Keith Curle’s Barmy Army

[606 Parklands_Cobbler]

Last manager we had that played for England? Terry Fenwick. If you can call him a manager

[guest3245]

Last manager we had that played for England? Terry Fenwick. If you can call him a manager

Hardly a manager..... 4 years without being (properly) in charge of a club, and a curate's egg of a mess at Portsmouth before he trolled-up at Sixfields.  A term in prison whilst a player, and some involvement with dodgy business men at Southall before he came to Northampton.  Now, how did he end up at our gaff?

Slightly different to managing for several hundred games, and with a decent win ratio.

Keith Curle & Colin West will get so much out of this squad, this "fan" board will be eating its already poisonous words.

[singcobb]

Hardly a manager..... 4 years without being (properly) in charge of a club, and a curate's egg of a mess at Portsmouth before he trolled-up at Sixfields.  A term in prison whilst a player, and some involvement with dodgy business men at Southall before he came to Northampton.  Now, how did he end up at our gaff?

Slightly different to managing for several hundred games, and with a decent win ratio.

Keith Curle & Colin West will get so much out of this squad, this "fan" board will be eating its already poisonous words.

I think you are right. I'm expecting us to avoid the drop by a comfortable margin.

[guest3230]

Curle is a sensible appointment. Safe. Not exciting. He will keep us safe and prettt comfortably. Probably not one to drive us to the next level but that's not really a concern right now.

[Its_nice_to_michu]

if we had held off for another day would could have had Calderwood back... 

[Coolcat]

if we had held off for another day would could have had Calderwood back... 

With Mush Nose as his assistant! 

[ClarenceInDefence]

Hardly a manager..... 4 years without being (properly) in charge of a club, and a curate's egg of a mess at Portsmouth before he trolled-up at Sixfields.  A term in prison whilst a player, and some involvement with dodgy business men at Southall before he came to Northampton.  Now, how did he end up at our gaff?

Slightly different to managing for several hundred games, and with a decent win ratio.

Keith Curle & Colin West will get so much out of this squad, this "fan" board will be eating its already poisonous words.

I tend to agree. I believe there is much less wrong with our squad as a whole than our position currently suggests and that it won't take as much to put things right as many may think.

I'll stick my neck out, but it's still 'early' enough in the season for things to turn around and after this much needed managerial change I think we will be considerably closer to being in a battle for promotion than relegation come the final 6-8 weeks of the season.

[everbrite]

Hardly a manager..... 4 years without being (properly) in charge of a club, and a curate's egg of a mess at Portsmouth before he trolled-up at Sixfields.  A term in prison whilst a player, and some involvement with dodgy business men at Southall before he came to Northampton.  Now, how did he end up at our gaff?

Slightly different to managing for several hundred games, and with a decent win ratio.

Keith Curle & Colin West will get so much out of this squad, this "fan" board will be eating its already poisonous words.

I am beginning to warm to you 

[everbrite]

I tend to agree. I believe there is much less wrong with our squad as a whole than our position currently suggests and that it won't take as much to put things right as many may think.

I'll stick my neck out, but it's still 'early' enough in the season for things to turn around and after this much needed managerial change I think we will be considerably closer to being in a battle for promotion than relegation come the final 6-8 weeks of the season.

Bit of a sea change for you but you never know .
Good attitude - I am beginning to warm to you 

[guest3114]

 

don’t let this lot get to you Evers, I’m besotted with him as well. I’ only keep using this forum in the vain hope he will come back, where can he be?

[guest2995]

I tend to agree. I believe there is much less wrong with our squad as a whole than our position currently suggests and that it won't take as much to put things right as many may think.

I'll stick my neck out, but it's still 'early' enough in the season for things to turn around and after this much needed managerial change I think we will be considerably closer to being in a battle for promotion than relegation come the final 6-8 weeks of the season.

I think there is a lot less wrong with the squad if we play 3 in the middle . This is , of course the way JED invisaged things and why he selected the players he did .
The obvious glaring missing piece is a left wing back because he is currently on loan at Blackpool ! Neither Turnbull or Buchanan are suitable for that role .
JED tried Powell there and it didn’t last long .
Maybe Facey will stay there and someone else will play on the right .

