Winter transfer window

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The Exile II said:
I think what it's proven is that the model needs to be more adaptable. Mid table is what we were planning for to bed these lads into the league, which would have been absolutely fine looking back.

Finishing 6th presented us with an early opportunity to push on that we haven't been able to adapt to, unfortunately. We've just trundled on like we finished 12th last year, and the expectation has risen.

The failure to adequately replace Stewart is the most glaring example of the inflexibility.

It was a successful season by any metric last year, but you can't sit still and assume the current plan is still adequate given your faster than anticipated progress. Static models don't last long.
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All about opinions. I see the 6th place differently. I see it as causing furore among some fans who expect us now to get promoted. The league is tougher. Had we finished mid table, a much more realistic and, let’s be honest, we’d all have snapped your hand off fir it at the start of last season, the 6th place, which only happened because of a mental winning run (likes of which I have not seen at SAFC fir many a year, if at all!), was more than we should really have got.

I might be wrong, but I don’t think the hierarchy would’ve expected promotion this season when we first came up after 5 years in the 3rd division. I think they’d be delighted with where we are now.
 
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marcusblackcat said:
All about opinions. I see the 6th place differently. I see it as causing furore among some fans who expect us now to get promoted. The league is tougher. Had we finished mid table, a much more realistic and, let’s be honest, we’d all have snapped your hand off fir it at the start of last season, the 6th place, which only happened because of a mental winning run (likes of which I have not seen at SAFC fir many a year, if at all!), was more than we should really have got.

I might be wrong, but I don’t think the hierarchy would’ve expected promotion this season when we first came up after 5 years in the 3rd division. I think they’d be delighted with where we are now.
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The league is tougher because those around us are signing players who are improving them now. Our Xl is no better than it was last season if anything it’s worse. If we don’t go up we lose our best players and we’re relying on young lads to be BETTER than the likes of Neil, Clarke, Ballard etc when they step into their shoes.

People are banking on us getting better over time but not accounting for the fact that other teams aren’t just standing still they’re also improving.
 
It’s the third window running the team entering the window has been better than the team leaving it

Balance sheet probably better if that’s what the direction set from the top is and what Speakman is judged on

Feels like we will need to sign a striker and defensive midfielder in every window from now until eternity
 
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WorkyTicketFTM said:
The league is tougher because those around us are signing players who are improving them now. Our Xl is no better than it was last season if anything it’s worse. If we don’t go up we lose our best players and we’re relying on young lads to be BETTER than the likes of Neil, Clarke, Ballard etc when they step into their shoes.

People are banking on us getting better over time but not accounting for the fact that other teams aren’t just standing still they’re also improving.
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It's a fair point. When you're not progressing the better players will be on their way. In the summer, it's incredibly likely we lose Clarke and Neil. Maybe Patto and Ballard. The first 2 are near certains to leave. Take them both out of the team and you have to be very optimistic to see that Jobe or Ba can perform as regularly as Clarke and Neil.
 
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marcusblackcat said:
All about opinions. I see the 6th place differently. I see it as causing furore among some fans who expect us now to get promoted. The league is tougher. Had we finished mid table, a much more realistic and, let’s be honest, we’d all have snapped your hand off fir it at the start of last season, the 6th place, which only happened because of a mental winning run (likes of which I have not seen at SAFC fir many a year, if at all!), was more than we should really have got.

I might be wrong, but I don’t think the hierarchy would’ve expected promotion this season when we first came up after 5 years in the 3rd division. I think they’d be delighted with where we are now.
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Yes it was unexpected, but it presented us with an opportunity. There's a difference being seen as being there or thereabouts for promotion rather than mid table fodder when it comes to the type of player we could potentially attract, which is a good thing, but there's also increased expectations from the fanbase.
Saying we're planning on automatic or playoffs, which has been said by Speakman, and then acting like we're not that interested in doing that, was bound to cause friction.

If he'd come out and said 'look the league was weak last year, we had the surprise factor, and the teams that came down look far stronger now and we'll aim finish as high as we can while sticking to our principles' there would have been some grumping but most sensible people would have said fine.

When actions don't match words, you can see why there's a rumble of him being a bullshitter.
 
WorkyTicketFTM said:
The league is tougher because those around us are signing players who are improving them now. Our Xl is no better than it was last season if anything it’s worse. If we don’t go up we lose our best players and we’re relying on young lads to be BETTER than the likes of Neil, Clarke, Ballard etc when they step into their shoes.

People are banking on us getting better over time but not accounting for the fact that other teams aren’t just standing still they’re also improving.
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But it could be that, for example, Mundle turns out to be better than Clarke. We sell Clarke for 25m in the summer and he's replaced by a player who we've signed for a relative pittance but who, by the time he is sold, is worth 40m.
Our young players are improving and improving together, as a team.
Just because we're not paying out for players at at their peak, doesn't mean we're not also improving.
 
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The Norton Cat said:
But it could be that, for example, Mundle turns out to be better than Clarke. We sell Clarke for 25m in the summer and he's replaced by a player who we've signed for a relative pittance but who, by the time he is sold, is worth 40m.
Our young players are improving and improving together, as a team.
Just because we're not paying out for players at at their peak, doesn't mean we're not also improving.
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Some people just refuse to see any kind of improvement unless millions have been spent
 
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The Exile II said:
Yes it was unexpected, but it presented us with an opportunity. There's a difference being seen as being there or thereabouts for promotion rather than mid table fodder when it comes to the type of player we could potentially attract, which is a good thing, but there's also increased expectations from the fanbase.
Saying we're planning on automatic or playoffs, which has been said by Speakman, and then acting like we're not that interested in doing that, was bound to cause friction.

If he'd come out and said 'look the league was weak last year, we had the surprise factor, and the teams that came down look far stronger now and we'll aim finish as high as we can while sticking to our principles' there would have been some grumping but most sensible people would have said fine.

When actions don't match words, you can see why there's a rumble of him being a bullshitter.
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Have to agree to disagree mate (on some points anyhow, completely agree with the stuff Speakman said, but he dud say what fans wanted to hear). I don’t see it as an opportunity, I see it now (with hindsight) as more if an issue. As I say, no point in arguing over it as I’m happy with where we are as a club. Want us in the PL, but nit at the expense of literally being cannon fodder every week
 
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Prehab26 said:
It's a fair point. When you're not progressing the better players will be on their way. In the summer, it's incredibly likely we lose Clarke and Neil. Maybe Patto and Ballard. The first 2 are near certains to leave. Take them both out of the team and you have to be very optimistic to see that Jobe or Ba can perform as regularly as Clarke and Neil.
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Be gutted to see both go but think we have more chance of replacing Clarke or being close to.

Neil is the type that is pretty much irreplaceable, he is a lad that can go on to be at the very top teams with a trophy cabinet needed at home to display his winners medals.

He just looks effortless to me, can beat a man with a pass or clever feet has definitely cut down on the mistakes this year aswell. Still only 22 and plays like a seasoned pro at this level and is ready for the step up. Is he goes I hope he goes to the very top. If he ends up at Liverpool I'll be dissapointed Klopp isn't there to help him develop, if we lose him I want him to win trophies like Henderson!
 
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Essayyeffcee said:
People keep quoting that its a harder league than last season yet we are still there or thereabouts for the playoffs. Would you not count that as an improvement?
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We’re also only 3 points off mid table though so no not really, we’ve lost more games than Huddersfield in 21st place.
 
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Apologies if posted but in Styles' interview video both him and the interview say the move has been 'years' in the making. Have we been linked with him before?
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