| 3 weeks to the season opener 05:46 - Jul 18 with 2700 views | LegendofthePhoenix |
And our squad definitely has a few gaps.
Midfield we have lost Cajuste, Phillips, Luongo and probably Morsy. Added Matusiwa and Cam Humphreys. There have to be 2 more incomings. Surely we must land one at least of Hackney or Ruiz, and it's gotta be soon to get the new players integrated and knowing how to play. Opening the season with potentially one of the toughest matches, we can't go into it with a thin midfield.
We also need to have a striker before 8th Aug - we can't expect Hirst to play 100 minutes. And most of us would agree that AAH isn't up to the required standard for a top 2 push.
The additions of Kipre and Matisuwa are excellent, but with the outgoings are insufficient.
We've been pretty patient up to now, but we need these 3 in pronto now.
[Post edited 18 Jul 6:15]
|  |
| |  |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 07:55 - Jul 18 with 1973 views | ringwoodblue |
It’s certainly not been a good summer transfer window so far.
I expect to lose Hutch and Morsy on top of the players who have already gone and so the strength and depth of our squad has reduced a lot since last season
Incomings are slow to join and I fear we are starting a new season with some weak areas especially in midfield and upfront but we’ll see what the next three weeks holds to hopefully address those concerns. |  |
| |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:05 - Jul 18 with 1933 views | Axeldalai_lama |
It's plain for everyone to see that we need a couple in the middle and a striker.
That's the bottom line, and has been all summer. Yes it's frustrating that it's not all done and dusted, but that's the nature of the modern game. We just need to let the club get on with it.
It's not as if McKenna and Ashton have their feet up on holiday thinking we're all done and dusted. A five year old has known what positions are needed, they're working on it. They're going for quality, we could have signed any old mug weeks ago, but they're not doing it to shut moany fans up they're doing it to build a better team. |  | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:09 - Jul 18 with 1860 views | hunty21 |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:05 - Jul 18 by Axeldalai_lama |
It's plain for everyone to see that we need a couple in the middle and a striker.
That's the bottom line, and has been all summer. Yes it's frustrating that it's not all done and dusted, but that's the nature of the modern game. We just need to let the club get on with it.
It's not as if McKenna and Ashton have their feet up on holiday thinking we're all done and dusted. A five year old has known what positions are needed, they're working on it. They're going for quality, we could have signed any old mug weeks ago, but they're not doing it to shut moany fans up they're doing it to build a better team. |
And that's the bottom line .... |  | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:14 - Jul 18 with 1824 views | mattyboar |
I feel this thread has been rehashed every which way the last couple of weeks, and we’ll probably see a couple more by the end of the day (just an observation, not looking to dig).
It's clear we have gaps in mid and fwd, and it seems clear from the leaks that the club are actively working on things. They’re aiming higher than just “bodies through the door”, potentially looking to better last seasons (or certainly 23/24) partnerships if they can.
I don’t think the squad at Brum will be the same as that after 1st Sept. | | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:22 - Jul 18 with 1772 views | ghostofescobar |
Transfer window doesn't shut until 01/09. Obviously would be preferable to get everyone we need in early, but these things depend on multiple moving parts relating to other transfers, which will hot up through August. Plenty of time yet and most other teams will be in the same position. |  |
| |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:23 - Jul 18 with 1759 views | Axeldalai_lama |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:14 - Jul 18 by mattyboar |
I feel this thread has been rehashed every which way the last couple of weeks, and we’ll probably see a couple more by the end of the day (just an observation, not looking to dig).
It's clear we have gaps in mid and fwd, and it seems clear from the leaks that the club are actively working on things. They’re aiming higher than just “bodies through the door”, potentially looking to better last seasons (or certainly 23/24) partnerships if they can.
I don’t think the squad at Brum will be the same as that after 1st Sept. |
That last paragraph is key. I think you're right. It might take a bit longer, we more than likely won't have an entire squad ready for the first day of the season. But people conflate the two things. Yes we need a squad for the entire season and back up and experience and cover, but it's not necessary to rush that and get it all done for that first game, given the nature of the transfer windows in the modern game.
