The season so far

[JPBrods]

Of these 15, maybe four were good? (Peterborough, Hull, Derby, Stoke).
We had 14 days in September where things looked up. Two whole weeks of optimism. And even sandwiched in that there was a late capitulation to Preston.
We've managed three clean sheets in 15 games.
How is it possible that a side that can look so easy on the eye and with several expensive players registster such thin returns?

 

[Bladezz]

Youve named 4 terrible teams in there. The prince has got the manager wrong.

 

[Jon Bon II]

Could/should have been 3 up at HT today. Bad luck, bad finishing. bad officiating for Ndiaye's goal. We actually played some really nice football but the finishing was woeful. Once the statues, McBurnie, Sharp and McGoldrick come on, you may as well pack in and go home.

 

[Nagima]

Youve named 4 terrible teams in there. The prince has got the manager wrong.

I don't think it's a manager problem. Yes he has made mistakes....but too many players are not up to the required standard....also recruitment has been piss poor. We didn't strengthen midfield or defence.

 

[Jon Bon II]

I don't think it's a manager problem. Yes he has made mistakes....but too many players are not up to the required standard....also recruitment has been piss poor. We didn't strengthen midfield or defence.

This. In Slav we trust. Prince needs to get his hand in his pocket come January or start pulling the sofa apart.

 

[Nagima]

This. In Slav we trust. Prince needs to get his hand in his pocket come January or start pulling the sofa apart.

I think it's a bit deeper than that. Alot of the players have been here awhile and gone past their peak. The squad needs a big overhaul and that is going to take about 3 windows to get right. Hopefully he gets started in Jan

 

[Heely bottoms underpants]

It's all getting a bit too unitedy this situation.

 

[Danblade]

If we carry on like this until January, is there any point in any meaningful investment at that stage? This squad needs a complete overhaul but that’s not feasible mid-season & if we fail to go up this season (which looks pretty much nailed on), is it likely Slav will remain in post?

The ‘investment’ from the board this season was keeping the majority of this squad together, at the minute it has backfired terribly & now Berge, McBurnie & Brewster have little to nothing to show from this season in the Championship (so far), harming their resale value even further (and therefore the efforts of the club in rebuilding).

This is getting worse before it gets better.

 

[Guesty]

If we carry on like this until January, is there any point in any meaningful investment at that stage? This squad needs a complete overhaul but that’s not feasible mid-season & if we fail to go up this season (which looks pretty much nailed on), is it likely Slav will remain in post?

The ‘investment’ from the board this season was keeping the majority of this squad together, at the minute it has backfired terribly & now Berge, McBurnie & Brewster have little to nothing to show from this season in the Championship (so far), harming their resale value even further (and therefore the efforts of the club in rebuilding).

This is getting worse before it gets better.

I strongly suspect that another trip to League One is in the offing, not with the team we have now but with the one we'll be left with in a year or two.

 

[John Cutsbushes]

15 games and nothing has improved, the buck stops with the manager I'm afraid.
Not saying he should go by any means, but the lack of any mental resolve, the habit of conceding shocking goals, the slow tempo, and the total lack of confidence when we go behind is not getting better.
Can anyone see this improving?
A transitional season unfortunately.

 

[ekke287]

Youve named 4 terrible teams in there. The prince has got the manager wrong.

He hasn’t, he’s the third manager to have this squad at his disposal.

If three plumbers can’t fix some leaky pipes it’s time to get some new pipes.

 

[Working Class Hero]

He hasn’t, he’s the third manager to have this squad at his disposal.

If three plumbers can’t fix some leaky pipes it’s time to get some new pipes.

The first plumber made the Taj Mahal out of these pipes.

 

[JackSUFC]

 

[Danblade]

I strongly suspect that another trip to League One is in the offing, not with the team we have now but with the one we'll be left with in a year or two.

I genuinely wouldn’t be surprised, momentum works both ways. Wilder built a squad that achieved something special, but when you look at where those players were brought from, perhaps this is their true level? People will dispute that by pointing to the first season in the Prem, but we played a unique system coupled with momentum from our promotion.

Of course I’d love to see us get promoted this season but I think we are still harmed by our wilderness years in League One. The infrastructure of the club appears to be way behind what you’d expect from a relegated Prem team. Improvements in that regard would be some crumb of comfort from our Prem gains, even if it doesn’t bear fruit in the short term on the pitch. Without seriously wealthy ownership it’s surely the only way.

 

[Nagima]

If we carry on like this until January, is there any point in any meaningful investment at that stage? This squad needs a complete overhaul but that’s not feasible mid-season & if we fail to go up this season (which looks pretty much nailed on), is it likely Slav will remain in post?

