[dim view]

60s 70s Spireite, on 09 March 2025 - 10:20 AM, said:

Good to see Naylor (and Webb?) revive the McGuigan routine this season- of a flick on of a corner at the near post. Puts the keeper in no mans land and drops invitingly for attackers at the far post. Plus of course he has scored from there also.
Naylor, to my mind, had his best game this season.

We also witnessed the rare sight of Banks taking up position on the right flank as a target for Boot's kicks, and on several occasions successfully heading the ball on to Pepple. This is a World First in tactics and perseverance.

I might be premature but I think Oldaker and Banks earned new contracts yesterday. Banks playing that free role, without too many defensive duties, is a powerful weapon.

[Osborne again]

I agree with a lot of posts on here regarding the understanding between the players yesterday. It's not easy for players to become part of team that's continually changing. Yesterday, we had players who understood what the player besides him was going to do. Some of those intricate triangles were back, and they were played at pace. I couldn't pick a man of the match, because there were too many standout performances. What does it all mean for those out of contact in the summer, who knows, but it was the best we've played for a few weeks. The whole team could have taken the honour of man of the match, which isn't something we can say many times a season. We're Newport that bad, I don't think they were, in fact I'd say they were on a par with most of the teams we've played this season. We played well, and made them look poor.

[Sammy Spireite]

dim view, on 09 March 2025 - 01:51 PM, said:

We also witnessed the rare sight of Banks taking up position on the right flank as a target for Boot's kicks, and on several occasions successfully heading the ball on to Pepple. This is a World First in tactics and perseverance.

I might be premature but I think Oldaker and Banks earned new contracts yesterday. Banks playing that free role, without too many defensive duties, is a powerful weapon.

That?s a bold statement

I think we?re all aware of both their capabilities but producing them regularly has been the issue recently (admittedly Banks has been limited to cameos since his moment of madness was caught on camera). Keep putting in performances (or at least showing the effort to) like that and both may get offers but surely you wouldn?t commit based on one game?

[azul]

Sammy Spireite, on 09 March 2025 - 04:28 PM, said:

That?s a bold statement

I think we?re all aware of both their capabilities but producing them regularly has been the issue recently (admittedly Banks has been limited to cameos since his moment of madness was caught on camera). Keep putting in performances (or at least showing the effort to) like that and both may get offers but surely you wouldn?t commit based on one game?

I think they will get contracts along with at least a couple of other OOC players from the NL days.

This post has been edited by azul: 09 March 2025 - 04:40 PM

[oldgoat]

Westbars Spireite, on 09 March 2025 - 10:55 AM, said:

Also, who was the odd looking chap who walked round to attend to Sparkes after he went into the pitch side hoardings? I thought I was going to turn into stone if I'd accidentally made eye contact with him.

He was a steward

[Westbars Spireite]

oldgoat, on 09 March 2025 - 04:36 PM, said:

He was a steward

He wasn't.

[dim view]

Sammy Spireite, on 09 March 2025 - 04:28 PM, said:

That?s a bold statement

I think we?re all aware of both their capabilities but producing them regularly has been the issue recently (admittedly Banks has been limited to cameos since his moment of madness was caught on camera). Keep putting in performances (or at least showing the effort to) like that and both may get offers but surely you wouldn?t commit based on one game?

Based on dozens of games before yesterday.
Both very good squad players for the future. Oldaker with potential and Banks with experience, neither breaking the bank.

Banks has served his sentence, and it's severity was justified 'cos I think he contributed hugely to our loss of momentum at a crucial time and pizzed off Cooky big time. No point cutting off our noses to spite our face though.

It's wor I'd do and, as I said, I might be premature.

[dart in the crossbar]

dim view, on 09 March 2025 - 08:03 PM, said:

Based on dozens of games before yesterday.
Both very good squad players for the future. Oldaker with potential and Banks with experience, neither breaking the bank.

Banks has served his sentence, and it's severity was justified 'cos I think he contributed hugely to our loss of momentum at a crucial time and pizzed off Cooky big time. No point cutting off our noses to spite our face though.

It's wor I'd do and, as I said, I might be premature.

How I see it is that Banks and Oldaker played their part in getting us back into the football league. Let's not forget that they weren't 'first names on the team sheet' in the Conference though.

This year Oldaker improved for a period before Christmas and got a fair bit of time on the pitch. He's scored some good freekicks. He then reverted to his old habits of giving easy return balls back to our back four without trying to turn. It slowed us down and put our CHs under pressure at times. As a CM player his tackling, covering, positional sense and reading of the game tends to be weak. When it goes well for him he can play decent passes forward but his tendency to be negative on the ball and not do the hard stuff when he hasn't got it outweigh the positives. I'd be disappointed if we don't replace him with a better CM for next season. Whilst his age and injury record obviously goes against him, Mike Jones - or more probably 'a' Mike Jones offers far more than Oldaker in CM. I don't doubt that Oldaker will get games in non league or maybe a yo-yo league 2 side.

