OK 10 games down 11 points, play the same for the next 36 and we will all say be saying ...........next season we will serious challengers for the Prem! good bit so far we have IMO 9 above average Championship PLAYERS....... Heaton Taylor Stead Davies Baldock Adomah Cunningham Foster Elliot We have 7 championship ave players Wilson Wilson Woolford Pearson Carey Pitman Skuse THE REST OF THE SQUAD ARE EITHER ON THEIR WAY UP or on the way out.......what we do not have is any PREM quality players......yet. WHAT WE NEED IS A RUN OR 2 LIKE.............. .........Leics just won last 5..... Cardiff won 6 of last 7................ Palace unbeaten in 7 ........... Wolves WON 6 from 7 ......... Brighton 14 points from 18 The 2 week rest for us has come at the right time, regroup, polish up niggling injuries and try things in training without the pressure of an imminent game. Often being captain results in sparkling performances or a total screw up...Fonts is beginning to look like the latter... Bolton and Burnley we must win these 2 they have the same points 17 points will move us up the table because then WE HAVE THE HARDEST MONTH OF OUR SEASON 7 GAMES MOSTLY AGAINST TOP TEAMS, BIT LIKE LAST WINTER when I reckoned on 3 points from 18 ......Game 21 lets hope we are on 26 pts
Would you not place Skuse and Gerkin who has not done anything wrong as above average championship players. and Joe Bryan who seemed to have proved his worth.-never been on a losing side.
you could, do Joe Bryan is an up and coming needs to have a few more games to see how he pans out. i agonized over Carl he is a very good average Championship player. it is difficult to say above or even below....Skuse is probably at his peak and is very consistant a real border liner..bit like Pitman IF WE HAD MORE THAN 9 or 10 above average we should be in top 8!!!!
I know he's going through a bad patch, but Liam Fontaine is a championship player - 203 appearances for the club
After the good start we made I was feeling optimistic that we would be dark horses for the play-offs, but I think the lack of defensive re-inforcements over the summer has hit us hard - there's no use in scoring 3 against a good team like Blackburn if you ship 5 at the other end. I don't blame McInnes for this - we were in talks with enough players to show he was on the case, but it was lack of funds that caused us to miss out, which is unfortunately a side effect of the bloated squad that formed under Coppell/Millen, as well as bad luck with injuries with Elokobi being a prime example. Assuming we do survive this season, I would say next season is when McInnes should have the squad he wants and therefore should be more competitive - until then I'd suggest treading water is understandable and acceptable, albeit a touch frustrating.
You are realistic NickH. Lets hope that we continue to "tread water" rather than "bouncing along on the bottom"
Agree with this,we started amazingly well,and I was thinking dark horses for playoffs,but then the last month performances I would be happy to stay up, and hope we can build the defence required to give us a tilt at play offs next year. Unless he gets the two centre halfs in we are going to struggle it seems. Such a shame after the great start.
There is a subtle balancing act going on here.....to lose 3 defenders in a matter of days would effect a lot of / most teams. But underlying this DEL is saying to himself Imagine you are in a job, you do it to your best ability, you get a pat on the back, words of encourage from the boss and feel really happy and keep on doing your best..... BANG...SUDDENLY A RUMOUR STARTS you are not really good enough a much better or suited is being sought after, brought in to take your place, how do you feel ? or you turn up for training and the boss says Lads I have got a new player to introduce to you meet CM.... I know it is squad football nowadays..but it hurts and if there is a build up to it can be damaging because every little error is magnified as you dwell on it and make another then another.the rot sets in, it starts to affect the team etc etc etc... Treading water is about right, still not too late to be heading for the dizzy heights of 6th ! However unless we have a solid squad and luck deserts us I dont think Prem football would suit this season... COME ON YOU REDZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I have stated this on several different threads but we were not really going to be pushing for the playoffs this year and certainly not automatic promotion. We are in transition, we have a great manager and he needs a little more time to finish the job and get the squad he needs in order for us to be contenders another time. But meanwhile we need to win a few games here and there and this division isnt easy this season, and it was never going to be.
I'd not call any of our players above Championship quality, apart from some of our new recruits (who need at least a full season with us to prove this). Either way, I agree with Angelicnumber16. This is effectively a new team, and our first new team for the best part of half a decade. We're in transition and McInnes needs time to continue building. I'm hopeful that we'll steer away from relegation this season and that next season we can make a real push towards the top end of the table. Promotion is still a long way off.
I stated months ago before this season began. I can't see us getting above 16th this season would love it to happen but we are in as mentioned here transition period. Next summer players might not be hesitant to join us we will then have a push next season. Would worry if we went on a run now and get play- offs and win them. Imagin the rebuilding that would have to take place then just to compete with the teams over a season up there. Want to see us slowly improve so when we get there we have a squad to try and stay there. We have the manager (my opinion) getting some good youth in. This is the beginning period lets hope we do it but at a sensible pace.
