I know it won’t happen as it would involve a fee, but we should be looking at Sam Smith from Cambridge. Can play on the right or through the middle. 15 goals last season and 4 already this season. Only 24 years old so room to improve him and it shouldn’t take a huge fee to tempt Cambridge into selling
The next 3 days are going to be interesting. Based on what we have in the squad just now I honestly don't see us being in the top six at the end of the season. That and the ticket pricing will ensure TS is unlikely to make significant inroads in to the annual loss run rate of £8M. Would be nice to see the club pull some rabbits out of the hat and strengthen the squad in the areas that are glaringly obvious before the window closes. If not I suspect it is going to be a long and pretty mundane season.
Others will no doubt have differing opinions but in my view that would be a case of hope over experience.
I agree. Realistically, I think that just outside playoffs is probably most likely outcome.
It's frustrating, because I think that, with an additional, experienced striking option to Stockley, I don't honestly think we're that far away from having a much stronger chance of getting playoffs. I fear that we'll flatter to deceive with some continued pretty football, but lack the cutting edge to finish out scrappy games with a nicked goal at the end to convert more games into points. I want us to get in a striker that has a bit of nous, can hold the ball up AND has even a little bit of acceleration/movement that gives us a different way to play. Leaburn is getting better every week, Aneke will hopefully be back in the fold at some point, but we remain light up front and without any player to mix it up.
Otherwise, we end up with another par-for-the-course season that keeps us in this league for another year and increases the chances of losing our better players or even the manager. It's always going to be a gamble to invest in certain players at the end of the window. However, I think I believe that this investment would be worth it.
I don't think teams fear our football without a more consistent end product. I'd love to be wrong and say this squad could get there as is, but I think we're just on the cusp. Maybe with a bit of luck we get there, but these things even out over a season.
I can't figure out why so many people are down on this team. We've stood up to every test so far and no 'top 6' team has looked much better than us. We smashed Plymouth who it turns out are a very good side and our second string beat a Championship team's first team.
Last season is finished, it's over. If anyone needed to hear that!
I can't figure out why so many people are down on this team. We've stood up to every test so far and no 'top 6' team has looked much better than us. We smashed Plymouth who it turns out are a very good side and our second string beat a Championship team's first team.
Last season is finished, it's over. If anyone needed to hear that!
it is because we don't score enough goals against 11 men - simple
I can't figure out why so many people are down on this team. We've stood up to every test so far and no 'top 6' team has looked much better than us. We smashed Plymouth who it turns out are a very good side and our second string beat a Championship team's first team.
Last season is finished, it's over. If anyone needed to hear that!
I'm not sure people are down on this team, just making a reasoned assessment. Bearing in mind I watch all our games (and not just this season), I think we are heading for 6th to 10th unless we strengthen further.
We're almost certainly not a good bet for automatic promotion unless we strengthen. Skybet now have us as 8th favourites.
I can't figure out why so many people are down on this team. We've stood up to every test so far and no 'top 6' team has looked much better than us. We smashed Plymouth who it turns out are a very good side and our second string beat a Championship team's first team.
Last season is finished, it's over. If anyone needed to hear that!
I understand that people feel a need to be pessimistic as a way of managing their expectations, but there are a few “Debbie Downers” on here. What makes me laugh is the way there’s a chorus of sarcastic “HMS Piss The League” comments as soon as we win, like we’re not allowed to be positive or something. Having said that, some of the more positive on here are equally guilty of ridiculing “Bedwetters” so, you know, it’s a two way street.
Not everyone is a “Debbie Downer” or an in-denial “This is fine” type - Most of us sit somewhere in between, but some people are relentlessly negative/positive Whatever does it for you, I suppose. 😎
If Tyreece Simpson was our number one target. Who are the next on the list? Tom Cannon is the only name I have heard mentioned. Personally I would prefer a more seasoned older striker to assist in the development of Miles Leaburn.
I can't figure out why so many people are down on this team. We've stood up to every test so far and no 'top 6' team has looked much better than us. We smashed Plymouth who it turns out are a very good side and our second string beat a Championship team's first team.
