Jump to content
IGNORED

Pretty much a new squad.....


Robbored

Recommended Posts

Pack, Plato both regulars gone and both had come under criticism from fans. Clearly LJ had decided that neither were part of his plans any longer. Webster gone as well.......

In come Nagy, Pereira, Rowe, Bentley, Szmodics, Afobe, Gilmartin, Massengo.....

It was certainly time to rebuild after two progressive seasons by refreshing the squad......I just hope that with so many new faces that City don’t suffer the same fate as some of those PL clubs who spent millions on a bunch of strangers.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our start to the season always looked tough and it always looked likely we wouldn’t get loads of points from the first, say, six games. So even with a ‘settled’ squad, we may have had conservative returns. In which case, not a bad time to blood a lot of newcomers, by the time ‘easier’ games come around, we should be gelling nicely. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Lucan said:

I’ll be honest, I think this season could go badly wrong or so very right. Nervous...

A normal season for us then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Pack, Plato both regulars gone and both had come under criticism from fans. Clearly LJ had decided that neither were part of his plans any longer. Webster gone as well.......

 

Best be philosophical about it, RR.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, glos old boy said:

His dad brought in players from all over the world as a last gasp, you`re not telling me that this vast transfer window "exchange" was planned otherwise the point of pre season was?

The much hyped "number 9" was certainly not our first or second choice and was certainly a last gasp/face saving signing.

Last minute off loadings well, really? did they leave or were they pushed ? Pack dominated the best club in this country, not so long ago now is "over the hill"

Its natural for us to think our imports are great and our exports aren't needed/past there sell by dates and what we have now is better...really....quite a few of our signings have never been heard of before they came here.

So over to you then LJ pre-season starts now...oh wait a minute the season has...good luck with that then.

Pre-season is about fitness right?

so do you really believe that every player we have brought has not had a pre-season at their club?

is it only players not on the transfer list are aloud to train? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, glos old boy said:

His dad brought in players from all over the world as a last gasp, you`re not telling me that this vast transfer window "exchange" was planned otherwise the point of pre season was?

The much hyped "number 9" was certainly not our first or second choice and was certainly a last gasp/face saving signing.

Last minute off loadings well, really? did they leave or were they pushed ? Pack dominated the best club in this country, not so long ago now is "over the hill"

Its natural for us to think our imports are great and our exports aren't needed/past there sell by dates and what we have now is better...really....quite a few of our signings have never been heard of before they came here.

So over to you then LJ pre-season starts now...oh wait a minute the season has...good luck with that then.

Pack has been off form for months. What he did against Man Utd didn’t help us on Sunday........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutely worst case scenario: Afobe is here for the cash, barely runs or scores and a disgruntled Fam sulks.

Best case: Afobe returns to form of a few years ago in a team with movement that creates chances. A more rested Fam is a monster off the bench and games he starts, thriving on the support / competition.

Worst case: the foreign lads don't get used to the pace of this league / can't cope with it. Pack not shielding the defence makes us vulnerable through the middle, with Moore needing time to grow into the role.

Best case: Nagy rediscovers the form that made him a hot property, and becomes the 'dominant' playmaker we've probably need.ed. Han develops into the class all rounder he is supposed to be. Brownhill, liberated from playing almost every game last season (and in a 2), scores 10-15 bombing into the box.

worst case: LJ has changed too much too quickly, starts changing players too often and the team becomes unsettled. After the atmosphere turns with the team flirting with the relegation places, he accepts an offer from another Championship team to take over.

Best case: LJ keeps a settled back  4 , allows Nagy in particular to grow into the role. We reach Xmas mid table but then the team clicks and we go on a joyous free scoring run that takes us to the 'promised land'....

God knows what will happen in reality but as ever it will be really interesting finding out. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, glos old boy said:

His dad brought in players from all over the world as a last gasp, you`re not telling me that this vast transfer window "exchange" was planned otherwise the point of pre season was?

The much hyped "number 9" was certainly not our first or second choice and was certainly a last gasp/face saving signing.

