Way too depressing in here after two 1-0 losses to top six opposition. There are still sixty-six points up for grabs.
We have left ourselves a lot to do but our next three are against Crewe, Cheltenham and Fleetwood. Less than six points from those three and I will be firmly on the “not this season” train.
But until then, it’s still a 2 points per game target.
If we’re losing to the top six teams then it’s going to be hard to make up a significant points difference on the top six.
It’s not mathematically over but, realistically, there’s no chance.
famewo is easily championship standard - he bullies most league 1 strikers , Leko has proved himself as very capable in the championship and Lee has been promoted out of league 1
I give you Famewo but Leko and Lee would struggle in the championship. Luton are mid table and Lee was not seen as fitting into their plans.
Good point re Lee & Leko. In Powell's League One squad overhaul he targeted players that had the potential to step-up to The Championship and The Premier League.
But he didn't have 25, 18 or even 10 of them did he?
What he did have was a squad of useful players, lots of which didn't step up to the championship. A lot of revisionist history goes on about Powell signing 15+ league 1 superstars in one window. He didn't, he signed enough and a lot of good fill ins. The right sort of chaps.
famewo is easily championship standard - he bullies most league 1 strikers , Leko has proved himself as very capable in the championship and Lee has been promoted out of league 1
I give you Famewo but Leko and Lee would struggle in the championship. Luton are mid table and Lee was not seen as fitting into their plans.
Good point re Lee & Leko. In Powell's League One squad overhaul he targeted players that had the potential to step-up to The Championship and The Premier League.
But he didn't have 25, 18 or even 10 of them did he?
What he did have was a squad of useful players, lots of which didn't step up to the championship. A lot of revisionist history goes on about Powell signing 15+ league 1 superstars in one window. He didn't, he signed enough and a lot of good fill ins. The right sort of chaps.
yes, and i'm starting to see a nucleus of the 'right sort of chaps' forming with this group - just need to add to it, not dismantle it
Yep I can just some of this bunch of average shit going up and finish 9th in the championship ffffs delusional
Correct but, we didn't finish 9th because of Sullivan, Taylor, Evina, Alonso, Green, Hollands, Hayes, Clarke or some of the others we signed the previous season.
There were a good few who held their own … and a few of your named ones appeared a bit in the championship we didn’t sign too many when we got up cos the purse strings were being tightened
Yep I can just some of this bunch of average shit going up and finish 9th in the championship ffffs delusional
Correct but, we didn't finish 9th because of Sullivan, Taylor, Evina, Alonso, Green, Hollands, Hayes, Clarke or some of the others we signed the previous season.
We had the spine of the team though - Hamer, Morrison, Stephens & Kermorgant, you can add Solly and Wiggins too. I don't think we're anywhere near that at the moment.
And if we’re serious about making the play offs or any higher next year, now is the time to be ruthless about clearing the decks in the summer
Pearce - offer him a coaching role only Gunter - release Watson - release Morgan - release Kirk - send out on loan or put on transfer list unless big turnaround Matthews/Purrington - look for better JFC - unsure what to do here given he’s unlikely to be back in the team for very long for the rest of this season DJ - jury still out for me. Shows some good moments, but I don’t look at him and think, he’ll get us out this league
Of the loans, I’m not sure on whether I’m that fussed about Leko or Famewo staying. They’re both okay. Elliott Lee is okay, but am I seeing someone that week in, week out could do the business.
I got bored of typing the same old stuff over the summer about a clear out despite just missing out on the play offs. I didn’t think the squad was good enough despite a lot of others saying we just need one or two more. I pray we don’t do something similar again this summer. It will be Groundhog Day. We need a fresh start a’la Powell’s makeover in the summer of 2011.
