Sticky Plasters (2 Viewers)

[edgy]

The types of signings we are making and being linked with (loans and short term) suggest 2 things to me.

1) We are putting plasters on wounds until a big summer shake-up.

2) We are still as skint and poor in windows as we've ever been under King.

Surely it's got to be 1) hasn't it? Inevitable sale of Vik, 6 or so out of contract and all loans going home.

I just don't want to believe 2) as it makes no sense for the Takeover to have happened.

If it is 2) and then we approach the summer shake-up in the same way, we will be heading to the trapdoor again.

 

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[shmmeee]

Got to be 1) no time for anything properly worked out, reluctant to make any long term decisions until there’s some planning done. I’m more hopeful if this Preston lad is six months than a longer contract TBH.

 

[Nick]

Yeah we will need a rebuild in the summer and January windows are shite anyway.

 

[hill83]

Probably 1.

 

[chiefdave]

January window isn't really the time to start a major rebuild. its just getting through the season now and then start work in the summer window

Saying that don't think we'll be going mad then, it will be slow and steady but hopefully we see year on year improvements

 

[Northeast sky blue]

It's a 1 from me

 

[shmmeee]

January window isn't really the time to start a major rebuild. its just getting through the season now and then start work in the summer window

Saying that don't think we'll be going mad then, it will be slow and steady but hopefully we see year on year improvements

Not sure we’ve got much choice TBH, even a light rebuild needs about 10 new players in.

 

[Stafford_SkBlue]

End of the day we still have to live within our means, we also lost some sizable income due to Wasps at least half a million plus we paid for the pitch at the Arena, in this season income, this could be as much as a million.
We ave say 20k gates, which has increased over the last few years, although our season tickets were fairly cheap.
That sets our budgets for next year. I don't think Doug has a bottomless pit of money but I do see him making some investments, although I think they will have to be justified as good investments. Steady progress we hope for.

 

[oscillatewildly]

It's a 1 from me

I concur.

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

Too cold for a number 2.

 

[christonabike]

I might be wrong but isn’t the long term plan on where we are playing and what it’s going to cost us more pressing?
No point spending Millions on players only to be charged an unsustainable rent in the CBS.
It’s frustrating but the longer term future is more important.

 

[Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon]

I'm going for option 1 here as 2 is going to be a pretty miserable set of circumstances. I am sure we will find out over the summer, looks a really big rebuilding job whatever happens to our 'main' players to be honest.

 

[edgy]

If it is 1), I'd like to hear that confirmed by King. Would certainly give us all some confidence moving towards the summer. And prehaps lighten the mood around the fanbase a little.

 

[Samo]

If it is 1), I'd like to hear that confirmed by King. Would certainly give us all some confidence moving towards the summer. And prehaps lighten the mood around the fanbase a little.

He'd be mad to say that. The mood will lighten when form picks up and the summer overhaul happens.

 

[shmmeee]

We’re just going to have to judge him on results to be fair. If we’re not in a better position this time next year he can piss off. Everything else is PR.

 

[fernandopartridge]

The types of signings we are making and being linked with (loans and short term) suggest 2 things to me.

1) We are putting plasters on wounds until a big summer shake-up.

2) We are still as skint and poor in windows as we've ever been under King.

Surely it's got to be 1) hasn't it? Inevitable sale of Vik, 6 or so out of contract and all loans going home.

I just don't want to believe 2) as it makes no sense for the Takeover to have happened.

If it is 2) and then we approach the summer shake-up in the same way, we will be heading to the trapdoor again.

I think it can be 1 and 2, we are still not able to spend in windows but the only difference is that under King we might not be so compelled to sell

 

[Skyblue_LDN]

Can’t be 2, would make no sense of him getting involved to just burn some cash, honestly believe he is thinking of a slow approach and we will just have to be patient. More importantly we need to hope that the recruitment/scouting team are working tirelessly between now and the summer

 

[edgy]

He'd be mad to say that. The mood will lighten when form picks up and the summer overhaul happens.

"When" the form picks up? Let's hope it does then.

 

[Samo]

"When" the form picks up? Let's hope it does then.

I'm an optimist

 

[edgy]

I'm an optimist

I hope you're right.

I can imagine how sour the mood will be should we slump to a <18th position finish and King hasn't given us some hope for the summer.

