So before all the hate commences following tonight

[SupermarketShrimp]

Lets actually see what can be done.

Roche
Wakefield
McGowan
Kenyon (injured)
Edwards
Winnard
Mullin
Murphy
Molyneux
Ellison
Nizic
Conlan
Wildig (injured? didn't make squad for Luton)
Whitmore (suspended)
Fleming (injured? didn't make squad for Luton)
Turner
Dunn (gone?)
Stockton
Rose
Jennings
Massanka
Hedley
Yawson

So, if Dunn has gone, Fleming/Wildig are injured, and you've got 2 kids there I think are yet to make the bench let alone kick a ball in anger, Kenyon injured, Whitmore suspended. That makes 17 people for the game tonight worst case scenario

So, footballing doyens of Shrimpsvoices, given this is our 6 game in 16 days as well, pick us a team and a formation that might get us some kind of positive result.

FWIW, if the club want to register me as a player I'll happily pay my registration and bring my own shirt if they want to do the printing! Need to know by lunchtime, as I'll have to buy some proper boots instead of my astros, I got a knock at Fat Knackers football last night too. But at 37 and with a cold I'm willing to step into the fray.


So go on, pick a team out of that lot and a formation.

[Shrimpy]

So, footballing doyens of Shrimpsvoices, given this is our 6 game in 16 days as well, pick us a team and a formation that might get us some kind of positive result.

Not sure if it will get us a positive result but the only logical lineup I can come up with this:

Roche

Wakefield Winnard Edwards Conlan

Rose Murphy

Mullin Molyneux Ellison

Stockton



I'd quite like to play 2 up front but doing that leaves you in a predicament in terms of how you line up the midfield. 4-4-2 would seem to be out of the question as we have no right sided midfielders and 4-3-1-2 is out of the question as we only have 2 centre midfielders available. In which case 4-2-3-1 is the best option we have for the players available.

I'd quite like to drop Molyneux but he's the only player we have available that even remotely resembles a "number 10".

I'd quite like to drop Ellison but we have no one else that can operate wide left.

I'd quite like to drop Murphy but we have no other centre midfielders.

[Gone_Shrimping]

It looks like we are down to the "bare bones" and you know how we perform when down to those.

[marky No.1]

I'd quite like to drop Molyneux but he's the only player we have available that even remotely resembles a "number 10"..

Winnard didn't look good when he limped off either

[Gone_Shrimping]

I'd quite like to drop Molyneux but he's the only player we have available that even remotely resembles a "number 10"..

Winnard didn't look good when he limped off either

It could be Wakefield and Edwards at centre back. Murphy can also play there too.

Conlan at left back and AJ at right back

[KenH]

I think Hedley could be a fairly competent replacement for Moly or Murphy in the middle alongside Rose. Saw him at a reserve match last year and in a pre-season friendly, and he definitely put himself about a bit, made some good challenges and some good attacking moves. I believe he trains with the main team.

I don't like Moly in the middle. I've thought he looks better out wide, maybe instead of Kev.

I'd like to see 2 up front, Stockton with either Massanka, Turner or Mullin. Stockton was wasted at the Luton match because there was seldom anyone near him when he won a ball. Just the same when Massanka came on. Pointless having one on his own up front if no-one else near.

I think I'd start:

Roche
Wakefield Edwards Winnard Conlan
Mullin Rose Hedley Moly
Stockton Turner

Yes, I know it's a lot of youngsters, but our elder players haven't been brilliant lately.

Kev and Massanka can come on around 65 minutes for something different.

[Seasider9601]

I think Hedley could be a fairly competent replacement for Moly or Murphy in the middle alongside Rose. Saw him at a reserve match last year and in a pre-season friendly, and he definitely put himself about a bit, made some good challenges and some good attacking moves. I believe he trains with the main team.

Exactly what we said about Charlie Bailey last season.

[Shrimpy]

I think Hedley could be a fairly competent replacement for Moly or Murphy in the middle alongside Rose. Saw him at a reserve match last year and in a pre-season friendly, and he definitely put himself about a bit, made some good challenges and some good attacking moves. I believe he trains with the main team.

Exactly what we said about Charlie Bailey last season.

And Cowperthwaite
And Mwasile
And Parkinson
And Bondswell
And McGee
etc etc etc

I don't care about any glowing reviews players get from playing in the youth team until I see some evidence we're actually producing players good enough to play higher than Conference North.

[halfwayprawn]

Roche

Wakefield Edwards Winnard Conlon

Rose
McGowan Jennings

Mullin
Turner Stockton



subs Nzic Ellison Murphy Hedley Massanka Molyneux

[Seasider9601]

I think Hedley could be a fairly competent replacement for Moly or Murphy in the middle alongside Rose. Saw him at a reserve match last year and in a pre-season friendly, and he definitely put himself about a bit, made some good challenges and some good attacking moves. I believe he trains with the main team.

