Pre-Season Business

[toms]

I think it's impossible to tell but clearly we have been constrained by ffp. All in all at present it looks an average summer but hopefully sufficient to get us to mid table. We don't have on the face of it a spectacular team but maybe a team with no superstars will perform better as a team unit

 

[Calvin Plummer]

Pope John XXIII - 27/7/2017 16:20

Calvin Plummer - 27/7/2017 16:00

Pope John XXIII - 27/7/2017 14:41

I think it's been dreadful on the whole.

We've done a spurs- sold a special player and replaced with a quantity of mediocrity.

If we had signed loads of players for the future that would be one thing. But we haven't. £2m on a 34 year old FFS. McKay and Cummings are punts that might work and are the only ones we can look forward to.

Could easily start with the same team as last year minus the three best players.

We've also lost out on as many targets as we have got. If Greek fella is the last and we miss out on Hector then it's been an appalling window IMO

Given that we clearly needed to sell to buy and comply what would have been a good summer to you?

We've added:

2 young talented players
1 exciting RWB
1 CM used to playing at a higher level
1 Proven goalscorer

We also have Clough who should hopefully be settling in along with a number of young players who have all had a year to mature.

A list of realistic signing that we've missed who've gone to fellow relegation rivals with financial constraints similar to ours will make interesting reading. I look forward to it.

I'll be happy to provide it for you once you arrange for the club to pay me for such a service. McParland has been paid for identifying old players he knows so it shouldn't be too hard.

But until that happens you can whistle CP. I'm under no obligation to provide anything to you to justify having an opinion- especially when your opinion is simultaneously justified with more opinion.

I've voiced my opinion and provided sufficient rationale for it.

I know you find it hard to simply say 'it's disagree' but that's the way it's going to have to be. Your patronising comments are not going to change my mind.

Mainly I find saying 'it's disagree' difficult because it's nonsensical rubbish. So we are firmly in your wheelhouse and not mine...

Again I'm also not surprised that you fail to grasp the reality of our situation, but hey ho. Be a grown up at some point and add some substance to your argument, otherwise it's just white noise.

 

[Calvin Plummer]

@Widdow the majority of those clubs we simply don't have parity with sadly. Certainly not Derby, Fulham, Norwich or Wolves - probably not Brum or Brentford either.

 

[Hardy Forest]

On the face of it, neither did Huddersfield did they? A relatively unknown German manager, with no knowledge of this league, brings in a bunch of unknown 2nd division German players, that he had inside knowledge of, and hey presto, promotion.
I'm not saying that approach could work all the time, but you never know.
Here we are, with a progressive manager, with a proven track record in this league, who has brought in some players that he has knowledge of and who he thinks will fit his system, and some are complaining.

 

[Pope John XXIII]

Calvin Plummer - 27/7/2017 19:09

Pope John XXIII - 27/7/2017 16:20

Calvin Plummer - 27/7/2017 16:00

Pope John XXIII - 27/7/2017 14:41

I think it's been dreadful on the whole.

We've done a spurs- sold a special player and replaced with a quantity of mediocrity.

If we had signed loads of players for the future that would be one thing. But we haven't. £2m on a 34 year old FFS. McKay and Cummings are punts that might work and are the only ones we can look forward to.

Could easily start with the same team as last year minus the three best players.

We've also lost out on as many targets as we have got. If Greek fella is the last and we miss out on Hector then it's been an appalling window IMO

Given that we clearly needed to sell to buy and comply what would have been a good summer to you?

We've added:

2 young talented players
1 exciting RWB
1 CM used to playing at a higher level
1 Proven goalscorer

We also have Clough who should hopefully be settling in along with a number of young players who have all had a year to mature.

A list of realistic signing that we've missed who've gone to fellow relegation rivals with financial constraints similar to ours will make interesting reading. I look forward to it.

I'll be happy to provide it for you once you arrange for the club to pay me for such a service. McParland has been paid for identifying old players he knows so it shouldn't be too hard.

But until that happens you can whistle CP. I'm under no obligation to provide anything to you to justify having an opinion- especially when your opinion is simultaneously justified with more opinion.

I've voiced my opinion and provided sufficient rationale for it.

I know you find it hard to simply say 'it's disagree' but that's the way it's going to have to be. Your patronising comments are not going to change my mind.

Mainly I find saying 'it's disagree' difficult because it's nonsensical rubbish. So we are firmly in your wheelhouse and not mine...

Again I'm also not surprised that you fail to grasp the reality of our situation, but hey ho. Be a grown up at some point and add some substance to your argument, otherwise it's just white noise.

Again, patronising rubbish never wins anyone over to your side.

I have no interest in convincing you of my point of view and belittling my opinion is never going to win me over to yours in a million years

 

[Ingy]

On that basis Hardy it will be interesting to see how Norwich get on this season. I imagine their manager has brought in some quality from Germany.

