Signs are looking good (2 Viewers)

[Seaside-Skyblue]

1 win in 6, 3 shite strikers, piss poor use of subs, no tactical awareness.

It's criminal that Simms gets a run out while Sakamoto is a spectator as our midfield is over run.

I slated Allen last season, but I'd welcome him back with open arms now.
Can't wait for O'hare to return, and the January transfer window to open.

I'd take £4 million for Simms and Wright in January.

Well the positive in all this is....you are not in charge of player sales

 

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[bigfatronssba]

Having two eyes and an intellect.

Brave of you to put you neck on the line like that.

I mean if they start winning and scoring loads in the next few weeks, it must mean you're blind and dumb?

 

[napolimp]

Teams going to come good, forwards will be fine. Would like Wright to have some time without Godden to have more freedom to play his own game and find his feet.

 

[DannyThomas_1981]

Teams going to come good, forwards will be fine. Would like Wright to have some time without Godden to have more freedom to play his own game and find his feet.

Totally agree with this.

Very pleased with many aspects of our team.

Wilson - love the guy. Centre backs look class with more strength in depth there than I have ever known.

We have the best combination of wing backs that I can remember.

But the team is crying out for the return of the box. Any 2 of Kelly, Sheaf or Eccles in the defensive positions. Any 2 of Saka/Ayara/Palmer/O’Hare as the front 2 of the box.

Would love to see Wright upfront on his own with the box ensuring we have big possession stats and lots of creativity.

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

What I’m concerned about is the midfield of Eccles and Kelly. When we’re spunking 5m on a player we didn’t necessarily need in Kitching - we should have been looking for a Hamer replacement,

given how good he was last season we should have had a plan for his departure. Not preparing for this is school boy. Whether you rate Simms and Wright or not - they appeared to be the plan for Gyokeres leaving

 

[pusbccfc]

it depends who ends up in the top 6 - if the likes of Birmingham and Hull make it you’d be disappointed if we didn’t

Both have recruited well.

 

[Frostie]

What I’m concerned about is the midfield of Eccles and Kelly. When we’re spunking 5m on a player we didn’t necessarily need in Kitching - we should have been looking for a Hamer replacement,

given how good he was last season we should have had a plan for his departure. Not preparing for this is school boy. Whether you rate Simms and Wright or not - they appeared to be the plan for Gyokeres leaving

Given that Robins fully expected Hamer to leave last summer, we definitely would have had a plan but not been able to pull it off this year for some reason.

 

[Paxman II]

I am sure hamer's replacement will be arriving in the January window.
Jury is out on the two strikers we signed but by all accounts they will be very good at this level, so we need to see how they improve over the next few games.
We have a strong squad in depth. It will start to click better soon and i think we will be a contender. Would like to see Sakomoto a bit more as he has that game winning ability.
Overall we can't be disappointed from the start we had been given. Fixtures have been tough ones. Other teams have had reasonably average to some easier fixtures but as the season lengthens out we will be up there for sure.

 

[fatso]

Agree with OP, plus said it elsewhere already - 1 loss in 6 matches now, that averages out between 7 to 8 losses for season. No team has ever finished outside the playoffs with less than 10 losses.

But equally 1 win in 6 matches also averages out to between 7 to 8 wins for the season. No team has ever got into the playoffs with so few wins.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Given that Robins fully expected Hamer to leave last summer, we definitely would have had a plan but not been able to pull it off this year for some reason.

Yeah he was effectively off to Fulham wasn't he?

 

[AFCCOVENTRY]

To properly replace Hamer they will want to make sure they get the right man in. They couldn’t do it this summer and weren’t prepared to just chuck a few million here and there as an interim. As some are saying, I’ll be pretty shocked if they don’t get one of their targets to replace him in the Jan window.

 

[napolimp]

But equally 1 win in 6 matches also averages out to between 7 to 8 wins for the season. No team has ever got into the playoffs with so few wins.

Asked and answered, come up with some original material.

 

[fatso]

Given that Robins fully expected Hamer to leave last summer, we definitely would have had a plan but not been able to pull it off this year for some reason.

We already have 8 midfielders competing for 3 places, how many more do we need?

 

[fatso]

Asked and answered, come up with some original material.

Bit prickly aren't we today?

 

[napolimp]

Bit prickly aren't we today?

Today?

 

[SkyblueTexan]

I’m on the fence about whether to be optimistic or not about how things have turned out so far. I’m fairly pleased with the defensive reinforcements, but unfortunately not with the new strikers, especially Simms. The fact that 2 of our new defenders have scored while Simms has not is surprising. Sakamoto is under utilized and needs game time, possibly at the expense of one of the strikers in a 5 man midfield. We’ve dropped 6 points from winning positions and if you think about the missed penalty vs Watford you could argue that we would have led and dropped 2 points there as well. I clearly think adding the extra man in midfield versus using a 2nd striker could have helped preserve the win in the games we led, but understand that obviously circumstances dictate the substitutions. Can’t wait to integrate Allen and COH into the mix. Think Binks is good and need to see Kitching given a run out.

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

We already have 8 midfielders competing for 3 places, how many more do we need?

Only 3 that play in a similar position to Hamer. Kelly, Eccles, Sheaf - the others are Attacking midfielders. You could make a case for Allen but we don’t have anybody who plays the same role as Hamer

 

[shmmeee]

We already have 8 midfielders competing for 3 places, how many more do we need?

No we don’t. We have three competing for the 4 role, three for the 10 role and none for the 8.

