Fair enough, thanks for clarifying. It's possible though if you have two players for each position like Bowyer and a third choice keeper this can account for 23 players and a couple of fringe players which may include Cullen but I agree Cullen would be far better off with us playing week in week out than being the 25th man of the squad.
As @jac52 pointed out, with no further departures and additions to the team (which won't happen, we will have players in before Blackburn away) to give us the best chance of getting a result, we need to be solid.
Phillips Lockyer Pearce Sarr Dijksteel Pratley Forster-Caskey Purrington Aneke Williams Taylor
How weak is that midfield and attack in that 18? It wouldn't even be competitive enough in League One. It shows we really need a lot of work yet before we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Only the midfield is weaker than last season all other positions are stronger, so can’t see how you can say it wouldn’t even be competitive in league one, we came 3rd with Parker up front.
Because the midfield especially is ridiculously weak in comparison to last season. Stikers too other than Taylor, who although will be fine because he has the attributes to be, still has never played at this level before.
Pratley is an older midfielder who has previously struggled in recent seasons in the Championship and couldn't hold down a place in League One, albeit was extremely valuable at the end and in the play-offs.
Forster-Caskey has just had a year out with an injury that could have ended his career. He hasn't played competitive football for what will be over 15 months when he plays in August.
Aneke was playing in League Two last season and albeit scored a lot of goals and done well, he has never played in the Championship.
Williams is a classy player but has an unfortunate record of injuries. If he can stay fit, he does have the potential to be one of the most influential players in the division. I really do believe that.
Lapslie had a full year of being involved in the first team last season but he was never a player who was going to play regularly or hold down a place in a team looking for promotion, any other club would be looking to loan him out and get him first team experience in League One this season.
Morgan barely played for us, and yes when he did he was very good in possession and Bowyer knows he has that quality. However, he has specifically said that his game out of possession is not good enough and will be hoping to send him out on loan next season.
Wiredu played for Bromley in the National League last season and although he done okay, he didn't set the division alight. Again, another young player of which we cannot be expect him to be apart of a Championship campaign. He could well be, but it wouldn't be fair to expect that.
Bonne played and scored regularly in the National League last season and the season before that with Leyton Orient. However, Bowyer recognises that it's a huge jump up to the Championship especially one for a player who is not necessarily strong.
This is without even thinking of us losing Cullen, Bielik and Aribo. Without the squad depth of players like Reeves. Yes we might have had Parker, but we also had Vetokele and we also had Grant before he was sold. As things stand, the only striker we can rely on is Taylor who has not played at this level before in his career. The midfield explains itself as I've said above.
I'll say it again, we are ridiculously weak in midfield and attack for a team who is going into the Championship and hoping to be able to compete and survive. We will get there, I have no doubt and all faith in Bowyer and Gallen, but lets not kid ourselves because other than the defence and goalkeepers, it's looking rather grim.
@Sage with the longest post on CL where I have agreed with every single word.... well except the “We will get there” bit which I hope is true but not confident. Our squad looks very weak for the Championship and we are all taking for granted we get 5 loanees in as good as Beilik and Cullen last year. It was only a couple of years ago where the likes of Dean Parrett were evidence to many on here that loanees were a complete and utter waste of time.
No rumours again but whilst watching Northampton V MK Dons they’ve a couple good players who look handy. League 2 level though. Harry Smith & Reece Hall-Johnson. Alan McCormack is playing for the Cobblers.
The reason we got there last season was Bowyer held out and persuaded big clubs to subsidise excellent players to play for us. It is what you have to do when you have a twat of an owner. But it isn't easy. These clubs don't care about us and you need a bit of luck to land a Cullen or a Bielik, but if anybody can pull out the rabbits it is Bowyer.
But all of the options can fail close to the finishing line and we will be completely buggered. It is Roland's Charlton. January was a case in point. Bowyer is heaven sent as nobody else I can think of that would be our manager could turn the mad shit's mismanagement into something good. But even Bowyer will need a lot of luck. Maybe we used that up last season.
I'm genuinely not concerned at this stage. I have complete faith in bowyer and co, I honestly think these boys have unbelievable character and they play for each other, which I have to say has been great to see. The draw for any player coming in seems to be the idea of working under bow. He has yet to give us a reason to be concerned. In Bowyer and gallen I trust.
I'm genuinely not concerned at this stage. I have complete faith in bowyer and co, I honestly think these boys have unbelievable character and they play for each other, which I have to say has been great to see. The draw for any player coming in seems to be the idea of working under bow. He has yet to give us a reason to be concerned. In Bowyer and gallen I trust.
My concern is the 'constant' hints in interviews that we have the lowest budget in The Championship and cant even compete with League 1 clubs....he knows we are short of quality and, despite the fact I think he is a fantastic manager, even he cant continually perform miracles....and he knows that.
It was only a couple of years ago where the likes of Dean Parrett were evidence to many on here that loanees were a complete and utter waste of time.
Neither Chris Powell and Phil Parkinson had much success with loanees. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, "to borrow a player like Cullen is extraordinarily fortunate, to borrow both Cullen and Bielik is a near friggin' miracle". And one we cannot expect to repeat.
It was only a couple of years ago where the likes of Dean Parrett were evidence to many on here that loanees were a complete and utter waste of time.
Neither Chris Powell and Phil Parkinson had much success with loanees. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, "to borrow a player like Cullen is extraordinarily fortunate, to borrow both Cullen and Bielik is a near friggin' miracle". And one we cannot expect to repeat.
It isn't just luck - you can try to make your club a place where bigger clubs think it is good to loan their decent players. This is something Bowyer clearly gets which gives him an edge and when the club is owned by a prick like Duchatelet, you need every edge you can get to have a chance.
One of the things we have going for us is that these clubs have so much money, development of the player is far more important to them than the money. Having a good record of this only makes it easier so in some ways Bowyer may find it easier than last season to persuade players and clubs. Let's hope so.
So after reading through pages of rumours the one that stands out for me is Kane. If we cant get Cullen back, which is looking unlikely but still possible, Kane would be a great loan signing.
Bowyer watched West Ham u23’s tonight. Reece Oxford who we’ve been linked with in the past played.
There are other young players who he might be casting his eye over. Dan Kemp, Alfie Lewis, Conor Coventry, Joe Powell, Nathan Holland, all bright young players at West Ham.
Might not be good enough yet for us in the Championship but I can understand why he’d be there and watching.
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But all of the options can fail close to the finishing line and we will be completely buggered. It is Roland's Charlton. January was a case in point. Bowyer is heaven sent as nobody else I can think of that would be our manager could turn the mad shit's mismanagement into something good. But even Bowyer will need a lot of luck. Maybe we used that up last season.
Not sure we could pay their wages, or tempt them to the valley, but they’d certainly keep the guys in the treatment room busy.
One of the things we have going for us is that these clubs have so much money, development of the player is far more important to them than the money. Having a good record of this only makes it easier so in some ways Bowyer may find it easier than last season to persuade players and clubs. Let's hope so.
Might not be good enough yet for us in the Championship but I can understand why he’d be there and watching.
Who are you and what have you done with @Grapevine49 ?