I’m also weary of bringing anyone in in Jan. The season’s dead. Let the current crop show they want to be here next season and fight for a place in the team. It will be hard to find quality in Jan, and if they aren’t going to make a massive difference, don’t bother
i disagree with that logic - they are 3 of our better players and if our better players aren't promotion worthy then we are in a whole heap of shit coz by that logic we will need to replace the entire 22 in the summer to stand any chance - keep your best and add to them has to be the way forward - our problem is we have 2 or 3 positions where 1 injury and we are knackered but have a load of non contributing 'resource drains' in other positions - a bit of adjustment is needed, not a wholesale cull.
I think you're both right - we need to be ruthless and clear out the group who aren't contributing enough while we don't need a complete rebuild. Now that we're playing two strikers we need four who are all capable at this level even if they aren't all going to score 15+. A promising young striker like Burstow should then be a fifth choice pushing them rather than one of the four. Davison's not while Leko isn't a striker.
In midfield Jackson clearly doesn't rate Watson, Morgan and Arter. Probably the same for Kirk but there may be other reasons (doesn't fit the formation, still adapting to a new club and place to live etc). With Clare playing CB and JFC injured Gilbey, Lee and Dobson have no competition and neither are they rested.
Out wide Purrington will work hard and score a few goals but we need an alternative who can run at the opposition. That's not Souare and Kirk.
In the back three Pearce does a job in the middle where he's less exposed but for how much longer? Do we want to wait for his performances to decline or will we be more ruthless and replace him before that happens? I guess he'll stay and slowly move away from playing and into coaching. Inniss is another to let go, we shouldn't gamble on him staying fit. It's been argued that he should stay as he's on low wages and will be good cover, but we don't need both Pearce and Inniss in that role as the 4th or 5th CB.
From what TS has said permanent signings will be young players who they see growing with the club while loans will be experienced players. That says to me those loans will be players we can see becoming permanent in the summer as we saw with Stockley. If we can get 3/4 in this month who are good enough to be part of a promotion squad next season that'll make the summer easier.
Depends how many points we get by the end of the month. Maybe not, but we have a few games from last year still to play, so we probably could give a fight of it.
Hopefully this season will provide building blocks for next season (and a decent JPT run or cup run this year to make up for the poor start).
We should be concerned that we are getting drawn back into relegation zone. 14pts of playoff place and only 7pts above relegation. There are dome decent league 1 players in the squad just not enough of them.
We should be concerned that we are getting drawn back into relegation zone. 14pts of playoff place and only 7pts above relegation. There are dome decent league 1 players in the squad just not enough of them.
A number of teams beneath us have games in hand as well
i think the keeper, famewo, Lavelle, dobson, Lee, Leko, Gilby, stockley and washington are the core to build the team around with clare, dj, cbt and purrington being useful squad players - the rest need to be moved on and i'm very doubtful that jfc will be up to it when he returns - he had a very good year last year in what was an atrocious midfield but he won't get u promoted and i'd be amazed if he comes back from a second major injury at the level we need
famewo is easily championship standard - he bullies most league 1 strikers , Leko has proved himself as very capable in the championship and Lee has been promoted out of league 1
Tell that to a Birmingham fan and see what they think? 0 goals in 38 games.
i don't see him as a goalscorer - he was effective for us in the champ as a bit of a wild card to create space / opportunities
He doesn't see himself as a striker either ( from interviews when he signed)......but what do you know, we brought him on at HT & played him up front with Washington.
Very tricky with the ball but doesn't have a strikers instinct.
And if we’re serious about making the play offs or any higher next year, now is the time to be ruthless about clearing the decks in the summer
Pearce - offer him a coaching role only Gunter - release Watson - release Morgan - release Kirk - send out on loan or put on transfer list unless big turnaround Matthews/Purrington - look for better JFC - unsure what to do here given he’s unlikely to be back in the team for very long for the rest of this season DJ - jury still out for me. Shows some good moments, but I don’t look at him and think, he’ll get us out this league
Of the loans, I’m not sure on whether I’m that fussed about Leko or Famewo staying. They’re both okay. Elliott Lee is okay, but am I seeing someone that week in, week out could do the business.
