Alessandro

I hate this on the beach excuse - what were Stoke doing then?

The flak Ashton got on here (including from me) Then off he goes to back to back promotions. The biggest kick in the teeth and reality check. All those fans on here who back the Lansdown’s to the hilt…just think about Mark Ashton celebrating tonight what we should have done years ago. Another team to add to that list….

Hats off this thread is OTIB at its best. The whole Manning episode has absolutely split this place into camps hasn’t it - some forum big hitters very much with “markers in the sand”. Great to read. Anyway the interview - my two take aways: 1) OTIB has pretty much called all of this ahead of time. Again hats off. 2) I do now genuinely believe that JL does not believe we will actually achieve promotion. Nothing in what he says makes me believe they are in anything other than a holding pattern, where they look to maintain the value of their asset by keeping us in this division, before they sell up. Anything better would be lottery win stuff. This is backed up by the disappearance of the owner. There is zero plan, beyond the obvious and basic - there is zero drive, innovation or passion. It’s all fluff and lip service. Sad times. For them and us, in reality.

So what that XG chart tell us - we’ve just about returned under Manning to our XG under Pearson… So if we’d not sacked Pearson, we’d be in the play offs now, right?

Out of likes today - as I say, one area trending in the right direction, solid if not spectacular. We’ll see if that’s good enough for the ultimate goal.

Good post and fair comment, the recruitment feels like it has, on the whole, improved. We seem to have fewer misses - the churn is probably less on the pure fact we’ve signed less? The lack of loans very much a NP thing, as he publicly said often he didn’t want pointless loans - then 2 loans as soon as he goes… Twine has somewhat rescued what was a slightly underwhelming Jan IMO (in terms of for this season at least) I’ve been critical of Tinnion, feel like you’ve mellowed - even warmed perhaps to him…!? Has he reached out to you too or just the results helped But joking aside, credit Tinnion and his team for some good signings. Very solid, but not spectacular. No £1-2m’s looking like going for £10-15m plus yet.. I’m still interested to see how a larger sample over a longer period of windows pans out…especially as we won’t have the academy products at the same rate for at least a season or two…

I’d also like to see it again if it’s on the highlights, but felt like if Anis hadn’t tried to walk it past their whole defence and keeper into the net in the first half, Twine was close by with a better chance to shoot.

He did - and also add I feel like I’ve noticed him making good runs into the box off the ball and getting into good positions on a number of occasions, only not to be found by a team mate - he could and should well have added several more goals to his tally if he was picked out more often.

Is Bird not the likely replacement of James? ‘Central 3’ of Bird, Knight and Twine (possibly)

I don’t think it’s worth over analysing the price. If the club want to make the deal happen, I have a feeling they will (obviously within reason) The nest egg and FFP room are there. The number 9 and 10 are our 2 most important signings this summer. I think they’ll back Manning well.

Yep this season could be classed by some as progression - but that is only really progression in terms of the curve going up after several years of going down. A little bit like Sunak saying, look I’m great I cut inflation…well how did it get so high in the first place?! Either way, at least we are, for now, trending in the right direction thanks to both Pearson and Manning this season.

Yep very true: James, Williams, Conway, Twine and King could all be gone. That’s 4 starters today that were the midfield/forward spine of our team. Add in potential bids for others like Pring. Big summer ahead (again)

We all want to go into next season and the summer with some positivity - we now can. Over to Tinnion and JL to deliver what we need to kick in the transfer market

Good half - albeit against very deflated and weak opposition. Could, should be 2,3 up which is positive. Twine, surprisingly to me written off by so many already, showing what he can do in that 10 position. Set up Mehmeti for a very good chance he tries to walk in and Conway for the run and pen. Let’s hope for some more goals second half.

For me NP could well be saying, if JL had a problem with the training schedule - fine, you’ve sacked the medical team - but maybe also have a chat with your TD as he was fully aware of it and signed off on it too.