Summer dealings

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TarquinDelouche

TarquinDelouche

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So, it seems like a decent summer's transfer window. Barring the last minute exit of an important player, I'm perfectly happy with what we've got and how we've gone about it. Earlier reports of the sky falling in were wide of the mark, and we're just about ready for the new season.

Anybody still concerned? Anyone still worried we don't have a plan or a hope for next season?
 



We go into the season with arguably a vocal and competent keeper, a solid defence, a solid midfield (with opportunities for youngsters to impress), and a fresh forward line with some much-needed pace.

Looks reasonable to me.
 
Assuming Monty and Cresswell do depart for pastures new, I would go with:-

Howard
McMahon
Maguire
Collins
Hill
Flynn
McDonald
Doyle
Quinn
Blackman
Cofie

Subs: Long, Jean-Francois, Westlake, Whitehouse, McFadzean, Miller, Porter

Squad: Kennedy, Williams, McAllister, Harriott, Chappell, Tonne, Ironside

That looks like a solid 25 to me :)
 
There are two many unknown quantities (the new forwards, the kids etc.) for me to have a clue how we'll do this season! That's a marked improvement of a few weeks ago though, when I was sure we'd finish outside the play-offs.
 
If we can get rid of Monty and Cress (purely for financial reasons) I will be satisfied with the transfer indow.

I'm still uncomfortable with our LBs.... But we can survive with what we have.

The league is there for the taking this year.
 
I would still like some pace on the flanks, but I am feeling fairly happy with things.

Howard / Long

McMahon / Westlake
Williams / Hill / LJF
Collins / Hill / LJF
Maguire / Kennedy / Barry

Flynn / Chappell
K-Mac / McAllister / Whitehouse (when fit)
Doyle / Monty / Harriott
Quinn / McFadzean / Tonne

Cofie / Miller / Blackman
Porter / Cresswell / Ironside

So I suppose looking at it we're weak on the right and could be threadbare on the left if Quinn goes. Also, look at bit shaky in central defence.

We may actually be a little shaky in central midfield if Monty goes as expected. Look really good up front though even though we will be without Ched's goals.
 
It's too early to say how well it's gone because certain members of the squad are sure to be sold if the right offer comes in. We can judge things better when the window shuts.

Big unknowns at the moment are that we have no idea how potent that forward line is and no idea how good our keepers will be.
 
I am, as some of you are, fairly happy with the signings and over the moon at keeping KMac.
But ,as ever, time will tell but the transfer window is still open.

One thing that keeps getting posted however is that Cressy needs to be sold.
Why?
He is a good foil for a goalscorer, although his legs are going, but the thing is who the feck would buy him now anyway??????
We are stuck with him now so lets get behind him(I am not saying that people aren't).

Lets hope we start like we did last year and gain early momentum
 
You need to ask yourselves are we better than last years team ???

Goalkeeper..... a bit of an unknown but a poor record at previous clubs, always released. Maybe about equal to Simmo but not as experienced, can't make my mind up if that is a good or bad thing.

Defence..... LB remains a concern. After losing Lowton we have brought in 2 at RB McMahon sounds like he could be quality. Westlake sounds very similar to how Lowton was but if Walsall forums are to be believed he has lost his way a bit, we do have more options in the back four this season so hopefully we can be tighter than last term.

Midfield....... big bonus McD signing up again but we look like we have lost Williamson who got us a lot of goals it might be a lot to ask one of the youngsters to chip in with as many goals in his first full season. Overall weaker in midfield possibly.

Attack...... this is the area where I can see us having major problems having lost a striker who would surely have netted 40 goals if he had played all season. How do you replace that ? So far we have a Man U loanee who could be either a star turn or another Twiss :eek: and a 24yr old from Crewe who has lost his way for sure if he ever knew it. At least they add pace up front but so did O'Halloran :eek: Porter does not inspire me at all we will do well to get 15 for the season from him. Cresswell 35 in a few weeks and how it shows lost all his pace before last season and after 30 mins seems to be blowng through his arse a very expensive sub at best. Overall compared to last year poor up front.

Overall as we are weaker than last season and will need to be tight at the back conceding a goal per game like last season will turn wins to draws and draws to defeats as so far as I can see we don't have goals in us without the likes of Ched. That said I don't think we are quite done in the transfer market yet we could still see one or two depart and we could still replace them with more affordable better options, hopefully we can keep Maguire but not fussed if we lose Monty, Cresswell or maybe even Quinn who I still rate but if sacrificing him means two players coming in so be it.
I still think we could be taking a big risk on youngsters stepping up to the mark, we have to get out of this pub league this year otherwise .............?????
 
