The league is considerably weaker this year. I think we will finish roughly where we did last year - either upper half of mid-table or sneaking into a play off spot. From there, who knows?
It's a good enough squad if used effectively - we have the most creative midfielder in the league in Saunders, probably one of the best up-and-a- them midfielders in O'Nien, two or even three excellent ball-playing full backs, and a deadly little-and-large strike force when Akinfenwa and Kashket get to play with each other. The problem - especially in the last two seasons - has been the constrictive and unimaginative style of play that doesn't get the best out of our talent and doesn't help put bums on seats. Hopefully Messrs Ainsworth and Howard will be able to explain in the next couple of hours how that will all change this season. I live in hope.
It is probably the quietest close season recruitment activity we have witnessed for a long time. It appears to be very cautious from a financial aspect. I love Nathan Tyson and I sincerely hope he becomes a hero once again but apart from him, we seem to be weaker than last season.
This may all be down to tightening the purse strings. I cannot attend the meeting tonight but maybe someone can ask the question regarding our current financial position. Before the usual knockers start, I know we haven't got spare cash swilling about and I will support the blues whatever but it would be good to understand our ambitions / objectives for the coming season.
That is exactly my question DevC. So what is our budget and thus ambition. It also doesn't mean that if we are working on a bottom six budget that we should be devoid of ambition to perform on the field to challenge for the title.
BTW Dev, if you bought a season ticket and attended a few games it may actually show true support for the club and improve the budget by a few quid.
Hope = win title by February. Realistically to still be in the hunt for a play off spot with 3 games.to go?
The.beauty of supporting WWFC with GA in charge is surpassing expectations on a regular basis
Sadly blue , the 450 mile round trip will limit games seen to my usual 5 -10 I expect, some possibly most of which will be away.
I am still confused by what you would see as a par performance this season. Obviously aim for the top place, but assuming we still have a bottom six budget, would say 9th to 15th be a disaster?
My reasonable expectation this year is promotion. It is not just reasonable, it is expected. It is year four of the five year plan and in year four the plan is for promotion. Gareth Ainsworth was given a five-year contract to deliver this plan. I'm sure he won't be getting complacent.
Your expected expectation may be promotion - whether that expectation is reasonable is for others to judge. Feels unlikely to be achieved to me. Given we do not have a top four budget or anything like it, not quite sure what reason we have to expect rather than hope for such an elevated performance.
Disappointed as anyone that we have not had more excitement in the transfer window, but I'm not sure we are 'weaker' than last season. It's going to be a slog, and I have no football nous or the insider information of say a richie...but I expect us to get into the play-offs or better.
@Devc Jesus Christ I thought some of the regular nutters were miserable enough. You'll be hard pressed to find me abusing GA. I was pleased with our performance last year considering the two troughs we had and with an extra push we would have made it into the play-offs. We have roughly the same team so I'm expecting them to try hard to do a bit better. (Madness I know!) And everyone would like an exciting signing...even @rmjlondon and @Wwfc2015_ so they can tell us how unexciting it all is. It reminds us all that we're still alive to the excitement of postcode districts and motorway naming protocols...If I didn't go into a season hoping for a step up from the last I would not waste my time and money.
I would like Ronaldo to sign too, but I don't expect or demand it. I expect to largely sign players I have never heard of. I hope some of them will develop into little gems.
I HOPE for a step up from the last but I don't necessarily expect it or demand it. We cant overperform every year.
Par for me 9th to 15th. I hope for better but will not be angrily calling for the managers head if we achieve par or even slightly below.
I trust that GA is focussing more on consistency this season. It is not beyond the bounds of realistic thought that the team can out perform others in this league based on utilizing the skills they have on a more consistent basis, there by avoiding the troughs of last season and making it over the line to promotion.
It's not all about players brought in if we have the quality in both management and current players. I look forward to watching the matches on Ifollow and seeing if this is indeed the case. Until then, glass half full eh chaps!
I trust you will be able to watch on a large screen @NorsQuarters. I watched the Slough Friendly on my iPhone and, to be honest, I only recognised one or two players when the ball came across to the side where the single zoom-free camera was located. I hope, for the sake of you and others able to receive live coverage, that a rather more sophisticated setup will have been introduced.
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FULLY PREPARED TO BE PROVEN WRONG ON THIS, however I'm not overly enthusiastic about our chances given the squad strengthening.
We've lost arguably our 2 best players from last year, brought in 2 old-timers and a dull defender.
In my opinion it's not a squad that will get us near the play-offs, especially if we pick up a few injuries along the way.
Having said that, I wasn't keen on Bayo signing last year, and look how that turned out.
The league is considerably weaker this year. I think we will finish roughly where we did last year - either upper half of mid-table or sneaking into a play off spot. From there, who knows?
It's a good enough squad if used effectively - we have the most creative midfielder in the league in Saunders, probably one of the best up-and-a- them midfielders in O'Nien, two or even three excellent ball-playing full backs, and a deadly little-and-large strike force when Akinfenwa and Kashket get to play with each other. The problem - especially in the last two seasons - has been the constrictive and unimaginative style of play that doesn't get the best out of our talent and doesn't help put bums on seats. Hopefully Messrs Ainsworth and Howard will be able to explain in the next couple of hours how that will all change this season. I live in hope.
