Hopefully not. Hiwula is our only goal threat.
Squad as it is (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Saddlebrains
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Hopefully not. Hiwula is our only goal threat.
RoboCCFC90
Well-Known Member
I see this as the likely option as well, with Chaplin in the 10 role and Hiwula, Max or Baka up top..
edgy
Well-Known Member
Could happen but Hiwula has played wide in both pre-season games so far and wasn’t used there post-January last year. I’d much rather a striker come in though. I don’t think Bayliss will be play no.10 either. I suspect him and Allen will play either side of Kelly. If he wants to play 4-2-3-1 we desperately need a 10.
Marty
Well-Known Member
I don't feel comfortable with Bayliss as our number 10, which I think we'll play if we don't sign Bright. If we miss out on Bright, I'd love to go for Marcus Maddison from Peterborough, Someone (possibly Sunderland) had a bid of £600k turned down, but haven't been back. Possibly available for £800k? but It's very much a sideways move for him.
We're still desperate for a striker. Without a quality number 10 & striker, we're in the same position as last year but with different personal, If we get those 2 positions, we'll be right up there.
We're still desperate for a striker. Without a quality number 10 & striker, we're in the same position as last year but with different personal, If we get those 2 positions, we'll be right up there.
I agree mostly. I would like us to go after Marcus Browne or George Maris. If we don’t sign a 10, it’ll be 4-3-3.
vow
Well-Known Member
Define 'classy' please?
standupforcity
Well-Known Member
Top two finish...end of!
cooperskyblue
Well-Known Member
We haven't seen Kastaneer or Jobello properly but surely they have been brought into to be goal threats also?
Based on their records to date, I can’t see them adding too many. In their last 4 seasons they have 14 between them. Hiwula reached that last season alone I believe?
cc84cov
Well-Known Member
Willis might be faster but if you can read the game well it makes up it that I think we’ve got ourselves a very good replacement.
cc84cov
Well-Known Member
As it stands I think this is how we start Bayliss at number 10 I feel will be his best position.
fernandopartridge
Well-Known Member
You really are a joy to read, Dabo played 26 times in the Dutch top flight, considering they only have 18 teams that's a decent proportion of games for the second choice right back. He started all but one of their Europa League games too.
Apologies didn’t look that much into it. I saw some of their fans laughing that both their right backs weren’t good enough and coupled with his small number of appearances, I gathered he was rotated a lot.
Anyway, do you believe he is an improvement on sterling? I certainly hope so.
I’m not trying to be pessimistic, just offering an alternative opinion on things. I can only see us improving on last year if these two wingers can contribute to 30+ goals between them or we continue our recruitment.
Sky Blue Harry H
Well-Known Member
He's a Sunderland fan.
skyblueelephant76
Well-Known Member
Bright had scored 1 goal in 47 games before he joined us then got 6 in 18.
Hiwula is still here and was the main contributor to those 27 goals plus we also now have Allen in midfield who scored 9 for Burton last season before we even get to the wingers.
We definitely look like we have more goal threats and options across the squad, time will tell if they can actually produce.
fernandopartridge
Well-Known Member
Were we going to get an upgrade on a player like Sterling? He is probably an upgrade on Grimmer ergo an improvement to our substantive squad.
If we don’t upgrade on Sterling then we haven’t improved at right back have we? Doesn’t matter whether it was realistic to do so. That was my point in my first post and was disputed by another poster.
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Bright is a strange one because he hadn’t done well in Scotland but had done well off the bench for Wolves. He contributed to 9 league goals in 18 games for us.
I’m by no means writing the wingers off and I think Jobello looked very good at Leamington. Thomas contributed to 10 last year which hopefully Jobello or Kastaneer can replicate. Hiwula needs to start wide left in my eyes as I’m still sceptical as to whether the other two starting would be an improvement on Hiwula and Thomas.
Allen will bring goals from midfield and that will help but if we don’t bring in a number 10 and/or a striker, will they be enough?
Too much of the unknown yet to make predictions. Signings often look great on paper. For that reason I think we need to keep proven performers such as Bayliss and Chaplin unless we can get our prime targets which can 100% play at the top end of this level e.g Bright.
Saying that, I trust Robins to have us consistently in top 10 spots.
Saying that, I trust Robins to have us consistently in top 10 spots.
Legia Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
None of us know for sure whether we are stronger or not for the new signings. As fans we automatically give new players the benefit of the doubt believing they are better than those that left, because that is what we want. Last Summer was the same - we were all excited about Sterling, Brown, Ogogo, Hiwula, Thomas, Alessani, and the prospect of Chaplin too. We only lost/ let go of Stokes & McNulty from our first team, so there was a definite feeling we were much stronger, albeit we had to be, having come up a league. As fans we simply have to trust Robins.' judgement.
