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Cauley Woodrow - a Fulham fans view


Cravenuk

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33 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Good post.  We need to be careful what we wish for.  To overperform (as we did in 2008) and get within sight of promotion before we have the squad and resources to sustain could be disastrous.  Look how the club got it wrong after 2008/9: when we should have been gradually building a squad we started throwing money at big name signings which ultimately backfired on us big time.  The key for me is how long we can hold on to the good players, because I have no doubt in my own mind that the likes of Brownhill, O'Dowda, Brian and even Vyner and Hinds are going to be very good players indeed in three years' time.  A comfortable mid-table finish is what we need this season and might be better than sneaking into the play-offs at the moment.

And that is the problem in 3 years time we could be back in the first division, we have had 2 near misses and I personally see another struggle this season.

This season I believe that we have improved the defence, especially full backs Bryan has improved and Pisano appears to be an upgrade.

But we have yet again singularly failed to address our main problem which is our unfit for purpose midfield, the last 2 games should serve as a wake up call in that regard. Against Birmingham we saw a game where we started brightly but gradually gave up midfield control to a very average team and were then bullied, on Tuesday again we did what was needed against a team low on confidence and got the early goal and then immediately surrendered the middle third of the pitch, both had unbelievable echoes of last seasons away games. it doesn't help playing 2 of our midfield 4 out of position, unless LJ sees this I see another struggle.

it's great purring about loads of young players on the horizon and in fact there are others that you haven't mentioned, but we desperately need a couple of championship ready players especially in midfield or we will struggle.

On Saturday I would drop Brownhill and Patterson and bring in ODowda and Eliasson, yes it's a risk (no more than playing the other 2 both out of position) but at least it will be a midfield where all 4 will be in their specialist positions, somebody mentioned that having been booked 2 matches in a row that Pack is banned for 1 game, if that is correct replace him with Hegeler.

 

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Great article @The Exiled Robin It will be very interesting to see whether Woodrow can do something for us.  The same goal return as he managed at Burton would be ideal.  I'm also interested to hear what supporters of teams who actually know the player have to say about them.  This quote from the Fulham blogger is interesting:

Quote

He's got fairly good technical skills, and ideally he needs to be paired with another forward in a 4-4-2. If you have a speedier technical player Woodrow can combine well with him. If you have a bigger forward, he can float around and find space and combine with other players in the attack.

From that description he could probably play alongside Reid or Deidhiou - could give us some very useful options when the game needs changing.

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17 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

WBA, Swansea, Burnley, Watford, Bournemouth, Stoke City appear to be having a good go with capacities of 27,000 or below. 

Bugger, that's me with my assumptions again, knew I should have checked wiki!

Really thought Stoke's ground was bigger than that but last time I was there I was exceedingly drunk in a Corporate Box, I probably estimated it at 54k that day!

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1 hour ago, RumRed said:

I am only projecting but I guess LJ is happy to tow this line rather some of the more experienced managers who will only accept a full on push to the Prem, he just needs to make sure we're not flirting with bloody L1 again.

To be honest I don't know what I want, I obviously want to see City play the best but I would be worried at what the true cost would be.

Prem football is rarely sustainable with 27k capacity.

Revenue through the turnstiles are only pocket money to premier league sides..

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1 hour ago, Dullmoan Tone said:

Andre Gray...Harry Maguire...Britt Assombalonga...

Two of those suggestions moved to the Premier League when we were linked, and have both made moves in the next season to a better Premier League club. The other one is basically the equivalent of Jordan Rhodes or Ross McCormack, i.e the Championship level striker that everyone goes for, and therefore we have little chance of getting. It's not a lack of ambition from the club that we can't make these signings.

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I think it is shrewd signing. You dont play international football without some sort of pedigree, particularly given the number of good young English players at this level. I dont think he has really had the chances at Fulham and I would agree that the way they play does not suit his style. Could be a good move. 

Not sure I agree about Engvall.... if the Swedish league is so pants why on earth sign Eliasson. Engvall has looked good when I have seen him.... last time at Cheltenham (pre-season).... I would have liked to have seen him given a chance. He has not really had that... has he? Johnson said on his return that his stats put him up there with the players we are in for signing. Not sure what the issue is.

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4 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

I believe this is a no lose situation for City . 

The player coming in knows that competition will be strong when all our forwards are fit and has been given a chance to prove himself and earn a contract if he does.

His record is reasonable and he can still improve.

If it doesn't work out he goes back to his parent club and City aren't lumbered with a player on a long contract .

 

Or he gets publicly slated by the gaffer after his first game, loses all semblance of confidence and is total pants for the rest of the season. Just saying not being negative. November 5th is coming. Where is that Swedish beer?

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4 hours ago, robinreliant said:

Fulham not that complimentary then. But Burton wanted him back and are disappointed not to. He was instrumental in them staying up. He's at an age where he can develop and improve. We haven't been that successful in recent times with strikers (Tammy and Wilbs apart) Hope he does well with us. We will see.

Kodjia, Baldock, Maynard... ironically it's probably only been our promotion & play off seasons that we have NOT had a star striker, although of course Wilbs got 20 in the double winning season, that was hugely unexpected. 

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4 hours ago, 054123 said:

I dont disagree with the sentiment.

I just never feel like we sign players will help win promotion.

We need to build. If we wanted to buy players good enough to go up they'd be £10-£15m at today's prices. SL has said plenty of times the club needs to stand on its own feet . It will be slow burner , as long as we see progression each season I'm happy. 

