We now literally have two players for every position. Plus Magennis. Along with Sheaf, Greaves and McLoughlin out on loan, hopefully Fleming and Lewis-Potter might get loans too. In most positions you could argue over which would be first choice too. Can't be a bad thing to have options and competition. Long Lichaj Burke De Wijs Kingsley Stewart Toral Irvine Bowen Eaves Grosicki Ingram Mackenzie Pennington Tafazolli Elder Batty Honeyman Da Silva Bowler Dicko Milinkovic Plus Magennis
We aren't stronger though. Only way we are stronger is that we perhaps have more strength in depth than last season, with less reliance on young kids that aren't really ready. And I don't see why we should expect to start this season any better than last - we are undergoing yet another major rebuild, new manager & staff still settling in and getting his style / messages across, a different style of play for players to get used to, a major influx of new players with the season now already up and running, with players like Honeyman and Eaves already playing catch up. It's once again all far from ideal, and a million miles away from what managers have been warning about since Bruce and Silva's days. Here's one take on it, which probably isn't too far off the mark ....... https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/hull-city-best-team-transfers-3190846 , which suggests: Best XI George Long; Eric Lichaj, Reece Burke, Jordy de Wijs, Stephen Kingsley; Dan Batty, George Honeyman, Jackson Irvine; Jarrod Bowen, Tom Eaves, Kamil Grosicki So, of the 10 signings, that's only 2 that are expected to make the 1st X1; the rest above are all from last season. (Edit: just seen Tree Hugger's post, with only 1 of the 10 featuring!). And then, comparing to those that left at the end of last season: - Long isn't better than Marshall. - Eaves isn't better than Campbell.(actually I wouldn't be surprised to see Magennis become the preferred lone striker in time). - Honeyman might or might not be an upgrade on MH. Close. Different sort of players anyway, but I think I'd prefer to have MH. - no Kane, who was a very decent CCC full back - no Pugh (who some on here rated very highly; I didn't, blew too hot & cold) - no Evandro. OK, we didn't see much of him, which at times was very strange, but when available he was the most talented footballer we had And more importantly, no prospect of the ****s leaving.
There was only 1 new signing in one of my line ups but I wasn't suggesting what the first choice would be. Quite the opposite, I said that there would be arguments over most positions. I was highlighting the competition. - I don't think we can say with certainty that Long isn't better than Marshall until he's had a chance. A lot of City fans thought Marshall was crap until he got a run of games. - With this system I'm not sure Campbell is the best option. If we are trying to get the ball up and into the box quickly we probably need a striker who will be in the box, not everywhere but. I like Campbell but I don't think he'd fit. A bigger striker who will be in the box is more suited. - Honeyman, Toral or Da Silva might be an upgrade on Henriksen. I don't know. A fit Toral is a great player in this league though. - Kane would have only been back up to Lichaj. Mackenzie looks good enough as a back up full back. - Now we aren't playing with 3 behind a striker I don't see how Pugh would fit into the team. He'd be back up to Bowen and Grosicki really. - Evandro was good when fit but a luxury we can't afford for a few games a season. I doubt his body would cope with a high intensity style of play. So in short your reasons we are worse off aren't that great. Is it so bad our first choice team hasn't changed much? The team was basically a top 6 side if the first few months hadn't happened. Now though we can rest or change anybody without having to play players out of position or considerably weakening the side. We have a potentially decent side. Young, hungry players and management. Embrace it. It might be the start of something great. It might be a relegation season. Who knows? That's the beauty of supporting City. I'm going to enjoy it with my glass half full. You should try it.
There's some well dodgy assertions in there. I doubt there's a single City fan who wouldn't take Campbell over any of our current striker options. Kane played more than Lichaj last season and was mainly played at right back and McKenzie looks nowhere near good enough to me. Pugh and Evandro would fit into any team in this league, they're both exceptionally gifted players(though Evandro's availability was an issue). Simple fact is, we've taken a punt on a load of other clubs rejects and we're hoping McCann can craft them into a decent side, we have absolutely no idea yet whether he'll manage that or not. Personally, I'd take Pugh, Evandro, Campbell and Henriksen over any of the new midfield/striker options we've just signed, with the exception of Bowler.
Not really. Simple "fact" is, pretty much every signing is technically another club's 'reject'. Where would you play Pugh (Bournemouth reject)? Kane and Lichaj played 39 games each. Kane (Chelsea reject) was often in midfield though. In a position we don't have in the formation anymore. Lichaj played more in defence and would be picked at right back above Kane. Where would Evandro play? Different systems need different players. Like when we had George Boyd, great player but didn't fit in to the formation we were playing.
Lots of our fans have started following a Da Silva account on Twitter over the last 24 hours - which isn’t him.
Most signings are not clubs' rejects, quite often, more often than not, they are players poached from another club for more money.
If you can't see the difference between a young Chelsea reject and an old Bolton one, I'm afraid I can't help you.
I'm not sure he needed to force himself out of Bolton, from what I've seen so far, most of Bolton were willing to give him a lift.
Ha. Apart from the manager who wanted to play him last week. That's football fans for you, just been looking at a Crystal Palace forum talking about Fraizer Campbell going to Brighton whilst he was still at Palace. They didn't seem too disappointed. "Can't polish a turd" was one quote.
I think that was down to him refusing to play because he hadn’t been paid. I have no issue with Magennis, he looks a handful in the air which is exactly what we were lacking last season.