Banks is a better technical player than Oldaker. On the ball Banks can create good chances. He's less negative on the ball than Oldaker. His long passing can come off or end up in the crowd. However, he's even less likely to do the hard stuff in CM or on the pitch generally than Oldaker. Banks is a big lad and yet he seems to win next to nothing in the air. Unless he seems set on dishing out some perceived retribution he doesn't seem to want to compete for the ball much. His shooting is fairly moderate and his reluctance to use his left foot is poor. Sad to say, it's not always clear that Banks is putting in anything like 100% on the pitch. I'd warrant that he knows what he could be doing but for some reason doesn't do it. As with Oldaker I'd be disappointed if we don't replace him with a better CM / 10 for next season.

Finally on Banks. If he put right the various things that aren't right he'd probably be playing in a higher division than ours. At 32 years of age it's hard not to think that he's in danger of missing out on achieving his potential.

Harsh I know, but that's how I see it with Oldaker and Banks

[danblue]

dart in the crossbar, on 09 March 2025 - 08:55 PM, said:

How I see it is that Banks and Oldaker played their part in getting us back into the football league. Let's not forget that they weren't 'first names on the team sheet' in the Conference though.

This year Oldaker improved for a period before Christmas and got a fair bit of time on the pitch. He's scored some good freekicks. He then reverted to his old habits of giving easy return balls back to our back four without trying to turn. It slowed us down and put our CHs under pressure at times. As a CM player his tackling, covering, positional sense and reading of the game tends to be weak. When it goes well for him he can play decent passes forward but his tendency to be negative on the ball and not do the hard stuff when he hasn't got it outweigh the positives. I'd be disappointed if we don't replace him with a better CM for next season. Whilst his age and injury record obviously goes against him, Mike Jones - or more probably 'a' Mike Jones offers far more than Oldaker in CM. I don't doubt that Oldaker will get games in non league or maybe a yo-yo league 2 side.

Banks is a better technical player than Oldaker. On the ball Banks can create good chances. He's less negative on the ball than Oldaker. His long passing can come off or end up in the crowd. However, he's even less likely to do the hard stuff in CM or on the pitch generally than Oldaker. Banks is a big lad and yet he seems to win next to nothing in the air. Unless he seems set on dishing out some perceived retribution he doesn't seem to want to compete for the ball much. His shooting is fairly moderate and his reluctance to use his left foot is poor. Sad to say, it's not always clear that Banks is putting in anything like 100% on the pitch. I'd warrant that he knows what he could be doing but for some reason doesn't do it. As with Oldaker I'd be disappointed if we don't replace him with a better CM / 10 for next season.

Finally on Banks. If he put right the various things that aren't right he'd probably be playing in a higher division than ours. At 32 years of age it's hard not to think that he's in danger of missing out on achieving his potential.

Harsh I know, but that's how I see it with Oldaker and Banks

Re Banks' non existent left foot - OMG!
His absolute refusal to use the left leg is astonishing at times.
When the season ends he'll only have to replace his right boot as the amount of outside of the foot passes would have worn it down to the sock!

[jack bauer]

danblue, on 09 March 2025 - 09:41 PM, said:

Re Banks' non existent left foot - OMG!
His absolute refusal to use the left leg is astonishing at times.
When the season ends he'll only have to replace his right boot as the amount of outside of the foot passes would have worn it down to the sock!

he's not on his own though, it amazes me how few professional footballers refuse to use their weaker foot, even players at the very top level, you would think it is something they would want to work on day to day to get that confidence in the other foot... anyway, i would certainly keep banks for another season, he is a a useful player when employed in the final third, don't rate him playing further back but as part of the front 4 he's ok, maybe not a regular anymore but useful, as for oldaker, 2 and 3/4 seasons later jury still out.

[Bonnyman]

dim view, on 09 March 2025 - 01:51 PM, said:

We also witnessed the rare sight of Banks taking up position on the right flank as a target for Boot's kicks, and on several occasions successfully heading the ball on to Pepple. This is a World First in tactics and perseverance.

I might be premature but I think Oldaker and Banks earned new contracts yesterday. Banks playing that free role, without too many defensive duties, is a powerful weapon.

