My worry

[Capital Girl]

Apologies in advance if you think this post is a little negative - as I've said before, 10 crap seasons in the last 11 and only one win against the sheep since I was old enough to have wine before the match tends to make me not get carried away when things might start looking up... ;D

Anyhow, whilst we've undoubtedly strengthened the squad, and everyone is justifiably looking towards the top half rather than the bottom half for this season, it appears to me that whenever we've been seriously challenged for a player, we've come off second best.

I don't know any other clubs that were definitely linked with / interested in Camp, Blackstock, McGoldrick, McKenna and Gunter; Anderson's sterling efforts with us last year meant he was always going to come here, and Adebola being offered a two-year contract at the age of 73 was a surefire winner.

BUT, in the area we needed to make the key signings IMO (whilst Adebola, Blackstock and McGoldrick have given us options, I wouldn't say they definitely better than Earnshaw, Tyson and Garner) - ie centre back and left back - we've been gazumped by Derby for Barker, Reading for Mills and Celtic for Fox.

Why? I'm hoping one of our more informed members can enlighten me. Did they meet Billy and decide he was that dislikeable? Or did the transfer committee not even let Billy get close to his men?

We're playing the sheep in just 3 and a half weeks, and the thought of Commons and Hulse taking our centre-backs to the cleaners again makes me feel sick.

PS - I'm a girl, I may be wrong.

 

[EmJay]

Newcastle, West Brom and Ipswich were amongst the clubs interested in Gunter, and Swansea had a bid accepted for Anderson

 

[earthworm]

We're playing the sheep in just 3 and a half weeks, and the thought of Commons and Hulse taking our centre-backs to the cleaners again makes me feel sick.

You're right about that bit duck, not a nice thought at all!

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Hulse is out until Christmas I heard last night, don't know if that's right though.

What happened to Commons moving on too?

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Oh and to add to that Barker and Barnes are out for a while too.

If Commons does move on and Hulse is injured that's possibly their best three players and new signing out.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Just checked up on it, Hulse has had groin surgery and has missed pre-season.

Commons is sidelined with a hamstring injury at the moment.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

No wonder your post count etc...

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Right, last one I promise.

Varney and Porter are still out.

Their attacking options are so limited and funds so tight they're looking at having to dip into the loan market.

 

[Capital Girl]

I believe Commons came on as a sub against Stoke and will be starting a game tonight.

Hulse I don't know about, but I bet they're b****y fit on the 29th. :

 

[Bridgfordred79]

King Johnny, I am so shocked I can not utter the immortal "no wonder your post count...." due to the sheer amount of posts.

Capital Girl, your optimism is so refreshing!

 

[andover red]

Even if our CB from last season face up to Hulse and Commons again I think the game would be very different.

As that FA Cup game went on they had an ever growing control of the game. That won't happen this season. Our midfield is stromger and our full backs are better. We will have more possession and better control of the teritory than last season. That will make things much easier for our CBs and for the team as a whole.

 

[Capital Girl]

Capital Girl, your optimism is so refreshing!

Why thank you kind sir ;D

 

[Jon NFFC]

the thought of commons running at chambers at CB does worry me slightly

i really hope we sort a CB soon, gutted we missed out on mills, although the deal hasn't been signed sealed and delivered yet.

 

[Bridgfordred79]

Chambers looks good at CB.

He could be a bloody revalation there, could be distincly average.

Give him a chance.

But this season a new CB would bolster the defence a lot too, so it is needed.

 

[T.B.T.]

the thought of commons running at chambers at CB does worry me slightly

i really hope we sort a CB soon, gutted we missed out on mills, although the deal hasn't been signed sealed and delivered yet.

I'm thinking that Chambers is more than capable of taking Commons on/out. ;D

 

[WatnallRed]

Im sorry broganator but chambers by no means looked good against Birmingham, i cant vouch for stoke but again v county he wasn't particularly brill. He does that thing were he squares then up about 4/5 yards away and then back tracks whilst they keep running which inevitably means they get to about 20 yards and fire a shot off. As for heading at crosses are the like hes probably as good as Wes but for tracking players hes hopeless. Its one reason we lost so many goals last season when he was at right back, he would continue to track the then before you know the balls been crossed in.

 

[Seargant Reddog]

have faith ......................for a start the middle of the park is so much stronger with mckenna holding and doing his 'Makalele' and who cares if they score 4 we will score 5 ..........................hmmmm Newcastle under Keegan spring to mind :wub:

 

[Bridgfordred79]

Im sorry broganator but chambers by no means looked good against Birmingham. He does that thing were he squares then up about 4/5 yards away and then back tracks whilst they keep running which inevitably means they get to about 20 yards and fire a shot off. As for heading at crosses are the like hes probably as good as Wes but for tracking players hes hopeless. Its one reason we lost so many goals last season when he was at right back, he would continue to track the then before you know the balls been crossed in.

