So what do we know ?

I think it doesn’t matter what we think. We are at the limit of our budget and until anyone moves that’s it. I think we have enough to put a decent challenge in but we will soon find out

 

I know the defence looks better.

Far better options up front than last season.

Although Palmer looks a decent player: I think midfield is weaker without O'Brien, so as everyone says, we must somehow bring in an energetic battler in, then I'd be happy.

Not as bothered as some about a left winger, think Bowyer is a 4-3-3 man, I believe thst was his preferred formation at Blackpool, which proved successful for him

 

Well Mr Rupp better get his hands in his pocket again then.

I'm happy with the squad but our midfield needs improving and we need another forward.

As @king karl says we're few injuries away from going from automatic hopefuls to maybe missing out on the play offs..

Even though I say I happy with the squad I am not happy with competition for places in midfield.

 

Haven't seen any of the pre-season, but think we will win the league.

 

We ain't gonna a midfield, this is LG2!!!!!! Neck braces at the ready....

 

Whilst I agree, this league is not awash with money and look round at other clubs I bet they all could do with at leat a couple more

 

I've seen Palmer play twice pre season and we have in my opinion a really good midfielder onboard but without another quality player alongside him we could get over run in the midfield.
Hope this gets addressed sooner rather than later.

 

Absolutely spot on. Bringing in another quality midfield player is vital for me. Hope it happens this window

 

If Bowyer is going to insist on playing 4-3-3, we do need a couple more players. Maybe not a winger, but we do need someone who is better suited to playing up top in a three. This is not Doyle’s position.

We will also need an enforcer to work alongside Palmer. However, with Bowyer blowing his limited budget on the likes of Devine, Colville and Anderson and also having Akpan, Reeves, McCartan & Gibson too, I just don’t see this happening any time soon.

 

Vaughan up top, Donaldson cutting in from the left which is where he played for Brentford and Scannell on the right which is a position he'll be more than comfortable with. It's the 3 behind them that's more of an issue. Not a lot of quality there but still nothing to suggest that they won't be suited to a midfield 3?

 

Agree with you on the defence Idle.

Last season we conceded too many, it looks like we've addressed that.

We had no competition for O'Donnell, we've got that.

We were short of forwards and goals, no one can argue that we haven't addressed that!

Midfield still looks weak but if we're trying to be on the positive side of things we seem to have addressed several problems and have less problems left to solve in the remaining days of the transfer window.

 

I haven’t been to any of the friendlies or been to training, so can’t comment on that as @RonnieBrown requests. However IMO this is already a much better balanced, disciplined and talented squad than we had last season.

So reverting back to the original question “what do we know?” For me I simply know the club is in a damn sight better place than it was this time last year. I know there is a refreshed optimism amongst most of us and I know the DNA of what we all love about this club has come a long way back to being restored.

On the playing side, I can’t comment having not seen them perform. However agree it feels as though we are at least a CM short. I’d like to resolve the futures of the “one or two” who have been mentioned may move on preferably before next week.

I’m travelling up for next weeks game and for the first time in a long while, I’m actually excited for a city game.........that’s one thing I know!

 

Think I wasted my time and money going to Briggus and Eccleshill.
Watched 180 mins of trialists and not one signed up.

 

So we have 3 players that can play a chosen formation? And if Donaldson, Vaughan or Scannell got injured, we have other players that can play the same roles?

We need more players that can play that formation

 

I think it looks solid - but certainly wouldn't expect any super duper cup runs.

Would be nice though!

 

You could say that about any formation though. A manager could set their sights on a particular system but injuries to key players who are pivotal to that system might make it more difficult to implement. If absentees prevent us from playing 4-3-3 then there's nothing stopping us from reverting back to a 4-4-2. The best teams are able to adapt and by accounts we've done well this pre season playing in a range of different formations.

 

Let's take the top 2 teams in the country in Liverpool and City. Both play 4-3-3. They don't switch to a 4-4-2 if a play is out or needs a rest etc.

@BoingBoing is correct. If we are going to play a 4-3-3 then we need more players.

You can't just go from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 in modern day football. The formation change involves too much tactical work and a change of routine.