Decades ago, I paid my neighbour to build a PC for me. He built three-quarters of it with higher-specification parts than I had expected for the price quoted. I was feeling chuffed. Then he told me he couldn't continue because he had spent all the budget! I hate to be generous with other people's money, and most of us are surprised and delighted with the quality of players coming in, but they won't be worth zilch unless we acquire more players of similar quality to plug some holes. A team is only as good as its weakest links. (A bit of an exaggeration, but you cannot carry weaker players over a whole season if you want to get promoted). I reckon we need (either new signings or re-signings), in order of priority: (A) A centre-back - early twenties, can play well at this level, but with the potential to step up a level (B) Another centre-back - ideally same spec as (A) but could be a good player from a higher level approaching the end of their career (like Dailly season before last). Since writing this post I saw we have signed Matt Taylor. Not sure if he is good enough for (A) or (B). Would prefer he filled slot (F) below. But I guess we are all getting spoiled now. Mustn't be ungrateful! (C) A "traditional" centre-forward to give us more striker cover (it is not unusual for three or four strikers to be unavailable on any given match day) and a different tactical option when Hayes/BWP or Hayes/Benson isn't working. Then, if there is still money available (we can all dream): (D) A traditional winger (like Kyel Reid but to play on the right). Waggie is OK but he look more like a striker being played on the wing because he doesn't have the physicality to play up front. (E) A better right-back than either Francis or Solly (could be someone approaching the end of their career who could do a job for a couple of seasons, in the hope that Solly becomes the complete article with more experience and body-work). Someone like Richardson would be great. (F) A third centre-back, as I don't trust either Docherty or Mambo as cover. Dailly would be great if he still has the legs for a full game when needed. I would love to see Semedo re-sign but that seems unlikely for wages reasons. If the money has run out after (A), (B) and (C) we might have to settle for loans for the other three requirements but I would prefer not to use up our loans entitlement right at the start, in case of emergencies later in the season.
Only slightly! LOL I shouldn't post after so many cuba libres. It is so hot and humid here in the Dominican Republic I cannot think straight.
You would hate it here! No soccer at all. Baseball is their thing. Haitians love soccer, though. Reached the World Cup Finals in 1974. So on my birthday I invited a few Haitian neighbours round so we could have a nice chat about football. Nice girls, and they hate Millwall! please log in to view this image
I'm a big mets fan, so I'm down with baseball. Especially as it's on espn here and I refuse to subscribe!
Eddie, looks like Powell's now working through your list. Point A covered. Point B remains the next top priority, but I'd argue the next priority is point E... in our first team that looks like the weak link. Technically we could easily use Waggy as striker 4, though I'd like another one (obviously!!)
After omitting Danny Green in my semi-drunken stupor I really have no right to comment further, but while Wagstaff may develop into a more than adequate striker I was really hoping for a different type of striker. A big lump, to put it indelicately, like Iwelumo or like Abbott should have been for us. So CP could change tactics during the game when necessary. I wouldn't be too worried if we started with only Francis and Solly. I think Francis could be quite adequate with better players around him and some coaching from CP (assuming he knows something about full-back play, LOL) and that Solly should still improve at his young age. I would also like to retract my suggestion that we need a better CB than Matt Taylor in a starting position. That was a bit stupid and he should be given every chance to make the position his.
Benson isn't really a big lump, he's skinnier than my little finger and about as strong as my cat. I think Hayes is average height as well. Here's a silly suggestion, Gary Doherty can play at CF (and did so for years). Seeing as he is a piss-poor CB, why doesn't CP try him out as an emergency target-man? In reality it probably wouldn't work, just thought I would throw it out there.
Valley Redemption, I do however agree that we need some pace. I'd be happy with a loanee in the mould of Eccleston coming in though. Young, pacy and hungry for first team football.
