| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? 15:44 - Jun 2 with 2538 views | hype313 |
I ask, in regards of the Fulham links to McKenna, as to where we are squad wise going into the PL.
Last time we didn't have any PL experience bar Philips and Johnson, and this time I'd argue only DOS, Jaden, Leif and Clarke are PL ready.
We needed 10-12 signings last time and it looks like another 10+ are needed this time, and whilst we had a squad able to tackle the championship, we look weak, despite investment, to hit the ground running going into this season.
Obviously the ground is far more advanced and we are where we need to be on that front, I just wonder if our recruitment needs are so vast, that McKenna might view jobs like Fulham more attractive as they only need minor surgery, where we need major surgery. |  |
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| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 00:10 - Jun 3 with 465 views | Guthrum |
We are much more solid defensively than we were going into 2024/25. It will need further strengthening, but that will give us a much better foundation than the we'll-outscore-you approach last time.
The attack is overall probably weaker, but we do have some capable players and we all know that area will need significant reinforcing.
Perceptions will also have changed for the better. Town are no longer upstarts leaping straight from League One, predicted by all to fail, but instead a team having bounced back to the Prem automatically at the first attempt, upward momentum restored. That will make a difference to how we are perceived by players and agents, approaches being more worthy of consideration. I expect more doors to be at least ajar for us this summer. |  |
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| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 07:01 - Jun 3 with 362 views | Axeldalai_lama |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 20:42 - Jun 2 by jayessess |
I'm skeptical of the received wisdom that it's better to be a yo-yo club that to get a "fresh promotion". It hasn't worked out that way historically (far more of the latter stay up than the former).
Fresh promoted teams go up with less financial ballast - they have smaller wage bills and fewer expensive transfers still being amortised. We will likely spend less in fees this Summer than Hull and Coventry.
Caveat to all that: When we came up we were in a peculiarly difficult position. We had a team built in League One, it was built as a collective and we basically had to immediately dismantle it, then replace it in one Summer with a totally inadequate recruitment structure. I assume we've got higher quality individuals and I assume our recruitment setup is more developed now. |
But we're not a standard yo-yo club as you admit. And we are clearly in a better position off the pitch in many many ways. So it's not that we're necessarily trying to do the yo-yo club thing, it was just inevitable given our rapid rise.
I'm not sure Coventry and hull will outspend us, maybe they will, but again we are in a good financial position having sold Delap Hutch Broadhead and now Muric. Every little helps, and that's a big old chunk back in the pot. But we'll see. I don't see many reasons for not spending big again. It's maybe a risk, but the whole thing is a risk, we're well backed and our finances seem to be in relatively good order. |  | | |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 08:30 - Jun 3 with 336 views | Churchman |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 20:54 - Jun 2 by Swansea_Blue |
It’s a huge gulf. Our best players this season weren’t up to it in 2015/16. So either they’ve kicked on and can step up again, or we’re going to be doing lots of shopping. O’Shea is the only one left from the last PL season who people thought was half decent. I don’t want to be negative, but that seems to be the reality.
Our game is also based on individuals winning their duals rather than well-oiled team play punching above our collective weight, so that’s another worry for me. Clarke and Philogene may be stand outs in the Championship but they’re not going to be individually doing the business in the PL. They’re very average at that level. |
Re the second paragraph, they played as a well organised team in significant periods towards the end of the season as you would normally expect as players got to know each other.
Yes, O’Shea was the only one rated from last time, but it has to be remembered we had broken up the old team and didn’t have a new one to replace it. Especially in midfield which has to be down as one of the worst in Premier League history.
That is why I think it unfair to judge JP and especially Clarke on that. The latter is a far better player now than two years ago an looks PL standard all day long to me.
The squad in player terms is a lot stronger but with obvious gaps. We need physicality and size in the centre of the pitch in front of Matusiwa.
