I think they're assembling a squad that will be around the playoffs at least. But the signings don't scream 'running away with the league.' They're getting them done early, which is obviously good for them. I think all things being equal, and presuming that the teams aiming for the top 2 positions end up bringing in players of comparable quality, it will come down to which manager can the best tune out of his squad (which sounds obvious.) Of course, like last year, you might get a contender or two that didn't make any particularly big-name signings, but were very well drilled, like Blackpool and Lincoln.
Yes, I don't think they've signed anyone I'd want us to bring in.
Funny, because almost everyone on here wanted Jordan Cousins back.
For the record I didnt.
I observed that Jordon Cousins was having a laugh after Stoke lost at the valley with a Cafc coach when he walk towards the tunnel early on in our championship season when he was an unused sub. The Stoke fans wouldn't have seen it from the Jimmy Seed but I wondered then if he was losing his Hunger for football and was content to be a bench warmer and pick up 15K a week (estimate)
If Jordon Cousins can't do a job in League 1 for Wigan at 27 then he has really gone down hill.
I’ll be very pleased once we get a (hopeful) goal scorer with a bit of pace tied up. Really need someone like a Wright-Phillips imo, someone who knows where the goal is, has pace and can get in behind.
Stockley is a target and Conor a worker. It’s missing the other type
I’ll be very pleased once we get a (hopeful) goal scorer with a bit of pace tied up. Really need someone like a Wright-Phillips imo, someone who knows where the goal is, has pace and can get in behind.
Stockley is a target and Conor a worker. It’s missing the other type
I agree with this. We should be targeting someone like Lawrence Shankland. Scored shedload of goals in Scotland, surely can do it in League one!
I’ll be very pleased once we get a (hopeful) goal scorer with a bit of pace tied up. Really need someone like a Wright-Phillips imo, someone who knows where the goal is, has pace and can get in behind.
Stockley is a target and Conor a worker. It’s missing the other type
I agree with this. We should be targeting someone like Lawrence Shankland. Scored shedload of goals in Scotland, surely can do it in League one!
I don’t think a 6’1” target man will have much pace in behind
I’m very tired and a bit hungover, and I think the exuberance of yesterday has taken it out of me a bit, but I just can’t get too overexcited about how we’ve so far, bar Dobson, managed to reassemble the squad that took us to 7th last year. Famewo and Stockley are very good signings, very pleased by both. I take it Matthews is first choice RB now, based on him signing and Gunter still on our books. I’ll be honest, I was thinking we need better. We only have Purrington at LB, and I think we need one more very good CB as I am not sure about Inniss’ fitness record and that exposes Pearce to playing a higher number of games.
We’ve resigned JFC who might not play until Feb, and I am not that hot on him when he’s fit. Watson’s still mooching about.
I think a lot of my thinking has to do with how uninspiring I found a lot of that team last season, that includes the players we have re-signed bar Stockley and Famewo, so in my head I wanted a clear out. I am sure it will come good, I just want new faces now for a bit of inspiration
I’ll be very pleased once we get a (hopeful) goal scorer with a bit of pace tied up. Really need someone like a Wright-Phillips imo, someone who knows where the goal is, has pace and can get in behind.
Stockley is a target and Conor a worker. It’s missing the other type
I agree with this. We should be targeting someone like Lawrence Shankland. Scored shedload of goals in Scotland, surely can do it in League one!
I don’t think a 6’1” target man will have much pace in behind
I’ll be very pleased once we get a (hopeful) goal scorer with a bit of pace tied up. Really need someone like a Wright-Phillips imo, someone who knows where the goal is, has pace and can get in behind.
Stockley is a target and Conor a worker. It’s missing the other type
agreed - this and a couple of central midfield 'governors' is where the 'division blowing' money needs to go
Realistically, the only other player from last season who might come back is Maatsen and that’s only a maybe.
We’ll have another 6+ players arriving (in addition to Dobson and MacGillivray) over the next few weeks. It will feel freshened up but I’m also pleased we’re not starting from zero and already have a decent sized group.
