An alternate reality...

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ThatJa

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Its the 23rd of June, 2019.

We're all getting over the disappointment of a 3rd place finish behind Leeds, and a play off final loss by Aston Villa, 2-1.

What would have happened since that play off defeat? Would we have signed anyone by now? Would we have sold anyone by now? Would we even have a manager? Sometimes you have to be positive about the future because looking at the opposite is always far worse.

I'll start by saying Fleck, O'Connell & maybe even Norwood would have more than likely been sold by this point.
 



Its the 23rd of June, 2019.

We're all getting over the disappointment of a 3rd place finish behind Leeds, and a play off final loss by Aston Villa, 2-1.

What would have happened since that play off defeat? Would we have signed anyone by now? Would we have sold anyone by now? Would we even have a manager? Sometimes you have to be positive about the future because looking at the opposite is always far worse.

I'll start by saying Fleck, O'Connell & maybe even Norwood would have more than likely been sold by this point.
This wins the “Most Contrived Post of the Close Season” award...
 
Its the 23rd of June, 2019.

We're all getting over the disappointment of a 3rd place finish behind Leeds, and a play off final loss by Aston Villa, 2-1.

What would have happened since that play off defeat? Would we have signed anyone by now? Would we have sold anyone by now? Would we even have a manager? Sometimes you have to be positive about the future because looking at the opposite is always far worse.

I'll start by saying Fleck, O'Connell & maybe even Norwood would have more than likely been sold by this point.
Glad your internet is fixed, mate.
 
Its the 23rd of June, 2019.

We're all getting over the disappointment of a 3rd place finish behind Leeds, and a play off final loss by Aston Villa, 2-1.

What would have happened since that play off defeat? Would we have signed anyone by now? Would we have sold anyone by now? Would we even have a manager? Sometimes you have to be positive about the future because looking at the opposite is always far worse.

I'll start by saying Fleck, O'Connell & maybe even Norwood would have more than likely been sold by this point.
Interesting poser. I’d have certainly expected one of Fleck and JOC to go, and both wouldn’t have surprised me in the slightest. Whether Wilder would have still been here is a very different matter!
 
I seriously don't get the 'love in' for Fleck.
I think he's the one high profile player that hasn't developed as the team around him have.
I thought Enda Stevens was garbage at the start of the season, but he grew and grew until by the end of the season he was indispensable.
Same with Egan, his distribution was garbage at the start of the season so opposition teams just let him have the ball knowing that he'd give it away, but a few weeks later CWAK had sorted it out.
Fleck is slow, not particularly good at passing, and reckless in the tackle once players have got in behind him - IMHO that's gonna happen most games in the PL and he'll be lucky not to get sent off before he's subbed off.
He doesn't have the physical stature to play the holding role either (so no good at defending corners etc), so for me it's thanks, especially for THAT goal, but it's time to move on.
 
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I seriously don't get the 'love in' for Fleck.
I think he's the one high profile player that hasn't developed as the team around him have.
I thought Enda Stevens was garbage at the start of the season, but he grew and grew until by the end of the season he was indispensable.
Same with Egan, his distribution was garbage at the start of the season so opposition teams just let him have the ball knowing that he'd give it away, but a few weeks later CWAK had sorted it out.
Fleck is slow, not particularly good at passing, and reckless in the tackle once players have got in behind him - IMHO that's gonna happen most games in the PL and he'll be lucky not to get sent off before he's subbed off.
He doesn't have the physical stature to play the holding role either (so no good at defending corners etc), so for me it's thanks, especially for THAT goal, but it's time to move on.
It's all about opinions. I agree with a couple of your points about Fleck (lack of pace, liable to see red with reckless lunges) but he's not on his own. Our midfield is paceless once we've been turned but overall I believe he'd do a decent job for us in the prem, especially when you consider our probable meagre budget(comparatively) and the other positions in the team with a greater need of strengthening. Think he had an average season by his own high standards but too early to write him off just yet imo
 
I seriously don't get the 'love in' for Fleck.
I think he's the one high profile player that hasn't developed as the team around him have.
I thought Enda Stevens was garbage at the start of the season, but he grew and grew until by the end of the season he was indispensable.
Same with Egan, his distribution was garbage at the start of the season so opposition teams just let him have the ball knowing that he'd give it away, but a few weeks later CWAK had sorted it out.
Fleck is slow, not particularly good at passing, and reckless in the tackle once players have got in behind him - IMHO that's gonna happen most games in the PL and he'll be lucky not to get sent off before he's subbed off.
He doesn't have the physical stature to play the holding role either (so no good at defending corners etc), so for me it's thanks, especially for THAT goal, but it's time to move on.


Don’t think stature is an issue, think Roy Keane, and more recently Kante.
Hopefully the more time generally afforded in the prem may allow him to get his head up a bit
Agree on pace, and this will be a problem across the team.
I would like to see an able deputy to be brought in, give Fleck the start but with pressure on the bench so either produce or loose your place
 



When last season started , John Fleck would have been in my top 3 for first name on the team sheet .

However , between November and February his performance levels dropped off alarmingly and in a number of games he was almost anonymous , apart from giving away silly free kicks and being caught in possession .

Fortunately , he rediscovered his form in the run in and played a part in our success and it is that kind of form or better he will need to replicate next year . Some seem confident that this will be the case and I hope they are right .

I have my doubts , but only time will tell .
 
All players have lulls in form
A look at Arsenals players who either look phenominal or bland. Ozil at times looks world class then other days looks like Hammond

Still don't get the view we lack pace throughout our team . We overlap in triangles at real pace. It's how we get round defences. And our defence is doing well as it lasts the pace to keep clean sheets v the fastest opponents in the championship
 
The glass half empty in me says Stevens, JOC, Baldock and maybe Egan all move on and we're looking at having to rebuild a new defence...

The glass half full in me says, we're a Number 9 away from being promoted by Christmas...
 
Its the 23rd of June, 2019.

We're all getting over the disappointment of a 3rd place finish behind Leeds, and a play off final loss by Aston Villa, 2-1.

What would have happened since that play off defeat? Would we have signed anyone by now? Would we have sold anyone by now? Would we even have a manager? Sometimes you have to be positive about the future because looking at the opposite is always far worse.

I'll start by saying Fleck, O'Connell & maybe even Norwood would have more than likely been sold by this point.

Let's just not..

This may all become a reality next summer if we bomb out of the PL
 

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