The question I will ask again of those who think we need to replace the whole team again is McKenna’ post match interview. He said we were in a far better position than two years ago. Was he telling lies, deluded or talking nonsense for the camera because he knew he’d be off to pastures new? I cannot think of any other reason why he said it. |  | | |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 08:33 - Jun 3 with 334 views | TRUE_BLUE123 |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 08:30 - Jun 3 by Churchman |
Re the second paragraph, they played as a well organised team in significant periods towards the end of the season as you would normally expect as players got to know each other.
Yes, O’Shea was the only one rated from last time, but it has to be remembered we had broken up the old team and didn’t have a new one to replace it. Especially in midfield which has to be down as one of the worst in Premier League history.
That is why I think it unfair to judge JP and especially Clarke on that. The latter is a far better player now than two years ago an looks PL standard all day long to me.
The squad in player terms is a lot stronger but with obvious gaps. We need physicality and size in the centre of the pitch in front of Matusiwa.
The question I will ask again of those who think we need to replace the whole team again is McKenna’ post match interview. He said we were in a far better position than two years ago. Was he telling lies, deluded or talking nonsense for the camera because he knew he’d be off to pastures new? I cannot think of any other reason why he said it. |
We can be in a far better position than last time and still need significant changes to the starting team. |  |
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| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 09:01 - Jun 3 with 285 views | boysof1981 |
My worry is the current squad are absolutely miles off being good enough to survive and we probably need at least 9 first team players coming in. That means time to work the systems and gel, and we never seem to do that from the off. We’re also a club that never seems to get players in early, and with the World Cup, that will most likely delay transfers. |  | | |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 09:05 - Jun 3 with 270 views | Wright1 |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 15:51 - Jun 2 by burnbudgiesburn |
I think depth of squad we are in a much better place.
Harness, Al Hamadi, Edmundson & Luongo all played early PL games last time.
It is pretty much a given these days you can't have premier league ready squad built in the championship so there will always be large turnover of squads for newly promoted teams. |
Are we?
Up front we currently have George Hirst who was here last time and literally no one else.
In midfield, yes we now have Matusiwa but then we only have jack Taylor who was also here last time.
The left wing is obviously much stronger than when Harness was getting minutes but on the opposite side we currently have Egeli and McAteer - neither of which are at the levels Burns was 2 years ago.
The only area I really believe we are much stronger in is possibly financially. | | | |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 09:15 - Jun 3 with 254 views | Churchman |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 08:33 - Jun 3 by TRUE_BLUE123 |
We can be in a far better position than last time and still need significant changes to the starting team. |
I’ve already said the spine of the team in particular needs significantly strengthening. It’s the whole team replacement thing which we more or less did last time I don’t agree with.
I believe we will definitely seven or eight PL level players and that to me is significant changes, | | | |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 09:34 - Jun 3 with 229 views | TRUE_BLUE123 |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 09:15 - Jun 3 by Churchman |
I’ve already said the spine of the team in particular needs significantly strengthening. It’s the whole team replacement thing which we more or less did last time I don’t agree with.
I believe we will definitely seven or eight PL level players and that to me is significant changes, |
I expect us to sign anywhere between 8-12 not all of those can be starters but lots of them will. But Mckenna wasn't lying when he said we were stronger. Squad will be better, training ground will be done, less changes needed to the stadium, experience of the league for most of the squad. But I'm sure if you sat down with Mckenna without any cameras he would tell you how much work the first team needs. Hopefully he stays and can help craft it. | |
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| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 09:51 - Jun 3 with 205 views | hype313 |
| Are we in a much better position this time than last time in PL? on 09:01 - Jun 3 by boysof1981 |
My worry is the current squad are absolutely miles off being good enough to survive and we probably need at least 9 first team players coming in. That means time to work the systems and gel, and we never seem to do that from the off. We’re also a club that never seems to get players in early, and with the World Cup, that will most likely delay transfers. |
Yep, look how long it took last season to gel. | |
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