A Few Positives

[Katzenjammer]

Yesterday's squad was as weak as any we'll field this season.

Their goal was a soft one to concede and the defence needed to buck their ideas up. I thought John Egan had a bit of a shocker, but he won't do so in every game, and I'm still glad to have him as captain.

Benie Traore can be proud of his display. Very tenacious and never stopped trying to find an opening throughout the game. I think he'll be a fine asset to us once the dust has settled.

If we start with Trusty and Souza, get Hamer in the side, which we will do now that the red tape is all sorted, get Doyle, Archer and possibly one other through the door, the improvement with be significant.

August is always a weird month. Things are still in a period of transition, everything is still in flux.

So yeah, disappointed in yesterday's result, but we aren't the finished article as yet. Things will look very different in the coming weeks, and the difference will be a pretty big one.

Chin up everybody

 

[XADE]

Best to blur your eyes a bit and watch Brentford instead, they look superb.

 

[Aston max]

3 more midfield hopefully 2 left footers and ATM , LWB (desperate) central defender who can play anywhere across the 3
5 more for me
Sousa didn't get long enough yesterday, slimane needs to be fitter traore I might be saying it to soon but that lads going to be an asset
Osula given game time gets better but there was enough yesterday to be excited, Larouci we've got him a season to soon (I may be wrong it could be he needs settling in time )

Friday nights team could look so much different after a week with them all together (old school I know but training all this week apart from warm up and warm down) would be total 11 a side football broken up into 15 minute sections swopping them around to see who works together

 

[Ned the Donkey]

Big thing for me was Heckingbottom saying he knew we were second best, but longer term he didn't see anything in the game to be afraid of. From this I take that if he gets the players he wants and they perform generally in the way, and to the standards, he expects then, over the course of the season, we should be ok.

And Iliman was subbed off after an hour for Marseille. He'll be back here in January.

 

[WF10BLADE]

Yesterday's squad was as weak as any we'll field this season.

Their goal was a soft one to concede and the defence needed to buck their ideas up. I thought John Egan had a bit of a shocker, but he won't do so in every game, and I'm still glad to have him as captain.

Benie Traore can be proud of his display. Very tenacious and never stopped trying to find an opening throughout the game. I think he'll be a fine asset to us once the dust has settled.

If we start with Trusty and Souza, get Hamer in the side, which we will do now that the red tape is all sorted, get Doyle, Archer and possibly one other through the door, the improvement with be significant.

August is always a weird month. Things are still in a period of transition, everything is still in flux.

So yeah, disappointed in yesterday's result, but we aren't the finished article as yet. Things will look very different in the coming weeks, and the difference will be a pretty big one.

Chin up everybody

I keep seeing this comment that we will be better but what If we get no more signings, also do people not think its criminal that we've effectively written off August?

 

[Katzenjammer]

I keep seeing this comment that we will be better but what If we get no more signings, also do people not think its criminal that we've effectively written off August?

I write off August every season, whether we're doing good or bad.
I don't find it criminal, I just believe that the early stages of the season can give us a false picture of how things are going to be in 9 months time, when things are still moving and developing.

Obviously, I can't answer your 'what if' questions, but the scenario I presented in my opening post is still a realistic possibility.

If these things happen, then there's every reason to believe that we'll be much stronger for it.

 

[Gin&Juice]

And Iliman was subbed off after an hour for Marseille. He'll be back here in January.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Transfers tend to go right to the wire, especially loans, so I am not expecting to have the squad in full for the Everton game either due to registration rules. That's 3 sides who could potentially be our rivals and Manchester city game gone.

 

[Colombia Blade]

I keep seeing this comment that we will be better but what If we get no more signings, also do people not think its criminal that we've effectively written off August?

To be fair, even with no new signings, you put Hamer and Souza in that midfield in place of Basham and Osborn and that's already a massive improvement on the team we put out yesterday

 

[Maurice Maurice]

Traore looked a bit overawed by it all first half, and because of the lack of any midfield spent most of the half chasing shadows. Second half you could fair see his confidence growing and he looked like he started believing in himself. He ran at people, played Osula in a couple of times and he (Traore) might just turn out to be a cracking player.

Osula still looks raw but was unlucky with the two shots, when he gets one he might relax a bit and again, turn out to be a good lad.

Midfield was a write off, but hopefully we'll have the new signings fit to go soon. We definitely need the left side of defence sorting, let's hope Trusty can come in and make a difference.

Get Doyle signed, plus one or two more and we'll be fine. Way too early to start sulking.

 

[Sheffsteel]

I keep seeing this comment that we will be better but what If we get no more signings, also do people not think its criminal that we've effectively written off August?

Agree it’s bad that we’ve written off August
But couldn’t care less if we lose every game in Aug, Sep and Oct if it meant we stay up.

There’s a group of potential signings that are only available near the end of the window. Loads of other clubs will have given up and signed other players now.

We’re taking a risk showing patience playing the waiting game. It’s a gamble but if we get our 1st choice targets I’d say it’s worth it.

