Bit of perspective needed..

[fleck1]

Don't very often post but enjoy having a read.

Thought following 24 hours of reading our fans in total meltdown on social media be a good time to start. Yes we didn't get the striker the media were all linking us with, I'm sure like mine many of you had your heads turned with names like Afobe, Soares, Aboubakar etc and were disappointed at 11pm last night. A little over a year ago the only place this club looked like it was heading was League one, We are now moaning we can only field a forward line of Costa, Cavaleiro and Jota? What manager in this league would knock that back, with Bonatini, Enobakare, Zyro, Marshall and the youngsters backing it up.

We did the bulk of our business very early and some very good business at that, look at it this way if we were left with this squad and had announce Boly, Neves and Jota at 10.30 last night we would have been buzzing and convinced we were marching to the title, like fans of all clubs we are never happy and always want a little bit more. We have finally had a good clear out of the deadwood on the playing and coaching front, the club seems to be moving forward on and off the pitch with a manager that looks a very astute appointment so far. Fosun have proven they are willing to back us with the money, but not totally irresponsible to throw stupid money at players with no value to improve, leaving us in a good position regards FFP. Neves and Costa big money buys but could probably sell for double, Douglas looks a steal at a million, then you have Jota and Boly both on loan with options in our favour all seem great business.

So come on yes we wanted another striker, but its not the end of the world. We are off to a good start we have an exciting squad lets get behind them and enjoy the ride.

 

[Peter_Knowles_Ghost]

Don't very often post but enjoy having a read.

Thought following 24 hours of reading our fans in total meltdown on social media be a good time to start. Yes we didn't get the striker the media were all linking us with, I'm sure like mine many of you had your heads turned with names like Afobe, Soares, Aboubakar etc and were disappointed at 11pm last night. A little over a year ago the only place this club looked like it was heading was League one, We are now moaning we can only field a forward line of Costa, Cavaleiro and Jota? What manager in this league would knock that back, with Bonatini, Enobakare, Zyro, Marshall and the youngsters backing it up.

We did the bulk of our business very early and some very good business at that, look at it this way if we were left with this squad and had announce Boly, Neves and Jota at 10.30 last night we would have been buzzing and convinced we were marching to the title, like fans of all clubs we are never happy and always want a little bit more. We have finally had a good clear out of the deadwood on the playing and coaching front, the club seems to be moving forward on and off the pitch with a manager that looks a very astute appointment so far. Fosun have proven they are willing to back us with the money, but not totally irresponsible to throw stupid money at players with no value to improve, leaving us in a good position regards FFP. Neves and Costa big money buys but could probably sell for double, Douglas looks a steal at a million, then you have Jota and Boly both on loan with options in our favour all seem great business.

So come on yes we wanted another striker, but its not the end of the world. We are off to a good start we have an exciting squad lets get behind them and enjoy the ride.

My thoughts exactly. Hopefully we will there or thereabouts by the New Year and will have the January window to tweak things further if needed.

 

[Jinky]

Mixed feelings for me. Delighted with the main bulk of our business in the transfer window. I don't think we've ever had a window where practically *every* new signing has directly improved our starting 11. However, I just can’t shake that feeling of disappointment off due to yesterday’s complete anti-climax. I mentioned it last night, but it sort of feels like we’ve got stuck on 99% of a load screen.

It doesn’t help that our last two results in the league were a defeat and a draw – proving we’re still a player or two short of a top team in this division – and that was with the likes of Neves, Jota & Boly all featuring. I’m happy to look at the flip side of that scenario, and that is we’ve still got Helder Costa to welcome back at some point – but that seems like a while away and we shouldn’t be relying on a player who hasn’t featured in pre-season at all to come back and hit the ground running immediately, no matter how good we all know he is.

At the end of the day, we were clearly after a forward. Nuno and his team knew we needed one, we got close yesterday, but ultimately failed. The whole Locadia episode from yesterday brought back memories of the Julen Lopetegui situation from not so long ago. Are Fosun too trusting when it comes to the people we are dealing with? Or are they a bit naive? Or is it just bad luck? Perhaps a mixture of all of those things – but I don’t think anyone can blame fans for being disappointed with the way the window ended. Perspective is certainly needed, but you know what football fans are like.

