[Albion] How panicked are you?

[Weststander]

Not bothered by all the signings made and expenditure so far of Huddersfield, Newcastle, ManU, ManC and Everton.

As has been mentioned on NSC many a time our squad spirit is possibly unparalleled. TB won't allow the club to be relegated after his £290m investment. He has the advantage of seeing how Stains, Bournemouth and Palace stayed up, so has the blueprint.

 

[Medwayseagull]

I'm concerned but as I think we will come straight down I'm not bothered if that makes sense. Hopefully we will show enough that even when we go down we can plY some decent stuff, get a few surprise results and attract some decent players next time round.
I do think however that as a squad we are a D at present but that reflects on what we had in the championship not the coming season. Some people's faith in our squad baffles me beyond belief, although they might say the same to me in reverse.

Belief beyond me baffles squad our in faith people's some.

 

[Guinness Boy]

We are probably in a worse place than we were when we went up under McGhee in the playoffs in terms of how ready the current squad is for the battle ahead. All this is guaranteed to become much better by the close of the window apparently.

You what? So a team managed by Chris Hughton, a manager with Premier League experience with Newcastle and Norwich (both of whom sacked him unfairly when outside the relegation zone), containing huge Premier League experience in Sidwell, Rosenior and Murray, several full internationals including two of our new signings and Dunk. Stephens and Knockaert who were all wanted by PL clubs is less prepared for a step up than when we were constrained by Dick Knight's budget and a 7000 seater athletics stadium. Sorry, but I respectfully disagree.

The Premier League is a much much tougher place to stay in than the Championship especially if you don't spend on the standard of players required.

Yes, to a degree but you have to spend it wisely. Sunderland spunked good money after bad and still went down. Hull went in to last season with no new signings at all and a squad of about 17 and still finished above them. Bournemouth stayed up with a core of the same players that had been playing League One. Middleboro made big changes that didn't work, having an abysmal scoring record despite bringing in Bamford and Gestade. Right now there are a lot of people looking admiringly at how much Huddersfield have spent? Why? They've spent a fortune on players who finished below us in the Championship.

 

[DumLum]

Pretty happy with the Defence and Midfield.
Bit concerned about the keeper situation...better the devil you know.
Wet the bed a few times this week worrying that if we don't get a quality striker in soon we are going to finish 20th.

 

[The Oldman]

Life is too short to get mega stressed over what may or may not happen. Just enjoy the ride and watch what Maestros Bloom & Hughton do.

 

[El Presidente]

It's a 2 from me. I'm quite excited by Gross, think he will fit in well. Ryan for Stockdale is much of a likeness IMO.

If I didn't think that the club was making an effort to sign players then it would be a 5 or 6, but it's clear that they are doing their best, have significant resources at their disposal, so only a village idiot would be wearing Pampers underneath their PJ's (although there are a lot of villages in Sussex).

 

[Icy Gull]

You what? So a team managed by Chris Hughton, a manager with Premier League experience with Newcastle and Norwich (both of whom sacked him unfairly when outside the relegation zone), containing huge Premier League experience in Sidwell, Rosenior and Murray, several full internationals including two of our new signings and Dunk. Stephens and Knockaert who were all wanted by PL clubs is less prepared for a step up than when we were constrained by Dick Knight's budget and a 7000 seater athletics stadium. Sorry, but I respectfully disagree.

p.

.

I just think that with the squad we have at the moment the task facing CH is just as tough as the one that faced McGhee. Disagree all you like.

A quality striker would change my viewpoint but until it happens I remain convinced we have a major struggle on our hands, just like McGhee ( who pulled off staying up btw) had.

 

[Chicken Run]

The club have never excited me in a transfer window, same old same old so wasn't expecting any different now we are 3 weeks away from meeting Manchester City in the Premier League.

 

[Easy 10]

Cucumbers are cool. Right [MENTION=70]Easy 10[/MENTION]?

*shudder*

On to the subject in hand though - I am perfectly relaxed about our recruitment so far, we're only halfway through July for christs sake. Yes it would be great to have our squad fully assembled by August 12th, but not many clubs ever achieve that, least of all us. We'll be in the same boat as everyone else, looking to nail down a few more quality additions by the end of August, and I'm confident we'll do just that. Its the nature of the transfer window that squad assembly gets drawn out over the whole summer these days, as players and agents hold off for as long as possible to barter the best deal for themselves. Its in their interests.

