and the likes of Battersby Hope, Idehen, Spokes, Starbuck, Gibson and Jackson Jnr out on loans for experience and to reduce the squad to be a tighter, closer group.

Hursty has certainly got his work cut out for a few weeks but if he needs anymore assistance, Im on standby

This only goes to show why managers don’t take advice from the Fishy.  In my view, Waterfall is a strong centre back at this level but Preston is often out of position.  

We need more cover at left back and in the centre of defence but I wouldn’t necessarily change the first choice back 4. The midfield needs to stop playing weak passes or letting tackles go by.  In the 3-1 defeat last week, Bennett was the cause of two goals.  Last game, Edwards gave the ball away and put the defence under pressure.  It was a great decision by Ben to switch Morais over to the left to give Preston more protection from the Oldham winger.

Morais, Scannell and Wright are all talented wide players if fit so I would be looking for a fast winger to replace Edwards but one who can actually cross the ball.

We have plenty of central midfielders but the real issue is that Holloway never had a settled pairing.  Rose, Williams, Clifton and Taylor are enough if they are told
to get the ball out wide.  I would get rid of Bennett.

Upfront is where we desperately lack experience.  Hanson seems unlikely to be ever fit and the rest are all too young and inexperienced.  We need at least two decent strikers.

Amond would be a start

Quoted from LondonMariner43

This only goes to show why managers don’t take advice from the Fishy.  In my view, Waterfall is a strong centre back at this level but Preston is often out of position.  

We need more cover at left back and in the centre of defence but I wouldn’t necessarily change the first choice back 4. The midfield needs to stop playing weak passes or letting tackles go by.  In the 3-1 defeat last week, Bennett was the cause of two goals.  Last game, Edwards gave the ball away and put the defence under pressure.  It was a great decision by Ben to switch Morais over to the left to give Preston more protection from the Oldham winger.

Morais, Scannell and Wright are all talented wide players if fit so I would be looking for a fast winger to replace Edwards but one who can actually cross the ball.

We have plenty of central midfielders but the real issue is that Holloway never had a settled pairing.  Rose, Williams, Clifton and Taylor are enough if they are told
to get the ball out wide.  I would get rid of Bennett.

Upfront is where we desperately lack experience.  Hanson seems unlikely to be ever fit and the rest are all too young and inexperienced.  We need at least two decent strikers.

Totally agree about the GK and defence. Improvements can always be made but a left winger, creative midfielder and two strikers would be my priority. Clear out the 7/8 he doesn't think are up to it, bring in these 4 additions and you have a smaller more manageable group to work with.

you say clear out 8 players who is going to take them

Quoted from Yoda

you say clear out 8 players who is going to take them

Send back the loans you don't want, pay up a couple and there will be takers for the other two or three further down the pyramid, be it loaned or permanent.

I think the defence is alright but I think we do need better than Preston, as well as he has done at times in his first season playing league football. Competition for Pollock and Waterfall also needed. We need a physically commanding presence in the centre of midfield. Rose and Williams are creative players, we just haven't seen enough of it. Hopefully.we'll have Scannell and Wright back soon but what I've seen of Tilley, I haven't particularly liked. He might get the chance to prove himself now that Edwards has departed, at least for the Cambridge game. Fully expect two if not three, forwards to come in.

Would not be surprised, once new players arrive, to see Battersby, Idehen, Starbuck, Spokes, Gibson, Sisay to all go out on loan, Tilley, Green and Hanson to be paid up and Taylor and Bennett to return to their clubs.

Quoted from immariner

I think the defence is alright but I think we do need better than Preston, as well as he has done at times in his first season playing league football. Competition for Pollock and Waterfall also needed. We need a physically commanding presence in the centre of midfield. Rose and Williams are creative players, we just haven't seen enough of it. Hopefully.we'll have Scannell and Wright back soon but what I've seen of Tilley, I haven't particularly liked. He might get the chance to prove himself now that Edwards has departed, at least for the Cambridge game. Fully expect two if not three, forwards to come in.

Would not be surprised, once new players arrive, to see Battersby, Idehen, Starbuck, Spokes, Gibson, Sisay to all go out on loan, Tilley, Green and Hanson to be paid up and Taylor and Bennett to return to their clubs.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a miraculous recovery by James Hanson. Just a feeling.

we've got rid of the biggest culprit for our lge position that fellow that was a so called manager , massive improvement on the horizon i will re quote this at end of month

I can see Paul Hurst taking a liking to Luke Spokes who
for me can develop into a decent midfielder.

Based on his last game I would put him ahead of Rose
and Clifton. He won the ball well, retained and passed it
far better than those around him and the only thing missing
was that he didn't quite last the full ninety minutes.

He's a strong lad and for me just the type I would like in
my midfield alongside better players.