Kevin Stewart

Grant Ward is a good player who shouldn t be dismissed so easily.
He is a good player but his contracts up in the summer.

There’s a 20 man limit next year, we already have Dougall, Virtue, Robson, Anderson and now Stewart (plus a few others like Sarkic and Garrity on the books) to play the same position.

It’s unfortunate but the logistics of it all say he won’t be here in a few months.
 
Oddly, I thought Stewart looked a mile off the pace but everyone on discord told me I was seeing things and he looked good. I just saw him kick people and look like he was a yard behind the game.

I've already been told I'm wrong... I'm sure he'll add something. He certainly isn't shy of a tackle!
 
He is a good player but his contracts up in the summer.

There’s a 20 man limit next year, we already have Dougall, Virtue, Robson, Anderson and now Stewart (plus a few others like Sarkic and Garrity on the books) to play the same position.

It’s unfortunate but the logistics of it all say he won’t be here in a few months.
Sarkic and Garrity!! Are you having a laugh? Offload them and keep Ward!!
 
Oddly, I thought Stewart looked a mile off the pace but everyone on discord told me I was seeing things and he looked good. I just saw him kick people and look like he was a yard behind the game.

I've already been told I'm wrong... I'm sure he'll add something. He certainly isn't shy of a tackle!
I thought he quickly got involved. In the 20 mins he was on the pitch he had 15 touches, made 11 passes 8 of which were accurate. Won 2 duels and lost 2. Was fouled once and committed 2 fouls.
 
Well, at least I wasn't dreaming it! It's not a criticism, it's not surprising at all. Was just looking to see how 'ready' he looked and I thought 'hmmm, needs a few games'
I thought he did okay but needs game time, the 20 players rule next season is going to mean we will have to thin the squad out but I would be surprised if we let Ward go, he has been excellent this season. I take it the under 21 rule still applies to not counting towards the 20?

We can pretty much guess which player will be surplus to requirements, and our new young professionals mayget a chance too and any loans will be under 21's too, like Ballard and Simms.
 
I thought he quickly got involved. In the 20 mins he was on the pitch he had 15 touches, made 11 passes 8 of which were accurate. Won 2 duels and lost 2. Was fouled once and committed 2 fouls.

Amazing memory there!

I didn't think he looked bad. Just like a player not up to speed on terms of his own standards.

Matty V (bless him) has looked a yard short his entire career and I like him a lot!
 
I thought he did okay but needs game time, the 20 players rule next season is going to mean we will have to thin the squad out but I would be surprised if we let Ward go, he has been excellent this season. I take it the under 21 rule still applies to not counting towards the 20?

We can pretty much guess which player will be surplus to requirements, and our new young professionals mayget a chance too and any loans will be under 21's too, like Ballard and Simms.

I think Critch 🧡's Ward. He likes his technical ability and how he rarely concedes possession plus he seems very fit.

What I'd consider if I was as lovelorn as I think he is is if Ward might not do a job wider than he's been doing if we've got Dougall and Stewart. He was a winger at previous clubs no?

I think Ward could be a handy utility midfielder. He'll not let you down in a variety of positions but you'll not build a side around him. He can do everything reasonably well but doesn't excel at one thing.

With squad/salary caps, a relatively flexible player is worth a bit more than before they existed.
 
Amazing memory there!

I didn't think he looked bad. Just like a player not up to speed on terms of his own standards.

Matty V (bless him) has looked a yard short his entire career and I like him a lot!
Have you looked at FotMob yet?
 
Have you looked at FotMob yet?
Yeah, it's not got what I wanted. I wanted to explore some team stats against other team stats to see some things but I'm over it now.

Wanted to look at data behind whether we're bad at corners or just don't get many or whether actually, corners don't actually produce that many goals and things like that.

I know what I *think* (bit of first two unless Apter taking them!) but I think I need a proper stats service to look at the historically and team by team.

It's good is footmob but not for what I wanted sadly.
 
I think Critch 🧡's Ward. He likes his technical ability and how he rarely concedes possession plus he seems very fit.

What I'd consider if I was as lovelorn as I think he is is if Ward might not do a job wider than he's been doing if we've got Dougall and Stewart. He was a winger at previous clubs no?

I think Ward could be a handy utility midfielder. He'll not let you down in a variety of positions but you'll not build a side around him. He can do everything reasonably well but doesn't excel at one thing.

With squad/salary caps, a relatively flexible player is worth a bit more than before they existed.
I thinks natural position is wide, he could play that with CJ on the other side. There are quite few other players who are not going to be wanted above Ward and like you say, Critch really likes his style of play and the balance he gives. You're right about having players who are versatile, that is important but you can't have too many players like that as you need some who excel in one position too.
 