Its a different club now, the Berk days are over. We now have a quality, experienced manager working in harmony with the recruitment side to identify and bring in the targets. Some we'll get over the line early, some will take longer. But I'm not going to wake up soaked in my own piss and faeces unless we're literally balls-deep into the arse-end of August with no further additions.

[edit] I'm a 2 right now.

 

[Taybha]

1901'ers on the revelation they would have to pay for teabags

1901'ers as Dunk scores a 35 yarder worldy

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Panicked? we have about 39 days left of the transfer window!!!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

The club have never excited me in a transfer window, same old same old so .

Never?

Like, EVER?

You weren't 'excited' when they managed to find £100k to permanently land the young Bobby Zamora, after his spectacular loan spell?

or when they landed FORTY GOAL Craig Mackail-Smith ahead of Premier league competition?

or when they signed FOUR midfielders on deadline day, and only one of them was Dean Hammond?

or when they signed VICENTE, for Christ's sake?


Frankly, why do you even bother?

 

[Justice]

Paul Winstanley you only had one job... seriously though I'm sure we will be fine looking forward to the season.

 

[Kosh]

No panic, just resignation.

Just to clarify; that's a sad feeling, rather than a fidgety, sweaty stress fest.

This may prove to be a missed opportunity to consolidate, which would leave me massively disappointed and wondering why we fought so hard to get 'there.'

 

[bluenitsuj]

Not worried at all. Enjoying the summer and when the first game kicks off I will be there supporting us, whoever is in the starting 11.

 

[Easy 10]

No panic, just resignation.

Just to clarify; that's a sad feeling, rather than a fidgety, sweaty stress fest.

This may prove to be a missed opportunity to consolidate, which would leave me massively disappointed and wondering why we fought so hard to get 'there.'

How, in the name of all that is frick, can you possibly be "resigned" to relegation on the 21st July ?

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

No, its football mate.

You know, one day we will get relegated from the premier league, it might be next may, it might be in 10 may's time, but it will happen. But I'm not going to panic about it, least of all right now when we are only a few weeks removed from the glorious scenes of our wonderful team gallivanting around Brighton.

 

[Kosh]

How, in the name of all that is frick, can you possibly be "resigned" to relegation on the 21st July ?

Now then Easy. I am resigned to a monumental struggle based on our transfer business thus far. I suspect it'll be a huge struggle regardless, and there is no shame in this... however... saying I strongly suspect we'll sadly go down, is not the same as saying I will not be supporting the boys 100%. Nor is my resigned nature as 'out there' as you imply, at this stage it's probably a fair shout.

With this squad we are embarking on a folly, and I can't hide my disappointment to be honest.

Even you must admit this is shaping up to be to be a dreary summer, and that is why i'm so flat.

Hey ho... life goes on.

 

[Easy 10]

Now then Easy. I am resigned to a monumental struggle based on our transfer business thus far. I suspect it'll be a huge struggle regardless, and there is no shame in this... however... saying I strongly suspect we'll sadly go down, is not the same as saying I will not be supporting the boys 100%. Nor is my resigned nature as 'out there' as you imply, at this stage it's probably a fair shout.

With this squad we are embarking on a folly, and I can't hide my disappointment to be honest.

Even you must admit this is shaping up to be to be a dreary summer, and that is why i'm so flat.

Hey ho... life goes on.

Dreary summer ? Nope. I don't feel that at all. The Neto thing was disappointing, but one of those things, and I wasn't overly bothered about missing out on Abrahams, as there's no guarantee he could make the step-up anyway. He could just as easily flop at Swansea and we'll all feel we've dodged a bullet.

Embarking with this squad, as it stands, would be a folly. But this isn't September 1st, its July 21st, and I have no reason to doubt that the club are working on bringing in the quality we need as we speak. Since we binned off Berk our recruitment has been very good, which is why we find ourselves dining at the top table for the first time in 34 years. I have faith that the targets are lined up and we're on the case - just because they're not holding a shirt up at the training ground 6 weeks before the window closes, doesn't mean nothings happening does it.

Feel free to bounce this post on 1st September if we've made a complete pigs ear of it and are in the PL totally unarmed. I just don't believe TB or Hughton will allow that to happen though.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Basically, if you're not looking forward to the Albion's first season in the modern day Prem aka 'The Promised Land' then you've gone wrong and are a bit of a Benny. Fact.