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Cautiously optimistic ?


The Humble Realist

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52 minutes ago, VT05763 said:

Feeling a bit more confident following the pre season and signings.

Have to say not convinced up to that point with the lack of ability to improve things when he came in last season despite the promise of "sorting out the trouble makers", instilling discipline etc etc. We actually got worse IMO.

But the back to basics coaching, improving fitness, use of the the youngsters and raising morale that has been ongoing raises hope.

NP does give the air of a man who is in charge and knows what he is doing.

I thought the same as we chalked up defeat after defeat last season, but then look at how many kids needed to be playing because of injuries to first team players. 

It was hard to gage much from last season. 

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2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Wells looks very sharp imho.  His link-up play showing confidence too.  Just need to find the right partner, whether that’s another striker like Martin, a clever running secondary striker like Conway or Weimann, or a no10 type like Palmer or Scott.  Palmer plays much closer to Martin in the games we’ve seen, suggesting he’s in the mix as a “forward option”.  When he’s played it feels more 4411 than 4231.  Not that it makes much difference.  I think Weimann will start on the right, mainly because of options there at the mo’, but the temptation to pair Weimann and Wells must be there.

I thought Wells looked very enthusiastic in pre-season but (usual caveats) I personally think he's been very hit and miss with his quality. Yesterday he wasted a few opportunities by running into defenders or poor touch, which could be put down to the pitch or rustiness but when you see total, natural ball control from Scott, even when surrounded by opposition players, it makes you wonder if with Wells you just have to take the rough with the smooth (a la Weimann) and some of us will accept that and others won't. 

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7 minutes ago, Red_Alligator said:

Staying out of the relegation battle would be good enough.

As for cautiously optimistic, I'll take mid table.

It's been made very clear that to do things the right way will take time.

I guess it's simply a case of how long the patience lasts and obviously if we're not challenging for promotion by Christmas, some people will already be calling for change.

Glory hunters beware!

Red Alligator wow mate Sunny Stockwood, I remember the Concorde pub very well. Mid table is a no from me. Top eight for me next season.

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2 minutes ago, Red_Alligator said:

Would be great Oz. I think the sun down there may have got to you though!!!?

Nah its red wine. In Perth it is pissing down with rain for the last few weeks. The rest of the country over east like Sydney are buggered with the virus. 

Were you in Stockwood when the Man In Space pub was around 

 

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1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

Who we retained and who we released including Simpson, Weimann and Baker, who we in effect re-signed all formed part of this season’s budget, of which we used some of it on Atkinson.  Some more of that budget might be used on extending deals for those players in their final year, and upgrading some younger player contracts.  Fam’s alleged contract offer (which he said Ashton was fibbing about) isn’t sat there in a shoebox ready to be allocated.

Loan deals for the likes of Delap are unlikely to come cheap (loan fee, wages, penalty clauses, etc).

Just out of interest, Whos contract is up after this season?

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36 minutes ago, City oz said:

Nah its red wine. In Perth it is pissing down with rain for the last few weeks. The rest of the country over east like Sydney are buggered with the virus. 

Were you in Stockwood when the Man In Space pub was around 

 

Shame about the weather mate! Man in Space still there!

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After last season's unravelling debacle I think mid table would represent really good progress.

Looking at the likes of Luton & Millwall they have strengthened considerably in my opinion. 

As long as we can compete and provide a platform I would be happy. Anything more would be a bonus.

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14 minutes ago, Swede said:

After last season's unravelling debacle I think mid table would represent really good progress.

Looking at the likes of Luton & Millwall they have strengthened considerably in my opinion. 

As long as we can compete and provide a platform I would be happy. Anything more would be a bonus.

I think Luton have strengthened their squad but as it stands their starting eleven looks weaker. Collins, KDH, Norrington-Davies, Pearson.

image.thumb.png.94749d21257e6e15a565f972899720bd.png

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2 hours ago, Red_Alligator said:

Staying out of the relegation battle would be good enough.

As for cautiously optimistic, I'll take mid table.

It's been made very clear that to do things the right way will take time.

I guess it's simply a case of how long the patience lasts and obviously if we're not challenging for promotion by Christmas, some people will already be calling for change.

Glory hunters beware!

I think you are being cautiously optimistic if you think some fans will wait until Christmas before calling for a change!

