TrueBlueArmy Forums

It just highlights the need for 2nd string games. The only real conclusion you can get from it is that these players obviously don’t play week in, week out.

(20-12-2023, 05:32 AM)Cunninglinguist Wrote: [ -> ]Devlin was just having one of those games last night. It happens but we all know what he can do.

He didn’t take his chance though.

Devlin has never let us done in the first team, so can't get too bothered about how he played in the reserves.

I can’t understand why we don’t have an U21 team that plays in the league set up for that purpose.

(20-12-2023, 01:55 PM)bluetagagain Wrote: [ -> ]I can’t understand why we don’t have an U21 team that plays in the league set up for that purpose.

Don't you have to be a category one academy to play in that ?

(20-12-2023, 02:10 PM)DeepBlue Wrote: [ -> ]

(20-12-2023, 01:55 PM)bluetagagain Wrote: [ -> ]I can’t understand why we don’t have an U21 team that plays in the league set up for that purpose.

Don't you have to be a category one academy to play in that ?

Going right back to Caitlin, he explained what infrastructure you are forced to have to enter a team.
From memory about a couple of dedicated pitches and a dome for an indoor pitch too. 
To be honest all the time that Prem teams can take your best youngsters as and when they wish, the long term youth policy looks a dead duck. Whereas taking all their cast offs at the end of each season is probably a better way of getting kids who are used to playing tippy tappy football. Those developed via non league loans and the like currently look better suited to playing in the EFL.
We are building our stock of younger players pretty well now, if and when we get in the champ, I guess the way the club are building infrastructure, then we could look at it again.

If it is category one you need then it is a lot more than that. 

18 members of academy staff and an annual budget of 2.5m for starters.

You could well be right Deep, I'm not sure of the criteria.

It’s just another level you have to have to be part of the elite.

It was never like that before. Used to go to reserve games all the time.

It’s terrible, what they’ve done to our game.

AMEN to that

could be worse, I love cricket and they are destroying that totally!

To be fair, cricket has destroyed itself.

They need to make the goals bigger.

If we continue to have a 7 point gap by the time the window opens we need to be shopping in the championship market to give us that push as well as be ready when (if) we get there

DanielIf we continue to have a 7 point gap by the time the window opens we need to be shopping in the championship market to give us that push as well as be ready when (if) we get there

A very good reason for continuing to develop the use of younger players who can grow and improve. Combined with enough older heads of course. 
One big thing we have done is to bring in some pace in the front half of the team, which seems crucial as you climb the leagues.

I've been away travelling so have missed radio commentaries but have read the online reports.

It looks like we need 3-4 players to help us push on for auto promotion.

First is an experienced CH likely to be on loan, another striker with Yengi away in Jan, midfielder/left winger, goalkeeper.

Hopefully, our Billionaire owner will mgive RH a decent budget to make these new recruits.

Let's Not mess it up as in previous seasons.

Maybe Ipswich has persuaded owners that they can escape the moneypit that is the championship and in a single bound land on the PremPot of Gold.

We wont be getting any wide players, JM as said as much. I would expect a CB and maybe a striker if Yengi goes east.I also cant see us getting a keeper until the end of season.

(21-12-2023, 03:30 PM)mikey393 Wrote: [ -> ]I've been away travelling so have missed radio commentaries but have read the online reports.

It looks like we need 3-4 players to help us push on for auto promotion.

First is an experienced CH likely to be on loan, another striker with Yengi away in Jan, midfielder/left winger, goalkeeper.

Hopefully, our Billionaire owner will mgive RH a decent budget to make these new recruits.

Let's Not mess it up as in previous seasons.

As posted earlier I don't want 3 or 4 .. that would risk upsetting the balance of what is a happy dressing room at the moment. 

A right centre half cover for Raggett is all we need unless anyone else leaves.  Ogilvie, Lowery, Anjorin & Scully returning will be like three or four signings, and Whyte coming into form would be a fifth. 

Signing more players and making more players unhappy to be out of the squad would be this seasons way of messing it up.

(21-12-2023, 04:42 PM)DeepBlue Wrote: [ -> ]

(21-12-2023, 03:30 PM)mikey393 Wrote: [ -> ]I've been away travelling so have missed radio commentaries but have read the online reports.

It looks like we need 3-4 players to help us push on for auto promotion.

First is an experienced CH likely to be on loan, another striker with Yengi away in Jan, midfielder/left winger, goalkeeper.

Hopefully, our Billionaire owner will mgive RH a decent budget to make these new recruits.

Let's Not mess it up as in previous seasons.

As posted earlier I don't want 3 or 4 .. that would risk upsetting the balance of what is a happy dressing room at the moment. 

A right centre half cover for Raggett is all we need unless anyone else leaves.  Ogilvie, Lowery, Anjorin & Scully returning will be like three or four signings, and Whyte coming into form would be a fifth. 

Signing more players and making more players unhappy to be out of the squad would be this seasons way of messing it up.

We certainly will need more than one CB. We have No confirmed date for player returns & will need to cover for more injuries. Definitely need another striker & goalkeeper. What does everyone else think?

We wont get a GK. JM rates Schofield. We only need 1 x CB to replace Poole and maybe a striker if Yengi goes. The only other business I can see happening is if someone becomes available that RH & JM believes will do us a job in the Championship or has potential to.
As Deep mentioned we have Ogilvie,Scully, & Lowery (maybe/hopefully), coming back, and maybe before the season ends Anjorin.

Schofield not exactly covered himself in glory so far. There again, no one did the other night.

(21-12-2023, 05:27 PM)mikey393 Wrote: [ -> ]

(21-12-2023, 04:42 PM)DeepBlue Wrote: [ -> ]

(21-12-2023, 03:30 PM)mikey393 Wrote: [ -> ]I've been away travelling so have missed radio commentaries but have read the online reports.

