Luton Outlaws - The Avenue of Evil

Squad List

Posted by HeathHatter on 2/8/2024, 14:20:47

Am I right in thinking that the Squad List can be changed during the January transfer window? If so, I will be very surprised if many of our injured players are included in our squad for the start of the season. I appreciate the fact that the club is playing its cards very close to its chest with regard to injuries, but as things stand there doesn't seem to be much chance of Bell, Andersen, Burke, Nakamba or Brown being match-ready any time soon. On the face of it, it would be madness to include players in the squad who are unlikely to feature for months.

Re: Squad List

Posted by Earls on 2/8/2024, 14:37:30, in reply to "Squad List"

You’re correct that the squad can be changed in January, but not before.
None of us know how long the six injured - Bell, Andersen, Hashioka, Burke, Nakamba and Brown - will be out for. I’d be surprised if, on the law of averages, one of them is too injured to feature before January. A Townsend-style short-term deal would make sense if so.
Equally, I’d be surprised if most of them aren’t back by, say, October. Each of those players, when fit, will be a big boost.
I do hope we don’t end up misjudging the length of absence and “wasting” a squad place.
And it does tbh make the need for new signings more urgent: saying “Ah, but there’s another month before the window closes, actually” is a poor argument when six players are injured before we’ve kicked a ball.
But no, I doubt many will be out for half a season.

Re: Squad List

Posted by Real Cuba on 2/8/2024, 15:01:49, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

In Marv's case, he hasn't just been out for a few months, he hasn't played a game since early December.

Even for the fittest of athletes, that is a significant amount of time out and his injury could be career-ending for some.

Without a regular reserve team calendar of competitive matches, he will have to come back very carefully.

And for someone who is so good and so important to us, it means we absolutely need to have an adequate cover for a week on Monday.

Pelly and Clark are not adequate replacements in the Championship, and Baptiste must be handled with care because of his staccato career.

Re: Squad List

Posted by MG on 2/8/2024, 15:30:29, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

Pelly and Clark were good enough season before last and now have spent time training/playing alongside players like RB and Sambi.

Neither are exactly quite "over the hill" so not so sure why you are writing them off like this.

Re: Squad List

Posted by Real Cuba on 2/8/2024, 15:42:53, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

22/23

Clark started 32 league games
Campbell 30
Pelly 18

So by the argument you and Sangrounder keep using that means that Allan Campbell would still be good enough too.

Personally feel if we can't sign anyone as cover and Marv isn't fit I can't see why on earth Campbell isn't being given a chance.

The argument that Pelly is a better player for having played with Ross and Albert doesn't compute. I once played alongside Devon Malcolm but it didn't have much of an impact on my fast bowling career.

Re: Squad List

Posted by The Questioner on 2/8/2024, 19:20:05, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

You do get ( probably rightly so ) a lot of stick on here but your last sentence gives you a 24 hour free pass imo 😂😂….he was a beast.

Re: Squad List

Posted by Umm on 2/8/2024, 15:53:51, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

Does that actually make any sense to you?

Clark was out for a big chunk of the start of the season then came in and proved himself to be an excellent Premier League standard player.

Campbell has never been anywhere near a Premier League first team squad, let alone played in it and has struggled badly at Championship level both for Luton and Millwall. Great character and much loved but sadly not up to the top levels and anyone who has watched him and thinks he is quite frankly doesn't know their arse from their elbow

Re: Squad List

Posted by Lutonian on 2/8/2024, 16:06:15, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

Whilst I find it frustrating that Cuba can't grasp why Allan Campbell isn't right for our squad anymore - I think claiming that Clark proved himself to be an excellent Premier League standard player is stretching the truth quite a bit!

Definitely better equipped than Campbell though.

Re: Squad List

Posted by jimmyp on 2/8/2024, 16:12:38, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

The truth, for me, is somewhere between Umm and Clickbait. Around about where you are, in fact.

While he had a couple of 'mares to start, he quickly got the level for the majority of the time. He did still have at least one little moment per game but if he replicates his game from last season, this year, he'll absolutely smash opponents.

