Fringe players at the turn of the year

[arthur]

Any thoughts/opinions/verdicts on these?

Edwards Owura - lively player, but until he can pass won't be much use
Jonathan Grounds - experienced professional; decent cover for left side of defence
Colin Daniel - has provided lots of evidence that he's probably not good enough

Callum Rowe - promising ex prem player; what's happening with him?
Kyle Taylor - people got excited when he signed, but now well behind Archie, Tim and Harry in the CM pecking order. What's gone on?
Josh Coley - raw non league talent; is he going to make it?

Stubbs, Diabate and Seymour are all now beyond the fringe, but for different reasons.

Anyone I've forgotten?

 

[andrew p long]

The first four won't be with us next season for different reasons.

The missing fringe player is Dyer, now back out on loan at Bath

Taylor and Coley have had a run of bad luck with injuries and Covid. Long term prospects; we'll see more of them this season and next.

 

[Edna Clouds]

I'm hoping Cox might get some sub appearances soon. Not seen enough of Rowe to form an opinion. I think Coley will prove to be a very good signing once he has a run in the side.

 

[manc grecian]

Coley the only one that has a long term future. Grounds has been decent cover.

Not sure what Taylor does.

 

[Rosencrantz]

Taylor has been hampered by injuries but looks to be a promising all round midfielder for me. He can tackle, he can pass, he can travel with the ball. The only thing I would like him to change is to take less touches on the ball at times. More one and two touch and he could become a Matt Gill like presence because he hasn't got the frame of a David Noble who could hold off the opposition and keep the ball even if it did give you a heart attack.

 

[grecIAN Harris]

Any thoughts/opinions/verdicts on these?

Edwards Owura - lively player, but until he can pass won't be much use
Jonathan Grounds - experienced professional; decent cover for left side of defence
Colin Daniel - has provided lots of evidence that he's probably not good enough

Callum Rowe - promising ex prem player; what's happening with him?
Kyle Taylor - people got excited when he signed, but now well behind Archie, Tim and Harry in the CM pecking order. What's gone on?
Josh Coley - raw non league talent; is he going to make it?

Stubbs, Diabate and Seymour are all now beyond the fringe, but for different reasons.

Anyone I've forgotten?

Edwards - As I've said before, he is the ultimate school kid in the playground. Give him the ball and he will run around in circles with it all day long but come the end, he has no idea what he wants to do with it be it pass, cross or shoot.
Grounds - Gets a bad press on here as his lack of pace lets him down when one on one but he is a calming influence when he comes on and is able to knock the ball around well.
Daniel - Still not quite sure what to make of him, he has the physicality to be a good strong defender but seems to be missing something.

Rowe - Not seen enough of him to make a reasonable comment although conversation with others is he needs to get used to playing 'real' football instead of Premier League Reserve football.
Taylor - I just wish he could get a decent run of games together as he is what I think Archie Collins should be, a box to box midfielder very capable of getting around, very capable of putting a foot in when needed and very capable of knocking the ball around (although a bit like Rowe needs to get used to playing 'real' football instead of Premier League Reserve football as he wants a touch too many and doesn't have that amount of time).
Coley - Another one needs a good run of games but if you want to know what he is about then it is worth looking back at the Rovers game in the Pizza Pot. He is quick enough, has good mov ement and knows where the back of the net is.
Stubbs - Wasn't/isn't ever going to be a fringe player once he was fully fit. I like George Ray but he is going to have a hard job getting back in the side now it appears Stubbs is fit although I'd like to see the two together if we're playing a flat back four. The pair of them would beat up any front two.
Diabate - I like what I've seen of Chieck and he is making the most of his opportunity but when everybody is fit I don't think he will be jumping the queue................................. yet.
Seymour - Sorry Ben but I'm afraid your number is up which is a shame as I'm still convinced there is a player in him but he lacks strength physically (he got tossed around like a rag doll by Portsmouth on Friday) and mentally, if you know you're not going win the physical battle then you need to be clever to avoid it and still be effective but doesn't seem to have any idea how to do so.

 

[denzel]

Harry Lee? I can't believe our long term plan is to rely on one goalkeeper on loan and the GK coach

 

[Grecian Max]

Grounds is actually class. Underrated player and immediately people on his back for being a bit older. Doesn't last the 90 but great to bring on for a calm head and a bit of organisation.

 

[SEA Grecian]

Grounds is actually class. Underrated player and immediately people on his back for being a bit older. Doesn't last the 90 but great to bring on for a calm head and a bit of organisation.

Totally agree. We will always need players like him and Amond who are maybe slightly past their best and aren't going to play every game but can fill in when needed and provide some very useful experience for the younger players.

 

[SEA Grecian]

Edwards - As I've said before, he is the ultimate school kid in the playground. Give him the ball and he will run around in circles with it all day long but come the end, he has no idea what he wants to do with it be it pass, cross or shoot.
Grounds - Gets a bad press on here as his lack of pace lets him down when one on one but he is a calming influence when he comes on and is able to knock the ball around well.
Daniel - Still not quite sure what to make of him, he has the physicality to be a good strong defender but seems to be missing something.

Rowe - Not seen enough of him to make a reasonable comment although conversation with others is he needs to get used to playing 'real' football instead of Premier League Reserve football.
Taylor - I just wish he could get a decent run of games together as he is what I think Archie Collins should be, a box to box midfielder very capable of getting around, very capable of putting a foot in when needed and very capable of knocking the ball around (although a bit like Rowe needs to get used to playing 'real' football instead of Premier League Reserve football as he wants a touch too many and doesn't have that amount of time).
Coley - Another one needs a good run of games but if you want to know what he is about then it is worth looking back at the Rovers game in the Pizza Pot. He is quick enough, has good mov ement and knows where the back of the net is.
Stubbs - Wasn't/isn't ever going to be a fringe player once he was fully fit. I like George Ray but he is going to have a hard job getting back in the side now it appears Stubbs is fit although I'd like to see the two together if we're playing a flat back four. The pair of them would beat up any front two.
Diabate - I like what I've seen of Chieck and he is making the most of his opportunity but when everybody is fit I don't think he will be jumping the queue................................. yet.
Seymour - Sorry Ben but I'm afraid your number is up which is a shame as I'm still convinced there is a player in him but he lacks strength physically (he got tossed around like a rag doll by Portsmouth on Friday) and mentally, if you know you're not going win the physical battle then you need to be clever to avoid it and still be effective but doesn't seem to have any idea how to do so.

I think this is pretty much spot on. With Diabate, I would say that in the last 3 games he has been our best centre-half and it is up to the others to show when they are fit they are better than him. There's a lot to like about both Ray and Sweeney but neither of them are faultless or likely to play any higher than league 2 so it wouldn't surprise me to see Diabate keeping one of them out of the team in the same way O'Shea did to Aaron Martin.

The one player not mentioned on this thread is Jack Sparkes and I'm really hoping he can have a big impact now he's fully fit and had some matches under his belt.