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Hughton: "I have no doubts we'll be ready come that first game of the season."







Lady Whistledown

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
47,630
How many managers in the Championship have finished their transfer business ? I'd guess. None.


On that note, I saw a bit about Middlesbrough's transfer business earlier today. Downing (who is still easily PL quality, even if he's taken stick over the years), Stuani (Uruguayan World Cup player), they're trying to sign Jordan Rhodes (seems likely to go through as long as a fee is agreed, as Rhodes has now expressed a desire to leave Ewood) and a couple of others. They had a bloody good squad last season but they could- and should- smash the Championship if this lot gel.
 


spanish flair

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2014
2,349
Brighton
How many managers in the Championship have finished their transfer business ? I'd guess. None.

Again I wouldn't know, but we do seem to drag our feet or are you saying we have a proven ability in recruitment over the last 2/3 pre seasons and we have nothing to concern ourselves about?
 




Seasidesage

New member
May 19, 2009
4,467
Brighton, United Kingdom
What is the deadline for the 25 man squad announcement? I'd really hope that we would be in line to get Tex back if he doesn't make Liverpool's squad.

I couldn't find anything. I presume it must be close to deadline day? You can make a limited number of changes I think after submitting the list otherwise it would have to be on the deadline surely?
 












chaileyjem

#BarberIn
NSC Patron
Jun 27, 2012
14,613
And you know this how?

I've no idea. I can't predict the future. Its an educated guess. But i'm saying It would be simply incredible for even one of the 24 clubs in the Champ (or even the Prem) to not make a single signing between now and Sept 1st or whenever the window closes. So its none.
 


LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
48,421
SHOREHAM BY SEA
That's a good point actually. Although we are never ready in July neither is almost anyone else. That's the whole reason for the deadline day deal hype. I wouldn't leave it all to the last minute like we did last season but we haven't. We have been active and that's because we have a manager in situ for the first time in two years that was here last season.

We do have an issue regarding our attacking strength as far as I'm concerned but that's as much to do with a couple of poor decisions this time last year rather than anything Hughton's done or said. Get those players in next and everyone will calm down IMO.

Your point re nearly every other side not being 'ready' is so true..a trip round other clubs BB's shows how much we seem to have in common with other clubs
 


spanish flair

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2014
2,349
Brighton
I've no idea. I can't predict the future. Its an educated guess. But i'm saying It would be simply incredible for even one of the 24 clubs in the Champ (or even the Prem) to not make a single signing between now and Sept 1st or whenever the window closes. So its none.

Now there you go twisting the posts again. The statement was by Hughton "before the first game of the season" and not the end of the window?
 




maltaseagull

Well-known member
Feb 25, 2009
13,361
Zabbar- Malta
What is the deadline for the 25 man squad announcement? I'd really hope that we would be in line to get Tex back if he doesn't make Liverpool's squad.

I fear that he will either make their squad or move up to loaned out to a lower prem club
 








NooBHA

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2015
8,591
I have a lot more faith in Hughton, whom I consider a safe pair of hands, than I did with Sami. With Sami, I remember very little transfer activity followed by the ominous "I only wants to sign players who will improve his squad." Now, other than the loan signing of Tex, and the additions of Stockdale and Baldock (both decent) the majority were bench warmers. Danny Holla, Paddy McCourt, Adrian Colunga, Chris O'Grady, Nzuzi Toko. Did they improve the squad or swallow up valuable wages? How many top Championship players could we have had with the combined wages of Holla/McCourt/Colunga? Of course you never know, we could have signed a massive flop and hindsight is a wonderful thing. However, I think it's true to say that towards the end there was just a definite sense of desperation transfer wise. I honestly don't think we could identify the right players and if we could I don't think we were able to find the fee they'd command. The fee will be an issue for the foreseeable for clubs like us, but I'm confident Hughton knows what a good Championship player looks like.

