Cove Thread

[CoveRangers1922]

2 minutes ago, Rossco8326 said:

Yeah that's exactly it if he gets good service he will put them away he's a great finisher. Only issue I had with him is he's some times easily pushed off the ball when he is 1 on 1 

I feel he needs a McAllister type to boss defenders, win aerial duels allowing him to get knock ons and knock downs. Mitch looked imperious in that kind of partnership. Hard to find though.

[Rossco8326]

3 minutes ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

I feel he needs a McAllister type to boss defenders, win aerial duels allowing him to get knock ons and knock downs. Mitch looked imperious in that kind of partnership. Hard to find though.

That's exactly what he needs hope he gets signed up and dose well for you 

[blueone]

2 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

I feel he needs a McAllister type to boss defenders, win aerial duels allowing him to get knock ons and knock downs. Mitch looked imperious in that kind of partnership. Hard to find though.

Best thing he could do is pair up with McAllister. 

[CoveRangers1922]

15 minutes ago, blueone said:

Best thing he could do is pair up with McAllister. 

Mitch or Grady!?

Think Mitch might get a testimonial at the end of 2024/2025 so could well be his lure to stay. He'll end up at Balmoor at some stage I reckon.

Peterhead building quite nicely on the squad of last season. Hamish out is a big blow but Armour, Dunne, Forrest are strong signings. Cieran will give you pace and directness, a ball carrier. Max Berry and Seb Ross should do a job in L2

Edited July 5 by CoveRangers1922

[Watson Nimrod]

I just think it’s a no brainier signing Grady. It’s absolutely the type of signing we should be making. He has scored a pile of goals, did his apprenticeship with Dundee and has been prolific at the levels he has played at. I would rather sign him than someone who started brightly at an SPL club at youth level and failed at the championship level.

Let’s face it our expectations are maybe too high anyway. I hope he plays tomorrow, way too many young players are written off way too quickly. We forget football is very often about opinions. 

Edited July 5 by Watson Nimrod

[CoveRangers1922]

26 minutes ago, Watson Nimrod said:

I just think it’s a no brainier signing Grady. It’s absolutely the type of signing we should be making. He has scored a pile of goals, did his apprenticeship with Dundee and has been prolific at the levels he has played at. I would rather sign him than someone who started brightly at an SPL club at youth level and failed at the championship level.

Let’s face it our expectations are maybe too high anyway. I hope he plays tomorrow, way too many young players are written off way too quickly. We forget football is very often about opinions. 

Tend to agree unless Aberdeen are willing to give us Bavidge on a sesson long loan. Dons giving us a player I hear you say!

We'll definitely need at least one other forward even if Grady signs. Need different types of strikers in my view.

Mitch, although only about to turn 32, can pick up injuries and rack up yellows. Gaffney is so far from proven and very unlikely to be anything other than backup or loaned out.

 

Edited July 5 by CoveRangers1922

[Watson Nimrod]

1 hour ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

Tend to agree unless Aberdeen are willing to give us Bavidge on a sesson long loan. Dons giving us a player I hear you say!

We'll definitely need at least one other forward even if Grady signs. Need different types of strikers in my view.

Mitch, although only about to turn 32, can pick up injuries and rack up yellows. Gaffney is so far from proven and very unlikely to anything other than backup or loaned out.

 

Very hard to compare but I wonder if Grady is perhaps a better option than Bavidge….. now if we managed to secure both then that’s a pretty decent forward line. I thought Gaffney looked OK last night but as you say its going to be back up at the very best. Luke Strachan was decent too. The others didn’t have enough time or enough of the ball to be fairly judged. 

Interesting to see that Golding has signed for Elgin and scored a hatrick the other night. What a very odd situation that was. A better man manager would have handled that differently. Is he L1 level? We never really got the chance to see after the ‘fall out’! 

If I’m being honest I’m surprised we are even trialing Grady unless there is other interest. I would sign him. I wonder if the hybrid model has something to do with that. 

Not seen it mentioned but it was good to see Mark Reynolds back at the Balmoral. 

