The championship is obviously a much different prospect to league one - however I remember how many posters were certain after the January window that we hadn’t brought in enough quality.
Just for us to essentially go on a nearly unmatched winning streak in the league.
If we do only bring in 6/7 players it won’t be because of ‘the budget’, it will be because that’s what Nathan Jones wants - and at the moment I’m inclined to trust the process he wants to follow.
If we were to sign Offiah, L.Thompson & Olafe. How would we think our squad is looking after those 3?
Light , would want at least 4-5 more on top of that at least . Don't want to be relying on u21s to plug gaps
Cawley said in the Podcast Friday we were only looking to bring in 6/7 signings 1 of which included Carey. Which means we’re probably only looking at a GK LCB RWB LWB CM/CAM ST and that’s it and will rely on a lot of current team to be able to do jobs as squad players next year
I thought that was a only a guess of the likely minimum number of signings, rather than something he had been told?
Correct. There will be a budget of £x for NJ to spend, not a maximum or minimum number of players - only Jones can decide who and how many based on said budget.
I would be stunned if we only brought in 7 including Carey. The loanees went back. We’ve lost Small, let go of Watson and Aneke, all of them were regular players in the squad. Hylton has retired, Ahadme isn’t good enough, there will be others deemed so too.
Throwing youngsters in to make up the numbers won’t cut it nor will it allow us to be as competitive as they (and Jones) will want us to be.
I fully anticipate by the end of the window we would have signed 10 players, with or without including Carey.
As a minimum: - Goalkeeper - 2 right sided players to replace Small and Watson (yes I know Small was/is a left back, but he won’t be going forward nor was he used that way) - Another central defender - Another left back/left wing back to compete with Edwards - Another winger - Another central midfielder - Carey - 2 strikers
I think the gaps are spot on, but I expect 2/3 to cover a couple of positions meaning we sign closer to 8.
GK will be a must, NJ won’t want AMB as 2nd choice.
RWB a must too, but I can see one being a genuine RWB, and then hopefully Offiah or similar covering RWB and RCB.
LWB makes sense with Edwards our only senior player. I think we’ll probably go for someone as competition for Edwards rather than a new first choice, and I can see it being a player who can also play LCB, giving Gillesphey competition too and a more realistic chance of game time for a new signing.
CM I agree, we need someone with the quality to be first choice, which will really push Docherty and Coventry.
I see Carey competing with Berry and hopefully settles in and makes that spot his own.
I recently said I saw two strikers coming in, but I expect one will be able to play out wide and be an alternative to TC, meaning we won’t sign a winger. The other striker will then compete with Godden and hopefully a fit Leaburn for the other striker role.
Hylton, Ahadme and Chuks effectively only need replacing with one new striker.
That would give us plenty of options but without the squad having too many players who can’t even make the bench - I don’t see NJ competing changing his opinion on that just because we’ve been promoted, it’ll be more about quality than quantity. The expectation will again be that our set up is capable of keeping players fit and available.
I see it being something like:
GK RWB RWB/RCB LWB/LCB CM Carey Striker/Winger Striker
He is the only player this season that Ramsay struggled against.
For that reason alone, I’m interested.
Did you delete the Wrexham away game from your mind?
My first thought was Wrexham away and Sam Smith who steamed into Ramsey straight from kick off and a lenient ref didn't give a foul. Smith was a real handful that day with Kayne and the injured Lloyd struggling to get to grips with Smith and co.
I don’t see 6/7 being enough when there’s allowance for 9 subs. He likes a lean squad, but that would have us down to the bone before we even kick off.
I know Stockports owner, he is absolutely loaded and has supported County all his life, he has blue blood running through his veins.
About 8 years ago, I went to his house for the first time, in deepest housewife's of Cheshire territory. I pulled up at these huge gates, then continued up a winding drive for about half a mile then came face to face with his house, it was huge beyond belief, more like a stately home. To the right, there was a building housing 6 garages with supercars in each one and a 4 bed annex over it. Most Aussie farmers would have been impressed with the amount of land he had.
I got out of the car, said wow, what a house and he said thanks then said they were moving. Bloody hell I said, why would you want to leave a gaff like this?
I don’t see 6/7 being enough when there’s allowance for 9 subs. He likes a lean squad, but that would have us down to the bone before we even kick off.
I think there’s a naive assumption that our first team is good enough . We all know the squad isn’t and I see no logic in buying players to bolster the squad - we need to get starters. If that means Berry, Docherty etc are on the bench, so be it.
I don’t see 6/7 being enough when there’s allowance for 9 subs. He likes a lean squad, but that would have us down to the bone before we even kick off.