Sarkic and Garrity!! Are you having a laugh? Offload them and keep Ward!!
🤦‍♂️ Completely missed the point of the post.

Both need moving on, but if you’d cared to read the post they’re all ‘on the books’ where as Ward isn’t. Squad and salary cap, 7 players ‘on the books’ just not happening is it.
 
I thinks natural position is wide, he could play that with CJ on the other side. There are quite few other players who are not going to be wanted above Ward and like you say, Critch really likes his style of play and the balance he gives. You're right about having players who are versatile, that is important but you can't have too many players like that as you need some who excel in one position too.

Yeah. Go back 40 years when it was one or two subs and every club had a couple of utility figures. Coid was a later example for us.

You want ideally 11 specialists plus cover in key positions then a few decent kids you can trust and the odd player like ward who could player either flank, in the middle and not let you down.

If we can be clever, we might be able to keep Madine for example. If Ward saves a wage, it doubles an offer to a.n.other player.

No point having massive squad if they're all mediocre!
 
Yeah. Go back 40 years when it was one or two subs and every club had a couple of utility figures. Coid was a later example for us.

You want ideally 11 specialists plus cover in key positions then a few decent kids you can trust and the odd player like ward who could player either flank, in the middle and not let you down.

If we can be clever, we might be able to keep Madine for example. If Ward saves a wage, it doubles an offer to a.n.other player.

No point having massive squad if they're all mediocre!
Pre Danny Coid, we had the versatile Dave Windridge in the mid-80's.
 
Yeah, it's not got what I wanted. I wanted to explore some team stats against other team stats to see some things but I'm over it now.

Wanted to look at data behind whether we're bad at corners or just don't get many or whether actually, corners don't actually produce that many goals and things like that.

I know what I *think* (bit of first two unless Apter taking them!) but I think I need a proper stats service to look at the historically and team by team.

It's good is footmob but not for what I wanted sadly.
The Wigan summarisers last night mentioned their corners as being poor. Think they'd had 5 and took 4 short to no effect.
 
The Wigan summarisers last night mentioned their corners as being poor. Think they'd had 5 and took 4 short to no effect.
I think I read a stat a few years back that claimed that corners are really over rated as 'a chance'

I want to see how bad we are at them against the average.

I've seen every corner. We don't seem very good generally but are we just blaming the corners for faults elsewhere. (such as not winning enough corners) I don't think we are tbh. You'd think with the physicality we have, we'd be more of a threat regularly.
 
Played against him once he finished, in the Sunday Alliance. @Raging_Bull will remember which team he played for. He was a taxi driver if I remember rightly.
I once got in a taxi driven by Graeme West who was at one time (obviously pre taxi driving), the captain of both the world's best international and world's best domestic Rugby League teams.

We chatted about Macca. He was a very nice fella.
 
He is a good player but his contracts up in the summer.

There’s a 20 man limit next year, we already have Dougall, Virtue, Robson, Anderson and now Stewart (plus a few others like Sarkic and Garrity on the books) to play the same position.

It’s unfortunate but the logistics of it all say he won’t be here in a few months.
I would look to keep Ward as he has steadily improved all season.

Virtue has hardly contributed since his return from injury, if he doesn't show any improvement until the end of the season, then I would consider moving him on. We need a better creative / attacking midfielder.

Sarkic and Garrity should be moved on under the current limitations.
 
I would look to keep Ward as he has steadily improved all season.

Virtue has hardly contributed since his return from injury, if he doesn't show any improvement until the end of the season, then I would consider moving him on. We need a better creative / attacking midfielder.

Sarkic and Garrity should be moved on under the current limitations.
You did see his goal on Tuesday? For me, Virtue is the only midfielder we have who looks like he'll run beyond the forwards and have a shot.
 
I would look to keep Ward as he has steadily improved all season.

Virtue has hardly contributed since his return from injury, if he doesn't show any improvement until the end of the season, then I would consider moving him on. We need a better creative / attacking midfielder.

Sarkic and Garrity should be moved on under the current limitations.
The point of my post was to highlight that with Ward being out of contract this summer we still have 5 other midfielders under contract. We have a salary limit that Ward would then come into as it’s a new contract, I think, not sure if he had an option?

