shaun cooper- Signed

[CP Gull]

Excellent signing, if it goes through. Like I said at the time, Cooper is a quality signing for a League 2 side and is a particularly useful addition to a small squad because of his ability to play in a number of positions across defence and midfield. Of course, the way things have turned out, we have actually assembled quite a large squad, but with the addition of Cooper you feel that we now have more than enough cover in all positions, with the obvious exception of up front and I am sure that that will be addressed in time.

I cannot begin to imagine what Alan Knill's reaction might be to this news though as it was obvious that he was very keen to sign Cooper back in the summer but the money wasn't available then .... quite where it has come from now I don't know but I guess the real threat of losing our League status might just have something to do with it!

As for those saying we don't need a defender and that everything is fine in that department, I would simply point to the fact that we have conceded 40 GOALS in 25 GAMES so far this season, the WORST record in the division, so quite why people think we don't need strengthening there I really don't know as it is surely obvious that we have a problem!

[hector]

Excellent signing, if it goes through. Like I said at the time, Cooper is a quality signing for a League 2 side and is a particularly useful addition to a small squad because of his ability to play in a number of positions across defence and midfield. Of course, the way things have turned out, we have actually assembled quite a large squad, but with the addition of Cooper you feel that we now have more than enough cover in all positions, with the obvious exception of up front and I am sure that that will be addressed in time.

I cannot begin to imagine what Alan Knill's reaction might be to this news though as it was obvious that he was very keen to sign Cooper back in the summer but the money wasn't available then .... quite where it has come from now I don't know but I guess the real threat of losing our League status might just have something to do with it!

As for those saying we don't need a defender and that everything is fine in that department, I would simply point to the fact that we have conceded 40 GOALS in 25 GAMES so far this season, the WORST record in the division, so quite why people think we don't need strengthening there I really don't know as it is surely obvious that we have a problem!

[ferrarilover]

I think our goals against record this season is deceiving. We allow our opponents precious few chances at our goal, yet we score with startlingly few of the many chances we create. The Morecambe game was typical, we had 20 chances and scored one goal. Morecambe had one chance and scored one goal. Exeter did the same, scored with every chance they had. Oxford the same earlier in the year. Wycombe similar and Newport and Plymouth at home. Rochdale away didn't look like scoring, yet took the one chance they had. Seems to be a recurring theme. I reckon we have the worst chances:goals ratio (dreadful strikers) and also the worst opposition chances:goals ratio (not necessarily dreadful defenders).

I'm happy we've got Cooper, but the strikers to come will have much more of a bearing on the remainder of our season.

Matt.

[hector]

I think our goals against record this season is deceiving. We allow our opponents precious few chances at our goal, yet we score with startlingly few of the many chances we create. The Morecambe game was typical, we had 20 chances and scored one goal. Morecambe had one chance and scored one goal. Exeter did the same, scored with every chance they had. Oxford the same earlier in the year. Wycombe similar and Newport and Plymouth at home. Rochdale away didn't look like scoring, yet took the one chance they had. Seems to be a recurring theme. I reckon we have the worst chances:goals ratio (dreadful strikers) and also the worst opposition chances:goals ratio (not necessarily dreadful defenders).

I'm happy we've got Cooper, but the strikers to come will have much more of a bearing on the remainder of our season.

Matt.

I guess you have given up though because all autumn and early winter you were saying if we sacked Knill that would confirm relegation. No point signing anyone really. BUT he who knows best!

[CP Gull]

I think our goals against record this season is deceiving. We allow our opponents precious few chances at our goal, yet we score with startlingly few of the many chances we create. The Morecambe game was typical, we had 20 chances and scored one goal. Morecambe had one chance and scored one goal. Exeter did the same, scored with every chance they had. Oxford the same earlier in the year. Wycombe similar and Newport and Plymouth at home. Rochdale away didn't look like scoring, yet took the one chance they had. Seems to be a recurring theme. I reckon we have the worst chances:goals ratio (dreadful strikers) and also the worst opposition chances:goals ratio (not necessarily dreadful defenders).

I'm happy we've got Cooper, but the strikers to come will have much more of a bearing on the remainder of our season.

Matt.

Those "stats" say a lot more about our lack of quality, throughout the team I might add, at scoring goals. How often, this season, have we scored a goal from a long range effort, or a piece of individual brilliance? Most of the goals we score are "scruffy" ones in my opinion, whether that be a Downes or McCallum header, a penalty an own goal or a tap in. Fair enough, young Chapell has scored a few decent ones as did Marquis, but considering we have played 25 games already if we were to hold a goal of the season competition now .... it would be pretty embarrassing picking a top ten!

The ability of the opposition to score from limited chances is not, in my opinion, just bad luck on our part, we should be better defensively, but it also highlights that our forwards (the whole team in fact) should be converting a lot more of the opportunities presented to themselves than they have been. In all honesty, a starting point would be having the confidence to shoot in the first place ... far too many of our players are too "scared" to even have a go, with young Billy our worst culprit, although in fairness to him he did at least have a couple of attempts on Saturday which was more encouraging. Never mind the fact that he missed, when he (and Benyon come to that) probably should have scored, at least he had a go .... a lot more of that is needed between now and the end of the season!