Edited July 5 by Watson Nimrod

[CoveRangers1922]

I'm very interested to track Bavidge's career. Not often a young Dons striker really makes a massive impact and cements his place in the team. Will his trajectory go similar to Mitch? He's definitely got enough to shine in L1 and soon will get a chance in the Championship you'd think. That step is bigger than I first thought.

Grady will get a chance at L1 level, needs to take it and prove his ability.  Maybe Grady isn't ready to commit to us and has other options?

Strachan can't be worse than Jacob Jones but apart from a brief spell with the Wasps hasn't played much senior football to date.

Golding in the league cup game against Livi really worked the back line and caused issues. Like you say we never really got a chance to see him. Won't have been prolific by any stretch and I'd have Leighton over him.

Good to see Reynolds but glad he's not in a Cove shirt any longer. That might be harsh but he was contributing to the bleeding goals and this was his time to move on (for me anyway)

Edited July 6 by CoveRangers1922

[Watson Nimrod]

Haven’t seen anything posted yet on yesterday but the levels were not of that on Thursday night, maybe 3 games in such quick succession took its toll. No Mitch or Fraser (thankfully both not injured) and we seemed to give the ball away very easily against a very determined Locos side who closed us down at every opportunity.

Well taken goal by Grady McGrath who hopefully we will sign this week? Other than the goal he wasn’t really much on the game but that’s strikers for you! 

[1320Lichtie]

23 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

I'm very interested to track Bavidge's career. Not often a young Dons striker really makes a massive impact and cements his place in the team. Will his trajectory go similar to Mitch? He's definitely got enough to shine in L1 and soon will get a chance in the Championship you'd think. That step is bigger than I first thought.

Grady will get a chance at L1 level, needs to take it and prove his ability.  Maybe Grady isn't ready to commit to us and has other options?

Strachan can't be worse than Jacob Jones but apart from a brief spell with the Wasps hasn't played much senior football to date.

Golding in the league cup game against Livi really worked the back line and caused issues. Like you say we never really got a chance to see him. Won't have been prolific by any stretch and I'd have Leighton over him.

Good to see Reynolds but glad he's not in a Cove shirt any longer. That might be harsh but he was contributing to the bleeding goals and this was his time to move on (for me anyway)

Surely the main issue with Grady is the development fee (£15k-25k they’re saying on Brechin thread which is pretty steep before taking wages into account) if teams didn’t have to pay that I imagine he’d have signed somewhere a long time ago already. You’d think Cove are willing to pay it if they’re willing to take the guy on trial. 

[CoveRangers1922]

5 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

Surely the main issue with Grady is the development fee (£15k-25k they’re saying on Brechin thread which is pretty steep before taking wages into account) if teams didn’t have to pay that I imagine he’d have signed somewhere a long time ago already. You’d think Cove are willing to pay it if they’re willing to take the guy on trial. 

I'd agree he'd have found a club my now if there was no development fee required to be paid. Think Mo and Forfar were interested along with at least 1 HL side.

So far we've let go 11 and taken in 2 (Declan Glass and Ryan Harrington). Two relatively assured pieces of business.

Our recruitment has been more calculated and not reckless like last summer. I fully believe that's learning from being burnt previously BUT also being cautious with expenditure. We'll spend on the right player if available (for me thats Considine and Cammy Smith - from Aberdeen area), but won't go overboard that's why I believe we're trialing Grady. I remember we paid handsomely to take Rory from Peterhead with 6 months left on his contract. That was almost risk free, Grady isn't for me. 

Based off of yesterday's performance alone there could be better out there. I can see why Championship clubs aren't being lured. HL is one level, L1 another and Championship something else altogether.

Edited July 7 by CoveRangers1922

[CoveRangers1922]

Yesterday was my first preseason friendly so far this summer; a relatively lacklustre 1-0 win over Highland League side Locos.

No Fyvie or Glass so devoid of real creativity and no Mitch as he's on honeymoon.

First half was your typical friendly encounter, non-committal, slow and both sides looking for possession. Barely any shots and less that threatened the goal, ending 0-0.

