Replacing the back 5

[Snowflake]

Many on here, including me, think the current back 5 are good enough to be part of a promotion challenge, but that then leaves a problem of when to replace them.
It cannot all be done at the same time, so is it now that one should be replaced with a long term solution and then another next season or do we drift along and sort it when we have no other option ?
If now is the time, which one should go ?

 

[Katzenjammer]

Stevens for me, I think he's a spent force. RND slots in perfectly and has age on his side.

 

[Upton_Blade]

We've potentially got 2 young WB's in Bogle and RND that are fine for years and also Baldock and Lowe (if he stays) both have time on their side so I think we're OK in that sense.

That leaves the middle 3.

Bash is blatantly coming to the end of his tenure. He was at fault for a few goals towards the end of the season. Now I'm seriously hoping that was due to him coming back from injury and not time catching up on him but he will need replacing pretty soon.

Egan has a few years left in him yet due to the role he plays. No worry yet there IMO.

JLT surprisingly was one of our better performers in the 2nd half of last season and on that form doesn't need replacing.

My concern re the back 3 is the severe lack of back up if any of them get injured.

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

JLT is the only one who isn't some sort of problem

 

[bertieblade]

Cannot afford in monetary terms to have both Baldock and Bogle when we have other areas of the team that are sadly lacking in quality, I can subsequently see one of them being moved on in January if Sereki or similar are deemed to be suitable back up.
Bash has no cover at all other than Graham ( others need loan to lower league ) and he must be persuaded to sign a new contract or moved on, therefore need a cover RCB
Egan and Lopata should be ok at the moment unless Egan attracts a decent offer ( over £5m ) in which case the guy we are chasing from Malmö becomes the obvious option.
JLT has the LCB spot to himself but we only have makeshift cover in the form of RND and Enda one of whom should be moved on and therefore need cover there as the remaining player, hopefully RND should make the LWB position there own with cover from Boyes.

I would therefore look to move enda if we can, if only on loan to get wage contribution and Egan if we get a decent offer. That is the theory but much more difficult in practice

 

[bonobo]

I think it is obvious since Charlie Goode and now the reported bid for Anel, that Hecky has prioritised this and is willing spend money, rather than just have back-ups/squad fillers on CBs. But, if Lowe leaves, I would start at LWB. We are completely absent, when it comes to any kind of quality delivery from wide and it really kills us at times. Bogle offers a different threat, but is not a strong crosser either, Baldock and RND are really poor and Enda seems in permanent decline. Particularly if we are losing MGW and possibly Berge, we need that added creativity elsewhere. But, since we have 3/4 LWB on the books, I guess it wont happen.