Fry and McNair contracts

Maccarone said:
Keep both Fry and Paddy as both are excellent Championship players and would be welcomed into any other squad in this division.
Click to expand...
Ten teams conceded less than us? They both played as centre halves?

Do you really think there aren't better options?

I like both players, but with their performances over the season, Fry's injury record and the fact they are both in their last years and one is a high earner I just can't understand so many people stating keep both, or that they're excellent defenders. Fry can be a very good defender, but is limited as a footballer, McNair is a better footballer but a worse defender and has a wobble in most games that could cost us.

Both good pros, happy to have both in the squad, but I just don't buy that they're both amazing and irreplaceable. A free transfer from Blackburn was comfortably better than both of them.
 
Caesium137 said:
Ten teams conceded less than us? They both played as centre halves?

Do you really think there aren't better options?

I like both players, but with their performances over the season, Fry's injury record and the fact they are both in their last years and one is a high earner I just can't understand so many people stating keep both, or that they're excellent defenders. Fry can be a very good defender, but is limited as a footballer, McNair is a better footballer but a worse defender and has a wobble in most games that could cost us.

Both good pros, happy to have both in the squad, but I just don't buy that they're both amazing and irreplaceable. A free transfer from Blackburn was comfortably better than both of them.
Click to expand...
This!
 
I had high hopes for Coulson, but was wrong.
It feels like he should be better than he is, but in reality he is defensively very weak. Going forward should be his strength, but sadly his decision making, passing, crossing and shooting result in virtually nothing.
For sure he can catch the eye in beating a player, but nothing ever comes from it.

If Carrick can get a tune out of him then great, but am not holding my breath.
 
I imagine the club are just ensuring we have cover at LB. Suspect Bola will be away and has something lined up. Coulson will be back up to whichever player we bring in? I was pretty shocked when he got an extension but there must be a plan for him I suppose.
 
starplayer said:
I imagine the club are just ensuring we have cover at LB. Suspect Bola will be away and has something lined up. Coulson will be back up to whichever player we bring in? I was pretty shocked when he got an extension but there must be a plan for him I suppose.
Click to expand...
We can't afford two Championship standard players in each position, unless they're both mediocre Championship standard and that gets you nowhere.

If we're looking to field a decent quality first XI then maybe the replacements need to be a bit cheaper wages wise, and hope injuries are short term.
 
Caesium137 said:
Ten teams conceded less than us? They both played as centre halves?

Do you really think there aren't better options?

I like both players, but with their performances over the season, Fry's injury record and the fact they are both in their last years and one is a high earner I just can't understand so many people stating keep both, or that they're excellent defenders. Fry can be a very good defender, but is limited as a footballer, McNair is a better footballer but a worse defender and has a wobble in most games that could cost us.

Both good pros, happy to have both in the squad, but I just don't buy that they're both amazing and irreplaceable. A free transfer from Blackburn was comfortably better than both of them.
Click to expand...

In their defence (no pun intended) the style does leave centre backs exposed a bit. However Lenihen has looked far less exposed than either of them.

As you say both good championship defenders but I don't think either are a particularly good fit for us. Amongst other things Fry is not quite good enough as a footballer and McNair is too slow to play such a high line.

You'd have one as cover/competition but we need another type to play alongside Lenihen. Ideally a man mountain with pace who can play it out from the back like Beckenbauer. Easy 🤪
 
Agree. Not sure we need 4 first choice centre halves when we only play two. Three and a promising reserve is all we really need and will save on wages and maybe free up some transfer funds. We have Lenihan (first choice) and Paddy and Fry after that with Clarke currently fourth choice due to his injuries. Lenihan will play with one of the others. We can either sell one or two of the other three, if we have an alternative lined up. Not sure there is anyone else currently pushing from the reserves, so not loads of room for maneuver, but a bit of tinkering could be carried out. Depends really on what Carrick wants. With the amount of goals we conceded, you would think there is room for improvement.
 
MVBoro said:
Not sure we need 4 first choice centre halves when we only play two. Three and a promising reserve is all we really need
Click to expand...
Agree the big issue is Clarke’s prognosis. If he’s gonna be out another 6 months at least then we would need to rule him out of the above equation.
 
MVBoro said:
Agree. Not sure we need 4 first choice centre halves when we only play two. Three and a promising reserve is all we really need and will save on wages and maybe free up some transfer funds. We have Lenihan (first choice) and Paddy and Fry after that with Clarke currently fourth choice due to his injuries. Lenihan will play with one of the others. We can either sell one or two of the other three, if we have an alternative lined up. Not sure there is anyone else currently pushing from the reserves, so not loads of room for maneuver, but a bit of tinkering could be carried out. Depends really on what Carrick wants. With the amount of goals we conceded, you would think there is room for improvement.
Click to expand...
Cain Sykes is probably the closest of the u21s, was on the bench at the end of the season. Was injured a lot last year but might be considered as a 4th choice.
 
Surely we will look to keep both as thats probably the cheapest option. We will need 4 CB's -Lenihan, Fry, McNair and Clarke, so if any go (or dont make it back to fitness) then we will need to replace
 
If they offer us the £5m we paid for him or above then we should definitely sell.

I think McNair has actually performed well under Carrick but we'll have Lenihan, Fry and Clarke as options, and we could look at bringing in Tuanzebe on a free.
 
I think we need a centre half as it is given Fry’s injury record and Clarke’s issues that may be recurring, his longer term fitness remains a worry. If we sell Paddy (I’d keep him unless a decent offer of say £5M was made). It will take that to buy a ball playing CB imho.
 
I thought in the games v Coventry at the end of the season he added the aggression you need as a centre back and looked quite comfortable. That said, he didn’t seem to be Carricks first choice as Fry usually was in front of him when fit. His value goes up if a premier league club come in for him so I would have thought £5m is about right. If a championship club bids it will probably be less than half, given the high wages he is probably on. We are not in a position to let saleable assets leave on frees so with a year left I would sell. The added bonus will be if we are struggling this season we wont have people saying he is the answer to any midfield problems we might have.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top