I'm much more comfortable with Hughton's methods. I'm a little sad to be seeing the end of a tippy-tappy 433 but if Hughton thinks his strengths as a manager lies with a 442 then that's his decision to make. He knows what players work in that system and he's working hard to fill the gaps. We're in for a transitional period - Poyet's team have either moved on or got old - Sami's team? Well the less said about them the better. I don't think this will be a season for "We're f***ing brilliant" or "Hughton out!" chants. It'll see us guide to a steady midtable position and build. That kind of talk doesn't sell season tickets of course but I'd be surprised if that wasn't Blooms expectation for the coming campaign. Give Hughton a couple of seasons to get the squad he wants together. He's got teams out of this league before and I think he'll see us promoted - just not this season.

I like your post very much and i do concur with another poster about Stockdale. I don't think his purchase was money well spent. I do like baldock as a player though and in the right circumstances will score goals.

The thing i slightly disagree with is. I think it is possible to make the play offs this year and potentially go up. It might take a couple of years as you say but CH is here to try and do it at the first attempt. I think the first half of the season will be tough but as the team get to know what is expected of them, I think we will have a very good second half to the season and that might just be enough to go up via theplay offs. After all momentum is everything come the end of the season.

I have think it will be a bit of a mixed season but better than a lot might expect come may next year
 




Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
So we'll be giving the rest of the division a dozen points start this time around then...

We'll be dropping 15 points in August, then another 15 in October.

Fingers crossed we win every other game.
 


Biscuit

Native Creative
Jul 8, 2003
22,320
Brighton
I like your post very much and i do concur with another poster about Stockdale. I don't think his purchase was money well spent. I do like baldock as a player though and in the right circumstances will score goals.

The thing i slightly disagree with is. I think it is possible to make the play offs this year and potentially go up. It might take a couple of years as you say but CH is here to try and do it at the first attempt. I think the first half of the season will be tough but as the team get to know what is expected of them, I think we will have a very good second half to the season and that might just be enough to go up via theplay offs. After all momentum is everything come the end of the season.

I have think it will be a bit of a mixed season but better than a lot might expect come may next year

I guess it all kind of depends how well Hemed adapts. He's great in the air and he should hopefully create a lot of chances. If he and Baldock (whom I presume will be our '2' in a 4-4-2) work well then we could make the play-offs but that's a huge 'if' without a couple of wide creative players. I think you need to have three decent wingers to make a 4-4-2 work and currently we only have impact-sub extraordinaire KLL. We all hope El Jock is a real talent but he's coming back from injury and is very young - anything he adds this season is a bonus I wouldn't be counting on.

I'm reassured if we need to rest Hemend through injury or suspension that O'Grady can do a stand-in job, but who replaces Baldock? Hambo? Isn't he a target man like O'Grady? Akindayini? Is he good enough right now? Who'll be the wing when LuaLua tires? Do we have a Buckley/Noone or Bennett we can bring on? What if Greer or Dunk (two excellent CB's at this level) miss a few games? Do we have an experienced CB like Aaron Hughes as a stand in? I wouldn't rely on the kids just yet.. So in short I think we have a squad capable of playing championship football and even causing a few surprises, but play-offs? Not convinced we have the strength in depth in key areas.

The good news is I can see Mäenpää, Dunk, Kayal, and Hemed forming a real back bone. And surrounded with quality like Stephens, Rosenior and Crofts should see us looking fairly solid. If we want to push on we need another quality striker, winger and CB - and Hughton knows it.
 




Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
72,331
The good news is I can see Mäenpää, Dunk, Kayal, and Hemed forming a real back bone. And surrounded with quality like Stephens, Rosenior and Crofts should see us looking fairly solid. If we want to push on we need another quality striker, winger and CB - and Hughton knows it.

'ANOTHER' quality striker? Does that mean we currently have one? Why weren't we told? Why wasn't he sold? ???
 


Vegas Seagull

New member
Jul 10, 2009
7,782
Isn't ready having a 20 goal a season striker match fit, having had 4 full warm up games to get fully integrated with his team mates?
 


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