Problems and Solutions (5 Viewers)

[Calista]

I would move back to a 5-3-2 while the wingers aren’t playing the best

I don't disagree with you, and it's tempting to think three at the back with two up front might improve our results.
But I guess it would be pretty funny for us to spend the summer of 2023 recruiting for 3 at the back, only to find that 4 at the back suited the squad better, and then to do the exact opposite the following year by recruiting for 4-2-3-1 and deciding to go back to a 3.

 

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[KenilworthSkyBlue]

I don't see how you can look at Matty James and think he wouldn't improve us even in the slightest. Even if he had been on an all-inclusive beach resort for two months (which he hasn't). Is it a bit desperate? Yes. Are we a bit desperate? Also yes.

We badly need some leadership on the pitch, James would provide that. I think our application and probably results would improve almost instantly.

Because it just isn't a foregone conclusion.

Bringing him in also entirely depends on what his terms are and whether they're realistic.

For instance, if he's asking for ridiculous wages comparative to his worth and the role he'll play this season and wants a contract until the end of the year, perhaps longer, could that affect Robins' plans to bring in a permanent option in the January window? Even with moving Palmer on the budget at this stage is undoubtedly stretched thin.

I want cover in the midfield as much as any poster on here, but bringing in a 33 yo third choice CM isn't going to solve all our issues overnight. You can't just throw mud at the wall and hope it sticks in these situations.

 

[clint van damme]

Because it just isn't a foregone conclusion.

Bringing him in also entirely depends on what his terms are and whether they're realistic.

For instance, if he's asking for ridiculous wages comparative to his worth and the role he'll play this season and wants a contract until the end of the year, perhaps longer, could that affect Robins' plans to bring in a permanent option in the January window? Even with moving Palmer on the budget at this stage is undoubtedly becoming stretched.

I want cover in the midfield as much as any poster on here, but bringing in a 33 yo third choice CM isn't going to solve all our issues overnight. You can't just throw mud at the wall and hope it sticks in these situations.

No but if you've got some mud there's more chance of it sticking than if you haven't!

 

[Calista]

btw I don't buy into the doom mongering on here about the players not being good enough or not trying. I suspect we would look a much more cohesive side if we could get Rudoni more involved in the games (i.e. play him deeper, in whatever formation enables that). A football team is a machine of 11 moving parts, which isn't easy to get right, and confidence can drain away when it doesn't work right. But surely we've all seen over the years how quite a small tweak can be enough to turn things around.

 

[Domo]

- Sign Matty James and Cyrus Christie

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

No but if you've got some mud there's more chance of it sticking than if you haven't!

Making decisions from a place of desperation will more often than not lead to a poor outcome.

It feels that having someone rather than no one is the argument against here which is fine but fans need to look at the bigger picture.

 

[clint van damme]

Making decisions from a place of desperation will more often than not lead to a poor outcome.

Let me give you a scenario, the next 2 games go our way, we're 3-0 up with 20 to go.
Sheaf and Eccles have ran themselves into the ground both games, but currently we can only take one off with 20 to go.

Another body with a bit of experience would have given up a bit more flexibility to give players a rest.

After Torp we're looking to Lati or Andrews.

I keep saying this, I'm not saying signing James was ideal, but far preferable to being as thin on the ground numbers wise as we are.

 

[Sky Blue Goblin]

I don't disagree with you, and it's tempting to think three at the back with two up front might improve our results.
But I guess it would be pretty funny for us to spend the summer of 2023 recruiting for 3 at the back, only to find that 4 at the back suited the squad better, and then to do the exact opposite the following year by recruiting for 4-2-3-1 and deciding to go back to a 3.

Think the issue is not evolving the shape, remember Adi talking about a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3 and wonder why we didn’t commit to the new shapes.

Either way think a back three with Sheaf holding in front would help us protect the defence and allow our midfielders to play without having to do as much defensive ground.

