Top five L2 signings of the summer (so far)?

[hellogregory]

Surprised no ones mentioned Billy Paynter (Hartlepool)

 

[SVH]

Luke Berry - Cambridge
Jon Stead - Notts County
Bira Dembele - Barnet
Gary Roberts - Pompey
Barry Corr - Cambridge

 

[SVH]

Not sure about McGeehan being included, I'm definitely one of the few Luton fans who aren't quite so high on him though so perhaps I'm wrong. If you factor in what he could be then perhaps I can see but right now I think we're paying for potential than getting a ready made player who you could say is one of the best signings in the league. Definitely expecting him to make big strides this season though.

You play him out of position but from what I have read finally JS is going to play him in the hole behind your front 2? That's his best position and will get 10 goals a season. Money the tactical genius done it in his first game with us and he bagged a brace.

 

[Judge Dredd]

I'm certainly sure you have a much better idea of McGeehan's strengths and weaknesses than John Still, what with having seen him play a whole 505 minutes of football for Cambridge.

 

[SVH]

That's very kind of you to say that but I'm not sure I am as talented has Mr Still. Money on the other hand would be and like I said, I believe Money got it right - he was class for us in the first 2-3 game in that position.

 

[Judge Dredd]

What about the next 3 games?

Personally, I don't think he has anywhere near the levels of technical ability (passing range, vision, first touch, dribbling) to play as a #10 in the long term. He'll score goals through sheer work rate, enthusiasm and a knack for being in the right place at the right time. But he's never going to be a playmaker who can dictate games and create opportunities from high up the pitch IMHO, certainly not at higher levels than League Two. Long term (i.e. once he gets more experience and learns some positional discipline), I think he's much more likely to end up as a box-to-box ball winner type.

At any rate, Still has played him as the most advanced of our midfielders on several occasions, so it's not exactly a newsflash to him that he can play the role (which you'd expect of course, what with him being a far better manager than Richard Money and all ).

 

[SVH]

He was shit because you'd agreed to sign him.

He may not have all those attributes but then again not many league 2 players have half of those attributes and play the no.10 role. Like I said, I think he will get you 10 goals a season plus i see you have him in the no.10 role with your starting 11 in a different thread so I'm not quite getting your point here.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Not sure he is a number 10 myself, but i am a bit intrigued to see him at that position as as SVH says he had some success there.

I think you lose some of his attributes there personally, I think he is capable of absolutley dominating a game in both defense and attack as a box to box midfielder and you'd lose some of his defensive tenaciousness at number 10.

He seems more of a late run into the box, all action sort of central midfield player to me than someone you ca. Pigeon hole as a number 10 or defensive midfielder.

 

[SVH]

Youtube Cambridge 4-0 Newport County and see his 2 goals - I think he's wasted in a defensive midfield role. He's too good technically for that role in this league. Let a bruiser who can't play as much do that role.

 

[Judge Dredd]

He was shit because you'd agreed to sign him.

He may not have all those attributes but then again not many league 2 players have half of those attributes and play the no.10 role. Like I said, I think he will get you 10 goals a season plus i see you have him in the no.10 role with your starting 11 in a different thread so I'm not quite getting your point here.

I agree that he will score goals from an advanced midfield role in the short term and at this level (although I'm increasingly doubting that we'll be playing with a 10 too much this season, as I'm pretty much convinced the game plan is a return to 4-4-2).

My point is that long term he just isn't technical enough to carve himself out a career there. Compare him to someone like Luke Guttridge (a proper lower league #10) and they are worlds apart in terms of creativity, touch, etc, and even finishing chances. I have no doubt that his future is a bit deeper (without necessarily being a defensive midfielder) - he's a long-term heir to Jonathan Smith rather than Gutts in my eyes.

