Reality check (5 Viewers)

[Ccfcisparks]

Of course they will be a favourite - it’s the same as the nonsense last year that the clubs coming down were in financial trouble and Ipswich were being mocked as the new Barcelona

We should have had Bidwell starting and the likes of Allen, sheaf would if not injured and given the issues Kelly should have started.

Hull of course you don’t reference

There is zero logic to suggest we will be better next season than we are now until the end of the season

Hull are clearly the exception to the rule.

Any acknowledgement that what you have said about Norwich, Albion and Preston is utter rubbish or are you just going to try and brush it under the carpet?

 

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[Otis]

The other assumption here also is Simms will to coin a phrase “come good”

There is certainly no assurance of that

No, I would disagree with that. Well for me anyway.

It's not an assumption for me, it's just a belief that he will. I think he will, but am not taking it as a given fact.

 

[mmttww]

He also said the players need to suck up any criticism after the game from fans as it’s deserved.

I'm glad he said this. 22.5k of our lot turned up to watch that shower of sh*t. Need to put that right.

 

[Grendel]

Hull are clearly the exception to the rule.

Any acknowledgement that what you have said about Norwich, Albion and Preston is utter rubbish or are you just going to try and brush it under the carpet?

Ive already answered you and also the fact the general consensus on this forum that Norwich and WBA were bankrupt and no longer a threat and that Preston are just shite and play anti football

We improved as we ditched Wilson and changed formation - also O Hare returned and started scoring goals for fun. He won’t be around next season - you seem very agitated- have a lie down

 

[fernandopartridge]

He forgets Stoke last season. Yeovil at home was significantly worse than Friday night. Rotherham in 2019

They were *years* ago

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[Otis]

Norwich had 11 players who started yesterday who were there last year.

Preston had 8 players who started Friday who were there last year.

West Brom had 10 players who started yesterday who were there last year.

we had 3 on Friday.

why do you constantly spout this totally spun bollocks to spread negativity on here.

If you really think Sheffield United will come down and be a favourite you are utterly deluded.

I do think they may struggle a little. Certainly not top 2 anyway.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Ive already answered you and also the fact the general consensus on this forum that Norwich and WBA were bankrupt and no longer a threat and that Preston are just shite and play anti football

We improved as we ditched Wilson and changed formation - also O Hare returned and started scoring goals for fun. He won’t be around next season - you seem very agitated- have a lie down

You haven’t, you brushed over it and said well what about Hull.

you’re wrong, move on.

 

[higgs]

Staying up this season was an achievement in itself with the massive turnover of players to be fair and losing 2 of the best players in the division

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[Grendel]

You haven’t, you brushed over it and said well what about Hull.

you’re wrong, move on.

No I’m not wrong.

How many do we need to sign next season?

 

[Grendel]

Staying up this season was an achievement in itself with the massive turnover of players to be fair and losing 2 of the best players in the division

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Fucking hell

 

[Ccfcisparks]

No I’m not wrong.

How many do we need to sign next season?

Well you were wrong that those 3 teams have changed the majority of their starting XI

 

[fatso]

“Worst performance I’ve seen for years”, it’s pathetic reading.

You better tell Robins he's talking bollocks then.

 

[fatso]

Fuck me I knew there would be a meltdown on here after Preston but it truly is of epic proportions.

We need to remember the plan that has been put in place. The league this year is the hardest it has been in recent memory. There is likely to be 1 or maybe even 2 teams finishing on 90+ points and not getting promoted.

DK and MR made a very intentional decision in the summer to go for permanent signings over loans and built a squad that is competitive over a sustained period of time.

We have seen time and time again when teams throw the kitchen sink at one season and don’t make it, it destroys the club for years. See Leeds, Derby, Reading etc etc.

I hate to break it but this season is not our year and it was never planned to be our year. Finishing in the play offs with the turnover of players we had in the summer and the strength of the sides that came down would be a very very successful season.

Next year and the year after are the ones to judge the project on. We’ll have no loans going back and big hitters (wright, tats etc) will know the league and what it requires.

Saw some idiot on the robins thread posting that if we don’t get the play offs this year he should go. Never seen so much rubbish.

24/25 and 25/26 seasons will be our big pushes and I genuinely think with the quality of the teams coming down next year we could and should be looking for autos.

Keep the faith.


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I think we've been punching above our weight in recent weeks, and the expectation level has risen as a result, which is to be expected, and keeps the dreams of promotion alive.