We could easily get someone in next week and another the week after. That wouldn't fill out the squad entirely but it would make a match day squad for the first couple of games beyond good enough. Even with none in for the first couple of games our match day squad is decent enough. If we've no one in by the end of the window I'll be fully on board with massive moaning and panicking, until then, we're good. | | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:24 - Jul 18 with 1746 views | Herbivore |
We can field a very good side for the opening game with the squad that we have now so I'm not sure there's any need to panic. Getting the right players is more important than just getting bodies through the door. |  |
| |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:24 - Jul 18 with 1732 views | bobbyramsey |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:05 - Jul 18 by Axeldalai_lama |
It's plain for everyone to see that we need a couple in the middle and a striker.
That's the bottom line, and has been all summer. Yes it's frustrating that it's not all done and dusted, but that's the nature of the modern game. We just need to let the club get on with it.
It's not as if McKenna and Ashton have their feet up on holiday thinking we're all done and dusted. A five year old has known what positions are needed, they're working on it. They're going for quality, we could have signed any old mug weeks ago, but they're not doing it to shut moany fans up they're doing it to build a better team. |
But we've been short in the striking department for a couple of years. Hirst, AAH plus Moore and Scarlett on loan don't really "cut the mustard." Pretty pathetic tbh.... [Post edited 18 Jul 8:30]
|  | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:36 - Jul 18 with 1623 views | Axeldalai_lama |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:24 - Jul 18 by bobbyramsey |
But we've been short in the striking department for a couple of years. Hirst, AAH plus Moore and Scarlett on loan don't really "cut the mustard." Pretty pathetic tbh.... [Post edited 18 Jul 8:30]
|
And yet that 'pathetic' front line got us promoted last time. And we appear to have learnt from that by not just getting in a quick early loanee, and are clearly open to offers for AAH.
It's not football manager, playing one up front with Hirst already here, takes a very specific player and at the right stage of career. And a third striker will be harder still in many ways.
What should they be doing? You don't want them buying 'pathetic' players, but you want people in the building now as we're short. So they need to get really good players in really quickly. Yeah? I bet they hadn't thought of that. | | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:37 - Jul 18 with 1602 views | Herbivore |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:36 - Jul 18 by Axeldalai_lama |
And yet that 'pathetic' front line got us promoted last time. And we appear to have learnt from that by not just getting in a quick early loanee, and are clearly open to offers for AAH.
It's not football manager, playing one up front with Hirst already here, takes a very specific player and at the right stage of career. And a third striker will be harder still in many ways.
What should they be doing? You don't want them buying 'pathetic' players, but you want people in the building now as we're short. So they need to get really good players in really quickly. Yeah? I bet they hadn't thought of that. |
If only some of the geniuses on here were working on transfers for us, eh? "Lads, have you tried buying really good players really quickly?". Top advice. | |
| |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:50 - Jul 18 with 1478 views | bobbyramsey |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:37 - Jul 18 by Herbivore |
If only some of the geniuses on here were working on transfers for us, eh? "Lads, have you tried buying really good players really quickly?". Top advice. |
You're correct, I get that it's not easy to sign the right players but we've been short up front for a couple of years. That's not "really quickly, that's very slow.... | | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:51 - Jul 18 with 1460 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
I think its funny, that last time we were In the Championship, everyone thought AAH was a great impact sub who made the difference against tiring defenders, everyone saw him as a project, and when we got promoted everyone assumed he would go on loan to a Championship club so that he could further develop whilst we were in the Prem.
Now, on the basis of 112 generally poor minutes in the Premier League, against immeasurably better players than we've he had ever played against before, we've decided that now he's not even good enough for the Championship, even though Championship clubs clearly rate him.
We do love a scapegoat don't we? |  |
| |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:53 - Jul 18 with 1439 views | Wright1 |
This is all fine and well but what if the options are sign someone of the ilk of Hackney but it takes another couple of weeks... or sign a lesser player right now?
