24/25 changes? (3 Viewers)

[shmmeee]

Yes, we do because there's next to no goals in midfield. In the league campaign, we've mustered 12 goals all season from midfield compared to 9 goals from defence. It's not good enough.

Depends what you call our midfield. Even if you leave Wright out, O’Hare and Saka have almost 20 between them. Agree that I’d likened see more from the base though. Ten between them shouldn’t be out of the question.

 

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[Diogenes]

Are there name a couple and £8 m.I know there is plenty of money up there but come on .

I have it on good authority a swap deal for Udogie is on the cards

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Depends what you call our midfield. Even if you leave Wright out, O’Hare and Saka have almost 20 between them. Agree that I’d likened see more from the base though. Ten between them shouldn’t be out of the question.

They have 13 in the league and none since February. I’ve defined ‘midfield’ as all our CMs and AMs and frankly, it's a weakness that they've scored so few goals.

Look at Norwich's Sara who's putting in Hamer numbers (12 goals, 13 assists), a player like that is the difference in getting us into the playoffs.

 

[thekidfromstrettoncamp]

I have it on good authority a swap deal for Udogie is on the cards

Plenty you said and only one possible swap deal you come up with.That I would doubt as well.The guy has played a part in 28 games for them this season think we would have to pay a fair old wedge on top of Palmer.

 

[BlueSkiesForever]

Now we can all step back. We have had to replace our entire squad, that's a HUGE challenge. It's a long term process and the 2nd big stage of that is the summer, adding the quality of depth.

Really think we have probably all underestimated how big job it was.

Just look at all the players we released last year, Rose at best done "OK" that's as good as it gets the rest are lower league at best.

Going to be exciting summer, trust Robins et al - lots of rumours and names about.

I agree that it’s been a huge rebuilding, and it’s clearly something that shouldn’t be taken lightly, but at the same time I think we should be putting our foot on the gas again and striking whilst the iron’s hot. If we invest in quality again whilst this positive energy is around the club then we could make a solid push next year.

Burnley, Sheffield, Luton aren’t pushovers but they aren’t Leicester, Leeds, Ipswich or Southampton. I genuinely think with some extra quality we can do it next year, we just can’t be starting the likes of Kelly, Godden, Eccles, Allen etc every week like the old days, that’s really not a automatic qualifying team.

 

[cunningstunt]

So my 2 pence

2x center mid for cover
1x am to replace ohare
1x RB as cover
1x CB as cover
2x strikers as cover/game changing (different kind)
1x first choice gk
Hope the free market is full of prem rejects

How is howey getting on with his loan this Season might have been his breakthrough as a bench warmer.

 

[messiahrobins]

I have it on good authority a swap deal for Udogie is on the cards

No chance

 

[messiahrobins]

Maybe its just revisionism but I feel like our defence was a lot better when Sakamoto played. He covered MVE extremely well and that Right side was very strong.

Losing Sakamoto cost us promotion. Its that simple. You are spot on, he had great defensive awareness and him and MVE were forming a formidable partnership. Losing sakamoto robbed us of him, but also of the best of MVE and meant poor Latabadieure playing out of position and meaning Thomas had to play every match when he could have done with a rest at times so Sakamoto being out absolutely derailed us.

 

[messiahrobins]

So my 2 pence

2x center mid for cover
1x am to replace ohare
1x RB as cover
1x CB as cover
2x strikers as cover/game changing (different kind)
1x first choice gk
Hope the free market is full of prem rejects

How is howey getting on with his loan this Season might have been his breakthrough as a bench warmer.

Dont need that many. Burroughs will be the cover at RB. Wont get an AM as will be way out of our budget to get similar or better than Ohare and with Torp Sheaf and Eccles we dont need one as we also have palmer and Allen and could go with a narrower 3 in the middle. We will get Kyprianou in from Pboro, got a feeling that might already be done so there is you CM. We definitely need another CB, maybe 2 CBs. We only need one striker, but he needs to be younger than Simms but of extreme high potential who can cover Simms and do a job if Simms is out. Will definitely have to get a new GK and a RW to cover Sakamoto.

