Alfie Mccalmont

[Redalert1970]

Signed on loan from Leeds for the season …very excited by this signing

Is it me or is anyone else getting excited about the new season already

[P/T Indie]

10 goals in 39apps for Oldham that's a great return for a midfielder.

Wonder if we will ask him to play more defensive though think we will need a replacement for Songo.

[Little Shrimp]

Excellent signing! Great to get another one into midfield as well.

Won't be a replacement for Songo'o I don't think - very different players! I wouldn't take too much from the fact he plays holding midfield for Leeds - Marcelo Bielsa's idea of a defensive midfielder is vastly different to what would be expected at League One level

I could be wrong though!

[Phoenix Shrimp 2017]

Takes a mean free kick as well apparently. Capable of scoring directly, something we haven’t had for a while!

[Freez]

If, as we suspect, we are going for a high pressing game, perhaps Toums will be the sitter while the young bucks like Jones, McAlmont, McDonald and McPake do the pressing?
Would make sense.

[Born again Bill]

If, as we suspect, we are going for a high pressing game, perhaps Toums will be the sitter while the young bucks like Jones, McAlmont, McDonald and McPake do the pressing?
Would make sense.

You mean the Mc lads

[parceldave]

If, as we suspect, we are going for a high pressing game, perhaps Toums will be the sitter while the young bucks like Jones, McAlmont, McDonald and McPake do the pressing?
Would make sense.

You mean the Mc lads

So that's three big Mac's , another Mac that chips in with a few goals . The commentary will be interesting if all four Mac's are on the pitch at the same time won't it Dave . Especially in winter when they've had a wee dram .

[Gone_Shrimping]

Sounds a really top signing. All the Oldham fans have been praising him and saying what a good player he is. Usually fans of clubs where players we sign have played say things like "He's shit" !

Lots of Leeds United fans in the area too so some may want to boost our gate when Leeds aren't playing to see how the young man plays.

[Andy D]

10 goals in 39apps for Oldham that's a great return for a midfielder.

Wonder if we will ask him to play more defensive though think we will need a replacement for Songo.

Big Dave can do that anchor role Songo played and did before, and at 34 needs to be saving his legs in a holding position what's ideal for him.

[redrobo]

So that's 3 young loan signings. Just hope that they all can cut it at EFL1. Possibly not in the starting 11 all at the same time but certainly in the match day squad.

SR has obviously worked hard to bring in some young and older proven talent if not at EFL1 level.. Let's hope that they all or at least the majority have what it takes in a more technical league than EFL2.

I still feel we need someone to assume the role that Songo'o did so well for us last season. But trying to find someone as good if not better may prove difficult.

Next week the squad are away all week at Worcester thanks to our owners so the ideal time for some team bonding as it is a relatively new set of players all having to impress their team mates.

[RapidShrimp]

Looks like SR will be employing a 433 this season, so with a midfield of Toums, McCalmont and Wildig/Jones, we may not need a traditional defensive midfield enforcer. O’Connor has played many games in that defensive midfield role so he is definitely a potential option - in my opinion this would mean it would be nice to have another CB, or at least another LB to make sure we have enough CBs left over!

[Little Shrimp]

So that's 3 young loan signings. Just hope that they all can cut it at EFL1. Possibly not in the starting 11 all at the same time but certainly in the match day squad.

They're three very highly rated young prospects at bigger clubs, who've all previously shown in varying ways that they're capable of competing in first team football. Doesn't matter that they're young. What matters is that they're very good at football.

That said, we do actually have a good few experienced heads in the dressing room in Letheren, Mellor, Diagouraga and Obika. You then have the likes of O'Connor, Wildig and Stockton (you could even argue Lavelle) who are a tad younger, but have plenty of games under their belts. It's quite a nice blend at the minute between young and old.

I agree with RS that Stephen Robinson is veering towards a 4-3-3, given the signings of proper wingers, another 'solo' centre forward to compete with Stockton and his previous preferences. If Adams was still in charge and we'd lost Songo'o, I'd be very concerned. But he's not, and we have a new manager with a different style. I wouldn't mind a more defensively minded midfielder at least as an option in the squad, but they don't need to be as aggressively destructive as Songo'o. Might be that Jones could act as a bit of a destroyer - although that is pure speculation as we haven't seen him play properly yet.

Also we do need another left back. Delaney is not a left back, he's just left footed. Transfermarkt has it as a position because he played a couple of games there apparently for Rochdale. Fine in an emergency, but we need a proper left back as back up/competition for Gibson.

[redrobo]

It's all about opinions as usual but we had a more than competent left back in Hendrie who is now being rumoured as a DA signing for Bratford.

I'm sure SR has an additional left back in his mind but for me Hendrie could have filled that role with confidence.

[jon MFC fan]

Plus Obika has said he'll have somewhat of a free role
https://www.nottheoldfirm.com/news/jonathan-obika-explains-morecambe-move-after-st-mirren-exit/ And a Big Welcome to Alfie to the Club

[Andy D]

people forgetting Cooney can play at L/B, he played there before and scored 2 crackers against Man Utd.

so if Gibson is out, Cooney and Mellor could fill both fullbacks positions.