Why we've only got 2 points

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The reason we only have two points is down to several factors.
Firstly for the last two seasons we had an absolutely world class keeper. Unfortunately he was not our player. He never made any secret that he wanted to be number one at Manchester Utd. We were just a stepping stone to him achieving that. His replacement is not a bad keeper. He's just not of the same quality of Henderson.
Henderson was also lucky enough to have a settled back three infront of him. Bash,Egan and JOC were all immense for most of last season. They covered for each other when mistakes were made. Giving us a solid defence who were able to keep clean sheets. We 've lost two out of those four in Hendo and JOC . A big miss for any side.
Then there's the midfield. Last season Fleck was amazing. He was tenacious, his passing was quality and he scored goals. Where the fuck has he gone? Then there was Norwood with his ping, free kicks and mainly quality corners. Again wtf has happened to him? He might as well be sat watching with me for all the quality he has atm. Lundstum, love him or hate him he did pop up with a few goals and assists last season. Now he wants away. Our wing backs Baldock and Stevens have come in for some flack for poor performance but look at the three players I 've just mentioned. If they are not doing it you can't expect wingers to make it up for them. From what I've seen of Ampadu he is no replacement of either the Fleck or Norwood of last season.
Our forwards have never been prolific scorers. Billy needs the ball in the six yard box. We never get that far. McBurnie, another marmite player , again is not getting the service. Brewster has arrived into this maelstrom and is obviously finding it difficult to ajust. Moose and Burke have pace in abundance but that is never going to achieve much without back up from a vastly underperforming midfield. Berge is quality but he s out for three months and can't do it on his own anyway. Didsy is Didsy. Quality. Never gives anything but his best. But he s one man.
Anyone who thinks Lingard is the answer (if he comes,and I don't think he will) needs to have a serious rethink.
Basically, we are fucked.
Get used to the idea.

We are completely stuffed for this season, but the club (and fans) need to take it on the chin and not do what we did in 2007.

No doubt we'll lose some players on relegation, but the squad has some real talent in it, much of it proven at Championship level. If collective heads aren't lost by this season's pummelling, and squad planning for next season begins now, then we should end up as a very very strong Championship club. Player for player, perhaps even stronger than the set of individuals that got us promoted.

In recent times we've had a relatively under-powered engine, fine-tuned to the Nth degree. This year, it fell to bits. So next year the only question is whether it can be re-started?
 

Here is the issue laid bare from yesterday and I'm not trying to be contraversial for the sake of it so I'll caveat all comments with 'right now', be that form, fitness or ability:

Ramsdale - not good enough
Baldock - good enough
Basham - good enough
Egan - good enough
Robinson - not good enough
Stevens - not good enough
Ampadu - not good enough
Osborn - not good enough
McGoldrick - good enough
Brewster - not good enough
Mousset - not good enough

Now some of those are capable of being good enough and need to book their ideas up quick sharp. Some aren't and that's for the manager to be ruthless and move on. I acknowledge Ramsdale did well though yesterday but he hasn't had a good season so far.

But when you've got 4 players carrying 7 then you're going to do very well to win through.
The problem is last year we had a settled side and almost all of them were un-droppable and we literally only rotated strikers. The problem we have this year is Wilder thought the same 11-13 players would be good enough to keep us up and almost every single one of them is performing way below last years level.
 
Lowe actually made me laugh out loud during one game as he randomly chased the ball around like a Jack Russell.

Lowe has looked so far out of his depth that I just feel sorry for him. Derby fan I know was shocked when we signed him as he’s nowhere near PL standard.

Same as a Forest fan at work when we signed Jack Robinson, as he was getting nowhere near their team.

Both are turning out to be right. Makes you wonder who are scouts are.
 
O'Connell was injured in June but then he was deemed fit by our medical team and started the season. When it became apaprent he needed an operation it was about two weeks till the window closes to replace him. I'm curious how you must have insider info to know that we didn't make a serious attempt to replace him. Wilder was certainly adament he wanted to replace him. It's also very difficult for us to recruit a player of similar style and standard as JOC, and then in Feburary/March knowing O'Connell will be back again, hence spending big money on a replacement would arguably be unwise. Therefore a loan was more likely, I'm sure Wilder did all he could and clearly indicated that it wasn't possible with current constraints from the wage structure to bring in someone that could do a job.

Burke has offered us creativity and again if people think he was Wilder's first choice you're very much mistaken, I'm not saying you are saying that but my guess is that Wilder knew it was a long shot. What would you rather? Us sign no one instead? I haven't seen another player leave the Championship since we've been promoted to the PL that we could attract that would improve us. The likes of Cash, Robinson and Watkins would and we all know they chose elsewhere.

Ampadu was brought for defensive cover but because of injuries and lack of form to Norwood and the Lunny situation, Ampadu has played regularly in midfield. He is supposed to be very highly rated by Chelsea and their fans said he is a very good player in the making.

I don't blame our board for this mess, but if they're waiting with baited breath for his next signings suggestions I think it would help if they backed his first choices more, but that would obviously mean we had to double our wage structure. What else do you want Wilder to do to get in players he wants that are the top of his priortiy list?!

