Pretty much a new squad.....

[Robbored]

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.....

[ColeCiderRed]

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? 

[Southport Red]

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. 

[steviestevieneville]

It’ll take a while for them to gel no doubt and hope there’s no knee jerk reaction to a few poor performance . A few of them never kicked a ball in English football

i do hope however that after identifying these players that LJ has a formation and style of play in place to suit them.

[downendcity]

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.

[Red-Robbo]

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.

[Monkeh]

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? 

[Numero Uno]

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........

[steveybadger]

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. 

[Crimson Crayola]

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.

[eardun]

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.

[Oops]

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.

 

[Padlad]

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.

[054123]

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.

[Robbored]

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......

[Red Army 75]

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

[chipdawg]

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

[INCRED]

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

[LondonBristolian]

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.

[Judda]

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!

[Jeez]

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

 

[BcfcDuncs]

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

[spudski]

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.

 

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

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.

[LondonBristolian]

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?

[LondonBristolian]

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.

[Tinmans Love Child]

1 hour ago, Numero Uno said:

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

Agreed, Packs distribution was shocking v Leeds and IMO his best days were a couple of seasons back, thanks for the memories but I won’t lose any sleep

[CotswoldRed]

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? 

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

1 minute 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.

Ok, fair enough.  Clearly the signings of Nagy and the french lad left us with a surfeit of midfielders so if Cardiff came knocking for Pack, he was likely to go for a decent fee.

[Baldyman]

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 ? 

[Tinmans Love Child]

Just now, Baldyman said:

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 ? 

But boy it’s exciting to see what happens!  

[LondonBristolian]

4 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Ok, fair enough.  Clearly the signings of Nagy and the french lad left us with a surfeit of midfielders so if Cardiff came knocking for Pack, he was likely to go for a decent fee.

Indeed. But I would go a step further and say it is strange that, in the last hour of the transfer window, Cardiff suddenly decided to enquire about the captain of their rivals. It is a last minute scramble to sign players at that point so I don’t believe Cardiff would have made a bid unless they had been discreetly informed we would be minded to accept it if they did...

[Northern Red]

With Pato and his able deputy Pack gone, who will be the new scapegoat?

My money's on Fammy.

[Portland Bill]

1 hour 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.

I haven’t got any likes left today, but this post deserves one

I’m honestly not sure if LJ knows what his own plans are. I keep saying it, but he constantly complains of no leaders in the team, then gets rid of any we have.

Whilst signing obviously good players is good, we also know that the Championship is an unforgiving league where experience of the league is vital, especially in central midfield. Has he signed any real experience in that area?

Ive never known our club turn around a squad so often, it’s constant change. Just when is our coach going to coach players into what he wants from them, rather than just selling and buying and hoping the next one is the correct one.

We were told that it would take 3-4 transfer windows for him to get what he wanted, so why hasn’t he now got a settled squad, with a settled formation and a settled way of playing?.

 I for one haven’t got a clue how we will line up and what our tactical master plan will be this week, the same as I’m still trying to figure out what the plan was for Leeds!

[LondonBristolian]

16 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

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? 

My assumption is the belief up to that point was the squad- plus the loanees and a new striker and goalkeeper - would be good enough to replicate our best form last season and that all we needed to do was adjust around the edges.

My hypothesis was the Palace game was a complete shock. It was our final friendly and we did not compete. However one game is easy to dismiss as an aberration and I imagine LJ would have been confident we would still turn it on against Leeds. I think our performance on Sunday proved it wasn’t.

[The chief]

Given how in previous Jan windows we have been hugely reluctant to go for it, this represents a massive change of approach!  It’s ballsy alright, but I guess the fees we’ve received this summer, esp Webster have created an opportunity.

Big job for Lee and team to integrate the new players, so we could see yet more losing and winning runs, but we’ve invested in a lot of talent and gone for an overhaul as opposed to a tweak. We were so close last season to play offs, but conversely also some way off the top teams. I can’t wait to see what this new lot can achieve.

Good we have a cup game next week too. 

 

[Major Isewater]

2 hours ago, Monkeh said:

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? 

Fitness and coaching of playing style , formations, team bonding, other than that what had preseason ever done for us ?

[Red Exile]

6 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

My assumption is the belief up to that point was the squad- plus the loanees and a new striker and goalkeeper - would be good enough to replicate our best form last season and that all we needed to do was adjust around the edges.

My hypothesis was the Palace game was a complete shock. It was our final friendly and we did not compete. However one game is easy to dismiss as an aberration and I imagine LJ would have been confident we would still turn it on against Leeds. I think our performance on Sunday proved it wasn’t.

