Has this been achieved?

[Uncle Spielberg]

The squad is mid table league one now. We must be a good bet to get relegated at 8/1 unless we seriously strengthen in all departments but especially upfront where we have no threat whatsoever. It is a very disappointing state, that the club have done nothing of note to try and put out a statement that we are anything other than also rans next season. This squad is light years away from a top 6 finish. As it stands I think that will be very clear by October

 

[B.W.]

Did you actually read my post? I didn't say we shouldn't be trying to do that. But why are these players going to sign for us early on? We struggled last year. There seems to be this thought process on here that quality players are queuing outside the Amex to sign for us but we're turning them away. We're obviously trying to sign these sort of players but it's not easy. Sadly, I think many people (including you) live in a Championship Manager world where signing players is so easy. The reality is different.

Pay the money, they will come.

In our case, precisely because we ****ed-up last pre-season (as I said before), we've made it more difficult than it need be (which I pointed out before anyone else on here, months ago). You are the one who lacks perspective. You're like a crew member, proudly saluting his captain, as his sink ships without trace.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Except we already have Stockdale, Bruno, Greer, Dunk, Bong, Stephens, Crofts, Kayal, LuaLua, Baldock and Hemed who didn't feature without any new signings.

Congratulations on spectacularly missing the point of what I've been saying in this thread.

 

[B.W.]

We also knew that a lot of transfers happen at the end of the window for reasons beyond our control, so it was very unlikely we'd have it all done by now.

True, but we should be further along the road than we are...

 

[B.W.]

Read the whole thread. There are people moaning on it about the Lewes game and my post was in response to a post suggesting that it would probably be our first team at the start of the season.

Fair enough. Certainly not my view tho'... all the Lewes game proved was that we have zero cover in key forward areas. Colunga and COG should hang their heads in shame. If there were any scouts at Lewes (from oop north or Spain), then that lacklustre pair have zero chance of a new contract elsewhere.

 

[Triggaaar]

True, but we should be further along the road than we are...

Maybe and I'd certainly like us to be further. But almost half thinking we've stuffed it up already seems a bit harsh.

 

[B.W.]

Maybe and I'd certainly like us to be further. But almost half thinking we've stuffed it up already seems a bit harsh.

You see, I don't see it that way. Our beloved club should have recognised the problems of leaving it late last season, i.e. learnt their lesson. They got rid of Burke (belatedly), but have they loosened the purse strings enough? It seems we are still playing hard ball, and still not closing deals timely. We'll end up with the dregs again, or panic loans... we just can't afford a repeat of last season's shambles. A false economy if ever there was one.

 

[Triggaaar]

You see, I don't see it that way. Our beloved club should have recognised the problems of leaving it late last season, i.e. learnt their lesson. They got rid of Burke (belatedly), but have they loosened the purse strings enough? It seems we are still playing hard ball, and still not closing deals timely.

But there's only so far the purse strings can be loosened. Regardless of how bad last season was, we still need to stay within FFP. And unfortunately, there seem to be plenty of other clubs spending a lot this summer, which makes it even harder for us to get our targets.

So do you think we could have spent more and brought in the players we want, and stayed within FFP? I don't.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Pay the money, they will come.

In our case, precisely because we ****ed-up last pre-season (as I said before), we've made it more difficult than it need be (which I pointed out before anyone else on here, months ago). You are the one who lacks perspective. You're like a crew member, proudly saluting his captain, as his sink ships without trace.

I take it your going to pay that money then. We have made it more difficult with what happened last year but Bloom's made it clear we're not going to be held to ransom. I find it hard to believe that any of our fans would want that, given our history.

The big problem on here is that people moan constantly and trying to put a bit of perspective on issues leads to comments like your one here. All I'm saying is it's not that easy to sign players, especially if you're looking to bring in quality. It's not ideal and nobody is saying it is. In an ideal world we'd have all our signings ready for the beginning of July. We don't live in an ideal world.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Congratulations on spectacularly missing the point of what I've been saying in this thread.

I think your point was pretty clear (some cynical suggestion we weren't going to make any more signings). I just pointed out how pointless it was.

 

[Steve.S]

You see, I don't see it that way. Our beloved club should have recognised the problems of leaving it late last season, i.e. learnt their lesson. They got rid of Burke (belatedly), but have they loosened the purse strings enough? It seems we are still playing hard ball, and still not closing deals timely. We'll end up with the dregs again, or panic loans... we just can't afford a repeat of last season's shambles. A false economy if ever there was one.

I don't get what you are really trying to say, it matters not when we get players in, if they are quality ones. Under Poyet and Oscar we had players coming in through August and yet still made the play offs. Yes you are right a lot of players came in late last season, does that mean that they had to perform badly for most of the season? The problem last season is that we got mediocre players at best and we suffered. The key this season is to get the right players even if that takes right up to deadline day. Toko came in early last season, was he a good buy? The time to judge is when we have played at least a dozen games and see where we are, then you can say you told us so.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I think your point was pretty clear (some cynical suggestion we weren't going to make any more signings). I just pointed out how pointless it was.

