Losing can easily become a habit and it is a worry that the lads lost again last night to Helsingborg. While these are only pre-season friendlies, it is an indication that all is not well. Another blank against a modest side is also a worry. We need those re-inforcements badly, I hope this is a busy week in the transfer market.
It is simple it is the SB problem, we do not have any strikers worthy of note nor a creative midfielder (unless Sess plays). Fans from MoN's previous clubs say he likes to buy British at the last moment and I guess that is what is happening, but he should not become too stubborn about Fletcher, who is OK but nothing remarkable, there are other players out there..
To be honest I don't read too much into the pre season jollie boys outings but, agree that if we keep losing them it will affect the lads. At least it can't get any worse can it?
Far be it from me to ease your worries but I wouldn't take much notice. O'Neill has a reputation as a hard task master. He has never went away from what he believes in whichever club he has been at. He likes to play counter attack football with quick wide men, a big target man and he likes his sides to work like dogs. This comes from Cloughie and Forest. Pre season is your base fitness for the season ahead and if you play like O'Neill you need plenty of miles in the legs. You may not be the quickest teams out of the blocks this season but you can bet he has them fit as a butchers dog. They'll be heavy legged throughout the pre season games. Its always nice to start winning but I wouldn't base any prediction on the season ahead on what you see in pre season games.
To be fair we've had a few shocking pre-seasons and then gone on to do well (aside from a defeat to a German 3rd division team, this one has gone OK - time to worry?) HOWEVER, you've said it yourself, you need bodies in. Was speaking to my mackem mate about it and he's going mental over the lack of forwards as its been evident since Bendtner failed to live up to his own hype that this is where you needed strengthening. As a Toon fan, I've been excited when we've been linked with Guidetti, he'd surely mean more value for money than Fletcher?
The worry is that in the game of chicken that is the modern transfer market, waiting until the last minute can often go badly wrong (Kenny Dalgleish with Andy Carroll) or a player can drop his club in it at the last minute (Gyan, Bent). I would rather have had some progress by now but if it gets to next weekend without a signing, I will be more than concerned. Still, I rate MON very highly and I have to trust that he and his team will do the business in time.