 

[Hardy Forest]

" If we had signed loads of players for the future that would be one thing. But we haven't. £2m on a 34 year old FFS. McKay and Cummings are punts that might work and are the only ones we can look forward to "

Pope - but he's signed 4 for the future! Two for the development squad (defender and keeper) and McKay and Cummings. Surely that is investing for the future?

 

[toms]

The main issue with the team is that there isnt anyone who you feel can turn a game. Like burke, like britt, like antonio. We have no way of knowing how the scottish players will fair in the championship. It feels underwhelming but that i think may be enough to do better than last year

 

[Pope John XXIII]

Hardy Forest - 27/7/2017 19:13

On the face of it, neither did Huddersfield did they? A relatively unknown German manager, with no knowledge of this league, brings in a bunch of unknown 2nd division German players, that he had inside knowledge of, and hey presto, promotion.
I'm not saying that approach could work all the time, but you never know.
Here we are, with a progressive manager, with a proven track record in this league, who has brought in some players that he has knowledge of and who he thinks will fit his system, and some are complaining.

Yep, because I don't think it will work.

For every Huddersfield there are another 10 clubs who do the exact same thing and fail. We have been one of them many times, including last year.

It's all nice being positive. But we need everything he has done to click.

Are we even stonger than last season?

33 of last season's 62 goals were scored by players who are no longer at the club. How sure are we that those goals, which were only barely enough, are going to be replaced let alone bettered?

You have to accept the possibility.

A number of our top targets have not arrived at the club. You can all be happy, but MW probably won't be ecstatic at how it has gone. Players he wanted here have gone elsewhere and he has been left with second or third choices.

The most solid, out of the box good signing (Darikwa) is in a position that is already adequately covered.

Two young players have arrived ready to play - that's it. Our season will hinge on Greek guy and the two Scots and whether they can be amazing or not.

And this progressive manager has been playing our most outstanding young striker in a generation at right wing back. I saw Brereton's face when he went down the tunnel on Tuesday and it was just as bemused as mine was

 

[tonywanstead]

For me it is what I expected from a club in recovery steady recruitment not spectacular
Lest not forget we survived by the skin of our teeth on the last day and survived Fawaz!
I think we will make the top half this season which would be good progress with a club being run like a football club again more importantly!!

 

[Apollyon]

Im completely underwhelmed by the signing of Bouchalakis and if he was our final signing they im left a little flat if im honest

 

[Hardy Forest]

Pope John XXIII - 27/7/2017 19:40

Hardy Forest - 27/7/2017 19:13

On the face of it, neither did Huddersfield did they? A relatively unknown German manager, with no knowledge of this league, brings in a bunch of unknown 2nd division German players, that he had inside knowledge of, and hey presto, promotion.
I'm not saying that approach could work all the time, but you never know.
Here we are, with a progressive manager, with a proven track record in this league, who has brought in some players that he has knowledge of and who he thinks will fit his system, and some are complaining.

Yep, because I don't think it will work.

For every Huddersfield there are another 10 clubs who do the exact same thing and fail. We have been one of them many times, including last year.

It's all nice being positive. But we need everything he has done to click.

Are we even stonger than last season?

33 of last season's 62 goals were scored by players who are no longer at the club. How sure are we that those goals, which were only barely enough, are going to be replaced let alone bettered?

You have to accept the possibility.

A number of our top targets have not arrived at the club. You can all be happy, but MW probably won't be ecstatic at how it has gone. Players he wanted here have gone elsewhere and he has been left with second or third choices.

The most solid, out of the box good signing (Darikwa) is in a position that is already adequately covered.

Two young players have arrived ready to play - that's it. Our season will hinge on Greek guy and the two Scots and whether they can be amazing or not.

And this progressive manager has been playing our most outstanding young striker in a generation at right wing back. I saw Brereton's face when he went down the tunnel on Tuesday and it was just as bemused as mine was

A good coach gets more out of the players he already has, and I believe we have one. I can't stand Liverpool, but watched an interview with Klopp, who I do rate, last week on Sky. Interestingly he thought that in this country fans are obsessed with always signing new players, but in his opinion a good coach improves those players he already has in his squad, if he believes in them. In an ideal world he felt you should only make a couple of tweaks each time.

As for Brereton, I didn't realise you taught Pyschology as well? Perhaps he was just tired, had a slight niggle, not sure you can make such an assessment from a fleeting glance Pope. I doubt very much we will be seeing him play wing back very often. Anyway, it was only yesterday you were saying You hoped he would be playing Velios up front if he was scoring regularly.

 

[mao tse tung]

Apollyon - 27/7/2017 19:50

Im completely underwhelmed by the signing of Bouchalakis and if he was our final signing they im left a little fat if im honest

Corrected that for you, sumo!