Cheers, Jim

Re: Squad List

Posted by Doctor Ince on 2/8/2024, 17:33:27, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

If we persist with 2 midfielders, which I think we'll be forced to abandon after 5 games, Pelly and Clark are not the two midfielders for that

Re: Squad List

Posted by Lutonian on 2/8/2024, 16:22:39, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

In the Championship he will be good - although once Marv is back and we make a couple of signings I don't think he will be first XI.

I think that last season, out of necessity, Edwards asked him to be very progressive through the middle with his passing, which I'm not sure is his greatest strength. It meant that against better opposition he did give the ball away quite a lot.

Re: Squad List

Posted by Clickbait on 2/8/2024, 16:04:24, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

I’m sorry but Clark proved the total opposite, was by far our worst player in the PL last year. Not been the same since his injury, I hope I’m proved wrong but he done nothing last year to change my mind.

Re: Squad List

Posted by Real Cuba on 2/8/2024, 16:01:10, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

The original point was around the respective strengths of the squad comparing 22/23 to 24/25.

The argument being that Clark and Pelly are as good if not better than they were at the start the 22/23 season.

Its nothing to do with last season.

Re: Squad List

Posted by jimmyp on 2/8/2024, 15:44:19, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

Nobody really needs you to be able to see why, though. Soz and all that.

Cheers, Jim

Re: Squad List

Posted by Real Cuba on 2/8/2024, 15:49:08, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

no counter then for a perfectly reasonable argument?

Re: Squad List

Posted by Lutonian on 2/8/2024, 16:02:05, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

Rob Edwards plays a more possession based style of football than Nathan Jones did in 22/23.

Allan Campbell is very good out of possession but not as good with the ball. This is why he started to get less game time than other midfielders and did not start at Wembley.

Whilst Edwards does not rate him, fans who remember him under Nathan, when he was effective, do. However, because Allan Campbell does not fit our current system, and Edwards isn't going to change it to accommodate Campbell, it is best for all if he moves on.

It would make more sense to bring in an Edward's style player on loan than to hang on to Campbell. We have a month to do. this.

Re: Squad List

Posted by Havana Laugh on 2/8/2024, 17:56:58, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

I bet Cuba was one of the loudest voices slating Campbell when he first signed

Re: Squad List

Posted by Real Cuba on 2/8/2024, 16:13:41, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

So in the meantime you don't cut your cloth accordingly and play Campbell where Marv would be?

Marv certainly isn't a progressive Ross Barkley type but would still be first choice in a holding role.

Better to pick up a few scrappy draws than lose the first 3 or 4 because attracting players then will be even harder.

We played that revised style due to the sheer quality Barkley gave us.

Re: Squad List

Posted by Nev the bear on 2/8/2024, 16:58:19, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

Campbell is to slow on the ball his decision making is poor.no one can any thing against him for effort.But when you are trying to ping the ball about he is the wrong bloke

Re: Squad List

Posted by TRA on 2/8/2024, 19:59:21, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

Pelly slower on the ball than anyone in the whole team
Nelson ahead of him now imo

Re: Squad List

Posted by Lutonian on 2/8/2024, 16:26:58, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

No, I'd much rather see a midfield of Pelly, Baptiste and Chong.

I'm fairly certain Edwards would too, which is why Campbell is leaving.

Re: Squad List

Posted by jimmyp on 2/8/2024, 15:52:21, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

Yes, the actual Manager sees why. You don't need to, your approval, or otherwise, is not required nor sought.

Cheers, Jim

Re: Squad List

Posted by jimmyp on 2/8/2024, 14:33:19, in reply to "Squad List"

It probably won't include players who almost certainly won't feature before January. It might include one or two calculated risks i.e. those who stand a good chance of playing for much of, say, December, November. It will probably include those who, as it stands, look like being fit before October.

Hope that helps.

Cheers, Jim

Re: Squad List

Posted by HeathHatter on 2/8/2024, 15:23:46, in reply to "Re: Squad List"

Yeah, I think that's probably about right. I do think that we need to be careful not to include too many "calculated risk" players though. If we were to pick up another 3 or 4 fresh injuries we could really be in trouble.

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