Burke is extremely fast and hard working, but possesses a technical ability & footballing IQ that is sadly lower end championship. He has struggled at near enough every club he has been at and has shown himself time & time again not to be a goalscorer. Lacking the ability, composure & nous at the critical moment. He's scored 12 times in 127 matches, half of those being at Forest in the championship between 2015 and 2017. WBA wanted rid of him last season & this, which should've set alarm bells off. He played last season at either wing back or wing. Burke was a face saver in the CR deal.

As I said in my previous post, for the money, i would've rather had Grant, Toney & kept CR. At least that would've given us more of a goal threat and been able if needed to field 3 potent players in a 4-3-3/3-4-3. Plus the footballing world is a lot bigger than the championship, we are allowed to fish in other pools. We managed to sign Berge easily enough.

Ampadu? He's played more times for Welsh representatives sides than all his league teams combined, he's played 4 times for chelsea in 4 years, so i don't know what their fans are basing their beliefs on. He'll won't play for them in PL as long as I have a hole in my arse. For us, he looks lightweight & disinterested & either reluctant or unable to impose himself. We've been here before with loan deals for team's highly rated youngsters, eg. Woodburn, Wilson, Cofie, Twiss, O'Connor, Notman, etc.

The board has backed Wilder to the tune of £130m and signed off salary increases and new contracts across the board for the last 2 seasons. Do you honestly believe that we currently only have a £20k a week maximum salary cap? The money that our squad has earned in the last 2 seasons in wages & bonuses would seriously surprise you.

I doubt Cash & Robinson were seen as 1st teamers so we weren't going to pay £50k a week to them and Watkins & Wilson wanted & got about £70k to £80k a week which is admittedly outside our budget.
 
Burke is extremely fast and hard working, but possesses a technical ability & footballing IQ that is sadly lower end championship. He has struggled at near enough every club he has been at and has shown himself time & time again not to be a goalscorer. Lacking the ability, composure & nous at the critical moment. He's scored 12 times in 127 matches, half of those being at Forest in the championship between 2015 and 2017. WBA wanted rid of him last season & this, which should've set alarm bells off. He played last season at either wing back or wing. Burke was a face saver in the CR deal.

As I said in my previous post, for the money, i would've rather had Grant, Toney & kept CR. At least that would've given us more of a goal threat and been able if needed to field 3 potent players in a 4-3-3/3-4-3. Plus the footballing world is a lot bigger than the championship, we are allowed to fish in other pools. We managed to sign Berge easily enough.

Ampadu? He's played more times for Welsh representatives sides than all his league teams combined, he's played 4 times for chelsea in 4 years, so i don't know what their fans are basing their beliefs on. He'll won't play for them in PL as long as I have a hole in my arse. For us, he looks lightweight & disinterested & either reluctant or unable to impose himself. We've been here before with loan deals for team's highly rated youngsters, eg. Woodburn, Wilson, Cofie, Twiss, O'Connor, Notman, etc.

The board has backed Wilder to the tune of £130m and signed off salary increases and new contracts across the board for the last 2 seasons. Do you honestly believe that we currently only have a £20k a week maximum salary cap? The money that our squad has earned in the last 2 seasons in wages & bonuses would seriously surprise you.

I doubt Cash & Robinson were seen as 1st teamers so we weren't going to pay £50k a week to them and Watkins & Wilson wanted & got about £70k to £80k a week which is admittedly outside our budget.
Our wage bill is the lowest in the Prem I believe, if not it's the secon lowest. Robinson was quoted as getting £45,000 on his ne deal at Fulham. He's in their first team every week having ousted one of their best players from last season in Joe Bryam. Wilder identified him, but not surpriingly he chose Fulham.

As for Grant he's not done much at West Brom, I see no reason why Brewster won't be better in time.

As I said, £130m is a lot to us but its wages that go with it that buys quality. Wilder doesn't have that backing, and as a result we suffer to improve the squad at this level.
 
Personally I’m bored of hearing about O’Connell’s injury.

O’Connell’s injury hasn’t caused our midfielders to go into hiding, our strikers to become allergic to scoring, Wilder’s shite tactics and signings or the loss of fighting team spirit we once had.

Quite. There was a point a few weeks ago when O’Connell was the only injured player in the entire squad. He is a big loss but the causes of our problems are much wider than that.
 
We are completely stuffed for this season, but the club (and fans) need to take it on the chin and not do what we did in 2007.

No doubt we'll lose some players on relegation, but the squad has some real talent in it, much of it proven at Championship level. If collective heads aren't lost by this season's pummelling, and squad planning for next season begins now, then we should end up as a very very strong Championship club. Player for player, perhaps even stronger than the set of individuals that got us promoted.

In recent times we've had a relatively under-powered engine, fine-tuned to the Nth degree. This year, it fell to bits. So next year the only question is whether it can be re-started?

I pretty much agree with what you're saying, that if we can hang on to the stronger members of the squad we should be well placed to compete in the Championship next season.

However, I am concerned as to the effect on the players if this season does turn out to be a record breaking disaster.

It would take real strength of character to come back from that. As to the continued credibility of the CWAK management team in those circumstances......
 

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