| Reasons to be cheerful 10:25 - May 22 with 6429 views | Terry_Nutkins |
Assuming next season goes ahead....I think we have to expect we lose:
Rowe (gone and doubt new terms)
Roberts (as above)
Keane (Gone but i think reasonable chance we'll offer reduced terms - he'll end up champ i think)
Woolf (Can't see us holding on)
Downes (Same as Woolf)
Garbutt (Can't see him signing now. wages will be beyond us)
So we'll have to sign a CB which is a worry but if we can get that right then the below still keeps me really interested and excited about next season:
Lankester (will be like a high quality new signing)
El Mizouni (Gained some good experience and should be his breakthrough year as fully fledged first teamer)
Dobra (Similar to El Mizouni - I think regular sub and transitioning into first team. Maybe 20-25 appearances with impact)
Teddy Bish (Fully fit Bish is just a class act. Lets see but he's gradually getting there and I think a good chance we'll see more of him.
Huws (Season under his belt. Mixed bag but after 2 years out no huge suprise. Class act and he will be better for what is back in his legs).
Dozzell - Make or break year. Downes opens.the door. We know he has ability.
McGavin - Could be a big bonus. Downes going could also open door for him.
Kane VY - Back and fully fit. Massive difference
Norwood - Fully fit. He struggled with that groin and still would probably have been around the 15 goal mark in full season. If he's fit he'll score.
Sears - Fully fit. Still useful in this division. Not the future but excellent squad player in L1.
Nydam - Lets see but if he is fully fit maybe he can be a bonus free LB. Versatile and decent. A possible bonus for us.
Folami/Morris - If Keane doesn't return then they have more of a pathway. Feels like they may be a little way off some of the above but maybe in pre-season they can grab a chance. Drinnan maybe the same...
This maybe classic optimism of a football fan...but still excites me that we have these boys coming through and that they will have an opportunity here. |  |
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| Reasons to be cheerful on 09:52 - May 23 with 2382 views | pointofblue |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 09:39 - May 23 by Chrisd |
Agree with a lot that you raised in your closing paragraph Pointofblue. Desperately need a dominate centre back that can win headers in both boxes, to start alongside Woolfenden, if we are able to keep him of course. Although I like Chambers, I'd have him as the back up centre back option in place of Wilson now, who I would off load. Is Kenlock the answer at LB? Really got my fingers crossed that Nydam comes back fit and raring to go, that looks another opportunity to be grabbed with both hands by someone. PL still has got plenty to think about, it's not just the personnel, it's injecting pace into our side, adding a bit of physicality as we get bullied by the bigger sides, the lack of players in the box when we attack and how we move the ball so slowly when passing too. Plenty to think about. |
Whilst I’m really not making excuses for Lambert I do think our squad lacks balance. Whilst on paper it’s strong the players we have faith in to do a good job inhabit the same traits - Dozzell, Bishop, Judge, El Mizouni, Dobra, possibly even an in form Edwards, to an extent Huws - in that they’re great with the ball at their feet but can be, and often are, bullied out of games. The only muscle in midfield we have is Downes and he’s pretty light in stature for that role. We have no leaders on the pitch to kick others up the backside when required. Our strikers are hardly prolific and none are really proven above League Two. The only players with any pace to speak off are KVY and Jackson. We try to play the ball out of the back but, with KVY out, Woolfenden is the only player who can do it.
These issues should not have been insurmountable this season considering the quality of the opposition but they have been exposed time and time again, partly because we have no identity and have been unable to protect our weaknesses and utilise our strengths. | |
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| Reasons to be cheerful on 10:01 - May 23 with 2370 views | braveblue |
If that is the position we may just stay up!! | | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 10:18 - May 23 with 2349 views | Chrisd |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 09:52 - May 23 by pointofblue |
Whilst I’m really not making excuses for Lambert I do think our squad lacks balance. Whilst on paper it’s strong the players we have faith in to do a good job inhabit the same traits - Dozzell, Bishop, Judge, El Mizouni, Dobra, possibly even an in form Edwards, to an extent Huws - in that they’re great with the ball at their feet but can be, and often are, bullied out of games. The only muscle in midfield we have is Downes and he’s pretty light in stature for that role. We have no leaders on the pitch to kick others up the backside when required. Our strikers are hardly prolific and none are really proven above League Two. The only players with any pace to speak off are KVY and Jackson. We try to play the ball out of the back but, with KVY out, Woolfenden is the only player who can do it.
