We are nearly there

[FulhamStu]

Assuming Soares signs then I think the squad is nearly what Slav would have hoped for.  Another central defender is possible and maybe another striker.

What we now need is to get our best players fit, esp Cairney and Johansen, both not yet 100%. 

We have enough players in the squad to play those in form such that if Aluko is not firing we start with Kebano or Ono.

We need to integrate Fonte and AK47, Ono and Soares who I expect to all be in our match day squad.  From this time last season we have changed quite a bit, remember Smith and Tunnicliffe stared in the first 11 a year ago.

Most importantly we need to work on bringing the team to the level and beyond we had during those last few months of last season.  This does not happen easily and takes time on the training ground.  If we can do this faster than it took last season we will have an exciting winter ahead of us.   

Overall, the team has been improved, the squad is certainly better, what we need is luck with injuries and a break or two on the pitch and we will be on our way.

[RaySmith]

Good post Stu.

[MJG]

I think we are closer to where we need to be than this time last season.

if we say that the 'best team' last season contained these ten Button, Fred, Malone, Ream, Kalas, Mcdonald, Johansen, Cairney, Ayite, Aluko  then in the first 5 games the number of those starting in each one was 7,7,6,7,5 after the break it was then 8.

I could make a case for saying that of the starting lineup Saturday we had 8-10 of what we would currently consider the 'best' XI.  Its still be tweeked and not there, but not much of the jigsaw to finish now.

[Riverside]

Good post . I am surprised by how many new players we have this year . Will end up about 10 ( last year was 14 ). It's going to take time again for them to bed in .

I think the challenge will be leadership . Parker behind the scenes I think was a big plus last year .

And the sooner that Joka buys into the squad the better . Currently I know he is pushing for more signings but by saying that the recruitment has nothing to do with him he is saying to the new guys that they are not his choices .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JoelH5]

I don't think we need another striker. Definitely still need a LB (but should have one imminently) then maybe a CB but that's it. Don't want to overhaul too much nor do we need to.

We have started slow and that is to be expected wit all the new faces...

As long as we are in the top 10 by Christmas, I think we've got a great chance. I can see the team coming good.. really good, in 2018 once they've had time to properly gell.

[Lighthouse]

I don't even think we have started that slowly tbh. Take Saturday. especially second half out of the equation and we have done very well. I do feel some of us had expectations that seem to be clouding their feelings and feeding their frustration. Although goodness knows we have needed a centre half and froward for some time. Our new signing doesn't seem to be the forward we needed as he takes free kicks and corners and we really wanted a more direct player. But after one game it is unfair to make comments about him as first half he was busy and did ok.

I have no idea what, if anything is going on behind the scenes. Or why we are playing in a different way and not keeping the ball as much as we did. But early days and the squad is close to being competitive.

[JoelH5]

I don't even think we have started that slowly tbh. Take Saturday. especially second half out of the equation and we have done very well. I do feel some of us had expectations that seem to be clouding their feelings and feeding their frustration. Although goodness knows we have needed a centre half and froward for some time. Our new signing doesn't seem to be the forward we needed as he takes free kicks and corners and we really wanted a more direct player. But after one game it is unfair to make comments about him as first half he was busy and did ok.

I have no idea what, if anything is going on behind the scenes. Or why we are playing in a different way and not keeping the ball as much as we did. But early days and the squad is close to being competitive.

I disagree. How many times do our freekicks and corners hit the first man?!

Every corner Fonte took bar one looked dangerous. Also, he only takes them from the left side so still in the box when from the right.

He's exactly what we needed. We may actually score from a corner for once!

[Bracken White]

With the great expectations evident, it is irksome but not the end of the world that we lost on Saturday. You cannot expect Fonte to be with us 2 days and perform to his maximum. Several squad members are new, gelling takes time, it is not an immediate process. If niggling injuries still prevail, we now have a squad to call upon to replace key players until they are match fit. So all-in-all most certainly WIP - but do feel we should be patient & back the Manager - we know his capabilities.

[Lighthouse]

I don't even think we have started that slowly tbh. Take Saturday. especially second half out of the equation and we have done very well. I do feel some of us had expectations that seem to be clouding their feelings and feeding their frustration. Although goodness knows we have needed a centre half and froward for some time. Our new signing doesn't seem to be the forward we needed as he takes free kicks and corners and we really wanted a more direct player. But after one game it is unfair to make comments about him as first half he was busy and did ok.

I have no idea what, if anything is going on behind the scenes. Or why we are playing in a different way and not keeping the ball as much as we did. But early days and the squad is close to being competitive.

I disagree. How many times do our freekicks and corners hit the first man?!

Every corner Fonte took bar one looked dangerous. Also, he only takes them from the left side so still in the box when from the right.

He's exactly what we needed. We may actually score from a corner for once!

I agree about Fonte. But really what I was getting at is do we still need a more direct central player?

[JoelH5]

I don't even think we have started that slowly tbh. Take Saturday. especially second half out of the equation and we have done very well. I do feel some of us had expectations that seem to be clouding their feelings and feeding their frustration. Although goodness knows we have needed a centre half and froward for some time. Our new signing doesn't seem to be the forward we needed as he takes free kicks and corners and we really wanted a more direct player. But after one game it is unfair to make comments about him as first half he was busy and did ok.

I have no idea what, if anything is going on behind the scenes. Or why we are playing in a different way and not keeping the ball as much as we did. But early days and the squad is close to being competitive.

I disagree. How many times do our freekicks and corners hit the first man?!

Every corner Fonte took bar one looked dangerous. Also, he only takes them from the left side so still in the box when from the right.

He's exactly what we needed. We may actually score from a corner for once!

I agree about Fonte. But really what I was getting at is do we still need a more direct central player?

I think AK could be that man when he get's settled. He's got the strength to hold the ball up and he is pacey too. He hasn't really done much yet but I like him for some reason!

I really think we should start Fonte and AK tomorrow in the cup. Would be a nice confidence boost if they got off the mark.

[Woolly Mammoth]

I don't even think we have started that slowly tbh. Take Saturday. especially second half out of the equation and we have done very well. I do feel some of us had expectations that seem to be clouding their feelings and feeding their frustration. Although goodness knows we have needed a centre half and froward for some time. Our new signing doesn't seem to be the forward we needed as he takes free kicks and corners and we really wanted a more direct player. But after one game it is unfair to make comments about him as first half he was busy and did ok.

I have no idea what, if anything is going on behind the scenes. Or why we are playing in a different way and not keeping the ball as much as we did. But early days and the squad is close to being competitive.

I disagree. How many times do our freekicks and corners hit the first man?!

Every corner Fonte took bar one looked dangerous. Also, he only takes them from the left side so still in the box when from the right.

He's exactly what we needed. We may actually score from a corner for once!

I agree about Fonte. But really what I was getting at is do we still need a more direct central player?

I think AK could be that man when he get's settled. He's got the strength to hold the ball up and he is pacey too. He hasn't really done much yet but I like him for some reason!

I really think we should start Fonte and AK tomorrow in the cup. Would be a nice confidence boost if they got off the mark.

I would also like to see Fonte and AK start together tomorrow as well, instead of wrapping them up in cotton wool.