Last minute off loadings well, really? did they leave or were they pushed ? Pack dominated the best club in this country, not so long ago now is "over the hill"

Its natural for us to think our imports are great and our exports aren't needed/past there sell by dates and what we have now is better...really....quite a few of our signings have never been heard of before they came here.

So over to you then LJ pre-season starts now...oh wait a minute the season has...good luck with that then.

Pack has been in steady decline ever since then, he has gotten slower with the ball and his thinking. The only thing I think our midfield will miss from him is his physical presence and leadership qualities,  which isn't enough to keep him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well LJ did say he’d asked the board to be ‘bold’ this transfer window. I would say the ins and outs are certainly bold. No guarantee of success, but just keeping the existing squad together would not have guaranteed success either. I’m looking forward to watching the new arrivals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, glos old boy said:

His dad brought in players from all over the world as a last gasp, you`re not telling me that this vast transfer window "exchange" was planned otherwise the point of pre season was?

The much hyped "number 9" was certainly not our first or second choice and was certainly a last gasp/face saving signing.

Last minute off loadings well, really? did they leave or were they pushed ? Pack dominated the best club in this country, not so long ago now is "over the hill"

Its natural for us to think our imports are great and our exports aren't needed/past there sell by dates and what we have now is better...really....quite a few of our signings have never been heard of before they came here.

So over to you then LJ pre-season starts now...oh wait a minute the season has...good luck with that then.

Pack dominates the over 55 monday  evening football league. That is all

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately, Marlon's flaws were ruthlessly exposed by the Leeds midfield on Sunday. Probably the straw that broke the camel's back in LJ's eyes; he's been looking one-paced and sluggish for months.

A good servant though, wish him all the best.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Feel really uncomfortable about these changes Pack and Pato have been key to our identity and style of play in recent years  who know what we'll we like this season. Seems a risk hope it works for LJ and us. USA tour seems pointless now as 4 possible starters weren't there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, ColeCiderRed said:

Patience will be key. It's quite possible that LJ won't know his best team for a while. I'm still excited to see what the new boys can do. All of which I hope we all get behind. How about you @Robbored you looking forward to this season? 

Patience is the word.

Lee Johnson has been here 3 years and suffered slings and arrows, but has gradual progress.

The real test is where do we go from here? The next progression is clearly play offs and promotion.

The goal could not have been to rebuild the squad to finish somewhere between 12th and 8th again over the next few seasons.

That would just be standing still for 5 years.

I wonder if Steve Lansdown (for all his patience) has a timeline in his head of where we should be.

When Lee Johnson said he needed just 3 transfer windows, I wonder what they agreed was to be achieved in that time frame?

5 minutes ago, eardun said:

Well LJ did say he’d asked the board to be ‘bold’ this transfer window. I would say the ins and outs are certainly bold. No guarantee of success, but just keeping the existing squad together would not have guaranteed success either. I’m looking forward to watching the new arrivals.

Sadly we were bold in trying to stand still.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, ColeCiderRed said:

Patience will be key. It's quite possible that LJ won't know his best team for a while. I'm still excited to see what the new boys can do. All of which I hope we all get behind. How about you @Robbored you looking forward to this season? 

It was definitely time for a change, out with old and in with the new.

The new intake certainly looks promising on paper but few of them actually know each other, won’t have played together yet and today will be their first training session under LJ......

Im looking forward to seeing how the new signings fit in and gel together. My ‘worry’ is that LJ won’t have much time to assess  the squad that will be able to play in the style he wants and it could be a number of Championship games before we know who those players are.