It's not as simple as just get our top target through the door exactly when we want them is it? The club may save a chunk of FFP money but negotiating for longer. The player may be waiting for a PL offer before accepting they are going to play Championship football for another year. There a people involved and moving parts. | | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:54 - Jul 18 with 1413 views | pointofblue |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:51 - Jul 18 by Cheltenham_Blue |
I think its funny, that last time we were In the Championship, everyone thought AAH was a great impact sub who made the difference against tiring defenders, everyone saw him as a project, and when we got promoted everyone assumed he would go on loan to a Championship club so that he could further develop whilst we were in the Prem.
Now, on the basis of 112 generally poor minutes in the Premier League, against immeasurably better players than we've he had ever played against before, we've decided that now he's not even good enough for the Championship, even though Championship clubs clearly rate him.
We do love a scapegoat don't we? |
I think Al Hamidi is the same as Taylor. Adequate for a mid table Championship team but, if we're looking to build m, we require better.
Also, the only way Al Hamidi is going to improve is by getting time. We're still at the point where something has gone wrong if he's starting regularly here. | |
| |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:56 - Jul 18 with 1396 views | BlueandTruesince82 |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:51 - Jul 18 by Cheltenham_Blue |
I think its funny, that last time we were In the Championship, everyone thought AAH was a great impact sub who made the difference against tiring defenders, everyone saw him as a project, and when we got promoted everyone assumed he would go on loan to a Championship club so that he could further develop whilst we were in the Prem.
Now, on the basis of 112 generally poor minutes in the Premier League, against immeasurably better players than we've he had ever played against before, we've decided that now he's not even good enough for the Championship, even though Championship clubs clearly rate him.
We do love a scapegoat don't we? |
I would absolutely keep AAH, hes young and works really hard, think as a 3rd striker he is good option, quick, perfect to bering on with 15/20 mins to go.
We need another to compete with GH for a starting spot yes. But I'm not ready to bin off AAH yet. |  |
| |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 09:00 - Jul 18 with 1341 views | waveneyblue |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:05 - Jul 18 by Axeldalai_lama |
It's plain for everyone to see that we need a couple in the middle and a striker.
That's the bottom line, and has been all summer. Yes it's frustrating that it's not all done and dusted, but that's the nature of the modern game. We just need to let the club get on with it.
It's not as if McKenna and Ashton have their feet up on holiday thinking we're all done and dusted. A five year old has known what positions are needed, they're working on it. They're going for quality, we could have signed any old mug weeks ago, but they're not doing it to shut moany fans up they're doing it to build a better team. |
Absolutely this....
But they want signings and flashy social media content and will stomp their feet and cry till they get them. |  | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 09:00 - Jul 18 with 1340 views | _clive_baker_ |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:36 - Jul 18 by Axeldalai_lama |
And yet that 'pathetic' front line got us promoted last time. And we appear to have learnt from that by not just getting in a quick early loanee, and are clearly open to offers for AAH.
It's not football manager, playing one up front with Hirst already here, takes a very specific player and at the right stage of career. And a third striker will be harder still in many ways.
What should they be doing? You don't want them buying 'pathetic' players, but you want people in the building now as we're short. So they need to get really good players in really quickly. Yeah? I bet they hadn't thought of that. |
You're right. We got promoted with players like Ball, Harness, Jackson, Al-Hamadi all playing their parts. 1 is in L2, 1 in L1, 1 a probable bench warmer for Derby and AAH certainly wont be going up the food chain. Players like Woolfenden, Chaplin, Burns etc have gone from key starters to likely supporting roles as the squad has evolved.
As it stands now we're way ahead of where we were last time we were at this level. As others have said we've got a potential line up for Birmingham of Palmer, Davis, Greaves, O'Shea, Johnson, Matusiwa, Taylor, Philogene, Szmodics, Clarke, Hirst. And that's assuming Omari goes, and before any of the likely few 8 figure additions yet to join.