These issues should not have been insurmountable this season considering the quality of the opposition but they have been exposed time and time again, partly because we have no identity and have been unable to protect our weaknesses and utilise our strengths. |
Our squad I can describe using an American sports' term is 'finesse', at the moment we haven't got enough players that enjoy doing the horrible stuff. We need a balance. I certainly don't want PL sacrificing us playing a decent brand of football, but our style of play needs to be done with purpose and pace with passing insightful not laboured and we attack in numbers not just rely on Norwood and Jackson to conjure something up in that attacking third. In addition, it's having a squad of players that stand up to the challenge when put under sustained pressure instead of buckling. There's plenty that needs work on, otherwise we'll be in the same situation this time next season, looking at others with envy. [Post edited 23 May 2020 10:39]
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| Reasons to be cheerful on 10:23 - May 23 with 2344 views | Shawsey |
I think Lambert will have no choice but to use some of the youth team, which I think, will be a good thing. As long as we have experience around them, then I will match your optimism. |  | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 10:23 - May 23 with 2344 views | patrickswell |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 11:25 - May 22 by Swansea_Blue |
Ah, it's that time of year when we get excited about the quality of incoming signings, the Bish and all our other long-term sick again.
When we people learn 
I hope this year is different, although suspect the weirdness of Covid is going to make it one we may want to forget (if it completes at all). |
Rapidlycoming to the conclusion that Bishop and Huws need to stop clogging the place up and get the hell out. It worked for David McGoldrick after all, here they just mock as symbols of what might have been... |  | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 10:34 - May 23 with 2331 views | Shawsey |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 10:23 - May 23 by patrickswell |
Rapidlycoming to the conclusion that Bishop and Huws need to stop clogging the place up and get the hell out. It worked for David McGoldrick after all, here they just mock as symbols of what might have been... |
Harsh, but hard to argue with. | | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 23:55 - May 23 with 2268 views | pablovian |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 08:52 - May 23 by pointofblue |
Unfortunately the manager is a big part of what happens next year. We can have the best squad in League One but of the manager dies not utilise it properly we will not go up. |
We could lose Downes, Wolfenden (likely), Jackson (possibly) and Vincent-Young (in a worst-case scenario). If so, we are more likely to be fighting relegation than chasing promotion.
As manager, my core squad would be: Holy in goal; Skuse, Hughes and Nolan in midfield; Rowe, Norwood and Sears as forwards and Edwards as a forward/utility player; Dobra and El-Mizouni as regular substitutes and sporadic starters; and (when they are fit ...) Bishop and Lankester as alternative substitutes and sporadic starters. These players have heart as well as skill, and would probably gel as a team if they played together regularly.
The problem is the back line. Kenlock and Donacien would be adequate full backs in a simple system. The center back situation is very problematic. Nsiala can be a dominant player when he is partnered by someone who has pace and a high football IQ. I would try to recruit such a player during the off season.
The squad should be good enough to avoid relegation, and entertaining enough to generate enthusiastic support. It will be interesting to see if superior outcomes are achieved by whatever combinations of players and tactics Paul Lambert employs next season. |  | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 00:40 - May 24 with 2262 views | BtreeBlueBlood |
It’s going to be interesting- maybe derby n sheff Wednesday to fall from grace with ffp in forced ! ???? |  | | |
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| Reasons to be cheerful on 09:08 - May 24 with 2229 views | patrickswell |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 23:55 - May 23 by pablovian |
We could lose Downes, Wolfenden (likely), Jackson (possibly) and Vincent-Young (in a worst-case scenario). If so, we are more likely to be fighting relegation than chasing promotion.