 

[SBT]

Think this is shaping up to be the first season in a while where the squad that finishes the season is worse than the one which begun it.

 

[shmmeee]

Think this is shaping up to be the first season in a while where the squad that finishes the season is worse than the one which begun it.

Bold statement.

 

[Nick]

Think this is shaping up to be the first season in a while where the squad that finishes the season is worse than the one which begun it.

Probably wait and see if anybody is sold in January....

 

[Hobo]

At City it never rains it pours. So as long as King can afford those waterproof sticky plasters it will be an upgrade.

 

[SBT]

Probably wait and see if anybody is sold in January....

It’s not just a case of who leaves the club - there are hardly any players on our books whose value/stock has notably increased this season. Plenty more whose value has plunged.

 

[Sick Boy]

Think this is shaping up to be the first season in a while where the squad that finishes the season is worse than the one which begun it.

It was inevitable that we’d regress at some point though.

 

[Nick]

It’s not just a case of who leaves the club - there are hardly any players on our books whose value/stock has notably increased this season. Plenty more whose value has plunged.

Not sure anybody has plunged massively in value other than oHare if it's about selling value.

 

[SBT]

Not sure anybody has plunged massively in value other than oHare if it's about selling value.

In terms of their value to us, I mean.

O’Hare, Moore, Dabo, Kelly, Waghorn, Walker, Godden, Tavares and Kane have all gone from being regular first teamers to being frozen out, injured or unplayable. Very few players, in contrast, have stepped up in their place, and almost all of our new signings won’t be here next season anyway.

 

[Samo]

In terms of their value to us, I mean.

O’Hare, Moore, Dabo, Kelly, Waghorn, Walker, Godden, Tavares and Kane have all gone from being regular first teamers to being frozen out, injured or unplayable. Very few players, in contrast, have stepped up in their place, and almost all of our new signings won’t be here next season anyway.

Tavares, Kane and Walker were first team regulars????

 

[fernandopartridge]

In terms of their value to us, I mean.

O’Hare, Moore, Dabo, Kelly, Waghorn, Walker, Godden, Tavares and Kane have all gone from being regular first teamers to being frozen out, injured or unplayable. Very few players, in contrast, have stepped up in their place, and almost all of our new signings won’t be here next season anyway.

Waghorn wasn't in the team at the end of last season, Kane was already frozen out. Walker?.Tavares was a bit part player at best. Kelly started 1 game after December. Apart from losing all those key players though you're spot on.

 

[SBT]

Tavares, Kane and Walker were first team regulars????

Waghorn wasn't in the team at the end of last season, Kane was already frozen out. Walker?.Tavares was a bit part player at best. Kelly started 1 game after December. Apart from losing all those key players though you're spot on.

I didn’t say they were key/first XI players, but they were all regular members of the first team squad last year, and relative to their value to us at the start of the season they’re now worth even less.

 

[ms639]

I think it's pretty clear from our January business that the goal is staying up this year, building a platform and then a huge overhaul in the summer. Right decision in my mind, sure there will be plenty of fans claiming we should have whacked 5 mill in and pushed for play offs the 'if not now, when?' lot.

We'll finish between 12th and 16th this year

 

[Nick]

In terms of their value to us, I mean.

O’Hare, Moore, Dabo, Kelly, Waghorn, Walker, Godden, Tavares and Kane have all gone from being regular first teamers to being frozen out, injured or unplayable. Very few players, in contrast, have stepped up in their place, and almost all of our new signings won’t be here next season anyway.

You said the end of this season, so yeah all of the loanees will count.

O'Hare was injured at the start of the season so there's no actual difference.

Walker, Kelly, Tavares were only subs anyway so they are likely to end the season the same. (depending on injury)

 

[SBT]

You said the end of this season, so yeah all of the loanees will count.

O'Hare was injured at the start of the season so there's no actual difference.

Walker, Kelly, Tavares were only subs anyway so they are likely to end the season the same. (depending on injury)

Stacking the squad with loanees is all well and good, but it won’t do us much good going forward.

Which squad members do you think have really kicked on and improved this year?

 

[Nick]

Stacking the squad with loanees is all well and good, but it won’t do us much good going forward.

Which squad members do you think have really kicked on and improved this year?

Think this is shaping up to be the first season in a while where the squad that finishes the season is worse than the one which begun it.

Yeah, loanees will be in the squad that finish the season though?