The not an over reaction report.

I agree and sit in the same area of the ground. Thomas was definitely more like a proper number 10 yesterday. Starting central but drifting to whichever side the attack was being made. He had a brilliant game.

 

Very true. I remember the promotion season under Stendel how often opponents wasted great opportunities against us. We had 2 excellent forwards that season, when sides wasted chances against us we often punished them.

 

3412.

 

We all know we need a striker. Let's see what we get.

 

These gave Peterborough a decent game last week to be fair

 

McCarthy did start badly but as you say, he grew into it and ended well.

We gave the ball back to the opposition far too often.

The value of a player taking control, driving forward and having a shot will pay dividends inthis league, especially towards the back end with tiring players. Hopefully Thomas will have learnt he can do it more often.

Aitchison is a livewire, I think he was helped by Norwood grabbing the attention of the back two allowing him more time on the ball.

 

I agree. Also the season where we've done well there have been more goals from distance. During our last promotion Potts, Thiam, Mcgeehan, Mowatt, Moncur, Moore and Woodrow all were prepared to let fly. I'd like to see more players let fly from outside the box. Even if it sails into row Z it gets the crowd going more than sideways passes and tippy tappy crap.

 

Derby away stupidly hot weather. Poor first half performance from us, terrible first goal which knocked an even start to the game.
Thomas, Benson, Marsh, Kitching were very good in the second half. The team gave it really good go and apart from the scab chants the away fans were brilliant.
Still believe we can be up there this season.

 

Not without at least one more decent forward we can’t. I’ve not got much confidence in Khaled signing one ( hopefully two) either.

 

Why not? His other signings this season have been good (so far). Obviously it's a little early to tell, but I think they're all at a minimum good league one players, with potential. Cundy made me a bit scared at Plymouth, but looked better since. Connell looked very good at times. Norwood I think will be shrewd business come end of the season. Already seen Cadden's attacking ability through his crosses, we just haven't capitalised from them yet. Mccarthy, despite a dodgy first half today (to say the least...) vastly improved second half and has looked good previous matches. Not sure about Tedic & Searle. But he's also turned bid downs from clubs for our players when they haven't offered enough. And then ofcourse Duff, Paterson and now Colgan & Eaden. I think he deserves credit so far for this window. I will admit, we need more, and we've been a tad slow. But I'd rather us take our time than sign the likes of Obbi again.

 

Let’s see where we are at end of August but seen a few of our potential signings disappear to other clubs (Kyle Joseph). We’ve got a really tough month of games and with the weak squad we have could likely be sat in the bottom four by 1st September. Not what we needed after last season and very frustrating….

 

Do we actually know we were in for Joseph this time around this? I know we were previously but obviously that doesn't mean we were this time. Do you think the signings have been good so far?

 

I'm not being deliberately controversial, but I haven't seen any positives from any of our signings. Not one. Basing my judgement on their performances so far, they have each lowered the overall quality of the squad quite considerably. They've been either anonymous, played really very badly or looked unfit. I think we'd be a better side if we reshuffled and excluded all of them from the staring 11. If Helik and Kane were fit, a much better side.

--------------------- Collins --------------------
---- Andersen ---- Helik ---- Williams ----
Thomas - Kane - Wolfe - Benson - Styles
----------------- Cole ------ Marsh -------------

I would maybe bring Norwood on for the last 10 minutes and have Connell on the bench as cover, but I wouldn't have the others in the squad if I could help it.

This is not an over reaction, I'm not claiming any of them won't improve in future, I sincerely hope they do, it's just an honest opinion of what I've seen so far. The central defenders have looked very poor, Norwood and Cadden have looked a long way from the required fitness, and Connell, while not doing anything specifically wrong, has seen the games pass him by with little involvement.

I haven't been impressed with Styles, not by a long way, but imho he's done more than Connell and Cadden. And I don't rate Cole, but he's looked way more energetic than Norwood.

And I'd be looking to Moon, Kitching, Oduor and Aitchison as replacements before any of our new signings.

 

I love Norwoods commitment and Caddens crossing looks ok but apart from that none of the new signings have looked all that impressive yet.

 

I can see where you're coming from with the majority but I think connell has looked like one of the best midfielders we've had for years personally.

 

I get that from the few touches he's had. The quality looks to be there, but he doesn't seem to be able to get involved.

 

I'm genuinely taken aback by this mate. I think he's been very good for us to be fair. Some passes have been excellent. There's clearly ways he needs to improve but I think he's been one of our better signings (so far...) in a long time. If he continues at this rate he'll be our next Hourihane/Mowatt

 

I wouldn't argue with you that he could be a very good player in the future. I just think right now we have better options because I don't think he's involved enough. Actually, we haven't 'cos Kane is injured and Wolfe is semi-injured, so it's not much of an argument I've got, but if they were fit I'd be selecting them ahead of Connell because in the two league games I've seen him start, although the things he's done have been good, there have been 25 minute spells where I simply haven't seen him. As bad as we were last season, that was never the case with Wolfe.

 

I do agree with you partially about Connell. There is times when he does go missing, for parts of the game. I just think when he is involved though, it's worth having him on. Hopefully Duff will sort that out. Sometimes he looks a little lost when we're on the defensive too - but that's why he's probably joined a league one team. Duff looks to have worked wonders with Benson so hopefully with time, he can do the same to others. Consistency is key. Always seem to play better whilst behind, that needs to change. For what it's worth Wolfe would have been in my starting 11 as well. Think he's a cracking player, gets stuck in, can run directly through the middle with ease it seems at times. Links up well. Needs to work on his temperament, timing and especially his attacking qualities (crossing, shooting) for when he does get in those positions, but as a central midfielder he's got all the makings of a great player.