Truth is that FGR outplayed us for periods of our friendly against them, much better organised. What got us back into the game was a stroke of good fortune with a deflection and what appeared to be our superior fitness. Didn't LJ say something afterwards about jet-lag, and then about heads not being right? The Palace match was a bit of a fiasco - the only home friendly and get tanked. But it shouldn't have come as that much of a surprise.

[Ska Junkie]

Crikey, does anyone want to try and 2nd guess the team for Saturday? 

-----------------------------------------------------------Bentley

Hunt / Pereira------------------Kalas----------------------------Moore / Baker--------------------Dasilva

__________________________________Nagy (asking a lot IMHO)

------------------------------Brownhill------------Palmer /Massengo----------------------Eliasson

----------------------------------------Diedhou-------------------Afobe

Man, that's a lot of new players!

[Major Isewater]

29 minutes ago, Baldyman said:

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 ? 

I think the answer lies in too many disappointments and near misses with the squad we had .

I am delighted that the club have seen what we have seen ; that certain players weren’t quite up to the level where we want to go and never would be .

Pato , on his day , a brilliant, unstoppable player. His days weren’t frequent enough for the Championship let alone if and when we go up .

Fielding , lovely bloke , consumate pro , and a good shot stopper . Start adding injuries into his wayward kicking and lack of authority in his penalty area = look for improvement.

Pack, Mr Dependable, top bloke , not reactive enough to the opposition press and too slow with his distribution = we can do better.

The list goes on .

We loved these players and for me they will always hold a special place in my heart for the double winning season they gave us however life goes on and the new boys will write the next chapter in our history.

The players are monitored constantly by the club and hard facts rule over any sentimental judgments . It would have been a collective decision as to who left and who comes in.

 

[GlastonburyRed]

With so many new players I just worry our 'pre-season' will be taking place in August & September. 

[Nicki's soulmate]

9 hours ago, Lucan said:

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

Sticking your neck out a bit there

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

38 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

Indeed. But I would go a step further and say it is strange that, in the last hour of the transfer window, Cardiff suddenly decided to enquire about the captain of their rivals. It is a last minute scramble to sign players at that point so I don’t believe Cardiff would have made a bid unless they had been discreetly informed we would be minded to accept it if they did...

Or maybe they had made a tentative enquiry earlier and we had said yes, subject to us signing one or two players...

[Garland-sweden]

We all saw sunday that our team was far from good. I welcome the new players and am excited what they will bring. Take time to gel, but I think and hope we will have a good season.

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

11 minutes ago, Ska Junkie said:

Crikey, does anyone want to try and 2nd guess the team for Saturday? 

-----------------------------------------------------------Bentley

Hunt / Pereira------------------Kalas----------------------------Moore / Baker--------------------Dasilva

__________________________________Nagy (asking a lot IMHO)

------------------------------Brownhill------------Palmer /Massengo----------------------Eliasson

----------------------------------------Diedhou-------------------Afobe

Man, that's a lot of new players!

I think he has to play Brownhill in the holding role for this one, even if it is a short term fix while Nagy gets up to speed.  Maybe:

Bentley

Pereira Kalas Moore Dasilva

Brownhill

Eliasson Palmer Massengo Weimann

Diedhiou

subs including Nagy, Afobe and Taylor

[LondonBristolian]

42 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

Truth is that FGR outplayed us for periods of our friendly against them, much better organised. What got us back into the game was a stroke of good fortune with a deflection and what appeared to be our superior fitness. Didn't LJ say something afterwards about jet-lag, and then about heads not being right? The Palace match was a bit of a fiasco - the only home friendly and get tanked. But it shouldn't have come as that much of a surprise.

I was almost going to include the FGR game too but absolutely. I think the assumption was everything was suddenly going to click at some point until it became clear it really wasn't.

[LondonBristolian]

33 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Or maybe they had made a tentative enquiry earlier and we had said yes, subject to us signing one or two players...

It's possible. I remain skeptical though. They were after another midfielder and the move for Pack seems to have come purely from leftfield. If I was a betting man, I'd say the idea came up during the conversations over Reid...

[Son of Fred]

10 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? 

Very likely the tombola is getting a wipe down & damn good spraying of WD40..

[Portland Bill]

35 minutes ago, Robert the bruce said:

Very likely the tombola is getting a wipe down & damn good spraying of WD40..

Very true. With a whole new set of names going into it.

[Dan Robin]

Maybe too many incomings, especially considering that we did well last season, but time will tell...

 

 

[Robbored]

1 hour ago, Robert the bruce said:

Very likely the tombola is getting a wipe down & damn good spraying of WD40..

Why the cynicism RB?

Aren't you pleased that the revenue generated by the sale of Kelly and Webster has be reinvested into the playing squad?  

Its now up to LJ and his assistants to blend the new signings into a decent team and although it might take a while I’m sure they’ll be successful.

[flipflopcity]

OUR NEW TEAM

An emerging CB 

NEW MIDFIELD

A new Front Man.