However you cut it we're in a very good place to challenge this season. A couple of big ticket departures are inevitable for any relegated side, thereafter it was always a case of 'fewer and better' this summer and upgrading in certain areas. There's no doubt we're short in the middle and short of help for Hirst, but we'll get them. Its quality over quantity. [Post edited 18 Jul 9:04]
|  | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 09:05 - Jul 18 with 1287 views | Herbivore |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:50 - Jul 18 by bobbyramsey |
You're correct, I get that it's not easy to sign the right players but we've been short up front for a couple of years. That's not "really quickly, that's very slow.... |
Number 9s who are good enough to contribute for us are not easy to come by. Currently I suspect we're looking for someone to compete with rather than replace Hirst, which makes it an even tougher sell. Finding someone who can improve the squad but who is happy to not be first choice in an area of the pitch that is already very hard to recruit to is incredibly difficult. When you're scoffing at someone like Moore and calling him "pathetic" it shows how detached your expectations are from reality. | |
| |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 09:08 - Jul 18 with 1244 views | Herbivore |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:54 - Jul 18 by pointofblue |
I think Al Hamidi is the same as Taylor. Adequate for a mid table Championship team but, if we're looking to build m, we require better.
Also, the only way Al Hamidi is going to improve is by getting time. We're still at the point where something has gone wrong if he's starting regularly here. |
I mean, they were both handy squad options for a side that finished second in the Championship in 2023/24 and I doubt they've got worse since then. | |
| |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 09:23 - Jul 18 with 1114 views | Wright1 |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 09:08 - Jul 18 by Herbivore |
I mean, they were both handy squad options for a side that finished second in the Championship in 2023/24 and I doubt they've got worse since then. |
Very much this - if as has been stated, they are good enough for mid table Championship teams, then they are very much good enough to be a last resort here. I can't imagine many teams in the division will have a better 3rd striker or 4/5th midfielder if i'm honest. | | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 09:48 - Jul 18 with 984 views | norfsufblue |
And still no tickets for sale ...... The Blue Army lineup still to be confirmed! |  | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 09:51 - Jul 18 with 947 views | tonybied |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 08:50 - Jul 18 by bobbyramsey |
You're correct, I get that it's not easy to sign the right players but we've been short up front for a couple of years. That's not "really quickly, that's very slow.... |
Perhaps, you or someone else can correct me, but I'm sure we had another forward at the club, that we'd signed last year? I'm almost certain that he was one of the standout/breakthrough, very highly rated, called up to train with the England squad players that we owned.
I may be wrong, feel free to correct me. Or if not, perhaps, just have some patience, and believe that the management team are working their asses off to try and sign the correct players for our team, and that takes time. |  | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 09:54 - Jul 18 with 913 views | FrimleyBlue |
I think it depends on how KM rates the likes of Taylor, Humphreys TBH
We purchased Taylor with a view of being a championship player, and Humphreys has now had his season loan at league 1 which you'd say is standard for his age to now be involved at this level.
I think it's difficult coming down from the prem to remember how big that gap actually was and whilst Taylor for example may have looked out of place in the prem, Perhaps he's at that level KM feels can do a job on a rotation basis with ease in the championship, same with Humphreys
Striker wise is key, but let's not forget Sammy S is available and this league for Sammy is massively different than trying to play a strikers role against Newcastle utd
So yes there are gaps, but I don't think they are as big as some feel they are. |  |
| |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 10:01 - Jul 18 with 844 views | cressi |
After Hirst I would play Szmodics up front we aren't playing Liverpool or Man City oh Szmodics scored at City. | | | |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 10:17 - Jul 18 with 737 views | Herbivore |
| 3 weeks to the season opener on 10:01 - Jul 18 by cressi |
After Hirst I would play Szmodics up front we aren't playing Liverpool or Man City oh Szmodics scored at City. |
Szmodics is not remotely suited to playing up front in our system. | |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
