Positives v Negatives

[Roe]

Personally I think the reality hit home that we've essentially still got the same group of players that's finished 17th and 14th the last 2 seasons

Some of the younger talents being a year on may be helpful, but the flipside of that is the likes of James, Weimann and King also having another year on the clock

[Bristol Oil Services]

34 minutes ago, Roe said:

Personally I think the reality hit home that we've essentially still got the same group of players that's finished 17th and 14th the last 2 seasons

Some of the younger talents being a year on may be helpful, but the flipside of that is the likes of James, Weimann and King also having another year on the clock

Interesting point, I was looking at the team we put out v Sunderland a year ago and the one on Saturday and I fancied last year's to edge the team we have right now (bearing in mind a couple of key injuries currently).

At this point, is Harry Cornick an improvement on Chris Martin? He's more mobile I suppose.

Looking at the two sides, then the performance Saturday, it was difficult to feel the optimism there has been on here all summer, difficult to see the qualitative difference. 

But we have injuries, and it is too hasty to read too much into one performances. And we're a point ahead of last season already.

 

[SuperRed]

Preston had clearly done their homework and nullified Pring going forward through Browne and Potts. They were happy for Tanner to be free knowing that he offers little going forward. Hopefully McCrorie at right back will give us another attacking dimension.

[TDarwall]

13 minutes ago, SuperRed said:

Preston had clearly done their homework and nullified Pring going forward through Browne and Potts. They were happy for Tanner to be free knowing that he offers little going forward. Hopefully McCrorie at right back will give us another attacking dimension.

Tanner was poor going forward on Sat, but in the past he's been very effective. For whatever reason neither  Tanner/Cornick nor Cam/Bell worked as partnerships on Sat. 

The good news is that we have competition I'm most positions so if things don't improve we have other options.

[Clutton Caveman]

17 minutes ago, SuperRed said:

Preston had clearly done their homework and nullified Pring going forward through Browne and Potts. They were happy for Tanner to be free knowing that he offers little going forward. Hopefully McCrorie at right back will give us another attacking dimension.

Watching the championship highlights it struck me how many non UK players were involved and in many cases proving the flair for their team. We seem to focus on Scotland and leagues 1 and 2 for our recruitment. Typically at best we get young players who can improve or quite average players who can fill a role. If you consider our recent recruitment there have been few players who can really make a big difference. Nige has built a team on mainly good reliable professionals. If they are well organised and well motivated they should secure a mid table finish. I think given the financial restraints this would be seen as mission accomplished.

The question is what happens at the end of this season. Will Nige want another 2 years? Will our better players be happy to stay at a team with medium ambition.

For me the only way we can really improve is to spend money on a class recruitment team that spreads the net far wider. Having steadied the ship, if Scott does go for big money I think investment in the recruitment team would be a very positive step.

[Clutton Caveman]

12 minutes ago, TDarwall said:

Tanner was poor going forward on Sat, but in the past he's been very effective. For whatever reason neither  Tanner/Cornick nor Cam/Bell worked as partnerships on Sat. 

The good news is that we have competition I'm most positions so if things don't improve we have other options.

When Tanner had the ball, too often Connick was behind his man and there was no ball inside.

Overall our lack of off the ball movement reminded me so much of early last year.

We moaned at the amount of passing along the back line but with no one showing for a pass to feet they had to hoof it long.

I hope this is fixed far quicker this year than last

[Major Isewater]

12 hours ago, pillred said:

Not sure that's the point, we all, well most knew that, how we were mostly outplayed/muscled was the most disappointing thing about the game.  

This wasn’t supposed to happen. We are told that we are robust and fitter than other teams aren’t we? 
Preston have the key to success in maintaining Championship status on limited resources. I thought we were going to be like them or Luton but with a bit more flair to enable us to bother the top six. 
 

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, Clutton Caveman said:

When Tanner had the ball, too often Connick was behind his man and there was no ball inside.

Overall our lack of off the ball movement reminded me so much of early last year.

We moaned at the amount of passing along the back line but with no one showing for a pass to feet they had to hoof it long.

I hope this is fixed far quicker this year than last

In fairness to Cornick, he’s creating space for Tanner to drive into. Not always, but there were passes available to play Cornick in.  The ball inside is usually where James and Scott come to receive.  James offered none of that and of course Scott wasn’t playing.  Having said that Tanner played one ball inside straight to the PNE midfielder and never got his head up again.

[Bristol Oil Services]

3 hours ago, Clutton Caveman said:

Watching the championship highlights it struck me how many non UK players were involved and in many cases proving the flair for their team. We seem to focus on Scotland and leagues 1 and 2 for our recruitment. Typically at best we get young players who can improve or quite average players who can fill a role. If you consider our recent recruitment there have been few players who can really make a big difference. Nige has built a team on mainly good reliable professionals. If they are well organised and well motivated they should secure a mid table finish. I think given the financial restraints this would be seen as mission accomplished.

The question is what happens at the end of this season. Will Nige want another 2 years? Will our better players be happy to stay at a team with medium ambition.

For me the only way we can really improve is to spend money on a class recruitment team that spreads the net far wider. Having steadied the ship, if Scott does go for big money I think investment in the recruitment team would be a very positive step.

Reckon Steve's had his fill of all these tricksy foreign fellows for now, over the last five six years. It didn't really get us anywhere, other than in a bit of a pickle, Kodjia transfer fee aside (there might've been others but they don't spring immediately to this mind. I will no doubt be educated otherwise). All the big money other than Kodj has been from Webster, Lloyd, Brownhill, Flint, I think, good solid British lads. Like Burnley did under Dyche.

Weimann an obvious exception to the rule, he was a safer bet having been in this country for years.