We have been for a long time useless and very slow in midfield, Marlon was a good servant but recently lost the quickness now needed in the championship.

These Changes have been necessary since the start of Last Season so LJ's BOLD approach might just be what we need.I hope so, In MHO I don't think the protection to the defence has been up to scratch, AW made up for the short commings, Hopefully we have solved that, only time will tell. The strikers have not had the service in the correct areas to enable them to get shots away fast enough and often enough to score so fingers crossed our changes will make the difference. This is the best time to make these changes as the first 5 - 10 games are recoverable if it dosent work.

[soultrader]

3 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

Fitness and coaching of playing style , formations, team bonding, other than that what had preseason ever done for us ?

Exposue to new markets in America?

[BobBobSuperBob]

2 minutes ago, soultrader said:

Exposue to new markets in America?

More about Bristol Sport than the football

[soultrader]

1 minute ago, BobBobSuperBob said:

More about Bristol Sport than the football

Whoosh

[Gillies Downs Leeds]

I don't think this will be the team / formation tomorrow, but a team i would like to see

                                 Bentley

                Kalas       Moore      Baker

Hunt or Perreira                                       DaSilva

                Brownhill            Rowe or Nagy

                               Palmer

               Weimann               Afobe

We played with 3 at the back against Derby pre-season, in the game that was washed out and that was the best i saw us play.

 

 

 

 

[Up The City!]

6 hours 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.

Last grasp? Considering LJ said it would be a bold summer, and bold it certainly has been then I'd say there was a high level of planning that went into all of this, rather than being last grasp. 

Our number 1 target ****** us over at the last minute, I don't blame the lad but Arsenal I certainly do blame. Whilst BA wasn't our first choice, it's better to have him than no one right? 

[exAtyeoMax]

Quite excited about the next home game now, wasn’t to optimistic about it after the Leeds debacle. Was looking forward more to trying the goat curry than the match itself. Now, can’t wait...COYRs

 

[Lrrr]

4 hours ago, Tinmans Love Child said:

Packs distribution was shocking v Leeds

Go on then, how many passes do you think he misplaced against Leeds? Against Leeds his job wasn't to play the balls forward, it was to intercept their passes and recycle the ball which he did, he only misplaced passes (bar a couple) when he looked to play long to the final 3rd.

[Bristol Oil Services]

2 hours ago, Dan Robin said:

Maybe too many incomings, especially considering that we did well last season, but time will tell...

 

 

You say we did "well" but the owner has been clear about what he wants and it's not "being up there just after Christmas then falling apart/away" or finishing 8th. He was talking about us challenging "at the other end of the table" when Cotts was still here.

LJ will be clearer than anyone what SL wants and expects. I imagine he thought we are not going to do much better than 8th with Marlon, Pato and co.

This is a "bold" move by LJ to try and go the next step - to be a top six/play off side.

[petehinton]

I guess now we will really see the trueness of the 'new players need 30 training sessions to bed in' thing that LJ has said he needs too

[City1984]

5 hours ago, spudski said:

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.

 

A. Very good summary @spudski and level well thought out opinion which I personally share. 

I believe a certain amount of change and freshness was needed ,although the departures of some players has often left me with a mixed feeling, usually  somewhere between sentimental sadness and positive excitement to how things play out. 

I am as always, fully on board and behind our beloved football club.

Come On You Reds

[Tinmans Love Child]

4 hours ago, hodge said:

Go on then, how many passes do you think he misplaced against Leeds? Against Leeds his job wasn't to play the balls forward, it was to intercept their passes and recycle the ball which he did, he only misplaced passes (bar a couple) when he looked to play long to the final 3rd.

No idea, I didn’t realise I was going to get quizzed on it so didn’t count

[Spud55]

9 hours ago, CotswoldRed said:

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? 

Maybe it didn't and we were always planning to offload them if a decent offer was around, but like Spudski says everything is left so late that we may have been happy to offload Pack and Pato in June but not enough business had been done by us and other teams to make the domino's start to fall meaning that it all gets done in a flurry at the end. Despite the fact that the majority of the moves have been there or there abouts for a while. 

[Lrrr]

16 minutes ago, Tinmans Love Child said:

No idea, I didn’t realise I was going to get quizzed on it so didn’t count

He mis placed 5 maybe 6 in the game and its a small percentage of his overall amount attempted, however one was a header, and 3 or 4 were playing over a third of the pitch aiming for the final 3rd. As said he passed off to other players to get us up the pitch, his job was to recycle the ball which he did. 

[bristolcitysweden]

Lee is pushing on something his old man did not in 2008

[steveybadger]

Posted this earlier in this thread. I know it’s early days but 12 days and a few games on a quick review of it suggests things look promising:

‘’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 willbe really interesting finding out.’’