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I like to use the first Ten games as a benchmark, that's what I'd call a settling down point.
Having said that this squad doesn't look like a top half team to me, the only good thing as far as I can see Is we won't be near the bottom three come next March/April and that's fine by me.
Just a thought If Michael Frey was to get Injured long term what do we do? Stand around In a group with our hands In our pockets, staring at the floor mumbling.
My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic.
I thought top 10 and haven't changed my mind. Even think 8th. Not firing as we bed in new players, yet only 1 lose, is an OK start. And I think Varane playing that central midfield role will be key.
based on the 6 games so far don't think we'll finish higher than 15th but if we can find the right balance in midfield and the wide areas we could finish top half
It feels a bit like the JFH season but with a better manager, lots of new players with potential who will need time to settle into a new league and a new country but at the moment quite boring to watch
I think we'll improve. It took a while before Cifuentes got the team firing last season and weirdly once again the results we're getting don't seem very related to the quality or league position of the opposition. I'm not ready to write off Celar yet and Chair's return should give us a boost, too.
Thought we’d be top half if Celar was the man we’d been looking for; instead it’s Frey Bentos giving us some meat up front. Fair play. Too early to call at moment but my gut feel now is 14th if Bentos stays fit.
If I’m honest we look a bit of a disjointed rabble for large parts of games at the moment. Lacking pace and physicality plus also missing skill and craft that Chair will hopefully bring. I’d also like to see a bit more Leadership
Best player we’ve signed under Marti’s reign.?? For me so far it’s Nardi followed by Frey I suspect Dembele will take that “best signing” accolade though and if Saito clicks and starts doing 90 mins he won’t be far behind
Cherish and enjoy life.... this ain't no dress rehearsal
Thought we’d be top half if Celar was the man we’d been looking for; instead it’s Frey Bentos giving us some meat up front. Fair play. Too early to call at moment but my gut feel now is 14th if Bentos stays fit.
If I’m honest we look a bit of a disjointed rabble for large parts of games at the moment. Lacking pace and physicality plus also missing skill and craft that Chair will hopefully bring. I’d also like to see a bit more Leadership
Best player we’ve signed under Marti’s reign.?? For me so far it’s Nardi followed by Frey I suspect Dembele will take that “best signing” accolade though and if Saito clicks and starts doing 90 mins he won’t be far behind
With the profile of signing we made - age and the levels they came from - this was always going to take time. A lot of time. I think we might only see this team click, if it does, around March-April. I think it could be like those first couple of years in Second Div with Holloway, where you're making so many changes and bringing in so many punts that the first two thirds of the season are inevitably all over the show, then we finish really strongly as everybody gets up to speed. It's a building process. And, as it stands, we haven't lost a game since the opening day. Sure, lucky at Sheff Wed, poor against Millwall, but Plymouth at home ten shots on target that's a win ordinarily and we were good value at Luton. We're not losing, while we're building.
The second is Chair hasn't played yet. This team didn't even function to the tune of being able to win a game AT ALL without him previously. Now it's capable of losing just one of its first 7 or 8 games without him.
A slow burn for sure but its already a lot better than this time last year. We needed to refresh the squad with younger players and have done that. There's clearly talent there and they will get better with time.
Chair returning will obviously be a big factor. He has the champ experience the newer guys lack.
20th I'd guess. Won't be surprised to see Chair, if he returns from injury, and JCS sold in January, and Marti to move on during the season or next summer.
20th I'd guess. Won't be surprised to see Chair, if he returns from injury, and JCS sold in January, and Marti to move on during the season or next summer.
20th I'd guess. Won't be surprised to see Chair, if he returns from injury, and JCS sold in January, and Marti to move on during the season or next summer.
With the profile of signing we made - age and the levels they came from - this was always going to take time. A lot of time. I think we might only see this team click, if it does, around March-April. I think it could be like those first couple of years in Second Div with Holloway, where you're making so many changes and bringing in so many punts that the first two thirds of the season are inevitably all over the show, then we finish really strongly as everybody gets up to speed. It's a building process. And, as it stands, we haven't lost a game since the opening day. Sure, lucky at Sheff Wed, poor against Millwall, but Plymouth at home ten shots on target that's a win ordinarily and we were good value at Luton. We're not losing, while we're building.
The second is Chair hasn't played yet. This team didn't even function to the tune of being able to win a game AT ALL without him previously. Now it's capable of losing just one of its first 7 or 8 games without him.
Exactly. Of the summer signings I think only Dembele has any Championship or English league experience?