Ok mate. Let's pretend that last summer wasn't an absolute farce, we didn't nearly get relegated, and we're not looking as though we're doing exactly the same this summer. You can strop all you like and say my comments are pointless, but the facts are we haven't (as yet, still hopefull) got in adequate players to strengthen our glaring weaknesses from last season's catastrophe. Am I happy with the players we've got in so far? Yes. Do we need a lot more? YES.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I don't get what you are really trying to say, it matters not when we get players in, if they are quality ones. Under Poyet and Oscar we had players coming in through August and yet still made the play offs. Yes you are right a lot of players came in late last season, does that mean that they had to perform badly for most of the season? The problem last season is that we got mediocre players at best and we suffered. The key this season is to get the right players even if that takes right up to deadline day. Toko came in early last season, was he a good buy? The time to judge is when we have played at least a dozen games and see where we are, then you can say you told us so.

This is repeating last summer. You do see that surely?

 

[Phat Baz 68]

Not even quarter of the way IMHO !
Is this going to be another empty promises season with free by signings and loan upon loan upon
Looks like it could be.
We need at least another 5/6 quality signings and a prominent known striker who has been there and done it.
Our stumbling block ? Wages nothing else.
When will Bloom learn you have to pay reasonably high wages go for a decent striker among other things.
It started off promising and has now gone down its usual path of spending absolutely **** all.
Not a penny spent on a signing yet all freebies , one of which is good that being Rosenior.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Not even quarter of the way IMHO !
Is this going to be another empty promises season with free by signings and loan upon loan upon
Looks like it could be.
We need at least another 5/6 quality signings and a prominent known striker who has been there and done it.
Our stumbling block ? Wages nothing else.
When will Bloom learn you have to pay reasonably high wages go for a decent striker among other things.
It started off promising and has now gone down its usual path of spending absolutely **** all.
Not a penny spent on a signing yet all freebies , one of which is good that being Rosenior.

I believe Hemed cost £750,000. All in all I'm happy with Rosenior, Bong and Hemed, but are chronic deficiencies are further up the pitch.

 

[Steve.S]

This is repeating last summer. You do see that surely?

No I don't, it's not when you get the players, it's the type you get that matters. Buy crap players and have a crap manager, it will make no difference when you get them, they will still be crap. People on here talk like it's easy to identify a player and get him to sign straight away. It's a long process to get a player. I have no doubt that CH wants more players in as do the club, it's just not that easy to get them.

 

[Napper]

There are generally 3 types of outlooks on here

1)optimists
2)pessimists
3)realists

I think if anyone had told the above we would be less than 3 weeks before first game and only signed 1 attacking option only group 2 would of believed it.

Group 1 are now spinning it a bit that all is ok and of course it might be but let's face it , after last year and the way it's going it's pretty concerning .

What happened with the 2 bids we put in for players , seems like both refused and nothing more said . I think we are just refusing to pay over what we are prepared to . Very admirable but a policy which could ultimately lose you supporters and have you in l1 earning less money than at present .

We have no choice but to wait and see and we all hope this week will silence all doubters . Concerns have been there all summer and are growing . Please let us step up this week and all will be ok

 

[Blackadder]

Another Fence vote here. Is this the first time a "Fence Vote" has been leading in a poll?

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Ok mate. Let's pretend that last summer wasn't an absolute farce, we didn't nearly get relegated, and we're not looking as though we're doing exactly the same this summer. You can strop all you like and say my comments are pointless, but the facts are we haven't (as yet, still hopefull) got in adequate players to strengthen our glaring weaknesses from last season's catastrophe. Am I happy with the players we've got in so far? Yes. Do we need a lot more? YES.

Nobody is saying otherwise. But, as I said in response to another post, these things do take time. The problem last year wasn't so much that we took a while to bring in the players, that wasn't ideal, but that we had a poor manager and signed the wrong players. After a very poor first two games, we won two and drew the next game. So we had 7 points from 5 games and were in the third round of the League Cup by the end of August. Considering how late a number of our signings were, that wasn't too bad. The issue was terrible management from Hyypia and that a number of the players struggled after showing initial promise e.g. Holla, Bennett, Texeira (under Hyypia he was poorly used), Colunga and Baldock. If we sign the right players in August, they will improve the side. It may take a little while but it's better than signing the wrong players now to pacify players. It's not ideal but, until they change when the transfer window closes, it is reality for a number of clubs (we're definitely not alone).

 

[El Presidente]

Wages nothing else.
When will Bloom learn you have to pay reasonably high wages go for a decent striker among other things.
It started off promising and has now gone down its usual path of spending absolutely **** all.
Not a penny spent on a signing yet all freebies , one of which is good that being Rosenior.

1: We are paying COG and Baldock £30,000 a week between them. Doesn't make them any good.
2: We paid €1 million for Hamed, so how can that be not a penny spent?