Looking at League Table...

We're never going to get a better chance to get out of this division. If it doesn't happen this season it never will.

 

We're 6 games in SD. Good start, but that's all can be drawn from it so far.

 

Too early to say yet even though we’ve had a good start. We’ve less strength in depth too compared to other teams likely to be up there. Avoiding injuries is paramount to our chances.
I’d expect Cardiff, Huddersfield, Luton, Bolton and Stockport to all be up there. Donny look a surprise package too. That said, play offs should still be a realistic aim for us.

 

I like Flavell. Think he'll bag a few this season. Barring his shank. He was immense when he came on v Rotherham. Pace and physicality. Just hope we don't try and convert him into a centre back .

 

I don't think there's anyone to fear in this division. I reckon we've faced 2 sides who will be in the mix come May; we were on top vs Bolton until the red card, and I think we were good value for the win vs Huddersfield despite their red card. Cardiff seem to be the team to beat at the minute, though there will be times where we'll have an 'off day', or come up against a side who are simply better on the day than us (Wimbledon for example).

It's refreshing though to be talking about us in the promotion mix, and feel like we genuinely belong there again. I don't think we've properly felt like that since Duff was here, even though we reached the play-offs the following season, and spent a fair chunk of time in them under Clarke.

Though there's a lot of football to play, teams will get injuries, suspensions, lose players, sign players, change managers, get taken over, unearth wonder kids in their academy etc. Us included.

Nothing is set in stone until 46 games have been played.

 

That was Farrell mate, Flavell is a goalkeeper.

 

Nice one Will .

 

Too early to look at the league table yet, means nothing.

Cardiff are playing really well (Port Vale away excepted - that was horrific), refreshing to see a positive approach and with so many youngsters from our academy.
I think our issue is that we could be out-muscled by experienced campaigners in this division and injuries to our very small squad.

 

Any reason why you've not done much business in the transfer market, mate? I think it's just 3 incomings and a dozen or so outgoings, presumably mainly fringe players. I read something about a month before the season started that said Barry-Murphy wanted to give the current squad a go. It's a different approach to a lot of sides who have come down, sold 1 or 2 decent players for reasonable money and then spent £5m or whatever trying to go straight back up.

 

Think there’s a few reasons.

We got relegated and moved on quite a few high earners as well as players at the end of their contracts - and it certainly needed doing, 14 left in the end.
We then took what felt like an eternity to appoint a manager so there was no early business done.
We were also subject to protracted takeover talks with 3 interested parties tabling bids.

When we eventually appointed Barry-Murphy he said he wanted to give the academy players a chance to see what they could do and to supplement that with a few quality signings. Turns out that when he was interviewed he’d given his analysis of each of these young players and how he saw them fitting into his system as he was aware of them through his youth/U21 roles at Man City and Leicester. A masterstroke from him.

We were aware that there were some good youngsters coming through but it seems like a gamble and is a fear of the unknown. But these guys that have come in have been great, full of youthful energy - and are getting better and better. Dylan Lawlor made his Wales debut at Centre half this week and came away with the MoM award for instance.

We’ve only signed 3 players in the window. Keeper Nathan Trott is a vast upgrade on last years keepers, both of whom were largely responsible for our relegation imo. Ethan Horvath went to Sheffield Wed btw, god help them. Centre half Gabbi Osho joined from Auxerre (ex-Luton in PL) and Chelsea youngster Omari Kellyman who they signed from Villa for £19m!

Time will tell but it’s all positive down here at the moment.


.

 

Also, we’d previously had a transfer committee sign players on behalf of the managers - board members who know naff all about football.
BBM has insisted on only bringing in players he wanted - and he stressed he wanted quality over quantity.
He now identifies them and leaves it to the directors to sort the paperwork.

 

This sounds quite similar to us. Hourihane has seemingly had more input in transfers than our last few head coaches have. The two we've signed who previously played for Derby it appears were at the request of Conor. I do think these younger coaches, who have played the game more recently and have some experience at top clubs are being trusted more by the 'non-football people' within clubs to make these decisions; I read a bit into Lee Grant at Huddersfield recently too, and it seems he has had a similar path to BBM and Hourihane. It's quite refreshing to see.

 

"Flavell is a goalkeeper"

That explains the wild wayward slice Into row Z then.

 

Good to have you back on board mate. I like to hear sensible discussions with opposition fans on here even if one or two of our own take exception. It would be good to hear @Pelly s view regarding Luton's chances.

 

It's a great start to the season. Twists and turns ahead, but a lot to be positive about. I'll leave it at that for now.