Most liked posts in thread: Reality check mid table at best squad

I agree about January transfer windows. Despite all the guff and bluff about being ready and finance available etc., we never get it right. We always seem to not only be on the back foot, but a bit like our midfield yards behind and never first to the ball!! I am not cynical by nature but on this occasion I think they knew Bowyer was on his way, and waited for it to end so the next manager was left with very average squad. I also think the board had given up on promotion this season,

 

Our saving grace is that so many shit players are out of contract at the end of the season

 

Then they are fools, utter fools. But then there were people here who constantly berated others when they rightly pointed out that this team wasn't good enough. Idiots clinging on to the fact that because we were in the playoffs talk of anything else was just pointless negativity.

Not worse than the blind leading the blind.

 

I really don't get you park, you seem to be getting enjoyment out of our poor season, either that or your on a wind up ?.

 

You wanted everyone one to back Edin..... Enough said.

 

With what went on with rahic I was more inclined to say bottom half especially as @wetherbywhaler said it could take up to 5 years to get back to where we was. I just hope Stuart can be given the time to put a complete restructure of the squad and get us moving upwards and not stagnating in league 2 for the next 3 years.

 

Grayson new manager bounce?, Hopkin new manager bounce?, Bowyer new manager bounce? The fault lies initially with Rahic recruiting players not good enough / without a backbone, followed by a shocking January recruitment, some poor recruitment by Bowyer, a further bizarre January transfer window. Mr Rupp and Rhodes too are culpable. If you are changing manager at least give the new one a chance to retain bring in some of the players he wants.

 

Yeah, although this season has shown that we can run it fairly close for a period even without a proper plan in place.

It might take us 5 years to get back to play off contention in League One, but next season we should definitely be striving for top 3 under Stuart, and if he fails, the following season we simply have to get the appointment right and kick on because as you say we cannot afford to stagnate in this division.

 

You've used 'backbone' here in more of a structural sense, but one could also use it the other way, and refer to the desire and ability to gain points from losing positions, and to maintain winning ones. We had some of it earlier in the season, but that too seems to have gone. And as for the Bowyeration of the squad, that came on top of a really depressing relegation. So the new manager, whoever he would be, would have to cure two hangovers and not just one -- and without a transfer window to help.

As for being a mid-table side, I suppose the way we've started and ended matches strengthens that opinion. If I've totted things up correctly, then we're pretty much even with our opponents in terms of early and late goals. We've scored in the opening 15 minutes in 3 matches, but our opponents have done that in 5. We certainly don't start off by putting down any markers. We've been much better scoring late, doing so in the last 15 minutes in 11 matches, and in 9 of those matches the late goal(s) got us a win or a draw. But, our opponents have scored late goals in 10 matches, with the late goal(s) giving them a win or draw in 7. So we've shown an ability to both finish strongly, and to crumble.

And then, of course, there's matches like today's, when we get the crumbling in early! It's very frustrating.

RCB

 

Yes it questions the poor running of the club especially around the January window. We were told money was there to strengthen the squad - yet we appear to have weakened it and saved money? Recruitment of strikers is always difficult in that the come with higher demands and clubs are more reluctant to release them - but City go ahead regardless
You have also to ask why the business was done so late in the window ans why we then had to scrape around for replacements. Oteh for example why was it not planned he might be recalled given QPR circumstances with Wells.
Mr Rhodes has previous on January transfers with the Windass saga and us not having effective replacements.
Then to cap it they sack the manager after the window shuts!!

 

Goo post mate.

I'll start with McCall I just thought he would have watched DVD's of us this season before he came in. Nothing much is changing. He has picked near enough the same squad and players like Devitt are not even in the squad.

We don't press from the front and start games slowly. Reeves is still passing sideways. Akpan is being Akpan. The wingers are hardly beating a man.

At the back we have become a joke. AOC is an embarrassment to football at this minute and costing us a goal a game.

Unfortunately, we just don't have the players to play how McCall wants. We need a need keeper, RB, 2 x CB's, 2 x CM, LW, RW and 2 new forwards. Wonder if Rhodes has told Rupp this?

McCall and Black still have to coach the players though. Can't be making excuses because it's been poor so far under McCall.

Rhodes should have sacked Bowyer long time before he did. Left it too late, then to sign Guthrie was just wasting money. Novak and Guthrie signed until the end of next season is a crime!

McCall needs time but we need to see improvement. Give youth a chance, let players go - make a statement! Do something! Hard I know but if Devitt is a problem say or if something is in his contract tell us.

Letting Doyle and Vaughan go was Rhodes waving the white flag and i don't care what anyone tells me!

This season is over! Enjoy shopping on a Saturday!

 

I think the rb slot needs attention too Henley and sick note Mellor do not inspire me with confidence when it comes to defensive duties.

 

That's a fair point. The squad is poor. But it's a squad at least half built by Bowyer.

 

That's fair comment then the question to be asked is did the owner not trust Bowyer with more money after we'd struggled around that time or was there no money available without getting rid of the likes of Doyle and Vaughan, but yes as you say it doesn't cover up what was a very poor January window.

 

I wasn't saying you had said anything offensive I was just stating that you had said there wasn't 11 teams better than us but the way we are going at this moment in time I am looking to be nearer my prediction.

 

Okay fair enough, but we're still a way off being bottom half - although like you say, it could happen. I don't think it will, though, if we keep picking up points at home.

If I had to place a bet, I'd say we'll finish 10th.

To be perfectly honest, neither of us are far off with either of our predictions.

If you go further back into the posts to the end of the Summer, I was predicting 7th at best, but more than likely missing out. I imagine you'd have been saying something similar?

 

I thought I was paying Park a complement, his nonce with regards football/Bradford City ?.

 

I think your last paragraph sums up the crux of the problem really well.