| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated 07:26 - Aug 7 with 4059 views | textbackup |
To when we kick off vs Birmingham
189 days separates when I personally felt our fate was decided (loss at home to Southampton) and when we face Birmingham.
The entire footballing universe knew Delap would be sold, in fact sold so well he was talking to clubs while the season was in play, and went in the first transfer window.
I made a comment at the end of last season that I had this horrible feeling we’d start the season with a strike force of Hirst and AAH (was shot down for being negative, down voted, told that wouldn’t happen) yet here we are.
I’m Sure it’s been said many times on here (whilst I was in TWTD prison) but that situation is far from ideal and one that is really rather poor in terms of planning and recruitment, isn’t it?
I’m sure I’ll be told there are 3/4 weeks left of the window, that I’m moaning for the sake of moaning. But honestly, you need to question anyone that’s happy with the situation. We kick off the season tomorrow, not in 3/4 weeks… there are points at stake, and we aren’t giving our manager the tools he requires to have the best chance to get those, we’ve left it to chance.
There’s nothing we as fans can do but trust what the management team are doing, but in this particular situation I can’t help but feel really frustration that we are again looking at a squad lacking a striking option that we clearly need.
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:32 - Aug 7 with 2315 views | PioneerBlue |
At least you only had 189 days of impending doom, Everton home was a realisation of the task for me but suppose there was still hope at or around the Chelsea / Soton games. |  |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:32 - Aug 7 with 2317 views | Kieran_Knows |
100% agree with the ‘season starts tomorrow, not 3-4 weeks times’ comment. Always irk me when people use deadline day as the barometer for our business. As you say, points at stake and 3-4 weeks time we could already be playing catch up, and even possibly losing out on targets because of it.
Of course, as McKenna has alluded to many times, we’d want the bulk of the squad in before the first game, but as you say, we’ve had so much time to rectify this. It also brings the old age question ‘should the window shut before the first game’, and I do think there is a lot of relevance to that. |  |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:34 - Aug 7 with 2286 views | Kieran_Knows |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:32 - Aug 7 by PioneerBlue |
At least you only had 189 days of impending doom, Everton home was a realisation of the task for me but suppose there was still hope at or around the Chelsea / Soton games. |
Totally agree with you on the Everton game. Just completely shut down anything we done that day, and played as if they was in first gear.
I do always think, if only Jack Clarke had tucked that chance away… | |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:37 - Aug 7 with 2226 views | textbackup |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:32 - Aug 7 by Kieran_Knows |
100% agree with the ‘season starts tomorrow, not 3-4 weeks times’ comment. Always irk me when people use deadline day as the barometer for our business. As you say, points at stake and 3-4 weeks time we could already be playing catch up, and even possibly losing out on targets because of it.
Of course, as McKenna has alluded to many times, we’d want the bulk of the squad in before the first game, but as you say, we’ve had so much time to rectify this. It also brings the old age question ‘should the window shut before the first game’, and I do think there is a lot of relevance to that. |
I know it’s a different kettle of fish, but I saw a piece on Liverpool the other day, Slot saying how important it was he had his squad in place ready to work them in pre season. To me that’s the most obvious way to plan and be ready.
I won’t for a moment pretend to know how hard deals are to finalise etc, but Dutch matey seemed to sail through, surely it can’t just be strikers that we want that seem near on impossible to get done?! | |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:43 - Aug 7 with 2161 views | Steve_M |
Yes, this Summer hasn't been ideal for us. Although if Cajuste and Akpom do join this week we'll not be quite so far off as we are at the moment.
I do think that the squad as a whole is in a fairly good place, but the two positions we most needed to fill are central midfield and forward. With Morsy leaving we're back where we were at the end of the season despite a promising signing (Mass was always likely to go).
I also think we were always going to be finishing our business later in the window as the players we want will either have been waiting for PL clubs or be those they are prepared to let go on loan - but we surely wanted a few more players in by now.
I'll take a point tomorrow now quite happily. |  |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:45 - Aug 7 with 2132 views | Benters |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:37 - Aug 7 by textbackup |
I know it’s a different kettle of fish, but I saw a piece on Liverpool the other day, Slot saying how important it was he had his squad in place ready to work them in pre season. To me that’s the most obvious way to plan and be ready.