Nathan Meres the standout for Locos, caused the brutal Gillingham and Kerr centre back partnership a few problems. An area of the park we desperately need strengthening as top priority or else we'll bleed goals yet again under the Hartley regime.

Gallagher probably our best player. Showed drive and desire to break lines and be progressive.

Second half we got the breakthrough with the only goal of the game, a great touch, turn and 20 yard curling finish from Grady McGrath. Didn't do much else up top alone. Thankless task and I really hope we have 2 strikers incoming to give options. Myles Gaffney nowhere near it when he came.

Our squad has experience and relative strength for L1 centrally in Fyvie, Glass, Yule, Scully and with Gallagher who deserves game time but yet again it's narrow and needing width.

Takeaway for me was;

Happy enough with Harrington and Doyle as fullbacks.

Badly need new CB's.

Centre midfield we have enough

Wingers we have none

Mitch our only striker and what will we get from him this season. Needs a resurgence.

 

Holes to fill in the starting XI. Right now, in what's likely an overall poorer standard of L1 than last season*, I could be wrong there, I see us around the playoffs, maybe 5th again. Make a few statement signings in key areas then we could aim higher.

* Don't think we'll see a dominate/imperious side like Falkirk or even a well backed side like Hamilton who were in large spells well above the standard of the rest.

 

 

Edited July 7 by CoveRangers1922

[citydiehard]

You will probably find that Grady goes missing against the better defenders,goes missing or the defenders out muscle him and his work rate is useless up on his own definitely needs someone up top with him to do all the donkey work.

[CoveRangers1922]

1 minute ago, citydiehard said:

You will probably find that Grady goes missing against the better defenders,goes missing or the defenders out muscle him and his work rate is useless up on his own definitely needs someone up top with him to do all the donkey work.

I seen that yesterday and it's my worry as Mitch doesn't high press, battle or challenge aerially either.

[Run DMC]

3 hours ago, citydiehard said:

You will probably find that Grady goes missing against the better defenders,goes missing or the defenders out muscle him and his work rate is useless up on his own definitely needs someone up top with him to do all the donkey work.

Yes, 69 goals in 2 seasons, including scoring v every single team in the league and scoring in the cup v Inverness, Stirling, Cove and Clyde. If that’s him going missing I’m sure he’ll be an asset at Cove!

 

[Edzellcityfan]

Grady McGrath = Goals. It’s that simple. 
 

Not suited to playing up front alone but takes chances. 

[Edzellcityfan]

4 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

Think Mo and Forfar were interested along with at least 1 HL side.

Well two HL sides if you include us….

[covefan97]

Andy Considine has announced he's retiring on Instagram which ends any chance of him heading here. Hopefully we identify some new centre backs to sign as I'm not convinced by Kerr or Gillingham.

[CoveRangers1922]

40 minutes ago, covefan97 said:

Andy Considine has announced he's retiring on Instagram which ends any chance of him heading here. Hopefully we identify some new centre backs to sign as I'm not convinced by Kerr or Gillingham.

Another to scrub off my list! Could have been done with him for a season.

Gillingham and Kerr are arguably worse of a centre back pairing than what we fielded last season and that was eye watering.

Gillingham looks lost at sea positionally and makes poor decisions nearly ever game. Positives; he's got height. Couldn't think of another so should have read positive.

Kerr, who granted has experience, is hugely injury prone, fancies himself further forward, lacks a bit of pace and isn't the greatest in the air.

I'm not having Darge at CB. He's aggressive, might be improving but someone who's second touch is a tackle, more a lunge, shouldn't play at this level.

Its been our achilles heel for 18 months. Achieve nothing without a solid defensive unit.

Our backine when we got promoted to the Championship;

 

Logan Ross Neill Reynolds Milne

We had Strachan too, who I highly rated. 2 truly excellent full backs. Aggressive, experienced centre backs who all offered something unique. Miles away from that currently 

 

Edited July 7 by CoveRangers1922

[Jo9]

Anyone make it to the game last night with any thoughts?

Our match reports are back to being the usual self indulgent rambles so not much really to take from them.