One definite positive, regardless of the merits of the ins & outs though is, that a number of our young players will inevitably step up on last season. With last year's experience behind him I'm expecting Bayliss to make a big leap forward for instance. I'm expecting Bakayoko and/ or Chaplin to improve leaps & bounds on last season too. Meanwhile the likes of McCallum, Williams, Drysdale, Eccles, Ngandu & Burroughs will come on for being that year older. I wouldn't be surprised if come the end of the season, a couple of them have not played a load more games than we're expecting them to at this time.
One definite positive, regardless of the merits of the ins & outs though is, that a number of our young players will inevitably step up on last season. With last year's experience behind him I'm expecting Bayliss to make a big leap forward for instance. I'm expecting Bakayoko and/ or Chaplin to improve leaps & bounds on last season too. Meanwhile the likes of McCallum, Williams, Drysdale, Eccles, Ngandu & Burroughs will come on for being that year older. I wouldn't be surprised if come the end of the season, a couple of them have not played a load more games than we're expecting them to at this time.
Astute
Well-Known Member
Exactly. Not good he left but decent looking replacement.
We need another striker and if we don’t sell Chaplin kickoff with 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. two strikers if we sell Chaplin and go for Bright or similar then we can tweak our formations. We have Bakayoko and Max not sure how either will do. I think Robins has built his squad this season trying to create more goals from midfield or the wings. We will have to see how that pans out.
LilleSkyBlue
Well-Known Member
Some nice measured posts in this thread, like it.
I felt Burge got far too much stick, but it had become time for him to go. Pity it's to Sunderland. Probably Marosi will be better, especially without the history of gaffes Burge had built up.
No idea about Dabo but I still miss Grimmer and his flying energy. He got a rough deal. Sterling was certainly a classier act but now he's returned to Chelsea it's starting from square one again. Pity about Willis too but you can't begrudge him the move - this is soured a bit for me by the facts that he's also gone to Sunderland and that Davies has left too. I'm always nervous about wholesale change in any department. No reason to worry too much about McFadzean though, I guess, and Hyam is good.
I'm left puzzled by the lack of haste to get a striker in, though I took on board the club's explanation about wanting goals from all over the front positions. Mmmm. I don't see many clubs succeeding that way - even though Pompey spread them around last season they had several players between 10-15 goals. Can't see Baka doing that, though Hiwula might again and I retain some faith in Chaplin.
Yeah, I'd rather it was like the early 90s when a handful might leave and a handful come in, rather than 10 in, 10 out minimum. I'm a believer in continuity as far as possible. Small 'c' conservative.
My summary: not convinced yet but prepared to be. In Robins I trust.
I felt Burge got far too much stick, but it had become time for him to go. Pity it's to Sunderland. Probably Marosi will be better, especially without the history of gaffes Burge had built up.
No idea about Dabo but I still miss Grimmer and his flying energy. He got a rough deal. Sterling was certainly a classier act but now he's returned to Chelsea it's starting from square one again. Pity about Willis too but you can't begrudge him the move - this is soured a bit for me by the facts that he's also gone to Sunderland and that Davies has left too. I'm always nervous about wholesale change in any department. No reason to worry too much about McFadzean though, I guess, and Hyam is good.
I'm left puzzled by the lack of haste to get a striker in, though I took on board the club's explanation about wanting goals from all over the front positions. Mmmm. I don't see many clubs succeeding that way - even though Pompey spread them around last season they had several players between 10-15 goals. Can't see Baka doing that, though Hiwula might again and I retain some faith in Chaplin.
Yeah, I'd rather it was like the early 90s when a handful might leave and a handful come in, rather than 10 in, 10 out minimum. I'm a believer in continuity as far as possible. Small 'c' conservative.
My summary: not convinced yet but prepared to be. In Robins I trust.
better days
Well-Known Member
Marcus Browne has the same agent as Josh Pask and Tom Bayliss
He's also one of Jodi Jones mates. They played together from age 6
Nick
Administrator
Is that a hint?
better days
Well-Known Member
Haven't heard anything but Browne isn't in China with West Ham first team so I suspect he'll be loaned out somewhere this season
Edit
There are suggestions tonight that West Ham will listen to offers for Browne
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Mr Panda
Well-Known Member
I don't think he's refined enough to play number 10. Feel like that is one position on the field you have to play a specialist or it doesn't work
CanadianCCFC
Well-Known Member
Is that speculation or do you have your usual source to back that up?
skyblue025
Well-Known Member
Depends a lot on formation. If we go 433 we don't need a 10 as such and Bayliss will be a key player/creator. If we play 4231 we definitely do need a 10 but I can't see Bayliss starting too many games with that formation unless it is at 10 as Kelly and Allen are likely to start. Then there is the Chaplin conundrum. If he doesn't play as the centre forward he's going to be a bench warmer (if he stays). I have no idea where Hiwulla, Max and 20 goals are going to fit in.
