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(10-11-2025, 05:48 PM)wassy04 Wrote: (10-11-2025, 05:03 PM)Trailer Park Tom Wrote: I think there's some good points raised here that are linked to my previously retired opinion of the summer recruitment. Sangare has had some health issues and is only now starting to look like a premier League player. Usually you won't expect it to take this long but it does happen with training, experience and conditioning.
This is why you don't want to have too many people at the same time being signed in the same position. All of them can be good players for forest and in the prem but the volume of uncertain players isn't worth the disruption. You can't be carrying 4 or 5 of these players in your squad. We are carrying 4/5 of these players in the squad and now we have to do it the hard way for everyone.
The counter is that in terms of the team that finished 7th last year, the starting XI is only missing Elanga (apart from the injuries). So although we brought a lot of players in, it would be reasonable to expect the first team performances to remain broadly consistent, just with added options on the bench to bring on. Obviously injuries to Wood, CHO, Dominguez, Aina have made that more difficult and forced earlier changes. Not to mention Luiz yet to remain fit and the extra matches.
If we'd signed less wingers for example, say we didn't sign Hutch. Who are we bringing on yesterday? Jota Silva?
Last year we found a clear issue with depth outside the first team and made a concerted effort to address that with young players that will need time. Honestly, I still think we had a really good window, only issue I have is that we didn't sign a better backup fullback and that that wasn't prioritised above Bakwa say. However, at the time, we didn't know that Aina would do his hamstring for three months!
First team performances did stay consistent from the final third of last season until a few weeks ago and we haven't really had strength in depth. The strength in depth is coming but because of the profile of player we signed it will take time. So I stand by my view that we have done it the hard way. Hutch is one of the exceptions because he is actually prem ready and experienced playing with our players in the U21's. I'd say the same about Zinc and Mac but more questions surrounding their style of play with ours. There's very little evidence to suggest that Jota would have done less than most of our attacking signings up to this point, and before I get pelters its not because of talent.
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I am still on the fence.
Like Username mentioned earlier in the thread I also don't like the words 'back ups'.
I think our recruitment was more about young progressive talent and I think we won't find out our good our recent recruitment has been until next season or the season after.
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Im about the same. Totally agree about back ups, the phrase annoys me.
Somewhat concerning that 10 out of 11 starters yesterday were here last season, had Wood been fit probably would’ve been all 11. Which begs the question how many have actually improved us?
CHO still looks our best and most consistent wide player despite bringing in 3 at a cost of over £100. That said Hutchinson looks good and Ndoye as stated looks versatile if he can bring his form in and think they will both be important for us.
Jesus was a steal, still hoping Jair comes good, Savona still doesn’t look like a full back but I like him.
The rest not so much. Bakwa obviously not had a chance but noticeable he didn’t even make the bench after being hooked last week.
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(18-01-2026, 11:02 AM)Salvatore Matrecano Wrote: Im about the same. Totally agree about back ups, the phrase annoys me.
Somewhat concerning that 10 out of 11 starters yesterday were here last season, had Wood been fit probably would’ve been all 11. Which begs the question how many have actually improved us?
CHO still looks our best and most consistent wide player despite bringing in 3 at a cost of over £100. That said Hutchinson looks good and Ndoye as stated looks versatile if he can bring his form in and think they will both be important for us.
Jesus was a steal, still hoping Jair comes good, Savona still doesn’t look like a full back but I like him.
The rest not so much. Bakwa obviously not had a chance but noticeable he didn’t even make the bench after being hooked last week.
I could be completely wrong but for me I think recruitment this year targeted Ndoye as Elanga’s replacement and then Jesus, Luiz and Zinchenko as players ready to bring a bit of extra depth to what we already had. Then the likes of Hutchinson, Bakwa, McAtee and Kalimuendo etc as players for the future gaining experience and development with sub appearances or cup games/europe games. injuries to Wood, Aina, Luiz and Zinchenko plus the latter two flattering to deceive have meant more reliance on those who were intended to make an impact next season.
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I bloody knew there was a thread when I started other one!
Searched the word recruitment FFS!
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I think Zinchenko has been poor but let’s give it some context.
Zinchenko played very little football last season - just one full 90 minutes for Arsenal. Then he comes in and Ange throws him into a full 90 against Swansea and he was visibly knackered near the end of that match. But that was the first of 4 consecutive full 90 minutes he got played for in 10 days. Until he got injured.
Now I’m no expert in sports science but I think it’s obvious that’s stupid.
And then after injury he gets put into Dycheball. He is the full back that slots into midfield for a more possession based approach and how have we used him?
He’s been poor but he’s also been totally misused.
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(18-01-2026, 05:47 PM)stirred Wrote: I think Zinchenko has been poor but let’s give it some context.
Zinchenko played very little football last season - just one full 90 minutes for Arsenal. Then he comes in and Ange throws him into a full 90 against Swansea and he was visibly knackered near the end of that match. But that was the first of 4 consecutive full 90 minutes he got played for in 10 days. Until he got injured.
Now I’m no expert in sports science but I think it’s obvious that’s stupid.
And then after injury he gets put into Dycheball. He is the full back that slots into midfield for a more possession based approach and how have we used him?
He’s been poor but he’s also been totally misused.
I agree. He can't have had the career he has by being a poor player. He probably just stayed at Arsenal too long. Their squad has moved on at the same time as his game is regressing. He seems now though to be in a football wasteland after playing so few games for Arsenal last season, and now failing to make the grade with us. Hope he gets on well where he ends up next.
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From Ipaper article today:
"Forest signed 13 players for around £180m and they have started five matches each on average, a figure inflated by Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus accounting for 28 of those 66 starts."
But we are desperate for more players. Go figure.
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I think we are only desperate for one.
And that is mainly because of injury to Wood.
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Hutchinson - OK
Ndoye - Fail
Bakwa - Fail
Kali - Fail
McAtee - Fail
Jesus - Good
Savona - OK
Cunha - Fail
Victor - Fail
Cuiabano - Fail
Luiz - Fail
Gunn - Fail
Zinchenko - Fail
How the hell is Edu still in a job? This list is an absolute disaster.
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Errr. Cunha looks very promising. Luiz when fit is a terrific player. Savona has been good. Jesus - excellent. The only fails so far have been Zinchenko because he isn't a defender. Kali because he obviously had a problem because no-one wanted to play him ahead of Taiwo and McAtwee because he needs to bulk up a bit and hasn't so far.
Bakwa just came back from an injury. N"Doye has been disappointing but cannot help think that is to do with confidence and Gunn is an emergency GK. Cuiabano hasn't even played for us. Victor was fine until he suddenly turned into Matt Turner at Villa and then injured or pretended to injure himself which is very bruce grobbelaar. MIxed bag I would say.
It takes time. Of course being football we don't really have any but it takes a brave manager to slowly work these people in.
I will say none of these players are particularly robust. That is an issue... Get em in the gym Dychey.
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The idea is to improve the team. None have improved the team, Jesus wouldn’t have got in last seasons team if Wood was fit. We have improved the squad depth (back ups is a terrible phrase), have one or two for the future that’s about it.
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