I’m also against the idea that last season’s squad should be totally torn up. There were some things that worked and some that didn’t. Let’s improve on our weaknesses and we’ll be a very good L1 team.
Stockley and Famewo only played 22 games each last seasno (Stockley arrived in Jan) if they both had a full season we would have made the playoffs comfortably. The real one we need to replace is Aneke, having a goalscorer off the bench to change the game is a real asset.
apart from when the injuries struck, last year's defence was pretty solid - strikeforce was okay and will be good once chucks is replaced but its always been the midfield for me that needs the reconstructive surgery
I’ll be very pleased once we get a (hopeful) goal scorer with a bit of pace tied up. Really need someone like a Wright-Phillips imo, someone who knows where the goal is, has pace and can get in behind.
Stockley is a target and Conor a worker. It’s missing the other type
A Karlan Grant type plus a Conor Gallagher type, a Krystian Bielik type and a better version of Johnny Williams who creates and scores goals and isn't always injured.
That should be a start. Add a few more loans, promote Wassim Aoucheria and Aaron Henry from the U23s and were done.
Easy, this football recruitment lark, ain't it :- )
if we announced tomorrow that we've managed to offload ronnie and signed a top striker, i reckon the midfield gems that we need would suddenly become very interested
I can definitely understand the argument that by bringing back last season's players is a bit "underwhelming" and I'm not totally unsympathetic to it but Adkins got a very good run of form out of those same players - it was the slump period that did us in. There were good performances before and after so those players do have the talent.
Plus as a lot of people are reminding everyone regularly team building and morale are very important, as much as talent is, so having a squad who know each other and Adkins is already familiar with will certainly help in that respect.
if we announced tomorrow that we've managed to offload ronnie and signed a top striker, i reckon the midfield gems that we need would suddenly become very interested
It doesn’t look like there’s a top striker out there that’s still available.
It seems more likely, to me, that we’re hanging our hat on Stockley and we’ll have to invest the majority of our budget on wingers who can score and assist.
I’d wager we’ll replace Chuks with a Premier League loan.
I think you have to put trust in the manager. The manager knows he would have failed come next May if he hasn’t delivered a successful season. Those players won’t be offered deals if the manager doesn’t want them or thinks they won’t be pieces in delivering that.
Stockley and Matthews clearly had other options and I suspect Famewo did too. They wouldn’t have resigned if they too didn’t see the positive potential.
I don’t care if our recruitment is taking time if it means we add to it the players the manager wants.
One of the gaps in the squad for me is the lack of left footed players going forward and at Left Back. Fanewo and Pearce now tick the LCB box.
Both Gunter and Matthews have played Left Back. Indeed Adam played in that position against Messi in Celtic's iconic victory over Barcelona. It will be interesting to see whether one of them will be utilised there .
In contrast last season we had Doughty, JFC, Maddison and Maatsen all as positive left footed options .
In my view we need three replacements another left back , a versatile left sided player on the wing and another left footed central midfielder .
if we announced tomorrow that we've managed to offload ronnie and signed a top striker, i reckon the midfield gems that we need would suddenly become very interested
It doesn’t look like there’s a top striker out there that’s still available.
It seems more likely, to me, that we’re hanging our hat on Stockley and we’ll have to invest the majority of our budget on wingers who can score and assist.
I’d wager we’ll replace Chuks with a Premier League loan.
I dont think that would be good enough to be honest we need to replace aneke with a proven goalscorer not a youngster who may or may not work out
we have lost a lot of goals and physicality with aneke going we HAVE to replace that !
if we announced tomorrow that we've managed to offload ronnie and signed a top striker, i reckon the midfield gems that we need would suddenly become very interested
It doesn’t look like there’s a top striker out there that’s still available.
It seems more likely, to me, that we’re hanging our hat on Stockley and we’ll have to invest the majority of our budget on wingers who can score and assist.
