We are now ready!

[@thelane]

Higdon looks a quality buy at the right price an ticks all the boxes......Derby can stick freeman and the other guy...we are not the mugs we have been.
I think we have the best squad with the best chance now and I can't wait for the season to start.
I can't remember feeling this optimistic since we got Shipperly and got premier promotion.
COYRAWW!!!

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

We got our striker that is certainly a big plus for the season and yeah we are pretty much ready for the season now, but like Clough said another defender would be good.

 

[wizadry]

We are now ready!!! I hope your right pal,i hope your right.I'm very happy with Higdon but i'd still like us to get Bennett in as he would give us another option with the pace he has.

Come on blades this season,we can't fuck this chance up surely

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

With a bit of luck, the Freeman deal really fell through cos we just had a £1m bid for Brayford accepted.

If we can't get him, we should at least put a bid in for his beard and stick it onto this Alcock geezer. May have to dye his hair though, or it wouldn't look right sumhoo.

 

[FTPE]

I think our marauding wing backs helped Flynn and murphy big time last season.
So I think the two we play this season might scupper our attacking wing play a little bit but with the amount of options we have in midfield and with different formations we could now pull off- it's certainly looking promising

 

[Chezzy_Blade]

I think the bit that gives me the most optimism now is that we have "options"....I know what are options? Been a while since we last had those but yes it's nice to have more than one player available for most positions on the pitch, and the replacements when we need them aren't poor alternatives but players who can come in and do a job.

Today's signing is hugely significant and a huge missing piece of the jigsaw. Let's not be overly harsh on our other strikers, if Porter doesn't start it will be massively reassuring to know that we have a player capable of 10 goals sat on the bench. Mcnulty is bound to get better as time goes and and he gains the understanding and knits.

In midfield we have bags of options all the way across the pitch, all of which offer something a bit different whether it be attacking or defensive capabilities.

At the back we have options again all the way across the back four, we now have added experience as well. Ok we would all like another defender but regardless we have quality, experience and the players there to change things if we need to.

In the net we have a keeper who probably came as a bit of a surprise last year. What was it 7 clean sheets on the trot and hardly any goals conceded the second half of the season.

When was the last time we could say all of the above? Let's not count any chickens this league is a proper ball ache. It's never going to be easy but we have the resources to have a fucking good go at it.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Looking good and well balanced;

Howard
Alcock, Butler/McGahey/Collins, Harris
Flynn, Wallace, Basham, Murphy
Scougall
Higdon

Subs: Willis, JCR, Baxter, Porter, McGinn/Doyle, McNulty, Davies​

I think Doyle / McGinn will be moving on and whichever CB is left out of the XI could also miss out from the matchday squad completely. Looking at that, I'm not sure why we're looking at bringing another one in. Not much leeway for the likes of Reid, Diego etc either although they may be in our 'cup' teams this season I suspect.

 

[Newbury Blade]

I think our marauding wing backs helped Flynn and murphy big time last season.
So I think the two we play this season might scupper our attacking wing play a little bit but with the amount of options we have in midfield and with different formations we could now pull off- it's certainly looking promising

Nothing wrong with the marauding run that Harris produced at Wembley to set up Murphy's goal.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Nothing wrong with the marauding run that Harris produced at Wembley to set up Murphy's goal.

Yep, and Alcock hasn't been shy in coming forward pre-season.

 

[Rossb123]

We still lack strength in depth at the back, I accept the striker was the main priority and I am really excited by Higdon and his track record. Harris is quite injury prone I cant see him lasting the full season without missing a few games, I can't comment on Alcock but most players would struggle to play every game.

Our cover is Davies and Flynn (maybe), Davies this pre-season has looked much better in midfield than in defence. The best game I saw him have last season was against Rotherham when he played centre midfield so can he be classed as genuine cover for right back.

Freeman would have been ideal as he can play left back as comfortably as he can play right back and I think he would have played much more than he anticipated even though he would have been backup.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Rossb123, try not to worry, Cloughie and his team will be on top of matters. It's what they're paid to do.

You'll never get ideal, but we're in a good position mate. Not only do we have strength in numbers, we have experience, players who understand what's required and will know what needs to be done to get us over the line.

Obviously the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and we've yet to show whether all the predictions are justified, but what more can Clough do? Harry's gone, the club's still here, and life goes on. I don't detect any negative vibes coming out of the squad, there's competition for places, so whoa betide anyone who doesn't fancy the battle ahead. We know we have a manager who won't tolerate standards dropping, so far more positives than negatives in my book UTB

 

[Rossb123]

Rossb123, try not to worry, Cloughie and his team will be on top of matters. It's what they're paid to do.

You'll never get ideal, but we're in a good position mate. Not only do we have strength in numbers, we have experience, players who understand what's required and will know what needs to be done to get us over the line.

Obviously the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and we've yet to show whether all the predictions are justified, but what more can Clough do? Harry's gone, the club's still here, and life goes on. I don't detect any negative vibes coming out of the squad, there's competition for places, so whoa betide anyone who doesn't fancy the battle ahead. We know we have a manager who won't tolerate standards dropping, so far more positives than negatives in my book UTB

Agree with all your points, I'm not worried and I know we are in good hands. I do feel we are lacking strength in depth at the back but the transfer window is open all month and then the loan market after that for recruiting.

It would be nice to have a settled squad before the season starts its just unfortunate that Freeman came with high demands.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Agree with all your points, I'm not worried and I know we are in good hands. I do feel we are lacking strength in depth at the back but the transfer window is open all month and then the loan market after that for recruiting.

It would be nice to have a settled squad before the season starts its just unfortunate that Freeman came with high demands.

Freeman's a good example of someone who is clueless, thinking he, and his agent, can make unrealistic demands and use them to twist Nigel's arm. Bad move son, so return from whence you came from, tail between your legs, thinking the world owes you something. Hope you learn from this. UTB

 

[Rollerball]

To be honest, I can't remember a time when we have had sufficient cover at the back, that said a lot of the time it's been suspensions rather than injury that has screwed up our back four more than not.
This season we appear to have more depth than we have for a long time and not just dross on the bench, I figure clough will wait for the window to shut so he can find a defender and another striker from a prem club that's not really in that teams plans, thus plugging the small gap we have right now, and then maybe strengthen again a little in January.
My personal view is we have plenty to start the season and get to January in a top 4 position and push on in the second half as the players get more used to each other, some very good options and for a change its nice to look and see the possibility of changing formation and style of play any time during a game without it weakening us to a great degree.
Roll on Saturday lets take this league and put us back where we should be.
Keep the faith
UTB