Expectations

[Southern A]

Completely agree. Last sentence will have the Speakmann haters out in force

there are some fans who think both Mowbray and Speakman are doing a bad job. Not sure how both can be true. Could argue one or the other if you really wanted but not both!

Not saying this season is exceeding expectations, but it’s a hell of a lot better than it could have been.

 

[TopCat.]

If we’re in 12th come end of season I’d be delighted. We have a novice squad bar 2 seasoned pros & 3 players who have been at this level but with mixed results. our top striker only just back. This shows through in the inconsistency of performances, but we can play some brilliant footie- only one goal from a set piece tells you that.

Our back line is very strong with lots of options. but I’d still bring in Porteus if we can, esp in case of injuries to Batth/Ballard. Let Wright go.

We have to sign another physical striker & 2 midfielders to compete & push on. The current players are going to be fatigued v soon (you can see it already with Clarke) and we need to be able to switch things around more. Ba, Matete, Michut too diminutive /inexperienced & samey for me.

Obviously depends if we keep Ross & Pritchard in place. But:

Wright for Porteus
Matete out on loan - replace
Dajaku out on loan - replace
Simms returnto sender & replace - if possible , I’m not convinced by his work rate

This will allow us to consolidate and maybe even push top6. Stay as we are and I fear we will slide down the table.

Id be keeping Simms and looking to add a 3rd striker and ideally genuine competition for Patterson. Going on the principle of 2 players for each position:

GK: Patterson, Bass
RB: Huggins, Hume, Gooch
CB: Ballard, Wright
CB: Batth, O'Nien
LB: Cirkin, Alese
CM: Evans, Michut
CM: Neil, Ba, Matete
RW: Diallo, Roberts
CAM: Pritchard, Embleton
LW: Clarke, Dajaku
CF: Stewart, Simms

In an ideal world:

Sell Dajaku and replace (which seems mad seeing as he's had so little game time). or use Gooch as 4th winger.
Does Hume maybe need a loan?
Sell Wright and replace
Buy an experienced keeper
Add a 3rd striker - maybe one that can play wide so can be a possible replacement for Dajaku

Matete is an interesting one - he's looked OK in the games he's played, but he's clearly not in TM's plans. I think he has some potential so would possibly look to loan him out to a top end L1 team for rest of season

 

[TopCat.]

there are some fans who think both Mowbray and Speakman are doing a bad job. Not sure how both can be true. Could argue one or the other if you really wanted but not both!

Not saying this season is exceeding expectations, but it’s a hell of a lot better than it could have been.

I don't get the Speakman hate - the bloke has done an outstanding job, but haters gotta hate. I have people who still tell me that teh Jan transfer window last season was "horrific"

 

[young2077]

Like Maja and Bent etc we will go backwards as a club if we sell Stewart and who will replace him ? Mitrovic yes but will that happen ? to be honest i hate Jan transfer windows.

A player playing and doing well in Premier league for a London based team? Will it happen? No there is, no chanc!

Which is why I have said all along we aren't replacing Stewart never mind how much cash we get and we aren't doing it with the model we want. Certain players shouldn't be for sale in the model imo. Stewart is in that bracket!

 

[clockstander]

Pressure off with a few games left would have suited me at the start, be over the moon with a mid table place and a few more good halves in the second half of the season. OaU

 

[Porterfield73]

I don't get the Speakman hate - the bloke has done an outstanding job, but haters gotta hate. I have people who still tell me that teh Jan transfer window last season was "horrific"

I agree, there's always a danger that we lose Speakman, and 'the project' goes tits up.

 

[young2077]

Pressure off with a few games left would have suited me at the start, be over the moon with a mid table place and a few more good halves in the second half of the season. OaU

Be nice to see the second half of the season have more matches where we are dominant throughout and don't have as many games of two halves.

So consistency would be nice to see and string together a decent run of wins once or twice!

 

[FellTop]

I am happy enough. If Stewart had been fit I think we would be in tne top 6. It is not impossible to still do that if Stewart stays. When you account for many of our players having very little experience at this level we are doing really well and so are they. A striker to back up Stewart, not Simms, in Jan and we are looking good. If Pritch is away then we need to find someone with experience to play in there. You could see yesterday the game awareness of Diallo and Clarke just isnt there and without Pritch to marshall them the pressure on Evans and Neil is massive. That 10 role in a front is critical to slowing down the opposition getting to a midfield 2. Pritch is a master at it.

 

[rowley]

I'd say that when we are good we can match anyone.

But the youth and lack of Championship experience has cost us a few times, as has the injury load.

January, and the clubs ability to attract and retain should decide if we can exceed mid table , ( for me upper middle eight is what I'd hoped for). I'd think we should be able to keep above the worst of the fray at the bottom.

But it's a tough league. It would have been interesting to see where we would have been if Stewart hadn't got injured, but that's all ifs and buts.

Considering the injuries, I'd say we were at least par at the moment, probably above it.

 

[rowley]

I am happy enough. If Stewart had been fit I think we would be in tne top 6. It is not impossible to still do that if Stewart stays. When you account for many of our players having very little experience at this level we are doing really well and so are they. A striker to back up Stewart, not Simms, in Jan and we are looking good. If Pritch is away then we need to find someone with experience to play in there. You could see yesterday the game awareness of Diallo and Clarke just isnt there and without Pritch to marshall them the pressure on Evans and Neil is massive. That 10 role in a front is critical to slowing down the opposition getting to a midfield 2. Pritch is a master at it.

Clear that retaining Stewart and Pritchard looks vital.

We'll see!