bye Brittain

[FalmerforAll!**]

Now our promised 3 players will come each day before the start of the season,starting today

 

[Napper]

Hendo/FDM
Hart Lowe El-Abd Lynch
Fraser
Reid Hammond Frutos
CKR GNW(please)/Gatting

I don't see the big problem.

a keeper that makes numerous mistakes
a striker at right back
the other 3 defenders all kids who although did well last year but were still part of the worst defence in the league (which also contained 2 much better players)

Fraser in midfield nothing to suggest he's anything other than blind hope

Up front - we are all pinning hopes on CKR

but lets be honest , that team will leak loads of goals and I dont think that team will score more than we will leak.

Do you ?

 

[Uncle Buck]

Hendo/FDM
Hart Lowe El-Abd Lynch
Fraser
Reid Hammond Frutos
CKR GNW(please)/Gatting

I don't see the big problem.

It will be OK in League 2.

 

[tinx]

It will be OK in League 2.

Even in League 2 its not a top 6 side.

 

[Pavilionaire]

This is what I think of our present 1st XI re League 1:

1. Henderson - OK
2. Hart - Liability
3. Lowe - maybe OK for a month, then Butters - big question mark there
4. Lynch - Still learning
5 - El Abd - OK
6. Reid - OK
7. Carpenter - Past It
8. Hammond - Should be OK, but shit form recently
9. Frutos - OK
10.CKR - OK
11.Revell - Still learning.

That to me says mid-table.

 

[Soul Finger]

Even in League 2 its not a top 6 side.

Rubbish. We have a talented young squad who can only get better.

I didn't see Brittain play.

He supposedly had a great game against Worthing. No disrespect, but that's hardly a good barometer.

He obviously trained with us and also played in another friendly.

Although I agree that the pre-season has hardly been inspirational, I think I'll trust a man's judgement who has been in the game 30 years over a few keyboard warriors who don't attend training every day.

 

[Parson Henry]

This is what I think of our present 1st XI re League 1:

1. Henderson - OK
2. Hart - Liability
3. Lowe - maybe OK for a month, then Butters - big question mark there
4. Lynch - Still learning
5 - El Abd - OK
6. Reid - OK
7. Carpenter - Past It
8. Hammond - Should be OK, but shit form recently
9. Frutos - OK
10.CKR - OK
11.Revell - Still learning.

That to me says mid-table.

Pav you have to consider the strength and depth of the squad which would, in theory, weaken that line up and agin, in theory, reduce your extimation as to lower in the table. to balnce the equasion we have to consider the club strengthening the team/squad throughout the season.

 

[Da Man Clay]

Although I agree that the pre-season has hardly been inspirational, I think I'll trust a man's judgement who has been in the game 30 years over a few keyboard warriors who don't attend training every day.

Dont be silly. We aren't allowed to be logical around here.

 

[London Irish]

Its funny to think of what McGhee believes we have and the sort of players on trial that aren't their betters. Sometimes feels as if he wants the pigs that snort the loudest and refuse to sneer at decisions made by Napoleon that Boxer and his kin prefer to ignore.

Well, the uncomfortable thing is that Dean Cox has looked a more potent attacking threat than Brittain against Colchester and the MK Dons.

I was hoping we would give him longer on the off-chance that we hadn't seen the best of him. But obviously the player himself is going to work to his own timetable about securing a permanent contract for himself, not ours. Good luck to him.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I've factored that in Perry. I reckon Kuipers, Robinson, Gatting, Oatway and Hinshelwood will all contribute later in the season, and I also believe McGhee (then Dean Wilkins) will bring in reasonable loan signings.

I reckon we'll start badly but pick up once some of the new boys have 10 or 12 games under their belts and Wilkins has been put in charge.