 

[Pope John XXIII]

Hardy Forest - 27/7/2017 19:52

Pope John XXIII - 27/7/2017 19:40

Hardy Forest - 27/7/2017 19:13

On the face of it, neither did Huddersfield did they? A relatively unknown German manager, with no knowledge of this league, brings in a bunch of unknown 2nd division German players, that he had inside knowledge of, and hey presto, promotion.
I'm not saying that approach could work all the time, but you never know.
Here we are, with a progressive manager, with a proven track record in this league, who has brought in some players that he has knowledge of and who he thinks will fit his system, and some are complaining.

Yep, because I don't think it will work.

For every Huddersfield there are another 10 clubs who do the exact same thing and fail. We have been one of them many times, including last year.

It's all nice being positive. But we need everything he has done to click.

Are we even stonger than last season?

33 of last season's 62 goals were scored by players who are no longer at the club. How sure are we that those goals, which were only barely enough, are going to be replaced let alone bettered?

You have to accept the possibility.

A number of our top targets have not arrived at the club. You can all be happy, but MW probably won't be ecstatic at how it has gone. Players he wanted here have gone elsewhere and he has been left with second or third choices.

The most solid, out of the box good signing (Darikwa) is in a position that is already adequately covered.

Two young players have arrived ready to play - that's it. Our season will hinge on Greek guy and the two Scots and whether they can be amazing or not.

And this progressive manager has been playing our most outstanding young striker in a generation at right wing back. I saw Brereton's face when he went down the tunnel on Tuesday and it was just as bemused as mine was

A good coach gets more out of the players he already has, and I believe we have one. I can't stand Liverpool, but watched an interview with Klopp, who I do rate, last week on Sky. Interestingly he thought that in this country fans are obsessed with always signing new players, but in his opinion a good coach improves those players he already has in his squad, if he believes in them. In an ideal world he felt you should only make a couple of tweaks each time.

As for Brereton, I didn't realise you taught Pyschology as well? Perhaps he was just tired, had a slight niggle, not sure you can make such an assessment from a fleeting glance Pope. I doubt very much we will be seeing him play wing back very often. Anyway, it was only yesterday you were saying You hoped he would be playing Velios up front if he was scoring regularly.

Brereton has been moved back there twice in friendlies now. It has nothing to do with tiredness- you bring players off when they are tired in friendlies and he did so with Ben.

I haven't a clue what he is playing at with that.

I hope whichever striker is most in form starts. That means if Vellios is the most in form I hope he will get his opportunity and not be left out. In reality we will be playing 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1 or some derivative.

I agree a good coach gets more out of their players. I bet you can guess the bit we disagree on here

 

[Ingy]

Apollyon - 27/7/2017 19:50

Im completely underwhelmed by the signing of Bouchalakis and if he was our final signing they im left a little flat if im honest

Have you considered letting it out chap?

 

[Hardy Forest]

So you don't think he did a good job with Brentford? You didn't see any improvement in how the players played at the end of last season? I'm not talking about results.

I didn't mean tiredness was the cause of playing wing back. I was talking about the impression on his face that you glimpsed!

 

[Pope John XXIII]

Hardy Forest - 27/7/2017 20:01

So you don't think he did a good job with Brentford? You didn't see any improvement in how the players played at the end of last season? I'm not talking about results.

1) Yes

2) no, not really. I saw 4 games and we were awful for at least as much of the time as we were good, probably more.

I would say when we were better we were way better and when we were bad we were just as bad as before

3) I know what I saw. No problem if you don't believe me, that's your prerogative

 

[Apollyon]

mao tse tung - 27/7/2017 19:56

Apollyon - 27/7/2017 19:50

Im completely underwhelmed by the signing of Bouchalakis and if he was our final signing they im left a little fat if im honest

Corrected that for you, sumo!

Im carrying a couple of pounds but its the cheeses fault. It calls me, normally around 21:30

 

[Hardy Forest]

Pope John XXIII - 27/7/2017 20:07

Hardy Forest - 27/7/2017 20:01

So you don't think he did a good job with Brentford? You didn't see any improvement in how the players played at the end of last season? I'm not talking about results.

1) Yes

2) no, not really. I saw 4 games and we were awful for at least as much of the time as we were good, probably more.

I would say when we were better we were way better and when we were bad we were just as bad as before

3) I know what I saw. No problem if you don't believe me, that's your prerogative

Hey, of course I believe you, your opinion is your opinion! No need to be touchy, I respect your opinion. However, your answer to question one and the fact that at times you thought we were way better, surely gives you at least a little bit of hope that he knows what he's doing? After all, that was with only a relatively short amount of time, coaching wise and with none of his own signings.

 

[tonywanstead]

Pope
Nothing wrong with getting players to be out of their comfort zone sometimes
Ben will be unlikely to start wing back I would think iwhen the real stuff starts
Will be interesting to see what team and what formation we start with next friday