Also think Simms with a fast 9 would be huge for his game

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

Let me give you a scenario, the next 2 games go our way, we're 3-0 up with 20 to go.
Sheaf and Eccles have ran themselves into the ground both games, but currently we can only take one off with 20 to go.

Another body with a bit of experience would have given up a bit more flexibility to give players a rest.

After Torp we're looking to Lati or Andrews.

I keep saying this, I'm not saying signing James was ideal, but far preferable to being as thin on the ground numbers wise as we are.

This is my exact issue with this argument though. You're making it sound like it's a foregone conclusion. Another body comes in = automatic success (or at the very least we're in a much better position).

The club doesn't have a bottomless pit of funds and the last few windows have skewed that perspective massively for much of the fanbase.

It's not ideal but it might be better that we just wait until January and reevaluate then rather than blow a chunk of the remaining budget on player who's being brought as nothing more than an expensive stop gap - regardless of how desperate we are currently.

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

This is my exact issue with this argument though. You're making it sound like it's a foregone conclusion. Another body comes in = automatic success (or at the very least we're in a much better position).

The club doesn't have a bottomless pit of funds and the last few windows have skewed that perspective massively for much of the fanbase.

It's not ideal but it might be better that we just wait until January and reevaluate then rather than blow a chunk of the remaining budget on player who's being brought as nothing more than an expensive stop gap - regardless of how desperate we are currently.

I don't see how we would be blowing a chunk of the remaining budget, respectively.

There's no transfer fee, and the player hasn't got a club, so wage negotiation leans in our favour. We've spent millions on players, so I don't really buy the risk of signing one free agent. It's pocket change in comparison and about as low risk as you can get.

I think it would work personally, but even if it didn't what is the worst case scenario? We pay someone for a few months who isn't doing a great job (hardly stopped us so far). I can't see how it would stop us singing someone in January either. It is a stop-gap you are right, but frankly we need it. It might not work, sure, but it's hardly going to fuck us by trying.

 

[torchomatic]

This is my exact issue with this argument though. You're making it sound like it's a foregone conclusion. Another body comes in = automatic success (or at the very least we're in a much better position).

The club doesn't have a bottomless pit of funds and the last few windows have skewed that perspective massively for much of the fanbase.

It's not ideal but it might be better that we just wait until January and reevaluate then rather than blow a chunk of the remaining budget on player who's being brought as nothing more than an expensive stop gap - regardless of how desperate we are currently.

And you're jumping to some massive conclusions.

- getting somebody else in wouldn't make any difference
- we don't have the budget

Well, not doing anything won't improve matters and we had a chunk of money to blow on Stamenic back in June. Which highlights the fact the club knew we needed someone in that position two months before a ball was kicked.

A free agent could be a stop gap, nothing wrong with that IMHO, or could be a great addition to the squad.

Rights and wrongs with both opposing opinions but I don't agree it shouldn be dismissed out of hand.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

And you're jumping to some massive conclusions.

- getting somebody else in wouldn't make any difference
- we don't have the budget

Well, not doing anything won't improve matters and we had a chunk of money to blow on Stamenic back in June. Which highlights the fact the club knew we needed someone in that position two months before a ball was kicked.

A free agent could be a stop gap, nothing wrong with that IMHO, or could be a great addition to the squad.

Rights and wrongs with both opposing opinions but I don't agree it shouldn't be dismissed out of hand.

Once again haven't actually said either of those things.

 

[wingy]

Once again haven't actually said either of those things.

Well it appears implied mate?

 

[torchomatic]

Well it appears implied mate?

Massively so!

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

Well it appears implied mate?

Well I'd say certain posters have a comprehension issue then.

 

[Grendel]

Because it just isn't a foregone conclusion.

Bringing him in also entirely depends on what his terms are and whether they're realistic.

