Love the optimism, but...

We're still quite a long way off IMO
Pre-season results haven't been good (although I admit I haven't been to any of them). 4 defeats and a draw doesn't look promising to me.
Some of the signings look very exciting - Turnbull, Bailey and Winnall in particular are promising - but the squad lacks league 1 experience big time

The squad:
GKs: Turnbull (solid), Davies, Dibble

Full Backs: Smith (promising but no experience), Kennedy (will probably be gone).
No right backs! Need 2 full backs.

Centre backs: Cranie, Nyatanga, M'Voto, Cowgill (? - again, no experience).
Strongest area of the team I think.If Nyatanga gets back to the form he is capable of and Cranie stays then that is a solid Championship pairing.

Centre Mids: Bailey, Hourihane (looks good, but only played in league 2), Berry (know nothing about - a risk), Digby and Abbott (both untested but promising)
Bailey aside, no experience again. Might need an experienced man in there

Wingers: Jennings, RNL (needs to step up this year), Nana(?)
Need another 1 or 2 wingers if we are going to use them. I'd love Coppinger to sign up.

Strikers: Winnall, Hemmings (good record, but in a pub league. Unfit?), Rose
None have been a regular for more than 1 season, and all in leagues worse than this one. Coming into this season in form though - exciting, but we need another striker

Overall I think we need 2 full backs (Brown looks a prospect), 2 wingers and a striker. Another Cm would be the icing on the cake.
Perhaps a winger and/or full back could be a loan player

I'm excited about this season, but think there's a LOT of work needs doing before we can be thinking about promotion!

 

agreed. wev got the foundations of a very good squad, just need a few players now in key positions with abit of experience. we have strikers who know where the back of the net is and im sure they will score if presented with the required service

 

I think this is where the problem lies. We can dictate a little more in terms of wages when it comes to young hungry league 2 players, because they're looking for the next step in their career. We're seen as an attractive proposition after being in the championship for a good number of years (even beyond the last 8) to this calibre of player, and they see us as real promotion candidates his year.

To that 30 something centre half or centre mid who's been around the block a few times, they want to play at the highest level whilst they still can. They've been around the game for the past 10 to 15 years and have got used to earning decent money, they're certainly in the drivers seat when it comes to negotiating as they have that experienced head which many teams want. So it's no surprise to me that negotiations with the likes of Peter Clarke and Baker didn't progress at the speed that the Berry and Hourihane transfers went through.

 

Sounds right to me. We still appear to be 5/6 light for a competitive squad. We definitely could do with an established striker at this level. 2 full backs, at least one winger and a more experienced central midfielder.

 

I feel the same.
Really think we need some experience in the squad now.
Still need two full backs, a winger and another forward, particularly with Hemmings out for a few weeks.