As manager, my core squad would be: Holy in goal; Skuse, Hughes and Nolan in midfield; Rowe, Norwood and Sears as forwards and Edwards as a forward/utility player; Dobra and El-Mizouni as regular substitutes and sporadic starters; and (when they are fit ...) Bishop and Lankester as alternative substitutes and sporadic starters. These players have heart as well as skill, and would probably gel as a team if they played together regularly.
The problem is the back line. Kenlock and Donacien would be adequate full backs in a simple system. The center back situation is very problematic. Nsiala can be a dominant player when he is partnered by someone who has pace and a high football IQ. I would try to recruit such a player during the off season.
The squad should be good enough to avoid relegation, and entertaining enough to generate enthusiastic support. It will be interesting to see if superior outcomes are achieved by whatever combinations of players and tactics Paul Lambert employs next season. |
I think we’ve established over the two seasons he’s been here that Jon Nolan has no heart for the battle. He makes Stuart Slater look like Bilel Moshni. | | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 09:36 - May 24 with 2219 views | trueblue1970 |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 09:39 - May 23 by Chrisd |
Agree with a lot that you raised in your closing paragraph Pointofblue. Desperately need a dominate centre back that can win headers in both boxes, to start alongside Woolfenden, if we are able to keep him of course. Although I like Chambers, I'd have him as the back up centre back option in place of Wilson now, who I would off load. Is Kenlock the answer at LB? Really got my fingers crossed that Nydam comes back fit and raring to go, that looks another opportunity to be grabbed with both hands by someone. PL still has got plenty to think about, it's not just the personnel, it's injecting pace into our side, adding a bit of physicality as we get bullied by the bigger sides, the lack of players in the box when we attack and how we move the ball so slowly when passing too. Plenty to think about. |
Nearly all of the teams in L1 seem to have massive centre backs who dominate at the back useless with the ball but win a high percentage of anything in the air, says more about the football in this division I suppose |  | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 10:40 - May 24 with 2197 views | IpswichKnight |
We do lack depth at centre half, Toto has one problem he cannot tackle which is an issue for a centre half.
Playing big lumps is all well and good but when Shrewsbury turned up with 3 lumps we played it in the channels and ran at them and they were useless against that. However that was a one off we seem to have a magnetic addiction to finding the biggest centre half on the pitch and trying to win headers against him then looking bemused when the tactic doesn’t work!
As others have said we lack captains on the pitch it may be worth buying in a captain from another team especially if they are a midfielder, I’ve said before we need someone skilled in the dark arts at this level. | | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 10:46 - May 24 with 2189 views | monty_radio |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 10:47 - May 22 by IpswichKnight |
I think we can keep Woolfy, suspect most of the clubs interested will wait another season some might try it now but don't think they will offer near our valuation ( remember we have turned down bids for Dobra already which were no where near our valuation ). I can not see Downes starting next season with us.
We have some class coming through and have some proper talent out wide and in the number 10 position, what we need however is another striker as I fear we have raft of non-scoring strikers, Keane, Folami and Morris have never been prolific at ant level. If we lose Jackson we are very very short of actual goals up front....again.
Dozzell is interesting he has talent but to fit him in we need to forgo creativity at the number 10 as otherwise we become very very lightweight in midfield and were nowhere near streetwise enough at this level to carry Dobra, Lankester, El Mizouni and Dozzell, if we are going to play 4-3-3 which I think suits us best we can't play Dozzell as the central midfielder we'd be over-run, it would have to be more of a 4-2-1-3 to get the cover in midfield I'd be looking at Huws and a streetwise battler from another L1 club for our midfield for that. |
"a raft of non-scoring strikers" - like it! Then, there's the dinghy of non-deterrent defenders. | |
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| Reasons to be cheerful on 14:12 - May 24 with 2145 views | pablovian |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 09:08 - May 24 by patrickswell |
I think we’ve established over the two seasons he’s been here that Jon Nolan has no heart for the battle. He makes Stuart Slater look like Bilel Moshni. |
With all due respect, I disagree. I have observed Jon Nolan work tirelessly. As a regular starter in a middle-of-the-pack League One side, I am confident that he would be excellent. As an intermittent starter in a team that changes its personnel and tactics from game to game, not so much ... | | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 14:25 - May 24 with 2127 views | ArnieM |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 10:29 - May 22 by TheTrueBlue1878 |
Classic optimism of a fan I am afraid.