But the reality is that we have a very decent first 11, but as soon as 1 or 2 get injured or need resting, our quality suffers dramatically as a result.
And the fixture congestion has stretched us to breaking point.

I definitely trust MR to continue the building in the summer and I expect quite a clear out of players that aren't up to his standard.

 

[Deleted member 9744]

I didn't feel it was the worse performance for years. The defence was dreadful in the first half, arguably with the exception of Binks, but the rest of the team wasn't that bad. Simms was much improved and we were a little unlucky at times. It was poor but I have seen much worse.

I get that we are looking long term with signings but I do feel this inflexible adherence to the 'model' is a mistake. We don't know that players will necessarily improve. For example, even though he looks much better I would be surprised if Simms becomes a top Championship striker. We are also stuck in these players on long contracts.

January feels like a missed opportunity and it is difficult to see us finishing ahead of those teams who strengthened with quality players. Ipswich and Hull for example signed top players who could have made all the difference to our squad. It feels like we threw away a decent chance of promotion by being inflexible in our approach.

What we lack this year is a real top quality player who the opposition would be scared of like Gyokeres and Hamer. Moore or Carvalho would have given us that.

 

[wingy]

Just put the laces through it MVE and should have been all Square?

 

[Boicey]

My main concern would be how much can we develop this seasons big intake of players.
The ‘Barnsley boys’ haven’t really come on, although they’ve been chopped and changed a lot.
Wright and Simms remain quite oddball players with a long way to go.
MVE, Sakamoto and Sheaf are probably the only 3 I can see as vaguely doing a job in the premiership. And 2 of them might have injury problems.

 

[Deleted member 9744]

My main concern would be how much can we develop this seasons big intake of players.
The ‘Barnsley boys’ haven’t really come on, although they’ve been chopped and changed a lot.
Wright and Simms remain quite oddball players with a long way to go.
MVE, Sakamoto and Sheaf are probably the only 3 I can see as vaguely doing a job in the premiership. And 2 of them might have injury problems.

Thomas has improved a lot until the last few matches.

 

[Tommo1993]

My main concern would be how much can we develop this seasons big intake of players.
The ‘Barnsley boys’ haven’t really come on, although they’ve been chopped and changed a lot.
Wright and Simms remain quite oddball players with a long way to go.
MVE, Sakamoto and Sheaf are probably the only 3 I can see as vaguely doing a job in the premiership. And 2 of them might have injury problems.

Maybe Sakamoto and Sheaf, not sold on MvE yet.

 

[marrrkjay_ccfc]

You're right. We all knew it would be a rebuilding year after losing our best two players and the squad overhaul in the summer. We all accepted top 10/12 would be a good season.

However, that doesn't mean we can't be disappointed with how things have panned out. Knowing that on the bus back from Wembley that Hamer wanted out, why did it take until the final day of the season to sell him and still not find a replacement?

This is also the 3rd season in a row where the players are running on fumes due to the small squad size. We got away with it last year because A) Gus & Vik and B) How poor the league was last year. We actually played our best football in the 21/22 season and were 2nd at one point during the season. We then ran out of steam and squad and finished 12th.

This summer, we really need to not only sign quality that will improve us but add depth to the squad. You can't win promotion over a 46 game season + cup games + potential play-off games with 22 players. AS we are witnessing, if we lose 1 or 2 players, the quality of our whole team drops substantially.

I hope King has learnt how the transfer market works as he's had 3 since he's been our owner. Players need to be identified and signed early so that the squad has time to gel in pre-season. Let no one go until we've signed a replacement. Next season really is a great chance for promotion if we make the right decisions off the field.

 

[StrettoBoy]

Da silva has failed as a purchase

I think that is a little harsh.

In my opinion he has a place as a squad player, probably to bring on for Bidwell when we are chasing a game as he is better going forward than defending.

We were playing with wing backs when we got him, so that will have been his intended role.

 

[Otis]

Thomas has improved a lot until the last few matches.

I still think he'll be fine. Just needs to calm down a bit and cut out the silly mistakes

 

[fatso]

We all know our squad is one of the smallest in the championship, but when you consider that Fadz has left us, Godden's legs have left him, and we're basically having to carry players like Moore, Kelly and Tavares, you suddenly appreciate just how paper thin this squad really is.

 

[StrettoBoy]

What we lack this year is a real top quality player who the opposition would be scared of like Gyokeres and Hamer.

