@CyprusSwan said:
One more striker. It's evident. Need a goal scorer. Aarons is good . However playing at top and playing league one is a different ball game. Adapt like a chameleon and build and adapt as you go. There was funny rumours onien may come back. Not sure about my thoughts on this though.
Your post has a strangely floating, ethereal quality @CyprusSwan.
Did anyone rate Smyth as a better signing than Wheeler during preseason?
'All' that Smyth has on his CV is a successful couple of months at mid-table Accrington last season, and made minimal impact during his few opportunities in the Championship. Obviously he is still young and has bags of potential, but Wheeler is an experienced promotion winning professional who pretty much out-shone Ollie Watkins during Exeter's play off year and commanded a fee of £500K.
Fred we knew what we were getting and Aarons PL experience is inevitably going to come with some high expectations, but pre-season/early Aug I'd have Aarons, Wheeler, Fred would be the 'best' 3.
@Bacon_Sandwich said:
I’d be surprised if Josh Parker isn’t shipped out on loan. I’m not even sure he gets in ahead of Fred up top when (if) he’s back fit.
He's not even getting on the bench when we have a couple of attacking options out, so a loan sounds a good option.
Gaz said something about potential loans out a while back didn't he?
Jgs and Parker look definites. Maybe even Pattison could do with a month somewhere?
@Croider said:
Did anyone rate Smyth as a better signing than Wheeler during preseason?
'All' that Smyth has on his CV is a successful couple of months at mid-table Accrington last season, and made minimal impact during his few opportunities in the Championship. Obviously he is still young and has bags of potential, but Wheeler is an experienced promotion winning professional who pretty much out-shone Ollie Watkins during Exeter's play off year and commanded a fee of £500K.
Fred we knew what we were getting and Aarons PL experience is inevitably going to come with some high expectations, but pre-season/early Aug I'd have Aarons, Wheeler, Fred would be the 'best' 3.
2 of my QPR season ticket holder work mates were aghast that he was allowed to join us on loan, they both think Smyth is good enough for their match day squad
@Bacon_Sandwich said:
I’d be surprised if Josh Parker isn’t shipped out on loan. I’m not even sure he gets in ahead of Fred up top when (if) he’s back fit.
One-month loans would be sensible as you can't recall from anything shorter than a season-long one. Definitely for JGS, maybe for Parker - although it only takes an injury or two up top and he'll be in the squad. CMS to leave permanently is probably the only other potential outgoing.
@Bacon_Sandwich said:
I’d be surprised if Josh Parker isn’t shipped out on loan. I’m not even sure he gets in ahead of Fred up top when (if) he’s back fit.
No way does he get in ahead of Fred!
I took a double take, I think he was meaning, even if we went the target man bigger striker route, he still wouldn't be central over Fred
Keeping hold of Gape, Thompson and Stewart must be the main priorities. All have been superb and could easily attract attention.
It might sound crazy given his age but a club in need might even look at JJ. He is in sensational form and provides an off the shelf goal threat from set pieces, both in terms of assists and his own shots from corners
For several reasons I cant see us adding much, if anything, to the squad. Firstly, we clearly have great togetherness in the squad and although we always seem to integrate players well there is always risk of disruption. I also struggle to see how we can really improve on a team which is top of the league by a huge margin, unless we are willing to incur huge expense, which im sure we are not. Finally, it just doesnt make sense to me to try and stretch ourselves at this point. We have done incredibly well to attain this position in the table but we dont want to massively overreach chasing the dream just because we happen to be in this position. If we were ninth we would all be very content and looking forward to consolidating our position with the current squad. I think that is the right mentality to keep.
As long as none of the key men leave, and presuming the loanees don't get recalled, the only traction will be if we can move say Parker/KGS or Pattison out temporarily for a too good to turn down loanee opportunity. For one thing, we seem to have maximised our spend percentage, so can't actually bring extra in without leavers.
But I dare say like most of us, I'm more than happy with what we have!
I wouldn't want to loan out Pattison. He may have a job to get in as a regular starter, but he's probably got the biggest engine of our 'second string' midfielders. Comes in handy in situations like Saturday's. Also, we only have 25 players - small by League One standards. I'll gladly be proved wrong, but I can't see us bringing in more than one player (and a loanee at that) - mainly for the financial reasons mentioned above.
