Let's be realistic about the new season.

[Woodwardfan]

During the summer our manager trimmed his 1st team squad down to 10 and declared his intention to sign 8/9 new players. To date he has signed 8 and it is evident that he does not have a blank cheque and unlimited budget.

Regardless of the quality of the new players - and I am perfectly happy with the types of player we have recruited - it will take time for the new men to settle individually and collectively.

Not many teams who try to introduce 8 or 9 new first team squad members get off to a flyer. Added to that our first 6 fixtures are difficult and none of them are guaranteed wins.

There is a lot of optimism about the new season and it worries me. Football is an unpredictable game but in all my years watching United I have learned never to take anything for granted, indeed to be pessimistic and manage my expectations.

Clough called yesterday's signing "sensible" and it is just that as have been most of the other signings. Most of us are expecting a "landmark signing" of a striker and we'll need him in time for those first six fixtures. We are short up front.

Having said all that I do think we'll go up even if we have a slow start.

 

[mattbianco1]

If we finish lower than 2nd the season is a failure

 

[Gavlar]

If we finish lower than 2nd the season is a failure

if we go up in the playoffs its a succees!

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Fuckme in total agreement with Matt .

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Not many teams who try to introduce 8 or 9 new first team squad members get off to a flyer. Added to that our first 6 fixtures are difficult and none of them are guaranteed wins.

Charlton signed 16 players between the end of the 2010/11 season and start of the 2011/12 season. They got off to a flyer, and maintained it across the season. All that with a manager that had been appointed to his first job in January that year.

We have a squad that finished as one of the form teams, one that has been strengthened early in the summer to give as much time as possible to gel, and an excellent manager. Expectations are legitimately high - I can't see any reason why we shouldn't start well, end well, and do well in between.

 

[blader]

Our current squad would do well to finish in the top 6. Can't be accused of being unrealistic. I think anyone who 'expects' this squad to get automatic promotion is in dreamland. Having said that, failure to achieve promotion should not land entirely at Clough's doorstep, I hope people don't hound him out if we fail to win promotion. Despite the optimists opinions, we haven't had large levels of investment compared to some other teams. Bristol City are the team to watch this year for me.

 

[Teddy]

Our current squad would do well to finish in the top 6. Can't be accused of being unrealistic. I think anyone who 'expects' this squad to get automatic promotion is in dreamland. Having said that, failure to achieve promotion should not land entirely at Clough's doorstep, I hope people don't hound him out if we fail to win promotion. Despite the optimists opinions, we haven't had large levels of investment compared to some other teams. Bristol City are the team to watch this year for me.

I mostly agree, but I think we're close. A couple of key signings and we could blow this league apart, but without those couple of signings we will be reliant on Clough's guile and our renewed resilience again. Could work, but may not be enough. Still hopeful of those key men coming in.

UTB

 

[bartman]

Our current squad would do well to finish in the top 6. Can't be accused of being unrealistic. I think anyone who 'expects' this squad to get automatic promotion is in dreamland. Having said that, failure to achieve promotion should not land entirely at Clough's doorstep, I hope people don't hound him out if we fail to win promotion. Despite the optimists opinions, we haven't had large levels of investment compared to some other teams. Bristol City are the team to watch this year for me.

I think Bristol City will be up there with Swindon and PNE but after that, I am struggling to see who will do a Rotherham or Yeovil. The promoted sides will be mid table and the 3 relegated teams (especially Donny and the Dingles) have a lot of re-building.

Outside the top six would be failure but top two should be within reach if we bring a good striker in..

 

[Woodwardfan]

Our current squad would do well to finish in the top 6. Can't be accused of being unrealistic. I think anyone who 'expects' this squad to get automatic promotion is in dreamland. Having said that, failure to achieve promotion should not land entirely at Clough's doorstep, I hope people don't hound him out if we fail to win promotion. Despite the optimists opinions, we haven't had large levels of investment compared to some other teams. Bristol City are the team to watch this year for me.

I agree Bristol City, plus Orient, Preston,and surely Robinson at MKD will come good one day. Bristol had nearly as good a second half season as us and have spent wisely and have strikers! Barnsley and Donny are always going to be strong at this level, though I don't know what's going on at Donny ( 11 out none in).

 

[sitwell]

Do you honestly think all the other 23 teams have not radically changed their squads ?

 

[Esablade]

Sorry Woody, now is the very time to be totally unrealistic!
Once that first whistle blow's however, reality just may start to kick in...