Banks has a lot of quality I like him and have always said he is a lower league Glen Hoddle, whether I?d give him a contract is debatable but he is a player who can have 3 or 4 mom performances on the bounce from a free role

[dim view]

Bonnyman, on 10 March 2025 - 06:06 AM, said:

Banks has a lot of quality I like him and have always said he is a lower league Glen Hoddle, whether I?d give him a contract is debatable but he is a player who can have 3 or 4 mom performances on the bounce from a free role

If we have a stronger, younger, squad next year Banks will provide top competition and would hopefully be right at the top end of the age graph. Oldaker, who can't be on big money at the moment, would be a squad player till he hits consistency targets. That left foot cross to Pepple has me drooling. Undefendable.

[60s 70s Spireite]

dim view, on 10 March 2025 - 07:01 AM, said:

If we have a stronger, younger, squad next year Banks will provide top competition and would hopefully be right at the top end of the age graph. Oldaker, who can't be on big money at the moment, would be a squad player till he hits consistency targets. That left foot cross to Pepple has me drooling. Undefendable.

It was a great cross- although I am not sure who we have on our books forward of out and out defenders who are capable of directing a header from such a range on target.
Best I can offer is Madden, Colclough and Naylor.

[dim view]

60s 70s Spireite, on 10 March 2025 - 07:18 AM, said:

It was a great cross- although I am not sure who we have on our books forward of out and out defenders who are capable of directing a header from such a range on target.
Best I can offer is Madden, Colclough and Naylor.

Quigley, Tshimanga, Assante....the list is long. I blame refusal to practice. Jack wouldn't have fluffed it and Grigg would have shown willing. It might have been saved, but it would have been on target.

[hilly81]

dim view, on 10 March 2025 - 07:26 AM, said:

Quigley, Tshimanga, Assante....the list is long. I blame refusal to practice. Jack wouldn't have fluffed it and Grigg would have shown willing. It might have been saved, but it would have been on target.

They are not on our books.

[Chesterfield247]

I'd definitely keep both. It's going to take a couple of seasons of building in this league and we don't want to just get rid of everyone at once. I think they are good players to have around with a view to improving on them and having them as back up/provide competition or options. At least for another season while that process takes place I'd be inclined to retain them.

[Burgerman]

dim view, on 09 March 2025 - 01:51 PM, said:

We also witnessed the rare sight of Banks taking up position on the right flank as a target for Boot's kicks, and on several occasions successfully heading the ball on to Pepple. This is a World First in tactics and perseverance.

I might be premature but I think Oldaker and Banks earned new contracts yesterday. Banks playing that free role, without too many defensive duties, is a powerful weapon.

I really like Banks and would love him to get a contract for next season. His vision for a pass is just about the best I have seen from any League 2 player this season, he's chipping in with a few goals and is happy to get stuck in. The jury is still out for me regarding Oldaker due to his inconsistency. He either has a cracking game or a terrible one.

[Goku]

What some of our fans will want: almost every player out of contract released

What will happen: there will be a clear out of sorts, but not to the extent desired. If you shift almost an entire squad out you risk significant dysfunction and team chemistry issues. I strongly suspect several players who a significant portion of our fan base would like to see leave will be offered a deal. Personally, I'd keep both Banks and Oldaker as long as the financial side of things is right for our club. People complain about Oldaker way too much imo, he's a deep-lying playmaker whose job is to retain possession and play between the lines when the opportunity presents itself. He does this to a decent standard for this league. He isn't a physical beast who can burst from midfield so expecting this from him as some do is nonsensical, he is usually deployed as part of a midfield 2 where his partner is expected to do the shuttle box-to-box runs (Naylor). He's had some stinkers this season and he's had some blinders, he is a perfectly acceptable squad player for League 2. Teams focus on him and cut him off as a passing option when our centre halves have the ball which contributes to nullifying us. Yes, we'd often like him to move the ball forward more quickly but there's a reason he's at this level. Technically he is fantastic, as is Banks. As long as they're not breaking the bank, I'd be happy to see them both get another year.

This post has been edited by Goku: 10 March 2025 - 09:08 AM

[Bonnyman]

dim view, on 10 March 2025 - 07:01 AM, said:

If we have a stronger, younger, squad next year Banks will provide top competition and would hopefully be right at the top end of the age graph. Oldaker, who can't be on big money at the moment, would be a squad player till he hits consistency targets. That left foot cross to Pepple has me drooling. Undefendable.

Banks defending for their first showed his weaker side

[JonB]

Banks playing in that more advanced role as he did on Saturday is a very useful option especially with the added height he brings, as mentioned a few times on Saturday he was targetted Boot kicks and he won them comfortably. If we build a squad that sees him as an option to play further forward then he's worth keeping on.