I’d wager we’ll replace Chuks with a Premier League loan.
I dont think that would be good enough to be honest we need to replace aneke with a proven goalscorer not a youngster who may or may not work out
we have lost a lot of goals and physicality with aneke going we HAVE to replace that !
Can you name a proven goal scorer at this level who we could realistically sign and not spend all of our transfer budget?
The only striker I can think of who could get 15+ goals and not break the bank is Stephen Humphrys, he’s about to sign for Wigan.
RB is sorted. We need a centre back and a left back, ideally a left back who can slot in and cover in the middle just incase we get another bad run of injuries. I’m looking at you Tucker and Ogilvie. I hear Gillingham need money.
In midfield we’re likely to play the three most of the time but that shouldn’t stop us planning for the times we’ll play a four. So ideally six/seven bodies needed. At the moment we have Watson, Dobson, Gilbey, Morgan, JFC. Could Vennings/Henry step up this season? One or two needed here?
In terms of wing play we have DJ and Washington who can play wide. We definitely need a couple more options, including a regular starter.
Finally up front I would think we need one more option who can provide something a little bit different. I think Ronnie deserves another crack at it next season but if he’s on his way out, we’ll need a loan player to come in as a back-up / impact player.
Lastly, an experienced free agent to back up CMG so we’re able to loan out AMB would be ideal.
So by my reckoning that’s anything up to nine players to be expected depending on outgoings or any players promoted from the youth. Something in the 5 to 7 range is more realistic.
if we announced tomorrow that we've managed to offload ronnie and signed a top striker, i reckon the midfield gems that we need would suddenly become very interested
It doesn’t look like there’s a top striker out there that’s still available.
It seems more likely, to me, that we’re hanging our hat on Stockley and we’ll have to invest the majority of our budget on wingers who can score and assist.
I’d wager we’ll replace Chuks with a Premier League loan.
I dont think that would be good enough to be honest we need to replace aneke with a proven goalscorer not a youngster who may or may not work out
we have lost a lot of goals and physicality with aneke going we HAVE to replace that !
Can you name a proven goal scorer at this level who we could realistically sign and not spend all of our transfer budget?
The only striker I can think of who could get 15+ goals and not break the bank is Stephen Humphrys, he’s about to sign for Wigan.
But do you know what the transfer budget actually is as far as im aware yes its been played down by gallen but that would be sensible as otherwise it raises prices for all players
Whether we can get them im not sure but personally names i like are pigott taylor oxford Charles accrington
Your right though humphrys would of been ideal
must be some mid/low champ strikers we could poach if offered the right money
Think we certainly see the younger players like Henry, Barker etc have more exposure to the first team. We are league 1 team and as such we have the right platform to blood our very talented youngsters.
Personally got no issue with that but yes, we do need some more signings to come in aswell.
if we announced tomorrow that we've managed to offload ronnie and signed a top striker, i reckon the midfield gems that we need would suddenly become very interested
if we announced tomorrow that we've managed to offload ronnie and signed a top striker, i reckon the midfield gems that we need would suddenly become very interested
It doesn’t look like there’s a top striker out there that’s still available.
It seems more likely, to me, that we’re hanging our hat on Stockley and we’ll have to invest the majority of our budget on wingers who can score and assist.
I’d wager we’ll replace Chuks with a Premier League loan.
i'll bow to your greater knowledge but what makes you think there are no top strikers out there? My ideal is we bring one in (i'm talking a lyle taylor (although not him) / Marquis / Piggot / clarke harris type level / player) and a pacey young prem loan if we can do some sort of deal with ronnie - i just can't see him coming good
if we announced tomorrow that we've managed to offload ronnie and signed a top striker, i reckon the midfield gems that we need would suddenly become very interested
It doesn’t look like there’s a top striker out there that’s still available.
It seems more likely, to me, that we’re hanging our hat on Stockley and we’ll have to invest the majority of our budget on wingers who can score and assist.
