[Zigsuk]

We need to build a side around these two next season and hope neither gets injured. Be nice if we could add Metcalfe and Sparkes and even Markanday too but wouldn’t bank on any of them. As for the rest, particularly the over thirty brigade I don’t know. Grigg, Naylor and Banks might do a job (the latter more as a squad player), but we need more youth and energy.
And the defence still desperately needs sorting out.

[JonB]

Zigsuk, on 22 April 2025 - 09:45 AM, said:

We need to build a side around these two next season and hope neither gets injured. Be nice if we could add Metcalfe and Sparkes and even Markanday too but wouldn’t bank on any of them. As for the rest, particularly the over thirty brigade I don’t know. Grigg, Naylor and Banks might do a job (the latter more as a squad player), but we need more youth and energy.
And the defence still desperately needs sorting out.

Cant do that and Cook wont do that. If this season has shown anything its that injuries can really mess your season up so building a whole plan around two players and hope they can play all 46 games is a non starter.

[Spireite93]

While the results didn't necessarily show it, we looked very good when we switched to the 4-1-4-1 with those 2 playing the box to box roles in the middle of the 4, both protect the ball so well and have the engine to get up and down

They even made Oldaker look like he knew what he was doing playing the deeper role behind them

[Valley Blues]

Zigsuk, on 22 April 2025 - 09:45 AM, said:

We need to build a side around these two next season and hope neither gets injured. Be nice if we could add Metcalfe and Sparkes and even Markanday too but wouldn’t bank on any of them. As for the rest, particularly the over thirty brigade I don’t know. Grigg, Naylor and Banks might do a job (the latter more as a squad player), but we need more youth and energy.
And the defence still desperately needs sorting out.

Grigg might do a job? Yesterday I thought he was excellent under very difficult circumstances for most part.

I think we’ve all seen how important he is from the time he was missing.

[dim view]

JonB, on 22 April 2025 - 09:53 AM, said:

Cant do that and Cook wont do that. If this season has shown anything its that injuries can really mess your season up so building a whole plan around two players and hope they can play all 46 games is a non starter.

If Mandy's display was not noted by Bradfud's management yesterday then they know nowt. I wouldn't bet against a bid coming in when they get promoted.

[Zigsuk]

dim view, on 22 April 2025 - 10:38 AM, said:

If Mandy's display was not noted by Bradfud's management yesterday then they know nowt. I wouldn't bet against a bid coming in when they get promoted.

Hope not. However we all have been concentrating on the prospect of Dobra leaving forgetting that Mandy who had a relatively slow in and out start to the season is a also prize asset.

dim view, on 22 April 2025 - 10:38 AM, said:

If Mandy's display was not noted by Bradfud's management yesterday then they know nowt. I wouldn't bet against a bid coming in when they get promoted.

Hope not. However we all have been concentrating on the prospect of Dobra leaving forgetting that Mandy who had a relatively slow in and out start to the season is also a prize asset.

[Zigsuk]

Valley Blues, on 22 April 2025 - 10:24 AM, said:

Grigg might do a job? Yesterday I thought he was excellent under very difficult circumstances for most part.

I think we’ve all seen how important he is from the time he was missing.

I don’t deny Grigg is an excellent player, but he will be a year older and has also had two lengthy injuries for us. If he gets the service and stays fit he will do a job - he took his goal brilliantly yesterday - but we MUST have several other options.
As for Naylor I thought maybe his time had gone but in the second half yesterday he showed he can still do it. Hope it lasts.

[LondonBlue]

Zigsuk, on 22 April 2025 - 10:52 AM, said:

I don’t deny Grigg is an excellent player, but he will be a year older and has also had two lengthy injuries for us. If he gets the service and stays fit he will do a job - he took his goal brilliantly yesterday - but we MUST have several other options.
As for Naylor I thought maybe his time had gone but in the second half yesterday he showed he can still do it. Hope it lasts.

Grigg is as good as it gets as a number 9 at this level.

25 goals in 38 appearances last year, 10 goals in 28 this year - with a lengthy spell sidelined. We do need one other of a similar calibre next year so we can rotate, but I’d still have Grigg as clear first choice.

[s42blue]

dim view, on 22 April 2025 - 10:38 AM, said:

If Mandy's display was not noted by Bradfud's management yesterday then they know nowt. I wouldn't bet against a bid coming in when they get promoted.

Listen to Mandy on 1866 and he loves it here. Wants to go higher on the appearance board!

[Hoare (400)]

Zigsuk, on 22 April 2025 - 09:45 AM, said:

We need to build a side around these two next season and hope neither gets injured. Be nice if we could add Metcalfe and Sparkes and even Markanday too but wouldn’t bank on any of them. As for the rest, particularly the over thirty brigade I don’t know. Grigg, Naylor and Banks might do a job (the latter more as a squad player), but we need more youth and energy.
And the defence still desperately needs sorting out.

