Let's not just write this season off... 18:37 - May 25 with 819 views | Blaggers12 | The narrative has been that a 2 division jump has been too much, that we never had a chance, and so on, but we do need a little bit of reflection on gambles that didn't pay off, and some really poor recruitment. If the top brass of the club have genuine bought players for next year's Championship then that's a different discussion, but wow. 1. The goalkeepers: Muric was never good enough, and then we find out that there are off the field issues. Palmer has done adequately, but is no better than Walton, who I think will be first choice next season. 2. Defence: I wouldn't be sorry to see O'Shea go, I think he's overrated, where as Burgess has been our most consistent defender this year. Tuanzebe needed to have been fitter for longer, Greaves made too many errors, and Davis won't be going anywhere in the summer because PL teams worked him out early and he spent most of the season being mauled on MoTD. McKenna obviously didn't fancy Woolfenden, and Godfrey was a shambles of a signing. 3. Midfield: Cajuste a real bright spark this year, would run the show in the Championship next season, but that's highly unlikely. Morsy off the pace in the latter part of the season, and Taylor never really seemed to be able to grasp his chance. Luongo ended up a bit part player, and as for Kalvin Phillips, we'd possibly have been better playing George Weah's cousin. Phillips has been such a let down, and it's hard to work out where he goes from here, unless Leeds offer him a sentimental move. 4. Attack: Delap is still raw, but probably worth £30m. I'm struggling to see who would pay similar for Hutchinson on this season's form. Not good enough to play behind the forward, so gets to play on the right, but has offered no end product for months. Ogbene and Burns have been a real miss, as has Szmodics and alternately Chaplin and Broadhead. I do wonder why Broadhead has had so few minutes this season. Jack Clarke will almost certainly bag 10+ goals next season, and a Hirst/Szmodics partnership is quite exciting at Championship level. What do you think? |  | | |  |
Let's not just write this season off... on 18:43 - May 25 with 751 views | BlueOura | Agree mostly but Palmer is better than walton in my view, I also think you are a bit harsh on Phillips. He was a little bit disappointing overall but did have some good games for us. It's also hard to imagine any one midfielder being able to come into that team and make that much of a difference. I'm not sure there is room for J clarke and Broadhead in the squad next season, both will want to be the main man in the left 10 position. |  | |  |
Let's not just write this season off... on 21:35 - May 25 with 527 views | Tractor_Boy333 | Don’t disagree with most of what you say. I do think The midfield is a real problem area. With only 2 in midfield they’re always up against it. Cajuste is not a holding midfielder. We really need a holding midfielder to help Morsy out and to help shield the defence too with the chances Cajuste won’t be with us we need 2 quality players in. Losing both Burns and Ogbenie was a real blow. Pretty much ruled out any chance of playing wing backs with 3 centre backs. I thought Phillips was going to be an important player for us. But he just couldn’t stay fit for long enough to find any sort of form. He’s had 2 poor loans at West Ham and Town. Leeds seems to be the only real option for him now unless he’s prepared to drop down a level. Delap tailed off and really wasn’t great for latter part of the season, too greedy and some of his bookings were just plain stupid. Like pushing the centre back today. He would actually be better staying with us but his heads turned. If he makes the wrong move now I fear for his future. Big challenges ahead not all bad news the strength of the squad has improved, it would be great to do the majority of our business early on to allow a good preseason. |  | |  |
Let's not just write this season off... on 22:15 - May 25 with 468 views | Nthsuffolkblue | I agree re Muric and signing a keeper like Ramsdale would have made a big difference. Would offering Hladky enough to stay worked better? We will never know for sure but he hasn't got into the Burnley team. I am disappointed McKenna hasn't shown more faith in Burgess and Woolfenden than he has (although both have played a bit). All defenders will make mistakes and defences under pressure more so than most. I think a lack of strength in midfield hurt our defence. I wouldn't write off O'Shea or Greaves. I still think there may well be interest in Davis. Plenty of clubs will play that role with better defensive cover. Cajuste disappoints me with his end product whenever I have seen him. He has a wonderful ability to