[brucie]

Quite a suprising signing - FL is right about post about Nico/Cruise etc. Nico did well on Saturday - but he really isn't the answer for a team chasing points.
One would only presume that he will play left back - if he is any good (and I havn't seen him) then we would have a decent looking back four.
Its surely obvious to most people that left back has been a problem position this year.
if on the other hand he is going to play somewhere else I havn't a clue where he fits in (unless O'Connor is leaving) which would be a disaster.

[TeenageGull]

The amount of time this season when a winger attacked Nicho, it was almost certain he would get past him and this should not be the case. Even against a useless morecambe side I was worried when redshaw would attack Nicho. A player more reliable is certainlty is what is needed and that man is not cruise

[nickbrod]

For a new manager coming in surely it's glaringly obvious the team has two major problems: 1. a minus goal difference of -15 and 2. lack of goals scored. Hence the need to strengthen the defence with a decent signing (Cooper?) and a forward who knows how to shoot.

[Gullscorer]

Already Chris Hargreaves has proved he's doing a fine job as manager, and already there are so-called supporters engaging in criticism, doubting Thomas's having a whinge and attempting to demonstrate that their own lack of managerial skills is far superior to that of any manager the club may appoint..

[jonnyfive]

Already Chris Hargreaves has proved he's doing a fine job as manager, and already there are so-called supporters engaging in criticism, doubting Thomas's having a whinge and attempting to demonstrate that their own lack of managerial skills is far superior to that of any manager the club may appoint..

But the forum is for discussion. It's fair enough for people to suggest that, in their view, another position is a priority. I haven't seen any posts to say that Cooper is a bad player, or that Hargreaves has yet put a foot wrong.

After all, a team in 91st position is bound to have more than one weak link!

[Rjc70]

Hope it's til the end of season. Good signing. Captain material. Start shipping out the serial poor performers troughing a decent wage. Loan 'em out or flog 'em off.

Good move. Intent signalled.

Very pleased about Stockley as well.

[Fonda]

If he's coming in to play left-back, I'll be delighted.

[yellowforever]

I'm very much on the side of the fence that believes the attack is in greater need of strengthening that defence.

I don't think our defence is that bad, an unbalanced team hasn't helped them at all, particularly the lack of defensive support in the wider areas. I've noticed that most of our goals are conceded from undealt with crosses, a lot of which shouldn't have been allowed into the box at all. With O'Connor we have a right sided full back with better defensive capabilities than Tonge, but on the left we still have a problem. Nicholson may have played well last game, but that's the first time he's done it this season. If Knill going turns around his season then fine, but right now all we have is 1 games worth of evidence. Hopefully a change in shape and organisation with Hargreaves helps addressing the defensive woes, and since turning to having 3 midfielders we have looked far more solid (bar Exeter perhaps). Pearce, O'Connor, Downes + one other looks good enough for the defence.

Attack wise however, we are atrocious. Our top scorer is a winger, and he scored half of those in one game at the start of the season. The two strikers that have played well this season are loanees, McCallum and Marquis, and neither are still with the club. Yeoman/Sullivan/Benyon have perhaps not been given the chances in the team they deserve, and Hawley just hasn't looked like a finisher, nor has he been given decent service. There are players at the club with raw attacking ability that must be given consistent attacking roles - Chapell and Bodin are players that aren't far off from being very good at this level and possibly above. We don't however have a player of that ability up front, Stockley or Benyon may prove to be but right now no one really has a clue as they haven't been given the necessary time. Depending on the shape of the team, we need a striker, preferably bloody good like Marquis, one that both Stockley/Benyon/Hawley/Yeoman can work with, and also someone who can play behind him. If I was Greavsie I'd be asking my old club Bournemouth if we could borrow Donal McDermott, even just for a month. I've seen him once of twice (perhaps even against us?) where he looked very good, and I think he has only featured 3 times this season. He's at the tentative age of 24 where he needs to start playing regularly or he's going to go downhill in his career, and a short term move to us could benefit us both, providing he has the motivation to come down here and hit the ground running. I know he's been on loan at this level before and done very well.

[yellowforever]

So yeah to bring it back to SC, if he's joining to play at left back then that is a great signing based on pre-season levels of performance. If it's as a versatile player across the back and the centre of midfield, then I hope it's not at the expense of 2 good forward players; hopefully an attacking midfielder and a striker.

[Rjc70]

Quite a suprising signing - FL is right about post about Nico/Cruise etc. Nico did well on Saturday - but he really isn't the answer for a team chasing points.
One would only presume that he will play left back - if he is any good (and I havn't seen him) then we would have a decent looking back four.
Its surely obvious to most people that left back has been a problem position this year.
if on the other hand he is going to play somewhere else I havn't a clue where he fits in (unless O'Connor is leaving) which would be a disaster.

O'Connor is now on a season-long loan, brucie.