 

[Norman Deeley]

And we are still clear favourites to win the league and get promoted...

 

[jlo]

Mixed feelings for me. Delighted with the main bulk of our business in the transfer window. I don't think we've ever had a window where practically *every* new signing has directly improved our starting 11. However, I just can’t shake that feeling of disappointment off due to yesterday’s complete anti-climax. I mentioned it last night, but it sort of feels like we’ve got stuck on 99% of a load screen.

It doesn’t help that our last two results in the league were a defeat and a draw – proving we’re still a player or two short of a top team in this division – and that was with the likes of Neves, Jota & Boly all featuring. I’m happy to look at the flip side of that scenario, and that is we’ve still got Helder Costa to welcome back at some point – but that seems like a while away and we shouldn’t be relying on a player who hasn’t featured in pre-season at all to come back and hit the ground running immediately, no matter how good we all know he is.

At the end of the day, we were clearly after a forward. Nuno and his team knew we needed one, we got close yesterday, but ultimately failed. The whole Locadia episode from yesterday brought back memories of the Julen Lopetegui situation from not so long ago. Are Fosun too trusting when it comes to the people we are dealing with? Or are they a bit naive? Or is it just bad luck? Perhaps a mixture of all of those things – but I don’t think anyone can blame fans for being disappointed with the way the window ended. Perspective is certainly needed, but you know what football fans are like.

The last two results didn't help, but that was a hell of a tough August to start the season, and we've still averaged 2 points a game. I'm very relaxed, September's fixtures are reassuring (although we know there are no easy games). Fosun will get us up this season, and we'll still be on course come January when any gaps can be filled.

 

[victhegreek]

I would echo everything said by the OP

 

[Deleted Cyber]

What we don't know is the reserve player list that Nuno rates. We know who he didn't want. They have gone. We have done some serious business this window and actually not spent a huge net amount. The squad has far more quality and ability in it now than it did have and any cliques have pretty much been sorted. Its Nunos way now, with his players, his style,his coaches. If it will be good enough only time will tell, but some of the moronic crap being posted on social media etc yesterday was vitriolic,pathetic,ill informed and hugely over reactive. Rome wasn't built in a day and this lot are not ducking about. They are not just buying anyone just to appease the masses. They want round pegs round holes.
Hey ho off to Millwall we go! Our odds on promotion will drift a bit as teams like Brum with floppy chops doing so called great business get the limelight. I still think we will finish above brum and villa.

 

[Tony Towner]

I won't repeat what I said on the other thread, but the Manager, Board and fans all wanted a forward this time yesterday, not just a squad player either, a first choice forward to play possibly the most pivotal position in our formation. We didn't get one, you can't pretend that isn't anything other than disappointing irrespective of the positivity of the window in general.

To borrow Paddy's house analogy, we needed a roof, but we've ended up throwing some tarpaulin over the eaves. Now the tarpaulin may well do an adequate job until the builders can come back, but we have left ourselves exposed to the elements when we really shouldn't have.

 

[The Saturday Boy]

How many managers buy as many players as Nuno has in a short space of time and each one looks like they are the standard required and have gone straight into the first team? It has been a transfer window without par. I am not in the slightest bit disappointed with where we are in terms of playing staff at the moment. This squad is, in my opinion, better than anything we had in the Premier League.

Would it have been good to get a striker in who is better than Bonatini? I don't know how good Bonatini is going to be so it is difficult to know how good a player we might need. So far he has looked every bit the player needed in the middle - I think Zyro would do a similar job too and Wilson is clearly held in high regard by the management. Jota and Caveliero can also play though the middle. We have more than enough options to cover injuries.

Two players of first team quality in every single position, a good mix of youth and experience and a style of play that everyone seems comfortable with.

What a summer.

 

[jlo]

I won't repeat what I said on the other thread, but the Manager, Board and fans all wanted a forward this time yesterday, not just a squad player either, a first choice forward to play possibly the most pivotal position in our formation. We didn't get one, you can't pretend that isn't anything other than disappointing irrespective of the positivity of the window in general.

To borrow Paddy's house analogy, we needed a roof, but we've ended up throwing some tarpaulin over the eaves. Now the tarpaulin may well do an adequate job until the builders can come back, but we have left ourselves exposed to the elements when we really shouldn't have.