That said I’m feeling buoyed by the summer window and looking forward to seeing some of the new players at AG. It’s Brum first of course and that matchday squad will be fascinating to see......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel we needed refreshing. Especially in midfield. Shame Pack left I liked him but maybe that was more sentimental. More gutted he left than Webster. We managed to get a striker in who wasn’t our first choice but I’m happy with his arrival and with some confidence will score goals IMO. Didn’t replace Webster but we have other options who need to step up . We have some young exciting talent in our squad who will need a bit of patience. IMO we have had a good window

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LJ has certainly rolled the dice on this transfer window and seeing so much change in the last 48 hours can't have been the plan, but can anyone honestly say the squad doesn't look better now on paper (and yes, I know that the game is played on grass, etc, etc). We've swapped Paterson for Palmer and Szmodics, Pisano for Perriera, Fielding for Bentley and Pack for Nagy AND Massengo. We brought back Kalas and Dasilva, added Afobe (which was always going to feel like a disappointment but could be a great move). Webster for Moore is the only backwards move and we'll have to see how much of an issue that is. I'm not sure we can blame LJ/MA for the failure of the Nketiah deal, more people than them were convinced it was done

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LJ said he would be bold both ins and outs and he has certainly done that

We needed something different and dynamic to be able to dominate the ball in key areas, that was midfield 

To say I was deflated after last Sunday is an understatement. We were second best all over the pitch at home to a promotion rival 

The gap in quality, pace and ability was there for all to see. Thank god we had time to bring in players that we hope can change our style and tactics in games because if we hadn’t then there is no way that we would be challenging a top 6 place

Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, glos old boy said:

His dad brought in players from all over the world as a last gasp, you`re not telling me that this vast transfer window "exchange" was planned otherwise the point of pre season was?

The much hyped "number 9" was certainly not our first or second choice and was certainly a last gasp/face saving signing.

Last minute off loadings well, really? did they leave or were they pushed ? Pack dominated the best club in this country, not so long ago now is "over the hill"

Its natural for us to think our imports are great and our exports aren't needed/past there sell by dates and what we have now is better...really....quite a few of our signings have never been heard of before they came here.

So over to you then LJ pre-season starts now...oh wait a minute the season has...good luck with that then.

Bluntly, it is very obvious something was wrong after pre-season. LJ has massively changed a squad at the last minute but this was a squad that, for whatever reason, capitulated against Palace and didn’t quite seem to turn up against Leeds. What’s more, on Sunday, we had no control over the midfield at all.

It’s not ideal that there has been a need to do this now but kudos to LJ for realising things were going wrong and being decisive.  Paterson and Pack are both great players on their days but players that have been present for some of our best and some of our worst runs in form in my years of watching City. Whatever LJ’s strengths or weaknesses as a manager, player mentality must play a role in ten consecutive defeats, or form going off a cliff after Christmas, or missing out on the playoffs after a favourable run of late fixtures.

I wonder with Pack if the “offer the club could not turn down” is a smoke screen and a dignified way out and if the truth is that, after the end of last season and Palace and Leeds, LJ decided - rightly or wrongly - he could not trust Pack.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

Bluntly, it is very obvious something was wrong after pre-season. LJ has massively changed a squad at the last minute but this was a squad that, for whatever reason, capitulated against Palace and didn’t quite seem to turn up against Leeds. What’s more, on Sunday, we had no control over the midfield at all.

It’s not ideal that there has been a need to do this now but kudos to LJ for realising things were going wrong and being decisive.  Paterson and Pack are both great players on their days but players that have been present for some of our best and some of our worst runs in form in my years of watching City. Whatever LJ’s strengths or weaknesses as a manager, player mentality must play a role in ten consecutive defeats, or form going off a cliff after Christmas, or missing out on the playoffs after a favourable run of late fixtures.

I wonder with Pack if the “offer the club could not turn down” is a smoke screen and a dignified way out and if the truth is that, after the end of last season and Palace and Leeds, LJ decided - rightly or wrongly - he could not trust Pack.

Harsh to say could not trust him but definitely fair to say wanted something different!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, 054123 said:

Patience is the word.

Lee Johnson has been here 3 years and suffered slings and arrows, but has gradual progress.

The real test is where do we go from here? The next progression is clearly play offs and promotion.

The goal could not have been to rebuild the squad to finish somewhere between 12th and 8th again over the next few seasons.

That would just be standing still for 5 years.

I wonder if Steve Lansdown (for all his patience) has a timeline in his head of where we should be.