@chairboyscentral said:
I wouldn't want to loan out Pattison. He may have a job to get in as a regular starter, but he's probably got the biggest engine of our 'second string' midfielders. Comes in handy in situations like Saturday's. Also, we only have 25 players - small by League One standards.
@chairboyscentral said:
I wouldn't want to loan out Pattison. He may have a job to get in as a regular starter, but he's probably got the biggest engine of our 'second string' midfielders. Comes in handy in situations like Saturday's. Also, we only have 25 players - small by League One standards. I'll gladly be proved wrong, but I can't see us bringing in more than one player (and a loanee at that) - mainly for the financial reasons mentioned above.
No great desire to see him gone by any means.
But beyond the Bolton game, where he looked superb, I'm not sure he's been anywhere close since. In limited game time since Thompson came back in fairness.
I don't know if it's just me, but I used to feel that combative midfielders in particular needed the rhythm of regular games to be fully effective, with the timing of tackles, measure of passing, knowing who will be running into which space, so that it became more instinctive as the season progresses. Pattison hasn't really had that opportunity.
Thompson, of course, has ruined my argument by being out for 5 months then slotting straight in against Rochdale like he hadn't missed a minute.
@Glenactico surely we also need to have resolved a contract for Charles until at least the end of the season too?
I agree that the squad we currently have is more than adequate and other than getting CMS off the books I can't really see any activity.
However, isn't it great to be sat top of the league and discussing if we should be loaning players out/sending loan players back so that we might be able to strengthen the squad!
Who would have believed that was going to happen at the start of August?
The main concern I have is a situation (injury, suspensions for example) in which we concede a goal or two per game. We rarely score more than two, I think (without checking results) and we do need to score more. The return of Fred (let’s hope very soon) might well be the answer. And more starts for Scotty K ?
@micra said:
The main concern I have is a situation (injury, suspensions for example) in which we concede a goal or two per game. We rarely score more than two, I think (without checking results) and we do need to score more. The return of Fred (let’s hope very soon) might well be the answer. And more starts for Scotty K ?
@micra said:
The main concern I have is a situation (injury, suspensions for example) in which we concede a goal or two per game. We rarely score more than two, I think (without checking results) and we do need to score more. The return of Fred (let’s hope very soon) might well be the answer. And more starts for Scotty K ?
But our lack of goals is probably directly related to how we are playing (and controlling) games at the moment. If we were conceding on a regular basis we would likely be more expansive and gung-ho going forward.
Guys, please understand that my point relates to the inevitability that our ultra strong back five will be disrupted at some point. Whether or not we would then become more “expansive” is a moot point.
Just saying.
@micra said:
Guys, please understand that my point relates to the inevitability that our ultra strong back five will be disrupted at some point. Whether or not we would then become more “expansive” is a moot point.
Just saying.
Added to your minuses on this one old son.
Our back five is invincible.
Invincible I tells ye.
Comments
He's scored 50% of his league goals this calendar year directly from corners.
I have a stick my head out prediction. Aarons will stay and will come good.
Agreed
He said Fred was “on the cusp”.
Your post has a strangely floating, ethereal quality @CyprusSwan.
Gaz said on 3CR Fred back in January
Am I right in thinking Gapes contract ends in the summer?
If so, Charles and Gape extending to mark a takeover celebration in the new year will do me.
Even better - though I’m not sure quite how “cusp” works. But it sounds like Boris and Fred could be careering towards the same deadline.
Did anyone rate Smyth as a better signing than Wheeler during preseason?
'All' that Smyth has on his CV is a successful couple of months at mid-table Accrington last season, and made minimal impact during his few opportunities in the Championship. Obviously he is still young and has bags of potential, but Wheeler is an experienced promotion winning professional who pretty much out-shone Ollie Watkins during Exeter's play off year and commanded a fee of £500K.
Fred we knew what we were getting and Aarons PL experience is inevitably going to come with some high expectations, but pre-season/early Aug I'd have Aarons, Wheeler, Fred would be the 'best' 3.