I’d wager we’ll replace Chuks with a Premier League loan.
I dont think that would be good enough to be honest we need to replace aneke with a proven goalscorer not a youngster who may or may not work out
we have lost a lot of goals and physicality with aneke going we HAVE to replace that !
Can you name a proven goal scorer at this level who we could realistically sign and not spend all of our transfer budget?
The only striker I can think of who could get 15+ goals and not break the bank is Stephen Humphrys, he’s about to sign for Wigan.
But do you know what the transfer budget actually is as far as im aware yes its been played down by gallen but that would be sensible as otherwise it raises prices for all players
Whether we can get them im not sure but personally names i like are pigott taylor oxford Charles accrington
Your right though humphrys would of been ideal
must be some mid/low champ strikers we could poach if offered the right money
I think Dion Charles is way out of our price range, Accrington want silly money and he’s under contract. Pigott will go to the Championship and Matty Taylor will cost money to pry away from Oxford, the sort of money you don’t want to spend on a 31yo who can’t play any higher than League One.
On the face of it, no deals make financial sense - but we obviously need to make a deal happen! I’m really interested to see who we end up with.
Comments
I observed that Jordon Cousins was having a laugh after Stoke lost at the valley with a Cafc coach when he walk towards the tunnel early on in our championship season when he was an unused sub. The Stoke fans wouldn't have seen it from the Jimmy Seed but I wondered then if he was losing his Hunger for football and was content to be a bench warmer and pick up 15K a week (estimate)
If Jordon Cousins can't do a job in League 1 for Wigan at 27 then he has really gone down hill.
Stockley is a target and Conor a worker. It’s missing the other type
We’ve resigned JFC who might not play until Feb, and I am not that hot on him when he’s fit. Watson’s still mooching about.
I’m also against the idea that last season’s squad should be totally torn up. There were some things that worked and some that didn’t. Let’s improve on our weaknesses and we’ll be a very good L1 team.
That should be a start. Add a few more loans, promote Wassim Aoucheria and Aaron Henry from the U23s and were done.
Easy, this football recruitment lark, ain't it :- )
Plus as a lot of people are reminding everyone regularly team building and morale are very important, as much as talent is, so having a squad who know each other and Adkins is already familiar with will certainly help in that respect.
One of the gaps in the squad for me is the lack of left footed players going forward and at Left Back. Fanewo and Pearce now tick the LCB box.
Both Gunter and Matthews have played Left Back. Indeed Adam played in that position against Messi in Celtic's iconic victory over Barcelona. It will be interesting to see whether one of them will be utilised there .
In contrast last season we had Doughty, JFC, Maddison and Maatsen all as positive left footed options .
In my view we need three replacements another left back , a versatile left sided player on the wing and another left footed central midfielder .
we have lost a lot of goals and physicality with aneke going we HAVE to replace that !
In midfield we’re likely to play the three most of the time but that shouldn’t stop us planning for the times we’ll play a four. So ideally six/seven bodies needed. At the moment we have Watson, Dobson, Gilbey, Morgan, JFC. Could Vennings/Henry step up this season? One or two needed here?
In terms of wing play we have DJ and Washington who can play wide. We definitely need a couple more options, including a regular starter.
Finally up front I would think we need one more option who can provide something a little bit different. I think Ronnie deserves another crack at it next season but if he’s on his way out, we’ll need a loan player to come in as a back-up / impact player.
Lastly, an experienced free agent to back up CMG so we’re able to loan out AMB would be ideal.
So by my reckoning that’s anything up to nine players to be expected depending on outgoings or any players promoted from the youth. Something in the 5 to 7 range is more realistic.
Whether we can get them im not sure but personally names i like are pigott
taylor oxford
Charles accrington
must be some mid/low champ strikers we could poach if offered the right money
Personally got no issue with that but yes, we do need some more signings to come in aswell.
On the face of it, no deals make financial sense - but we obviously need to make a deal happen! I’m really interested to see who we end up with.