Feels like unfinished business....

[Blade56]

Two days to go and I'm feeling like we've failed to assemble a settled squad yet again! CW stated early on in his tenure he wanted his transfer business done by the start of pre season training (or words to that effect), was CW being tactical or nieve?

Not a pop at Tuffty far from it, think it's more footballs market forces with all the players, clubs and agents waiting until 11pm on 31st August meaning most teams like us have to start the first 2/3 weeks of the season have passed with an unsettled squad.

As things stand I (and most posters on here given comments) can see 2-3 of what will be our core players still at other clubs and the same amount waiting to get away from us leaving gaps.

I would like to see the transfer business cut off a week before the season starts. Stop players waiting to move and waiting to see how the first 2/3 games go. Pick your team and get you're heads down with your chosen club!

 

[sheffielder]

2 days to go and I am delighted with how it's gone so far. When Wilder first took over and everyone talked about how the budget was going to be slashed in half and yet here we are with what I consider to be a far more competitive team than we had last year.

The only unfinished business I can see is being in this division, however I feel for the first time since the first season we came down here, we have a plan to get out.

 

[BladeInIreland]

im very pleased with our attacking options. Best in the league imo. However i feel as it stands our back 5 will cost us big time yet again.

hopefully more deals to be done.

 

[Rodley]

2 days to go and I'm really pleased with the recruitment. We need one or two more I think but we're much stronger than last season.

 

[Jehovah]

Im amazed we haven't signed a keeper and we're still 2-3 off a promotion squad in my mind.

 

[judge]

I'm going into the season hoping we can keep within reach of the play offs until January ,not because I think we will sign anyone but because it keeps the hope alive until March at least

 

[Barney]

A lot is depending on the desperately needed last few transfers.

If he goes for questionable 30 somethings my confidence for the season will drop.

Likewise, if he gets it right it will rise.

Relatively happy with the new signings and I think the squad on the whole is better than last season.

Clarke - Initially was doubtful as not a good age but I think he'll have enough to do the business for one more year. His contract length is a negative. Hopefully we'll easily be able to offload him in the future if needs be.

Duffy - 30 which is a worry and I have doubts over him as a player, hope I'm wrong.
Hussey - Better age and one I was skeptical about at first but on reflection I think he'll end up being a good signing.

Wilson - Not a great signing, but if he's only back up that's not as bad.
Wright - As above. The fact he's too old as well makes it worse though.

O'Connell and Fleck - Both very good signings.

4 good signings, 2 questionable but OK if back up and just have to see with Duffy.

On the whole, good so far and if the next 2-3 important signings are good ones which I think they will be, I think we'll finally be on for automatics.

Two more things that are in our favour are the standard of the league and the benefits of Wilder's on field management i.e substitutions and tactics etc.

He'll also motivate, fire them up, and will be the reason behind every single player putting in 100% effort at all times.

 

[Bladesway]

Don't have a clue and if we are being honest neither does anyone else.

 

[Blade58]

I thought our signings would total no more than 7. However, Wilder wants more and the fact he is still pursuing signings is good.

I would sooner he scours the market for what he and Knill believe are the right signings, rather than settle for any signing just to appease the supporters. Wilder knows the time of day, so best to leave him to it

The quality of the signings on the whole looks good, although it remains to be seen how they will perform and gel together

The problem for me are not the signings, quantity or quality, but how long it will take Wilder to achieve winning results. It will be very difficult to expect them to hit the ground running and could cost us dearly with lost ground and points

 

[s10blade]

Im amazed we haven't signed a keeper and we're still 2-3 off a promotion squad in my mind.

I'd echo this. Lots of blind faith being but into George Long. He has the stature to be a decent keeper but he's not an untried kid anymore - he's a keeper known to flap, not communicate and make silly errors. He will cost us points so the decision not to bring in a decent, experienced keeper will probably cost us automatic IMO.

 

[Torrix1889]

Don't think we are far off....although I would like to see another CB...with a solid back 4 in front of Long his confidence will grow, technically he is a good keeper but with the likes of McEveley and Collins dropping bombs all over the show last year any keeper wouldn't have looked that great!

Tufty might not fancy a 4-4-2 but for me the following side should be more than capable;

Long

Brayford
O'Connell
New CB
Hussey

Duffy
Fleck
Basham
Done/Che

Clarke
Sharp

 

[tyneblade]

My feeling is that the test of being the senior keeper at the club will be kill or cure for Long, I've no idea which way it will go

 

[Keen Blade]

CW's recruits are all better than what we had , both technically and in terms of winning mentality.

We could still improve our options at CB , CM & LW but we know that CW still has these in mind.

However , CW has a significant blind-spot where GK is concerned.
Long has clearly been made No 1 and this can't be undone without destroying his fragile confidence.
This is our Achilles heel.
Long can have a bad few games and is not yet mature enough to recover quickly.
So what on earth do we do then ?
Stick in a kid who's never been in the first team ?
As a Blade , you just know this is waiting to trip us up , what with our record for bad luck.

We so need an older GK who's been there and got the T-shirt.

 

[Blade56]

The only unfinished business I can see is being in this division, however I feel for the first time since the first season we came down here, we have a plan to get out.

The only problem I've got with this 's' is I have felt at the start of the last 5 seasons we have a plan and promotion was nailed on. Be it sheiks investing, big name managers, piss poor rival clubs or perceived 'quality' players coming in I've always thought this is our season.