Exactly what we said about Charlie Bailey last season.

And Cowperthwaite
And Mwasile
And Parkinson
And Bondswell
And McGee
etc etc etc

I don't care about any glowing reviews players get from playing in the youth team until I see some evidence we're actually producing players good enough to play higher than Conference North.

Or in Charlie's case, Evo-Stik League 1st Division North.

Bondswell seems to have sunk without trace. Can't find any current season reference to him anywhere.

[Christies Child]

Until our management give players like Hedley an opportunity of some first team action, we will never know if they have what it takes. The same applies to Massanka. To judge a player purely on his performance on the training ground we will never know if they have what it takes.

The manager made a big mistake in not using the EFL Cup games to give players like the above an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities or otherwise.

Players such as Ryan Giggs at 17 where given an opportunity and took it both both feet and the rest is history.

Give 'em a go....a few of our regulars need a kick up their backsides to show that their starting places are not certain...despite what they may have done in the past, ie Kevin E....an excellent servant but way past his prime and more suited as an impact sub.

Of course the manager will continue to pick the tried, tested and in some cases past their best players instead of throwing down the gauntlet to our young guns.

[Shrimpy]

Until our management give players like Hedley an opportunity of some first team action, we will never know if they have what it takes. The same applies to Massanka. To judge a player purely on his performance on the training ground we will never know if they have what it takes.

Utter rubbish.

It will be hugely noticeable in training if certain players aren't up the standards required.

You can't just claim that everyone is an unproven quantity until they play in the first team. By that token you and I could claim that "we aren't given a chance to show what we can do".

[outsider]

I will let JB and KMc pick the team. They know more about football than I do. My job is to support the 11 or 14 that they do.

[Christies Child]

Until our management give players like Hedley an opportunity of some first team action, we will never know if they have what it takes. The same applies to Massanka. To judge a player purely on his performance on the training ground we will never know if they have what it takes.

Utter rubbish.

It will be hugely noticeable in training if certain players aren't up the standards required.

You can't just claim that everyone is an unproven quantity until they play in the first team. By that token you and I could claim that "we aren't given a chance to show what we can do".

So we continue with the tried, tested and failures (or past their best).....bollocks to that...

The way our current lot are playing we'll be in the poo if no changes are made. If as seems likely no money will be available for incomers in January then if we continue with the same selections ....

[Shrimpy]

So we continue with the tried, tested and failures (or past their best).....bollocks to that...

No, we continue with picking the best 11 players available to us.

[mrpotatohead]

CC, a cursory glance through your history reveals that as soon as we sign anyone , or borrow anyone, you favour shafting loyal players immediately and sticking them in the team straight way even if you know nothing about them at all, you banged on about charlie bailey endlessly, wheres he at now?

[Seasider9601]

Struggling with injury at Kendal Town...

[Christies Child]

CC, a cursory glance through your history reveals that as soon as we sign anyone , or borrow anyone, you favour shafting loyal players immediately and sticking them in the team straight way even if you know nothing about them at all, you banged on about charlie bailey endlessly, wheres he at now?

Loyalty counts for sod all if they aren't performing.

IF management bring in new players then it's with the intention of using them in first team action, not to sit on the bench. Why sign someone on a 2 year contract, rave about him and then not use him... For me this is an example of where judgement is questionable.

On the odd occasion that Bailey featured he did better than some around him as others have previously posted. Can you honestly say that Kevin E (for example) has played consistently well this season But he still remains on the field even though his contribution and performance doesn't justify it. Kevin has been superb for us under the current manager, but there comes a time in every players career that they don't perform to expectations.

Due to our current position (both on and off the field) we demand the maximum for everybody....

[Shrimpy]

Can you honestly say that Kevin E (for example) has played consistently well this season But he still remains on the field even though his contribution and performance doesn't justify it.

I think we all agree with you that Kev (and others) have been poor and could do with being dropped / rested but what I (and I assume) others take issue with is that we don't have anyone to replace them with!

Kev often plays wide left, the only other person in the squad that could take his place is Molyneux but Molyneux is now starting most games in the middle so with that in mind who do you propose takes his place in the team?

[morecambegeek]

Interested in why you keep singling out Kevin CC? Do you think he's the most inconsistent (because lets face it, the only consistency any of our players really have had this season is how bad they've been), or are you suggesting favouritism?

The question would be I suppose, over the course of the season so far, would Bailey have contributed more overall to the team than Kevin - of course, in making that assessment, you're not only factoring in Kevin's performance, but the influence he has on the team as one of the senior players, motivating the others and perhaps gaining an advantage through his gamesmanship.

Over to you.

[KenH]

Kev often plays wide left, the only other person in the squad that could take his place is Molyneux but Molyneux is now starting most games in the middle so with that in mind who do you propose takes his place in the team?