This is where I'm at , yes we've now got 9 subs but I don't want the likes of Assimwe, Fullah and Dixon filling out the bench every week because NJ wants a lean squad. We need to have proper depth across the squad and anything that comes from the U21s is a bonus.
I don’t see 6/7 being enough when there’s allowance for 9 subs. He likes a lean squad, but that would have us down to the bone before we even kick off.
I’m expecting the extra 2 slots to go to academy players. Can debate the merits of that until the cows come home but I think it’s what Jones will do to give them some experience
I don’t see 6/7 being enough when there’s allowance for 9 subs. He likes a lean squad, but that would have us down to the bone before we even kick off.
I think there’s a naive assumption that our first team is good enough . We all know the squad isn’t and I see no logic in buying players to bolster the squad - we need to get starters. If that means Berry, Docherty etc are on the bench, so be it.
That's exactly what we should be doing,all the talk of lean squad and us going on a run is all well and good but that was league one this is a much tougher division with much better quality,if we do only sign 4-5 best hope they are top quality and we actually get them through and don't come up with the oh we tried and got option b and c it won't wash this season imo,we did well with not many injuries if godden or Tc were out we had no cover at all.
There’s not a chance we’ll sign 8 or 9 players . I’m saying 6 at the most . Whether they will be enough is highly debatable. I too don’t want our youth taking up most of the bench .
I don’t see 6/7 being enough when there’s allowance for 9 subs. He likes a lean squad, but that would have us down to the bone before we even kick off.
I’m expecting the extra 2 slots to go to academy players. Can debate the merits of that until the cows come home but I think it’s what Jones will do to give them some experience
Yeah I agree, 7 good subs and a couple youngsters is enough anyway I’d say. You can only make 5 anyway.
I don’t see 6/7 being enough when there’s allowance for 9 subs. He likes a lean squad, but that would have us down to the bone before we even kick off.
This is where I'm at , yes we've now got 9 subs but I don't want the likes of Assimwe, Fullah and Dixon filling out the bench every week because NJ wants a lean squad. We need to have proper depth across the squad and anything that comes from the U21s is a bonus.
Looking at my last squad update, add in 8 total signings and take out the expected outs (Taylor, Ahadme, Kanu and Asiimwe on loan etc) that would still give us 22-24 senior players, meaning when everyone is fit there’s no room for u21s on the bench.
Brighton have done early business including an Italian U21 year old centre back Diego Coppola and are 'heavily expected' to sign another CB Olivier Boscagli, he's a 27 year old French CB/LB currently with PSV......... maybe clearing a path for Offiah to leave.......?
I don’t see 6/7 being enough when there’s allowance for 9 subs. He likes a lean squad, but that would have us down to the bone before we even kick off.
This is where I'm at , yes we've now got 9 subs but I don't want the likes of Assimwe, Fullah and Dixon filling out the bench every week because NJ wants a lean squad. We need to have proper depth across the squad and anything that comes from the U21s is a bonus.
Looking at my last squad update, add in 8 total signings and take out the expected outs (Taylor, Ahadme, Kanu and Asiimwe on loan etc) that would still give us 22-24 senior players, meaning when everyone is fit there’s no room for u21s on the bench.
That wouldn't be a bad scenario to end up with actually.
Apart from Ramsay, Jones, Edwards & Coventry, I’m not sure we have any other players that I’d want to be playing week in week out - Berry and Godden would be included but they’ll be 33 & 34 by the time the season starts. So 7 for the first XI and then another 1 or 2 for depth so some of the young players can go out on loan.
I don’t see 6/7 being enough when there’s allowance for 9 subs. He likes a lean squad, but that would have us down to the bone before we even kick off.
I think there’s a naive assumption that our first team is good enough . We all know the squad isn’t and I see no logic in buying players to bolster the squad - we need to get starters. If that means Berry, Docherty etc are on the bench, so be it.
Yes, we definitely need some quality on the ball as we have enough water carriers in midfield who did us proud last season. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect Championship players to have a good touch and the ability to pass a ball. It really should be mandatory in the 2nd tier.
Most games if not every game, 16 CAFC players will have game time. Starting or at the business end will be decided when we have our influx of newbies and the state of the game; are we chasing or holding on.
Interesting that Curbs said Nathan shouldn't be too loyal. We will definitely have 3 or 4, 21's or under on the bench with the 9 sub rule.
Reckon Jones would want at least 2 players per position to not have a massive squad but at least have appropriate depth and then u21’s coming in worse case scenario. Personally can see 6-7 more signings coming in and have the squad look like something like this come start of the season. Can see the argument to sign another RWB ahead of Asiimwe but can see NJ pushing Ramsay or TC out there if needed.