Last season is finished, it's over. If anyone needed to hear that!
I am really not down on the team. The result against Plymouth was great, lovely to see, but I suspect we will end up with far too many drawn games given we don't have enough of a cutting edge. Not enough happens in the final third in the majority of our games. I prefer to see it as realism as opposed to being "down on the team".
I can't figure out why so many people are down on this team. We've stood up to every test so far and no 'top 6' team has looked much better than us. We smashed Plymouth who it turns out are a very good side and our second string beat a Championship team's first team.
Last season is finished, it's over. If anyone needed to hear that!
I am really not down on the team. the result against Plymouth was great, lovely to see, but I suspect we will end up with far too many drawn games given we don't have enough of a cutting edge. Not enough happens in the final third in the majority of our games. I prefer to see it as realism as opposed to being "down on the team".
I agree that too many draws could be what costs us. If Aneke stays fit he could change that. If he’d been fit enough to come off the bench so far this season I think we’d have at least 3 more points than we do now. He turns draws into wins and losses into draws. Even if he’s only fit for 20 odd games that could be enough to sneak us into the top 6 hopefully
I can't figure out why so many people are down on this team. We've stood up to every test so far and no 'top 6' team has looked much better than us. We smashed Plymouth who it turns out are a very good side and our second string beat a Championship team's first team.
Last season is finished, it's over. If anyone needed to hear that!
I am not down on this team, by any means. I don't think we are good enough to get promoted. They aren't the same thing.
I don't buy the idea that it's a work in progress and will take 2 or 3 windows to get right. I don't buy we can't bring x or y in until z leaves, for reasons other than the budget has been poorly managed.
I rated the class of 20/21 higher than most and this team isn't better and will suffer the same fate.
Now saying that that could all change in the next 4 days. If it does brilliant. I'll be as happy as anyone.
But we have been a quality center half short for 4 windows and a center forward short for 3. How optimistic can you be this time?
Personally I think it will be quite enjoyable to watch but we will finish outside the play offs and end up playing in front of sub 10k fans, at home, on Saturdays. The club will organically shrink.
If you did slow and steady in the championship you could still grow the club.
Giving Garner time, as opposed to financial backing, is as folly as not backing Adkins.
I have a giant "MEH!" shaped balloon all ready for the window shutting, anyone else made any special arrangements?
Going to trawl through this thread & find my posts in late June/early July where I said that we were slow in getting players in & that I would be proved right yet again when we fail to assemble a squad good enough for promotion.
I can't figure out why so many people are down on this team. We've stood up to every test so far and no 'top 6' team has looked much better than us. We smashed Plymouth who it turns out are a very good side and our second string beat a Championship team's first team.
Last season is finished, it's over. If anyone needed to hear that!
I’m in and have been in this place for a while; are we there yet, who knows, but everything is either black or white.
been close to asking for my account on here to be deleted from here, as I’m finding the relentless polarisation a drain.
The next 3 days are going to be interesting. Based on what we have in the squad just now I honestly don't see us being in the top six at the end of the season. That and the ticket pricing will ensure TS is unlikely to make significant inroads in to the annual loss run rate of £8M. Would be nice to see the club pull some rabbits out of the hat and strengthen the squad in the areas that are glaringly obvious before the window closes. If not I suspect it is going to be a long and pretty mundane season.
Others will no doubt have differing opinions but in my view that would be a case of hope over experience.
If we lost (i think) 8m last year then by reducing costs and getting the Pope sell on fee, surely that 8m loss comes down a bit this season? Still can't see it getting much below 6m though.
I have a giant "MEH!" shaped balloon all ready for the window shutting, anyone else made any special arrangements?
Going to trawl through this thread & find my posts in late June/early July where I said that we were slow in getting players in & that I would be proved right yet again when we fail to assemble a squad good enough for promotion.