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1 hour ago, havanatopia said:

Or he gets publicly slated by the gaffer after his first game, loses all semblance of confidence and is total pants for the rest of the season. Just saying not being negative. November 5th is coming. Where is that Swedish beer?

Come on now.

Let bygones be bygones.

We are all friends on OTIB (now get the ******* Match Thread ready).

:hug:

 

tfj

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1 hour ago, Bar BS3 said:

Kodjia, Baldock, Maynard... ironically it's probably only been our promotion & play off seasons that we have NOT had a star striker, although of course Wilbs got 20 in the double winning season, that was hugely unexpected. 

Sorry I should have mentioned Kodja. Big disappointment when he left. We wouldn't have struggled if he had stayed I'm pretty sure of that. Yeh we've had good strikers but they've all wanted to bugger of for one reason and another.

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6 hours ago, RumRed said:

I am only projecting but I guess LJ is happy to tow this line rather some of the more experienced managers who will only accept a full on push to the Prem, he just needs to make sure we're not flirting with bloody L1 again.

To be honest I don't know what I want, I obviously want to see City play the best but I would be worried at what the true cost would be.

Prem football is rarely sustainable with 27k capacity.

the pay on the day money is now only a small part of revenue for prem clubs these days, Bournemouth and Swansea have much smaller grounds, and ours would be on a par with almost half the clubs currently in the top flight, I agree competing with arsenal man utd Tottenham etc is a pipe dream, though Leicester fans probably thought the same thing.

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5 hours ago, RumRed said:

Bugger, that's me with my assumptions again, knew I should have checked wiki!

Really thought Stoke's ground was bigger than that but last time I was there I was exceedingly drunk in a Corporate Box, I probably estimated it at 54k that day!

drink doubles, see double!!

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4 hours ago, Luxo Jr. said:

Two of those suggestions moved to the Premier League when we were linked, and have both made moves in the next season to a better Premier League club. The other one is basically the equivalent of Jordan Rhodes or Ross McCormack, i.e the Championship level striker that everyone goes for, and therefore we have little chance of getting. It's not a lack of ambition from the club that we can't make these signings.

Given their performance for their current clubs they haven't exactly been value for money either.

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5 hours ago, RumRed said:

Bugger, that's me with my assumptions again, knew I should have checked wiki!

Really thought Stoke's ground was bigger than that but last time I was there I was exceedingly drunk in a Corporate Box, I probably estimated it at 54k that day!

This is not a test of whom you support but were there any locked out?

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7 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

Like who ? 

 

Anyone.

I cant think of a single signing since our return that has made me think we were serious about promotion.

As rumred as said, I don't mind if that's not the aim either.

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8 hours ago, RumRed said:

I am only projecting but I guess LJ is happy to tow this line rather some of the more experienced managers who will only accept a full on push to the Prem, he just needs to make sure we're not flirting with bloody L1 again.

To be honest I don't know what I want, I obviously want to see City play the best but I would be worried at what the true cost would be.

Prem football is rarely sustainable with 27k capacity.

Prem football is rarely sustainable with 27k capacity

Bournemouth? Same sort of crowds as the sags.

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8 hours ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

And that is the problem in 3 years time we could be back in the first division, we have had 2 near misses and I personally see another struggle this season.

This season I believe that we have improved the defence, especially full backs Bryan has improved and Pisano appears to be an upgrade.

But we have yet again singularly failed to address our main problem which is our unfit for purpose midfield, the last 2 games should serve as a wake up call in that regard. Against Birmingham we saw a game where we started brightly but gradually gave up midfield control to a very average team and were then bullied, on Tuesday again we did what was needed against a team low on confidence and got the early goal and then immediately surrendered the middle third of the pitch, both had unbelievable echoes of last seasons away games. it doesn't help playing 2 of our midfield 4 out of position, unless LJ sees this I see another struggle.

it's great purring about loads of young players on the horizon and in fact there are others that you haven't mentioned, but we desperately need a couple of championship ready players especially in midfield or we will struggle.

On Saturday I would drop Brownhill and Patterson and bring in ODowda and Eliasson, yes it's a risk (no more than playing the other 2 both out of position) but at least it will be a midfield where all 4 will be in their specialist positions, somebody mentioned that having been booked 2 matches in a row that Pack is banned for 1 game, if that is correct replace him with Hegeler.

 

Quite right EMB,  if you see my previous post on the match day thread , you will see that I said exactly what you are saying now.  Our midfield has been so lightweight and so the defence has had little protection for seasons now and nothing concrete has been done to address this situation.   As I said before,  if a lot of fans can see what the main problem is, why can't our so called experienced coaches see it?

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21 hours ago, robinreliant said:

 We haven't been that successful in recent times with strikers (Tammy and Wilbs apart) Hope he does well with us. We will see.

Am I missing something? Maynard, Pitman, JET, Baldock, Kodge, now Reid...? There have been some failures and some question marks but I think the fact we've had five 20-goal strikers in four years is something contradictory to not being successful. Maybe I misunderstand your point. I think the proportion of strikers we've signed that have done well is pretty good up against the other positions we've signed. Maybe just my view...

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15 minutes ago, EnclosureSurge said:

Am I missing something? Maynard, Pitman, JET, Baldock, Kodge, now Reid...? There have been some failures and some question marks but I think the fact we've had five 20-goal strikers in four years is something contradictory to not being successful. Maybe I misunderstand your point. I think the proportion of strikers we've signed that have done well is pretty good up against the other positions we've signed. Maybe just my view...

And Wilbraham.

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