 

[Cally Fedora]

I’d like us to look at Rudoni - currently at Huddersfield

 

[Levship20]

A consistent squad that generally plays on average 40-46 games.. silly red cards, injury niggles does my head in

 

[Frostie]

Look at Norwich's Sara who's putting in Hamer numbers (12 goals, 13 assists), a player like that is the difference in getting us into the playoffs.

Phenomenal player at this level.
£11m + at least £2m more in add ons though - not the market we are shopping in.

 

[CovLad94]

Any truth to the Rudoni rumour? @Saddlebrains anything on this from your guy?

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Phenomenal player at this level.
£11m + at least £2m more in add ons though - not the market we are shopping in.

To clarify, I wasn’t proposing Sara as a realistic target for us as he is a cut above the Championship. The point was more that we need a player who can produce number like he has to elevate our own team.

At Norwich away he looked a level above against Torp and Eccles. He seems to score lots of important goals for them too.

 

[Frostie]

To clarify, I wasn’t proposing Sara as a realistic target for us as he is a cut above the Championship. The point was more that we need a player who can produce number like he has to elevate our own team.

At Norwich away he looked a level above against Torp and Eccles. He seems to score lots of important goals for them too.

Yeah, I understand what you meant. Was just pointing out to get that almost guaranteed level of quality it will cost big money.

 

[baldy]

No chance

It was a tongue in cheek comment because of that weirdos post a few months ago that said we'd apparently lined him up (can't even remember the posters name but it was one of many batshit posts from him)

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Yeah, I understand what you meant. Was just pointing out to get that almost guaranteed level of quality it will cost big money.

We got Hamer for £1.25m and you’d hope Torp is capable of getting goals and assists.

If we were to cash in on Sheaf I’d expect 2 CMs in the summer.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Losing Sakamoto cost us promotion. Its that simple. You are spot on, he had great defensive awareness and him and MVE were forming a formidable partnership. Losing sakamoto robbed us of him, but also of the best of MVE and meant poor Latabadieure playing out of position and meaning Thomas had to play every match when he could have done with a rest at times so Sakamoto being out absolutely derailed us.

My concern is that again next season teams will just look to hack him to bits.

 

[Saddlebrains]

Any truth to the Rudoni rumour? @Saddlebrains anything on this from your guy?

Nothing more than 'tentative conversations' at the moment. But is an iron in the fire

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

Nothing more than 'tentative conversations' at the moment. But is an iron in the fire

Any news on Cian Tyler injury ?

 

[Hoofhearted]

It was a tongue in cheek comment because of that weirdos post a few months ago that said we'd apparently lined him up (can't even remember the posters name but it was one of many batshit posts from him)

Easy mate, wasn't that "weirdo" the poor guy who died?

 

[CovLad94]

Nothing more than 'tentative conversations' at the moment. But is an iron in the fire

one of Robins' famous spinning plates

 

[Hincha]

We know what league we're in a full month earlier than last year - surely will help the recruitment team hone in on targets.

All focus now turns to building towards next year. Need a new coach & 5-10 new players.

Next season really could be the best yet.

 

[Saddlebrains]

Any news on Cian Tyler injury ?

See this is a weird one. Got back a 'fuck knows'

 

[Potbellypig]

I assume wages would be an issue but if Ryan Yates was looking to drop back down to the Championship for first team football, I think he'd be a fantastic signing

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

Do we need another 10 ?

I think one of the reasons we have conceded so many goals in 2024 is that we have too many attacking players and the balance isn’t quite right …

I think we might be better to have another powerful midfielder to match with Sheaf and Torp than a 10….

Wright,Simms, Tats, EMC, the Godden replacement and the new right winger should give us enough attacking threat and options ….