It is probably the quietest close season recruitment activity we have witnessed for a long time. It appears to be very cautious from a financial aspect. I love Nathan Tyson and I sincerely hope he becomes a hero once again but apart from him, we seem to be weaker than last season.
This may all be down to tightening the purse strings. I cannot attend the meeting tonight but maybe someone can ask the question regarding our current financial position. Before the usual knockers start, I know we haven't got spare cash swilling about and I will support the blues whatever but it would be good to understand our ambitions / objectives for the coming season.
@prufrock_91 So you think either Wood, Weston or Thompson was arguably one of our best players from last season? Really?
Blackman & Pierre, presumably.
Ambition? Win the league with a record points total, no doubt.
Reasonable expectation - somewhat less. Assuming we still have a bottom six budget, what do you think reasonable expectation should be set as?
OK, that makes more sense.
That is exactly my question DevC. So what is our budget and thus ambition. It also doesn't mean that if we are working on a bottom six budget that we should be devoid of ambition to perform on the field to challenge for the title.
BTW Dev, if you bought a season ticket and attended a few games it may actually show true support for the club and improve the budget by a few quid.
Hope = win title by February. Realistically to still be in the hunt for a play off spot with 3 games.to go?
The.beauty of supporting WWFC with GA in charge is surpassing expectations on a regular basis
In fairness to GA, he has pulled things around time after time with remarkable assurance.
I recall after our dismal start last year I feared the worst, but with Kashket in the side we struck a balance to boost ourselves.
Simply though, I was hoping for exciting signings which haven't materialised.
And yes, @Twizz I was bleating about Pierre and Blackman.
I would certainly accept that Ewan
Sadly blue , the 450 mile round trip will limit games seen to my usual 5 -10 I expect, some possibly most of which will be away.
I am still confused by what you would see as a par performance this season. Obviously aim for the top place, but assuming we still have a bottom six budget, would say 9th to 15th be a disaster?
How's this for an idea?
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jul/30/transfer-speculation-premier-league-jerry-seinfeld
Dev, if we finish mid table then I agree it would not be a disaster. However, aim for the stars.
My reasonable expectation this year is promotion. It is not just reasonable, it is expected. It is year four of the five year plan and in year four the plan is for promotion. Gareth Ainsworth was given a five-year contract to deliver this plan. I'm sure he won't be getting complacent.
Your expected expectation may be promotion - whether that expectation is reasonable is for others to judge. Feels unlikely to be achieved to me. Given we do not have a top four budget or anything like it, not quite sure what reason we have to expect rather than hope for such an elevated performance.
big week this for Dev. Last point at which we'll all be on a level playing field until next May
Enjoy!
Promotion is not a reasonable expectation.
That's gone right over my head I am afraid Eric.
Now you know how our midfield feels, @DevC .
Disappointed as anyone that we have not had more excitement in the transfer window, but I'm not sure we are 'weaker' than last season. It's going to be a slog, and I have no football nous or the insider information of say a richie...but I expect us to get into the play-offs or better.
why do you "expect" playoffs or better rather than just hope for that outcome, Wendover.
Given that a large number of players were already contracted for next season, why did you expect more excitement in this transfer window?
Dev, I share your rather mundane brand of realism but I just don't feel compelled to bang on about it the same way you do.
Yes, we have a bottom half budget. Thus we should expect mid-table finishes. You've made the point ad nauseam for several seasons now.
Please, for the love of God, change the record!
Sadly too many seem to ignore that simple reality and then abuse our overperforming manager for not overperforming even more.
Hold reasonable expectations and dare to dream - recipe for a happy season.
@Devc Jesus Christ I thought some of the regular nutters were miserable enough. You'll be hard pressed to find me abusing GA. I was pleased with our performance last year considering the two troughs we had and with an extra push we would have made it into the play-offs. We have roughly the same team so I'm expecting them to try hard to do a bit better. (Madness I know!) And everyone would like an exciting signing...even @rmjlondon and @Wwfc2015_ so they can tell us how unexciting it all is. It reminds us all that we're still alive to the excitement of postcode districts and motorway naming protocols...If I didn't go into a season hoping for a step up from the last I would not waste my time and money.
I'm expecting the players to try hard too.
I would like Ronaldo to sign too, but I don't expect or demand it. I expect to largely sign players I have never heard of. I hope some of them will develop into little gems.
I HOPE for a step up from the last but I don't necessarily expect it or demand it. We cant overperform every year.
Par for me 9th to 15th. I hope for better but will not be angrily calling for the managers head if we achieve par or even slightly below.
I trust that GA is focussing more on consistency this season. It is not beyond the bounds of realistic thought that the team can out perform others in this league based on utilizing the skills they have on a more consistent basis, there by avoiding the troughs of last season and making it over the line to promotion.
It's not all about players brought in if we have the quality in both management and current players. I look forward to watching the matches on Ifollow and seeing if this is indeed the case. Until then, glass half full eh chaps!
Dev, you forgot "and never go to games" at the end of your recipe for a happy season
I trust you will be able to watch on a large screen @NorsQuarters. I watched the Slough Friendly on my iPhone and, to be honest, I only recognised one or two players when the ball came across to the side where the single zoom-free camera was located. I hope, for the sake of you and others able to receive live coverage, that a rather more sophisticated setup will have been introduced.