[The Rauldinho]

Maybe Facey will stay there and someone else will play on the right .

I think for sure Facey will stay there for now, maybe Odoffin will get a go as Powell is just not up to the defensive side of things if faced with a pacey winger.

[guest2995]

I think for sure Facey will stay there for now, maybe Odoffin will get a go as Powell is just not up to the defensive side of things if faced with a pacey winger.

The other problem with 3 at the back is that we are desperately woeful at playing the ball out from defence. It might be a way for Turnbull to get back in because his distribution is better .

[Ron Obvious]

don’t let this lot get to you Evers, I’m besotted with him as well. I’ only keep using this forum in the vain hope he will come back, where can he be?

I was in the bath with my new loofah. Just testing it out before using it for my new van cleansing business. It's Never Too Much trouble down at the new van cleansing business as we have an Endless Love for customer satisfaction. If you find that everything is not to your liking all you have to do is Give Me The Reason and we will fix it as we wan't you to come back Always and Forever.

[The Rauldinho]

The other problem with 3 at the back is that we are desperately woeful at playing the ball out from defence. It might be a way for Turnbull to get back in because his distribution is better .

I don't think Pierre is too bad, although we seem to hit every long pass as hard as we can rather than placing it. Barnett lofts everything high, but Taylor is woeful at even passing five yards.

I would love Turnbull to get in ahead of Ash, but it isn't going to happen. I doubt he would drop Pierre, so he would have to replace Barnett but would then be on the wrong side of the three as he is left footed.

[ClarenceInDefence]

Bit of a sea change for you but you never know .
Good attitude - I am beginning to warm to you 

 


To make my position on the squad clear, I've always maintained the bulk of the squad is good enough to be pushing for a top 7 place before the season started and despite the terrible start we've had I still haven't changed my opinion. The following squad, with the priority January signings in red:

GOALKEEPERS
New GK
Cornell - (Back up GK)

DEFENDERS
Bunney (LWB, LB, LM)
New LB (Back up LB)
Facey (RB, LB, LWB, RWB, cover at CB)
Odoffin (Back up RB, ?plus further cover as one of CB of 3?)
Pierre (CB)
Taylor (CB, if he can retain the form from early last season)/New CB (if Taylor does not improve)
Barnett (CB)
Turnbull - (CB, cover at LB)

MIDFIELDERS
O'Toole (CM)
McWilliams (CM, RM, DM, cover at RWB)
Foley (CM, LM, RM)
Crooks (CM, AM, LM, RM)
New AM or Winger
Bridge (Back up LM)
Powell (Back up LM, RM, or LWB, RWB)

FORWARDS
Van Veen
Williams
Morias
Waters
Hoskins (Used mainly as occasional impact sub)

If possible loan out Buchanan and even though I have no great dislike of him possibly Bowditch also as I don't think we need both him and Powell in the squad. This would get the squad down to a 22 which would offer a lot of flexibility in terms of formation and tactics and provide plenty of cover for every position due to the utility of a number of players.

I believe with the highlighted 3 or 4 signings in January (or even earlier if any unattached players can be shrewdly bought in before then) and a recalled Bunney that this squad should be more than good enough to challenge for a top 7 berth in this division.

[guest2995]

To make my position on the squad clear, I've always maintained the bulk of the squad is good enough to be pushing for a top 7 place before the season started and despite the terrible start we've had I still haven't changed my opinion. The following squad, with the priority January signings in red:

GOALKEEPERS
New GK
Cornell - (Back up GK)

DEFENDERS
Bunney (LWB, LB, LM)
New LB (Back up LB)
Facey (RB, LB, LWB, RWB, cover at CB)
Odoffin (Back up RB, ?plus further cover as one of CB of 3?)
Pierre (CB)
Taylor (CB, if he can retain the form from early last season)/New CB (if Taylor does not improve)
Barnett (CB)
Turnbull - (CB, cover at LB)