 

[skyblue025]

Why is it every other team looks fitter than us? We really seem to be struggling the last 15-20 minutes and seem to be conceding a fair few goals in that time.

 

[shmmeee]

Why is it every other team looks fitter than us? We really seem to be struggling the last 15-20 minutes and seem to be conceding a fair few goals in that time.

Not the first time new players have looked off the pace first couple of months under robins. The playing style expects a lot.

 

[TomRad85]

Not the first time new players have looked off the pace first couple of months under robins. The playing style expects a lot.

I am kind of hoping its this. Simms for example went into Sunderland and very quickly looked like a decent Championship striker. Perhaps Sunderland just said go up front and do your thing whereas we are asking far more specific things of players.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

 

[skyblueeyesrevisited]

Why is it every other team looks fitter than us? We really seem to be struggling the last 15-20 minutes and seem to be conceding a fair few goals in that time.

Because we were in the playoffs and didn’t start back training until after most of the teams.

 

[Greggs]

5 games unbeaten. We were pretty impressive first half before we tired. Signs are good. As the season progresses Robins and Adi are going to have a superb team on their hands. Have patience, we will go from strength to strength. What a player Van Ewijk is BTW!

6 games into the season and players are getting tired.......

 

[SkyblueDad]

It’s a case of Rome wasn’t built in a day, Robins has almost completely revamped the squad and would have signed more if he could have.
He would have had targets which didn’t happen in time certain he will come back to it in January. If we hang around in our current position I’m certain we will add to our squad and be in a very good position for the second half of the season.

 

[fatso]

So would you think it best we try to sell both of them in January and try again? What if their replacements don’t light up the place after 6 games?

Of course we won't sell them, (who'd buy them on their form) and it may only be 6 games, but fuck me they've been shit. I'm not even bothered by the lack of goals as that could change, it's the lack of any noticeable footballing ability that's been worrying.

 

[fatso]

6 games into the season and players are getting tired.......

Haven't they just had 13 days off?

 

[fatso]

I’m on the fence about whether to be optimistic or not about how things have turned out so far. I’m fairly pleased with the defensive reinforcements, but unfortunately not with the new strikers, especially Simms. The fact that 2 of our new defenders have scored while Simms has not is surprising. Sakamoto is under utilized and needs game time, possibly at the expense of one of the strikers in a 5 man midfield. We’ve dropped 6 points from winning positions and if you think about the missed penalty vs Watford you could argue that we would have led and dropped 2 points there as well. I clearly think adding the extra man in midfield versus using a 2nd striker could have helped preserve the win in the games we led, but understand that obviously circumstances dictate the substitutions. Can’t wait to integrate Allen and COH into the mix. Think Binks is good and need to see Kitching given a run out.

Agree, the defence looks strong, and midfield will look better once O'hare is fit and upto speed.
Its upfront where we are a shit show, and the easiest remedy would be to only play 1 striker, and have O'hare buzzing around as a no 10.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Of course we won't sell them, (who'd buy them on their form) and it may only be 6 games, but fuck me they've been shit. I'm not even bothered by the lack of goals as that could change, it's the lack of any noticeable footballing ability that's been worrying.

Yeah but suppose you’re in charge and you think they’re awful, why keep them?

 

[ProfessorbyGrace]

Such a contrast of opinions, however, some merit can be found in both positive and pessimistic camps, I feel.

MR sticks infuriatingly with his favourites, and is still obdurate with tactical substitutions l, which have cost us occasionally. The dearth of creativity in midfield is obvious, and has been addressed by a youngster with questionable work rate and positioning.

Strikers thrive off chances and confidence, and neither are getting much service in this formation, as has been highlighted. Simms has the ability, but the mentality?

Defensively, we have the numbers and the prospects, but I hope Thomas doesn’t become a clanger-merchant, and that Kitching doesn’t turn out to be a colossal waste of money.

The squad is definitely still light, nevertheless, a lot of dead wood has been cleared out.

It’s difficult to gauge at this point, after 6 games, if we’ll suddenly ‘take off’ or just trudge around uninspiringly in mid table all season.

 

[Boicey]

Brave of you to put you neck on the line like that.

I mean if they start winning and scoring loads in the next few weeks, it must mean you're blind and dumb?

If you think they will be 'scoring loads in the next few weeks' you are even dumber than I thought.

 

[Greggs]

Haven't they just had 13 days off?

Careful, @Samo will tell you that everyone hates you.

 

[Samo]

Careful, @Samo will tell you that everyone hates you.

Is that what I did to you Greggs?

 

[croatskyblue]

Every season under Robins sees a slowish start and a strong finish. So why all the panic and drama now?

 

[steve cooper]

But equally 1 win in 6 matches also averages out to between 7 to 8 wins for the season. No team has ever got into the playoffs with so few wins.

It doesn't necessarily work like that though, as last season proved.
We had 1 win in our first 6 games and went on to win 18

 

[BlueSkiesForever]

Just as a side note, I watched the Millwall-Leeds game today and Millwall’s attack reminded me of exactly what we do: pass it in a horseshoe shape around the opposition, don’t make any threatening runs, inevitably fuck up one of the midfield passes and then have to sprint back into our third to stop the opposition scoring, repeat for 90 mins.
Bar a couple of chances, it was generally so so predictable from Millwall today, we really need to move away from this current style of hoping the opposition fuck up and instead start making threatening runs, taking opponents on, running forwards with the ball rather than making sidewards passes. Yes we do score the odd goal in most games but we never put teams to the sword, our attack is just too predictable atm.