I won’t for a moment pretend to know how hard deals are to finalise etc, but Dutch matey seemed to sail through, surely it can’t just be strikers that we want that seem near on impossible to get done?! |
You have to come out the traps quickly in this game mate. |  |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:46 - Aug 7 with 2125 views | tonybied |
It has been questioned whilst you were in prison by numerous people. It's also been pointed out numerous times that it's not for lack of trying from the club. You can raise the point that perhaps we have ideas above our station but that really is the level of player we need to be aiming for.
I'm sure the club could've signed a few more players closer to the beginning of the window, but would they have been any better than what we have in the building already? Surely, it's better to wait for the right player than sign the wrong players in good time? You spent most of the last 12 months berating the quality of AAH, how would you feel if we added with more players of a similar quality? Who has been signed by our rivals that you think we should've gone all out to poach?
There are too many variables in player transfers, making it difficult to judge a club accurately before the end of the window. If we are still in the same position when the window closes, then I'm sure, most will be in agreement with you and share your disappointment. The type of player we're aiming for is one that really should be in the thoughts of the top leagues around the world, this is always going to mean they will bide their time and wait to see an offer comes in from one of those leagues before they commit to a championship team, regardless of whether that team is on of the favourites of automatic promotion.
"All good things come to those who wait" |  | | |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:48 - Aug 7 with 2111 views | PioneerBlue |
I’m full behind all business done by Aug 01 but there is a probably which KMck alluded to ytd. You have to get alignment across Europe and other leagues such as Saudi, potentially US. The slight side point is the Townsend example, his injury means we now have a chance to cover that. | |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:48 - Aug 7 with 2101 views | textbackup |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:43 - Aug 7 by Steve_M |
Yes, this Summer hasn't been ideal for us. Although if Cajuste and Akpom do join this week we'll not be quite so far off as we are at the moment.
I do think that the squad as a whole is in a fairly good place, but the two positions we most needed to fill are central midfield and forward. With Morsy leaving we're back where we were at the end of the season despite a promising signing (Mass was always likely to go).
I also think we were always going to be finishing our business later in the window as the players we want will either have been waiting for PL clubs or be those they are prepared to let go on loan - but we surely wanted a few more players in by now.
I'll take a point tomorrow now quite happily. |
Yeah I should have added that I’m 90% happy with the squad we have, likely to lose OH of course.
We are in a good place, the defence looks strong, experienced. And our numbers 10’s or whatever they are called these days have some really attacking threat.
It’s just that drop off when Hirst goes off, or doesn’t start. That really irks me that for 1/2/3/4/5 games we could be in that position. | |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:50 - Aug 7 with 2095 views | bsw72 |
It’s true that the season starts tomorrow, but it ends on May 2nd and has never been decided in August.
We got promoted 2 years ago with only Hirst as the option, and that was without the depth in attacking options we go into this season with.
Szmodics, Clarke, Ogbene, Chaplin, Philogene, AAH (he’s never been 100% fit for us at this level) and Akpom to come in.
We have Burns to come back.
Can’t do anything about Hutchinson and Broadhead transfers but will add to the kitty for reinforcements either late August or more likely January.
Still have the loan market to dip into as well.
As I have said, the pool of players we are after is much smaller and there is much more competition for these names, we don’t have the pulling power of the Premier League sides so things will take more time. |  | | |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:51 - Aug 7 with 2056 views | Pinewoodblue |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:37 - Aug 7 by textbackup |
I know it’s a different kettle of fish, but I saw a piece on Liverpool the other day, Slot saying how important it was he had his squad in place ready to work them in pre season. To me that’s the most obvious way to plan and be ready.
I won’t for a moment pretend to know how hard deals are to finalise etc, but Dutch matey seemed to sail through, surely it can’t just be strikers that we want that seem near on impossible to get done?! |
We have to work within the framework that exists. Transfer window remaining open for weeks after the season starts is far from ideal but it is what it is.