And try and sign Markanday, keeping Fleck as a back up.



Hoare (400)

[Wooden Spoon]

Zigsuk, on 22 April 2025 - 09:45 AM, said:

We need to build a side around these two next season and hope neither gets injured. Be nice if we could add Metcalfe and Sparkes and even Markanday too but wouldn’t bank on any of them. As for the rest, particularly the over thirty brigade I don’t know. Grigg, Naylor and Banks might do a job (the latter more as a squad player), but we need more youth and energy.
And the defence still desperately needs sorting out.

Griggs quality at this level is there for everyone to see. His goal this weekend showed that.

[60s 70s Spireite]

Hoare (400), on 22 April 2025 - 08:15 PM, said:

And try and sign Markanday, keeping Fleck as a back up.

Hoare (400)

I would think the chance of signing the Championship player Markanday, currently having an important role at a club sitting 6th in League One, in his home town, are the square root of zero.

[jack bauer]

both mandy and dobs have made the step up very well this season, i think it's fair to say that it took mandy a little while to get going, partly due to starting the season with a niggle and partly due to not getting into his regular position early on but 2nd half of the season he has been excellent, i think dobs just pipps him this season for POTY (my opinion only) but great to have both these lads representing our club, a joy to watch and long may it continue

[Blue5]

jack bauer, on 22 April 2025 - 09:10 PM, said:

both mandy and dobs have made the step up very well this season, i think it's fair to say that it took mandy a little while to get going, partly due to starting the season with a niggle and partly due to not getting into his regular position early on but 2nd half of the season he has been excellent, i think dobs just pipps him this season for POTY (my opinion only) but great to have both these lads representing our club, a joy to watch and long may it continue

Dobs for me too (just voted prior to tonight's deadline).

[Doughnut]

Zigsuk, on 22 April 2025 - 09:45 AM, said:

We need to build a side around these two next season and hope neither gets injured. Be nice if we could add Metcalfe and Sparkes and even Markanday too but wouldn’t bank on any of them. As for the rest, particularly the over thirty brigade I don’t know. Grigg, Naylor and Banks might do a job (the latter more as a squad player), but we need more youth and energy.
And the defence still desperately needs sorting out.

I agree with Jon B in that it is risky because if anything happens to these talisman players, you could well be screwed.

Regardless, Cook doesn't work like this. He has a style of play, a preferred formation that he sticks with whenever he can, and he signs the players that fit his system. Dobra fits Cook's system. Mandy is versatile but importantly fits in with Cook's style. There may be minor adjustments to tactics to bring out the best of individual players but I don't envisage changes from possession-based football and a 4-2-3-1 just because it would benefit and individual player (or two).

[Westbars Spireite]

60s 70s Spireite, on 22 April 2025 - 09:01 PM, said:

I would think the chance of signing the Championship player Markanday, currently having an important role at a club sitting 6th in League One, in his home town, are the square root of zero.

If Leyton Orient don't want him, he'll have plenty of other L1 suitors next season.

[Waller is my hero]

The transformation in Mandeville since Cook took over is incredible…at that point, many wouldn’t have batted an eye lid if he was off loaded…too inconsistent, lazy…
Credit to Cook & the coaching staff, that Mandeville has turned into a very consistent 7/10 player who is versatile in a few positions and become a ‘game changer’ player…fast becoming a club legend

[JonB]

Waller is my hero, on 23 April 2025 - 06:21 AM, said:

The transformation in Mandeville since Cook took over is incredible…at that point, many wouldn’t have batted an eye lid if he was off loaded…too inconsistent, lazy…
Credit to Cook & the coaching staff, that Mandeville has turned into a very consistent 7/10 player who is versatile in a few positions and become a ‘game changer’ player…fast becoming a club legend

As much as he's improved technically his fitness has improved massively allowing him to be influential for 90mins in a variety of positions.

[60s 70s Spireite]

A reminder that Liam was always touted as a potential lower league star from his early days.
He lost his way at Donnie when Grant MacCann took the reins, and luckily for us Sheridan signed him.
https://www.bbc.co.u...otball/38307096

But yes, Cook has looked after him, brought him on in leaps and bounds. A lot of our players could learn from him the way he lets the ball do the work, running with its direction, blocking off challenges, rather than having to stop, control and, invariably, pass backwards.

[Goku]

I had doubts over whether Mandeville could perform consistently in the EFL and he didn’t have a great start to the season but his second half of the season has been very impressive, can’t fault him.