Is Our Squad Stronger Or Weaker Than Last Season

[BadDog]

Hopefully Sow won't be out too long, though if Bostock and Semedo are both fit after the international break then he should be replaceable.

Don't forget Yates.

He's a long way off, MON nearly finished his career by making him play on pain killers and not having surgery.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

Hopefully Sow won't be out too long, though if Bostock and Semedo are both fit after the international break then he should be replaceable.

Don't forget Yates.

He's a long way off, MON nearly finished his career by making him play on pain killers and not having surgery.

Christ, that is terrible. GreenMan will be delighted though.

[Strawberry Avenger]

Hopefully Sow won't be out too long, though if Bostock and Semedo are both fit after the international break then he should be replaceable.

Don't forget Yates.

He's a long way off, MON nearly finished his career by making him play on pain killers and not having surgery.

Knees.  Got to be really careful with them.  If something is damaged, pounding the knee for 90s on pain killers isn't going to make it better.

Like playing with a broken toe.  or Achilles problems.  Some players do keep playing with various niggles and get painkillers for that.  I don't see how that helps the injury though.  It seems to be an accepted part of the game.  A commercial pressure, a results based pressure, a manage who is under pressure based pressure to force players to continue or play when not fully fit.  

See Grabban last season which was well documented.  With predictable results.  (Dawson, flogged to death and he got injured last year.  He's old in football terms.)

I remember Andy Reid being brought back early by Billy Davies after another troublesome injury.  And guess what?  He got really injured....and think that was the one that finished him for Forest.  5-6 weeks may seem like enough time to get over an injury.  But often, you just end up managing the problem then you need surgery.  Then you're on for a longer lay off than if you'd just dealt with it in the 1st place.

Hopefully now, Forest will have a more progressive, far sighted and grown up culture that brings back players when they're ready, when they're fit.  

But eg.  Sow was 'knackered' in the previous game.  He got played again.  Guess what?  Hamstring went.  Dawson's played quite a few games.  Guess what?  Injured.  We almost knew it was coming.

The 'good thing' is that Forest do now have depth in quality to at least deal with CHs or CMs getting injured.

In Yates case, I'm looking forward to his return to see what The Coach can bring out of him.  He's transformed Cash and Yates, Worrall and Dawson.

Oh yes, the squad is stronger than last season.  The table doesn't lie.

SA.

[PsychoStanleyStone]

I bet the 12.77% who voted weaker are feeling a bit silly right now.

i don't feel any sillier than usual  :P  , i'm hoping to feel really really silly which must seem silly in itself, if anything i am relieved to be feeling silly, it's a beautiful place.  Far better to feel silly but be loyal than 1 of those types that stick the knife in the back of a legend. It was definately 1 of the best transfer windows ever, £14m in and around £4m spent is incredible. It all feels a bit shortermist though but a big improvement, but shortermism at best only works short term.

[Alf]

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.

[Kranky]

I bet the 12.77% who voted weaker are feeling a bit silly right now.

Not really. Happy, but definitely not silly.

[zicorice]

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.

[Username]

^most balanced post on this thread recently.

[PsychoStanleyStone]

^most balanced post on this thread recently.

this is sort of where we were at and what we were voting on as of circa Aug 1st 2019:

1. Costel Pantilimon
2. Yuri Ribeiro
3. Tobias Figueiredo
4. Joe Worrall
5. Adlene Guedioura
6. Alex Milosevic
7. Lewis Grabban
8. Ben Watson
9. Daryl Murphy
10. Joao Carvalho
11. Matty Cash
12. Jordan Smith
14. Rafa Mir
15. Luke Steele
17. Alfa Semedo
18. Jack Robinson
19. Sammy Ameobi
20. Michael Dawson
21. Samba Sow
22. Ryan Yates
23. Joe Lolley
24. Claudio Yacob
26. Liam Bridcutt
27. Tendayi Darikwa
28. Tiago Silva
29. Yohan Benalouane
34. Tyler Walker
35. Jason Cummings
37. Albert Adomah
38. Gboly Ariyibi
39. Zach Clough
40. Brennan Johnson
43. Arvin Appiah
44. Michael Hefele
45. Jayden Richardson
47. Toby Edser
48. Alex Mighten
[color=#333333]49. Aro Muric