Both Jennings and Moly could play wide left. Jennings looks good going forward, not so good as a defender. Moly looks better out wide than in the middle anyway.

Mullin, Wildig or Turner could play in the middle/hole depending on whether Mullin, McGowan or Turner are playing wide right.

We do have options. Jim had Mullin, Turner, Massanka, and Dunn on the bench on Saturday but still started with Kev. Wakefield and Conlan playing would free up McGowan and Jennings for more attacking positions if necessary.

[Shrimpy]

Jennings looks good going forward

Does he? I think he looks terrible. Compare the performances of Aaron and Jennings as wing backs on Saturday to what Beeley and Wilson provided in their pomp. It's a world of difference! Aaron panics whenever he gets the ball at his feet and I don't think I've seen either of them in an attacking position taking on a defender.

Mullin, Wildig or Turner could play in the middle/hole depending on whether Mullin, McGowan or Turner are playing wide right.

Agree with you on Mullin, he could play there but with the departure of Barkhuizen he is now the most logical choice to operate on the right and if you move him into the middle we have no one else to replace him. Wildig is injured and I disagree on Turner, he looks like a striker that should be playing off the shoulder of the last defender.

We do have options. Jim had Mullin, Turner, Massanka, and Dunn on the bench on Saturday but still started with Kev.

I actually agree with you here, when we setup 5-3-2 or 5-2-1-2 as we did on Saturday there was certainly a case that Kev should have been dropped for any of the players you mentioned above.

[Gone_Shrimping]

Jennings looks good going forward

Does he? I think he looks terrible. Compare the performances of Aaron and Jennings as wing backs on Saturday to what Beeley and Wilson provided in their pomp. It's a world of difference! Aaron panics whenever he gets the ball at his feet and I don't think I've seen either of them in an attacking position taking on a defender.

Mullin, Wildig or Turner could play in the middle/hole depending on whether Mullin, McGowan or Turner are playing wide right.

Agree with you on Mullin, he could play there but with the departure of Barkhuizen he is now the most logical choice to operate on the right and if you move him into the middle we have no one else to replace him. Wildig is injured and I disagree on Turner, he looks like a striker that should be playing off the shoulder of the last defender.

We do have options. Jim had Mullin, Turner, Massanka, and Dunn on the bench on Saturday but still started with Kev.

I actually agree with you here, when we setup 5-3-2 or 5-2-1-2 as we did on Saturday there was certainly a case that Kev should have been dropped for any of the players you mentioned above.

Someone said that Turner is as fast as Tom Barkhuizen so he may get a chance to prove it now.

[Christies Child]

Interested in why you keep singling out Kevin CC? Do you think he's the most inconsistent (because lets face it, the only consistency any of our players really have had this season is how bad they've been), or are you suggesting favouritism?

The question would be I suppose, over the course of the season so far, would Bailey have contributed more overall to the team than Kevin - of course, in making that assessment, you're not only factoring in Kevin's performance, but the influence he has on the team as one of the senior players, motivating the others and perhaps gaining an advantage through his gamesmanship.

Over to you.

Kevin in my opinion is NOT the player he was and again my opinion only is now a less team player than before. As previously posted he's been superb but every player comes to the day when he can no longer perform as they used to. With regards to favouritism I feel that the manager looks at what he HAS done and not what he is NOW doing.

As for Bailey, I do think he would have been able to contribute more to the team at this moment than others have or are doing. For me he showed in his limited appearances than given more game time he could have been a regular.

Our midfield is woefully inadequate with huge areas left open for the opposition to exploit as was all too evident v Luton and others this season. It may well be that our management team set the team up that way but surely they can see the amount of free space and time given to the opposition enabling them to dominate midfield and the game. Our inability to tackle or even win headers in midfield is (for me) the reason why our defence is under constant pressure which in itself results in us conceding too many goals due to the pressure exerted on it.

[morecambegeek]

No one is saying Kevin is the player he was. He isn't, and it's obvious our squad is so thin that Jim feels he has no option to play him week in, week out, when he clearly isn't capable of playing so much so often any more.

I've never seen Bailey play to my knowledge, but the fact he is at Kendal Town suggests other League or Conference club don't agree with your assessment.

Mswaile was raved about by some on here after one impressive sub appearance, but then faded away into nothing and couldn't cut it at Workington. I'd say there's a reason most of our youth players don't play league football, and it isn't because they didn't get an opportunity in the first team, it's why they didn't play in the first team.

Very few teams at our level seem to be developing youth players that go from their academies into the first team, probably because the top level clubs are hoovering up huge numbers of young players. We should be trying to establish relationships with some of the bigger clubs in the area to try and be in a position to grab the pick of the players who don't make it with bigger clubs but could still do a good job at our level.