I got bored of typing the same old stuff over the summer about a clear out despite just missing out on the play offs. I didn’t think the squad was good enough despite a lot of others saying we just need one or two more. I pray we don’t do something similar again this summer. It will be Groundhog Day. We need a fresh start a’la Powell’s makeover in the summer of 2011.
I’m also weary of bringing anyone in in Jan. The season’s dead. Let the current crop show they want to be here next season and fight for a place in the team. It will be hard to find quality in Jan, and if they aren’t going to make a massive difference, don’t bother
i disagree with that logic - they are 3 of our better players and if our better players aren't promotion worthy then we are in a whole heap of shit coz by that logic we will need to replace the entire 22 in the summer to stand any chance - keep your best and add to them has to be the way forward - our problem is we have 2 or 3 positions where 1 injury and we are knackered but have a load of non contributing 'resource drains' in other positions - a bit of adjustment is needed, not a wholesale cull.
I think you're both right - we need to be ruthless and clear out the group who aren't contributing enough while we don't need a complete rebuild. Now that we're playing two strikers we need four who are all capable at this level even if they aren't all going to score 15+. A promising young striker like Burstow should then be a fifth choice pushing them rather than one of the four. Davison's not while Leko isn't a striker.
In midfield Jackson clearly doesn't rate Watson, Morgan and Arter. Probably the same for Kirk but there may be other reasons (doesn't fit the formation, still adapting to a new club and place to live etc). With Clare playing CB and JFC injured Gilbey, Lee and Dobson have no competition and neither are they rested.
Out wide Purrington will work hard and score a few goals but we need an alternative who can run at the opposition. That's not Souare and Kirk.
In the back three Pearce does a job in the middle where he's less exposed but for how much longer? Do we want to wait for his performances to decline or will we be more ruthless and replace him before that happens? I guess he'll stay and slowly move away from playing and into coaching. Inniss is another to let go, we shouldn't gamble on him staying fit. It's been argued that he should stay as he's on low wages and will be good cover, but we don't need both Pearce and Inniss in that role as the 4th or 5th CB.
From what TS has said permanent signings will be young players who they see growing with the club while loans will be experienced players. That says to me those loans will be players we can see becoming permanent in the summer as we saw with Stockley. If we can get 3/4 in this month who are good enough to be part of a promotion squad next season that'll make the summer easier.
I think the best way I can describe it when it comes to our stronger players is that I don’t think they are part of the problem, but I’m not sure if they’re part of the solution either
I agree with Doucher’s view re: the core above, but that’s 9 players, suggesting we only need a couple more to make a first XI.
I’ve mentioned it previously, but I’ve seen the 4 promotions in my life. 98, 00, 12 & 19. I just can’t get the feel of a promotion side with that core. Don’t know why.
i think the keeper, famewo, Lavelle, dobson, Lee, Leko, Gilby, stockley and washington are the core to build the team around with clare, dj, cbt and purrington being useful squad players - the rest need to be moved on and i'm very doubtful that jfc will be up to it when he returns - he had a very good year last year in what was an atrocious midfield but he won't get u promoted and i'd be amazed if he comes back from a second major injury at the level we need
Unpopular opinion but JFC has basically played two seasons for us as a starting midfielder, we have finished 6th and 7th and he has been in our top 3 players by any metric. JFC is by no way a problem, other than 2 freak injuries.
I’d imagine we had a 25% chance of making the playoffs before our last 2 defeats, now it must be around 5% chance, maybe a 50% chance of finishing in the top 12.