My gut instinct was to say "Metal Blade in not rating this season's squad shocker"; however, I think that's a fairly even handed view of the current squad.

I do think we're better in defence this season and hopefully with the vocal Howard behind them, we'll have less days like Exeter at home.

I actually see us potentially better up front this season. We relied far too much on Ched last season and when he was out through injury or... y'know... prison; we invariably suffered. The key is the word 'potential'.

If players like Ryan Lowe can score a hatful, then I think Blackman, Miller and Cofie can certainly do the same. The latter in particular was outstanding against Roth and if he's fit, I have no doubts at all that he will hit at least 15.

I'd love to see a couple of pacy wingers come in though. Maybe McFadzean will be the next big breakthrough. We're certainly due another youth or two establishing themselves in the first team and there's so much talent that could potentially break in, that it's here where I get most giddy. I think that by the end of the season, we could well see 3 or 4 young uns in the first team proper. I'll go Long, Whitehouse and McFadzean... and maybe a really young one of 16 or 17 years old.
 
I think we are weaker simply for the reason that we've brought in un-proven players. Don't get me wrong ,they can now go and prove themselves but my fear is having the weight of expectation on them that they'll have with us, and whether they'll be able to handle it.

Sadly, I'm hoping the teams around us have got weaker as well as our best opportunity for promotion. Lowe at MK is a massive boost for them. They are a strong team regardless, they now have a player who can get 20/30 goals a season. I'll wager we finish below them this season. If they're top and we're 2nd, that'll do me though!
 
Of course seeing that Blackman has been confirmed as signing #6 makes things look better upfront. Star Blade makes a good point though all are unproven even if they are good enough can they handle the pressure ?
 
StarBlade said:
Lowe at MK is a massive boost for them. They are a strong team regardless, they now have a player who can get 20/30 goals a season. I'll wager we finish below them this season. If they're top and we're 2nd, that'll do me though!
Click to expand...

Really? I havent seen anything in him that says he will get that many.
 
I think we've brought in some decent players overall. Like others have said, the attacking options are pretty unproven so it's a risk but we haven't got the money to bring in proven strikers so it's a risk that we have to take. With Cofie, Blackman, Miller, Porter and Cresswell (even though he's meant to be leaving) we have a good variation of options and plenty more pace. Blackman and Cofie could be a pretty explosive partnership if they gel quickly.

McMahon will be an excellent signing in my opinion and although I didn't particularly rate Hill I thought he did ok in the playoffs and we could do alot worse in League One. The main issue for me is the lack of experienced cover at centre half. We could probably use one more to defender to cover for Maguire and Collins.

And as someone else mentioned, we could use another winger. I would have liked someone similar to Jamal Campbell Ryce or Lloyd Sam; plenty of pace and trickery and can play on the left or the right. It's good having the likes of McFadzean and Chappell breaking through but if we get one injury to Quinn or Flynn we're looking like we're down to the bare bones again.
 



On the Chappell point; he's be threatening to break through for a couple of seasons now and pretty much left at one point.

For those who have seen him in the reserves, is he good enough to challenge this season?
 
Think its looking quite positive personally. The squad has far more balance to it and more cover. Yes Ched and Williamson's goals will be missed but I think we will play differently to last year. We will be less reliant on feeding the ball into one or two individuals and may look to play more as a solid unit.

I genuinely dont believe you will need 90+ points to go up automatically this year. Somewhere around the 80 mark will be enough as I think its a much weaker division. Some of the signings are not proven but we can see DW has looked for the right sort of attributes. I am fairly confident we will be there or thereabouts for promotion.
 
I'm fairly confident we will now win the league this season. Unless we sell Quinn and Maguire.
 
stannyblade said:
Really? I havent seen anything in him that says he will get that many.
Click to expand...

I've just looked at his stats on a site called transfermarkt. In League 1, he got a goal every 171 minutes, basically a goal every 1.9 games. In League 2 it's a goal every 1.77 games. Career stats, regardless of level, a goal every 1.8 games.

Advantage MK Dons, in my opinion.
 
StarBlade said:
I've just looked at his stats on a site called transfermarkt. In League 1, he got a goal every 171 minutes, basically a goal every 1.9 games. In League 2 it's a goal every 1.77 games. Career stats, regardless of level, a goal every 1.8 games.

