We have our last pre-season game in two days. We have one senior keeper. Even if we do sign a new keeper before the season starts, they will not have played with the team and developed any sort of understanding.
We are still some way off being a squad capable of promotion and the season is upon us. They say the transfer window doesn't close until the end of August, but there are 12 points to play for in August (that was the difference between 6th and 12th last season). We should be prepared.
They talked of getting business done early but we are still not ready and we are still talking of reducing the quality of an already thin squad by getting rid of yet another player with no replacement in sight.
These are not the machinations of a team preparing for a promotion push. This is the approach of a team happy with league one mediocrity and a steady if unsustainable income from a talented youth team. IMHO this is not good enough.
Hamer didn't play any pre season friendlys and wasn't signed until august 1st, that didn't end up to bad did it, we're a couple players short and I'd say only the keeper is necessary before the season starts, As we have cover every where else.
Just ignore the fact Powell had already been allowed to assemble an entire squad capable of promotion with a lower budget than Robinson supposedly has.
This squad is more than capable, whether we do it or not Is another thing.
I think the starting XI is, the squad isn't when inevitable injuries and suspensions occur and / or Konsa being sold off.
To be fair, there wasn't much cover outside the main starting 11 in the promotion year. The reserve left back was a barely tested player (Evina). The reserve right back was a central midfielder (Hughes). We had one player as cover for centre back (Cort). Our centre midfield cover was the same as our right back cover, JJ was our only left winger. We had 2 right wingers who divided opinion and only 1 cover in attack, Yann only arriving after the season had started - with lots of quotes of "underwhelmed" when he arrived. We then supported this squad with a number of loans across the season.
We got lucky that year with barely any injuries, and the only injuries coming to players where there was cover. I don't remember any of the back 5 missing more than the odd game.
I think we have significantly more strength in depth this year than that year, although still lacking some first choice players in some areas.
I never really used to watch emmerdale but i cracked up at this reference.
Knowing RD, can we be sure we won't get this guy
Great positioning to handle the pump & Pint glass well..looks slightly alert due to the picture being taken & clearly can organise a piss up so organising a defence should be no problem.
Don't know why but I've got this aversion to getting your supposed No 1 goalkeeper in on loan.
It means the loan goalkeeper will have to play, and either Philips goes out on loan and we get another loanee in, or Philips will have to sit on the bench again
Don't know why but I've got this aversion to getting your supposed No 1 goalkeeper in on loan.
I've always been someone who wants the main players to be permanent deals as opposed to loans because then you've only got them for 6 months/1 season and then you have to replace them. If it is another loan then we'll be back in this situation in a years time. You need consistency if you're going to build as a team, especially in defence. Look at the title winning side......Hamer, Solly, Taylor, Morrison, Wiggins. You knew who the back 5 were going to be week in week out barring any injuries. Our defence has been changing week in week out in pre season, and hasn't even got our first choice goalkeeper in there yet. How can you start the season without your first choice keeper playing at least 3 or 4 pre season games with his defence?
We have our last pre-season game in two days. We have one senior keeper. Even if we do sign a new keeper before the season starts, they will not have played with the team and developed any sort of understanding.
We are still some way off being a squad capable of promotion and the season is upon us. They say the transfer window doesn't close until the end of August, but there are 12 points to play for in August (that was the difference between 6th and 12th last season). We should be prepared.
They talked of getting business done early but we are still not ready and we are still talking of reducing the quality of an already thin squad by getting rid of yet another player with no replacement in sight.
These are not the machinations of a team preparing for a promotion push. This is the approach of a team happy with league one mediocrity and a steady if unsustainable income from a talented youth team. IMHO this is not good enough.
Hamer didn't play any pre season friendlys and wasn't signed until august 1st, that didn't end up to bad did it, we're a couple players short and I'd say only the keeper is necessary before the season starts, As we have cover every where else.
Just ignore the fact Powell had already been allowed to assemble an entire squad capable of promotion with a lower budget than Robinson supposedly has.
This squad is more than capable, whether we do it or not Is another thing.
I think the starting XI is, the squad isn't when inevitable injuries and suspensions occur and / or Konsa being sold off.
To be fair, there wasn't much cover outside the main starting 11 in the promotion year. The reserve left back was a barely tested player (Evina). The reserve right back was a central midfielder (Hughes). We had one player as cover for centre back (Cort). Our centre midfield cover was the same as our right back cover, JJ was our only left winger. We had 2 right wingers who divided opinion and only 1 cover in attack, Yann only arriving after the season had started - with lots of quotes of "underwhelmed" when he arrived. We then supported this squad with a number of loans across the season.
We got lucky that year with barely any injuries, and the only injuries coming to players where there was cover. I don't remember any of the back 5 missing more than the odd game.
I think we have significantly more strength in depth this year than that year, although still lacking some first choice players in some areas.
