I know it's early doors, but what are your current thoughts on the new signings? For me, Clement - presses a lot and is willing to run for the team, but his runs are not necessarily aimed at scoring goals. They're more to gain back possession or lay the ball off. He's not looked totally out of his depth but likewise, he's not the answer for scoring goals. Dexter - Plenty of energy and looks sharp. A more defensive option but again, not blown me away so far. Furrugia - Looks a decent signing. Is direct and likes to turn defenders back to the byline. I think he could be an asset. Lewis - Looked a little lost but has pace and energy. Will have barely trained with the team so I think he'll come good in time. Again though, doesn't give me the goalscorer we need, vibes. I think they've added depth to the squad, other than Furrugia, I wouldn't say they've improved us.
Only furrugia will be here next season anyway I think this season is done with. The bonus for next season is we will get players like Benson Humphrys Cosgrove etc off the books but I don't trust the recruitment lads to find the right players.
Agree with all that. Scattergun approach to signings, on short contracts, type of players we don't need, including one who can't speak much English.
Rodrigues - worked hard for 20 mins, put them under pressure and forced some errors from their very poor defenders. But barely got a kick and looked knackered. Happy to give him time to work up to fitness before judging. Lembikisa - thought he looked really positive in the last game, so with O'Keefe having a 'mare was keen to see him come on. Made O'Keefe look like prime Cafu when he did, so shows what I know. Farragia - really bright going forward in the first half. Like the look of him. Not sure he has much to offer defensively though. Lewis - The propaganda around his signing said he likes taking players on, but from what I saw he tried pretty hard not to have to do that. Probably not fit or ready to play, so again will judge in a few weeks. Y'know, when the season's nearly finished.
Rodrigues - bust a gut and then started blowing out of his arse. There might be something there but I'm not hopeful. Lembikisa - looks lively but rotten distribution. Doesn't seem to be an upgrade on anything we have already.. Farrugia - the best of the bunch but feels like he may fall foul of neither being attacking enough or defensive enough for any position he's played in (Clark Oduor-syndrome) Lewis - never strayed more than 6 inches from the left touchline, a strange tactic for a 'centre forward'. Didn't have time to do anything of note. Feels like a group of scattergun emergency loan signings that we would have made around 15 years ago (Rigters, Teymourian etc.) that will contribute little. We should chalk **** on the season and plan for the next - Dyer should play every game and any academy starlet should be on the bench. We've assembled an entire squad of mediocrity.
Lewis was in acres of space most of the time but no one could get the ball to him , he had a decent run at one of the defenders beating him for pace
Thought the team as a whole looked better first half than for a while. We had pace, not been able to say that for a while. The lad up top made a real nuisance of himself. As for Lewis him and the manager gave me the excuse to revisit a top song
Exactly what I expected none of them ready for first team football at this level. Clem - looks like he hasn’t played much first team football at this level Lewis - looks like he hasn’t played much first team football recently at this level Lembikosa - looks like he hasn’t played much first team football at this level Farrugia - looks like he hasn’t played much first team football at this level (BUT does seem to have the confidence to adapt given time) none of them are at all what we needed NOW
I'm not sure it the players that are at fault but the system. What chance do our strikers have of scoring from the chances we create? It's too easy for opposition teams to pack the middle if the field and block us out as we don't have any real width or the ability to stretch the game with forward passes. That's on the manager and his inability to change playing style.
Seeing as though the Colorado Rapids fans said he's a left winger it's just our recruitment team taking the piss about him being a centre forward.
One of the biggest issues is some players on long contracts. When they fail to produce you are stuck with them. The only ones given short term ones are the older end trying to fill a gap.
I do wonder what our fans are doing whilst the game was unfolding or if they are even watching. We'd tactically switched to a 343 Lewis left, DKD centre, Humphrys right. He's definitely more wing based I'm not doubting that part, but obviously he stuck "6 inches from the touchline as was purposely being played in that role.
Yes, I know he was asked to play that role. Curious for someone who many were defending as a centre forward signing, no? At no point was he asked to play as a forward despite us chasing the game.
Nobody's doubting what he is or isn't but he was asked to play left of a front 3 to try and stretch the play and give us width as we had started the game with a 3412 with the only width coming from the wingbacks.
He played like a defensive midfielder because everytime he got the ball he would run down towards the corner flag and have his angles blocked off with nowhere to go. The video that was posted on You Tube of his goals, there was one played centrally over the top that he run on to and put in. That should be the plan.
If only if it was like the season we were crying out for strikers and we brought in Istvan Ferenczi and Peter Rajczi. Their work rate and goals transformed us that season and Istvan became a legend. I was in BUdapest the other week and thought about them both while i was there.
Imho...the directive was that the requirement was for promotion. The coach was rewarded with players signed are not "oven ready" appointments to help secure that promise from the hierarchy. By close of business on transfer deadline day, what we had was a collection of players, that may be/ could be, some good....given the right coaching and fitness levels. Unfortunately its very difficult to tell how they did as they have all been chucked in at the same time and we are expecting more. Very difficult to judge...I really do hope they come good but it will be 4 weeks before we see anything.....not the actual signings we needed or required to advance a promotion push. They may come good but not in the time frame we have.
