Next season

[Bushey Boy]

Agreed bart, you talk sense

[tans]

Agreed bart, you talk sense

Are you being sarcastic ?

[Bogus Dave]

Oh no lets panic. Its not as if the transfer window closes anytime soon is it. We'll be foine

[tans]

Oh no lets panic. Its not as if the transfer window closes anytime soon is it. We'll be foine

exactamundo

now weve signed a welsh bloke called mohammed, how about we sign -

an irish bloke called muhadjeen
a scottish bloke called bam bam kak pao
and some random bloke from the british virgin islands

icing on the cake  

[lambourn red]

Pre season means fuck all, I can remember previous pre seasons where we have looked gash and got into the playoffs and others where we thought we were going to do well and have been embroiled in a relegation battle.
Until the first couple of league games have been played it is very difficult to see how things will pan out and by then HOPEFULLY we will have at least another striker and winger

[jayohaitchenn]

Bam Bam Kak Pao is a fucking ace player! would love to see him here.

[tans]

imagine getting that on the back of a shirt  

[RobertT]

while Bart is being a little on the negative side :shock:

we should at least start the season with some realism rather than doing a Bristol City and expecting promotion from a squad which is not really up to it.  Better to do it that way, provided the support remains positive than have everyone moaning if we sit 18th after 10 games.

2005/06 our team could have been:

Evans
J Smith
Nicholas
Ifil
O'Hanlon
Shakes
Miglioranzi
Pook
Brown
Fallon
Cureton

Now, there are definitely some better defensive option in the current squad with Aljofree signing, Easton better than Pook etc.  On the wings we are probably better although they still seem unable to deliver.  That team does suggest more creativity upfront though (even allowing for peoples hatred towards Cureton).  Migz offered a decent passing scope from midfield.

That team was one if not the worst teams in the league that season, by a distance at times.  Can we honestly say we are in a much better state talent wise?

Our saving grace this time around is we shouldn't lose as many as easily with a decent Manager at the helm, and, IF things improve off the field we have a basis to build on.  But right now we are several First Teamers away from being anything other than also rans.  That can change though of course.

edit: just to confirm I do no expect us to be relegated based on the current squad and Management team.

[DiV]

2005/06 our team could have been:

Evans < Smith
J Smith
Nicholas
Ifil < Ifil 2007
O'Hanlon < Aljofree
Shakes < Roberts
Miglioranzi - Easton
Pook < Peacock
Brown < Zaaboub
Fallon > Sturrock
Cureton > no one

Not to metion

Sturrock >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> King + Iffy

Bar some strikers, and maybe some back up wingers we are fine.

In an ideal world I'd like to see a minimum of 2 new strikers and 2 new wingers.

Its not the end of the world yet, I can see us getting alot of 1-0 score lines next season - both ways

Plus despite finishing 3rd, we were easily the best side to get promoted out of league two and should finish above Rovers, Hartlepool and Walsall!!

[herthab]

Yeah Bart is making sense.

I mean Chelsea lost a friendly to MK Dongs, so they must be thinking that they've got a relegation fight on their hands!

The truth is that we played a friendly last night with two trialists up front, neither of which has played in English football, one who only met the rest of the team yesterday.

The team looked rusty at times, ironing that out is what pre season is all about.

We won't be in a relegation battle this season.

Bart is a twat...........................

[RobertT]

Don't disagree.  I did say based on what we currently have.

Strikers make a huge difference though.  A good defence stops you getting beat, a good attack wins you games (more often than not).

Stick Fallon and Cureton (even the not trying very hard one) upfront with out current 1-9, add in Corr and I'd say mid table comfortably.  That's how much difference I think it can make.  We'd have been a laughing stock in 2005/06 if Fallon hadn't suddenly discovered he could play football.  As it was we were mostly soft.

[DiV]

We'd have been a laughing stock in 2005/06 if Fallon hadn't suddenly discovered he could play football.  

we then turned ourselves into a laughing stock by selling him, biut I wont go off on that one again

[RobertT]

Yep, at the time I think I fell on the side of not maoning about his sale, based on the belief we'd invest in replacements, which we never did.

The 4-2 win against Bournemouth was a sign I suppose of what we could have gone on to achieve.  With 3 strikers looking hungry that game we looked a different team at times, which is exactly why I think the current team is better but not one to do much.  It wouldn't take much to make that improvement, but the questions is whether we'll be able to get 2 decent forwards in.  They don't have to be 20 a season players, just players who both offer a threat.

[DiV]

more fool you...

....the day we sold him was the day I claimed we got relegated.

Negative pessimistic bastard they called me, selling Fallon was the right move they told me.

But, yeah it is getting on and still nothing on the striker front....and we do need at least two.

Hopefully (wishfully, prayingly!!) the lack of signing more strikers means Big Bad Baz might not be out for as long as we've been told.

[RobertT]

I'd still want 2 plus him.

The thing that's getting me confused right now is in one breath everyone is saying we look toothless and ni the other they are asking for every forward on trial to be signed-up.  There is no point wasting a position on a player who may look ok but simply doesn't give us the threat we are after.  They either look like they'll be a first teamer and be as good if not better than the other teams strikers, or they don't.  We don't need squad players upfront, we need the first string.