For instance, if he's asking for ridiculous wages comparative to his worth and the role he'll play this season and wants a contract until the end of the year, perhaps longer, could that affect Robins' plans to bring in a permanent option in the January window? Even with moving Palmer on the budget at this stage is undoubtedly stretched thin.

I want cover in the midfield as much as any poster on here, but bringing in a 33 yo third choice CM isn't going to solve all our issues overnight. You can't just throw mud at the wall and hope it sticks in these situations.

James played over 30 games last season. Ironically his injury record has improved massively.

I don’t have any idea how thin the budget is but there’s no doubt we have room as we didn’t expect Palmer to leave. Sometimes you have to make a pragmatic short term decision to try and improve a declining situation

 

[KG7]

I think Robins has a habit of going on streaks of winning and losing - happened first time around in 2012 (to an extent), it's happened in almost every season since with us - particularly the first League 1 campaign, and it happened with Barnsley, Huddersfield and Scunthorpe too.

To me it looks like the changes behind the scenes have taken away a lot of reassurance with the fans - there is an element of the unknown for us re how we are going to come through this, but I think we will.

I think small tweaks to the team whilst everything settles down will bring calmness - take Rudoni out of the 10 where he is often anonymous if we're soaking up pressure and put him deeper to drive forward - a deeper 4-3-3 with a focus on solidity.

Dovin

MVE
Thomas
Kitching
Bidwell

Rudoni
Sheaf
Torp

Wright
Simms
Sakamoto

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

I don't see how we would be blowing a chunk of the remaining budget, respectively.

There's no transfer fee, and the player hasn't got a club, so wage negotiation leans in our favour. We've spent millions on players, so I don't really buy the risk of signing one free agent. It's pocket change in comparison and about as low risk as you can get.

I think it would work personally, but even if it didn't what is the worst case scenario? We pay someone for a few months who isn't doing a great job (hardly stopped us so far). I can't see how it would stop us singing someone in January either. It is a stop-gap you are right, but frankly we need it. It might not work, sure, but it's hardly going to fuck us by trying.

It's not going to fuck us obviously but there's clearly a valid reason as to why he hasn't been signed.

Emotions are high and fans are desperate. A rumour tomorrow could come up saying we're looking at re-signing Gunnarsson and guaranteed the same posters would be frothing at the mouth, regurgitating all the same blind optimism.

The point being, that we're in an any port in a storm scenario and for me that just isn't a way to operate and lacks complete logic or sense.

 

[wingy]

It's not going to fuck us obviously but there's clearly a valid reason as to why he hasn't been signed.

Emotions are high and fans are desperate. A rumour tomorrow could come up saying we're looking at re-signing Gunnarsson and guaranteed the same posters would be frothing at the mouth, regurgitating all the same blind optimism.

The point being, that we're in an any port in a storm scenario and for me that just isn't a way to operate and lacks complete logic or sense.

Who we going to sell this summer and for what fee currently something below last season!

 

[Chris1987]

Does this lot look like they've received any coaching or clear tactical instructions ?
Replacing the coaching staff would be a very good start but can't see it happening.

 

[torchomatic]

It's not going to fuck us obviously but there's clearly a valid reason as to why he hasn't been signed.

Emotions are high and fans are desperate. A rumour tomorrow could come up saying we're looking at re-signing Gunnarsson and guaranteed the same posters would be frothing at the mouth, regurgitating all the same blind optimism.

The point being, that we're in an any port in a storm scenario and for me that just isn't a way to operate and lacks complete logic or sense.

No they wouldn't. You're just being disrespectful now.

 

[clint van damme]

This is my exact issue with this argument though. You're making it sound like it's a foregone conclusion. Another body comes in = automatic success (or at the very least we're in a much better position).

The club doesn't have a bottomless pit of funds and the last few windows have skewed that perspective massively for much of the fanbase.

It's not ideal but it might be better that we just wait until January and reevaluate then rather than blow a chunk of the remaining budget on player who's being brought as nothing more than an expensive stop gap - regardless of how desperate we are currently.