It looks like we need 3-4 players to help us push on for auto promotion.

First is an experienced CH likely to be on loan, another striker with Yengi away in Jan, midfielder/left winger, goalkeeper.

Hopefully, our Billionaire owner will mgive RH a decent budget to make these new recruits.

Let's Not mess it up as in previous seasons.

As posted earlier I don't want 3 or 4 .. that would risk upsetting the balance of what is a happy dressing room at the moment. 

A right centre half cover for Raggett is all we need unless anyone else leaves.  Ogilvie, Lowery, Anjorin & Scully returning will be like three or four signings, and Whyte coming into form would be a fifth. 

Signing more players and making more players unhappy to be out of the squad would be this seasons way of messing it up.

We certainly will need more than one CB. We have No confirmed date for player returns & will need to cover for more injuries. Definitely need another striker & goalkeeper. What does everyone else think?

Why do we need more than one centre back ... who needs more than 4 of them ?

And we didn't need anohter striker when Yengi was out injured for longer than he will be away so why the urgency there ?

We need to learn our lessons from previous January windows and accept that good players being available is very rare.

(21-12-2023, 06:08 PM)DeepBlue Wrote: [ -> ]

(21-12-2023, 05:27 PM)mikey393 Wrote: [ -> ]

(21-12-2023, 04:42 PM)DeepBlue Wrote: [ -> ]

(21-12-2023, 03:30 PM)mikey393 Wrote: [ -> ]I've been away travelling so have missed radio commentaries but have read the online reports.

It looks like we need 3-4 players to help us push on for auto promotion.

First is an experienced CH likely to be on loan, another striker with Yengi away in Jan, midfielder/left winger, goalkeeper.

Hopefully, our Billionaire owner will mgive RH a decent budget to make these new recruits.

Let's Not mess it up as in previous seasons.

As posted earlier I don't want 3 or 4 .. that would risk upsetting the balance of what is a happy dressing room at the moment. 

A right centre half cover for Raggett is all we need unless anyone else leaves.  Ogilvie, Lowery, Anjorin & Scully returning will be like three or four signings, and Whyte coming into form would be a fifth. 

Signing more players and making more players unhappy to be out of the squad would be this seasons way of messing it up.

We certainly will need more than one CB. We have No confirmed date for player returns & will need to cover for more injuries. Definitely need another striker & goalkeeper. What does everyone else think?

Why do we need more than one centre back ... who needs more than 4 of them ? 

And we didn't need anohter striker when Yengi was out injured for longer than he will be away so why the urgency there ?

We need to learn our lessons from previous January windows and accept that good players being available is very rare.

Spot on, great team spirit atm,too many new additions could well ruin that.

Let's go position by position to see if additions are needed (oooh errr missus).

Goalkeeper- The backup Schofield hasn't looked good. There's two others out on loan though. Not essential.

Left back- Ogilvie back soon, Hume may or may not be offloaded but no additions needed here.

Centre back- Nobody would argue against a Raggett backup being necessary. Towler might benefit from a loan but there's no guarantee we get someone better than him in. Probably just one CB coming in, hopefully someone who can play either side at CB.

Right back- Absolutely fine unless Swanson's injury is really bad. Even then Jewitt White an option.

Central Midfield- Fine here I think. Stevenson can play at a push if required. Lowery should be back soon enough barring any further injury setbacks. Happy enough here even if Robertson possibly going to the Asia cup is a worry. Anjorin should be back around February too.

Left wing- Pretty much OK here I think. Scully is on the comeback trail and Lane has adapted well here. Sparkes becomes an alternative option here once Ogilvie is back so all good. Josh Martin is probably on his way out but doesn't matter.

Right wing- Kamara and Whyte with Lane able to come back over if needed. No additions needed.

Striker- I'd like to see one more in. Yengi likely going away with Australia with games coming thick and fast. I'd like to see another option here if only to relieve Bishop for the last 10 minutes of some games. I know Saydee can play here too but he may be needed in midfield in Robertson's potential absence.

So in summery the only absolutely essential is that one centre back. My desirable would be another striker and there may be a luxury or two of some youngsters with potential.

I suspect you will get your wish of a centre half, possibly on loan with a view to buy if Raggs moves on.
Very likely to see a couple or more of young development permanent signings.
Maybe a young loan signing up front, a little speedy type might be handy as an option.

(21-12-2023, 03:30 PM)mikey393 Wrote: [ -> ]I've been away travelling so have missed radio commentaries but have read the online reports.

It looks like we need 3-4 players to help us push on for auto promotion.

First is an experienced CH likely to be on loan, another striker with Yengi away in Jan, midfielder/left winger, goalkeeper.

Hopefully, our Billionaire owner will mgive RH a decent budget to make these new recruits.

Let's Not mess it up as in previous seasons.

We are top of the league. 

How would you propose to entice new recruits, that are good enough, to come to Pompey and sit on the bench?

(22-12-2023, 05:51 AM)Cunninglinguist Wrote: [ -> ]

(21-12-2023, 03:30 PM)mikey393 Wrote: [ -> ]I've been away travelling so have missed radio commentaries but have read the online reports.

It looks like we need 3-4 players to help us push on for auto promotion.

First is an experienced CH likely to be on loan, another striker with Yengi away in Jan, midfielder/left winger, goalkeeper.

Hopefully, our Billionaire owner will mgive RH a decent budget to make these new recruits.

Let's Not mess it up as in previous seasons.

We are top of the league. 

How would you propose to entice new recruits, that are good enough, to come to Pompey and sit on the bench?

Not a problem if they are ambitious IMO. How many of our players don't get injured or suspended at least once a season? Also if they are permanent signings they would hope to be playing in the Championship next season.