... or do we have a pretty good squad now? Up front is looking covered with Pigott, Bishop, Curtis and the young lad from Tottenham who seems to have rave reviews. Midfield is strong now with Morrell, Pack and Jacobs in the creative department and Thompson to mop up. Perhaps the defence is a bit weaker although Raggers wins everything in the air and Ogilvie is really solid. Robertson worries me slightly but is ok at this level and has lots of experience. Right back looks covered with Rafferty and Swanson. Jury's out on the keeper situation and personally I would have preferred to keep Bass. Even the bench looks quite strong with cover in all areas (Mingi, Reid - if he can get and stay fit-, ditto Hume, Morrison, Vincent, Haji, Reeco, Tunnicliffe, although he might not get much of a look-in this season and looks surplus to requirements. Think I'll put a few bob on promotion and the mortgage on the play-offs.
Only a couple of players away from having a fighting chance, depending on how they are used.
A reasonable enough squad, but is Cowley able to get them working well together? The evidence, so far, is not overwhelming.
(29-07-2022, 05:38 AM)TBP Wrote: [ -> ]A reasonable enough squad, but is Cowley able to get them working well together? The evidence, so far, is not overwhelming.
Needs to sort the away tactics out if we going to have a hope.
Squad is decent, we need to start matches up for it and not wait until we’re behind and we need to worry more about scoring goals than not conceding. Winless unbeaten runs won’t get us promoted and we won’t win going weeks without scoring.
Hoping DC proves me wrong, I’m absolutely fed up with L1.
I think we may come down to earth with a bump, come 5pm on Saturday. Our defense is very leaky and our right side needs strengthening. Our strikers also need time to bed in.
I'm not expecting great things from this squad. They may get the odd good result but it's not been sufficiently strengthened to make up the 10 point gap we need for playoffs. Nor is there enough strength in depth.
There was some concern that the transfer policy this summer was going to be mainly up and coming yoof players. For whatever reason it hasn't really worked out like that and permanent transfers are on balance a greater blend of experience, which should be to our advantage.
Pedal, why do you say the defence is leaky? It did pretty well last season on the whole.
Mildly optimistic we have a chance of automatic promotion, we definitely have a shout at top 6.
I feel that if this squad doesn't at a minimum get in the playoffs (assuming we don't have horrific luck with injuries) this season then the Cowley's time here is up. It's definitely going to be down to the coaching, tactics and man management now as the potential is definitely there. Got to get the best out of our new strikers and take chances in games to go for the win.
(29-07-2022, 08:30 AM)dsmg Wrote: [ -> ]Pedal, why do you say the defence is leaky? It did pretty well last season on the whole.
We, on occasion had a few shockers in defense. We had 4 put past us 3 or 4 times. Wimbledon put 5 past us. Cambridge put 2 or 3 past us on 2 occasions. Not the reliable solid platform yoy need for a promotion campaign.
Hopeful it is improved this year but with Raggett and Robertson as the CB pairing + another nipper in goal, I'm not expecting too many clean sheets. Maybe this new chap from reading will be half decent. Let's see.
(29-07-2022, 08:54 AM)Pedalo_menders Wrote: [ -> ] (29-07-2022, 08:30 AM)dsmg Wrote: [ -> ]Pedal, why do you say the defence is leaky? It did pretty well last season on the whole.
We, on occasion had a few shockers in defense. We had 4 put past us 3 or 4 times. Wimbledon put 5 past us. Cambridge put 2 or 3 past us on 2 occasions. Not the reliable solid platform yoy need for a promotion campaign.
Hopeful it is improved this year but with Raggett and Robertson as the CB pairing + another nipper in goal, I'm not expecting too many clean sheets. Maybe this new chap from reading will be half decent. Let's see.
So are you saying that Raggett is not ‘half decent’? He was excellent last season.
I seem to recall Sunderland getting thumped a few times, didn’t stop them did it?
We put 10 past the 3 promoted teams at home. It's a league where each team has a shit game in them every now and then; some more than others.
The level of negativity is staggering.
Embrace the new era, we'll win this tinpot league this year, mark my words.
Getting a few stuffings wasn’t the problem, losing 4 nil or 1 nil gets the same points. We missed out because we drew too many games and went long spells without even scoring.
It looks nearly like a play off team on paper, I think we need to add some pace to the side
I also think given the lack of urgency in putting this side together, we are going to take a couple of months to get going. That's going to look familiar to us - 10/12 points off it by October.
As others have said, how we set up and how quick out of the blocks we are will be crucial.
We also need to put our ridiculous January Jinx to bed. We need to be averaging two points a game through the winter and come through with minimal injuries.
