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Really let down so far by transfer window

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Keith S30S said:
It would be madness to put all our eggs in the Stewart / Grigg / O'Brien basket. We need a proven striker who isn't Will Grigg!
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I completely agree mate. But it was also madness last year to put all our eggs in the Wyke / Grigg / O'Brien basket and it actually somehow worked (in that Wyke scored loads - not for the team)

Would much rather we signed somebody else. Just purely pointing out that its not like we've lost our "normal" goalscorer. We've lost a player nobody was expecting to score goals and probably won't repeat it.
 

Vintage Sunderland leave it as late as possible hoping to get players on the cheap (watching targets sign for other teams in the meanwhile)….

Leave it that late then say the new signings didn’t have enough time to gel together before the season starts. Classic
 
Coeus said:
Every season in league one so far, we have had the largest wage budget. We provided terrible value for it of course.

I'm not sure that'll be the case this season, which is fine if you buy more intelligently than everyone else over a 2 or 3 year period.

But... we haven't, thus far we have bought a couple of lads on there way down that are injury prone. The probability is that even if we went up, they would need replacing.

Obviously there is time left, but as it stands, it isn't what I was expecting which wasn't massive in my opinion.
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I think the players you've signed show intent, in that they have the experience of playing much higher and so the obvious conclusion is that they will help the other players to realise their potential.

You've still got a hell of a side there. Players like Gooch, Neil, O'Nien and Stewart are young enough to improve further, Pritchard was a very shrewd signing. OK, he's been unfortunate with Covid, but don't forget he was the star of Norwich's promotion-winning team from the Championship a few years ago. He's suffered by design playing at Huddersfield under long-ball managers, but looked good when Wagner was there.

Corry Evans brings stability to midfield. My only worry is that you still need full-backs and a potent number 9, one who is preferably quick so you can replicate the Quinn/Phillips partnership with Stewart.

Sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees.
 
The_Witch said:
I think the players you've signed show intent, in that they have the experience of playing much higher and so the obvious conclusion is that they will help the other players to realise their potential.

You've still got a hell of a side there. Players like Gooch, Neil, O'Nien and Stewart are young enough to improve further, Pritchard was a very shrewd signing. OK, he's been unfortunate with Covid, but don't forget he was the star of Norwich's promotion-winning team from the Championship a few years ago. He's suffered by design playing at Huddersfield under long-ball managers, but looked good when Wagner was there.

Corry Evans brings stability to midfield. My only worry is that you still need full-backs and a potent number 9, one who is preferably quick so you can replicate the Quinn/Phillips partnership with Stewart.

Sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees.
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I think we are a lot closer to the others than some realise. Clearly we need more, but we are not miles and miles behind and destined for mid table.

I think its natural that a lot of our fans expect us to be way ahead of the others though, as we've had plenty of time to prepare for this and a new owner and new regime that looked promising. I don't agree with this myself but can understand why many feel that way.

At the end of the day this is all nonsense anyway. Everything will change come 5pm on day 1 of the season. Ipswich and Sheff Wed may have lost and we may have beaten Wigan comfortably, and then everyone calms down a bit. Or, which feels more likely, the opposite happens... I don't want to be here for that :D
 
The_Witch said:
I think the players you've signed show intent, in that they have the experience of playing much higher and so the obvious conclusion is that they will help the other players to realise their potential.

You've still got a hell of a side there. Players like Gooch, Neil, O'Nien and Stewart are young enough to improve further, Pritchard was a very shrewd signing. OK, he's been unfortunate with Covid, but don't forget he was the star of Norwich's promotion-winning team from the Championship a few years ago. He's suffered by design playing at Huddersfield under long-ball managers, but looked good when Wagner was there.

Corry Evans brings stability to midfield. My only worry is that you still need full-backs and a potent number 9, one who is preferably quick so you can replicate the Quinn/Phillips partnership with Stewart.

Sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees.
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I respectfully disagree.

Signing injury prone lads on their way down on high value contracts signals more of the short term we have seen for the last 15 years.

I'm sure both if all goes well can perform to a high level in this league but they won't provide value other than a short term aim.
 
Stewie Ds Vet said:
I think we are a lot closer to the others than some realise. Clearly we need more, but we are not miles and miles behind and destined for mid table.

I think its natural that a lot of our fans expect us to be way ahead of the others though, as we've had plenty of time to prepare for this and a new owner and new regime that looked promising. I don't agree with this myself but can understand why many feel that way.

At the end of the day this is all nonsense anyway. Everything will change come 5pm on day 1 of the season. Ipswich and Sheff Wed may have lost and we may have beaten Wigan comfortably, and then everyone calms down a bit. Or, which feels more likely, the opposite happens... I don't want to be here for that :D
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You never know with Ipswich certainly. I'd like to THINK we've given ourselves a chance, but 10 new players is a lot to assimilate for the new season. It may come good, it may be a slow-burner?
 
Coeus said:
I respectfully disagree.

Signing injury prone lads on their way down on high value contracts signals more of the short term we have seen for the last 15 years.

I'm sure both if all goes well can perform to a high level in this league but they won't provide value other than a short term aim.
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Can see that, but promotion is all about short-term aim, surely? We're not blessed with the PL funds where we can both spunk £10 million on a 21 year old possible, or £50 million on a tried/tested top level player. So you cut your cloth accordingly. We've just bought a whole new team for about £3.5 million. Very few of those players will be squeaky-new top level prospects. But they SHOULD be good enough to get us top six, and a crack at promotion. Then we'll worry about the Championship when/if it happens.
 
used this analogy last year, applies again ( sadly ) - safc summer recruitment policy reminds me of a kid revising for an exam, you know where the problem areas are from last season , you don't revise or focus on those areas , you will fail the exam.
 