Why trawl through. Surely that's just 90% of what you've posted in the last 3 years. Don't disagree BTW
I have a giant "MEH!" shaped balloon all ready for the window shutting, anyone else made any special arrangements?
Going to trawl through this thread & find my posts in late June/early July where I said that we were slow in getting players in & that I would be proved right yet again when we fail to assemble a squad good enough for promotion.
And you moan at Sandgaard wanting the limelight, all your posts are about you, you and you. Probably the most annoying poster I have ever come across.
I have a giant "MEH!" shaped balloon all ready for the window shutting, anyone else made any special arrangements?
Going to trawl through this thread & find my posts in late June/early July where I said that we were slow in getting players in & that I would be proved right yet again when we fail to assemble a squad good enough for promotion.
And you moan at Sandgaard wanting the limelight, all your posts are about you, you and you. Probably the most annoying poster I have ever come across.
Yes, it’s infuriating to read but skip every post with his name at the top and you’ll feel much better for it, trust me!
You lot are very confident in your football predictions. You must be laughing your way out of the bookies every season!
What are the odds on us not getting promoted?
Well there are going to be more than three teams who think they can get promoted, or stand a chance of promotion from League One this season - So there will always fans of a good few clubs disappointed.
I have a giant "MEH!" shaped balloon all ready for the window shutting, anyone else made any special arrangements?
Going to trawl through this thread & find my posts in late June/early July where I said that we were slow in getting players in & that I would be proved right yet again when we fail to assemble a squad good enough for promotion.
And you moan at Sandgaard wanting the limelight, all your posts are about you, you and you. Probably the most annoying poster I have ever come across.
I have a giant "MEH!" shaped balloon all ready for the window shutting, anyone else made any special arrangements?
Going to trawl through this thread & find my posts in late June/early July where I said that we were slow in getting players in & that I would be proved right yet again when we fail to assemble a squad good enough for promotion.
And you moan at Sandgaard wanting the limelight, all your posts are about you, you and you. Probably the most annoying poster I have ever come across.
I have a giant "MEH!" shaped balloon all ready for the window shutting, anyone else made any special arrangements?
Going to trawl through this thread & find my posts in late June/early July where I said that we were slow in getting players in & that I would be proved right yet again when we fail to assemble a squad good enough for promotion.
And you moan at Sandgaard wanting the limelight, all your posts are about you, you and you. Probably the most annoying poster I have ever come across.
Yes,but sadly I'm seldom wrong.
You disappear when you're wrong, and show back up when you're right. When we win a few games you're quiet. When we lose or stutter you're back.
You're not even right this time. We haven't been 'slow' in the market. We could use a fourth striker (for one position) and a CB and that's about it, and we're only waiting because of the budget. We got the bulk of our business done early
I have a giant "MEH!" shaped balloon all ready for the window shutting, anyone else made any special arrangements?
Going to trawl through this thread & find my posts in late June/early July where I said that we were slow in getting players in & that I would be proved right yet again when we fail to assemble a squad good enough for promotion.
And you moan at Sandgaard wanting the limelight, all your posts are about you, you and you. Probably the most annoying poster I have ever come across.
Yes,but sadly I'm seldom wrong.
Seem to recall recently that Burton had "won" at Accrington because they'd gone 2-0 up
How did that work out for you
"Broken clock" is probably the best example to use for you
Absolute mustard. Was he perfect? No. Was and is he a Championship level Center Back? Yup.
He's actually something of a Rosetta stone for me on how to view peoples' football opinions. If you simply think he's "shit," and can't see any quality in him, I'm not interested in your football opinion.
Also, the subject of one of my favorite exchanges on here. I was once told Harry Lennon was better than Naby Sarr despite Lennon having made some bad mistakes defensively. They are currently three divisions apart.
I have the same methodology
Yep my thinking too.
Btw, a reminder, the Nabster scored on his debut for Reading yesterday against the scum
I have a giant "MEH!" shaped balloon all ready for the window shutting, anyone else made any special arrangements?