Football is a funny game, although our season looks dead now, all 3 of our next league games are winnable and 9 points would us back to in with a slim shout, although we are poor away from home and the cracks in the team are appearing with the new manager bounce wearing off, it’s easy to be overly pessimistic but we still can make the playoffs
i think the keeper, famewo, Lavelle, dobson, Lee, Leko, Gilby, stockley and washington are the core to build the team around with clare, dj, cbt and purrington being useful squad players - the rest need to be moved on and i'm very doubtful that jfc will be up to it when he returns - he had a very good year last year in what was an atrocious midfield but he won't get u promoted and i'd be amazed if he comes back from a second major injury at the level we need
I agree with this 100% i think we need to have almost a powell pre season and swoop for proven players and talent at this level and the best of league 2 who can step up instantly that all falls into the recruitment teams hands and planning ahead NOW! no dilly dallying or haggling over money just pay what gets the players we want ! get talking to players and agents now to get them in on frees or perms as soon as summer window opens and hit the ground running no playing games and waiting to get cheaper deals at the end of the window if we want success we need to pay the money
another thing powell was great at that i can see jackson wanting and creating is a unity and certain character of players if we can get even half of that im sure we will be alot more successful than this !
It's a hard call when you think we can only drop twelve points from the total, need to win the next two games, get back to some sort of form to achieve 75 points, even then we could still miss out.
Looking at the points available from now until May I can't see us getting more than an ab max 76 points. And that is going on a brilliant run and just dropping points at the top two or three sides. We got 74 last season and missed out on GD. I think more will be needed to make it this season.
Comments
What he did have was a squad of useful players, lots of which didn't step up to the championship. A lot of revisionist history goes on about Powell signing 15+ league 1 superstars in one window. He didn't, he signed enough and a lot of good fill ins. The right sort of chaps.
ffffs
delusional
we didn’t sign too many when we got up cos the purse strings were being tightened
In midfield Jackson clearly doesn't rate Watson, Morgan and Arter. Probably the same for Kirk but there may be other reasons (doesn't fit the formation, still adapting to a new club and place to live etc). With Clare playing CB and JFC injured Gilbey, Lee and Dobson have no competition and neither are they rested.
Out wide Purrington will work hard and score a few goals but we need an alternative who can run at the opposition. That's not Souare and Kirk.
In the back three Pearce does a job in the middle where he's less exposed but for how much longer? Do we want to wait for his performances to decline or will we be more ruthless and replace him before that happens? I guess he'll stay and slowly move away from playing and into coaching. Inniss is another to let go, we shouldn't gamble on him staying fit. It's been argued that he should stay as he's on low wages and will be good cover, but we don't need both Pearce and Inniss in that role as the 4th or 5th CB.
From what TS has said permanent signings will be young players who they see growing with the club while loans will be experienced players. That says to me those loans will be players we can see becoming permanent in the summer as we saw with Stockley. If we can get 3/4 in this month who are good enough to be part of a promotion squad next season that'll make the summer easier.
There are dome decent league 1 players in the squad just not enough of them.
Very tricky with the ball but doesn't have a strikers instinct.
Two seasons in a row we've written the season off & then looking for another summer rebuild. And in that time we are sinking lower & lower.
I agree with Doucher’s view re: the core above, but that’s 9 players, suggesting we only need a couple more to make a first XI.
Football is a funny game, although our season looks dead now, all 3 of our next league games are winnable and 9 points would us back to in with a slim shout, although we are poor away from home and the cracks in the team are appearing with the new manager bounce wearing off, it’s easy to be overly pessimistic but we still can make the playoffs
I don't see us getting out of this league for a long long time, and it'll take some serious cash from TS, or from additional investors.
i think we need to have almost a powell pre season and swoop for proven players and talent at this level and the best of league 2 who can step up instantly that all falls into the recruitment teams hands and planning ahead NOW! no dilly dallying or haggling over money just pay what gets the players we want ! get talking to players and agents now to get them in on frees or perms as soon as summer window opens and hit the ground running no playing games and waiting to get cheaper deals at the end of the window if we want success we need to pay the money
another thing powell was great at that i can see jackson wanting and creating is a unity and certain character of players if we can get even half of that im sure we will be alot more successful than this !
As for 2022
That's another story.
It's always going to be a no.