The Reds Are Going Up

Honestly I don’t get all these people saying we will finish outside the top 6

• 8 of our regular 11 from last season are still here
• That’s 8 players who took their foot of the gas and finished the season with 86 points and then missed out in the play offs by a whisker
• We’ve replaced Duff with a like for like manager, same formation, very similar tactics
• Our strikers and midfielders start this season in a way better position than we started last season, we have better players now compared to 12 months ago, players who are already well drilled in a familiar system, who know their team mates games well
• Our keeper for me will be a like for like replacement. Roberts was golden glove winner in league 2 in 21/22, if we signed the top goal scorer in L2 we’d be over the moon

We all know our back 3 is light, but I’ve every confidence we’ll correct this soon. It’ll take a week or 2 to bring in a CB, and a few more weeks to get them up to speed fitness wise and tactically, until then Williams will drop into defence and O’Keeffe, who did very well last year in a terrible FGR team, will take up a familiar RWB role.

Styles will go, so don’t go getting attached, but it’s not a worry we already have the best midfield in league one. Williams and Norwood will stay, in fact I don’t think we’ll be selling anyone else apart from Styles (and hopefully Iseka), a few fringe loans going out that’ll be it.

For me if we can avoid dropping too many points in those first 8 games (5 of which are at home) I really think we stand a good chance of being on exactly the same trajectory as last season. From then we’ll just get stronger and stronger, the more familiar the new look defence become, the more used to Collins tactics the team get, plus injured and suspended players coming back

So buckle in, stop moaning, get behind them if we struggle at first, make that home advantage count, get your scarfs ready and tell your mates to get down to Oakwell, we’re in for a treat

You reds

 

It’s criminal that we haven’t bedded a new central defender in already never mind signed him yet but agree about the rest of the squad being capable of at least a top six finish

 

It's not criminal, so let's not be a drama queen about it, but yes it's a bit unfortunate.

Top by Christmas.

 

All that and you didn't mention Luca, so there's another positive!

 

If Duff had stayed I think it would have been sorted already, Anderson had been asked to give us one more season, we all knew he was going, and Thomas could only be signed if we were promoted, so the club knew we needed to strengthen defence. Lapata arrived very early and then Duff went and all our planning, contract talks and bids went out the window with him, due to the Southampton/Swansea situation it took us 4 weeks to replace Duff and the next signings we made didn’t happen until a few weeks after that. 6 weeks of no significant transfer activity. No coincidence our transfer plans went from hot to cold as soon as Duff pulled the trigger

So we are starting the season (defensively) behind schedule, but I honestly think the rest of the squads looking way better than the 86 point squad who started last season. Just need to out score everyone for 8ish games until the defence is back in order. Honestly wouldn’t be surprised if we do just that, no clean sheets for a while but plenty of goals from us. I’m sure I read Collins had a clean sheet record in the US of 14 games in a row, we’ll go to having a solid defence once we get a quality CB in and give them time to get up to speed. Until then the boys are going to need as much help and patience as we can give them

 

Hope you’re right but we’ve had all summer to sort it out and think it could cost us points early on .

 

Agh! Best signing of the window by far, how did I forget that

 

That’s my worry, the difference between automatic and play offs could well be in those first few games while we are vulnerable at the back.

Just make sure you aim your blame at the right people, Duff f***ed us royally, deals fell through when he went and then no player would commit to us until they knew the replacement by which point others moved in on our transfer targets. Hopefully we can live and learn from that.

 

Wonder if he still lives on the second floor.

 

Like your optimism when you say we can live and learn from it but unfortunately it seems that a summer upheaval is a regular occurrence at our club which makes it hard for continuity.

 

But it's not criminal though is it?
Everybody including the club knew we would need replacements for Mads and Thomas. Getting the players capable of a seamless transition is incredibly hard given the wages we offer and the league we're in. We're looking to replace a Championship level central defender as a League One club paying League One wages. Do you honestly think you could do any better?
Disappointing that we'll have to play catch up. Yes. Criminal and negligent? Come on.

 

I've never been so undecided on how I think we are going to fair. Top, mid-table, rock bottom ........ no idea.

Though the OP makes me swerve towards the positive side. I'm just hopeful we avoid a real tooling early doors.

 

Lives upstairs from you

 

Me too. It's really hard for me to predict where we'll finish.
I still think Duff may have been a big factor in our success last season.
Guess we'll find out in the coming weeks.....

 

I think we'll be pushing for the top 6. Too little to go on, as yet. I think if we get somewhere near the £2 million offered for Styles we'll take it before the window ends & use that to reinvest, but if not he is on a long contract & needs to put himself iin the shop window. Defence is a bit of a worry & we need to hang on to Norwood. His experience is invaluable IMO.

 

Just listened to the NTT20 podcast. In their preview of league one they have us finishing 12th,due to what they perceive as negative squad changes this summer and loss of Duff.
They have Bolton and Derby in automatic spots. They normally know their stuff so hoping they've got it wrong this time.
U Reds etc

 

Don't accidentally swerve into the brown. It's a real deal breaker.

 

To be fair, they had us to finish about 10th last season as well.

 

In contrast, I'm absolutely convinced we're heading for a mid-table finish - 10th-12th. Anything above that will be a billy-bonus. The important thing is that Collins then stays with the nucleus of the side intact and we piss the league in 24/25