Don't understand the club's stance...

[sllugaes]

As I said in another thread, it's not the amount of goals, it's who we score them against. We can smash Rotherham 3-0 and draw 0-0 with Derby. That garners less points than two 1-0 wins, I know that I'm stating the bleeding obvious, but my point is that we don't have that true match winning striker, the player that will pop up and sneak us an undeserved 1-0 away win. Our squad has improved, but the rest of the division has improved equally, if not more so.

Well said, an old fashioned sniffer.


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[Mayonaise]

I agree it does and he was worth the cash but he fitted in to how they wanted to play. Wasn't pretty but they hit the channels used grays pace and hoped he produced some magic or won a set play, from which they were pretty impressive.
Pritchard would of been perfect in this team in a free role, would of played most weeks and when March was back we would of had a devestating attacking. Pity he wanted the money over game time.
The problem this year strikers have gone up again. 9 million would of been a push for us but the players recruited by villa, Newcastle, Norwich and Derby are starting at 8 million which would get a vidra, gestede or Pritchard. The top players like Gayke, Ritchie, McCormack, kodija ect are 12 million plus and without parachute payments it's almost impossible to compete with that. Our most realistic signing today in my opinion would be Dack and hope he could take the step up

You're not wrong - t's just so frustrating when we already have such a strong side and could be so close again this year. I guess this is it so buckle up and enjoy the ride through to next May.

I think we have strengthened from last season but the division seems a lot stronger this year.

 

[Glanders]

I think it's reasonable to assume that TB and the club are at least as keen as any fans on NSC, and probably more so than many, to get the Albion promoted at the earliest possible opportunity, and have a better idea than anyone on here about what's possible within the resources at the club's disposal, and are working their a****s off behind the scenes to get us the best possible squad for the season ahead. If their preferred options don't come off, it won't be for lack of effort or judgement on their part. So I'm content to let them get on with it, make the necessary decisions and go through with any necessary negotiations, and just wait and see what the final outcome is. If it's the squad we've currently got, so be it - I still think, given our relative lack of spending power that we've got a quality squad with a lot of depth and are still in with a decent chance of promotion, with no further additions (and without Stephens, if he ends up going..)

Spot on.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Shall we wait till the window closes eh?

Have you not seen Naylor's tweet? We're done for the day.

 

[Zebedee]

Have you not seen Naylor's tweet? We're done for the day.

And consigned, I fear, to a finish outside the top ten this season. Oh well, there's always next year.

 

[martin tyler]

You're not wrong - t's just so frustrating when we already have such a strong side and could be so close again this year. I guess this is it so buckle up and enjoy the ride through to next May.

I think we have strengthened from last season but the division seems a lot stronger this year.

It is frustrating I am as frustrated as anyone as we are 1 player away from a top 2 side. Best we can do is do our best till January and if we are there or there about a again then I'm sure TB will try again.

 

[BBassic]

And when Murray gets injured or banned?

Then we utilise Hemed, Baldock and maybe Manu. Or we use one of our five, FIVE! , attacking midfielders and switch the formation up.

As someone already said we got 72 goals last season with a squad that had March out injured, Zamora unavailable from week to week and only had Knocky and Skalak for six months.

Would you rather we were Derby? They've consistently spanked money on "proven Championship quality" (however nebulous a term that is) and they're not exactly banging them in are they?

Give me strength.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

And consigned, I fear, to a finish outside the top ten this season. Oh well, there's always next year.

I have a far greater fear than missing out on a striker in this window, but now is not the time to share it. I

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

Probably, but whether they (or their clubs) wanted them to come here is the problem. West Brom have said (a) money is (virtually) no object, and (b) they can't get anyone in (apart from Chadli). They're desperate, but can't sign anyone. There are always two sides.... And, perhaps the money has gone on Pocognoli's wages (he's a Premiership player and Belgian international, so can't be cheap), and a better deal for Stephens (possibly unlikely). Personally I think that after getting Murray in the absolute priority was a left back - Bong is a liability, and Rosenior is getting on a bit. We've also spent £4.5m on a centre back, and (so far) resisted attempts to buy Dunk, Knockaert and Stephens.

So - if this trf window ends up with us retaining our key players from last year (Stockdale, Dunk, Knockaert, Stephens and Kayal), and adding Pocognoli, Duffy, Murray, Norwood, and Sidwell, that is pretty good as far as I'm concerned.