 

[London Irish]

This is what I think of our present 1st XI re League 1:

1. Henderson - OK
2. Hart - Liability
3. Lowe - maybe OK for a month, then Butters - big question mark there
4. Lynch - Still learning
5 - El Abd - OK
6. Reid - OK
7. Carpenter - Past It
8. Hammond - Should be OK, but shit form recently
9. Frutos - OK
10.CKR - OK
11.Revell - Still learning.

That to me says mid-table.

I don't think OGH will play full-back. Apart from Carpenter, who I still think we will get some good games out of, I agree with your assessment, particularly that we are mid-table.

 

[Northstander]

One for the future?

 

[Billy the Fish]

Hendo/FDM
Hart Lowe El-Abd Lynch
Fraser
Reid Hammond Frutos
CKR GNW(please)/Gatting

I don't see the big problem.

I can see where you're coming from, on paper that team doesn't look that bad. There's no single major problem, it's more a case of lots of little problems.
All of those players are average, there are no names that stand out from that bunch.
There are no fighters, with the possible exception of OGH, but still nothing compared to Oatway or chippy in his day.
There are no leaders in that team either.
It reminds me of the 99/00 team which is not a good thing. I know it doesn't look bad but I promise you that team will get dicked on week in week out by a team full of seasoned pros.

 

[Pavilionaire]

LI, he may swap Hart and Reid around - either way it's the same 2 players and the same shortcomings.

In order to turn our squad into a play-off side we still need a minimum of 3 players - centre back, left back and creative midfielder.

 

[London Irish]

I can see where you're coming from, on paper that team doesn't look that bad. There's no single major problem, it's more a case of lots of little problems.
All of those players are average, there are no names that stand out from that bunch.
There are no fighters, with the possible exception of OGH, but still nothing compared to Oatway or chippy in his day.
There are no leaders in that team either.
It reminds me of the 99/00 team which is not a good thing. I know it doesn't look bad but I promise you that team will get dicked on week in week out by a team full of seasoned pros.

Yes, there is no evidence a player like Fraser is ready. He is only part of the main squad because the youth squad rules were changed from 3 to 2 years and you have to bring in the youth a year earlier now. What the likes of Fraser needs is a rigorous loan spell somewhere so he can learn his trade in adult football as opposed to the kids he is mainly used to playing.

 

[London Irish]

LI, he may swap Hart and Reid around - either way it's the same 2 players and the same shortcomings.

In order to turn our squad into a play-off side we still need a minimum of 3 players - centre back, left back and creative midfielder.

I don't think left-back is an absolute priority given Lynch's form.

I agree we are 3 players away from having a crack at promotion, my 3 are centre-forward, passing midfielder and Lowe/central defender.

 

[Pavilionaire]

LI I'd go along with you, I think CKR will score goals if he stays and Revell may work out if he gets his chance, but the Hinshelwood injury is a killer.

A back four of El-Abd, Hinsh, Lynch and Bagayoko could well have been a play-off defence.

 

[sir danny cullip]

 

[Soul Finger]

A creative midfielder is an absolute must.

I have a funny feeling about Revell. If he's hungry enough, which I believe he is, he could really surprise a few people.

Remember when OGH joined? He arrived from the lower reaches of non-league (lower than Revell) and proved an instant hit.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Albion Rob]

I think it's a must to get a good start.

If we're scratching around for points come the middle of September then we're really going to struggle.

On the other hand, if we get off to a good start then the kids could well [rpve to be good enough.

I'd like to see Jake Robinson given more of a chance. His lack of size wouldn't be so much of a disadvantage in this division and I think his movement would create enough space for him.

It has been a disappointing pre season for a number of reasons but it really is a case of wait and see this time. Since 2003 we have either been touted as good enough to go up or aiming for 21st place, depending on which division we've been in.

The current crop really could finish virtually anywhere and it's going to really be down to the manager this season - no hiding, no complaining, we're not in a much worse position than most of the cubs in the division, we have the potential to take more away fans to some games than there are home fans and we would have (if full each week) one of the higher average gates in the division.

It's up to you, McGhee, so for the sake of all of us, don't f*** it up.