Here's hoping not!
UTB!

 

[TarquinDelouche]

Fuck that, we're going to piss all over this league. From a great height.

 

[Latters]

Charlton signed 16 players between the end of the 2010/11 season and start of the 2011/12 season. They got off to a flyer, and maintained it across the season. All that with a manager that had been appointed to his first job in January that year.

We have a squad that finished as one of the form teams, one that has been strengthened early in the summer to give as much time as possible to gel, and an excellent manager. Expectations are legitimately high - I can't see any reason why we shouldn't start well, end well, and do well in between.

But they had Wright Phillips (and that feller that took the free kicks), just like the pigs had Madine, we had Ched and Huddersfield had Rhodes. We need that talismanic striker who we can rely on to bag an undeserved winner when the rest of the team might not be performing.

We have a steady (dare I say average) squad. Yes we have two or three above average exceptions who have the potential to turn a game (Baxter, Scougall and Murphy) but none of these has the consistency to regularly nick a win where we don't really deserve it. A quality goal scoring striker (not O'Grady - one half-decent season goals-wise) who we could rely on for goals whether things are going our way or not would make all the difference. How many 1-0s and average performances did Charlton put in during their promotion season?

Hopefully McNulty, or if we sign another forward, can be our man to rely on.

 

[blade too long]

I think the days of paying transfer fees , especially in the lower divisions are numbered , its all about getting better players by funding decent wages to lure them in , which is exactly what we have done. Marquis signings wont happen till we are pushing for a prem spot, weve signed several players that were big links in their previous clubs to form a strong chain of players here.

All we need is a bit of luck to avoid serious injuries and avoid too many ( theres always some) hideous refereeing gaffes, and a continuation of the spirit we built to the latter end of last season .

 

[Benny and the Blades]

The first thing we have to remember is a lesson from last season, it's not where you start ,it's where you finish that matters..

 

[Pinchy]

But they had Wright Phillips (and that feller that took the free kicks), just like the pigs had Madine, we had Ched and Huddersfield had Rhodes. We need that talismanic striker who we can rely on to bag an undeserved winner when the rest of the team might not be performing.

We have a steady (dare I say average) squad. Yes we have two or three above average exceptions who have the potential to turn a game (Baxter, Scougall and Murphy) but none of these has the consistency to regularly nick a win where we don't really deserve it. A quality goal scoring striker (not O'Grady - one half-decent season goals-wise) who we could rely on for goals whether things are going our way or not would make all the difference. How many 1-0s and average performances did Charlton put in during their promotion season?

Hopefully McNulty, or if we sign another forward, can be our man to rely on.

Nigel has described the sort of striker he wants in his interview today. It sounded uncannily like Chris O'Grady. Quite right too. He's exactly what we need. He got 15 last year. Even if he does no better than that personally, he'll be a major contributor to the team scoring more goals.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Fuck that, we're going to piss all over this league. From a great height.

Are you new to this lark?

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Fuckme in total agreement with Matt .

Stop it the pair of you.



Look, we need to get out of this league - finish 6th and get a play off win scored by Simmo's pen finally returning to earth and hitting the back of the net will do me.

I'd love us to go up as champions though!

 

[Yewsman]

But they had Wright Phillips (and that feller that took the free kicks), just like the pigs had Madine, we had Ched and Huddersfield had Rhodes. We need that talismanic striker who we can rely on to bag an undeserved winner when the rest of the team might not be performing.

We have a steady (dare I say average) squad. Yes we have two or three above average exceptions who have the potential to turn a game (Baxter, Scougall and Murphy) but none of these has the consistency to regularly nick a win where we don't really deserve it. A quality goal scoring striker (not O'Grady - one half-decent season goals-wise) who we could rely on for goals whether things are going our way or not would make all the difference. How many 1-0s and average performances did Charlton put in during their promotion season?

Hopefully McNulty, or if we sign another forward, can be our man to rely on.

This is where the manager's ability should kick in. A good manager can get the best out of each player and also make the total team better than the sum of the parts. I think NC has already shown he can do both these things. He has gone for players who have already shown ability but also seem to have the potential to become better players. As the season progresses and there is the need and/ or opportunity to bring in loan players NC has shown that he has the ability to identify and attract good players like JB. I am optimistic but agree we do need at least one other striker.

 

[JOEYDEE]

Think Nige is working on 'the sum of the parts theory'...and it just might work !
(please don't anyone ask me what I mean ,I know what I mean,just can't explain it !)

