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Ruthlessness in improving the team for the Premier League

T

The Situation

Striker
Very often clubs can get sentimental and there's a tendency to stick with players who have got you promoted due to a sense of loyalty, to the detriment of results.

It's really tough on some fantastic lads who have helped us get back to the Premier League who will always be held in high regard here as a result, but the club must be commended on not standing still and being ruthless with the efficiency in which they've brought significant improvements in.

To put it into context and assuming the Xhaka deal gets completed, Jobe wouldn't actually be starting in our current midfield 3 as the aforementioned Xhaka, Diarra and Le Fee would all be ahead of him, and his sale feels so long ago now.

When you look at what a potential starting 11 looks like for us and with a focus on positions we are still being strongly linked with improving (and will almost certainly improve within the next couple of weeks), we could very realistically be going into the opening game of the Premier League season with only 3 starters remaining from the promotion season, one of whom is Le Fee and is theoretically classed as a new signing too:

New GK

Hume New CB New CB Reinildo

Diarra Xhaka Le Fee

Talbi---------------------------------------Adringa

Isidor or Mayenda
​
I'm thrilled the club are so intent on improving so efficiently, and realistically it's the only way for us to even give ourselves half a chance in the current PL era, but it must be pretty crap for some key players from last season to know that they're unlikely to see the fruits of their labour and will mostly either be glued to the bench or told to move on.

I know they'll have had wage increases upon promotion. I know there'll be posts about them crying into their sports cars and stacks of money. It's part and parcel of the sport and we are absolutely doing the correct thing, but at the same time there's no harm sparing a thought for some decent lads who got us to the dance who must be pretty gutted.

Such is life/football I guess!
 

Yes, it's a good job our ownership is not as sentimental as some of our fans, but it must be tough to go through the emotions of a promotion like that and not get to enjoy the next stage. I still think it'll be great to see LO'N play for us in the PL and although we know he's unlikely to play a significant role, we also know he won't let anyone down for trying if he's given the chance, and his versatility might yet come in handy. For other lads who are locals, it will also be felt acutely if they don't play. I hope there are some good moves lined up for them, if they know they are now surplus. Some others will get chances and will no doubt surprise us, even if not as first choice players.
 
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The Situation said:
Very often clubs can get sentimental and there's a tendency to stick with players who have got you promoted due to a sense of loyalty, to the detriment of results.

It's really tough on some fantastic lads who have helped us get back to the Premier League who will always be held in high regard here as a result, but the club must be commended on not standing still and being ruthless with the efficiency in which they've brought significant improvements in.

To put it into context and assuming the Xhaka deal gets completed, Jobe wouldn't actually be starting in our current midfield 3 as the aforementioned Xhaka, Diarra and Le Fee would all be ahead of him, and his sale feels so long ago now.

When you look at what a potential starting 11 looks like for us and with a focus on positions we are still being strongly linked with improving (and will almost certainly improve within the next couple of weeks), we could very realistically be going into the opening game of the Premier League season with only 3 starters remaining from the promotion season, one of whom is Le Fee and is theoretically classed as a new signing too:

New GK

Hume New CB New CB Reinildo

Diarra Xhaka Le Fee

Talbi---------------------------------------Adringa

Isidor or Mayenda
​
I'm thrilled the club are so intent on improving so efficiently, and realistically it's the only way for us to even give ourselves half a chance in the current PL era, but it must be pretty crap for some key players from last season to know that they're unlikely to see the fruits of their labour and will mostly either be glued to the bench or told to move on.

I know they'll have had wage increases upon promotion. I know there'll be posts about them crying into their sports cars and stacks of money. It's part and parcel of the sport and we are absolutely doing the correct thing, but at the same time there's no harm sparing a thought for some decent lads who got us to the dance who must be pretty gutted.

Such is life/football I guess!
Click to expand...
The ruthlessness was evident by letting the likes of Batth and Pritchard know they wouldn’t be first choice. Whether that was right or wrong, it was an illustration that sentiment would not be allowed to get in the way of progress.
At the same time, the club have still illustrated a supporting nature by looking after the likes of Evans and Huggins with extended deals after they suffered long term injuries so it’s not purely a cut throat approach. It’s just professional.
 
The Situation said:
To put it into context and assuming the Xhaka deal gets completed, Jobe wouldn't actually be starting in our current midfield 3 as the aforementioned Xhaka, Diarra and Le Fee would all be ahead of him, and his sale feels so long ago now.
Click to expand...
He would like. Jobe was sold for a higher fee than the new players were bought for. Consider how much Jobe improved from one season to the next, if he did the same again he would be our best player by a distance.


We look to have done some good business, but let’s not start pretending that Jobe wasn’t a phenomenal prospect.
 
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It is.

But my only reservation is that I worry we might not be able to hang on to that sense of TEAM.

We’ve seen the euros bring out the very best in a team against a technically better side, and we did that against Sheff Utd in my opinion, because we had the belief, the right mindset and really believed in one another. The lads were enjoying paying together - look at Jobe and how he spoke about us and how he looked after Ballard scored.