(29-07-2022, 05:27 AM)dsmg Wrote: [ -> ]... or do we have a pretty good squad now? Up front is looking covered with Pigott, Bishop, Curtis and the young lad from Tottenham who seems to have rave reviews. Midfield is strong now with Morrell, Pack and Jacobs in the creative department and Thompson to mop up. Perhaps the defence is a bit weaker although Raggers wins everything in the air and Ogilvie is really solid. Robertson worries me slightly but is ok at this level and has lots of experience. Right back looks covered with Rafferty and Swanson. Jury's out on the keeper situation and personally I would have preferred to keep Bass. Even the bench looks quite strong with cover in all areas (Mingi, Reid - if he can get and stay fit-, ditto Hume, Morrison, Vincent, Haji, Reeco, Tunnicliffe, although he might not get much of a look-in this season and looks surplus to requirements. Think I'll put a few bob on promotion and the mortgage on the play-offs.
It's good we have got some in at last but we have had no preseason working together so, as usual, we'll be playing catch up to those that moved far more quickly to build their squads.
Playoffs for me for this squad. The owners don't want promotion otherwise we'd not be doing so many loans, castoffs and fringe players. They missed out on two players that were settled here and taken gambles on their replacements.
(29-07-2022, 11:51 AM)Lawrence Wrote: [ -> ] (29-07-2022, 05:27 AM)dsmg Wrote: [ -> ]... or do we have a pretty good squad now? Up front is looking covered with Pigott, Bishop, Curtis and the young lad from Tottenham who seems to have rave reviews. Midfield is strong now with Morrell, Pack and Jacobs in the creative department and Thompson to mop up. Perhaps the defence is a bit weaker although Raggers wins everything in the air and Ogilvie is really solid. Robertson worries me slightly but is ok at this level and has lots of experience. Right back looks covered with Rafferty and Swanson. Jury's out on the keeper situation and personally I would have preferred to keep Bass. Even the bench looks quite strong with cover in all areas (Mingi, Reid - if he can get and stay fit-, ditto Hume, Morrison, Vincent, Haji, Reeco, Tunnicliffe, although he might not get much of a look-in this season and looks surplus to requirements. Think I'll put a few bob on promotion and the mortgage on the play-offs.
It's good we have got some in at last but we have had no preseason working together so, as usual, we'll be playing catch up to those that moved far more quickly to build their squads.
Playoffs for me for this squad. The owners don't want promotion otherwise we'd not be doing so many loans, castoffs and fringe players. They missed out on two players that were settled here and taken gambles on their replacements.
who are the gambles ?
Whoever you mean all the players we have signed permanently are much less of a gamble than the likes of Carter & Hirst were when we signed them on loan. Both of them would be less of a gamble now (although Hirst at 2m is still a big financial gamble IMO), but neither it appears are available for us to sign and we havent missed out on them unti they go somewhere else.
(29-07-2022, 11:51 AM)I’m Lawrence Wrote: [ -> ] (29-07-2022, 05:27 AM)dsmg Wrote: [ -> ]... or do we have a pretty good squad now? Up front is looking covered with Pigott, Bishop, Curtis and the young lad from Tottenham who seems to have rave reviews. Midfield is strong now with Morrell, Pack and Jacobs in the creative department and Thompson to mop up. Perhaps the defence is a bit weaker although Raggers wins everything in the air and Ogilvie is really solid. Robertson worries me slightly but is ok at this level and has lots of experience. Right back looks covered with Rafferty and Swanson. Jury's out on the keeper situation and personally I would have preferred to keep Bass. Even the bench looks quite strong with cover in all areas (Mingi, Reid - if he can get and stay fit-, ditto Hume, Morrison, Vincent, Haji, Reeco, Tunnicliffe, although he might not get much of a look-in this season and looks surplus to requirements. Think I'll put a few bob on promotion and the mortgage on the play-offs.
It's good we have got some in at last but we have had no preseason working together so, as usual, we'll be playing catch up to those that moved far more quickly to build their squads.
Playoffs for me for this squad. The owners don't want promotion otherwise we'd not be doing so many loans, castoffs and fringe players. They missed out on two players that were settled here and taken gambles on their replacements.
Catch up to which teams ‘that moved far more quickly’?
So, out of the players we’ve recruited, which ones come under which of your categories, of castoffs and fringe players and which categories would Hirst and Carter come under?
Massive overhaul last summer and started with 3 or wins on the bounce.
There’s 3 times in the season it’s a lottery; the start, Xmas period and the end.
I reckon two more players. Both attacking and pacey. A right winger most definitely and one who can play on either side (if possible). obviously if Curtis goes,then a new left winger.
I think we're deffo top 6 and with a bit of luck we could go for promotion.
We aren't getting in the top 6 with this squad.
(29-07-2022, 04:29 PM)BlueArmy Wrote: [ -> ]We aren't getting in the top 6 with this squad.
I agree, you're definitely not - realistically, you just need to hope there are three other Premier League sides worse than your lot.