The ‘investment’ from the board this season was keeping the majority of this squad together, at the minute it has backfired terribly & now Berge, McBurnie & Brewster have little to nothing to show from this season in the Championship (so far), harming their resale value even further (and therefore the efforts of the club in rebuilding).

This is getting worse before it gets better.

I think we need to make a start on that overhaul. It's going to take 3 windows to sort. I don't there was much choice keeping the squad together as there was very little interest in any of them.
It's a long road ahead.

 

[ekke287]

The first plumber made the Taj Mahal out of these pipes.

Held together with spit and glue, he then cleared off after he’d been paid and the whole thing fell apart.

 

[robbiez666]

If we carry on like this until January, is there any point in any meaningful investment at that stage? This squad needs a complete overhaul but that’s not feasible mid-season & if we fail to go up this season (which looks pretty much nailed on), is it likely Slav will remain in post?

The ‘investment’ from the board this season was keeping the majority of this squad together, at the minute it has backfired terribly & now Berge, McBurnie & Brewster have little to nothing to show from this season in the Championship (so far), harming their resale value even further (and therefore the efforts of the club in rebuilding).

This is getting worse before it gets better.

I strongly suspect that another trip to League One is in the offing, not with the team we have now but with the one we'll be left with in a year or two.

I don't think, at this stage, we need to worry about going down. We have enough this season. I suspect while Slav is around we'll have enough to stay up. It's if he leaves AND there's no investment.

We have a squad minus Sharp, McGoldrick, Mousset, Osborn, Robinson and Slater next season

If we're relying on loans the standard is going to get progressively worse.

The Chairman needs a plan. If we're round about the play-offs come 1st January we need to bring 3 to 4 in and go for it.

 

[Danblade]

I think we need to make a start on that overhaul. It's going to take 3 windows to sort. I don't there was much choice keeping the squad together as there was very little interest in any of them.
It's a long road ahead.

Definitely, but will Slav stick with it? Will the fans be patient enough? We’ll probably get a squad right enough for Slav and then he’ll leave.

I’m less concerned about that if we have a philosophy as to how we’re going to play, but my concern is that we’ll rip everything up as soon as the new manager comes in.

It’s a reasonable argument to say that if the board wanted to stick with that we had squad-wise then maybe Slav wasn’t the right appointment.

 

[Guesty]

I don't think, at this stage, we need to worry about going down. We have enough this season. I suspect while Slav is around we'll have enough to stay up. It's if he leaves AND there's no investment.

We have a squad minus Sharp, McGoldrick, Mousset, Osborn, Robinson and Slater next season

If we're relying on loans the standard is going to get progressively worse.

The Chairman needs a plan. If we're round about the play-offs come 1st January we need to bring 3 to 4 in and go for it.

Oh I agree, it would take a spectacular collapse for this team to go down. I just think, once the loans go back and the fees we get in for departing players go towards us not going bust, rather than on recruitment, the squad will be in a downward spiral for a year or two before a probable relegation.

Let's face it, without Gibbs-White's contributions we wouldn't be far of the relegation places now.

 

[Danblade]

I don't think, at this stage, we need to worry about going down. We have enough this season. I suspect while Slav is around we'll have enough to stay up. It's if he leaves AND there's no investment.

We have a squad minus Sharp, McGoldrick, Mousset, Osborn, Robinson and Slater next season

If we're relying on loans the standard is going to get progressively worse.

The Chairman needs a plan. If we're round about the play-offs come 1st January we need to bring 3 to 4 in and go for it.

I worry more about next season to be honest, but suppose no point getting worried about more than one season at once!

 

[Wincobank S9 Blade]

We have some tough fixtures coming up I was checking Hull, Barnsley and Derby’s fixtures and hoping they still continue their bad run because with our GA record and missed opportunities I think it’ll be a struggle this season but hope I’m wrong.

 

[petcharlie]

We have once again fallen for the egg under the hat trick. For three years we have put up with a forward line that are firing blanks and until we sort it we will always be open to the same smash and grab result we have had today. How many times has this happened to us over the past three years? We dominate the match and we all know what is going to happen .Why is it we all know how the match will pan out? Because it has happened time and time again not scoring will always haunt you and leave you open to the sucker punch. Until we sort it we will have to put up with this type of result. DOMONATE MATCHES LOSE BY THE SUCKER PUNCH.

 

[robbiez666]

Oh I agree, it would take a spectacular collapse for this team to go down. I just think, once the loans go back and the fees we get in for departing players go towards us not going bust, rather than on recruitment, the squad will be in a downward spiral for a year or two before a probable relegation.