It isn’t just the lack of a striker, McKenna heads for the Midlands this afternoon with other positions unfilled but who knows in the next few hours we may have two new signings.
Keep the faith, and don’t let frustration get the better of you, be thankful you have been let back into the fold. |  |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:52 - Aug 7 with 2042 views | NthQldITFC |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:32 - Aug 7 by Kieran_Knows |
100% agree with the ‘season starts tomorrow, not 3-4 weeks times’ comment. Always irk me when people use deadline day as the barometer for our business. As you say, points at stake and 3-4 weeks time we could already be playing catch up, and even possibly losing out on targets because of it.
Of course, as McKenna has alluded to many times, we’d want the bulk of the squad in before the first game, but as you say, we’ve had so much time to rectify this. It also brings the old age question ‘should the window shut before the first game’, and I do think there is a lot of relevance to that. |
I agree that the transfer window should align (or at least be much closer to the start of the season) but given that it doesn't and given that we will have almost certainly the most power to mop up once the PL wannabes have taken their pick, I think it's better that we don't commit ourselves too early.
Given that we all pretty much agree that we have a very strong side in most positions, we can cope with the first month or so assuming we don't get a horrendous injury run, and we don't want to be saddled with an expensive non-optimal player if we could have picked up our A or B targets in the coming weeks. |  |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:54 - Aug 7 with 2020 views | textbackup |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:46 - Aug 7 by tonybied |
It has been questioned whilst you were in prison by numerous people. It's also been pointed out numerous times that it's not for lack of trying from the club. You can raise the point that perhaps we have ideas above our station but that really is the level of player we need to be aiming for.
I'm sure the club could've signed a few more players closer to the beginning of the window, but would they have been any better than what we have in the building already? Surely, it's better to wait for the right player than sign the wrong players in good time? You spent most of the last 12 months berating the quality of AAH, how would you feel if we added with more players of a similar quality? Who has been signed by our rivals that you think we should've gone all out to poach?
There are too many variables in player transfers, making it difficult to judge a club accurately before the end of the window. If we are still in the same position when the window closes, then I'm sure, most will be in agreement with you and share your disappointment. The type of player we're aiming for is one that really should be in the thoughts of the top leagues around the world, this is always going to mean they will bide their time and wait to see an offer comes in from one of those leagues before they commit to a championship team, regardless of whether that team is on of the favourites of automatic promotion.
"All good things come to those who wait" |
I’d like to think we’d be aiming higher than another AAH? Wouldn’t you.
And FWIW, goal returns, he’s had a good pre season. And his effort could never be questioned. I think my frustrations look to be with him personally, they really aren’t tho, it’s with those that haven’t acted on that situation and improved on AAH. He should have been on loan with a chance to improve IMO. | |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:55 - Aug 7 with 2017 views | TheMover |
Yes, the season kicks off tomorrow. No we have not brought in a replacement for Delap yet and we are likely to start with Hirst and AAH.
But, it always amazes me when fans know better than their clubs management. If you want to buy something you simply go out and buy it. A car, for example. You go online, find the car you want and pay for it, possibly in installments. Simple, why don't we do the same with players? Just find one we want and just go and buy him?
Firstly, the club has to be willing to sell the target player, then the player has to be willing, with his family to up roots and move home and will obviously want more money as an incentive to do so.
If the car you wanted to buy wasn't exactly the right spec for you, what would you do? Wait until a better one was advertised or stand in Tesco car park and wait for one to drive in and make the owner an offer?
I equate buying a player to the Tesco scenario. The car or player in our case comes in and you think, that is just what I/we want/need. You approach the driver and he doesn't want to sell it, what do you do now? Wait, or offer more money?
Lets assume he accepts your kind offer of more money, is he going to let you have the car now and leave himself stranded in the car park, or insist on keeping it until he has a replacement?
I think you get the idea.
Personally, I think the transfer window should close begore the season starts so that every team is able to complete their business in time.
Prher supermarkets are available. | | | |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:57 - Aug 7 with 1985 views | textbackup |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:51 - Aug 7 by Pinewoodblue |
We have to work within the framework that exists. Transfer window remaining open for weeks after the season starts is far from ideal but it is what it is.