turn a player and create space but rarely plays a good pass off the back of it. Is that down to a lack of good runs for him to do so? Morsy won't be able to play Premier League in 2 seasons whether he was up to it this or not. We need to replace him longer term but he would be good enough in the Championship if we needed him. Taylor suffered from us progressing more quickly than he has. Hopefully a return to the Championship allows him to grow into the role and become a regular. Luongo and Phillips won't be here next season. What will happen with Phillips who knows but his career is heading downhill fast. I agree with Delap being worth around £30M which is what we are likely to get. It would have been nice to get some sell-on/clauses as he seems to have real potential. I agree with the others too. Jack Clarke really depends on whether he can settle into a regular role in the team. Cameos off the bench haven't worked for him this season. We need at least 1 more central midfielder (or 2 if Cajuste isn't signing). Will Humphreys play there? We need 2 more strikers in the building. Will Al Hamadi be the 3rd choice one? Or is Tommy Taylor good enough to be? |  |
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Let's not just write this season off... on 23:29 - May 25 with 401 views | bournemouthblue |
Let's not just write this season off... on 22:15 - May 25 by Nthsuffolkblue | I agree re Muric and signing a keeper like Ramsdale would have made a big difference. Would offering Hladky enough to stay worked better? We will never know for sure but he hasn't got into the Burnley team. I am disappointed McKenna hasn't shown more faith in Burgess and Woolfenden than he has (although both have played a bit). All defenders will make mistakes and defences under pressure more so than most. I think a lack of strength in midfield hurt our defence. I wouldn't write off O'Shea or Greaves. I still think there may well be interest in Davis. Plenty of clubs will play that role with better defensive cover. Cajuste disappoints me with his end product whenever I have seen him. He has a wonderful ability to turn a player and create space but rarely plays a good pass off the back of it. Is that down to a lack of good runs for him to do so? Morsy won't be able to play Premier League in 2 seasons whether he was up to it this or not. We need to replace him longer term but he would be good enough in the Championship if we needed him. Taylor suffered from us progressing more quickly than he has. Hopefully a return to the Championship allows him to grow into the role and become a regular. Luongo and Phillips won't be here next season. What will happen with Phillips who knows but his career is heading downhill fast. I agree with Delap being worth around £30M which is what we are likely to get. It would have been nice to get some sell-on/clauses as he seems to have real potential. I agree with the others too. Jack Clarke really depends on whether he can settle into a regular role in the team. Cameos off the bench haven't worked for him this season. We need at least 1 more central midfielder (or 2 if Cajuste isn't signing). Will Humphreys play there? We need 2 more strikers in the building. Will Al Hamadi be the 3rd choice one? Or is Tommy Taylor good enough to be? |
Besides anything else, we are surely signing at least one decent striker, possibly two and we need variety, we could do with a striker with serious straightline speed along with a player who is a natural in and around the box, we need players who are going to be good against the low block Central midfield is the obvious area where we need to find probably two quality players, with the ability to step up to the PL, ideally they need to be technical and mobile and/or physically robust |  |
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Let's not just write this season off... on 23:45 - May 25 with 370 views | TheBoyBlue | I'm not sure we specifically set out to recruit for the Championship, I imagine we would've hoped to get more Premier League experience in, but you can't force them to come, so I think getting in young Championship talent has been sensible in the circumstances. |  |
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Let's not just write this season off... on 23:58 - May 25 with 339 views | norfsufblue | Our troubles in midfield .... no pair stayed fit enough to gel and form a proper partnership .... even when Cajuste ,Morsy and Phillips did have good games they never strung 4,5 or 6 games together and Cajuste could never complete 90 minutes. I genuinely believe the big sliding doors moment though was that Chaplin/ Phillips /Leicester game.... when you do win that game ,the gods surely are against you. |  | |  |
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