Whilst I agree that transfers aren't as simple as we often make them out to be I confess I am still dissapointed. I'm sure the club explored various options but even someone of the ilk of Dack would have been a good acquisition without breaking the bank. It's like dejavu, we all know we are a striker short and, once again, the club have not addressed the problem (not for lack of trying I'm sure). Going into the season with three strikers (and Elvis) doesn't bode well with me. All it would take is a few suspensions or lengthy injury and we will have to rely on our less spectacular players (Baldock and Elvis) or our U23's which could effectively end our promotion hopes. I hope I am proved wrong but at I can see us faltering (again) and bemoaning the fact we didn't sign a marquee forward in the summer (again).

 

[Seagulltonian]

Very pessimistic view, especially as we were about to spend that sort of money for a player in Pritchard a few days ago (before Norwich hijacked it)

Yes, but he's not a striker! He's another midfielder!
But maybe he was the player we wanted to fill Dale's boots, and because that didn't happen, Dale is now being hung on to! It may have caused a chain of transfers that would have worked for the club, so who really knows?
Still an hour an a half left, so it could all still change

 

[Stat Brother]

Zamora and Hemed rarely played together and Baldock rarely scored last season so we've not lost much there. I agree the league is stronger and if you said we'll do well to push for the play offs, I would have said fair enough. It's the negativity of saying we'll be lucky to finish mid table that is so negative and I don't understand why.

I can't say it all again!

You do realise 'we'll do well to push for the play-offs' and 'lucky to finish mid table' is a difference of a maximum of only 5 places

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Oh well, there's always next year.

I honestly think you've said that at the beginning of every season since 1901

 

[Ernest]

All over according to the club, we shall do well to make the TOP 6 now. MASSIVE letdown yet again by the club

 

[Zebedee]

I honestly think you've said that at the beginning of every season since 1901

Probably longer than that.

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

Probably, but whether they (or their clubs) wanted them to come here is the problem. West Brom have said (a) money is (virtually) no object, and (b) they can't get anyone in (apart from Chadli). They're desperate, but can't sign anyone. There are always two sides.... And, perhaps the money has gone on Pocognoli's wages (he's a Premiership player and Belgian international, so can't be cheap), and a better deal for Stephens (possibly unlikely). Personally I think that after getting Murray in the absolute priority was a left back - Bong is a liability, and Rosenior is getting on a bit. We've also spent £4.5m on a centre back, and (so far) resisted attempts to buy Dunk, Knockaert and Stephens.

So - if this trf window ends up with us retaining our key players from last year (Stockdale, Dunk, Knockaert, Stephens and Kayal), and adding Pocognoli, Duffy, Murray, Norwood, and Sidwell, that is pretty good as far as I'm concerned.

But WBA's target would be premiership class material, our gene pool of talent is much larger - French league 1 and 2 Spanish A and B even the Argentinian leagues, anywhere in the world in fact. Remember Johnny C - the fact that Barber went over to Argentina made a lot of us think this summer we would go large on other forward targets. "Targets" being the key word here as after Pilchard blew us out there seemed a complete lack.

 

[Monkey Man]

Chris Hughton has already said he's happy with the squad he's got, even if we don't manage to bring in the target players we've identified.

I'm happy if he's happy.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

I can't say it all again!

You do realise 'we'll do well to push for the play-offs' and 'lucky to finish mid table' is a difference of a maximum of only 5 places

Yes, so more than a fifth of the league. I don't agree with that anyway. I think we still have enough to expect a top six finish. However, I'm just saying it wouldn't have been such an over the top statement and I wouldn't have bothered to reply.

Anyway, we will see. I think we will regret not signing another striker today but am still hopeful of a top six place. We all need to get behind the team now (including Stephens).

 

[Zebedee]

Chris Hughton has already said he's happy with the squad he's got, even if we don't manage to bring in the target players we've identified.

I'm happy if he's happy.

Let's see how happy he is when injuries/suspensions inevitably hit our threadbare strike force. I suspect CH is anything but happy in practice.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

There have been plenty of examples of youngsters being forced into the firing line due to injuries, suspensions , etc and emerging as a decent player and doing well - Rashford at United last season is one such example. Who knows, if one of our youngsters are suddenly thrown in at the deep end and called upon to perform, and with our supply from the wings, they may just manage to fill the gap until we got the players back or signed someone in the next window but there is nothing to say that we might end up in that situation anyway and could end up like Burnley of a couple of seasons back where they had very few incidents where they were forced to change their line ups and with a fairly settled side, got promoted (they wouldn't have needed a 4th striker that season)

 

[Seagulltonian]

Hoping now then the U21 and U23 strikers can maybe make the step up, as that's why we've invested heavily in an academy