Louis Dodds.

[Thracian]

You've made a habit of countering points that people aren't making.

I never said it was the RIGHT decision not to give Dodds a chance. I said it was a mystery why so many hadn't fancied him whilst the likes of COG, Chambers, Odihambo have been given a go (of sorts) and pointed out that you might argue there is no smoke without fire.

Trying being a bit objective for a change, before wading in with your blinkered nonsence.

You clearly suggest that because various managers hadn't fancied him it made you wonder whether he was good enough.

I've never had the impression any City manager didn't fancy him and the fact he was offered a senior contract and, like Gradel, was sent out on loan for a year, would seem to confirm that. Do you think those same managers you mention didn't fancy Gradel either? Cos he's not had a chance to play in the first team.

O'Grady was moved on after a few token appearances for the first team while Chambers and Odhiambo still have to see when the time comes whether they will be offered terms as a senior or not.

The only City manager who might have selected Dodds for the first team was Kelly and he rated him highly enough but just chose to go with experience when the going got tough. The impression I got was that Kelly rated Dodds quite highly.

He was injured for Martin Allen's pre-season and accepted a loan deal which had been in the pipeline before Allen arrived and neither Megson nor Holloway would have had a chance to pick him because of his loan even had they wanted to.

[Thracian]

I'd guarantee Trev would score more than Dodds in this division.

Game for game I'd bet on that anytime were such a contest ever likely to come about.

[Dr The Singh]

With alot of hype all of sudden around Dodds, I feel were all gonna be seriously disapointed!!!

[The People's Hero]

The sad thing is, even Thracian wouldn't put him in the team. Afterall, the best team possible would be eleven Levi Porters, right Thrac?

[Thracian]

With alot of hype all of sudden around Dodds, I feel were all gonna be seriously disapointed!!!

I'm surprised he's holding out for a contract here. Being a local guy who's been here years perhaps it really is an ambition of his to play for the club but it seems to me Dodds' main problem is that, while he's an excellent striker, he's so understated.

He doesn't seem forceful enough or dominating enough to be a front-line striker yet, despite a commendable number of goals, he's not the modern concept of an all-action harrassing midfielder.

If he comes here there's every chance he'll be rated behind the expensive action men like Hume and Campbell, probably behind Fryatt and Hammond too if we retain them, certainly to start with, and that would mean his chance of games being much less frequent than they've been at Lincoln.

There might be a role sitting behind the front two if whoever's manager plays like that but can you imagine any City manager going 3-4-3 because I cannot see they'd resist a midfield four with a choice of Gradel, Bell, Clemence, King, Beswick, Porter and Oakley.

[Thracian]

The sad thing is, even Thracian wouldn't put him in the team. Afterall, the best team possible would be eleven Levi Porters, right Thrac?

We'll be fortunate to get one Porter back.

The sad thing is, even Thracian wouldn't put him in the team. Afterall, the best team possible would be eleven Levi Porters, right Thrac?

We'll be fortunate to get one Porter back.

[The People's Hero]

We'll be fortunate to get one Porter back.

We'll be fortunate to get one Porter back.

So, just to be clear, is that one or two Porters we'll be lucky to get back?

[ASH17LCFC]

Playing young kids gets you nothing in football.

We need people who know the league not Dodds and Porter.

[Thracian]

Playing young kids gets you nothing in football.

We need people who know the league not Dodds and Porter.

Didn't Allen Hansen famously refer to a young Manchester United team along those lines once?

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Playing young kids gets you nothing in football.

We need people who know the league not Dodds and Porter.

I'd swap positions with Arsenal pretty quickly. If no one ever took a gamble on kids then no one would get developed surely? It's all about whether they are good enough, age shouldn't come into question.

Alot of the players that I'd like to see us keep hold of are young; Mattock, Stearman, King, Weso. Fact is, next season our team could have a reasonably low average age, but I wouldn't bet against any of the aforementioned players shining in League One.

[The People's Hero]

Didn't Allen Hansen famously refer to a young Manchester United team along those lines once?

Good point. We're exactly like Manchester United in almost every way imaginable.

[ASH17LCFC]

Didn't Allen Hansen famously refer to a young Manchester United team along those lines once?

Yes but them young kids were Beckham, Scholes, Butt, Gary and Phil Neville.

