I'm happy with our window. It was always going to need to be a more active window anyway, then the added necessity of adding premier league quality. I think changes to our starting 11 feels more dramatic because of the injuries. The challenge for the coaching staff is to gel the team together as quickly as possible. The challenge for the fans is to retain the positivity until they do.
Morning all I see you got your first point, happy and deserved or hard battle, I thought Fulham would take all three if I’m being honest. I was looking through the PL transfers this window, Ipswich had the second largest net spend but was nowhere near the top 10 for most expensive players signed. Your commentary guy on Sky Sports feels you are going to be in trouble with your keeper, he said teams are targeting him with high balls and on another day you’d have been a couple of goals down with his mistakes. Strikers and good keepers really are like hens teeth in the PL
An aspect that has always concerned me, especially in the long, gruelling season ahead in the the Prem, is the physical & mental toll on players. And now 4 or 5 will be on international duty. Hence our shrewd business in getting decent cover for every position. Just look at how Haaland is playing and scoring. He is oozing confidence and really enjoying his game. That might be because he has benefitted from 2 months off between seasons and Norway didnt play in Euro finals.
Nothing more physically challenging than the Championship, 46 games in the normal season, in the cup competition one round earlier, make the playoff final then that’s 49 possible league games. Premier league 38 games, very few midweek unless in Europe. Later on in the season this is where points “can” be pinched from matches against teams in Europe as they attempt to rest a few players. I’d agree the mental side is greater, you can’t get away with a mistake in the PL as easily as you can in the Championship. Defending corners is a whole new ball game with VAR, far less shirt tugging (which I like) but old fashion defenders with no experience of PL football need to adapt smartish. On the mentally strong side, you WILL have decisions even with VAR favouring the big six and it will frustrate the hell out of you, if it frustrates you, imagine the players feeling that injustice. Haaland oozes confidence because he is in a winning team and wins breed confidence. Losing runs are equally the same but the opposite end of the scale.
Genuine question - Are you worried about Man Utd poor start to the season, do you feel they’d have a good chance of snatching your coach
It's certainly a risk. I don't think it's a secret that McKenna views the Manchester United job as his ultimate ambition in management - he is also a boyhood Man United fan. He has signed a new contract only a couple of months ago - which might deter Man United from making a move this early. I think a sacking during the season would benefit us. I get the impression Man United will go for a more experienced manager if the wheels are coming off during the season - whereas McKenna is more of a gamble and would make more sense in the summer with a full pre-season ahead of him. The likes of Pochettino (who I don't think has taken the USA job yet), Tuchel, Pioli, Allegri, and possibly even Potter would be 'safer' options for Man United than McKenna on reputation. If Man United do want McKenna, they'll probably get him. If he leaves us during the season, then we're really in trouble.
So six games in,we're unbeaten in four games,only having lost to first and second placed teams and sitting in 15th and positive mood in the squad who's integration improves with each game. Anyone not seeing this as encouraging for the next sequence of four games must be glass completely empty.
Mine is half full and cant wait for next few games! My original prediction was top 12. Might have to revise that.
BBC are reporting "gossip" that we are considering ending Phillips' loan deal. Thoughts on this one folks? 1)Has KMc had enough time to see if Phillips can recover the sort of form he had at his prime? 2)From what I've seen so far he doesn't offer an awful lot more than Luongo or even Taylor,not seen enough of Cajuste yet to judge him. 3)If it's all about confidence with him these sort of rumours won't help.
This has come from 'Footballer Insider' - I'm not sure how accurate or reliable they've been in the past. The report says we'd potentially end the deal in January 'if he doesn't get up to speed'. Phillips is on a weekly wage of about £140k and I'm not sure how high the percentage is that we pay towards that wage - probably a majority, as these type of loan deals tend to be. He makes over double the weekly wage of the rest of the squad. With his experience and this financial outlay, I think it's realistic to expect a more consistent, higher standard of performance. He's really supposed to be the 'been there, done that' statesman type player who can raise standards and spirits. That's what we're paying so much money for him. He had a decent start - with a couple of impressive, composed performances - but his last two games have been bad to watch. He's made notable mistakes leading to goals in both the recent defeats. He has time to bounce back, if he's starting against Brentford, but maybe the club are having second thoughts whether he's worth the cost in the long run.
I'm not sure there's much in this although haven't been overly impressed with him so far. Not been consistent enough, made mistakes and has looked quite lightweight to me, lets players get past him far too easily. Been a couple of moments of real quality in terms of his passing but not consistent enough for a player playing in central midfield. Saying all that l, not writing him off as he hasn't played consistently for a while but haven't seen much so far.
I think it’s garbage. At least in footballing terms. If McKenna had doubts about his ability or application he wouldn’t have been in the XI.