We are making more signings guaranteed, the issue is more about whether we get 1st choice, 2nd choice or 3rd choice makeshift targets.

 

[Yogi]

Traore and Osula two bright sparks and Wes put in a good performance after a rocky start. Baldock is easily good enough to play at this level

 

[Nick Jansky]

Transfers tend to go right to the wire, especially loans, so I am not expecting to have the squad in full for the Everton game either due to registration rules. That's 3 sides who could potentially be our rivals and Manchester city game gone.

Right. Might as well pack it in now then. No point in the rest of the season.

Some of our fans really need to find a bit of backbone from somewhere.

 

[Frank the tank]

Transfers tend to go right to the wire, especially loans, so I am not expecting to have the squad in full for the Everton game either due to registration rules. That's 3 sides who could potentially be our rivals and Manchester city game gone.

What registration rules ?

 

[CrookesBlade]

I keep seeing this comment that we will be better but what If we get no more signings, also do people not think its criminal that we've effectively written off August?

Talking about this last night. It does seem to be a theme now writing off August to get better value in the transfer market.

That said I can’t see us not bringing in any other players in. The whole “we tried to get a few over the line” thing was a McCabe era cop out.

 

[CrookesBlade]

Yesterday's squad was as weak as any we'll field this season.

Their goal was a soft one to concede and the defence needed to buck their ideas up. I thought John Egan had a bit of a shocker, but he won't do so in every game, and I'm still glad to have him as captain.

Benie Traore can be proud of his display. Very tenacious and never stopped trying to find an opening throughout the game. I think he'll be a fine asset to us once the dust has settled.

If we start with Trusty and Souza, get Hamer in the side, which we will do now that the red tape is all sorted, get Doyle, Archer and possibly one other through the door, the improvement with be significant.

August is always a weird month. Things are still in a period of transition, everything is still in flux.

So yeah, disappointed in yesterday's result, but we aren't the finished article as yet. Things will look very different in the coming weeks, and the difference will be a pretty big one.

Chin up everybody

Yep, we were woeful against Watford start of last season and ended up getting promoted at a canter.
The team will be vastly different in a few weeks so not reading too much into it. The shortcoming were there for all to see but we know where we need to improve and it wasn’t terrible.

Yesterday felt like a cup game where we were resting players. There will always be games where you have to send a patched up side out. Just unusual for it to be the first of the season.

 

[Camden Blade]

Traoe is going to be a star. Running, enthusiasm, energy and clever player too. Layoff to Osula was quality, a second pass didn't come off but it was the right idea. I thought he was Motm, Wes just behind.

 

[CrookesBlade]

Traoe is going to be a star. Running, enthusiasm, energy and clever player too. Layoff to Osula was quality, a second pass didn't come off but it was the right idea. I thought he was Motm, Wes just behind.

On first look he seems to be the player I was hoping he was, pacy and a willing runner who can offer an out ball.

Needs to get him making runs in behind or on the shoulder though rather than expecting him to carry it 50 yards or so. Midfield did keep trying to play him in down the channels but the quality of final ball was poor.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Midfield did keep trying to play him in down the channels but the quality of final ball was poor.

Slimani will be part of the answer to that.

 

[HOT CURRIE 10]

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That’s a cracker

 

[Berkshire Blade]

What registration rules ?

Not 100% sure if it's any different at the transfer window but we had to get Hamer done by noon to get him registered in time to make the squad. We didn't do it in time all he could do is wave and sit in the stands

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Right. Might as well pack it in now then. No point in the rest of the season.

Some of our fans really need to find a bit of backbone from somewhere.

36 points is around the total for survival now. Giving our rivals a easy 3 points is a decent chunk of what's needed. We are giving everyone a head start in a tough league and it seems plenty aren't fed up with that. I find it completely bizarre. These 3 points are just as vital as the last 3 points;

 

[Frank the tank]

36 points is around the total for survival now. Giving our rivals a easy 3 points is a decent chunk of what's needed. We are giving everyone a head start in a tough league and it seems plenty aren't fed up with that. I find it completely bizarre. These 3 points are just as vital as the last 3 points;

Everyone's fucking ecstatic about it mate
I'm throwing a street party right now and if we can lose our first three I'm going to sacrifice my first born to the footballing gods for blessing us with such good fortune

 

[Nick Jansky]

36 points is around the total for survival now. Giving our rivals an easy 3 points is a decent chunk of what's needed. We are giving everyone a head start in a tough league and it seems plenty aren't fed up with that. I find it completely bizarre. These 3 points are just as vital as the last 3 points;

So, given that we are where we are, what are you suggesting should happen? Maybe something a bit more constructive than just whining?

 

[Berkshire Blade]

So, given that we are where we are, what are you suggesting should happen? Maybe something a bit more constructive than just whining?

I think we've cut a hole in our rusty boat and a few buckets overboard will only be able to do so much. The amount of goals and assists out of our squad, at a much easier level, are very very unlikely to be replaced.

Hopefully we get young players on long contracts who would be elite championship players next year. That's probably why I am not overly fussed of the Akpom deal and would rather have Archer on a perm than him.