Although mostly, I was bored and taking the bait re: Still vs Money

 

[SVH]

I notice you bite quite often on here

 

[RavenBish]

Mawouna Amevor (Notts)
Genaro Snijders (Notts)
Julian Jenner (Notts)
that Slovenian lad (Notts)
Gill Swerts (Notts)

 

[Naitch]

Peter Shilton (Mansfield)

 

[Kenneth E End]

You play him out of position but from what I have read finally JS is going to play him in the hole behind your front 2? That's his best position and will get 10 goals a season. Money the tactical genius done it in his first game with us and he bagged a brace.

Agree 100% with this. He wasn't getting in the game sitting in front of the back 4.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

He isn't a sitting in front of the back 4 midfielder as much as he isn't an attacking number 10 in my opinion. Not all midfield players are either attacking midfielders OR ball winners. I think with our obsession with 4231 we've forgotten that a bit.

Play him in Smiths position and that's where he will do best, getting the ball and driving the team forward from the centre of the pitch alongside a good holding type like Doyle or as a one of the 2 central players in 442.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Agreed. For me he can play as one of the deeper two, but it really has to be with Doyle rather than with Smith. Him and Smudger both like to charge around steaming into tackles too much, they lack positional discipline and that leads to a disappearing midfield. We saw that when Doyle was out injured and Smith/McGeehan were played as the deeper two, they don't work as a combo as neither is a natural holder unlike Doyle.

Doyle compliments either of them very well as he more or less just sits in one place and anchors the midfield. Much better passing range than either McGeehan or Smudger too IMHO. McGeehan should definitely play further forward if Smith is in the same team, but ultimately I think he will be groomed to replace Smudger as the box-to-box dynamic type.

 

[hellogregory]

It's funny how just about everyone puts 1 or 2 of their own clubs signings into their top 5.

 

[Trapdoor]

Mawouna Amevor (Notts)
Genaro Snijders (Notts)
Julian Jenner (Notts)
that Slovenian lad (Notts)
Gill Swerts (Notts)

You must support mansfield...?

 

[Pooliekev]

It's funny how just about everyone puts 1 or 2 of their own clubs signings into their top 5.

That's why I haven't replied. I'm a bit surprised that no-ones mentioned Carl Magnay though.

 

[daviejones]

That's why I haven't replied. I'm a bit surprised that no-ones mentioned Carl Magnay though.

Not sure if this is a joke or not...

 

[WH_Stag]

Chris Beardsley

 

[hellogregory]

That's why I haven't replied. I'm a bit surprised that no-ones mentioned Carl Magnay though.

Who?

 

[daviejones]

Who?

He's not even the best defender signed from a Conference team by a team from the League 2 bottom 6 from last season. I can hear the chant now, 'just a shit Tom Miller'.

 

[joethegill]

Leon Legge is pretty much the perfect League Two style defender.

Apart from that, the signings of Stead and Burke at Notts look promising, Green at Mansfield has the potential to be a good one, and Danny Green at Luton completes my five.

 

[AtaturkOzgutson]

It's funny how just about everyone puts 1 or 2 of their own clubs signings into their top 5.

I don't need to as everyone else haa picked a signing or two of ours!

Can't argue with Berry, I don't think we've ever had a signing like it.

 

[AtaturkOzgutson]

I should add that despite being a scummer, CMS is undoubtedly my signing of the summer.

 

[TommoCUFC]

I should add that despite being a scummer, CMS is undoubtedly my signing of the summer.

Who's he signed for?

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

Pools have signed 3 top notch defenders , Worley , Magnay and Carroll...just look at our goals against column next season ....For the first time I can remember , Poolies aren't predicting this that or the other , we are quietly and confidently just waiting

 

[Kenneth E End]

Who's he signed for?

No one... yet!

 

[Kenneth E End]

As has been mentioned on other threads, I think the standard in L2 this season will rise significantly next season. There have been some excellent signings by ambitious clubs. Even with Bury buying the league last season, it seemed like a relatively quiet summer last year for the main protagonists.

For me, in no particular order:

Craig Mackail-Smith - IF he signs for either Luton or Notts County.
Paddy McCourt
Luke Berry
Danny Green
Jon Stead
Barry Corr

Was going to say Gary Roberts, but he's a bit of a hothead.