I’d be surprised if Josh Parker isn’t shipped out on loan. I’m not even sure he gets in ahead of Fred up top when (if) he’s back fit.
He's not even getting on the bench when we have a couple of attacking options out, so a loan sounds a good option.
Gaz said something about potential loans out a while back didn't he?
Jgs and Parker look definites. Maybe even Pattison could do with a month somewhere?
Minimising the outward traffic is more important than any signings inwards.
2 of my QPR season ticket holder work mates were aghast that he was allowed to join us on loan, they both think Smyth is good enough for their match day squad
No way does he get in ahead of Fred!
One-month loans would be sensible as you can't recall from anything shorter than a season-long one. Definitely for JGS, maybe for Parker - although it only takes an injury or two up top and he'll be in the squad. CMS to leave permanently is probably the only other potential outgoing.
I took a double take, I think he was meaning, even if we went the target man bigger striker route, he still wouldn't be central over Fred
Keeping hold of Gape, Thompson and Stewart must be the main priorities. All have been superb and could easily attract attention.
It might sound crazy given his age but a club in need might even look at JJ. He is in sensational form and provides an off the shelf goal threat from set pieces, both in terms of assists and his own shots from corners
For several reasons I cant see us adding much, if anything, to the squad. Firstly, we clearly have great togetherness in the squad and although we always seem to integrate players well there is always risk of disruption. I also struggle to see how we can really improve on a team which is top of the league by a huge margin, unless we are willing to incur huge expense, which im sure we are not. Finally, it just doesnt make sense to me to try and stretch ourselves at this point. We have done incredibly well to attain this position in the table but we dont want to massively overreach chasing the dream just because we happen to be in this position. If we were ninth we would all be very content and looking forward to consolidating our position with the current squad. I think that is the right mentality to keep.
As long as none of the key men leave, and presuming the loanees don't get recalled, the only traction will be if we can move say Parker/KGS or Pattison out temporarily for a too good to turn down loanee opportunity. For one thing, we seem to have maximised our spend percentage, so can't actually bring extra in without leavers.
But I dare say like most of us, I'm more than happy with what we have!
I wouldn't want to loan out Pattison. He may have a job to get in as a regular starter, but he's probably got the biggest engine of our 'second string' midfielders. Comes in handy in situations like Saturday's. Also, we only have 25 players - small by League One standards. I'll gladly be proved wrong, but I can't see us bringing in more than one player (and a loanee at that) - mainly for the financial reasons mentioned above.
I agree with this
No great desire to see him gone by any means.
But beyond the Bolton game, where he looked superb, I'm not sure he's been anywhere close since. In limited game time since Thompson came back in fairness.
I don't know if it's just me, but I used to feel that combative midfielders in particular needed the rhythm of regular games to be fully effective, with the timing of tackles, measure of passing, knowing who will be running into which space, so that it became more instinctive as the season progresses. Pattison hasn't really had that opportunity.
Thompson, of course, has ruined my argument by being out for 5 months then slotting straight in against Rochdale like he hadn't missed a minute.
We need every last squad player for the big B & B QF game mid-January, nobody goes out on loan before then!
@Glenactico surely we also need to have resolved a contract for Charles until at least the end of the season too?
I agree that the squad we currently have is more than adequate and other than getting CMS off the books I can't really see any activity.
However, isn't it great to be sat top of the league and discussing if we should be loaning players out/sending loan players back so that we might be able to strengthen the squad!
Who would have believed that was going to happen at the start of August?
The main concern I have is a situation (injury, suspensions for example) in which we concede a goal or two per game. We rarely score more than two, I think (without checking results) and we do need to score more. The return of Fred (let’s hope very soon) might well be the answer. And more starts for Scotty K ?
Easy solution chief. Don't concede any goals.
But our lack of goals is probably directly related to how we are playing (and controlling) games at the moment. If we were conceding on a regular basis we would likely be more expansive and gung-ho going forward.
Guys, please understand that my point relates to the inevitability that our ultra strong back five will be disrupted at some point. Whether or not we would then become more “expansive” is a moot point.
Just saying.
Sorry to say it @Malone bit your response is naff.
Added to your minuses on this one old son.
Our back five is invincible.
Invincible I tells ye.