We do only need 2 or 3 players..

This idea that we NEED any more than that is wrong. When Burnley got promoted to the Premiership in the 2013/14 season they used 20 players. Yes, only 20. If we brought in 3 more players like LJ is targeting that would take us up to 23 players which is more than enough. I'd agree that more experience is needed but as for squad numbers we're not looking as bad as what some fans would have you believe. We've certainly got a lot more chance of going up using 20 to 25 players than the 42 that we used last season and if injuries become a problem i'm sure LJ will bring in an emergency loan.

And I know it's only pre season but if things were really that dire I highly doubt we'd have beaten Kilmarnock yesterday.

 

What we NEED

Is to stop playing centre forwards on the wing. At this level they aren't technically good enough to cover both roles.

But wtfdik

 

Re: What we NEED

I agree but from what I've heard in pre season he hasn't been doing that yet, unless I've missed something.

 

I agree things aren't that bad. We certainly have a good starting XI, but do we have 20 players?

Goalkeepers:
Davies
Dibble

Defenders:
Williams
Bree
Nyatanga
Mawson
Roberts
Smith
Cowgill

Midfielders:
Hourihane
Scowen
Pearson
Rothwell
Watkins
Abbott

Forwards:
Winall
Wilkinson

I'm not including Holgate, Bailey, Digby

So I think we need more like 5-6. But it's important to remember even though Johnson said we need 2-3 players before start of season, we can sign players until end of August so could add more then

 

Re: What we NEED

I agree with the sentiment that a squad should be much much less than the ridiculous 42+ we've had over the last few seasons.

Our current squad as it stands is 22 (23 if you add Templeton, but I think thats unfair on the lad at this stage). Holgate, Digby and Bailey are being offloaded, suggestions are Williams could be too.

That's a squad of 18.

We then have Cowgill, Dibble, Phenix, Maris and Abbott, all of which we'd probably all agree are very much players on the periphery of the squad. Some may make it, some might not.

That's 13 players remaining. 2 of which are currently injured in Hourihane and Winnall. 3 more are the loan players we've brought in.

When you break it down like that, it's a bit worrying that 2-3 seems to be the number we're aiming for.

 

17 there and I also included Templeton, Phenix and Maris seen as they've played a bit during pre season.

 

Re: What we NEED

imho Wilkinson and Ball played wide v Mansfield and it sounds like he had Phenix wide last night.

 

We've 3 loan players already, if we get injuries unless it's to loan players we'll only be able to replace two players with loans, so 3/4/5 injuries and we're bang in trouble, we need a minimum of 6 players 4 of which need to be better then what we already have .

 

Re: What we NEED

The loan players don't bother me too much as I'd say we have a realistic chance of then signing them if we were to get promoted or lose in the play offs.

I agree about Cowgill and Phenix as they haven't really featured much but I think Dibble, Maris and Abbott have a lot of potential and could get quite a few games this season.

We definitely need 2 or 3 before the start of the season and maybe 1 or 2 after that but I think there is a very good squad developing and we have to give the manager time to get it right. LJ said he'd need 3 transfer windows, my worry is the club and some of the fans won't give him that chance.

 

Re: What we NEED

Mansford said exactly same about transfer windows when Danny was brought on board. He only got one in which he was hindered with trying to get rid of the high earning players.

There's a starting 11 that might be decent. Abbotts place seems to have been taken by the loan players so much harder for him to break through now. If Davies stays fit, Dibble is unlikely to play at all.

If you add Cowgill, Abbott etc back in that i listed above, its still only 18 players. Bree has had back problems, Smith is a young lad too.

We're very very light at present and i think 6 players is what we should be looking at, especially seeing as 3-4 more are likely to be leaving.

 

You've got to hand it to Ben Mansford and Lee Johnson; they're much more influential than I've ever given them credit for. The morning after we select the manager and an academy coach on the bench for a pre-season friendly, just two weeks before the season kicks off, we get supporters arguing that the squad is OK and we barely need any players.

 

Re: What we NEED

When you look at it like that it's worrying. We need a couple of full backs, 2-3 strikers and 2-3 wingers. We might then have something resembling a squad that has competition and isn't going to rely on even more loans if our squad gets anymore injuries on top of those we have already.

 

This sites got more Bellends on it then xHamster hasn't it .

 

Oh yeah forgot about those. Still think we need more than 3 but not loads more

 

It's better than Danny's tactic of rushing together signings at the last minute just to fill the squad up and I didn't say we barely needed any players but it's better to get the right players than copy the mistake that was made last summer. 3 of our late signings last summer were Brown, Lita and Treacy who were a waste of wages. 2 or 3 will be enough to start the season but the squad will need additions for August and then January but I want LJ to be here for a long time and the best way for that to happen is to be patient and accept that the long term will be a lot better if he doesn't resort to panic buying to please fans in the short term.

 

What a load of ******, get outside and make a den with thi mates, instead of talking utter ***** on here .

 

If I was talking 'utter *****' you'd have an argument rather than a petty insult in response.

 

What a reasonable, well thought out response. Bravo.

 

Ez tha red his post ? How can tha respond in any other way ? The kids daft .

 

Agree with majority of this.

But we've been on the 'verge' of signings for a few weeks now. Either we are missing our targets or players are messing us about/we aren't offering right terms.

Need 3-4 1st team players in next week. Chance to build fitness up and settle in.

No idea why we're signing so many development players. Don't have a problem with it but not at the expense of getting 1st teamers in.

SURELY LJ and Ben are working on getting wingers/full backs in. They don't seem concerned so will stay positive for next week or so that things are happening.