So my question is, if you resign Ward, do you have 6 central mids in the squad when you only have 20 overall? Do you sign Ward and look to move one or two others out? That won’t be easy.
 
i was under the impression that a contracted player before the cap was exempt.
and cannot see how they can enforce a player when he renews his contract to take a wage cut i think there could be a legal argument there i might be wrong but maybe someone with legal expierience onhere could shed some light
 
Robson looked great early in the season. Lost his way mainly through his period of suspension and injury. I'm hoping he can get back to where he was and keep improving. One to keep developing IMO.
I agree with this but would add he has been very poor since he returned from suspension...still young enough to improve...I thought Wigan were shockingly bad in the second half(I guess some will argue we made them look bad) and though on the whole everyone played well there are still improvements that can easily be made...personally I thought Robson was very average, Virtue was abysmal first half but did improve second half (still way too slow though) and it isnt really coming off for Lubala (I love his effort and commitment but he needs to improve his techniques).

I would swap Yates for Lubala and accommodate Simms up front with Madine. I hope given time it will be Dougall and Stewart in the middle of the park with CJ on the right

Maxwell
Gabriel Marv Ballard/Iceman Garbutt
Dougall Stewart
CJ Yates
Madine Simms
 
We need width and Yates doesn't provide that. If you take Lubala out you need someone who can play wide I think. For me that would probably be Garbutt, playing further forward than left back. He has the best delivery into the box from the left, by a considerable distance.
 
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We need width and Yates doesn't provide that. If you take Lubala out you need someone who can play wide I think. For me that would probably be Garbutt, playing further forward than left back. He has the best delivery into the box from the left, by a considerable distance.
I dont mind this Voy BUT I know your left back would be Husband and that is the problem Im afraid.
 
You did see his goal on Tuesday? For me, Virtue is the only midfielder we have who looks like he'll run beyond the forwards and have a shot.
Ward does. Not enough, but neither does Virtue. An occasional shot at goal doesn't justify selection in itself.

We still need to get the balance of midfield right. And the balance of attack. Playing with Madine influences the formation and the way we play significantly. we haven't been scoring enough goals, and I'm not saying that is Madine's fault. But we need to work out how we want to play, and also develop alternatives. One issue is that we don't play with wide men who consistently provide the strikers. At Wigan we had Simms looking like he can run through on goal and Thorniley of all people supplied the through ball. We have seen so little of that. How do we incorporate Simms, Madine and Yates? Do we play two of them? Who supplies the width in attack? Wing backs? CJ? Do we have two defensive midfielders? How do we accommodate an attacking midfield player? It's all still up in the air really. If Simms can play as a central striker you could argue to leave Madine and Yates out and play with increased pace and movement up front, when CJ is back. But someone needs to claim the wide attacking position. Madine and Yates provide good alternatives. I don't know what is the best formation/selection. This seems to be a season of development.
 
I don't know what is the best formation/selection. This seems to be a season of development.
I think this is spot on, I don’t think anyone quiet knows yet.

Until the formation and to a lesser extent the ‘style’ has been decided upon, all the talk about players in and out ( mine included) is really redundant.

The sudden change to 352 and the lack of transfer actively this window ( which Id say is a positive) suggests the club also know this and realise they need to see what works for Critch in this league, get it down for a few months and then recruit for what ever he decides, in the summer.
 
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I'd like to keep Ward, he is a hardworking and an uncomplicated player. A lot of his work goes unnoticed but he keeps things ticking and has very good technical ability in my view. Given his bad injury which set him back at Ipswich, he appears to be getting better with every game.
 
I think this is spot on, I don’t think anyone quiet knows yet.

Until the formation and too a lesser extent the ‘style’ has been decided upon, all the talk about players in and out ( mine included) is really redundant.

The sudden change to 352 and the lack of transfer actively this window ( which Id say is a positive) suggests the club also know this and realise they need to see what works for Critch in this league, get it down for a few months and then recruit for what ever he decides, in the summer.
From today's Scrafto column...

@Critchley said himself a couple of weeks ago that you can almost have too much choice at times, it muddles your thinking.
Sometimes, even if it means having a fairly small squad, it’s best to know what you’ve got at your disposal and what you can work with.
It stops you from chopping and changing, and helps you concentrate on improving and developing the players available to you.
 
From today's Scrafto column...

@Critchley said himself a couple of weeks ago that you can almost have too much choice at times, it muddles your thinking.
Sometimes, even if it means having a fairly small squad, it’s best to know what you’ve got at your disposal and what you can work with.
It stops you from chopping and changing, and helps you concentrate on improving and developing the players available to you.
That’s honestly one of the best comments I’ve heard from Critch this season.

I think the whole club is starting to understand what we need to put a promotion winning squad together.

Expect a couple out on the next few days I’d hope.
 
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