So, not criticism, just aking the questions~ (1) We have shed Luke Freeman, Tammy Abraham and Lee Tomlin, two of our more skillful midfield players and one of the Championships most prolific scoring machines. (2) We have got rid of Matthews and Mark Little, one a waste of space and the other a real tryer but has found his true level. (3) We have resigned Wilbraham and and still have Gary O'Neil, both over 35 years old, limited stamina and injury prone but genuine maturity and experience. (4) We have a record signing in Diedhiou (Still unproven) and Pisano (Still unproven) (5) We have established players in Flint, O'Dowda, Bryan,Pack, Baily Wright, Fielding,Paterson, Brownhill, Magnuisson, all good solid players, a couple above average but in the main average Championship quality wise. (6) We have the next ones, Duric, Smith, Hegeler all injury prone. (7) Now we come to the final mixed bevy, Reid, Taylor Moore, Matt Taylor, Vyner, De Girolamo, Engvall, Goldbourne, Lucic, not enough quality, stamina, experience or consistency, make your choice (8) Rumours Flint and Goldbourne could be on the move. That is about as fair as an analysis I can give just as a fan, there are a couple of other names I have not mentioned but if I look at our present state of play,we have lost our top goal threat, we have lost our most skillful and flair players, most of our squad are average lower Championship level players, with a couple of genuine exceptions, we have a lot of injury prone players plus a couple of elderly ones thrown in, we have possibly 2 class additions (unproven) and below that a bevy that are there to fill in just on or below the quality level for different reasons and obviously some players can leave or join us in the transfer window. My question is how is this squad an improvement or better than last year.?
Well Freeman was already sold when we improved at the end of the last season and Tomlin wasn’t starting games. All our youngsters are a year older with more experience. On paper we have a replacement for Tammy and we have an Italian defender to replace Little and hopefully be an upgrade on him. Yes you say both are unproven but any signing we make will be unproven in playing for BCFC. Our signings with ‘proven’ experience last season were probably the ones that disappointed most, Tomlin, O’Neil and Matthews. We finished mid table last season with a better record than the season before. We are improving.
I understand the POV, but only time will tell. If you were to look for silver linings you might say that much the same squad that finished quite strongly (19 points from the last 10 games) remains, and a comparatively young squad is another year wiser/more developed, though perhaps that's clutching at straws. In the past two years, Leicester and Chelsea made great improvements on the previous year with minimal changes in personnel - it's not proof of anything, but also indicative that there's more to success than simply what new signings are made. I think we're entitled to expect improvement on last year and whether that's with a raft of new signings or not I don't particularly care. LJ and the board are making their bed and will soon have to lie in it.
The 2 new signings are of course unproven, but look to have what it takes to succeed. I would assume there will be a couple more additions before the window closes. All my non-City mates in Dorchester tell me they think we will be mid-table
Good post Wiz. Right now we are arguably weaker, however this time last year Tammy Abraham was also unknown and unproven, as was JK the season before that, so time will tell. I still think we need another attacking midfielder to assist in getting goals. Jury is still out on Duric and Taylor for me.
