Wycombe offering 1.2 million for Connell

Pinky promise?

 

Roberts would be a natural selection but it depends how much he will be playing week in week out.

I’ve seen the Russell tackling stats before and honestly I’m a bit baffled by them. Last season I went to every home game and watched possibly all away games on stream and my own eyes tell me that Russell can’t tackle. If you put him in a 50/50 with Connell, I know who is coming away with the ball. Russell’s attributes are further up the pitch, as proven by his goal record.

If Connell does indeed go I guess we will need to decide if Bland gets shoved straight in or if we are using the money to directly replace.

 

He’s done his ACL and is out for the majority of next season - I imagine that’s the sole reason Wycombe are wanting Connell

 

I can't get upset about Connell moving on. 2 years ago I would have. But he hasn't been the same since his illness, and given the nature of his illness, it's unlikely that he's fully recovered from it. I know someone who's suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome in the past, she's over the worst of it, but she still has days where she's not 100%. Obviously, she's not a professional athlete, though she does sometimes struggle with general day to day tasks.

In possession Connell is good. I actually don't think he's as good as Nwakali on the ball, and does have more of a tendency to look for the easy pass backwards, but he's comfortable in possession. We lacked an intensity with Connell in the side at times too. Like the rest of our midfield, he's poor out of possession. Again, Nwakali is probably worse out of possession, but far too often we were carved open far too easily when dispossessed last season. The worst example of this was the defeat away at Wrexham, where Connell was the worst culprit for switching off when we turned over possession, which ultimately led to defeat.

So for me, it's an area of the pitch we need to strengthen. I also think Nwakali will leave too. Doug's comments on him didn't seem too clear whether he'd returned to training. So that leaves Bland as our other option in that area. Conor seems to rate him. I know it was a friendly, but we had much more intensity and got forward quicker with Bland in the first half than we did with Connell in the 2nd at Emley.

We need another body in there, ideally a bit of experience to help bring Bland on. I'm reasonably happy with the business we've done so far, albeit it's been a little slow. Hopefully someone will be in place come the start of the season. There's definitely options out there.

 

I have voiced, on many occasions, my mystification as to why the owners are here in the first place. I have been assured that it is because they have grown to love the town and its club. As things stand, we face a future of, at best, standing still, because their affection appears limited to plugging the gap between revenue and cost. Cynics might argue that this is the least worst path for them because, without securing a buyer, Administration would render virtually everything they have invested essentially worthless. I have renewed again, despite missing more games than I have attended over the past couple of years. Just desperately hoping that the future is brighter than my fears would suggest.

 

My instinct suggests to me things will get worse before they get better.

 

Yes, that is his natural position.

 

Not what I saw to be honest, was frequently fed up of him marauding up the pitch and losing the ball or blasting it over. But yes I agree, he isn't easily replaced and on his day and when he does hold his position he can be a very decent league one player. However, I am quite surprised we've managed to flog him for over a million and also that people are upset about that.

 

I bet O'Keefe will be glad to see the back of him. Hung him out to dry on a number of occasions.

 

He's good at football.

 

He looks like a young Gerry Marsden.

 

I am quite surprised that anyone is surprised that we’ve ’managed to flog him for over a million’ Are people upset or just simply disagree with the ‘alleged’ asking price and the fact we ought not be selling to possible competition? IMO, on his day he is far better than a league 1 player, you don’t have to be a football connoisseur to realise that.

 

As Doug from chronicle said new wealthy owners got one the top budgets in the league. It's all about the money and he will be going somewhere weather we like or not with far better chance of Championship football.

 

Some people seem a tad upset yeah. If we paid over a million for a defensive mid who has just had two average seasons in league one then I'd struggle to justify it. He was very good in that first season, but he's yet to reproduce that. Hence why you don't see any teams above league one putting bids in. Yeah on his day he's mint, but that doesn't seem to be very often recently.

 

I share your opinion. In fact, I think all our regular midfielders are good enough to do well in the Championship.

 

£1.5 million and it’s a deal we should accept. Anything more and we’ve got a great deal on our hands. If it’s £1.3 mill with some add ons which are guaranteed, I can’t complain.

 

I'll be very surprised if CH hasn't got someone lined up to replace him.
I reckon the Connell money could well and truly grease Conor's transfer wheels.

 

Its the badge on the front not the name on the back, players come players go we move forward, connel not the player he was 2 years ago bye

 

Be funny if Connell decided he wanted to stay

 

Well, I for one would be sad to see us sell Luca.