Darragh Lenihan is 30 in 6 days time an Tommy Smith is 32 in April, so............is it time...

r00fie1

r00fie1

Well-known member
Do we need to replace them with younger players in the summer - or as understudies?
We have to hope they come back fighting fit, because getting older makes them more vulnerable and slightly longer to recover if they get injuries.
Just a few thoughts. :unsure:

ps. I think they are both good players at this level, but we have to also think about the future.
 
Depends on their recovery.

Smith should be fine as a back-up to a new first choice right back.

If Lenihan comes back fine, he's good enough to be starting for us.
 
I like Clarke more than lenihan. I think we should be giving smith a new deal.
Neither player was showing any sign of their ability decreasing prior to injury. We had a 36 year old in the team yesterday.
 
If we got rid and brought in younger players and it went wrong people would moan about getting rid of experience. We’ve missed their game management, especially Smith

I don’t understand the clamour these days of that as soon as a player hits 30 teams need to get rid as if ‘they’re finished.’ We need experience as it showed when Howson was out. Dare I say it, but Howson could probably do another year next season.
 
Definitely keep Smith I think he could possible be the player we have missed the most from the injury list, seems to be a great leader and organiser and mentioned by Ben his game management
 
We need these experienced players, we should absolutely have one eye on the next generation but 30 isn't ancient for a defender and I think Clarke and Lenihan are both solid with more to offer for severasl seasons
 
I disagree with the Clarke comments. He's done a decent job of covering since his return from injury but if we are ever to compete for promotion and build a winning side, we need to move these journeymen on.

We've certainly missed Smith at right-back but how many of us would be truly happy with him playing there week in and week out. We've missed Smith's senior head but other than cover, I would like to see someone else playing there and it is a position we need to sort out.
 
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Ben_Jamin said:
If we got rid and brought in younger players and it went wrong people would moan about getting rid of experience. We’ve missed their game management, especially Smith

I don’t understand the clamour these days of that as soon as a player hits 30 teams need to get rid as if ‘they’re finished.’ We need experience as it showed when Howson was out. Dare I say it, but Howson could probably do another year next season.
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I don't think it's a "clamour", but when footballers hit over 30, we have to be aware we are not just filling in gaps, but need to focus on the future. They may both have been good players before their injuries, but it's been almost a season long, and coming back doesn't mean we are getting the same player. It's not natural to find players cant do at 32 what they could at 22. We have to make plans and not rely on journeymen and stop-gaps.
 
I don’t think a centre back hitting 30 is much for us to worry about.

How old is VDB? 20?
Fry? 26?
Clarke? 27/28?
 
AytonMews said:
I don’t think a centre back hitting 30 is much for us to worry about.

How old is VDB? 20?
Fry? 26?
Clarke? 27/28?
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Talking about Smith and Lenihan specifically and age affecting players in general.
Comes a time when we have to consider whether a player is going to be more vulnerable to injury and whether they fit into the ongoing plans.
Serious question.
 
Lenihan isn't 'old'. A player reaching 30 is often well in his prime. Just his financial value will diminish. He's got loads of years left in him. I'd be surprised if the majority of champo sides don't have a 30+ CB starting every week.

He could play until he's 35 at CB. I'd say he's a nailed on starter with our current CBs. Also Mcnair is almost certainly leaving.

Smith at 32 can more than do a job. I think we've missed him. We had to get Ayling in to cover the gap he left. I suppose he's not the longterm answer. Yet more than good enough as squad player. Also both are genuine leaders and have a voice. We don't have many like that.

I wouldn't hold our breath on finding a decent RB. We've struggled to fill the left side despite signing 3😂
 
Writing a CB off at 30 is crazy. This injury wont have helped but i've said on another thread, hopefully he gets back from this injury soon and back to his best. I do believe we are stacked in CB for this season. Thankfully Ayling and Thomas are only short term loans because they are not the answer. I thought Ayling may have been a shrewd signing as we lacked leadership but he's not at this level anymore. I also think Dijksteel is clueless, he's far to rash, maybe trying a little too hard to prove himself as he doesnt get the chances so a decent RB is a priority in the summer.
 
The idea that you are building for the future and building a stable team by signing young players is nonsense.

Morgan Rogers. Here for six months.
Howson signed in his late twenties and has made 287 appearances for us.

I don't think Clarke or smith are journeymen or stop gaps. They are important first team players.
 
Nothing wrong with having experienced players in the squad or indeed starting, the challenge is bringing in younger players at the right time which we've done with VDB, just need to unearth a couple more, doesn't seem to be much coming through from the academy which is a shame as we have always managed to find decent defenders over the years.
 
Younger does not necessarily mean better.

Much as I'd love us to bring in loads of VDB's - they don't come along very often, and when they do they often command a huge fee. And you need experienced players alongside them. However the club are clearly setting themselves out to sign such players, and hopefully we do get some more in of that age range who can play in the 1st team and improve. But we have missed Smith and Leinighan hugely this season.
 
I would keep the centre backs as is. You need a decent number especially if you're playing 3 at the back maybe sell one in January if all are fit. Engel has done enough to convince me he should be frst option at left back. At right back i would love us to spend a bit of money and get a dynamic pacey young modern full back.
 
The only issue with Smith and Lenihan is that they were signed as free agents which means they are probably on decent contracts. Smith is a decent player but I thought he was our weakest link last season and could do with replacing. The fact that the players that have played instead of him this season haven't been good enough doesn't make him better. I think he's a good player to keep as a back-up and I'd let Dijksteel go instead who has never been able to nail down a first team place. Lenihan is probably our best defender.

Clarke does some things ok but two weeks in a row we've had a simple ball over the top right down the middle beat him easily and Norwich got a goal and VDB had to rescue the situation with a great tackle against QPR.

You need a mix of youth and experience though. Not many teams do well by getting rid of all of their experienced players. Experience doesn't have to mean old though. You would have said that McNair is experienced for several years now and he's only 28.
 
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