I can't believe that Bowyer has the same odds as McCarthy Ipswich give their managers every opportunity to destroy their careers... Roy Keane and Paul Jewell are excellent examples of this as we don't sack them until it's borderline too late Bowyer, Dyche and Lomas would be my pick to offer best value
Fair enough, that was just a whim really, no real reason behind it other than 25/1 looking good! How has your pre-season gone? Happy with your new signings?
Yea maybe, there was some initial fears from our fans about that but when he came in we were playing so much better and probably woulda been looking at relegation if Colin stayed. Could have just been trying to impress the new manager admittedly I think everyone is happy with the signings but there just haven't been enough of them. I'm real excited by Murphy and I think most are, Smith could also be a surprise and could get some good goals this season. As far as pre-season has gone though its been mixed, we've played some tough games, looked good at times but looked somewhat poor at times also without out and out wingers playing. How about you guys? Didn't you play Monaco or someone like that? Disappointed with inactivity in the transfer window?
I don't know what to make of ours really. Our first four friendlies were against Leamington, Ilkeston, Port Vale, and York, so hardly challenging opposition. Seems we've been putting out rather mixed teams, fielding a fair amount of youth. Maybe a sign of the season to come! Yes we played Monaco on Saturday, lost 3-0. Not overly bothered or surprised, they have just spent £55m on Falcao, not to mention all their other summer acquisitions. Slightly disappointed in the inactivity, but I'm afraid it was always going to be like that with FFP coming in. You can look at it two ways really... It could be good that we've kept our squad together (we haven't lost anyone we didn't want to lose (yet...!)), and after a year of all playing together, should have built up a decent level of understanding. Not to mention we had one of the youngest squads in the FL last season... Or, you could say we only just scraped the playoffs last season, and some believe that "if you keep on doing what you've always done, you'll keep on getting what you've always got", and thus can't see us doing any better this season. I think we are all hoping that best case scenario, Walshy finds us a gem out of nowhere (ala Knockaert last season), and worst case, we at least get a few loanees in to give us some more depth. I guess, as always, time will tell...
Agree that this summer has divided people, i for one would rather we had held onto players like Kasper and Morgan than bring in more unknown/untested talent. Although i do see it from the other point of view that this is the same team that lost alot of games at the end of last season and it needed building on. Hopefully they can find their first half of the season form and keep it up, there's no time for a new team to gel as Pearsons already on squeaky bum time.
Every year our biggest challenge is trying to blend the team. If you look at Man U they only sign 2 or 3 first team players a season. The squad is pretty much the same every year This season we aren't trying to throw a team together as we already have it. In that sense we do have an advantage over most teams but you also need some new blood Zoumana Bokoyogo, Neil Danns and Sean St. Ledger will increase the options but we still need more players especially someone to partner Wes If players like Marshall, Vardy, Waghorn and Schlupp can show more consistency over the season then they did last year then maybe new signings won't be as crucial as we think Last season Matty James struggled for fitness until the final bit of the season when he showed his true class. David Nugent picked up a serious neck injury which no one will know how much of an effect that was. Chris Wood was only here from January So our options over the course of the season already look stronger then last year
All true proud - but every club can say something similar ... Hull lost Aluko.... Palace Glen Murray ... both still got promoted ... still comes down to 'managing' the things that occur ...
You lot used the loan market alot last season which is something we couldnt do because the wages we was paying to players that didnt even play. We couldnt afford to take more on
We had Amos, Brady, Meyler and Elmo is the first half of the season. Then Stockdale, Elmo, Gedo, Fathy and Boyd in the second half of the season, though Boyd had really signed on a permanent already and Fathy barely played at all. We only really had three or four first team players on loan at any one time, didn't you also have three?
We signed Jesse Lingard who made about 5 cameos, Michael Keane played the 2nd half of the season and Harry Kane who was complete ****.
I can't remember how many minutes he was given here, but it really wasn't enough. He made 5 "appearances", but one of those he came on in the 85th minute, which hardly counts... He might have not looked up to much, but it must be hard for youngsters to make an impact in a new team with only cameo appearances. As you say though, I've heard good things about him in pre-season. Would welcome him back with open arms, and Keane
I think it's been covered Josh, it's not meant to be a dig at Leeds, it's just that, like us, you've had a pedigree for getting rid of managers recently. I'm just more surprised that McDermott's not higher if Pearson's up there. The big clubs in this league are always a good bet for sacking the managers.
Neither's Knockaert really, he's still done alright. A championship side will probably sign Lingard, won't be Leicester though.
It looks as though Keane could be higher up at Man U this season, he played in some of their bigger tournament games, thought he'd only feature in the Man U XI games. Does that make him better than Nani?
Vidic Ferdinand Jones Smalling Evans ... young Michael's most unlikely to get a sniff of first team action outside of the Capitol One cup .. (although he has been allocated a squad number - Number 38)
