Where will we be in the table next May??

Really? Poor squad, with a manager who has admittedly done well at a lower level, but with a squad fit only for McCarthy ball and survival. If they lose Waghorn I think they could genuinely be in trouble.

Bah!

 

I think the real question is what would our fans be happy with.

For example would you want to keep Farke and class the season as progression if we play some attacking football, win and lose a few 3-2 etc and finish 9th for example would fans be happy. Or is it top 6 or he’s gone?

I suspect after most peoples talk it would be the latter.

 

I personally think that we have the most exciting squad that we have had for 5 or 6 years and I really looking forward to the season.

The problem is however there are about 10 teams with equally if not better squads!

 

Are you the same Melchett that was a guest blogger?

 

I voted bottom half (head over heart). My feeling here is we're going into another season with major personnel changes again and it's going to take time to gel. We've lost our main goal sources from last season and whilst i'm pleased with the replacements brought in, we're really in the dark as to how they will perform. Will Farke's tactics change this season? Will he make more use of the sub bench given we've got strength in depth? Will he find that balance between defence and attack that was missing last year? I suspect a similar end finish to last season but would love to be proved wrong.

Fingers X'd for an exciting season and another genuine push for the PL again.

 

Yes indeed, the guest blogger was our very own GM

 

Some more excellent comments and whilst we have lost JM, I’m not quite so bothered by the loss of Murphy.
The $64,000 question is how can the new recruits step up to the rigours of the Championship, but at least Trybull, Leitner, Stieperman, Vrancic and Hernandez have experienced it (I've probably missed someone!!).
The other conundrum is will our ‘youff’ players be given their chance to perform and can they play 7 games in 26 days, as DF showed last year, that he likes to field a large proportion of first team players in cup games. #morequestionsthananswers

 

How many league goals have been scored by our current squad ?
Vrancic got one last season Trybull 1 or 2 Srbeny 1 Tettey may have got one Nelson 5 .
Most of our attacking players are yet to get off the mark.
Without Josh and Maddison's goals we may get relegated so we have to hope the players brought in can score with Farkes tactics which didn't really bring the best out of our forwards or attacking players last season.

 

Yup

Bah

 

#letswaitandsee

 

I think it has to be multifaceted improvements.

First the football simply has to yield more goals. Even if the football remains turgid, goals afford moments of celebration and excitement, whilst improving our chances of winning.

Farke must get the balance if the side right, it's no good scoring double the goals of we keep losing because we're porous at the back. He never cracked the balance last season, I'm crossing my fingers he might after the latest batch of recruits.
It has to be more entertaining, frankly making the playoffs but boring us to tears with a bunch of 1-0's and 70% possession (98% of which was sideways!) could only be seen as partial success.
In many ways the finishing position is not so important, Ok lower than last season he must go. between 9th and 14th is disappointing but as long as the football is improving in entertainment and goals preferably having stayed in contention for the playoffs then it's ok.
8th upwards is perfectly acceptable allied to more entertainment. Top 2 and who gives a chuff about what it looked like, it's success against an unlikely backdrop.

Bah!

 

Not all of them are new though JM I would have hoped for more from Vrancic Srbrny Hernandez Wildshutt Stieperman Tettey a combined 3 I think over several games.
A lack of goals killed our season last year and we sold our top scorerers.

I'm still blindly optimistic and from the live streams and highlights from pre season that I have been chastised for basing my opinions on we look like we have goals in us.

Strange how 1950s has written off this season on the basis of attending the Charlton game being extremely negative and nobody on here jumped on his back.

Pretty sure if I had written the exact same comments a few would have been all over me for that but that has always been the case on here ..

 

Fair comment DD and yes, some would have pounced had that post been from you!!

As I and others have said, some of our recruits are ready to partially fill the void that our two top goal scorers from last season have created.
I would argue that had a player other than Murphy been on the wing, then our goal tally would have been higher as his final delivery was certainly lacking in most cases was horrific.
DF himself has said that our shots on goal to goals scored was atrocious and SW has addressed that in signing Rhodes and IMO, that was a better option than signing Marriott, as we’ll have Morris fit by the end of the season and Abrahams/Idah may well be able to make the step up. (I haven’t forgotten that I’ll most likely owe you at least a couple of beers next May!!!)

 

I really like Friday night u23 kick offs as I finish 3pm every other week at Bury and can go straight from work to Norwich get some dinner and a few beers and can be home for bed time .
Plus the £1 tickets make it a cheap night out.
I'll give you a heads up which games I'm available for

 

That's fine DD and I'll post details of the Under 23 games once they're released.
They have quite a few Sunday games as well.

 

Really good thread this, JMF. I voted 7-12 as most likely, but would prefer 6-10. Though we have added a lot of players, it's not like last season, as most are exciting new options. Our defence is solid and unchanged except for the addition of Marshall, Godfrey and Passlack who simply improve it. Godfrey and Thompson have made us stronger at DM and McLean is another solid option at CM. Our only midfield loss is Reed.

The real question is whether Rhodes, Pukki, Buendia and Marshall can replace Maddison, Murphy, Watkins, Wes and Wildschut (and Oliveira, if he leaves). For me the answer is yes as Maddison and Murphy are the only major losses, and the new players should be enough to replace them if DF gets the tactics right. They all looked good in pre-season with goals as well: Pukki(3), Rhodes(2), Hernandez(2). Marshall didn't score, but did have a lot of assists from accurate crosses, which is what we were missing last year.

With Hanley as Captain, a strong spine and an improved attack I think the balance GM is looking for can be achieved. Leitner will be a key player for that, influencing the pace and rhythm of play and adding key passes to the more accurate crossing from the flanks. McLean will also be a key player, adding a dynamism we lacked last year. I'm convinced that we now have the potential for top six if we can realise it and perform consistently throughout the season in a league which will be even tougher than last year.

 

Thanks Rick and a great post. I did consider giving the options of 1-6, 7-10 etc, but decided against it.

IMO, DF HAS to get his starting 11 right for St Andrews and it has to include Thompson and or Godfrey. I'm hopeful that he won't leave bringing on subs until the last 20 minutes as well.

 

A strong DM is crucial to make the 4-1-4-1 work, and to me that means Tettey, Thompson or Godfrey. Trybull doesn't work there unless he is beside a DM in a 4-2-3-1. A proper DM is crucial to the strong spine if a back four is used. Godfrey also offers a ball playing and accurate passing option in a back three formation.

 

Tettey and Trybull worked well together as DM's for a decent spell last season.
No reason he couldn't pair Godfrey / Thompson and Trybull in a 4-2-3-1 if the game / opposition require more shielding of the defence?

 

A play-off push to spite us!

Haha, I dunno. I don’t love or all this talk of them being relegation candidates. I think they have a good new manager, signing young hungry players from lower leagues. Reminds me a bit of Lambert era.