Yes I agree he cant just think Chambers will be good eough at CB and not buy a CB, because that is a MASSIVE risk, because of bad games like against Birmingham.

But he has had encouraging performances too and given time he can prove himself to be not that good at CB or quite good.

 

[WatnallRed]

Yes I agree he cant just think Chambers will be good eough at CB and not buy a CB, because that is a MASSIVE risk, because of bad games like against Birmingham.

But he has had encouraging performances too and given time he can prove himself to be not that good at CB or quite good.

True i suppose its picking at small things because things are on the up again. Just a shame a good CB brought in would really shape us up nicely.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

The chances Chambers had at the back end of last season at CB proved that he can do a job there. I'm not saying he's a great player or the answer to our defensive problems but he doesn't deserve to be written off yet.

 

[removed user]

my biggest worry is waking up without my penis, my second is that Wes and Chambers are our centreback pairing for the next season.

 

[JtheNorwegianRed]

I have a feeling that we will humiliate Derby at Pride Park this season.
Revenge from last season!

And your concern about the players we've signed not being linked to other clubs, says more about our financial situation, than the quality of the players we've signed.
There are not many clubs in this division who can pay £1,7M for a right back, who probably is on high wages as well. I don't know many other clubs that has, or can afford to have the strikeforce we have at the moment. We have QPRs top scorer (he was anyway), Bristol Cities player of the year, Southamptons top scorer, + our three strikers from last year, which all have proved their quality (though maybe a bit inconsistent).

Our midfield has to be one of the best in the division as well, with McKenna, Anderson, Cohen, And Majewski, I can't think of a club in this division that have a midfield, that's far superior to ours. We have a good combination of experience (McKenna), pace, workrate, and passion.
Our defence is short in numbers, but I don't think our starting 4 is a poor defence. We have a great right back in Gunter, a brilliant centrehalf in Wes Morgan, a Luke Chambers who is starting to prove his worth at centrehalf and Joel Lynch, who is starting to settle in at left back. Joel Lynch is probably the weakest link in our defence, but he's nowhere near a bad defender. We should really add competition to left back, and we will have a good competitive defence. Another centrehalf is not that urgent, as we have Chambers, Morgan and Wilson that all can do a job there, and Perch for back up if we're unlucky with injuries and suspensions.

A leftback should be a priority to sign before the end of the window, and a centrehalf wouldn't hurt either, but I think the signings we have made will make a huge difference, come May, when the season is over!


YOU REDS!

 

[weasel]

Chamber's can't be any worse at CB that Buxton. Things aren't all that bad!

Plus I also heard Derby were looking to get rid of Albrechtsen. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Albrechtsen bloody amazing when he played for West Brom? What happened there? Could be a cheeky raid for us there.

 

[Randy Bumgardener]

The oldest saying in footy that defence starts at the front makes an appearance here I believe. Even seeing the highlights you can see how our attack and midfield have improved 10 fold at breaking, harrying and intercepting balls and attacks. We gave teams too much space last season, allowing them to play how they wanted and us to have to adapt.

I must admit, whilst a new centre back is required, I'm not that worried. The team we have is good enough to make massive strides compared to last seasons. Yes we need to be improved on and no doubt Billy will keep hunting as he has stated several times.

On Barker, by all accounts we've not missed out on much at all. According to the sheep fans I know he ain't much better from what they had !

Fox - Lets face it. You're never going to beat a team promising European footy to a signature. or a club the size of Celtic.

Mills. Still not confirmed, but I believe if Billy wants him he will get him, or would of got him. For money like that I would rather see a loan coming in with a bit more time for BD to do his scouting and see whats available.

One thing I am excited by is that for the first time in many years we have a very very good RB ! One who is cut and moulded for that position. I don't think the problem ever lay with the central defenders as much as was made out but the full backs. We suffered from having an unnatural RB and a LB who (lets face it) wasn't showing the promise he had for Brighton until BD came in. Too many times were they caught short and wingers allowed to get the balls in to the danger areas.

 

[Capital Girl]

And your concern about the players we've signed not being linked to other clubs, says more about our financial situation, than the quality of the players we've signed.

That was my point - when players HAVE been linked elsewhere, the other club has outbid us - because we've not met the asking price. Playing hardball works when we know the player is interested in joining us (Gunter, Blackstock, Camp, Anderson) and when a bidding war isn't likely; playing hardball doesn't work when Reading have pots of cash sat around from Doyle and Kitson, and it doesn't work in January.