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Post by gazzaowen on Feb 1, 2004 17:05:35 GMT
Look, im not complaining about our recent form or anything, but if Pulis is happy with this squad then why all this recent interest in trialists.
Ref: Einarrson, Koppinen, Bakari. but to name a few?
If TP is happy with the current squad then why bother, particuly if he is not seriously considering sighning them?
PS: Am i the only one who thinks Marcus Hall is completely incapable. On every occasion this season i have seen him he looks uncertain and slow at LB.
Surely it would make more sense to give Wilson a chance particuly now we are not in immediate relagation danger and see how we goes ???!
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Post by AlliG on Feb 1, 2004 17:31:38 GMT
Why would TP be happy with his squad?
I doubt Fergie or Wenger are happy with theirs!
In his interview yesterday he still thinks we are a million miles away from where he wants to be, which is as it should be.
We should always be on the look out to improve things and at the moment our improved form must make us a more attractive option than if we were scrambling around at the bottom.
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Feb 1, 2004 17:38:05 GMT
Gazza, what are you on about? Agreed Hall has not had a great season at left back - possibly due to his long spell in a back three at the start of the season?
However, the other candidate for left back,Clarke, had a decent game yesterday - more than decent to be honest and Wilson is a young RIGHT back. I'm all for giving Wilson a run in the team, especially is Halls has apparently had an injury for weeks. But Wilson at LEFT back?????? How would that enable him to show TP what a prospect he is as a right sided player?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2004 18:08:22 GMT
Wilson has always been a right back for the reserves as far as I'm aware? He's played a couple of games in central defence, and occasionally switched to left back for tactical reasons, but other than that his future seems to be on the right hand side and not the left.
The interest in trialists is nothing new, we've always had an influx of them over throughout the season, especially during the time that Gudjon was manager. It's rare that anything ever comes from them -
Adam Baptise, Gary Browne, Michael Peers, Tommy English, Jason Gavin, Ezy Iriekpen, Steve Jones, Robert Taylor, Craig McAllister, Jim Smet, Olivier Bogaczyk, Angel Sanchez Armas, Sammy Koejoe, Marc Richards, Ulrich Vinzents, Ole Albrigtsen, Mario Lopez Soler, Simon Colisimo, Marcel Mahouve, Mattias Ostberg, Luke Prince, Ryan France, Paul Reid, John Miles, Jurgen Vandeurzen...
the fact that only the last two names on that list (JVD and, very briefly, John Miles) ever featured in the first team in the space of the last two years from all the above players we had on trial in the Avon Insuarance League 2001-03, gives an indication of how many people we must look at, taking a look never did any harm, and along with blooding Academy players it's what we maintain a reserve team for.
As a side issue, anybody else think we may have made a mistake not signing Marc Edworthy when we had him on trial over the summer, especially now he's the established right back in a side leading the First Division ???
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Post by gazzaowen on Feb 1, 2004 18:56:15 GMT
Listen, threre is method in my madness.
Brian is a great lad but he is still no where near as good as the first team regulars.
Personally, Halls would appear to be a more accomplished player on the right.
Even though Brian is right sided i think his best chance is on the left if he wants a regular place in the future.
I am still not sure if the lad will be with us after this season with Owen seeming a more natural choice.
The only reason he was recalled was because Gareth and Karl were contracted to there clubs for the first month.
I want Brian to suceed as much as anyone but in reality i am not sure he will get that chance
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Post by BigDick on Feb 1, 2004 18:59:13 GMT
Gareth, you made most of those names up didn't you ;D ???
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2004 19:09:40 GMT
well, Andy Griffin was naturally right footed, but found his way into the first team as a left back (largely down to Nigel Worthington's dodgy form, John Dreyer being used to cover central defence at the time, + Worthington also still being called into the Northern Ireland squad  ) If we're judging it on that basis then Wilson, in the reserves, looks as good as anything Griffin was at the time, although whether he could step up like Griff did remains to be seen. With the current left back position I don't think Clive Clarke is putting a foot wrong at the moment, and (it's all about opinions) I think Marcus Hall is as steady (if unspectacular) a player as we've ever had down Stoke in a very long time. When Hall returns from suspension personally I can't see TP dropping either him or Clarke to try Wilson out at left back. Even so, like yourself I'd be very dissapointed if Wilson and Owen don't get a chance at Stoke eventually, the club have groomed them both well in the reserves in recent seasons and it'd be nice for them to make it and establish themselves as first teamers with the club in the future. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2004 19:12:16 GMT
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Post by Lakeland Potter on Feb 1, 2004 19:55:13 GMT
I'd like to see Wilson get a run at right back, if only because I am sure Halls could do a decent job alongside Eustace if given the chance - perhaps much better than decent!
If Wilson has to be played out of position to get a game then right wing would be a better choice than left back. Like Clarke and Commons before him (at left back) he is a decent attacker with more pace than Clarke and can cross a good ball.
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Post by franscfc on Feb 1, 2004 21:25:51 GMT
Didn't Cutler actually join us as a trialist aswell before he signed? He had his trial during the pre-season games and then Gudjon signed him a few weeks after?  |
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Post by Admin on Feb 2, 2004 8:11:02 GMT
Fran,
I think we actually signed Cutler on a free transfer. I wouldn't bet my life on it but I can't remember him being on trial first!?
Smudge
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Post by franscfc on Feb 2, 2004 17:23:19 GMT
Fair enough Smudge, I just thought he played well as a trialist in a pre-season friendly which led to us signing him.
Maybe I'm thinking of JVD?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2004 17:38:22 GMT
yep, fair point there Fran, Cutler did have two friendly games before signing officially before the Austrian tour (wins against Newcastle Town and Macclesfield) He played his first game for Stoke against Newcastle Town (below) it was also JVD's debut that afternoon too, as a trialist + the first time many fans got a look at what Kris Commons was capable of when he played left back in the second half. Shame Matty Bullock never made it though as he looked back to his best, before vanishing again at the start of the season  stokecity.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=944&p=2&stid=8147196 |
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Ejay
Academy Starlet
Posts: 158
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Post by Ejay on Feb 2, 2004 17:43:59 GMT
GazzaOwen = Gareth Owen ???
You trying to get yourself in the squad by getting the fans to rally around???!!!
Your a cracking player (if it is you) and Im sure that your chance will come!!!
We need at establish ourselves in the league before we start to put pressure on the younger kids, I do think that it could make or break them but we aint had a huge amount of luck with that tactic in the past!!!
Ejay
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Post by Pricey on Feb 2, 2004 17:53:13 GMT
Well he says he thinks Marcus Hall is completely incapable so I doubt it ejay!
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