Let's face it, without Gibbs-White's contributions we wouldn't be far of the relegation places now.

I'm hoping we can bring some kids though. Jebbison, maybe. The rest aren't actually looking that promising at the moment.

We need our scouts to do some work. There has to be bargains to be had and we're in a position of relative financial power. We should be looking to scoop up a few talented young players from the lower leagues and try and supplement them we free transfers and loans.

Try and see if we can recoup high single figures millions for McBurnie and Brewster.

If we just bring in loans again then we're going to be fucked sooner rather than later.

 

[Danblade]

I'm hoping we can bring some kids though. Jebbison, maybe. The rest aren't actually looking that promising at the moment.

We need our scouts to do some work. There has to be bargains to be had and we're in a position of relative financial power. We should be looking to scoop up a few talented young players from the lower leagues and try and supplement them we free transfers and loans.

Try and see if we can recoup high single figures millions for McBurnie and Brewster.

If we just bring in loans again then we're going to be fucked sooner rather than later.

We definitely need to be doing more in terms of lower league players, but I hope we also continue to build our scouting network further afield in terms of identifying up and coming talents elsewhere. The UK market is very overpriced, as we all know.

 

[robbiez666]

We definitely need to be doing more in terms of lower league players, but I hope we also continue to build our scouting network further afield in terms of identifying up and coming talents elsewhere. The UK market is very overpriced, as we all know.

It is, but every team in this league and down is struggling financially due to covid. I'm pretty sure we can sign players for much less than normal in terms of upfront fees. We tend to be really crap at negotiating with teams though. We need to play it smart. Be savvy with our money. But we need to be vastly better than we've been for the last 3 years.

 

[sufcboy95]

If Ndiaye, MGW and Moose take their EASY chances were 3-0 up and a couple points off play offs.
They miss them and were going down and Slav wants sacking.

Manager ain’t at fault

 

[TJ blade]

I don't think, at this stage, we need to worry about going down. We have enough this season. I suspect while Slav is around we'll have enough to stay up. It's if he leaves AND there's no investment.

We have a squad minus Sharp, McGoldrick, Mousset, Osborn, Robinson and Slater next season

If we're relying on loans the standard is going to get progressively worse.

The Chairman needs a plan. If we're round about the play-offs come 1st January we need to bring 3 to 4 in and go for it.

I admire your optimism mate, and wish I could say the same but this season's got an all to familier feel to it, some of which I have witnessed in my 50odd years of watching the blades if this bunch of losers get involved in a battle at the wrong end I don't see them as having the stomach for a fight.

 

[Rudders]

Manager ain’t at fault

But has shown zero improvement with any existing players. Humungous defensive howlers keep occurring week after week. Keeps picking players who are letting him down. Its slow, turgid losing football. Recruitment so far is mixed. MGW and N'Diaye hits the rest misses

 

[Nagima]

Definitely, but will Slav stick with it? Will the fans be patient enough? We’ll probably get a squad right enough for Slav and then he’ll leave.

I’m less concerned about that if we have a philosophy as to how we’re going to play, but my concern is that we’ll rip everything up as soon as the new manager comes in.

It’s a reasonable argument to say that if the board wanted to stick with that we had squad-wise then maybe Slav wasn’t the right appointment.

You make very good points there.
We would have to be flying next season for Slav to get two years under his belt. And I agree that changing manager could result in ripping things up even more...which doesn't lead to stability.

As for the squad the board and Slav. I think you maybe right on that one. I think the board in their naivety thought we have better players than we have and I suspect that the Prince, while a fan, is taking more control of decision making. That coupled with a lack of money means that Slav is under pressure to get us promoted. I think we needed a steady Eddie o gradually transform how we play and stabilise things. We are very yo yo at the moment and I think the current formation and personnel have some glaring weaknesses.

 

[Booker4]

Ok, here's my one really negative post today. If we get promoted we'll have another season like the last one, I'd say only Egan and Baldock can play PL, week in week out, so we'd need 9 new players, starters also, to compete. I think we're so far off PL quality sadly, I almost don't see the point going up. This season is just about developing Ndiaye and getting in wingers that Slav need to play, because I do think that will be a big game changer. I'm not so sure I even agree with my own post, it's probably knee jerk but really gutted with how this season is going, genuinely thought we'd be up there. On the positive side, we played some nice stuff today, I can see the future will improve with Slav, just not in time for this season. The optimist thinks we may make the play offs, but as I say, I'm not so sure going up is a good think unless we pocket the money, go down spend the money on the training ground - badly - needed, and go again. It's so sad to think that just two years ago we were ripping it up in the PL.