Longy said:
I’ve got too many important things going on in my life to feel “let down” because some players I’ll have never have heard of haven’t signed.

I’ll stick to giving the new owners & structure in place trust in doing the right thing rather than get upset about something I’ll never know the fine details of.
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This. When was the last time we had a good transfer window. So since what ever previous owners done has not worked. Let's give patience and time to the new owners to get it right. I do realise this is impossible for some on here.
 
The_Witch said:
Can see that, but promotion is all about short-term aim, surely? We're not blessed with the PL funds where we can both spunk £10 million on a 21 year old possible, or £50 million on a tried/tested top level player. So you cut your cloth accordingly. We've just bought a whole new team for about £3.5 million. Very few of those players will be squeaky-new top level prospects. But they SHOULD be good enough to get us top six, and a crack at promotion. Then we'll worry about the Championship when/if it happens.
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I think promotions and being safe of relegation should be a by product rather than the aim in which to structure your club.

Yours for example are trying to buy their way up, which is fair enough but I dont expect ours to do the same. And looking further than this season, do you expect to do the same in the championship, otherwise you're just pissing money in the wind to achieve heavy losses and championship football.

I'm not asking for 10m 21 year olds, I'm purely looking for the ownership group to be intelligent enough to acquire the best value available for our budget.
 
Coeus said:
I think promotions and being safe of relegation should be a by product rather than the aim in which to structure your club.

Yours for example are trying to buy their way up, which is fair enough but I dont expect ours to do the same. And looking further than this season, do you expect to do the same in the championship, otherwise you're just pissing money in the wind to achieve heavy losses and championship football.

I'm not asking for 10m 21 year olds, I'm purely looking for the ownership group to be intelligent enough to acquire the best value available for our budget.
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No I expect us to keep the core of players who got us up and then add a bit more quality where needed. A la Luton, Barnsley. Not like Rotherham and Wycombe who relied on basically the same squad and were found wanting against better teams.

Promotion and staying competitive in the Championship are two different sides to the coin. Promotion from this league requires shrewd transfer activity, nous from players, consistency, goal threat and the ability to find a result even when you're playing like shite. Staying up in the Championship requires a bit more quality and the ability to hold your own. It's building from a firm base.

I believe Sunderland have that firm base already. Play-off semi's last year, best player in the league, biggest fanbase outside the Prem. You should be dominating the promotion race this season. It's the logical next step. And yet then this sustainability guff comes out and 'doing it on the cheap' and suddenly here we are, one week two days from the start of the season and you're still pissing about with Liverpool youths and League Two players? This should have been sorted a long time ago. We shouldn't be even having this conversation. Except you possibly calling us 'Chequebook FC' like Portsmouth fans have and moaning we're buying promotion
 
The Beautiful Game said:
I’m not happy about the difficulties this summer but I understand them. New owners, new structure, new staff covid etc all playing a part in complicating matters. I’ve mentally written this year off. Promotion from this position would be a miracle imo. Hopefully we’re in a better place to sort ourselves out next year
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With or without LJ ?
Northern Munkey said:
Can’t understand letting the amount of players go that we did and seemingly being so reluctant to replace them. I’d have definitely kept Maguire and Power and possibly Scowen aswell.
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Me too. Also McLaughlin.

No way will all the players we bring in at the last minute be better than them.
 
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The_Witch said:
No I expect us to keep the core of players who got us up and then add a bit more quality where needed. A la Luton, Barnsley. Not like Rotherham and Wycombe who relied on basically the same squad and were found wanting against better teams.

Promotion and staying competitive in the Championship are two different sides to the coin. Promotion from this league requires shrewd transfer activity, nous from players, consistency, goal threat and the ability to find a result even when you're playing like shite. Staying up in the Championship requires a bit more quality and the ability to hold your own. It's building from a firm base.

I believe Sunderland have that firm base already. Play-off semi's last year, best player in the league, biggest fanbase outside the Prem. You should be dominating the promotion race this season. It's the logical next step. And yet then this sustainability guff comes out and 'doing it on the cheap' and suddenly here we are, one week two days from the start of the season and you're still pissing about with Liverpool youths and League Two players? This should have been sorted a long time ago. We shouldn't be even having this conversation. Except you possibly calling us 'Chequebook FC' like Portsmouth fans have and moaning we're buying promotion
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I'll be honest and say I'm not really fussed about another league one club in which to give them a funny name.

Your theory is great, but it doesn't include finances. Should we increase our wage bill to just below half way in the championship, it would see us losing 8 figures per season as it would you.

I dont expect anyone to take that on and I certainly don't expect debt to be loaded on the club again. The championship isn't a place anyone should strive for, its an absolute financial chasm.

Prove the process in this league and then scale it is my preference. Not buy this league because you can't buy the two above it.
 
As You Were said:
Where is the 20 goal a season striker to replace the one who got us 30 last season? Where is our new goalkeeper to replace the one who cost us around 12 points last season. Where are our full backs? Have we now got creativity in midfield and pace in our team we’ve needed for years? A few people seem happy with the signings but the squad is thread bare. Expected so much more. Hopefully we bring a few more in but the season starts next week. Doesn’t suggest great planning to me. Ps why on earth isn’t the club shop open.
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I feel sorry for the Newcastle fans.
Oh dear, what a shame, never mind.
We'll be ok.
 
It's funny now that the posters cracking on about the new dawn and data led systems are rather quiet all of a sudden
 
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