2014/15 Transfer Speculation

Edit: according to worthington.

Is it? or is it? We really need a proper announcment from the FFA on this.

So not really then.

He has signed a contract.

Sounds similar to what happened at Rangers - club changed ownership, old contract null and void, players free to leave, and that is what happened.

Confident this will get the rubber stamp soon.

Doyle and Blake a chance for a contract according to Worthington

Blake is a new name to me, whats he like?

Blake has made huge progress in the 1st half of CL season. Both have been training with Nix.

Considering Ernie has 2 spots and he wants a defender, an import and Paul Ifill (and the import could be Ifill) then I guess the obvious question from me is, are both these kids defenders?

Tom Doyle is a left back/ centre back. Current Miramar captain I believe.

Not sure who the other youngster is.

Wold Doyle be an upgrade on Adams? I ask the question because if he is not.....

Adams is an All White without a club. Why aren't we looking at him? :P

Doyle > Adams

Primarily played as left back for Miramar and Tee Dubs. Loves a tackle and to get forward. Excellent cross and shot. Right up Ernie's alley.

Blake is a midfielder

I guess that answers the question then.

I've thought that Watson would be in.

Looking at the contracted players thread we have signed 20, not including McGlinchey, leaving two (or three depending on what happens) spots to possibly fill.

I would think Watson is the odd man out because of the number of players we have up top. When you consider the type of player that Ernie likes, respectful of Watson and the shape he has got himself into, I would think he would not be the type of player we are looking for. He looked lumbering on TV although the camera never helps (something about 10 pounds etc)

I think it was Smithy who once described him as "A flat track bully who will do well in Central League and maybe ASBP, but beyond that questionable" or words to that effect. I have seen him several times this year and I have not really seen a lot that would alter that view.

Have been waiting to weemaculate my preferred starting XI and I feel like I can now...

                      Moss

Fenton-Sigmund-Durante-Muscat

               Gorrin-Riera

 Burns-McGlinchey-Cunningham

                    Krishna

I thought he looked reasonable.

Also offers something different to the others we have in the front line.

I would try that but bracket Boyd with Krishna.

Yea striker is the most contentious decision, I am guessing boyd would be the most popular choice with some pumping for brockie as well

I must say I am really enthusiastic and excited about that midfield 5

Thought Merick saw Burns as the striker.

My guess would be that shape wise it'll be more of a 4-1-2-3, with Riera holding, Gorrin and WeeMac more advanced and able to drift wide or drop in, and an interchangeable front 3 combining 3 of Burns, Kenny, Boyd, Krishna, and Brockie  with none of them really being fixed as either a central striker or on a specific wing.

Basically quite similar to last year but with more width because there's one less centre mid, which we can now afford because we don't have lazy Carlos or slow Stein, and we now have two new centre mids who can retain possession more comfortably than say Lia or Muscat (making assumptions that Gorrin is good enough and WeeMac is ours of course!).

Jeez that would look a lot better if we still had Stein. 

Krishna/Boyd/Burns as possible strikers worries me

Similar to last year but on paper we would have a much better midfield.

Yeah and a faster and more mobile attack too.

We have lost experience and possibly the ability to hold the ball up while waiting for support to arrive. But I don't think the style that Ernie wants to play will require much of that.

Wasn't he in the NZ Under-20's team who walloped Fiji Under 20's at Bill McKinley earlier this year? Neat & tidy mid, v similar to the Rufer kid.

I actually expect a central midfield 3 with Riera sitting deeper, Gorrin as a box to box and McGlinchey sitting higher. Cunningham and Burns to sit wider and angle their runs in towards the main striker.

In essence, you are replacing Lia with Gorrin and Carlos with McGlinchey, Brockie with Burns and then take your pick from the strikers with Stein gone. While McGlinchey is an upgrade on Carlos, I have yet to see Gorrin so hope he is an upgrade. We certainly become a bit more mobile thats for sure.

                          Moss

Fenton  Sigmund  Durante  Muscat

                          Riera

                          Gorrin

                       McGlinchey

Burns                                     Cunningham

                          Striker

Oh something along those lines.

He was.

They've been playing a midfield diamond so far. Perhaps this then with fullbacks providing the width

Fenton        Siggy         Dura         Manny

                           Riera

               Lia                    Gorrin

                        WeeMac

                 Kenny          Burns

The midfield diamon was kinda what I thought too but I was more convinced that Gorrin was a box to box guy from reading.

That team there does not look shabby and would run over half the teams in the league straight up but its not screaming out goals galore.

Yeah, I quite like it. Imo it still needs another striker. With that formation I would be half tempted to try McGlinchey back in Lias slot, Burns into the CAM role and another forward. At least there is quite a bit of pace and more mobility up front than any other season so far. Lia wouldn't work there at all if it was Boxall instead of Fenton. I'm also a bit concerned about the complete lack of aerial ability amongst the forwards. Crosses will be much more difficult to score from.

i'm expecting the 4-1-2-1-2 formation too with the 2 up top playing wide.  

i think when merrick is talking about 'wingers' he's talking about them and it will be 2 of brockie, cunningham, burns and boyd up top with either burns or mcglinchey in behind

the all whites misuse mcglinchey, so it's good to see that merrick knows that he is more effective further up the pitch

midfield will def include lia alongside gorrin and riera as the first choice with ridenton backing them up

we definitely need a better fullback (either side) and because the others are so slow we could do with someone quick

hopefully mossy can bring his a game too, because his b game is rank awful

With respect to that, Ernie has not signed players that put crosses ala Lochhead and Bertos so don't think its an issue. Besides, ball to feet football does not mean you need to have aerial prowess.

overall i think we are looking better, maybe 5-10% better.  

but we finished 2nd to bottom and the rest of the league (once again) has raced further ahead.  

it's no use getting 5-10% better every year if everyone else is getting 15-20% better and for this the owners need to take a good look at themselves.

5-10% better than when we had everyone available? or when we had no one because of injuries?

good point

i guess i think our first full-strength lineup is 5-10% better than last years IMO.

my general point is that recruitment-wise, the rest of the league is once again, well ahead of us

The rest of the League or Melbourne City?