As we currently stand


Right now it feels like we are weaker despite the incomings.

GK backup/competition is a concern
Striker situation still feeling worrying despite positive intent with hemir coming in
Despite all the potential still unsure about our ability to manage games without an experienced head in midfield

We haven’t entered the loan market yet which I think we will do probably have a better more balanced view when the window shuts.
 
our defence is sorted
our midfield is sorted
we obviously need another GK, the club surely have that sorted otherwise they wouldn't have let Bass go.....we need 2 forward players in, and I think the club will have that sorted anarl.
I'm expecting at least 1 forward and a GK in before Ipswich game
 
Are we stronger or weaker than last season?

Amad obviously a big miss and not having a Simms or Stewart up front makes us a bit one dimensional at the minute.

Look alike we have a bit more strength in depth in other areas though, and the youngsters like Hume, Neil etc will be a lot stronger than they were at this time last year.

Overall, we seem to look like a top 8 team, but a couple of good acquisitions up front and we could be looking at a comfortable top 6 finish. Unfortunately, we may have to wait until late August to get additional incomings on loan from the prem.
No. Need some real investment on proven players in central midfield and striking positions . Worrying that quite a few injured players who’d be fighting for a first team place are still injured.
 
Without Amad, Simms and Stewarts 31 goals we're weaker, but this can be rectified with a couple of signings.

The rest of the squad I'd say is stronger.

To be fair we still have Stewart and replaced Simms with Semedo as it stands, not a massive difference. Amad is a big loss but joined towards the end of window and started slowly, we start the season with players like Hume, Clarke and Patterson in entirely different places than they were and the difference maker in Ekwah. Stronger imo but depending on what stage I guess.
 
Who replaces the 31 goals we've lost?
Has the window shut like? I don’t really get this argument mind. Same as when Wyke left. We’re not going to be 31 goals down on last season. We just won’t be. To suggest we will be is just silly.

Players step up, other players will come in, other players will have experience to be effective.

If you’re saying we are worse off just because we can’t get Diallo in then what else can you do? Can we get a player of similar quality? Probably not.
 
Without Amad, Simms and Stewarts 31 goals we're weaker, but this can be rectified with a couple of signings.

The rest of the squad I'd say is stronger.
We played majority of the season without two of those players. Even diallo didn’t play until the Boro game.
 
Well, in theory weaker, because we are going to lose Stewart.

But in reality - on that dimension, stronger, assuming Semedo stays fit.

I think the striker links are interesting. They fall into two categories - ones like Cannon (to buy) or Frigan, that will cost £3-5m. And then youngsters that are cheaper.

We are definitely signing one of the latter. The former? One in one out, I think.

Of course losing Amad is huge - but if he was still there, the overall squad is definitely stronger. Particularly at the back. I think we'll be fine. We'll get a top quality loan in, perhaps even Amad himself. Sure of it - the idea Speakman isn't going to loan a top class winger, he won't be able to resist. And people will want to come to us now.
 
Who replaces the 31 goals we've lost?
Also we scored 69 goals last season. Take away 31 would mean we’d score the same as Wigan who scored the least on 38.

My question to you is, do you think next season we will be 31 goals down and we’ll be the lowest scores in the division?
 
from this time last year we are down - Simms, Winchester, Dajaku and Bass only I think. Stewart is still here

We have since added: Alese, Anderson, Triantis, Seelt, Ba, Lihadji, Ekwah, Hemir, Bennete and Bellingham
 
Also we scored 69 goals last season. Take away 31 would mean we’d score the same as Wigan who scored the least on 38.

My question to you is, do you think next season we will be 31 goals down and we’ll be the lowest scores in the division?

We had no strikers fit and kept pace with play-off contenders on goals scored. Objectively we were worse at the back - that's what the stats clearly say.

We are quite clearly trying to get more options up front and have signed a promising young striker already. More will come.

But it makes perfect sense, looking at the teams stats, to prioritise defensive reinforcements. Which we have.

Something the moaners don't want to admit is that we also appear to have warned off interest in our actual best player - as in our own - Jack Clarke.
 
Keeper - slightly worse as Young is way too inexperienced

Defence - stronger. Only Wright has left and we’ve brought in a couple of big lads at the back.

Midfield - not sure. We’ve not got Michut but he wasn’t brilliant. Bellingham has just as much potential as him (if not more) & Rigg looks close to being ready for first team football. Ekwah seems to have come on leaps and bounds too, but we may miss Evans’ experience whilst he’s injured.

Attack - weaker. We only have Semedo fit at the moment. Gelhardt gone (not the type of striker we need anyways), Stewart and/or the agent seemingly not interested in renewing & Diallo unlikely to come back. Will depend how good Lihadji is but we’re definitely weaker overall.

I’d say overall we are only very slightly weaker. Need a keeper & striker in ASAP to help with potential injuries. Diallo coming back as well as those 2 will have us stronger than last season, but we could do with a 3rd striker and experienced midfielder too.
 

Back
Top