Provided he returns from injury as the player he was, Saka gives us that.

We don't know yet but EM-C could be another one next season.

 

[Deleted member 9744]

Provided he returns from injury as the player he was, Saka gives us that.

We don't know yet but EM-C could be another one next season.

I like Sakamoto but no he doesn't. He does some great things but doesn't dominate matches like Gyokeres and Hamer.

 

[Deleted member 9744]

I still think he'll be fine. Just needs to calm down a bit and cut out the silly mistakes

I think he could end up in the Premier league in a few years time. He's a good player but had a couple of poor games.

 

[ProfessorbyGrace]

In October people were saying we were gonna get relegated or be in a relegation battle ffs

we really are a ridiculously fickle bunch.

Absolutely, because what we were seeing on the pitch was concerning. Again, the expectation level was set high, understandably, however reality would dictate that it would take a while for MR to get a team together that he was satisfied with, after the overhaul in the summer, and the departure of two of the best players we’ve had for a long time.

How we reached 6th so rapidly, off the back of a dire month of losses and dropping to 20th, is a testament to MR and his staff.

Personally, as I’ve said, I feel we’re punching above our weight at the minute, given the injuries and strain on such a small squad. Would be great to reach the playoffs, I just feel (personally) it’s a very tall order.

 

[StrettoBoy]

I like Sakamoto but no he doesn't. He does some great things but doesn't dominate matches like Gyokeres and Hamer.

He does scare the opposition, which was your original point to which I was replying.

Until your latest post, neither of us said that he dominates matches. I agree with you on that one.

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

We all know our squad is one of the smallest in the championship, but when you consider that Fadz has left us, Godden's legs have left him, and we're basically having to carry players like Moore, Kelly and Tavares, you suddenly appreciate just how paper thin this squad really is.

We shouldn't be carrying Kelly, he should be playing. People keep writing him off but every time he comes back he lifts us. I'll back him to do the same again but Robins doesn't want to play him. Can't really moan about having a small squad in that scenario.

 

[2024/25 League 1 Champs?]

we probably still need

A good first choice keeper who can command the box and catch the ball;

At least one more centre half

A LB (or ideally two) and RB cover for MVE

At least one RW and one LW

At least two central midfielders, and at least one attacking midfielder

Two goal scoring centre halves

So basically a whole team…..

 

[Viktor17]

“Worst performance I’ve seen for years”, it’s pathetic reading.

In fairness it was! Thats not being OTT just fact. Yes people spouting utter rubbish…

…but Friday was bad and team deserved being told that. End of we move on.

 

[Ashdown]

Haven’t given up on the league yet but you have to face reality and admit things are stacking up against us now. The biggest issue is now having possibly a few more weeks without our better midfielders and Saka out too leaves us woefully short.
we’ve done fantastically well with a complete new rebuild but there is still work to be done. We need more cover at the back and in the middle and ….Im still not convinced we really spent well on strikers.

 

[Deleted member 9744]

We shouldn't be carrying Kelly, he should be playing. People keep writing him off but every time he comes back he lifts us. I'll back him to do the same again but Robins doesn't want to play him. Can't really moan about having a small squad in that scenario.

It's probably a fitness issue why he hasn't been playing. I am sure he would be ahead of Latibeaudiere in midfield if fully fit.

 

[Legia Sky Blue]

Friday was awful, but for the real doom and gloom merchants please go and view the CCFC 10 years from now thread to get some proper perspective, rather than coming to knee jerk conclusions.

 

[Happy_Martian]

I don’t see why it’s a rebuilding year when one of the teams above us has had a greater turnover of staff and another having been promoted last season has lost only 4 games.

West Brom were being widely derided as facing financial ruin but have bought in 7 or 8 players. Norwich also have regrouped and look stronger

Preston have 8 incomers this season as well.


All clubs strengthen pre season and the 3 premier relegated clubs will be favourites as ever.

There are a few people on here that would argue that the sky is pink and we're all unicorns.

Robins said it at the start of the season, we said it at the start of the season.

You have to be the odd one out.

 

[baldy]

we probably still need

A good first choice keeper who can command the box and catch the ball;

At least one more centre half

A LB (or ideally two) and RB cover for MVE

At least one RW and one LW

At least two central midfielders, and at least one attacking midfielder

Two goal scoring centre halves

So basically a whole team…..

Why do we need 2 centre halves that score goals?