Any Topic Going formerly Transfer Rumour s

Don’t be daft

 

Did not Stuart say he was waiting on Prem/Championship teams to make players available as loanees? If so he may be seeking decent quality to top up his squad.

 

It's a bit more complicated than just saving a bit of money now though. Do you get players in now to the maximum allowed so that you are as covered as you can be in terms of injuries, or do you hold back on a couple of players so you can bring in reinforcements in January?The first option would mean you would have to ship a couple of players out in January in order to get new ones in (unless you just go for under 21s), and you'd be stuffed if nobody wanted the players you were prepared to shift. Or do you go for the second option where you leave yourselves a bit of wiggle room for reinforcements in January but risk not being able to cover certain positions in the meantime if injuries strike hard. It's a tricky one.

 

Yes i know we are talking div 2 players but O' Connor, Mellor, Henley BRE have played at an higher level and our defenders were very poor at times. Backing off while attackers ran at us even when there was cover that resulted in goals. Some of the goals from headers against us unchallenged, losing players assigned to pick up from set pieces and corners - lunging into tackles instead of keeping on their feet in areas where the opposition were not a threat.
A good few of our conceded goals were preventable and we need to do better this season hopefully with a player with leadership skills installed at right back along with the players been encouraged to talk to each other in training.
I concede we defend as a team and some of the cover especially from midfielders was poor too.

 

Rod, we don't have a right back/right wing back and the season starts in a couple of weeks. When the defence is a shambles and they can't play offside or know who to cover for a free kick, corner or throw in then it will be clear why. The defensive group needs time to work and gel together before being thrown into matches.

Forget all this striker talk can we just have at least one player who can play as a natural in each position on the pitch?

 

That's the problem, we're not looking to top up the squad, we're two players short of a first eleven at this point. If we only needed a couple of squad fillers, I think everyone would be a bit more relaxed and content with us taking our time about it. But, as it stands, we're less than two weeks from the start of the season and we have zero right backs and zero goalscorers at the club. The later you leave it, the longer it takes a new signing to settle in, get fit, get up to speed with how we play and build relationships with the players around him. You saw with Cooke last year, he only managed sub appearances for his first 4/5 games because he came in late, had no pre season with us and wasn't up to speed. I'm not sure we can afford to do that, especially with the striker, as that runs the risk of wasting away the first few games of the season.

 

Bit harsh to have a go at City because of a point I made! haha

I think we'd be mad not to put at least enough budget for 1/2 players in case of emergency: the players we get now turning out to be shit, or unmotivated, or crocked, or stricken with COVID, or having a breakdown, or taking out 3 players drink driving, being inappropriate with a cheerleader or... the list of things which could go wrong is endless.

 

The fact that Stuart has been championing Guthrie, imo means he’ll be leading the line and we won’t be bringing in a replacement for JV. Perhaps a young loanee as a back up, which has often been the case, but sadly I don’t think we’ll be bringing in anyone upfront as a real first team starter. I just can’t see it with the numbers we’ve already got in that position, quality or not.

 

yes you see this is my concern with AOC. I like him as a footballer and he can actually play with the ball at his feet, but when you watch him on the pitch he always gives the impression of being a bit of a loner

 

More lovely Stuart speak in the T&A today, 'stats gone through the roof'. As for having 22 players who made up the practise games, think we know what Rupp, Rhodes and Sparks were doing at the weekend!!

 

Not really good enough though is it, why can't Stuart see that when everyone else knows we need a striker with experience of this division that at least can score more than Novak's customary 12 a season. Guthrie is still very much a wild card this season in terms of it going good or bad.

 

I don't doubt for one minute that Stuart can see it, but what he can say openly in public, whilst managing expectations and the budget, is something different.

 

I'm sure though in the T&A a week or 2 ago they said there's more than enough room in the budget to bring players in, so who's bending the truth the appease fans? The press or the club? Or the press telling us what we want to hear from the club?

 

Unfortunately, that's my take on it too. I think a young loanee is nailed on now, no Maynard or Rose type player coming in.

The lack of a right back is almost a bigger issue to me too. Again, I suspect a young loanee coming in.

You would have thought that we would have been able to pluck someone from the pool of much reported 1400 out of contract players.

 

Wish we were as consistent as you we’d be top of the league!

 

It will be fine, we've signed Sutton who can cover at right back for the first few games if we don't get a RB in before the start of the seas... Oh.

 

Same Sutton who is suspended for first 4 games?

 

When did we get promoted, were a league two side hence may 2 years, get us up and help consolidate our position in league one.

 

This is what I can't understand about this salary cap. With clubs allowed a maximum of 21 players over 23 (22 this season), they are potentially putting a lot of players out of work. Nobody seems to be raising this as an issue. I am all for developing youngsters but you can't just make hundreds or potentially thousands of people surplus to requirements like that.

 

Think those numbers are a bit high in terms of being unemployed.

How big do you reckon the squads are normally?