Wiz: (1) We have shed Luke Freeman, Tammy Abraham and Lee Tomlin, two of our more skillful midfield players and one of the Championships most prolific scoring machines. To be fair, Tammy was never going to stay - we knew right from the moment he arrived we only had him for one season and there is nothing LJ or anyone could have done to stop that. It was a mistake to let Freeman go with hindsight and Lee admitted so himself, but lets not forget that to some of us he was a 'marmite' player who wasn't getting games - and nobody was complaining back then because at the time he went we were doing rather well. I'm sad to see Tomlin go, but I do believe it was the best for his sake and the club's. He has skill and tricks to burn, but was too inconsistent to merit starting. I don't think we will miss Tomlin much, but we have already missed Freeman and will definitely miss Tammy unless Diedhiou can take over as one of the league's top scorers - unlikely.. (2) We have got rid of Matthews and Mark Little, one a waste of space and the other a real tryer but has found his true level. Happy with these going. I don't think they will be missed. (3) We have resigned Wilbraham and and still have Gary O'Neil, both over 35 years old, limited stamina and injury prone but genuine maturity and experience. I can't really comment on O'Neil, but I'm happy with Wilbs staying - I'm assuming that he will play more of a back-room role with the occasional appearance as a sub - he is only 2 months older than last season after all and can pop up with the occasional goal - his game has never been about pace. Verdict: Same as last season. (4) We have a record signing in Diedhiou (Still unproven) and Pisano (Still unproven) Agree - like you say; unproven. However, I am excited about Diedhiou - he is our most expensive player for a reason (I hope!!). Verdict: Can't say - probably worse because Tammy is difficult shoes to fill. (5) We have established players in Flint, O'Dowda, Bryan,Pack, Baily Wright, Fielding,Paterson, Brownhill, Magnuisson, all good solid players, a couple above average but in the main average Championship quality wise. Agree here - same as last season. (6) We have the next ones, Duric, Smith, Hegeler all injury prone. Agreed - but it's the same as last season, so no difference here. (7) Now we come to the final mixed bevy, Reid, Taylor Moore, Matt Taylor, Vyner, De Girolamo, Engvall, Goldbourne, Lucic, not enough quality, stamina, experience or consistency, make your choice Agreed - but again, it's the same as last season, so no difference here. If anything they will have matured, so possibly better(?). (8) Rumours Flint and Goldbourne could be on the move. I don't really mind Goldbourne going but we would miss Flint. Having said that the Italian might step up - if Flint wants away then we could get a handsome fee for him - if that is to happen then lets hope it does so in time for us to replace him. Anyway, it's just a rumour at this stage so can't be factored in - same as last season. That is about as fair as an analysis I can give just as a fan, there are a couple of other names I have not mentioned but if I look at our present state of play,we have lost our top goal threat, we have lost our most skillful and flair players, most of our squad are average lower Championship level players, with a couple of genuine exceptions, we have a lot of injury prone players plus a couple of elderly ones thrown in, we have possibly 2 class additions (unproven) and below that a bevy that are there to fill in just on or below the quality level for different reasons and obviously some players can leave or join us in the transfer window. I would say overall we are looking worse than last season - but that's only based on us losing a proven top goalscorer back to his parent club and signing an unknown, so bets would have to be on Diedhiou not being as prolific as Tammy (not many are). The other changes (IMHO) won't make much difference. I think that we underachieved last season - due to the disastrous run we had in the middle. I believe that LJ was the main reason (cutting his championship manager's teeth at our club should never have been allowed) hence I was calling for him to be replaced at that time. However, turn it around we did and we made ourselves rather difficult to beat come the end. If we can continue that form into next season then I don't see why we can't end up comfortable mid-table. So - a slightly worse squad than last year but a higher finish is my prediction.
To chip in, I thought we'd offered Freeman a new contract, but he refused to sign it so we took a fee, rather than lose him for nothing.
Freeman left end of January, my question is how have we improved as a squad You are not chipping in mate, your comments are welcome..
Smith was a long term injury which needed operating on, towards the end of the first season back in championship. With being rushed back too soon went of injured again, last season. Prior to that I don't think I can remember him being injured in league one. So I've often wondered why he gets labelled a sick note seeing as it's only been one season (last) that was really interrupted.
I think you are right. Freeman refused because LJ wouldn't guarantee him games. Before people start on LJ again; we were doing ok at that time and although most of us were surprised at him going none of us were devastated. It was only later during our bad (dire) run that people started seriously criticising that sale - and LJ openly admitted that it was a mistake but at the time of the sale Matthews was playing ok, we were winning games and Freeman was warming the bench.
when I went away I thought we had a mediocre squad, needing some much needed improvement, maybe 4 players, we have shipped TOMLIN.. to our closest rivals we have not brought anymore in although my spy seemed to think a loanee and younger player would be on the books by THE WEEK AWAY I THINK we now have a weaker squad and need 5 players. NOT had much chance to read the championship transfers in or out but looks like our rivals are out shining us there on the very brief headlines on the BBC site, LAST SEASON I thought we had a good squad could get into top 6-8 this season I think it will be 16th to 21st as it stands!
Without our disastrous winter we would've been high up the table last year. Abraham is a very big loss, as is flint if he goes to the prem. We are not better than last year but will be if we get a couple of decent signings Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk