To be fair, we could never match £20k a week for Grant and if we had even offered half that, it would have been ridiculous. But we could have used a small amount of the money to bring in a replacement or even two.
Not sure what Grant thinks he is doing other than trousering £0.5m between now and the end of July, after which he'll play in the Championship. Which is where, very likely, he would have been if he'd stayed with us. A move the Glasgow Rangers would have been smarter...more first team football in a side permanently anchored in a top league and guaranteed European football. Shades of Scott Parker...
No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.
The main aims about yesterday’s game were achieved, it was played and not postponed. We have a near perfect run in now with decent breaks between games and we don’t want to have to fit tough midweek games with shit journeys in. And it was another one out of the way for Taylor’s 3 match ban. It was always going to be a tough away match and a draw would have been nice but as we didn’t get that it only cost us 1 point.
You what? Instead of a game in hand, we have a loss chalked up. Ditto one of Taylors games. I'm happy you aren't our manager, as your aims seem to be solely about getting the games out of the way.
It’s all about the end game, not individual games that you don’t think you are going to win but could otherwise screw up your game plan for other matches you think you will win. I guess it’s also not bothering about cup matches as much; or having 9 game points targets.
To be fair, we could never match £20k a week for Grant and if we had even offered half that, it would have been ridiculous. But we could have used a small amount of the money to bring in a replacement or even two.
Not sure what Grant thinks he is doing other than trousering £0.5m between now and the end of July, after which he'll play in the Championship. Which is where, very likely, he would have been if he'd stayed with us. A move the Glasgow Rangers would have been smarter...more first team football in a side permanently anchored in a top league and guaranteed European football. Shades of Scott Parker...
You're pushing it there, saying it's very likely we would have been promoted if Grant had stayed. I'd say we perhaps had a 50% chance.
No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.
The main aims about yesterday’s game were achieved, it was played and not postponed. We have a near perfect run in now with decent breaks between games and we don’t want to have to fit tough midweek games with shit journeys in. And it was another one out of the way for Taylor’s 3 match ban. It was always going to be a tough away match and a draw would have been nice but as we didn’t get that it only cost us 1 point.
You what? Instead of a game in hand, we have a loss chalked up. Ditto one of Taylors games. I'm happy you aren't our manager, as your aims seem to be solely about getting the games out of the way.
It’s all about the end game, not individual games that you don’t think you are going to win but could otherwise screw up your game plan for other matches you think you will win. I guess it’s also not bothering about cup matches as much; or having 9 game points targets.
I understand some of that but in my view, with all due respect to Fleetwood Town, a team with serious promotion aspirations, automatically or via the play-offs, does not lose to teams like Fleetwood home or away.
and 're protests I see your point timken, but I don't think the atmosphere the protests create help the team at all. I know you'll point to results being ok. but it sours the whole atmosphere.
I honestly don’t think they’ve soured the atmosphere. They’ve certainly heightened the atmosphere, and players seem to play better (or at least put maximum effort in) in those games when the atmosphere has been ramped up, for whatever reason. Sunderland and Accrington at home might be good examples. Southend away another.
No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.
The main aims about yesterday’s game were achieved, it was played and not postponed. We have a near perfect run in now with decent breaks between games and we don’t want to have to fit tough midweek games with shit journeys in. And it was another one out of the way for Taylor’s 3 match ban. It was always going to be a tough away match and a draw would have been nice but as we didn’t get that it only cost us 1 point.
You what? Instead of a game in hand, we have a loss chalked up. Ditto one of Taylors games. I'm happy you aren't our manager, as your aims seem to be solely about getting the games out of the way.
It’s all about the end game, not individual games that you don’t think you are going to win but could otherwise screw up your game plan for other matches you think you will win. I guess it’s also not bothering about cup matches as much; or having 9 game points targets.
I understand some of that but in my view, with all due respect to Fleetwood Town, a team with serious promotion aspirations, automatically or via the play-offs, does not lose to teams like Fleetwood home or away.
If Taylor hadn’t been banned or we’d been so ineffective against Peterborough without him then we probably would have looked upon that game as one we expected to win
and 're protests I see your point timken, but I don't think the atmosphere the protests create help the team at all. I know you'll point to results being ok. but it sours the whole atmosphere.
I honestly don’t think they’ve soured the atmosphere. They’ve certainly heightened the atmosphere, and players seem to play better (or at least put maximum effort in) in those games when the atmosphere has been ramped up, for whatever reason. Sunderland and Accrington at home might be good examples. Southend away another.
TBH, the number of players out of contract at the end of the season/those offered derisory contracts under RD's stewardship, might welcome more protests.
Apart from attracting the attention of scouts from other clubs, they can do little, or even nothing to influence the Rat's decision to sell our club, or indeed to cash in on their talents.
Like Bow in the transfer market, their hands (feet) are hogtied and hence they rely on others to apply any kind of pressure on the issue.
Might be worth asking Lyle & Jake for their views on Thursday evening in Petts Wood....
I started the season thinking we would finish in the top two so I have the right to feel more disappointed than those who have posted so far.😉
Our midfield need to up their game. The number of goals they have scored between them is poor. Time to step up.
Some midfielders don't score goals. Jordan Henderson is a great player, but you will never get many goals out of him. It applies to all levels of the game. It is no good telling Cullen and Williams to score more goals, they are excellent players at this level, but it will never be their game. An important aspect of football management is about balancing out the non scorers with scorers. If you have strikers getting loads of goals, it allows you to have more what I call 'missers' in the side. I call them that, but to be fair some of these players don't get in positions to miss!
The problem is, if you mark players out of 100 for ability and pick your team with the highest numbers, you might have more missers in the side than is ideal. Then the side can benefit from lesser players being picked above better players. I wouldn't call Fosu a lesser player though and he seems only to be allowed one bad game before being dropped. Bowyer needs to show some faith in him. You can replace him with any midfielder and it improves our goals because Fosu is a player who can score goals.
i think we can only judge things properly once taylor is back and igor properly fit but sitting here right now i 'm thoroughly f**d off with rd even more than ever - a genuine auto promotion chance blown for the sake of not reinvesting say £1m - when u are a billionaire - his desire to get promotion even has to be questioned - not even sure he wants that and all the wage hikes it would mean - league 1 suits the player farm we are.
I think £500k could have done it. It is a false economy not to see the opportunity for what it was. And even if things sort themselves out in a few games, we could miss out by 3 points or 5 points which might be what we lose in the couple of games we were without Taylor.
ive written the auto spots off, giving it til those 2 and maybe aribo are back before coming to a view on the play offs but right now, wouldn't see us winning them and probably won't even make them - its more than the loss of 1 player, its the complete deflation and disruption of momentum - players there now will be eyeing the exit door themselves even more closely now - its an utterly disasterous end to the transfer window.
The Grant thing is a red herring to some extent. I don’t blame him for going and the first decent offer that came in for any of our saleable assets was going to be accepted. We’ve lived with that reality for a while. My issues at the moment are twofold. Firstly, and despite my comment above, the failure to replace Grant adequately has felt like a big smack in the teeth. He was limited in many ways but he had pace and we haven’t replaced that. We are now pedestrian. From rising crowds and optimism at an imminent takeover only a few weeks ago, we have been forcibly reminded in no uncertain terms that we remain in the deep stuff in terms of ownership and all its implications. To make matters worse, the possibility of a crash and burn clear out in the summer if circumstances unfold in a certain way is all too clear now. Second, despite having a good squad on paper, I’m not convinced that we are as good as we think we are. Sure we have lots of talented individuals but I don’t think LB has a clue what his best first 11 is and even if he did, the unreal injury and suspension situation has meant that he could never have selected it anyway. That’s not a dig at LB who has done a sterling job in the face of adversity but his patience might be no longer than his contract. We have played some good stuff in patches this season but we have been pretty rubbish at times too. If, and it’s a big if, the collective spirit can be relit and fostered and if we can keep Taylor on the pitch, then we have a great chance via the playoffs but I do worry that by play off time most of the squad might have eyes not on Wembley but on their next contracts wherever they may be. I’m keeping the faith but there’s no doubt that we’ve taken a knock this last couple of weeks.
ok.. we are all upset by this last week. but let's try to give it some perspective.
we started the season thinking we'd possibly be battling relegation or be in mid table. bowyers signings and coaching have seem us in am around the playoffs all season and starting to thinking about the top 2 in recent weeks. looking back just weeks ago when we bear Accrington, real positivity was around the valley one more and it felt like the dark clouds might be lifting. we've had a couple of false dawns here before though.
then a nil nil at posh, grant leaves, no adequate replacement and a 1 nil loss at Fleetwood.
so where does this leave us.
well 2 games without scoring. 2 games without Taylor too. his return will definatley boost us. Aribo to come back soon who can score from midfield, without a recognised experienced striker for our next match, but Parker yet to be tried. others strengthening and picking up points.
so how could this end up?
I think he top 2 is very hard now and we won't make that.
however we can make the playoffs and if by the time we get there. Aribo is back, Lyle is scoring perhaps Igor is back fit and in some form. then it could still be positive. the next month or so is going to be a big test but fans need to stay inside and positive. one defeat and suddenly it's complete soon and gloom from some. I admit it's heart breaking to be undone in January again but we need to be strong here and give it a real good go.
there's little point going on and on about what a twat Roland is... we all know that. but don't turn on bowyer, that's ridiculous.
see you at Wembley for an Igor and Taylor inspired victory.
If we do go up next year will be fun as we know the old scrote won't strengthen.
Whatever happens now RD will still own this club at least until the end of the season.If there are protests at the ground ,who are they aimed at,he is not here,and everyone involved with the club is probably on our side.The players and management will be pissed off,and I just dont think it will help the team if we start chucking things on the pitch or gathering outside the ground before the game.Losing key players in transfer windows and not replacing them is nothing new to us,Parker,Murphy prime examples.By all means go tp Belgium,but at the Valley on match days the players are the innocents in this and will need all the support they can get.
ok.. we are all upset by this last week. but let's try to give it some perspective.
we started the season thinking we'd possibly be battling relegation or be in mid table. bowyers signings and coaching have seem us in am around the playoffs all season and starting to thinking about the top 2 in recent weeks. looking back just weeks ago when we bear Accrington, real positivity was around the valley one more and it felt like the dark clouds might be lifting. we've had a couple of false dawns here before though.
then a nil nil at posh, grant leaves, no adequate replacement and a 1 nil loss at Fleetwood.
so where does this leave us.
well 2 games without scoring. 2 games without Taylor too. his return will definatley boost us. Aribo to come back soon who can score from midfield, without a recognised experienced striker for our next match, but Parker yet to be tried. others strengthening and picking up points.
so how could this end up?
I think he top 2 is very hard now and we won't make that.
however we can make the playoffs and if by the time we get there. Aribo is back, Lyle is scoring perhaps Igor is back fit and in some form. then it could still be positive. the next month or so is going to be a big test but fans need to stay inside and positive. one defeat and suddenly it's complete soon and gloom from some. I admit it's heart breaking to be undone in January again but we need to be strong here and give it a real good go.
there's little point going on and on about what a twat Roland is... we all know that. but don't turn on bowyer, that's ridiculous.
see you at Wembley for an Igor and Taylor inspired victory.
If we do go up next year will be fun as we know the old scrote won't strengthen.
If we manage to scrap through & do go up,he will have too,cause as been mentioned,most players out of contract will walk & the few we have left will prob look for a way out because he will prob shrug of the bonuses/ pay rises & change contract terms with what come's with that hopeful promotion...then it literally depends who would then want too join the circus of Roland Doshitolot....grim times now & more so ahead...
Yesterday was a shocking yet predictable result, thing may turn themselves around once Taylor is back but, there are far too many 'maybe', 'hopefully', 'fingers crossed' comments when referring to Igor/Reeco/Aribo..
The bottom line is we have split up an extremely successful strike partnership at a time that the side had a realistic chance of promotion whilst at the same time our rivals around us strengthened their squads.
That would only happen with a berk* like Roland in charge
*admin please note adherence to new CL swearing guidelines as I was a persistent offender
at the start of the season i was expecting and looking forward to a igor/taylor front 2, thats what we will have now after Lyles ban so i still have hope of a good finish to the end of season
Yesterday was a shocking yet predictable result, thing may turn themselves around once Taylor is back but, there are far too many 'maybe', 'hopefully', 'fingers crossed' comments when referring to Igor/Reeco/Aribo..
The bottom line is we have split up an exremely successful strike partnership at a time that the side had a realistic chance of promotion whilst at the same time our rivals around us strengthened their squads.
That would only happen with a berk* like Roland in charge
*admin please note adherence to new CL swearing guidelines as I was a persistent offender
Quite annoyed about the new guidelines as I was thinking of trying out this swearing lark.
I don’t really get the Parker/Murphy etc comparisons- we have been a selling club in the past but at least back then, you knew the money was going back into the club, and even into the team.
The difference now is that Roland cashes in our young stars as soon as he can (he probably is the one that gets onto the agents in the first place) and we know that none of that money is going back into the club or the team. It’s just going into Roland’s pocket.
The only person to benefit from the Grant sale is Roland, same as it was with Lookman and Holmes. I do question how much these players really want to leave. He has form in this area when he tried to sell Batshuayi without the player or the parents’ knowledge.
The comparison is that whatever the reason for the sale,we have been royally shafted late in the transfer window,and been unable to get suitable replacements at such short notice,yes I agree that the money for Parker etc.would be available but its no good if you have not got time to spend it.I know RD will be rubbing his hands together having got something towards his losses but how would we have been able to spend 2m wisely in such a short time.I agree,I dont think in all honesty Grant had even thought about leaving until the bids came in,and then Roland would have been all over it like a rash.
To be fair, we could never match £20k a week for Grant and if we had even offered half that, it would have been ridiculous. But we could have used a small amount of the money to bring in a replacement or even two.
Not sure what Grant thinks he is doing other than trousering £0.5m between now and the end of July, after which he'll play in the Championship. Which is where, very likely, he would have been if he'd stayed with us. A move the Glasgow Rangers would have been smarter...more first team football in a side permanently anchored in a top league and guaranteed European football. Shades of Scott Parker...
I can see the re-writing of history already, if we don’t get up this season we will develop a story that it was because of Grant.
No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.
The main aims about yesterday’s game were achieved.
I'll never really know if your trolling or just plain ridiculous.
Let me help you work it out, did LB set out a team and formation to attack and score more goals than Fleetwood, or any goals for that matter ?; would it have been better to have played the game or seen it postponed because of bad weather and have a long midweek trip there instead after having played on a Saturday and then have to play again on the following Saturday ?; did playing yesterday use up another one of Taylor’s 3 match ban ?
To be fair, we could never match £20k a week for Grant and if we had even offered half that, it would have been ridiculous. But we could have used a small amount of the money to bring in a replacement or even two.
Not sure what Grant thinks he is doing other than trousering £0.5m between now and the end of July, after which he'll play in the Championship. Which is where, very likely, he would have been if he'd stayed with us. A move the Glasgow Rangers would have been smarter...more first team football in a side permanently anchored in a top league and guaranteed European football. Shades of Scott Parker...
Yeah he has really shafted himself hasn’t he? What does he want with half a million quid between now and the summer and playing in the Premiership when he could play at Fleetwood?
It's been said all along that the squad is not strong enough, if one player is injured or suspended his replacement should be of equal quality. Saying you have a squad of 17/18 players when 3 of them have just left school is nonsense. Two players for each position is the desired squad with youngsters drafted into the squad when injuries and suspensions happen. My biggest fear that all/half the squad walk away at the end of the season, Bowyer will rightly get the hump and follow them leaving Jacko to sort the mess out after Taylor has been sold. I hope I'm wrong, but unless this muppet sells can anyone put a positive spin on this mess?
Our squad is above average for this level...but not by enough to be confident of automatic promotion.
It'll be the play-offs.
Grant leaving for Huddersfield (and £20k a week when we offered him £6k) has ended our chances IMO of an automatic slot, which was never that likely but looked at least feasible given how the team were playing.
If we're promoted via the play-offs I think we'd struggle in the Championship. And RD would be no nearer selling. His price for the club would increase too.
This is the Catch 22 position and why this could run and run.
What s the minimum the rat needs to do at the end of the season? He needs to sign at least how many players to avoid any kind of sanction from the FL? Anything else that must be done?
No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.
The main aims about yesterday’s game were achieved.
I'll never really know if your trolling or just plain ridiculous.
Let me help you work it out, did LB set out a team and formation to attack and score more goals than Fleetwood, or any goals for that matter ?; would it have been better to have played the game or seen it postponed because of bad weather and have a long midweek trip there instead after having played on a Saturday and then have to play again on the following Saturday ?; did playing yesterday use up another one of Taylor’s 3 match ban ?
To be fair, we could never match £20k a week for Grant and if we had even offered half that, it would have been ridiculous. But we could have used a small amount of the money to bring in a replacement or even two.
Not sure what Grant thinks he is doing other than trousering £0.5m between now and the end of July, after which he'll play in the Championship. Which is where, very likely, he would have been if he'd stayed with us. A move the Glasgow Rangers would have been smarter...more first team football in a side permanently anchored in a top league and guaranteed European football. Shades of Scott Parker...
Yeah he has really shafted himself hasn’t he? What does he want with half a million quid between now and the summer and playing in the Premiership when he could play at Fleetwood?
His agent will probably take his share of that, as will HMRC, he will need a decent motor now he’s in the PL and somewhere to live and he’s bound to want to treat a few people. There probably won’t be a lot of change out of that.
No it ain't issue for one performance like yesterday. We only start worrying if it's about 3.
The main aims about yesterday’s game were achieved.
I'll never really know if your trolling or just plain ridiculous.
Let me help you work it out, did LB set out a team and formation to attack and score more goals than Fleetwood, or any goals for that matter ?; would it have been better to have played the game or seen it postponed because of bad weather and have a long midweek trip there instead after having played on a Saturday and then have to play again on the following Saturday ?; did playing yesterday use up another one of Taylor’s 3 match ban ?
To be fair, we could never match £20k a week for Grant and if we had even offered half that, it would have been ridiculous. But we could have used a small amount of the money to bring in a replacement or even two.
Not sure what Grant thinks he is doing other than trousering £0.5m between now and the end of July, after which he'll play in the Championship. Which is where, very likely, he would have been if he'd stayed with us. A move the Glasgow Rangers would have been smarter...more first team football in a side permanently anchored in a top league and guaranteed European football. Shades of Scott Parker...
Yeah he has really shafted himself hasn’t he? What does he want with half a million quid between now and the summer and playing in the Premiership when he could play at Fleetwood?
His agent will probably take his share of that, as will HMRC, he will need a decent motor now he’s in the PL and somewhere to live and he’s bound to want to treat a few people. There probably won’t be a lot of change out of that.
You’re quite right, he would have a far superior standard of living if only he reduced his income by 70%.
Comments
I'd say we perhaps had a 50% chance.
Our midfield need to up their game. The number of goals they have scored between them is poor. Time to step up.
Apart from attracting the attention of scouts from other clubs, they can do little, or even nothing to influence the Rat's decision to sell our club, or indeed to cash in on their talents.
Like Bow in the transfer market, their hands (feet) are hogtied and hence they rely on others to apply any kind of pressure on the issue.
Might be worth asking Lyle & Jake for their views on Thursday evening in Petts Wood....
The problem is, if you mark players out of 100 for ability and pick your team with the highest numbers, you might have more missers in the side than is ideal. Then the side can benefit from lesser players being picked above better players. I wouldn't call Fosu a lesser player though and he seems only to be allowed one bad game before being dropped. Bowyer needs to show some faith in him. You can replace him with any midfielder and it improves our goals because Fosu is a player who can score goals.
Just Sell The Club &....
The bottom line is we have split up an extremely successful strike partnership at a time that the side had a realistic chance of promotion whilst at the same time our rivals around us strengthened their squads.
That would only happen with a berk* like Roland in charge
*admin please note adherence to new CL swearing guidelines as I was a persistent offender
The difference now is that Roland cashes in our young stars as soon as he can (he probably is the one that gets onto the agents in the first place) and we know that none of that money is going back into the club or the team. It’s just going into Roland’s pocket.
The only person to benefit from the Grant sale is Roland, same as it was with Lookman and Holmes. I do question how much these players really want to leave. He has form in this area when he tried to sell Batshuayi without the player or the parents’ knowledge.
He needs to sign at least how many players to avoid any kind of sanction from the FL?
Anything else that must be done?