 

[moDtheGod]

...one that has been strengthened early in the summer ...

Strengthened? We've lost two of last season's key players in Coady and Brayford. And we're not guaranteed to hang on to Harry either.

 

[travellingblade]

if we go up in the playoffs its a succees!

Sorry, but I completely disagree with this.

Any team, whichever League, is at a distinct disadvantage the following season because they've lost a significant part of the "closed season", by being involved in the playoffs.

There is less time for players to "re-charge their batteries" / get over niggling injuries, and less time for the manager to bring in new players.

Nigel has done a really good job this closed season by bringing in new players very early, giving them time to gell with their new team mates, which I believe will bring rewards in the first few, very tough games.

 

[TarquinDelouche]

Think Nige is working on 'the sum of the parts theory'...and it just might work !
(please don't anyone ask me what I mean ,I know what I mean,just can't explain it !)

Not the "sum of the parts are missing and sum of them might even be broken" theory that we're used to seeing?

 

[Droppingwell]

I agree it can be difficult to bed a lot of new players in quickly but that is why i have been so impressed with the recruitment. Getting so many in early on, means they have their full pre-season with us, bond with team mates. This will lessen the effect. UTB

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Sorry, but I completely disagree with this.

Any team, whichever League, is at a distinct disadvantage the following season because they've lost a significant part of the "closed season", by being involved in the playoffs.

There is less time for players to "re-charge their batteries" / get over niggling injuries, and less time for the manager to bring in new players.

Nigel has done a really good job this closed season by bringing in new players very early, giving them time to gell with their new team mates, which I believe will bring rewards in the first few, very tough games.

Usually i would agree but it seems NC is the kind of man who has irons in the fire before we even need them.

I don't think going up via the play-offs would disadvantage us at all as he would have feelers out before the end of the season anyway.

 

[SwissBlade]

If we finish lower than 2nd the season is a failure

Absolutely ! The ambition at the club should be to win this chuffing league, I'd personally love Clough to say our aim is to be champions, no plan b of automatic in second slot. I want Cloughs exact quote to be "we want to smash the shit out of this league, we won't let the blades fans down with second best. We have a fancy Adidas kit, nothing can go wrong"

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Strengthened? We've lost two of last season's key players in Coady and Brayford. And we're not guaranteed to hang on to Harry either.

Yep, we've definitely strengthened the squad IMHO. Any decision over Harry will be of our choosing, which I'm perfectly comfortable with. I think the midfield is stronger, we're stronger up front (even without the signing of someone like O'Grady, given the personnel we finished the season with), and it looks like we've added strength and depth in the middle of defence with 4/5 options there currently. I'm not saying the absence of Coady/Beard isn't significant, but I think overall the squad is stronger. It is without a shadow of a doubt substantially stronger than 12 months ago.

 

[shorehamview]

Before the season starts realism can frankly go fuck itself. Wild-eyed optimism is what it's all about. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, I've got a fresh cup of tea and tomorrow I'm off on holiday. So without wishing to cause anyone any offence but not really worrying too much if or probably when I do, you can shove realism up your bottom. Realism is for November, when it's cold and miserable. This is sunny July, and as of right now I reckon we will win this shitty league with a record points haul. Reality can wait until we've played a few games.

 

[SwissBlade]

Before the season starts realism can frankly go fuck itself. Wild-eyed optimism is what it's all about. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, I've got a fresh cup of tea and tomorrow I'm off on holiday. So without wishing to cause anyone any offence but not really worrying too much if or probably when I do, you can shove realism up your bottom. Realism is for November, when it's cold and miserable. This is sunny July, and as of right now I reckon we will win this shitty league with a record points haul. Reality can wait until we've played a few games.

Why didn't you just say arse then? Bottom isn't offensive enough

 

[Rossb123]

One player I am worried about that Clough has recruited is James Wallace, not because of his ability. He seems to be very injury prone, with the midfielders Clough has signed it seems to me if Wallace was fit then he would start in the middle alongside Basham (with Basham being the engine). If he was to get injured would that mean Basham and Doyle would partner in the middle? I don't mind Doyle at all but from the sounds of it him and Basham are very similar.

We have Scougall and Baxter who can also play in the middle and it will be interesting to see what he does with them two. Maybe we should have signed someone like John Mcginn spent that bit extra and had somebody who is going to play week in week out with no lingering injury problems.

Hope I am proven wrong because a fully fit Wallace from what he did at Tranmere will be a great asset to the team.