When Lee Johnson said he needed just 3 transfer windows, I wonder what they agreed was to be achieved in that time frame?

Sadly we were bold in trying to stand still.

Agreed, this season will be a real test for the coaching team, with so many new players and losing some key characters.

It’s seems you have to run fast to stand still these days in almost every aspect of life; business, commerce, sport.

Every club, every business & everyone are racing towards similar goals.

Trying to progress in the Championship is no different if not tougher considering the prize at stake and passion involved: and it will continue get tougher each season.

None of us have any idea if the changes will take us on or hold us back this season. 

But judging by the end of last season and the game on Sunday along with losing Webby. I believe we’d all accept there was a strong chance of us going backwards this season - so something needed to be done before window closes.

Here’s hoping it all clicks soon

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, glos old boy said:

Point is we have brought in a teams worth of strangers, most of which have never trained together. It will take time probably most of this season for them to know each other and LJ`s plans/play patterns etc and you are not telling me that LJ now actually knows who is best eleven is now anyway.

Yes preseason is about fitness but more so bonding with team mates, Manager, trainers; big ask for LJ and co to sort this lot out. 

Were not the only team to have signed a shed load of players, most teams are in the same boat regarding player bonding and getting used to a new system

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is why the Transfer window needs to change.

Clubs leaving it later and later to do business in the window. Waiting for the domino effect to happen...and then rushed and panicked in many cases.

You can't blame LJ or MA for our window...you can plan as much as you want, but because of the system it will often lead to situations that aren't preferable.

Take away the name Nketiah...and his shameful conduct...then looking at who we've brought in, we should be over the moon.

These players once up to speed should on paper improve us immensely.

We've come a long way in a short time. Developing players and making £ millions on them...this has never happened before. So hats off to everyone at the Club for that.

Bringing in real quality with the likes of DaSilva and Kalas...and dealing with big Clubs both home and in Europe...fantastic... it's only a few seasons back we were playing in League 1.

Unfortunately because of the system it's a lottery as to whether players will get up to speed quick enough, or had a whole pre season together.

Not the Club's fault...it's the system, and if you need to freshen up the squad, this is what happens.

Either way...I'm excited to see players from Benfica, Monaco and Bologna play for us.

And I'll be patient...as this system screws teams over.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

I wonder with Pack if the “offer the club could not turn down” is a smoke screen and a dignified way out and if the truth is that, after the end of last season and Palace and Leeds, LJ decided - rightly or wrongly - he could not trust Pack.

If that was the case, would he have made him captain against Leeds?  I don’t think so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, Judda said:

Harsh to say could not trust him but definitely fair to say wanted something different!

Yeah - I realise I do sound harsh but the fact is he has gone in five days from being captain of the team to someone who we didn’t even want to keep in the squad. You could see it as Cardiff making an offer too good to refuse but the cynic in me thinks:

a) we were under no pressure to sell with the money we received from Webster and Kelly.

b) it seems surprising Cardiff suddenly decided to speculate on the captain of their main rivals being available an hour before the transfer window shuts unless someone suggested to them they might put a bid in.

c) we had been talking to them earlier in the day about Reid.

My feeling is there was a calculated and deliberate decision to move Pack on. And I think that has to come down to “trust” as otherwise why not keep him as a squad player?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

If that was the case, would he have made him captain against Leeds?  I don’t think so.

My suggestion is that it was a decision made after - and based on - the way we performed in the Palace and Leeds game. I think a decision was made the club needed to do something drastic to shake things up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

My suggestion is that it was a decision made after - and based on - the way we performed in the Palace and Leeds game. I think a decision was made the club needed to do something drastic to shake things up.

Strange. I could have told them what they needed to know on that front during last season. Why would it take the Palace and Leeds games I wonder? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really didn’t expect the entire squad to be ripped up and started again this window that’s for sure ! Huge gamble really and could send us in either direction ? The question is whether this was LJ’s choice or MA’s choice to force LJ’s hand and change his philosophy perhaps ? Who knows ? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...