Abdullah bin Musa'ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

[Charlieblade]

Supporters are all guilty of posting without sufficient perspective. No one really knows what the position of the club is regarding finance, or even the fitness of regular first teamers. I suspect that much more of this background perspective has yet to come to light.

At face value, all I can say in response to Deadbat is, we disagree regarding the skill and value attached to Berge and McBurnie.
Berge was chucked in at the deep end from day one. The only reason not to start him now, is due to injury. Like all great players, his only restriction comes from being surrounded by lesser individual quality, or injured players, selected because we have no other choice.
McBurnie was not my favourite player when he started for us, but his contribution and work rate cannot really be faulted. I suspect he will develop when he is not required to press so much out of possession, and defend so deep, because that is part of our DNA. He can be an all court player, or just a striker. We can’t expect both from him in this set up.
Our success has been built on every player giving maximum effort in every game.
Sometimes, for all kinds of reasons, that does not happen.
Many of our players seem to have reached their ceiling last season, but we persevere because their attitude and love for the shirt keeps them going, and we don’t really have any alternative if players like Fleck, Norwood, Lundstram and Stevens suffer a loss of form, play when they are off colour, or with a hidden injury?
I have faith in most of our squad depth. Jack Robinson is not JOC but he is a capable deputy. The Ampadu loan was a stroke of genius in hindsight. Who would have thought that Osborn would be such a versatile and skillful grafter when we bought him as back up?

I also believe that the likes of Bogle and Lowe should now be given a chance. Wilder might think differently about them, but all I see is talented youngsters, with no fear. Imagine what they might be like with 30000 fans cheering them on at the lane?

Right now is when we should ask every one of them to step up and meet the challenge of a poor start, compounded by the loss of key players. No major, or long term injuries last season was probably more of a fluke than we realise. I encourage Wilder to rotate more this season to enable those stalwarts mentioned earlier to take a break and come back refreshed and brimming with enthusiasm.
That is my perspective, from an exiles distance, along with a plea to fans for patience and the perspective that we don’t actually know what goes on behind the scenes.
Yes, it’s a bloody awful start to the season, but I believe in this squad, especially if the mythical new striker arrives soon. Until then, we have to temper our enthusiasm with a dose of reality.

 

[Espania blade]

I think the board will be disappointed out of McBurnie, Mousset, Freeman, Robinson at circa 50 mill non are 1st team starters regularly. I think they will also will probably have been surprised a year on that 2 have left the club and the other 2 are injury prone/inconsistent and not regulars every week.

It's not a ton of money at this level but our board/owner does not have a load of money so I think would probably have wanted more from what we have signed and we kind of have to get more right than other teams who can have more misses. I might be wrong but I think most of Wilders signings since we went up non can say they have been fantastic so can understand the board cautious at chucking another 20 million in.

Is it possible that the players CW brings in are not short of talent but once embedded into BDBL he discovers that they are not upto the required fitness levels our system (and CW) demands.
As we know CWs system is unique, even at this level, we also know that some players are just not capable of playing in this system (Robinson) and are soon moved on, it might also be the reason no club has made a bid for Lundstrum? yes he can look a good player for us but might not be so good for the way most clubs set up. McGoldrick for example is an integral player for us and has been since he arrived, but if he was made available for transfer would any club make a serious bid for him at this level. We have a unique playing system and it requires a unique footballer to play in it!
I've said this once before (tin hat at the ready) but is it possible that the Prince might pull the "trigger" (one day) and as the saying goes "the board decided on a change of direction was needed"
Let's hope not, but I do think it's possible at some point especially if we look like heading back to the Championship.
Just for the record, I'm not criticizing CW, just adding to the general debate.

 

[Davalon]

I've zero criticism of the Prince whatsoever.

I'd be interested to know what his strategy is though.

He's always been seemingly honest from day one. It was a business decision, hopefully spend 20 million and get us to the PL and make a profit.

He's been candid about his wealth, or lack of it in PL terms.

Is he actively looking for a partner, looking for a buyer, or just hoping we can keeping staying up each year on current budgets?

Not easy times currently but with the talk of Covid impacting football and reducing transfer business, this summer must have widened eyes seeing not just the huge outlays from bigger clubs but also those we will see as competitors.

Obviously we would be aware of the greater wealth of owners at Villa and Fulham etc but I just wonder if this summer has had an impact on the Prince's short term outlook or strategy.

 

[Gimli]

Keep posting mate. The majority respect your reports. You're very much like Dostoevsky for me. I read your stuff after a defeat, nod my head to most of it and then feel completely depressed.

There’s a way to sort the wheat from the chaff on the forum, those who read Dostoevsky are in, the rest out.

 

[nopigfansintown]

I've zero criticism of the Prince whatsoever.

I'd be interested to know what his strategy is though.

He's always been seemingly honest from day one. It was a business decision, hopefully spend 20 million and get us to the PL and make a profit.

He's been candid about his wealth, or lack of it in PL terms.

Is he actively looking for a partner, looking for a buyer, or just hoping we can keeping staying up each year on current budgets?

Not easy times currently but with the talk of Covid impacting football and reducing transfer business, this summer must have widened eyes seeing not just the huge outlays from bigger clubs but also those we will see as competitors.

Obviously we would be aware of the greater wealth of owners at Villa and Fulham etc but I just wonder if this summer has had an impact on the Prince's short term outlook or strategy.

This is the million dollar question. The only method of making a substantial profit is selling SUFC on in the prem.With the scale of investment we have, the inexorable tide of relegation is an inevitability at some point. So why doesn't he want to sell?

 

[Rodders]

He's given him over 80 million too sign Freeman, Berge Robinson, McBurnie, Mousset, Bogle, Lowe etc. Only Berge is starting and he is just ok. Two have left the club already. The others not starting or not even in the match day squad.

The notion he is not being backed is not really quite true. I can see why the board may waver giving him another 20 million.

Wilder might be the best manager we have ever had but his signings when he has spent a lot of money have not been good enough. Tin hat on. There said it. His best players have been free signings/cheap buys (granted Egan cost 4 million) and players for 500K

We were talking about this very thing on the way down to the pub yesterday; I think it's a case of being a victim of our own success - when the summer '19 signings were made there was no way of knowing just how much the existing squad would have taken to the PL like ducks to water like they did. I think for a "normal" situation of a team just promoted and struggling, you would expect McBurnie and the like to play bigger parts, not being kept out by McGoldrick etc like they have been. (arguably you may say that our legacy players are now playing at the right performance level for them without the adrenaline of the crowd, but that's a different matter!)

There's also lots of players who are good Championship players but can't step up to the PL; that's the market we're still in, and I think will be for another couple of years until we can hopefully establish ourselves. Even though we're splashing out large sums, there's always going to be the gamble factor - Wilder will never be able to get every single one right. That's also the down side of looking purely British; the inflated price tag. A foreign scouting network would really help us here with the ROI.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

الله أكبر جيوب الأمير الكبيرة

 

[Bruce Wayne]

الله أكبر جيوب الأمير الكبيرة

That's poor mate. Ive just translated that.

"Get more spent tight git"

Not appropiate.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

That's poor mate. Ive just translated that.

"Get more spent tight git"

Not appropiate.

You little tinkerer.

احصل على المزيد من الإنفاق
الضيق

 

[Bruce Wayne]

You little tinkerer.

احصل على المزيد من الإنفاق
الضيق

Daren't ask what that says!

 

[Large Mendonca]

"God is the prince's greatest pockets." according to google translate