I'm sure they won the F.A Youth cup aswell ...

Dodds and Porter = nothing special ... Just like Stevenson and Ashton and Wright ...

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Yes but them young kids were Beckham, Scholes, Butt, Gary and Phil Neville.

I'm sure they won the F.A Youth cup aswell ...

Dodds and Porter = nothing special ... Just like Stevenson and Ashton and Wright ...

We're in League One, nt the Premiership, we hardly need world beaters.

[moseeds]

Yes but them young kids were Beckham, Scholes, Butt, Gary and Phil Neville.

I'm sure they won the F.A Youth cup aswell ...

Dodds and Porter = nothing special ... Just like Stevenson and Ashton and Wright ...

Winning the youth league was obviously trivial...

[Jonbluefox9]

Let's face it, we're not going to get out of this division with just kids or just old professionals. We've got to get the balance right and that means bringing through youngsters slowly and letting the best of the bunch play regularly. If Dodds doesn't want to stay and let his ability do the talking then let him go. It's up to him. I don't believe there's an anti-Dodds campaign or an anti-youth campaign at the club. If they show they're good enough, they'll play!

[Thracian]

Let's face it, we're not going to get out of this division with just kids or just old professionals. We've got to get the balance right and that means bringing through youngsters slowly and letting the best of the bunch play regularly. If Dodds doesn't want to stay and let his ability do the talking then let him go. It's up to him. I don't believe there's an anti-Dodds campaign or an anti-youth campaign at the club. If they show they're good enough, they'll play!

It is exceedingly difficult to mix young, pass and move footballers who have played as one for years with slow, experienced outsiders who are long past their best.

Manchester United mixed quality youth with quality older players. We will be better served using one style of player. Even the older ones need to be fast, strong and effective.

I don't suppose for one minute it will happen though because we'll just trawl after all sorts of oddments with no thought for how to blend a team together.

I actually feel more down and disillusioned now than when we actually got relegated. I don't feel there is the slightest will to change. I'm not even sure we truly recognise what we've been doing wrong.

[davieG]

It depends on the definition of experienced, would that be the likes of Howard & Kish or Hume & DJ

[Jonbluefox9]

It is exceedingly difficult to mix young, pass and move footballers who have played as one for years with slow, experienced outsiders who are long past their best.

They're not going to be able to stay together as a unit for the rest of their footballing lives though. If a young player is good enough they'll show what they can do no matter who they have around them. The youngsters can still pass and move no matter who they're playing with. You could look at it from another point of view and say that the kids don't always make the right runs off the ball that an experienced player makes or sees. The blame doesn't lie only at experienced players' feet. It's not all about how fast you are- whether it be pace or how quickly you release the ball- it's about making the right run or pass. Mix players like Clemence, Bell (if the deal is made permanent), Campbell and a leader who we're still yet to sign with 4 or 5 youngsters. That is very likely, especially if Mattock, Stearman and Wesolowski stay at the club, in my opinion.

[reynard]

Didn't Allen Hansen famously refer to a young Manchester United team along those lines once?

He did indeed but people seem to easily forget the basis of that 95/96 team consisted of Scmeichal, pallister,Bruce,Keane, Irwin, Cantona, Mcclair, Andy cole, Parker And Giggs with the exception of the last none would have been cosidered "youth" players.

[reynard]

Let's face it, we're not going to get out of this division with just kids or just old professionals. We've got to get the balance right and that means bringing through youngsters slowly and letting the best of the bunch play regularly. If Dodds doesn't want to stay and let his ability do the talking then let him go. It's up to him. I don't believe there's an anti-Dodds campaign or an anti-youth campaign at the club. If they show they're good enough, they'll play!

The balance has to be right but more than anything we have to start scoring goals or we will get nowhere.

[Thracian]

They're not going to be able to stay together as a unit for the rest of their footballing lives though. If a young player is good enough they'll show what they can do no matter who they have around them. The youngsters can still pass and move no matter who they're playing with. You could look at it from another point of view and say that the kids don't always make the right runs off the ball that an experienced player makes or sees. The blame doesn't lie only at experienced players' feet. It's not all about how fast you are- whether it be pace or how quickly you release the ball- it's about making the right run or pass. Mix players like Clemence, Bell (if the deal is made permanent), Campbell and a leader who we're still yet to sign with 4 or 5 youngsters. That is very likely, especially if Mattock, Stearman and Wesolowski stay at the club, in my opinion.

