ProfitInMyPocket

Not shocked. Feel for NP having to be the front for this. All we can do is get behind our lads and the coaching staff and try make a good run of this season and hope it doesn't fall off rather quickly. Take it game by game, sort the home form out and it could be an enjoyable season. With the constrictions, squad size, injuries and reliance on youth we're gunna be in for a tough season but every season in this division has its ups and downs. Save the frustration for the higher ups, it's their choices that have led to this and it's been coming for a long time.

Why are we complaining, it's his club. Think my username seems more relevant than ever, should change it to nest egg!

We may be lacking firepower up top with Conway missing but don't think that's the main issue. Our midfield is okay if you want to pass sideways and try get the ball wide and get at fullbacks and get the ball in but if we get a new striker they'll be starved with the same service over and over. Missing that attack minded midfield player that can get beyond their midfield and run at their defence. Been saying it for weeks and weeks, Scott would ride a challenge and drive 5-10-15 yards and release someone else who had more space because of the positive action. That's what we're missing. A big mobile forward who can do the lot costs an absolute bomb in this market unless you find a gem overseas. Our midfield is steady but we need something a little bit unpredictable in the middle. Someone who can pick up spaces in-between their defence and midfield and get us up the pitch through the middle instead of forcing us out wide every attack.

Thought Hull were very efficient but no stand out dangers. They remind me of Sheff U last season. Not spectacular but get the job done when they get the ball. Thought we played really well when they couldn't break our press. Don't think that Seri miss placed a pass all game and we still created a fair few chances. Super enjoyable game to watch and really glad we came home with something, fully deserved that at least. Possibly and probably more. Thought another long throw was gunna fall for us at the end there. Fair play to Wells and Cornick leading the line today, both did really well. On to the next, COYR.

The comment in the presser about losing players and hoping the club resists - not many players would apply but it just felt like it if it was about someone it would be about Zak with his contract still up in the air.

He's the only one in the squad that I see that can draw a player and slip past them into good space, just can't do it on the run and at good pace that Scott could consistently. We miss Naismith massively when he ain't playing. He may make mistakes but brings a level of confidence on the ball the rest of the team don't have. Scott would draw players to him and there's your space beyond. We don't have that right now and it's really showing.

If we had a midfield that got on the ball more and could maneuver about instead of being static then our fullbacks and wingers could get more into games. No Scott to pick the ball up, drive past others and create space for the rest of our team. I don't mind our midfield options but Knight, Williams, King and James don't bring anything like that. Naismith can do it a bit from deeper but further up past the half way line we don't have that. The amount of times Scott would receive the ball, drive past a player or two ten yards further up and then release someone else who had more space because of that action gave us a real threat. A change in formation with what we have available will just show the same issues. Sideways passing in front of a block of players who are willing to sit in and break when we inevitably can't break them down. That's what we are missing.

Need someone strong enough to hold the ball up too as well as someone who can link up from back to front. Even with Semenyo's sometimes poor touch, decent pace and good drive - players would bounce off him and he could hold it up. The front three across the line that we have available right now struggle to hold the ball up whatsoever. Lost count the amount of times we got the ball to a forward player today for it to get pinched by a Brum player. Fair play to them, have a real identity and a lot of physical players with some nice bits of quality sprinkled in. If they can keep their main players fit they'll be pushing the top six/ten for sure.

Roberts looked okay, James did his usual thing, Sykes did alright but really needs to learn to beat the front man. Max made a few good saves but kicking really poor. Dickie probably the stand-out again in a poor group of individual performances, and they looked like individuals today, not a team performance whatsoever. Rest of them didn't do much at all, Williams, Knight, Tanner, Bell, Cornick and Mehmeti all letting the game pass them by. Really really poor.

Nowhere near enough quality or drive in the midfield, said it weeks and weeks ago, without Scott or Naismith to link up this team will struggle to create. Sunjic and Bielik just in there and disrupting everything and anything. Not glamorous but letting their forward players go and do the business.

I've seen Lee Johnson and Neil Kilkenny score goals before. Must have really upset you since you remembered what I said, he looked a step off the pace on the weekend and let the game pass him by totally. It'll happen again at Millwall if he ain't up to standard. Even Martyn Woolford looked like a world beater and had a great start in the league over a decade ago and look how that worked out. For someone who is so quick to wet the bed each week and blame someone it's quite funny how quick you come to Knight's aid. He's had a solid game against weaker opposition and put a lot of effort in tonight. I said in previous threads I like him but I just hope he doesn't go missing like he did on the weekend. Need to have that effort every week in the league considering our midfield. It's all a bit too similar bar Naismith. His performance against PNE was something Kilkenny used to pull every week and if you don't agree with that then we watch different games and that's fair enough.

Woops.

That's that then

Oh no, Billy Bodin starting for them, can see it now.

Batter Cornick all you like but there were worse performers than him yesterday. Tanner, Pring (second half) and Knight all had worse games then our resident flak taker. Hope we haven't paid 2m for another Kilkenny, thought Knight was really off it. Couldn't control the ball, lots of endeavour but really little quality. If Scott does magically stay my midfield three is still Naismith, Scott and James, none of the others come close to what these three can do together.

missing Naismith a lot, no passes going from deep into midfield into good positions. Hitting a wall of players after the first pass time and time again. Fair play to Preston but we aren't doing enough when we have it.

Not sure if he is available but maybe Killian Phillips at Palace would be a half-decent replacement for Scott, did well at Shrewsbury last year. Chuck a bit of cash for him and O'Brien if that is still being looked at too.

Maybe a midfielder on loan at the end of the window, other than that I don't see us signing two or three more.

Would prefer someone more creative to come in to midfield but there doesn't seem to be many up and coming players in League One/League Two that fit that role who could possibly make the jump up. Unless we take a risk and look overseas for that type of player it is probably smart to go for someone who is reliable at this level and still has room for improvement in Knight. Looks like we're going to have a lot of energy and running in this squad but think we might get unstuck against some teams who sit in and look to counter and win the percentages at set pieces, something which has been our Achilles heel in recent years. Feel like our main sources for creativity will be Mehmeti and Naismith who can make something out of little. Another player who can do the midfield work and add that killer pass or drive past players from that position would be massive for our team. I like Knight and think he will be a good signing if he is to come but is he someone who is going to come in and be a real difference maker on the pitch? We'll have to wait and see.

Maybe Wilson might go the other way, Derby friend of mine says they need wingbacks so that would be a good move for him if he isn't going to get time here.

Maybe Warne has offered him more of a guaranteed starting position and he's thinking through his options which is fair enough.

Creativity and more legs in midfield for me - options from James, Williams, Naismith, McCrorie, King, OTC are fine but think we need something a little more in terms of creating chances - especially if Scott does go and Benarous doesn't make the step-up when he returns from injury. And a back-up keeper for Max to compete with. I'd be happy with the summer if it ended at that after these first three signings and the two I'd hope to see.

Shame but nice to see we have other targets lined up ready to go. Good young cover for atkinson and Pring. Can play LWB, LB and LCB. Derby mate of mine said he played LCB mostly as they played wingbacks most of the year but he did play a bit at LWB and LB. Perhaps that's the O'Brien stuff from January moved on from too.

Coventry bottom for a long time at the start of this season, look at where they are now. QPR top at October now look at them, a fast start doesn't mean anything.

Williams been really good so far, shame he hasn't been fit to put in these types of performances this season.