If you think my post makes it sound like another body guarantees success then I don't know what to say.

I think me saying it's not ideal hilights that I don't think that at all.
But it's preferable to the fingers crossed we don't get another injury approach.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

James played over 30 games last season. Ironically his injury record has improved massively.

I don’t have any idea how thin the budget is but there’s no doubt we have room as we didn’t expect Palmer to leave. Sometimes you have to make a pragmatic short term decision to try and improve a declining situation

Godden played 41 times last season, that doesn't mean I'd want him anywhere near the squad even if we were down to the bare bones. I don't necessarily see that as a point of optimism.

 

[clint van damme]

Godden played 41 times last season, that doesn't mean I'd want him anywhere near the squad even if we were down to the bare bones. I don't necessarily see that as a point of optimism.

You wouldn't want a striker in the squad if all our other strikers were unavailable?

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

No they wouldn't. You're just being disrespectful now.

I'm really not. You only have to look through the forum during the summer after we missed out on Stamenic, and Browne.

A 'highly rated' 22 year old CM from Tibet could've been put forward as a half credible link and the outcome would've been the same.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

If you think my post makes it sound like another body guarantees success then I don't know what to say.

I think me saying it's not ideal hilights that I don't think that at all.
But it's preferable to the fingers crossed we don't get another injury approach.

I mean one of your posts over the weekend was: "at this point anyone who argued against the signing of Matty James is clearly in some weird state of denial about where the current state of things" but I'll take your word for it.

Regardless of the back and forth on this argument, for what it's worth I do actually agree that we need another body in, but at this stage we're going to have to wait until January whether you think that's preferable or not.

 

[clint van damme]

I mean one of your posts over the weekend was: "at this point anyone who argued against the signing of Matty James is clearly in some weird state of denial about where the current state of things" but I'll take your word for it.

Regardless of the back and forth on this argument, for what it's worth I do actually agree that we need another body in, but at this stage we're going to have to wait until January whether you think that's preferable or not.

But that doesn't indicate that I think it would guarantee success.
It just indicates that I think by hook or by crook we need more bodies and I can't understand anyone arguing against that.

Ideally we'd have landed Browne or Stamenic, but it didn't happen so yeah, January it is.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

If/when we get another midfield injury we'll be playing Lati in there every week.
This should have been addressed, even if it meant signing a free agent.
Not ideal but better than the alternative we are faced with.

Let’s hope the next injury is to Lati as I don’t want to see him in midfield he is far to slow at moving the ball.

 

[clint van damme]

Let’s hope the next injury is to Lati as I don’t want to see him in midfield he is far to slow at moving the ball.

Bit harsh mate!

 

[Ashdown]

If/when we get another midfield injury we'll be playing Lati in there every week.
This should have been addressed, even if it meant signing a free agent.
Not ideal but better than the alternative we are faced with.

Until he gets injured himself

 

[Bigelvesy]

All these threads appearing are fucking tragic

 

[Ashdown]

Going back to the original post , I’m not sure players will sign a performance related contract’ anyway.
I do agree that a policy that only looks for increased valuation in signings is not necessarily going to make us competitive , you need balance of youth and experience.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Bit harsh mate!

If it’s sheaf Eccles or Lati it has to be the last one, I don’t want to see him injured but he is the weakest by far

 

[Fergusons_Beard]

Kai Andrews is the only credible alternative without going free.

So we’re 3-0 down to Leeds and getting pummelled-ideal time to bring on a sub for experience.

In fact Robins has had several games when Kai could have played.

Like other posters have said-got to give Eccles and Sheaf some rest periods so they don’t burn out.

From what little we’ve seen of Kai he seems to have the physical presence and technical ability to compete for a least 30 mins in the championship.

Absolutely imperative that solutions are sought before problems arise.


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[BackRoomRummermill]

Every season I always say wait till the end of October - then see where we are - seems things have come forward