It isn’t just the lack of a striker, McKenna heads for the Midlands this afternoon with other positions unfilled but who knows in the next few hours we may have two new signings.
Keep the faith, and don’t let frustration get the better of you, be thankful you have been let back into the fold. |
Oh I’m thanking my lucky stars every day that I’m here.
Hence why (I think) I worded the OP in a rather diplomatic manner | |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:00 - Aug 7 with 1962 views | textbackup |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:55 - Aug 7 by TheMover |
Yes, the season kicks off tomorrow. No we have not brought in a replacement for Delap yet and we are likely to start with Hirst and AAH.
But, it always amazes me when fans know better than their clubs management. If you want to buy something you simply go out and buy it. A car, for example. You go online, find the car you want and pay for it, possibly in installments. Simple, why don't we do the same with players? Just find one we want and just go and buy him?
Firstly, the club has to be willing to sell the target player, then the player has to be willing, with his family to up roots and move home and will obviously want more money as an incentive to do so.
If the car you wanted to buy wasn't exactly the right spec for you, what would you do? Wait until a better one was advertised or stand in Tesco car park and wait for one to drive in and make the owner an offer?
I equate buying a player to the Tesco scenario. The car or player in our case comes in and you think, that is just what I/we want/need. You approach the driver and he doesn't want to sell it, what do you do now? Wait, or offer more money?
Lets assume he accepts your kind offer of more money, is he going to let you have the car now and leave himself stranded in the car park, or insist on keeping it until he has a replacement?
I think you get the idea.
Personally, I think the transfer window should close begore the season starts so that every team is able to complete their business in time.
Prher supermarkets are available. |
I’m not sure I’ve said I know better, because I don’t. believe my words were along the lines of frustrations etc. | |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:00 - Aug 7 with 1941 views | blueislander |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:37 - Aug 7 by textbackup |
I know it’s a different kettle of fish, but I saw a piece on Liverpool the other day, Slot saying how important it was he had his squad in place ready to work them in pre season. To me that’s the most obvious way to plan and be ready.
I won’t for a moment pretend to know how hard deals are to finalise etc, but Dutch matey seemed to sail through, surely it can’t just be strikers that we want that seem near on impossible to get done?! |
To compare us to Liverpool in respect of recruitment is ludicrous. They have virtually unlimited fund, and as champions it is highly unlikely that a player would turn down the chance of playing for them. | | | |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:00 - Aug 7 with 1945 views | nrb1985 |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:32 - Aug 7 by Kieran_Knows |
100% agree with the ‘season starts tomorrow, not 3-4 weeks times’ comment. Always irk me when people use deadline day as the barometer for our business. As you say, points at stake and 3-4 weeks time we could already be playing catch up, and even possibly losing out on targets because of it.
Of course, as McKenna has alluded to many times, we’d want the bulk of the squad in before the first game, but as you say, we’ve had so much time to rectify this. It also brings the old age question ‘should the window shut before the first game’, and I do think there is a lot of relevance to that. |
Careful mate.
I was told in no uncertain terms by Herbivore and some twonk called waveneyblue that games in August don't matter...so that's fine.
And to add, we apparently have no idea if Birmingham or Southampton will be big games for us this season...
All fine there then. | | | |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:02 - Aug 7 with 1893 views | textbackup |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:00 - Aug 7 by blueislander |
To compare us to Liverpool in respect of recruitment is ludicrous. They have virtually unlimited fund, and as champions it is highly unlikely that a player would turn down the chance of playing for them. |
‘I know it’s a different kettle of fish’
You have seemingly missed my very opening line in that post, incredibly.
My point was more around being prepared early. | |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:05 - Aug 7 with 1849 views | textbackup |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:00 - Aug 7 by nrb1985 |
Careful mate.
I was told in no uncertain terms by Herbivore and some twonk called waveneyblue that games in August don't matter...so that's fine.
And to add, we apparently have no idea if Birmingham or Southampton will be big games for us this season...
All fine there then. |
Every single one of the 46 games are big (if we are serious about going up)
Just as every single game we went into last season was must win.