We have our last pre-season game in two days. We have one senior keeper. Even if we do sign a new keeper before the season starts, they will not have played with the team and developed any sort of understanding.
We are still some way off being a squad capable of promotion and the season is upon us. They say the transfer window doesn't close until the end of August, but there are 12 points to play for in August (that was the difference between 6th and 12th last season). We should be prepared.
They talked of getting business done early but we are still not ready and we are still talking of reducing the quality of an already thin squad by getting rid of yet another player with no replacement in sight.
These are not the machinations of a team preparing for a promotion push. This is the approach of a team happy with league one mediocrity and a steady if unsustainable income from a talented youth team. IMHO this is not good enough.
Hamer didn't play any pre season friendlys and wasn't signed until august 1st, that didn't end up to bad did it, we're a couple players short and I'd say only the keeper is necessary before the season starts, As we have cover every where else.
Just ignore the fact Powell had already been allowed to assemble an entire squad capable of promotion with a lower budget than Robinson supposedly has.
This squad is more than capable, whether we do it or not Is another thing.
I think the starting XI is, the squad isn't when inevitable injuries and suspensions occur and / or Konsa being sold off.
To be fair, there wasn't much cover outside the main starting 11 in the promotion year. The reserve left back was a barely tested player (Evina). The reserve right back was a central midfielder (Hughes). We had one player as cover for centre back (Cort). Our centre midfield cover was the same as our right back cover, JJ was our only left winger. We had 2 right wingers who divided opinion and only 1 cover in attack, Yann only arriving after the season had started - with lots of quotes of "underwhelmed" when he arrived. We then supported this squad with a number of loans across the season.
We got lucky that year with barely any injuries, and the only injuries coming to players where there was cover. I don't remember any of the back 5 missing more than the odd game.
I think we have significantly more strength in depth this year than that year, although still lacking some first choice players in some areas.
Oh come off it.
Very valid point Chrispy51 cannot disagree at all at the facts presented are correct.
We have our last pre-season game in two days. We have one senior keeper. Even if we do sign a new keeper before the season starts, they will not have played with the team and developed any sort of understanding.
We are still some way off being a squad capable of promotion and the season is upon us. They say the transfer window doesn't close until the end of August, but there are 12 points to play for in August (that was the difference between 6th and 12th last season). We should be prepared.
They talked of getting business done early but we are still not ready and we are still talking of reducing the quality of an already thin squad by getting rid of yet another player with no replacement in sight.
These are not the machinations of a team preparing for a promotion push. This is the approach of a team happy with league one mediocrity and a steady if unsustainable income from a talented youth team. IMHO this is not good enough.
Hamer didn't play any pre season friendlys and wasn't signed until august 1st, that didn't end up to bad did it, we're a couple players short and I'd say only the keeper is necessary before the season starts, As we have cover every where else.
Just ignore the fact Powell had already been allowed to assemble an entire squad capable of promotion with a lower budget than Robinson supposedly has.
This squad is more than capable, whether we do it or not Is another thing.
I think the starting XI is, the squad isn't when inevitable injuries and suspensions occur and / or Konsa being sold off.
To be fair, there wasn't much cover outside the main starting 11 in the promotion year. The reserve left back was a barely tested player (Evina). The reserve right back was a central midfielder (Hughes). We had one player as cover for centre back (Cort). Our centre midfield cover was the same as our right back cover, JJ was our only left winger. We had 2 right wingers who divided opinion and only 1 cover in attack, Yann only arriving after the season had started - with lots of quotes of "underwhelmed" when he arrived. We then supported this squad with a number of loans across the season.
We got lucky that year with barely any injuries, and the only injuries coming to players where there was cover. I don't remember any of the back 5 missing more than the odd game.
I think we have significantly more strength in depth this year than that year, although still lacking some first choice players in some areas.
The core of the 2011/12 team was very settled, and while we didn't have massive depth (a bit more than you suggest), we always had the option to bring in emergency loans to cover players (eg. Ephraim, Russell, N'Guessan, Cook) which is no longer possible, therefore it makes sense to have good cover. Particularly if you are one of the bigger/richer clubs in the league and want to push for promotion.
Loans are a reality of the modern game for clubs outside the financial lunacy of the Premier League. All the time the PL has money to burn on punts for any player that shows any promise and runs playing staff upwards of 50 it has to continue. Of course it filters down. We loan and we loan out. I can't see things changing anytime soon.
I don't like loans very much, but many of us say this player or that player would benefit going out on loans, so I suppose it is to be expected that we get them too.
Comments
We got lucky that year with barely any injuries, and the only injuries coming to players where there was cover. I don't remember any of the back 5 missing more than the odd game.
I think we have significantly more strength in depth this year than that year, although still lacking some first choice players in some areas.
Knowing RD, can we be sure we won't get this guy
Granted, under this lot, we have had so many pointless and useless loans that I get where your coming from.