I have a niggling worry that one of our big signings might just end up like a Rodwell. Will they definitely pull together if we are 18th at Christmas?

I hope it’s just a niggle.
 
HellsBells said:
It is.

But my only reservation is that I worry we might not be able to hang on to that sense of TEAM.

We’ve seen the euros bring out the very best in a team against a technically better side, and we did that against Sheff Utd in my opinion, because we had the belief, the right mindset and really believed in one another. The lads were enjoying paying together - look at Jobe and how he spoke about us and how he looked after Ballard scored.

I have a niggling worry that one of our big signings might just end up like a Rodwell. Will they definitely pull together if we are 18th at Christmas?

I hope it’s just a niggle.
Click to expand...
If we buy players with strong work ethic and good team values then it'll have a betterchance of succeeding than sticking with the team we got promoted with
 
Lucky1985 said:
He would like. Jobe was sold for a higher fee than the new players were bought for. Consider how much Jobe improved from one season to the next, if he did the same again he would be our best player by a distance.


We look to have done some good business, but let’s not start pretending that Jobe wasn’t a phenomenal prospect.
Click to expand...
He is a great prospect but still wouldn’t be in our best 11 assuming Xhaka signs
 
The Situation said:
Very often clubs can get sentimental and there's a tendency to stick with players who have got you promoted due to a sense of loyalty, to the detriment of results.

It's really tough on some fantastic lads who have helped us get back to the Premier League who will always be held in high regard here as a result, but the club must be commended on not standing still and being ruthless with the efficiency in which they've brought significant improvements in.

To put it into context and assuming the Xhaka deal gets completed, Jobe wouldn't actually be starting in our current midfield 3 as the aforementioned Xhaka, Diarra and Le Fee would all be ahead of him, and his sale feels so long ago now.

When you look at what a potential starting 11 looks like for us and with a focus on positions we are still being strongly linked with improving (and will almost certainly improve within the next couple of weeks), we could very realistically be going into the opening game of the Premier League season with only 3 starters remaining from the promotion season, one of whom is Le Fee and is theoretically classed as a new signing too:

New GK

Hume New CB New CB Reinildo

Diarra Xhaka Le Fee

Talbi---------------------------------------Adringa

Isidor or Mayenda
​
I'm thrilled the club are so intent on improving so efficiently, and realistically it's the only way for us to even give ourselves half a chance in the current PL era, but it must be pretty crap for some key players from last season to know that they're unlikely to see the fruits of their labour and will mostly either be glued to the bench or told to move on.

I know they'll have had wage increases upon promotion. I know there'll be posts about them crying into their sports cars and stacks of money. It's part and parcel of the sport and we are absolutely doing the correct thing, but at the same time there's no harm sparing a thought for some decent lads who got us to the dance who must be pretty gutted.

Such is life/football I guess!
Click to expand...

Still looks like a weak team, we need more quailty than that....
 
HellsBells said:
It is.

But my only reservation is that I worry we might not be able to hang on to that sense of TEAM.

We’ve seen the euros bring out the very best in a team against a technically better side, and we did that against Sheff Utd in my opinion, because we had the belief, the right mindset and really believed in one another. The lads were enjoying paying together - look at Jobe and how he spoke about us and how he looked after Ballard scored.

I have a niggling worry that one of our big signings might just end up like a Rodwell. Will they definitely pull together if we are 18th at Christmas?

I hope it’s just a niggle.
Click to expand...
Worked for Nottingham forest
 
gretzky said:
Ballard is immense and well capable of playing in the Premier League
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I like him and think he will do a decent job. But, he dallies on the ball too much and lacks pace. He has a brittleness which will be exploited too. We need two new CB’s to help him step his game up further and challenge him to be better than he already is.
 
HellsBells said:
It is.

But my only reservation is that I worry we might not be able to hang on to that sense of TEAM.

We’ve seen the euros bring out the very best in a team against a technically better side, and we did that against Sheff Utd in my opinion, because we had the belief, the right mindset and really believed in one another. The lads were enjoying paying together - look at Jobe and how he spoke about us and how he looked after Ballard scored.

I have a niggling worry that one of our big signings might just end up like a Rodwell. Will they definitely pull together if we are 18th at Christmas?

I hope it’s just a niggle.
Click to expand...
Yes, it's almost inevitable that a consequence of promotion to the PL and wholesale replacement is the loss of some of the togetherness in the squad, but it could potentially be rekindled if they are doing well.

On a similar note, it's kind of inevitable that some of the connection between players and fans is lost, when you are signing players from across the world who are earning money we can't even dream about. We had some youngsters in the side last season who probably don't earn a lot more (or maybe no more at all) than a typical well-paid job. Next season, there will be players in the team picking up many millions per year, who are (let's be honest, at least in some cases) just here for the money, or to earn a bigger move. Hard to feel the same connection in those circumstances.
 
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