I don’t see 6/7 being enough when there’s allowance for 9 subs. He likes a lean squad, but that would have us down to the bone before we even kick off.
I think there’s a naive assumption that our first team is good enough . We all know the squad isn’t and I see no logic in buying players to bolster the squad - we need to get starters. If that means Berry, Docherty etc are on the bench, so be it.
I wasn’t suggesting to just fill the bench. I agree with you. some of last season’s starters will need to be happy on the bench with additional quality brought in to start
If it helps, since it’s been mentioned again, I’ve narrowed down how many miles each Championship team is from the National Railway Museum in York, so we can have a sort of rough idea of our chances of signing someone that might be rumoured to go to any of our Championship rivals
Birmingham 184 miles Blackburn 71 miles Bristol City 229 miles Us 217 miles Coventry 141 miles Derby 96 miles Hull 38 miles Ipswich 212 miles Leicester 119 miles M’boro 49 miles Millwall 216 miles Norwich 187 miles Oxford 196 miles Portsmouth 278 miles Preston 78 miles, plus the chance to car pool with Small and Euell QPR 205 miles Sheff Utd/Wed 57 miles Southampto 261 miles Stoke 119 miles Swansea 291 miles Watford 203 miles WBA 135 miles Wrexham 123 miles
Whilst it’s clear that we should avoid getting into a scrap with Preston because of their already established links, we really only want to be going for players that Millwall, Watford, QPR, Pompey, Ipswich, Southampton and Swansea also see as targets if we’re to stand any chance of a player not choosing us over a club closer to the museum
You’ll also see the two Sheffield clubs, Hull and M’boro are particular danger clubs to avoid, and if we’re going after any of the same targets, I would urge Phil Chapple to reconsider
Surely the distances cannot be the same for both Sheffield clubs?
Could be. I'm in the very privileged (ahem) position, of living 4 miles from Hillsborough, Bramhall Lane and New York Stadium.
Comments
GK
RB
CB
CM
CF
maybe a winger.
The championship is obviously a much different prospect to league one - however I remember how many posters were certain after the January window that we hadn’t brought in enough quality.
Just for us to essentially go on a nearly unmatched winning streak in the league.
If we do only bring in 6/7 players it won’t be because of ‘the budget’, it will be because that’s what Nathan Jones wants - and at the moment I’m inclined to trust the process he wants to follow.
GK will be a must, NJ won’t want AMB as 2nd choice.
RWB a must too, but I can see one being a genuine RWB, and then hopefully Offiah or similar covering RWB and RCB.
LWB makes sense with Edwards our only senior player. I think we’ll probably go for someone as competition for Edwards rather than a new first choice, and I can see it being a player who can also play LCB, giving Gillesphey competition too and a more realistic chance of game time for a new signing.
CM I agree, we need someone with the quality to be first choice, which will really push Docherty and Coventry.
I see Carey competing with Berry and hopefully settles in and makes that spot his own.
I recently said I saw two strikers coming in, but I expect one will be able to play out wide and be an alternative to TC, meaning we won’t sign a winger. The other striker will then compete with Godden and hopefully a fit Leaburn for the other striker role.
Hylton, Ahadme and Chuks effectively only need replacing with one new striker.
That would give us plenty of options but without the squad having too many players who can’t even make the bench - I don’t see NJ competing changing his opinion on that just because we’ve been promoted, it’ll be more about quality than quantity. The expectation will again be that our set up is capable of keeping players fit and available.
I see it being something like:
GK
RWB
RWB/RCB
LWB/LCB
CM
Carey
Striker/Winger
Striker
My first thought was Wrexham away and Sam Smith who steamed into Ramsey straight from kick off and a lenient ref didn't give a foul. Smith was a real handful that day with Kayne and the injured Lloyd struggling to get to grips with Smith and co.
He likes a lean squad, but that would have us down to the bone before we even kick off.
Did you buy the Mansion, Stockport Addick 😀
Yes, we definitely need some quality on the ball as we have enough water carriers in midfield who did us proud last season. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect Championship players to have a good touch and the ability to pass a ball. It really should be mandatory in the 2nd tier.
Most games if not every game, 16 CAFC players will have game time. Starting or at the business end will be decided when we have our influx of newbies and the state of the game; are we chasing or holding on.
Interesting that Curbs said Nathan shouldn't be too loyal.
We will definitely have 3 or 4, 21's or under on the bench with the 9 sub rule.
I agree with you.
some of last season’s starters will need to be happy on the bench with additional quality brought in to start