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14 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I think Luton have strengthened their squad but as it stands their starting eleven looks weaker. Collins, KDH, Norrington-Davies, Pearson.

image.thumb.png.94749d21257e6e15a565f972899720bd.png

Admiral Muskwe will keep them afloat next season seems just the man you'd want aboard if you need to keep a sinking ship afloat.

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20 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I think Luton have strengthened their squad but as it stands their starting eleven looks weaker. Collins, KDH, Norrington-Davies, Pearson.

image.thumb.png.94749d21257e6e15a565f972899720bd.png

Renewal of Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu a good bonus though- they seem to have some useful depth in midfield, seem a tidy side, but could possibly do with another striker- Jerome for Collins once weighted for age is a downgrade.

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Have some grounds for cautious optimism for us, but think we're still a bit light in places.

RB is one- though Simpson and Vyner as a pair I hope prove me wrong, and Forward another- could we do with another wide player as well, which side I'm unsure

Feel we possibly will be blooding too much youth too soon- could be invaluable experience but could also break them.

What will be key though is fitness- we have to get this side of it spot on- we really have to try as a major priority to keep medium to long term injuries at a minimum if we're to have a chance at a reasonable season. Last season was extreme but it's been bad for a while. If they get bad and we have to throw in quite a lot of youth, it's an opportunity of course but a significant risk as well.

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6 hours ago, HitchinRed said:

I think top half is the minimum we should be aiming for this season.

Whether we’ll achieve that - I’m cautiously optimistic.

Yeah I agree with this. I look around at rest of division and, relegated teams aside, much of a muchness. And then Derby. 

I think we will resume where we were before last season being generally in around top half and bottom of play-offs. And if we get on a roll as we did every season under LJ, i think we are now in a better position to maintain that momentum. Think we look pretty solid and if a couple of youngsters have breakouts or if KP, COD or Wells are rejuvenated, things will be looking up. 

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29 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Renewal of Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu a good bonus though- they seem to have some useful depth in midfield, seem a tidy side, but could possibly do with another striker- Jerome for Collins once weighted for age is a downgrade.

Without him, I would be arguing for a relegation scrap, but he is a big boost.

24 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Have some grounds for cautious optimism for us, but think we're still a bit light in places.

RB is one- though Simpson and Vyner as a pair I hope prove me wrong, and Forward another- could we do with another wide player as well, which side I'm unsure

Feel we possibly will be blooding too much youth too soon- could be invaluable experience but could also break them.

What will be key though is fitness- we have to get this side of it spot on- we really have to try as a major priority to keep medium to long term injuries at a minimum if we're to have a chance at a reasonable season. Last season was extreme but it's been bad for a while. If they get bad and we have to throw in quite a lot of youth, it's an opportunity of course but a significant risk as well.

Depends whether it’s inexperienced youth or not.  Vyner is youngish but almost 100 apps at this level, Massengo 50.  I do agree that we don’t want an unbalanced eleven age-wise like we did last season.

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18 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Without him, I would be arguing for a relegation scrap, but he is a big boost.

Depends whether it’s inexperienced youth or not.  Vyner is youngish but almost 100 apps at this level, Massengo 50.  I do agree that we don’t want an unbalanced eleven age-wise like we did last season.

Midtable to lower midtable for Luton then?

Oh yeah, Vyner is fine- Massengo is fine, Moore is fine- experience wise that is- Bakinson and Semenyo I'd have in the squad. Cundy I don't know the plans for him- sure there are some others too- can we class O'Leary as young? First reserve for Bentley but again happy with him either way. Pring as cover- is he there yet? I'll say should be but time will tell.

I'm thinking more the clutch of very young players or inexperienced players we had last season, especially post safety being secured- see them as having a fair bit of promise but also think quite a few could do with good development loans.

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The least sure I can remember feeling about our prospects.  Last season was unique for so many reasons. What we don't know is the long term effects of Ashton's cuckooing of the club. 

 

It seems like we've moved past that and with Pearson, Gould and Rennie in place we should progress. What I don't know is the ceiling for improvement. I'm really not that sure there is much between the 'established' Championship sides. Barnsley and Swansea look considerably weaker leaving Bournemouth and the 3 relegated clubs as likely top 6 sides.

 

Literally all the others bar Derby could pull a rabbit out the hat.