It has been a reasonable start......I have only been disappointed with the Millwall performance.
Top half is well achievable with the squad that we have got. Key is seeing if the new foreign players improve because they, apart from Nardi & Frey, are not as exciting as I would expect, in fact playing very average indeed.
Only one point better off than this stage last season (2W, 4L), but how big a difference does not losing (1W, 4D, 1L) make in the entire mood around the team and where we are heading to.
Ironically, both pre-seasons not great. OK, not great this season better than the complete train smash of last! But a mini cup run this year helped to boost optimism.
So on paper, not much better than last season, but in terms of general feeling and planning, so much progress.
Only one point better off than this stage last season (2W, 4L), but how big a difference does not losing (1W, 4D, 1L) make in the entire mood around the team and where we are heading to.
Ironically, both pre-seasons not great. OK, not great this season better than the complete train smash of last! But a mini cup run this year helped to boost optimism.
So on paper, not much better than last season, but in terms of general feeling and planning, so much progress.
I get your point about "mini cup run", but my lord how far have we fallen for that to even make any sense!
I get your point about "mini cup run", but my lord how far have we fallen for that to even make any sense!
I think the "cup run" at least didn't leave the mental scars of losing to a team 2 divisions lower playing much better than us. We actually won a game in normal playing time and beat a team supposedly better than us on penalties. Eventually lost to a Premier League team while giving a good account of ourselves. In short, positive experience instead of the annual humiliation.
The major positive so far, and as others have alluded to, we’ve managed to pick up points while clearly being very disorganised and trying to work out our best team. We’ve come from behind to claim a point or more on a few occasions already this season – that’s massive for us. How many times last season and the season before, the opposition scoring first was pretty much game over. We’ve changed the narrative there. However, there’s no getting away from the fact somethings not right in our style. No composure, no guts to take the ball under pressure and play a pass that can split the lines. On occasions it’s just the very basic ability to control the ball and pass 5 feet which is going wrong. Home form has also been a major issue for some time.
But, a year of this team developing and learning about the Championship, making a call on those players not up to the level in the summer, and if required some further tweaking should be the plan. I think a Varane and a Saito in a year’s time will be very different players, better players, as will Dembele. The jury is out on Celar and Madsen but they too have shown glimpses. It’s not going to be a great season, it’s about putting the building blocks in place, but taking a look at what we’re like in a year’s time should be when we really judge the Manager, the signings and new structure at the club.
PS – I appreciate if we start dropping points, then the ‘next season plan’ is likely to be shelved but I hope we hold our nerve.
I think positives for me are we have been hard to beat, Dembele & Nardi have been impressive so far, we've looked a threat from set pieces (especially Dembele's corners and Frey's had a remarkable redemption arc from comic figure to potential cult hero in the space of about a month.
I don't think the performances have been as good as last season, I was disappointed on Saturday but I think in defence of that, Marti is clearly trying to get us play more expensively, we are missing our best player and there are players like Madsen, Celar, Varane who you'd hope will improve as the season goes on. I think all of those elements, as Clive says, will mean it'll take time for things to click.
The major positive so far, and as others have alluded to, we’ve managed to pick up points while clearly being very disorganised and trying to work out our best team. We’ve come from behind to claim a point or more on a few occasions already this season – that’s massive for us. How many times last season and the season before, the opposition scoring first was pretty much game over. We’ve changed the narrative there. However, there’s no getting away from the fact somethings not right in our style. No composure, no guts to take the ball under pressure and play a pass that can split the lines. On occasions it’s just the very basic ability to control the ball and pass 5 feet which is going wrong. Home form has also been a major issue for some time.
But, a year of this team developing and learning about the Championship, making a call on those players not up to the level in the summer, and if required some further tweaking should be the plan. I think a Varane and a Saito in a year’s time will be very different players, better players, as will Dembele. The jury is out on Celar and Madsen but they too have shown glimpses. It’s not going to be a great season, it’s about putting the building blocks in place, but taking a look at what we’re like in a year’s time should be when we really judge the Manager, the signings and new structure at the club.
PS – I appreciate if we start dropping points, then the ‘next season plan’ is likely to be shelved but I hope we hold our nerve.
I think we are outsiders for the playoffs We have had a tough start WBA who are flying and two relegated teams away , the home form is a bit disappointing bit we have Chair to return JCS has stayed , we have depth in the squad and an innovative manager , The new signings need time Frey is an example of that . We have only lost once . I dont see six teams in this league who are obviously better than us
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