I'd really love to see some movement off the ball in our team. There are experienced players who move brilliantly. Tony Cottee for example. It's just that we so rarely sign any and when we do they're so far down the line they're forever injured.

What we do is pick the players who are on the most money or have the best CV, even if we have to move em about in the team, ruin its balance and then fill in the gaps.

That's not putting a team together. Good teams develop through playing together constantly and instinctively. Its rare we've fielded the same team twice all season, let alone a genuine passing team with sufficient pace and firepower to make its presence felt.

[reynard]

I'd really love to see some movement off the ball in our team. There are experienced players who move brilliantly. Tony Cottee for example. It's just that we so rarely sign any and when we do they're so far down the line they're forever injured.

What we do is pick the players who are on the most money or have the best CV, even if we have to move em about in the team, ruin its balance and then fill in the gaps.

That's not putting a team together. Good teams develop through playing together constantly and instinctively. Its rare we've fielded the same team twice all season, let alone a genuine passing team with sufficient pace and firepower to make its presence felt.

There was only one player who showed any imaginative off the ball movement last season and that was Lascko and he wont be here next season. All the others looked like they had concrete in their boots.

[smokey]

Fryatt's been poor for the best part of two seasons but some people still rate him.

And for such a poor player it's strange how Dodds made more appearances than anyone else for Lincoln and scored at a rate we'd have been delighted with from midfield.

Dont agree with this at all! Yes i know Fryatt hasn't been great this season but theres a bit of a difference in standards!

I would bet with anyone for any amount of money that Fryatt would score a lot more goals than Dodds in League one next season and i hope we keep Fryatt as i think thats his level, just lacking that pace for a high standard but has great feet and scored goals at thas level for Wallsall.

[Thracian]

Dont agree with this at all! Yes i know Fryatt hasn't been great this season but theres a bit of a difference in standards!

I would bet with anyone for any amount of money that Fryatt would score a lot more goals than Dodds in League one next season and i hope we keep Fryatt as i think thats his level, just lacking that pace for a high standard but has great feet and scored goals at thas level for Wallsall.

I'd take that bet anytime on a game for game basis. Trouble is I doubt Dodds will get the games.

Fryatt has been poor for two seasons, not one. He remains popular despite contributing so little whereas Dodds is pretty well dismissed, sometimes by people who I'd doubt have ever seen him play.

I've already said I think Fryatt might do okay in Division One but Dodds has a greater range as a striker from what I've seen.

Fryatt seems quite limited. He rarely scores from long range, or from headers, or free-kicks delivered or attempted himself.

Dodds on the other hand is pretty good with free-kicks and is a threat from a wide range of situations.

As for the difference in standard, it'll be one division. And Dodds got far more goals from midfield last season than Fryatt scored as a striker and I didn't see Leicester's "standard" as being anything special.

Not that I'm touting anyone at this stage - it depends on who's signed and their form at the time, at least that's what you'd hope although you never know at Leicester.

[Jonbluefox9]

I'd really love to see some movement off the ball in our team. There are experienced players who move brilliantly. Tony Cottee for example. It's just that we so rarely sign any and when we do they're so far down the line they're forever injured.

What we do is pick the players who are on the most money or have the best CV, even if we have to move em about in the team, ruin its balance and then fill in the gaps.

That's not putting a team together. Good teams develop through playing together constantly and instinctively. Its rare we've fielded the same team twice all season, let alone a genuine passing team with sufficient pace and firepower to make its presence felt.

Well this may be one of the positives of relegation. Removal of the higher wage earners with less invested in new signings meaning more of the youngsters will be given a chance (possibly, time will tell). I can see Worley, Stearman, Mattock, Gradel, Porter and Wesolowski playing a fair few games next season for the first team, if they stay at the club, but then below them King, A. Chambers and Sappleton playing bigger roles than they have done in the last campaign. That's me being realistic and there's nine names of youngsters who I think will play decent parts for us next season providing they stay. It's too early to say really but I'm optimistic that the 9 I've named have got what it takes to contribute next season and I think that can only be a good thing for the club.