There's a bit of truth in this, but tarpaulin it's not. Maybe a well thatched straw roof that will do for 6 months, but not much longer...

I'm so relaxed about this season, although I expect the same rhetoric to be rolled out on this forum every time we don't score 3 goals in a game. Note for everyone, take what you read on this forum with a pinch of salt. Relax a bit more, and enjoy seasons like this that don't come around often...it'll be a few years before we are winning every game again, and next time it'll be for the Premier League title (I'm allowed to dream).

 

[The Saturday Boy]

Three central defenders, three full backs/wingbacks, two central midfielders, two forwards - just this transfer window coming in
They have replaced WIlliamson, Stearman, Iorfa, Edwards, Bodvarsson, Mason, Dicko, Silvio...

I think on balance we are miles ahead.

 

[Jinky]

Oh yeah, no doubt we are "miles ahead" where we were this time last year - but it's still a disappointing finish to the window (particularly when it's blatantly obvious Nuno & the club were after a forward and missed out).

This argument could go on for weeks. It just depends whether you're a glass half full or glass half empty kind of fan.

 

[Johnny75]

Oh yeah, no doubt we are "miles ahead" where we were this time last year - but it's still a disappointing finish to the window (particularly when it's blatantly obvious Nuno & the club were after a forward and missed out).

This argument could go on for weeks. It just depends whether you're a glass half full or glass half empty kind of fan.

I think you have a valid point as to Nuno, it's clear he wanted a striker so for that you'd have to look at Thelwell, Jorge and Shi for failing their manager/ client. However, he did get everything else he wanted and we have a bloody great team that is light years in difference to the ramshackle sacks of shit we had last season and I include the management and coaching structure in that.

 

[Siggy]

I think if we managed to sign that elusive striker it would have been the perfect window, given that we signed better players for pretty much all other positions and do have options up top I would class it as nearly perfect and the best window I can remember as a fan. I think we can be in and around the top 5 with this squad ideally we should be challenging top 2, if we are then come January hopefully we are ready to get the additional 1 or 2 players we might need to seal the deal.

 

[Del Woppio]

We absolutely needed a forward, and it's a failure to not land one. Maybe a bit of naivety in thinking the Dutch lad was in the bag and not keeping stuff on the back burner just in case? Either way, it is a fuck up, and potentially quite costly. But I'm pleased at least that they didn't shit themselves and buy Ashley Barnes for the sake of it

 

[The Saturday Boy]

Oh yeah, no doubt we are "miles ahead" where we were this time last year - but it's still a disappointing finish to the window (particularly when it's blatantly obvious Nuno & the club were after a forward and missed out).

This argument could go on for weeks. It just depends whether you're a glass half full or glass half empty kind of fan.

It will go on until January, it will be more vociferous every time Bonatini doesn't score. For me it depends on whether you are a glass nearly full or a miserable sod. Some of the hyperbole banded around is painful to read - we might be laden with the riches of Fosun but we are a second tier club who were after players we really shouldn't be in the market for. We set the bar quite high, we could have probably got Hugill, Barnes or equivalent if they were our first choices - we could probably have got them weeks ago. But a decent striker is always going to be the hardest to get over the line - selling clubs don't necessarily want to sell them and there is often more than one potential suitor. We flexed our financial muscles but this time it wasn't quite enough.

If this squad is not good enough to keep us in the race until January then another striker was not going to make much of a difference.

 

[big mean bunny]

I think this forum is very different to social media. Still got people on twitter moaning about Edwards being sold. He wasnt even making the bench.

 

[StuardoWulf]

Best transfer window EVER early business (already doing the business) everyone brought in improves us no super striker but lets see how Nuno can work with what he's got now. Im sure they will be working on a January Target up front. Every confidence in Fosun and Nuno.

 

[jd1981]

As I said on another thread defensively delighted with transfers and the same for the midfield. But disappointed up top.
Looks like the club tried just about everything to get someone in.
If we can avoid big injuries until January we should still be ok and be able to remain in the top 6.

 

[NE66Wolf]

I like Carl Ikeme's perpective on it https://twitter.com/Carl_Ikeme/status/903354774850076672