MIDFIELDERS
O'Toole (CM)
McWilliams (CM, RM, DM, cover at RWB)
Foley (CM, LM, RM)
Crooks (CM, AM, LM, RM)
New AM or Winger
Bridge (Back up LM)
Powell (Back up LM, RM, or LWB, RWB)

FORWARDS
Van Veen
Williams
Morias
Waters
Hoskins (Used mainly as occasional impact sub)

If possible loan out Buchanan and even though I have no great dislike of him possibly Bowditch also as I don't think we need both him and Powell in the squad. This would get the squad down to a 22 which would offer a lot of flexibility in terms of formation and tactics and provide plenty of cover for every position due to the utility of a number of players.

I believe with the highlighted 3 or 4 signings in January (or even earlier if any unattached players can be shrewdly bought in before then) and a recalled Bunney that this squad should be more than good enough to challenge for a top 7 berth in this division.

Unfortunately we don’t live in an ideal world where budgets don’t exist .
There is no more cash for new players unless others go .
You talk about getting rid of Taylor and loaning our Buchanan and Bowditch ..... well who is going to pay Taylor’s wages or take on failing players like Buchanan and Bowditch at their wage levels ?
No one will and So you are stuck with them.
Bunney is on a season long loan and left because he was homesick . It’s unlikely he will be back but not impossible .
This is the reality of the situation .
One thing that could happen is that money is offered for Crooks / McWilliams / VV and we can use that to balance the squad

[Ron Obvious]

More likely to get money offered for Foley or Cornell.

[ClarenceInDefence]

Unfortunately we don’t live in an ideal world where budgets don’t exist .
There is no more cash for new players unless others go .
You talk about getting rid of Taylor and loaning our Buchanan and Bowditch ..... well who is going to pay Taylor’s wages or take on failing players like Buchanan and Bowditch at their wage levels ?
No one will and So you are stuck with them.
Bunney is on a season long loan and left because he was homesick . It’s unlikely he will be back but not impossible .
This is the reality of the situation .
One thing that could happen is that money is offered for Crooks / McWilliams / VV and we can use that to balance the squad

You seem very certain of these things.

Yes, Bunney is on a season long loan. Is there no recall option? I have no idea. He's homesick? So I've heard. That was then and this is now and perhaps he's matured and can deal with it better. Otherwise the club need to molly-coddle him if needs be. I'm sure he can manage 4 months back at his parent club before the summer and a possible permanent deal back home in the close season.

However if this is not possible then a first choice LB needs bringing in rather than a back-up I previously suggested and Buchanan would be kept as back-up instead. That would leave a GK, LB and AM/Winger as the 3 signings. I don't know what the budget is, but my suggestions hardly imply spending big money. These could be made up of loans or free transfers.

As regards budget, I hadn't mentioned Ward. If he is not going to play then he needs sending back to Reading. This would free up some wages to go towards a GK that could actually be our first choice on loan. Radical idea, but might make sense!

Bowditch was loaned out last season and I imagine a club would be eager to take him on loan in January. This would free up wages for a LB on loan. You say he's a 'failing player' as if this is a 'fact'. I could name 20 other such 'failing players' we have had over the last couple of seasons. They've virtually all found clubs. You seem to know the full details of the clubs accounts, how much is Bowditch on pm? He found a club last season, surely he could find one again. I refuse to believe that the club would not be able to find a better LB than Buchanan for this level who would be on no more pm than Bowditch.

I've listed Hoskins as a 5th choice forward player only to be used as an occasional sub. If finances truly dictate we need to free up wages to be to enable a second new body in then send him out on loan. Successive managers seem to rate him so I can see a few L2 clubs willing to take him on until the end of the season. That will free up money to go toward some of the wages for the AM we need on loan which would massively improve us in a crucial area.

If Taylor can be sold then great, that would afford a replacement on probably less money, with the extra going towards the wages of the loan AM. If he can't be sold then he stays and hopefully under the new management/system he discovers his previous good form.

I find it hard to believe that the above would not be possible or unworkable.

[ClarenceInDefence]

More likely to get money offered for Foley or Cornell.

Just spat my coffee over the keyboard.......