Advantage MK Dons, in my opinion.
Click to expand...

There are lies, damned lies and statistics though Star. Blackman's got a goal every 180 mins at Championship level (albeit 1 goal in 5 appearances!) and one every 179 mins at Scottish Premier League - which I'd guess is equivalent to League One.

Ryan Lowe also takes penalties which could be argued to skew the figures.

Put it this way: would you be happier if we'd signed Lowe than Blackman? I wouldn't; Blackman has a much greater potential over the next two years.

None of this takes away from your opinion and as for the wager above: £10 donation to the forum suit you?
 
Balham Blade said:
There are lies, damned lies and statistics though Star. Blackman's got a goal every 180 mins at Championship level (albeit 1 goal in 5 appearances!) and one every 179 mins at Scottish Premier League - which I'd guess is equivalent to League One.

Ryan Lowe also takes penalties which could be argued to skew the figures.

Put it this way: would you be happier if we'd signed Lowe than Blackman? I wouldn't; Blackman has a much greater potential over the next two years.

None of this takes away from your opinion and as for the wager above: £10 donation to the forum suit you?
Click to expand...

In all honesty, I'd easily take a known quantity like Lowe with a proven scoring record, than Blackman, yes. I can't believe the two records are comparable. Actually, I'd love it if we had signed Lowe, there. Yes, Blackman has greater potential, age has seen to that but nothing else.

As for the wager, it was a figure of speech. I don't bet, so the answer is no thanks.
 
Balham Blade said:
Ryan Lowe also takes penalties which could be argued to skew the figures.
Put it this way: would you be happier if we'd signed Lowe than Blackman? I wouldn't; Blackman has a much greater potential over the next two years.
Click to expand...


To answer that question alone i'd say no as blackman is young and can surely handle the full 90 mins, now if you said Miller or Lowe i'd have to have a good think. Lowe has a proven record, and played in a promotion winning league 1 side last season.
 
StarBlade said:
In all honesty, I'd easily take a known quantity like Lowe with a proven scoring record, than Blackman, yes. I can't believe the two records are comparable. Actually, I'd love it if we had signed Lowe, there. Yes, Blackman has greater potential, age has seen to that but nothing else.

As for the wager, it was a figure of speech. I don't bet, so the answer is no thanks.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. I would disagree as to me, Lowe is more suited to a direct game and would be too similar to Cresswell but I accept that Blackman is very much unproven. I can't argue with Lowe's record but don't forget that 4 of his 12 goals last season came for Bury in August.

The problem we've had recently is that we've spent too much in fees and wages on players with little or no resale value and we can't afford to do that any more. Lowe falls squarely in this category.

The response to the wager was tongue-in-cheek too but it's difficult to get that sentiment across on a forum.

UTB!
 
Lots of unknowns but this is Danny Wilsons season to shine. He has managed to get the players he wanted in and while of course Ched was a loss we have probably replaced as well as we could be expected to.

All ready to go and am quite excited, even from this distance :). Going to try and make work coincide with a couple of home games if I can.
 
In an ideal world, then Blackman would be the choice. Fans would sit patiently while we nurtured him into fine goalscoring form and then take our place at the top when everything was rosy.

Unfortunately, I think the financial pressures at the Lane are that we desperately need promotion "guaranteed" for as little money as possible, and our fans don't sit patiently either. There are many who will not accept even a draw against L1 sides, many think that every opportunity should be a goal, and many that think that United should/will be top simply because of the standard of opposition. Hence, why I would prefer someone who just does it now, and we discard later, the re-sale value is not great, but the increased value to the club is in the millions. Short-termism entirely, but losing £10M+ a year, long-term plans just aren't on my radar.
 
Blackman over Lowe any day of the week.

We've already got Cresswell who's aging and Porter who plays like he's aging. We need some raw talent. Somebody quick enough to rip open the defence.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised once we're a few games in.

I honestly can't see us being outside the top 6 all season
 
I see the merits of both arguments here, my preference would be young players over those around 30 as like has been said they have no re-sale value but at least you do know what you're getting with the old un. The risk is all on the young player who could show massive potential and turn out bobar (Francis Jeffers). Bearing in mind our financial fragility it is a big big risk, about right for us though when do we ever do anything the easy way or make anything like promotion a near on certainty ???
The last time that happened we won Div 4
 
the only thing that concerns me is that danny has reputation as a second season disaster. Not always but it is there but i will give you 16/1 odds that will end the season with a different manger
 



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