Pretty much a new squad.....

[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.’’