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We are obviously fitter and physically stronger this season, which hopefully will help us to see out games a lot better?  I think the recruitment of Rennie and the new signings leads me to believe we will finish between 10th - 14th.  If we could sign a quality targetman;, and a winger who could cross (Come back Elliason!?).....I would reassess to a top ten finish............dependent on injuries being avoided of course?.

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21 minutes ago, maxjak said:

We are obviously fitter and physically stronger this season, which hopefully will help us to see out games a lot better?  I think the recruitment of Rennie and the new signings leads me to believe we will finish between 10th - 14th.  If we could sign a quality targetman;, and a winger who could cross (Come back Elliason!?).....I would reassess to a top ten finish............dependent on injuries being avoided of course?.

Agree about Eliasson. He's got a touch of Mahrez about him

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Im always optimistic at this time of year but I am more so now about how it feels the club is moving forward, Nigel and the medical team know what they are doing and in the pre season games lived watched (all of them) we look a lot fitter and organised.

Im not expected much this season, progress and Low mid table will do with the foundations being laid for the next season, a push on the play offs..

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With 15 minutes left of the play off final, big Nige finally brings on Andy Carroll who has been injured for the last two months and a young Alex Scott. On the 88th minute Captain Matty James hits a free kick to Carroll who heads down on the edge of box to Scott who riffles a right footed shot into top corner of the net.

Well we can dream can't we??

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14 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Good post, but “tough to watch” is subjective, if it’s being harder to score against, more combative in midfield & a difficult side to play against then I’ll take that every day of the week after last season.

James, Williams (if we can keep him fit) plus either Nagy or King looks a far better midfield to me in that regard than last year.

Pearson is a pragmatist, he has minimal scope (thanks Mark Ashton) to significantly alter his squad, so he is cutting his cloth accordingly.

Wells & possibly Weimann are looking like our main scoring options, so we are thin there, but he knows this & will set us up taking this into account.

Agree with that GC, particularly the midfield options. Teams seemed to be able to get at us ans push us back quite easily and too frequently last season, I don't think that'll be the case this season. 

I'm looking forward to it, rather than dreading it. I'm very pleased with the business we've done, just 1 or 2 short to be really optimistic. 

COYR

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Offcause I hope for be as high as possible in the table. Probably we learned from last season, NP.Weimann and Williams back to play is a plus. Semenyo to find the net and hope that COD finally make it. Some good young players and Nagy Will have confidence. Think we avoid relegationbatlle and will be midtable.

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Lots of talk about personnel but what I think could also be as important is our mentality. Part of the battle is actually crossing that white line at 3 o’clock believing you can win. We’ve lacked that for a significant period of time. I doubt very much that this will still be the case. 

 

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I’m really not sure how I feel about the new season. The aftertaste from last season’s awful capitulation is still very much there.

On the plus side we have experience and quality in the signings of James and King, plus the return from injury of players like Weimann and Williams. Behind the scenes with the likes of Rennie, things must surely be better than they were. Also NP has had a pre-season with the squad. And Mark Ashton is now out of harm’s way, thank god.

If we avoid a relegation scrap, stay mid-table and avoid the long losing runs of the past I’ll be happy. I see it as a season of transition, with NP hopefully steadying the ship, making the team more robust so we can build for the future. 

I really do feel that we need a decent start just to wash away the hangover from last season. 

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42 minutes ago, CyderInACan said:

Lots of talk about personnel but what I think could also be as important is our mentality. Part of the battle is actually crossing that white line at 3 o’clock believing you can win. We’ve lacked that for a significant period of time. I doubt very much that this will still be the case. 

I’d go further. I think we got to a point when the combination of factors last season resulted in players going out almost expecting to lose.

Many have commented that NP seems to have us better organised and that this will make us harder to beat. If it does, then players will start to expect not to lose and the more this happens then it can quickly become an expectation of going out to win.

Gary Johnson set his teams up to be solid, well organised and hard to beat. Not necessarily free scoring, but effective. With that team, it felt like they could win every game, so perhaps it’s no bad thing if NP is following a similar course!

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Having watched the pre-season games, what is noticeable is the way we retain our shape even when pressing high up the pitch. A lot of work has drilled this into the players and it is in stark contrast to what we saw last season.

The other thing often mentioned is the lack of a marquee striker signing, but I think the return to fitness of Martin and Weimann will address this.

A comfortable mid-table would be a great platform to build on.

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