This season we have a manager I don't know much about signing players I hardly know or have never heard of even if they were running rings around us at BDTBL last season. Not a skit at CW or those players but for the first time in this piss poor league I'm not confident at the start this season. Which probabley means....... nah.

Just shows I know feck all about the sport I love.

 

[Damski]

Is this the first Tufty-disparaging thread? Who had August 3rd in the sweepstake?

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

One out, three in and the squad looks pretty decent. The three? CB, CM, LM and for me that is probably order of priority. Just got a hunch that there's a surprise package already at the club who will spring forth and claim a spot this season on the left.

 

[Trueblade]

I think we are in a great place right now. But nobody can predict how it's going to go. Last few seasons should tell us that.

Once we have 10 or so games under our belt, we will get a little feel for where we are at. Good start is really important or you can't but feel we will be playing under a black cloud

 

[Liaminho9]

One out, three in and the squad looks pretty decent. The three? CB, CM, LM and for me that is probably order of priority. Just got a hunch that there's a surprise package already at the club who will spring forth and claim a spot this season on the left.

Care to suggest a name... Brooks perhaps?

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Care to suggest a name... Brooks perhaps?

Aye, just got a feeling that young Brooks might just figure more than we expect.

 

[Blade56]

Is this the first Tufty-disparaging thread? Who had August 3rd in the sweepstake?

No, try reading OP again

 

[Bladesway]

Is this the first Tufty-disparaging thread? Who had August 3rd in the sweepstake?

No, if you had been following the Leon Clarke thread there was some spleen venting there as well. Over the hill 30 something was mentioned.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

We will find out soon enough what this team is going to do results wise,Wilder will find out soon enough from the heat of League 1 battles where this team falls short of his expectations.

Me i can see we want another centre half to go with O'Connell,and a dynamic midfielder to sit alongside Fleck.I would be more relaxed about our chances if those two were brought in now.

 

[Grecian2000]

Is this the first Tufty-disparaging thread? Who had August 3rd in the sweepstake?

Q1. No!
Q2. Why, because they've lost?

Seems to me that people are happy with what's been done but would like more. If you think that's "disparaging" Wilder you must have been a very seldom visitor to these parts the last 6 seasons.

Fwiw, Bladesway has it spot on. No fucker knows anything until we see them playing competitive football. My only prediction. I doubt this first week-end will be as big a "bubble burster" as last season.

 

[Damski]

OK. It was a joke. Not a well written one, so maybe it slipped under the radar. I was, y'know, doing it because a ball hasn't been kicked. I was using absurdity to convey humour.

 

[Slim Man]

There's still 3 weeks. The majority of our business is done.

 

[coolhandluke]

We are far stronger than last season in every department . And whilst I still find it hard to believe that last year's shambolic excuse for a ' team ' were actually still in the hunt for a playoff place with 4-5 games to go ( mathematically ) it gives me great confidence in our chances this time around .

The back 5 are infinitely stronger this season . A fully fit Bayford who's had a full pre-season workout with 2 specialist CB's and a real LB augurs well . George Longs clearly technically sound but lacks Confidence and with last seasons thrown together ensemble it's easy to see why he was like a rabbit caught in the headlights at times . Hell be far more confident already .

A midfield of Fleck Duffy Basham and a n other is a slight concern . But once again it looks far stronger than last seasons woeful line up .

Upfront , I believe we have just about the strongest front 2 in the Division . Once again , compared to last season we are far stronger here .

Do I think we need a couple more ? Of course I do . I'm like everyone else in the respect including Messrs wilder and Knill . But who doesn't always look to streng then the team ?

Just a shame we have Bolton away first up as they'll be one of the toughest teams to play on their home patch this season . It's great to be able to take 4 k plus away to officially welcome our new look team but getting the win there that we need to settle nerves and really boost confidence won't be easy .

Let's get behind em boys and girls and show them we are with them all the way .

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

Like many others, it's the goalkeeping situation that concerns me.

Think George is a "confidence" keeper.. he's confident if the defence is, if not...

Maybe it's the chicken and the egg scenario?

Anyway, let's see where we're all at on Saturday at 1700ish.

 

[Esablade]

I think the squad is surprisingly settled, all things considered. Nice balance, everyone knows their roles and the first eleven just about picks itself.

We're not quite the finished article but perhaps 2-3 more in with a couple or more out could sort that.

UTB!

 

[Esablade]

Like many others, it's the goalkeeping situation that concerns me.

Think George is a "confidence" keeper.. he's confident if the defence is, if not...

Maybe it's the chicken and the egg scenario?

Anyway, let's see where we're all at on Saturday at 1700ish.

George is no chicken though he's certainly laid a few eggs in his short time with us...

 

[1danewhitehouse]

2 days to go and I am delighted with how it's gone so far. When Wilder first took over and everyone talked about how the budget was going to be slashed in half and yet here we are with what I consider to be a far more competitive team than we had last year.

The only unfinished business I can see is being in this division, however I feel for the first time since the first season we came down here, we have a plan to get out.

I strongly suspect that the budget has indeed been slashed.


10 released

3 loans not extended.

2 cancelled contracts.


That’s 15 out and 7 in. Of those 7 in, we’ve paid undisclosed fees for 3 (Hussey, Clarke and O Connell). Wright and Wilson combined will be on less than one of Edgar or Baptiste (and I suspect not as good as Edgar or Baptiste).


The signings of Fleck, Clarke and O Connell give me some optimism but for me, the likelihood that we’ll be starting with Wilson at CB and probably Done wide left doesn’t fill me with confidence.