Bayley McCann

Been recalled from Peterborough Sports

 

Which we only know because of Peterborough Sports, as we are yet to confirm our own player has come back to us ourselves.

 

Is he a left back? If so Gent injury must be more than cramp.

 

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bayley-mccann/profil/spieler/718619

Left footed left back.

 

Poor Peterborough Sports, that's two players they've lost in the past few days.

 

Both did well there. We should look at sending another couple to them.

 

Only ever seen him in the youth system an handful of times and once this season at Sports, and so it’s hard to be certain about his ability etc. But he didn’t look miles off. Good left foot, obviously, like his old man.

People cry about the state of the bench and what not, the lack of depth. But this is the BFC I prefer. A strong XI (ideally) and three or four quality replacements, supplemented by two or three academy lads, in a matchday squad.

I’m sure the accounts will be published soon enough and maybe the losses will not be as big this time around. But it’ll still be millions. No idea what it costs the club to loan Gauci, Lembikisa, Rodrigues, Craig etc, but surely it’s cheaper and more beneficial to use our own youngsters?

People disagreed last time I said it, but I’d rather the club lived within its means and focused more on spending money that would engage supporters. Don’t forget, we are only a defeat tomorrow night away from another fan meltdown.

 

We are always one defeat away from a fans meltdown, sometimes even a draw or win

 

I would be recalling Shepherd

 

We can’t, he’s on a season loan within the efl. He’s at Bradford until the summer window.

The lads at Peterborough Sport were on youth loans in national league north - they can be loaned out and recalled outside the window. Different arrangement when dealing below the football league.

 

But yet another poor decision

 

These days sometimes there’s a meltdown after a win too.
I agree on the bench point if we are keeping the Academy we have to have a clear pathway into the first team.

 

Son of Terry?

 

As much as I'd have liked us to have brought in a left sided centre half in January, I disagree with you about Shepherd. By all accounts he was just about hitting top form at the start of January, and seems to have thrived in the last couple of months. I think bringing him back then would have stunted his development. He's now playing well, and well on track for a promotion, if not a league title. That will do him the world of good, and he'll come back here in the summer like a new signing. It was apparent last season that he wasn't quite ready for the level, unsurprising given the jump, so I think we've handled him well. I'm less convinced about Lopata, but I guess the proof will be in the pudding.

 

With five subs and a matchday squad of 18 you probably need 19-20 senior players if you want to be competitive.

For 5-3-2/3-4-1-2 this probably means 2 goalkeepers, 5 centrebacks, 5 central midfielders, 4 forwards, and 4 wingbacks. You could maybe cut this number by relying upon a youth goalkeeper as backup, or finding players who can cover multiple positions, but any injuries or suspensions would leave you pretty hard pressed. Beyond those 20 we should absolutely be looking at the academy.

Next year I'd be looking at something like

Smith, Flavell, (Ravenhill) - not sure if I have got those in the correct order of preference
Roberts, Earl, MDG, Lopata, Shepherd (James??)
Gent, Farrugia, TBC, TBC (Barrett/McCann)
Connell, Phillips, TBC, Nwakali, Yoganathan (Bland)
DKD, TBC, Watters, Jalo?? (Dyer)

If you think Shepherd and Lopata are an upgrade on Earl and MDG, or if you think we can sign better than Earl and MDG replace those.

 

Case in point Saturday.

We carried on our win streak, had four different scorers and gave a debut to an academy lad.

You come on here after the game and it was way more negative than positive.

 

But on the other hand who have we really had that was ready

 

You sometimes speak sense mate

 

Completely disagree. His performances last season were better than earl who we got rid of him to play.

Shepherd was merely yet another victim of our bonkers attitude towards players. Young and coming upwards then they get a few minutes to prove themselves. Coming downwards or sideways and they get a year at least of being allowed to be ***** while they "settle in"

 

Always good to see the young lads getting a chance. Hope he got good experience out on loan and can step up if required.

Only saw him in the brief late cameo against Man Utd U21's in the Trophy game earlier in the season where he got 17 minutes. He looked a little shaky and to be a fault for 2 of their late goals though the significant number of substitutions to our team late on didn't help. If he's anything like his Dad then he'll use that as a learning experience and kick on.