(08-10-2019, 08:50 PM)zicorice Wrote:

(08-10-2019, 05:10 PM)Alf Wrote: Start of the season I said we were better balanced but weaker, looking at it now I'd say we're batter balanced but, being honest, not that much stronger in terms of personel. Sow & Colback is much of a muchness and the frontline is too. GK is the only area I'd say we've definitely improved, Ribero looks a great buy but Robinson has been fine too, and I also think we've lost more than we give credit for in Osborn & Appiah.

The real revelation has been in Mouch getting the most from players already here. Cash, Daws, Worall, Watson etc. All players who were availble last season, plenty of which many would have been happy to have had bombed out.

Twice now I have had to agree with much of what you posted Alf. I remember stating that I wanted to vote don't know. 
The truth is odd. Watson has been collosal this year, where as last year he was in and out. A fit Dawson has made a big difference  (up until his injury of course). Where I do disagree is that I think we jave a significant upgrade at Left back. Robinson is ok and last year was good. Riberio looks the business (so far).
I also stated I would wait until end of December before I fully passed judgement and although I feel stupidly optimistic by recent standards,I stand by this....too many false dawns.

(17-12-2019, 05:10 PM)zicorice Wrote:

(08-10-2019, 08:50 PM)zicorice Wrote:

(08-10-2019, 05:10 PM)Alf Wrote: Start of the season I said we were better balanced but weaker, looking at it now I'd say we're batter balanced but, being honest, not that much stronger in terms of personel. Sow & Colback is much of a muchness and the frontline is too. GK is the only area I'd say we've definitely improved, Ribero looks a great buy but Robinson has been fine too, and I also think we've lost more than we give credit for in Osborn & Appiah.

The real revelation has been in Mouch getting the most from players already here. Cash, Daws, Worall, Watson etc. All players who were availble last season, plenty of which many would have been happy to have had bombed out.

Twice now I have had to agree with much of what you posted Alf. I remember stating that I wanted to vote don't know. 
The truth is odd. Watson has been collosal this year, where as last year he was in and out. A fit Dawson has made a big difference  (up until his injury of course). Where I do disagree is that I think we jave a significant upgrade at Left back. Robinson is ok and last year was good. Riberio looks the business (so far).
I also stated I would wait until end of December before I fully passed judgement and although I feel stupidly optimistic by recent standards,I stand by this....too many false dawns.

Not so sure now! Easy to be a smartarse after the event, but it is a slog and those winter months can find you out.

(17-12-2019, 10:09 PM)Alf Wrote:

(17-12-2019, 05:10 PM)zicorice Wrote:

(08-10-2019, 08:50 PM)zicorice Wrote:

(08-10-2019, 05:10 PM)Alf Wrote: Start of the season I said we were better balanced but weaker, looking at it now I'd say we're batter balanced but, being honest, not that much stronger in terms of personel. Sow & Colback is much of a muchness and the frontline is too. GK is the only area I'd say we've definitely improved, Ribero looks a great buy but Robinson has been fine too, and I also think we've lost more than we give credit for in Osborn & Appiah.

The real revelation has been in Mouch getting the most from players already here. Cash, Daws, Worall, Watson etc. All players who were availble last season, plenty of which many would have been happy to have had bombed out.

Twice now I have had to agree with much of what you posted Alf. I remember stating that I wanted to vote don't know. 
The truth is odd. Watson has been collosal this year, where as last year he was in and out. A fit Dawson has made a big difference  (up until his injury of course). Where I do disagree is that I think we jave a significant upgrade at Left back. Robinson is ok and last year was good. Riberio looks the business (so far).
I also stated I would wait until end of December before I fully passed judgement and although I feel stupidly optimistic by recent standards,I stand by this....too many false dawns.

Not so sure now! Easy to be a smartarse after the event, but it is a slog and those winter months can find you out.

You're spot on tho Zic. A good first team can get you to Dec, but a good squad is what's needed to go up.

I stand by what I said from day 1 with this squad, better balanced but weaker. Colback's reliability went underrated. Sow's a cracking player when he plays, but he's only played half the games. Yeah they're different types of players, but I reckon we'd have more points this past month with Colback here rather than Sow.

(17-12-2019, 11:16 PM)zicorice Wrote:

(17-12-2019, 10:09 PM)Alf Wrote:

(17-12-2019, 05:10 PM)zicorice Wrote:

(08-10-2019, 08:50 PM)zicorice Wrote:

(08-10-2019, 05:10 PM)Alf Wrote: Start of the season I said we were better balanced but weaker, looking at it now I'd say we're batter balanced but, being honest, not that much stronger in terms of personel. Sow & Colback is much of a muchness and the frontline is too. GK is the only area I'd say we've definitely improved, Ribero looks a great buy but Robinson has been fine too, and I also think we've lost more than we give credit for in Osborn & Appiah.

The real revelation has been in Mouch getting the most from players already here. Cash, Daws, Worall, Watson etc. All players who were availble last season, plenty of which many would have been happy to have had bombed out.

Twice now I have had to agree with much of what you posted Alf. I remember stating that I wanted to vote don't know. 
The truth is odd. Watson has been collosal this year, where as last year he was in and out. A fit Dawson has made a big difference  (up until his injury of course). Where I do disagree is that I think we jave a significant upgrade at Left back. Robinson is ok and last year was good. Riberio looks the business (so far).
I also stated I would wait until end of December before I fully passed judgement and although I feel stupidly optimistic by recent standards,I stand by this....too many false dawns.

Not so sure now! Easy to be a smartarse after the event, but it is a slog and those winter months can find you out.

You're spot on tho Zic. A good first team can get you to Dec, but a good squad is what's needed to go up.

I stand by what I said from day 1 with this squad, better balanced but weaker. Colback's reliability went underrated. Sow's a cracking player when he plays, but he's only played half the games. Yeah they're different types of players, but I reckon we'd have more points this past month with Colback here rather than Sow.

It's important to not dwell on past though (We are good at that though) but hopefully learn from it. Sow is a monster, but has the longest hammy injury ever. I truly hope he comes back fit and bosses it for the rest of the season. I'd have Colback back in a flash. Last season Watson struggled, but the way he is playing now and the system we play would really suit him as an 8.

I still don't know if our squad is any better, but we are having a strangely symetrical season as last year thus far. This time though our main two play makers are not as influential as they had been up to this point. I said right at the start of the season we would need Norwich style luck with injuries and suspensions. Instead it's been a bit difficult with a brain dead suspension just when we needed the player most.

Hopefully good additions in Jan and better luck with injuries will propel us up the league.

(18-12-2019, 10:12 AM)Duncan Mckenzie Wrote: After work in the January window I am certain that our squad will be better/stronger at the end of this season than it was at the end of last season.

Remember how much dross we had to get rid of in the summer and how many players we had to bring in. One window was never going to be enough.

A little more patience is required.

(18-12-2019, 11:06 AM)the jock Wrote: Since karanka took charge he wanted to improve our attacking capabilities  . We have signed plenty since but haven't really done it.
Dias
Goncalves
Carvalho
Soudani
Adomah
Bonatini
Arnsarifard (i would have kept)
Mir
Silva (based as a number 10 doesn't do enough)
Ameobi - average at best track record. Has done ok.

If we keep going with these signings we won't accomplish much.