Badger

It’s our recruitment that has got us into this mess to begin with (relegation, unable to compete with Brighton, Brentford, AFCB) in the first place. Not sure I’d want to pin my hopes on that.

I think BBD might match Adams goal contribution over a season, but perhaps offers less in hold up play. Archer wasn’t a cheap option though. Wasn’t it £15m ? That’s a Jack Clarke there (without add ons of course). By comparison Miovski was £4.5m (rising to £6m). Or look at it another way, BBD and Archer were a significant proportion of O’Riley, if we really wanted him.

I don’t think Ralph was ‘hounded out’ , although frustrations built from the 4-0 defeat at Villa onwards. In truth I think most fans felt sorry for him, let down by Semmens & Co, and that he’d simply ‘run out of road’. Martin was not a completely popular choice, and although many accept he’s earn this chance at this level if he refuses to adapt and change from his tippy tappy style then support will inevitably turn on him if results don’t improve.

Yes, age 19. That’s the sort of player we’d sign, pitch straight in, and pin our hopes of survival on.

Agree with all you say, but when you talk of “dangerous areas” it’s pointless as this area is largely a big void, we’ve no one there to receive or react to it. Same for much of last season. Need a CF, not another shortarse there

You can only speculate as to whether their policy is “bollocks to the regulations, we’ll build a team to get more points than whatever deduction the EPL will hand out ..”

Ings, Stewart, Nivea and possibly Bijlow …. that’s major investment in extending the treatment room at Staplewood.

Think that might need to be partially rewritten as the season progresses: Agreed! But the Club obviously have tried to resolve the issue by signing TWO non-scoring attackers. Perhaps that’s a bit unfair on BBD after his six at Sheff Utd after joining in January , so pro rata to games might get 12-14, but Archer’s four for last season doesn’t inspire confidence.

Need to buy a few upgrades first

RM will want to go for a new record whatever it is.

Big concerns for me are who they might go for this time, who’s making the decision, and given their appointments to date if those involved can be trusted to get it right. Just to add - I think Charlton have won their first three, wonder if their bloke is worth a shout.

Unless of course he can’t settle and wants to be closer to home. I’d have understood him wanting to go to Spain, Italy or another UK club, but the move to Flamengo doesn’t seem an upwards one to me. Of course he might have felt more at home if the manager had done a better job in making use of his talents and integrated him into the team. One of our better players and offers more of a threat than most.

Nineteen game trial then.

Yes, as you said earlier, let’s see how it pans out.

Little confused by that, this wouldn’t constitute “many years of success” described. It seems a bit of an imaginary utopian state. JRM’s “sunlit uplands” springs to mind.

Not “lads” , it’s “guys” ffs.

Yes, have also to factor in that most of those playing at this level before weren’t up to it (including Bednarek, and Aribo, who wasn’t even a regular starter last season).

I’m looking forward to those. How soon on the horizon do you see them ?

Move away from some of the old guard, but I can understand him wanting to maintain a nucleus and team spirit. The trouble is that the players from last season (KWP and Downes aside) are not up to it, compared to the nucleus from the Adkins promotion ( Fonte, Lambert, Schneiderlin) although even then some of the Championship squad were soon ditched.

Are we really pinning our hopes on him ? If he can’t play then perhaps we should just fast track Stewart to take over the manager’s duties.

Wonder when the penny dropped for the knobhead to reach that conclusion.

Think the club need to dig a bit deeper on this one. Not holding my breath

I did see that post, and it was an interesting read, thanks. The list doesn’t reflect their tendency for injury though which seems the main question mark over Bijlow. (as you say, clearly isn’t designed to address how feeble we are in attack). A week of the window left. But if they haven’t done it over the last two months then clearly expecting a lot for things to change in next seven days.

Think we’ve known this all summer. What’s their answer? Signing BBD and Archer, the saviours of Sheffield Utd last season, expecting them to deliver for us. At the cost BBD didn’t seem a bad option, although he seems to limit himself by being wedded to the left side too much. Archer may have some pace, but he doesn’t have the height and presence we need (in my view).

Same against Newcastle last week.