Stronger?  Maybe

Bizarre?  Possibly

Supersized Obese Mindf**k team selection headache by divination problem?  Probably

Have Sabri and the scouts and back room staff worked an absolute Miracle to make sense of it all, forge together a cracking good team and tie up a load of deals, sales, and loans since then?  YES

[Sabricadabra]

Players like Carvalho are what make the cost of a season ticket worthwhile. Remember the rubbish we had to endure before we signed players like him.

[Strawberry Avenger]

^most balanced post on this thread recently.

this is sort of where we were at and what we were voting on as of circa Aug 1st 2019:

1. Costel Pantilimon
2. Yuri Ribeiro
3. Tobias Figueiredo
4. Joe Worrall
5. Adlene Guedioura
6. Alex Milosevic
7. Lewis Grabban
8. Ben Watson
9. Daryl Murphy
10. Joao Carvalho
11. Matty Cash
12. Jordan Smith
14. Rafa Mir
15. Luke Steele
17. Alfa Semedo
18. Jack Robinson
19. Sammy Ameobi
20. Michael Dawson
21. Samba Sow
22. Ryan Yates
23. Joe Lolley
24. Claudio Yacob
26. Liam Bridcutt
27. Tendayi Darikwa
28. Tiago Silva
29. Yohan Benalouane
34. Tyler Walker
35. Jason Cummings
37. Albert Adomah
38. Gboly Ariyibi
39. Zach Clough
40. Brennan Johnson
43. Arvin Appiah
44. Michael Hefele
45. Jayden Richardson
47. Toby Edser
48. Alex Mighten
[color=#333333]49. Aro Muric


Have Sabri and the scouts and back room staff worked an absolute Miracle to make sense of it all, forge together a cracking good team and tie up a load of deals, sales, and loans since then?  YES

The old and underperforming were trimmed from that list.

Definitely stronger.  Squad and 1st team definitely.  Greater pace, power, strength and players who can def' play a bit brought in with greater height too.  One opposition manager said Forest were a threat from set pieces.  I almost choked on my tea.

Big Ben and Milo were 1st choice CHs before this season.  So Forest have four 1st choice CHs plus Chem' and Fig' who are capable of being 1st choice too.  And that's the strength in depth Forest have...and need if they're ever going to get out the Championship.

Same in CM and the wings.  Greater depth.

Just up front they need to strengthen.

SA.

[Strawberry Avenger]

Forest were even able to sell a hot prospect in Appiah from a position of strength to add to the Ben Bre' money. That's about £15 million for both of them which is in the bank or has gone to funding the past two Summers.

In truth, the recruitment has been far superior to last season's. Plenty of money in from player sales or exits and wages saved and shrewd low transfer fees and incomings mixed with quality loans. Or the recruitment and player exits has probably shown a surplus of money on the balance sheet.

But we've known this for years. Instead of selling the Academy crown jewels and players who will get you promoted, Forest are being run as a business driving hard bargains for players coming in and reaching for higher quality whilst shrewdly selling off the odd promising prospect to another club to develop. Taken as a 4 window overview. The last 4 transfer windows has seen a steady progression of quality raising the average ability of the squad and the league positions reflect that from Warburton to Aitor to 'The Coach.'

In short, being run well off the field in revenue, sponsorship, scouting, recruitment of staff is finally paying off on the field. And it looks like recruitment is finally getting to grips with understanding the unique brief of players required for the Championship. Robust but can play a bit.

Transfers can be a mixed bag. But the Muric one is the only one that stands out as looking like it just won't work. But, it's still back up!

SA.