Given we'll have Saka, EMC, Wright and Palmer able to cover the wide and attacking midfield places I wouldn't mind if we got an energetic box-to-box no.8 rather than a traditional 10.

But I'll be greedy and say I want both.

 

[wingy]

Can't wait for the Torp rebirth show to get started, the way he took the goal at Wembley, sorry not!!
Not surprised he's injured, his brain will be all over the place since then,in fact I'd be surprised if he hasn't got a pass to go visit some friends and relatives or vice -versa.

 

[SHUNT31]

I think the situation is different. The season before we were o my just getting a proper scouting and recruitment team and approach in place.

if the rumours are true that we asked for first option on the Peterborough CDM, Kypriano, it would suggest we have already started to identify Sheafs potential successor …

Saw we were linked with him or had first refusal and immediately thought Sheaf replacement.

It’s a fair point about recruitment team tbf

 

[shmmeee]

Not sure I want another load of midtable L1 players like last summer. Hardly set the world alight and cost way over the odds.

Bang for buck is far far better abroad, and in the PL.

 

[JSL]

Saw we were linked with him or had first refusal and immediately thought Sheaf replacement.

It’s a fair point about recruitment team tbf

It was said that we had first option on another Peterborough player. No name was mentioned. Any name has come from speculation. It could be any of their players

 

[CovLad94]

It was said that we had first option on another Peterborough player. No name was mentioned. Any name has come from speculation. It could be any of their players

Most obvious would be Kyprianou, Poku, Burrows or Edwards. Can't see Peterborough selling both of their wingers within 12 months so wouldn't think it would be poku. Kyprianou was a lowish fee for them for a player that wasn't setting the world alight at Leyton Orient. Young and would fit our model. Edwards their other standout and is a classy defender, probably destined for bigger and better things and has been linked with a prem move before.

Can't see them selling Burrows without a huge fee, homegrown, captain. Would be the one that they'd like to keep at all costs. However an area we could strengthen, would take him but can't see it myself.

 

[TomRad85]

Not sure I want another load of midtable L1 players like last summer. Hardly set the world alight and cost way over the odds.

Bang for buck is far far better abroad, and in the PL.

Sheaf was a midtable league 1 player the season before we signed him. I think it can be a very happy hunting ground if you're smart.

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[Sick Boy]

Most fans? Probably not - but I think progress every year is the goal and I do think we're achieving that - even if the league position doesn't match I think we can all see the progress. I don't think long term financial strategy should be revised because the masses might get a bit impatient. That's not really how it works.

Robins? Almost certainly. He signed a long term deal last year and I imagine Doug has given him pretty much what he promised in terms of investment and I am sure the "we have to sell our players at the peak of their valuation to reinvest" was a very clear message he heard.

Robins was clearly not happy with January’s business. Hopefully King will learn from this season.

 

[shmmeee]

Sheaf was a midtable league 1 player the season before we signed him. I think it can be a very happy hunting ground if you're smart.

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I mean sort of. Same as Thomas sort of. In reality they were PL castoffs though.

 

[biggymania]

Robins was clearly not happy with January’s business. Hopefully King will learn from this season.

He's been "not happy" with the transfer situation his entire tenure if you pay attention to his comments, but I think he likely recognises it is his role as manager under a novice owner to educate Doug "ciddy" King in the tradeoffs he is making. The squad needs to be stronger and deeper whether that comes in the form of loans or permanent and whether it comes in the summer or opportunistically or reactively in January. My gut says Doug decided at the end of last season that we'd only loan players if there was a path to a permanent deal and that is very idealistic and lacks pragmatism. Reality is we could have performed better with a little more depth and quality.

If we look at what Robins has said since January about the cup run, about the squad etc etc. I don't think Doug can get away with naivety now - this season he will have learned some lessons about what it takes at this level and that you really can't have your cake (FA Cup) and eat it (Playoffs!) - him playing such a weak first 11 against Hull was a pretty clear statement.