No reason to be cheerful when Woolfenden and Downes leave in the summer.
We won't sign a CB or anyone for that matter, this will leave us with: Chambers, Nsiala, Wilson - dear oh dear
I like the idea of Lankester, El Mizouni, Dobra - that is a reason to be cheerful. |
I think OP is on right lines tbh .
This Club won’t gold because of two youngsters leaving . Remember there will be something like 1,400 out of contract players to choose from . Which is why Lambert stated the balance of power has changed now . Classic supply and demand forces plus the proposed wages cap. It’s about bloody time tbh and the Championship ( and frankly the pile of shyte the Premier League is) should follow suit.
The greed in football hopefully has had its day . |  |
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| Reasons to be cheerful on 16:05 - May 24 with 2100 views | Chrisd |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 09:36 - May 24 by trueblue1970 |
Nearly all of the teams in L1 seem to have massive centre backs who dominate at the back useless with the ball but win a high percentage of anything in the air, says more about the football in this division I suppose |
Further highlights we aren’t equipped. A dominant CB in partnership with Woolfenden gives you a mix of both. One to win the high balls and the other to play out from the back if required. | |
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| Reasons to be cheerful on 16:54 - May 24 with 2088 views | hector_clifford |
I think if we can somehow keep hold of Downes, then it will be like 2 players, because I think we would then see the best of Dozzell.
I would play the 4231 with Dozzell and Downes sitting, behind a 3 of Dobra, El Mizouni, Lancaster or Edwards, plus a signing in this position.
Downes is the only one we have who can compensate, for any of the shortcomings that Andre may have, in a midfield 2.
I would then play Norwood up front on his own, with a new forward signing who enjoys playing up front on their own, to challenge him.
I would try and move on Huws, Judge, Bishop, Nolan and Nsiala.
I would let Garbutts and Norris' loan expire as well..
I would sign, a left back, a left footed centre back, a central midfielder, an attacking midfielder, and a striker. | |
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| Reasons to be cheerful on 16:39 - May 25 with 2041 views | rgp1 |
Assuming we are in league 1 next season and lucky enough to be financed by the owner, then it's worth remembering that probably at least half the clubs in this league will have much much weaker squads than us due to finances. | | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 18:34 - May 25 with 2010 views | pablovian |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 16:39 - May 25 by rgp1 |
Assuming we are in league 1 next season and lucky enough to be financed by the owner, then it's worth remembering that probably at least half the clubs in this league will have much much weaker squads than us due to finances. |
Similar arguments were made at the beginning of the season.
It therefore seems puzzling that ITFC managed to finish the season below ten other clubs that included Wycombe, Fleetwood, Doncaster and Gillingham ... | | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 18:40 - May 25 with 2003 views | rgp1 |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 18:34 - May 25 by pablovian |
Similar arguments were made at the beginning of the season.
It therefore seems puzzling that ITFC managed to finish the season below ten other clubs that included Wycombe, Fleetwood, Doncaster and Gillingham ... |
Is the season finished yet? | | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 19:16 - May 25 with 1987 views | pablovian |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 18:40 - May 25 by rgp1 |
Is the season finished yet? |
Based on my interpretation of the most recent EFL statements, yes.
We can fantasize that the season will end with Town having a magnificent run and achieving promotion via the playoffs. Realistically, with a continuation of their second half form, they could easily finish fourteenth, below Burton, Blackpool and Bristol Rovers. | | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 23:46 - May 25 with 1946 views | rgp1 |
| Reasons to be cheerful on 19:16 - May 25 by pablovian |
Based on my interpretation of the most recent EFL statements, yes.
We can fantasize that the season will end with Town having a magnificent run and achieving promotion via the playoffs. Realistically, with a continuation of their second half form, they could easily finish fourteenth, below Burton, Blackpool and Bristol Rovers. |
I think you may be right. However I would like thousands of others like to have the chance to find out and restart the season when ready although I do accept its unlikely. | | | |
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