All the usual comments

Nail and head

 

He didn't always have a face like a slapped arse though. I agree his demeanour was dour last season but so was the majority of the fans - we disagreed with Collins' tactics and style and perhaps so did he? He was never the most enthusiastic when interviewed - even under Duff when we had a really good season. I suspect he's just not very outgoing and confident when speaking publicly.

 

Some fans will always blame the club.

Some fans will always blame other fans.

 

Surely none of us can be sure whether positive or negative about what the season has in store. We've a new coach... Again. We've lost our top scorer, our most expensive midfielder, our captain and our regular left wing back... For nothing. We sent back our goalkeeper and second top scorer from loan spells.

I think it's highly likely that we look to offload styles and I wouldn't be surprised to see Phillips go. Surely its not healthy for any owners to be putting in millions every season to stand still. So looking at that, we could be in a worse position than last year.

But we've two experienced players coming back to us, we've not done all our business yet and there are players coming back from injury, players who were frozen out and kids who might step up and take their chance. Football is hardly ever linear, certainly not for us given the high levels of flux. Lets see what we have when the window closes and see if the new coach can get a better tune out of the players who haven't yet made the best of impacts.

 

Sounds like we played Burnley behind closed doors the other day and got battered.Scott Twine scored and hatrick.Don't know the final score though !.

 

All I can say is, roll on 20:00 9th of August.

 

We definitely need a striker no doubt about that and I'm sure we will get one in but if we start with Cosgrove and Jalo upfront then I'm OK with that as I have high expectations of both. Under Clarke I also expect to see Watters and Marsh contributing more and with Dyer he may come good early.
Clarke I think will be the difference from last year and get more out of these lads.

 

Don't you think that Kane and Cole when they knew that they were leaving January time may have had a negative impact on the squad. I do but I don't know if they did but if I'm right then losing that negativity from the squad can only have benefits and it gives a chance to others.

 

The Herbie Kane interview where he hardly answered any questions properly, he was just glad his contract was ending. Cole after his scoring spree looked as though he couldn't raise a smile.No issues with Williams and Cadden commitment but both were off there standards performance wise.

 

Hourihane, Roberts, the existing squad, plus the academy 'golden generation' fills me with huge optimism for this season and the future. And more signings will come. I like that they are being patient and not panicking. Long time to the deadline.

 

I'm cautiously optimistic. The mass exodus of players doesn't seem to have happened and we've signed a couple. The manager seems to know what he's doing and Conor Hourihane is back to help the young 'uns. Just need a 30-goal a season striker and the job's done.

 

Five out of the starting XI plus the manager have left already before we've even sold anyone yet! The fact that you don't even consider that a mass exodus just serves to illustrate the ridiculous way we have been run in recent seasons.

 

Agreed

 

We’ll walk it Champions by Easter UREDS

 

I think we are missing the point which Khaled (I think) made at the start of the window - that we would only sign players who would strengthen and improve the squad. It stands to reason that we are not just going to sign players just for the sake of it, but look to strengthen. I can believe that we were in for El Mizouni, who would definitely have been a strong signing, but he chose Oxford United for fairly obvious reasons. I can also believe that we may have been in for Promise Omochere, but the reported £500k looks more than he is currently worth. Keiller-Dunn would be a strong signing, but we will have to stump up the cash they want. I would rather have us chasing strong targets to improve the team, even if it means missing some in competition with other teams, rather than just signing players to fit a hole. We don't need many. And the old heads can nurture and develop the young ones already on our books. Longelo would be a good signing. Then just need a midfielder and striker, with the latter being the more crucial. A waiting game, but probably worth the wait. We'll see.

 

A striker worth looking at would be Will Evans from Newport County. Scored 21 last season and some of them were class goals from the highlights I saw. I don't think that Newport could resist a bid much over £400k and I would see him as a better prospect than Omochere. He is not lacking in physicality, but would need a more physical presence such as Cosgrove to play along side him and get the best out of him. My best tout now for a striker and one who would be available and at a price we should be able to afford, unless we are looking at Championship, or Premiership loanees. Get him in.

 

No mass exodus then. Phew.

 

We will go up.
Although saying that, we don't have any strikers.
Still go up though.

 

But shouldn't it always be the case for every team, at every level... To make signings that actually improve you?

Granted, there have been times we've looked like we've had more intent to fill a panini sticker album with as many players as possible, but surely trying to acquire the best players we can, to create the best balanced squad we can afford shouldn't be a radical new idea.