Fit players?What is going to make us a top end challenger next year rather than ending up just like where we currently are...
Fit players?What is going to make us a top end challenger next year rather than ending up just like where we currently are...
Nice confident politicofootball speak from Rosie there, but as of right now, that is all it is...talk. Based on our current core squad and the apparently limited monies being made available to strengthen during this transfer window, is there really a basis for optimism about prmotion next year? The gungho mediastyle, the-sky-is-blue, new dawn, Acun our savvy saviour days have now sailed and the reality is that we are currenty a de facto mid-table Championship club. What is going to make us a top end challenger next year rather than ending up just like where we currently are...or even worse!!
Problem is the schedule of the championship now, ensures injuries will happen. If we let a good few go, likes of Doc etc who probably want more then bit part. We’ll need to replace them with depth options unless Rosie plans on having the best u21s on the fringes all season like Bielsa did at LeedsI think we’re only 5-6 signings from being a top 6 contender. Last summer was really scattergun and we also failed to recruit in crucial areas. We released our only recognised ball-winner in Smallwood and never replaced him. I’m certain Rosenior wants one this summer. He said he’s looking at height and strength as factors in recruitment. He said a player like Howson is exactly what we’re lacking after the Boro game.
If we sign a quality ball-winner in the summer, with Simons as his understudy, I think the spine of our team will be complete. Add in a few more additions like a left-back, some wingers and another striker and we’re set.
Problem is the schedule of the championship now, ensures injuries will happen. If we let a good few go, likes of Doc etc who probably want more then bit part. We’ll need to replace them with depth options unless Rosie plans on having the best u21s on the fringes all season like Bielsa did at Leeds
Heres a thought.... if next season we had to use only the squad we have now, plus the under 21's, no new signings, no loans, where do you think we';d finish... I think around 8th, maybe even a sniff of 6th...
Every team in the cahmpionship is 5 or 6 signings away of being a contender. Judging by the last two transfer windows we are not working all that well in that field. And dont forget the teams coming from the premier league. Its almost imposible to break the top6 tbh.I think we’re only 5-6 signings from being a top 6 contender. Last summer was really scattergun and we also failed to recruit in crucial areas. We released our only recognised ball-winner in Smallwood and never replaced him. I’m certain Rosenior wants one this summer. He said he’s looking at height and strength as factors in recruitment. He said a player like Howson is exactly what we’re lacking after the Boro game.
If we sign a quality ball-winner in the summer, with Simons as his understudy, I think the spine of our team will be complete. Add in a few more additions like a left-back, some wingers and another striker and we’re set.
Good question. All depends on injury situation. With better luck I'd say top 10, nudging top 6 even. Settled squad, stability in terms of manager, playing style, coaching staff all leading to continued improvement.Heres a thought.... if next season we had to use only the squad we have now, plus the under 21's, no new signings, no loans, where do you think we';d finish... I think around 8th, maybe even a sniff of 6th...
Every team in the cahmpionship is 5 or 6 signings away of being a contender. Judging by the last two transfer windows we are not working all that well in that field. And dont forget the teams coming from the premier league. Its almost imposible to break the top6 tbh.
Every season out 15 or 16 maybe two make it. Its imposible but almost.And yet teams like Millwall, Huddersfield, Luton keep managing it.
Every team in the cahmpionship is 5 or 6 signings away of being a contender. Judging by the last two transfer windows we are not working all that well in that field. And dont forget the teams coming from the premier league. Its almost imposible to break the top6 tbh.
Every season out 15 or 16 maybe two make it. Its imposible but almost.
And Huddersfield is fighting relegation at the moment.
Luton have done exceptionally well though. Since being promoted to the Championship they’ve finished 19th, 12th, 6th in that order and are currently 3rd this season. That’s very good progression imo.
Since we were promoted back to the Championship, we finished 19th last year and are currently 15th. Not too different from Luton. We could definitely push for play-offs next year in our 3rd season back in the Championship just like Luton did.
We're also much bigger than Luton in terms of budgets and previous performance at this level. We were in League 1 for one year, it'd be a bit weird to consider that in the same terms as a club who were overachieving to come up to this level in the first place.
That’s why if we get it right this summer, I fancy our chances. It seems Rosenior is taking a more analytical approach based on injury record, how many sprints they do a game, tackles per game, aerial duels won per game etc. It’s a similar approach to Brentford’s data-driven recruitment policy.
I think the main issue last summer was there wasn’t a clear direction for recruitment. Acun interfered too much. Hopefully, Rosenior is given autonomy to identify his targets, Acun tells him if they’re financially viable or not and they get most of the business done early.
We're also much bigger than Luton in terms of budgets and previous performance at this level. We were in League 1 for one year, it'd be a bit weird to consider that in the same terms as a club who were overachieving to come up to this level in the first place.
Sure but that puts us in a stronger position to kick on in this league imo. Luton have overachieved but they’re not one-season wonders in the Championship. Barnsley got play-offs then relegated the following season. Huddersfield look to replicate Barnsley. That could’ve happened to Luton as well. They got 6th last season but unlike Barnsley and Huddersfield, they haven’t fell off. They look even stronger. We should look to them for inspiration even if our financial circumstances are different. There are a lot of clubs wealthier than us who have failed this season.
If we recruit well in the summer and everyone at the club is singing from the same hymn sheet, there’s absolutely no reason why we can’t be serious play-off contenders.
I find Luton as a squad really interesting because they’ve been exceeding expectations for a few seasons now yet they don’t have any ‘star’ players. What I mean by that is they don’t have a particular player who stands out and who is linked with a big-money move to a PL club. Last season, we had KLP. Bristol City have Alex Scott. Coventry have Gyökeres. Blackburn have Brereton Díaz. Luton don’t have a player like that but they do have a good manager and a solid all-round squad.