All the same moans regarding transfers us finishing mid table, same old board failings etc Does anybody have anything positive to say about upcoming season with Hourihane, Roberts, a promising young keeper, Pines back in action, plenty of young talented players all make me very excited about the new season.? I cant do with the people that moan now and then come on here later saying they are glad that they were proven wrong when nobody at this point actually knows that we will finish mid table or worse. Cosgrove Jalo Connell Phillips Earl Okeefe Russell can all be top end players for this league Potential in Benson Wolfe Lopata Degiviny Marsh Yoganathan Watters Shepherd etc We will definitely bring in more players that is without doubt and with Styles going off the wage bill and bringing in a few quid and the clear out of the miserable high earners Kane Cole and Cadden we have room in the squad and money now freed up to make some decent signings. Also in Clarke we will be a total different proposition for the better. Collins going in its self will up our performance level and make us more entertaining. i dont know if we are going to do well just as no one knows if we will be rubbish so why not just be optimistic about the upcoming campaign? Can't wait for the season to kick off. You reds.
I personally think we'll surprise a fair few and finish in the top 6 quite easily in the end. However, the lack of signings is worrying nonetheless.
I expect us to be challenging again for the top two like I did last summer. Hopefully it's a break through season for a few academy lads.
Assuming we sign this Birmingham left back mate, to make it 4 signings, how many more do you think we are desperately missing to stop worrying so much? I'd add a striker to that list but other than that is there something particularly worrisome? Hope we get the lad from Mansfield too. But I don't understand why so many fans think we are incredibly lacking in squad depth
Imo we're desperate for a good quality CM, Russell isn't that man, Yoganathan isn't there yet, Benson and Wolfe will be in plaster most of the season. Absolutely desperate for a quality striker, we must speculate to accumulate in this one position if we're going to be successful. We must have money. With the players that have left and the freeing up of wages that goes with that, and the fact we can PaY iN InStAlLmEnTs means we really should be going after someone with a proven L1 goalscoring record. Could also do with loaning out Cotter for a season, probably L2 level to get him game time and a bit of physical presence about him. I like Cotter, a lot don't, but he genuinely feels privileged to play for BFC, and I can more that tolerate his shortcomings when he feels that way, there's a player there. Other than that, I think we're OK, but I wouldn't be opposed to us adding some quality in depth, even if it means flogging some of the fringe lads. We have to start being more ruthless as a club if we're to be successful. For example, no way on God's green earth should Marsh be anywhere near the first team. He's a million miles off, and everyone knows it deep down. But we keep him because he's a local lad and loves the club etc etc, the lad couldn't even keep a spot whilst on loan at Scunny! I am pleased at the calibre we're being linked with as it goes. The lad from Mansfield looks a player, Longelo has good pedigree, Roberts and Hourihane need no selling to us fans either. All good stuff.
I'd say we are a top 8 side at present but to be a top 4 side we need 3 -4 first team ready starters left side centre mid and striker.. and like Clarke says maybe a experienced goalie in case the lad from Walsall needs bedding in.. I'm still a bit meh for the new season.. Southgates football and ours last season has hardly wet the appetite. I'm sure we've been working hard to get players in but are struggling to get our first choices because we can't get em under budget.. and will be choosing from the fat and asthmatic kids that haven't been picked yet and those with a note from their mother come the end of window... You reds..
Why are you been negative about the players that left? Lads who were near ever presents for us that helped us get in the top 6 for the past two seasons? I can’t do with the moaning & criticism about ex-players & the ex-head coach. Why not be positive instead of sticking the boot in? You see it works both ways. On the current squad. I think we’ve got huge deficiencies that we haven’t addressed from last season. We don’t have a left back / left wing back assuming Styles is leaving, we’re desperately short up front & unless I’ve missed it we’ve not signed any wingers to give us a plan B. That was the big issue at the back end of last season. Not (in my opinion) lazy criticism of the ex-players & ex-head coach. I love Marc Roberts. He was awesome first time round & he’s a top bloke but he’s injury prone, ageing & it’s the one area of the team where we’ve got a lot of depth. So no, I’m not that excited by his signing. On Hourihane, love him to bits, I was on here constantly praising him when others were telling me how bad he was in his early days but we needed pace & power in that midfield. We’re left with Connell (not sure fitness wise), Phillips, Russell & then Benson & Wolfe who you can’t trust fitness wise. If we sign another robust central midfielder & Hourihane’s role is more bit part & as a leader then that’s fine but right now if he’s the Kane replacement it’s a huge downgrade. Agree that some of the players have potential. I think Cosgrove can be excellent, Earl’s got everything to be a top league one player & Connell (subject to fitness) & Phillips are already there but I struggle to see it in Jalo. No doubting his ability but I just can’t see him been a regular at this level. From a size & fitness point of view he looks miles off it. I’ve nothing against the manager but I think the teams far weaker & the leagues far stronger than the last two seasons. That leads me to expect a mid-table finish. That’s not been negative it’s just me been realistic. Negative is people that turn up to games at the crucial point in the season chanting for the manager to be sacked at 0-0. Not people who give their honest opinions online.
Moaning about moaning ‘miserable high earners’ Don’t think Cole and Cadden were really high earners considering where they came from. Can’t wait for the season to start and I have a sneaky feeling Watters and Cosgrove are going to be a force to be reckoned with this season, just need to get off their backs if things start a little slowly that’s all. I think it will be a much tougher league this time around though.