Going to trawl through this thread & find my posts in late June/early July where I said that we were slow in getting players in & that I would be proved right yet again when we fail to assemble a squad good enough for promotion.
And you moan at Sandgaard wanting the limelight, all your posts are about you, you and you. Probably the most annoying poster I have ever come across.
Yes,but sadly I'm seldom wrong.
Through good judgement or pessimistic views more likely to be right in our recent history? At what point in 11/12 did you expect Powell to take us up? I would guess you didn't see Bowyer's team getting promoted?
I have a giant "MEH!" shaped balloon all ready for the window shutting, anyone else made any special arrangements?
Going to trawl through this thread & find my posts in late June/early July where I said that we were slow in getting players in & that I would be proved right yet again when we fail to assemble a squad good enough for promotion.
And you moan at Sandgaard wanting the limelight, all your posts are about you, you and you. Probably the most annoying poster I have ever come across.
Yes,but sadly I'm seldom wrong.
Indeed. If you and me were wrong in what we have been saying the past 18 months we would be flying high in the championship. The fact we are a bang average club in league one proves we get most things correct.
Comments
Whatever we do to get a striker in it wont be by selling Stockley to fund it.
It's frustrating, because I think that, with an additional, experienced striking option to Stockley, I don't honestly think we're that far away from having a much stronger chance of getting playoffs. I fear that we'll flatter to deceive with some continued pretty football, but lack the cutting edge to finish out scrappy games with a nicked goal at the end to convert more games into points. I want us to get in a striker that has a bit of nous, can hold the ball up AND has even a little bit of acceleration/movement that gives us a different way to play. Leaburn is getting better every week, Aneke will hopefully be back in the fold at some point, but we remain light up front and without any player to mix it up.
Otherwise, we end up with another par-for-the-course season that keeps us in this league for another year and increases the chances of losing our better players or even the manager. It's always going to be a gamble to invest in certain players at the end of the window. However, I think I believe that this investment would be worth it.
I don't think teams fear our football without a more consistent end product. I'd love to be wrong and say this squad could get there as is, but I think we're just on the cusp. Maybe with a bit of luck we get there, but these things even out over a season.
Last season is finished, it's over. If anyone needed to hear that!
Bearing in mind I watch all our games (and not just this season), I think we are heading for 6th to 10th unless we strengthen further.
We're almost certainly not a good bet for automatic promotion unless we strengthen.
Skybet now have us as 8th favourites.
Having said that, some of the more positive on here are equally guilty of ridiculing “Bedwetters” so, you know, it’s a two way street.
Not everyone is a “Debbie Downer” or an in-denial “This is fine” type - Most of us sit somewhere in between, but some people are relentlessly negative/positive
Whatever does it for you, I suppose. 😎
Any names out there?
I don't buy the idea that it's a work in progress and will take 2 or 3 windows to get right. I don't buy we can't bring x or y in until z leaves, for reasons other than the budget has been poorly managed.
I rated the class of 20/21 higher than most and this team isn't better and will suffer the same fate.
Now saying that that could all change in the next 4 days. If it does brilliant. I'll be as happy as anyone.
But we have been a quality center half short for 4 windows and a center forward short for 3. How optimistic can you be this time?
Personally I think it will be quite enjoyable to watch but we will finish outside the play offs and end up playing in front of sub 10k fans, at home, on Saturdays. The club will organically shrink.
If you did slow and steady in the championship you could still grow the club.
Giving Garner time, as opposed to financial backing, is as folly as not backing Adkins.
been close to asking for my account on here to be deleted from here, as I’m finding the relentless polarisation a drain.
You're not even right this time. We haven't been 'slow' in the market. We could use a fourth striker (for one position) and a CB and that's about it, and we're only waiting because of the budget. We got the bulk of our business done early
How did that work out for you
"Broken clock" is probably the best example to use for you
Btw, a reminder, the Nabster scored on his debut for Reading yesterday against the scum
If you and me were wrong in what we have been saying the past 18 months we would be flying high in the championship.
The fact we are a bang average club in league one proves we get most things correct.