Mboto Gorge

I was sort of playing devils advocate there, the club thought Stewart would be our main target man striker based on a goal against Arsenal in the final game last season, so they’ve just half arsed it with another “project” striker who is a complete gamble. We obviously needed someone to be our key striker signing, but again we’ve just invested in another “for the future”. Ridiculously naive yet again to be relying on an injury prone and very rusty striker who’s not had a proper run of games since he’s been at the club, and a very raw seemingly lazy American youngster who doesn’t seem to understand or want to get to grips with the physical demands of the English game at championship level.

Wasn’t everything going to be different under Spors though? MLG was raving about him, it was going to be a new dawn apparently.

That’s sort of what I was getting at, whilst trying not to be overly harsh. We have neglected the fundamental core positions which from which a successful team is built . We did shift a lot of deadwood and we signed some supposedly creative players , who’ve done nothing yet mind. But whatever way you look at it, if you spend over 50m and find yourself 19th then something is going badly wrong. Fucking embarrassing to be honest . Saturday was shambolic, we are such an easy touch and will be bullied every weekend at this rate by teams with similar game plans to hull.

Double post

Yes we should, but you’re forgetting that wouldve got in the way of the “Baz Proejct” that’s still clearly in full flow within the boardroom, whereby he needs to be showcased as a good goalkeeper, and whereby it definitely wasn’t a mistake to sign him because he definitely is not absolute crap. Signing anyone better than him (not a difficult task), would’ve thrown this project into jeopardy.

Indeed, the transfer window was largely ok for us, yet we’ve still neglected two of the single most important game changing positions on the pitch. Goalkeeper and centre forward. We also have an abundance of stock piled average to mediocre centre backs all of similar ability levels, but none particularly good that you’d say they’re our best centre back. You can’t say we’ve learned any lessons with recruitment while we have Bazunu as first choice goalkeeper, and whilst we still don’t know who to pick up front because no one is performing , having not signed a proper centre forward in the window.

Quite. I think a lot of people, neutrals included, were blinded by the “Sport Republic effect” and assumed that the gap was getting far too difficult to bridge for all newly promoted clubs based largely on our performances, rather than taking us in isolation as a horrifically poorly run football club who were so under prepared it was untrue. It’s key not to tar other clubs with the same brush, who actually have a clue how run their club, with our premier league “effort” last season.

Only saints under SR could spend over 50m in a league where some clubs can only afford a budget of a hundredth of that, and still be one of the worst teams in the league. Absolutely shambolic running of a football club

My sympathy only goes so far for someone who doesn’t want to compete and put himself about

If you look at the picture, Selles is the best height comparison to Bazunu, standing only 3 players away, and looks maybe 1-2 inches shorter than Bazunu. Selles is 5ft 9. Bazunu is clearly 5ft 11 at the absolute tallest

So another 4 games then. I’m sure we will hit the ground running very soon. Look forward to it.

So saying we need to wait and see what happens, whilst saying that we now have proper reliable people in charge like Dragan and Spors running things, wasn’t HINTING that things were going to improve? Ok then .

This is also what I expected, no one expected a young Didier Drogba but what I did expect was someone who’s main attribute was being physical and giving defenders a torrid time with his strength and physical presence, and be a bit of a bully. I am absolutely gobsmacked to see that he appears to be not willing to do any of that. What the actual fuck did the recruitment team sign him for then? As I presumed it was to provide a strong outlet and focal point up front and someone to bully defenders? He’s less physical than Ryan Fraser for fuck sake

I’m simply asking you if everything is going as swimmingly as you hinted it would now we’ve got a genius like Spors in charge of recruitment? Because so far it seems not a lot has changed. it isn’t asking a lot , having spent upward of 50m , not to expect to get stuffed 3-1 at a side who’s previous home game was a 0-3 loss to Blackburn, and who’s only win to date before this was a last minute win at home to Oxford. I also asked whether you think Damion Downs was what we needed up front, as our only striker signing? Simple enough

Yep, they literally can’t drag themselves away from the temptation and habit of filling the squad with several “might come good and make us a tidy profit” young players from abroad, rather than actually spend the correct amount of money to improve the sodding first team right here and now with proven performers. They finally attempted to do that with Fellows and Azaz, and probably Jander and Scienza, but the actual spine of the team is noticeably lacking as usual. It isn’t difficult to find an effective striker for championship level for a club with our pull for this level, but we’ve sure as hell made it difficult .

Ah so despite needing someone ready for the here and now, we’ve yet again reverted to type and signed someone who “might come good in a year or two”. Brilliant, couldn’t make it up. Especially the fact that he’s “not really a target man” which is surely what we were needing , someone strong to hold the ball up since Adams left, to be a focal point .

Any update on these thoughts? I thought everything was going to be miraculously better now Spors was in charge of recruitment. What do you make of the Downs signing being our sole striker signing to solve all issues up front? I mean, he must be who they’ve hung their hat on, as he’s the only striker we signed. Reckon he’s looking the part so far?

Bang on. It’s very frustrating to see the same mistakes being repeated year after year while the club slowly declines each season

Stephens and THB would probably be beaten in the air for their winning goal

There’s absolutely nothing harsh about criticising a guy who’s been brought in clearly as our main striker signing this season, (i mean he must be , because he’s the only striker they signed), especially when he isn’t prepared to get himself on the end of balls into the box. As a big centre forward that’s usually your main job, and not only doesn’t he do it, he appears to be afraid to and lacking the commitment or bravery to do so. So yeah, it’s not harsh at all. He’s fucking shite, and he also doesn’t want to go in where it hurts. Combine the two and you’ve got a complete waste of a place in the squad. Useless, and id be absolutely amazed if he improves enough to be a starter in this team. Let’s not forget that spors identified that we needed height and strength in the squad. So either Downs isn’t doing what he was signed to do and we’ve seen him do for his previous clubs when scouting him, or we’ve yet again completely fucked up and managed to sign a player who’s the exact opposite of what we needed, other than the fact he’s tall. Shambles all round but are we surprised?

“No heart “ and “lightweight” seem to be pre-requisites for SR when scouting players to sign. Absolute joke

Probably tells you that the owners are continuously making the wrong appointments doesn’t it?

Yep. You will lose to any level of side if you can’t cope with basic stuff like this. It was embarrassing to watch, the sheer inability to deal with long balls into our box, especially when you think of the money we’ve spent. It’s complete incompetence

Edozie seems to the only player in our squad who can actually beat a man and get to the by line. Yet he’s nowhere to be seen. Not even seen enough of that from fellows yet.

They’re obsessed with Bazunu being our goalkeeping poster boy, that’s why. They were adamant they weren’t going to block his path to being our number 1 again for the championship. They literally don’t know what they’re doing. At first they thought he was prem level when he first signed, then after promotion even they had to admit they couldn’t go into another prem season with him between the sticks, so signed Ramsdale. But this season was their big chance to show everyone how good he is at this level , to somehow justify all the money and faith spent on him so they weren’t going to let anyone better than him ruin that chance. Absolute charlatans running this club , obsessing over a guy who’s literally costing points on a regular basis by being a genuinely terrible goalkeeper