Brushing certain games aside in a professional sport, to me, makes absolutely no sense. | |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:08 - Aug 7 with 1816 views | bsw72 |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:54 - Aug 7 by textbackup |
I’d like to think we’d be aiming higher than another AAH? Wouldn’t you.
And FWIW, goal returns, he’s had a good pre season. And his effort could never be questioned. I think my frustrations look to be with him personally, they really aren’t tho, it’s with those that haven’t acted on that situation and improved on AAH. He should have been on loan with a chance to improve IMO. |
He went on loan to Stoke, he learned more but he can’t go out again until we get replacement(s) in.
I agree with you he has had a good preseason and that it is not ideal he is the backup, but rather him that no-one currently. | | | |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:09 - Aug 7 with 1797 views | nrb1985 |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:05 - Aug 7 by textbackup |
Every single one of the 46 games are big (if we are serious about going up)
Just as every single game we went into last season was must win.
Brushing certain games aside in a professional sport, to me, makes absolutely no sense. |
Yep.
Especially as Sheff Utd missed out last season with 95pts.
We've had a great pre season but lack of depth on the bench in CM and up front is a worry for those first two games. I know it's not the PL but you do feel we'll need the bench in both of those games - cant flog George for 90 mins against both.
Hopefully by the Saints game though we'll have a few additions. | | | |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:12 - Aug 7 with 1765 views | Garv |
I’m a pretty patient guy by Garv 1 Aug 16:58It feels like a common theme to me, and I don't mean that in a negative sense. It's just due to all the money sloshing around.
Clubs, relatively speaking, don't care about being short for the first few weeks of the season. They care about having the right players signed on the right contract for the right amount of money. In the short term they will make do, meaning Humphreys will probably get game time in the first few weeks, just like Luongo got game time last season.
I imagine McKenna cares, but even then he won't want players in for the sake of it. If we have to wait until September 2nd or whatever it is to get Hackney, I think they'll be okay with that. How often is a team genuinely set for the first game squad/transfer wise? We have this conversation about being ready every year.
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:12 - Aug 7 with 1759 views | textbackup |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:09 - Aug 7 by nrb1985 |
Yep.
Especially as Sheff Utd missed out last season with 95pts.
We've had a great pre season but lack of depth on the bench in CM and up front is a worry for those first two games. I know it's not the PL but you do feel we'll need the bench in both of those games - cant flog George for 90 mins against both.
Hopefully by the Saints game though we'll have a few additions. |
If Brum and Soton finish 12th and 13th, but in these two games we only take 2 points, does that mean they weren’t big games for us?!
😂 I don’t get that stance in the slightest.
But yes, I’m sure we’ll have new faces in very soon, just a real frustration that we’ve had so long and kick off tomorrow without them. | |
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| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 08:13 - Aug 7 with 1745 views | tonybied |
| 105 days separates when we were officially relegated on 07:54 - Aug 7 by textbackup |
I’d like to think we’d be aiming higher than another AAH? Wouldn’t you.
And FWIW, goal returns, he’s had a good pre season. And his effort could never be questioned. I think my frustrations look to be with him personally, they really aren’t tho, it’s with those that haven’t acted on that situation and improved on AAH. He should have been on loan with a chance to improve IMO. |
Yes, I'd like to think so too. That is my point, I'm sure we could pluck 1-2 promising youngsters from lower leagues or older journeymen at this level, almost at will, but we don't need that, we need players that are oven-ready. To move us on to the next level, these also need to have the ability to move up to the Premier League with us and compete. That means were competing for these players with teams that are already in that position, or the players believe they should be at that level, and they will be reticent to admit defeat in that mission until the end of the window. Meaning, regardless of our intentions to bring bodies in early, we don't have much choice but to wait to have a pick at the bones the Premier League teams have left.
I don't want to stir up a hornets nest here, but some of your comments last season were definitely over the mark concerning AAH, and not just about the situation. You consistently called him a carthorse, amongst other derogatory terms. I am glad you've been allowed back on here as you added much more than just the odd dodgy comment, but let's not rewrite history here, your comments at the time read as nothing other than personal against AAH. | | | |
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