State of play so far.

Red_till_im_ded

Red_till_im_ded

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So, to the best of my knowledge as I haven't been fully keeping up to date with things off the pitch we are out in Spain with one new addition thus far. Season kicks off in about 5 weeks time and it looks like we'll be playing the two friendlies in Spain with the same team as last season minus Lerma, the biggest loss from last season. I know we are being continuously linked with this player and that player but it looks like the only one with real legs to me is Vina on loan for the season. I'm not bedwettimg or being entitled but I am slightly surprised that we have added more to the squad yet. With Iraola stating that he is happy with the squad we have are we looking at realistically only one or two more additions when possibly we need more? I still believe we need a RB, LB, CDM and a striker. I know there's still loads of time until the window ends but isn't now the best time to be getting players in?
 
Red_till_im_ded said:
So, to the best of my knowledge as I haven't been fully keeping up to date with things off the pitch we are out in Spain with one new addition thus far. Season kicks off in about 5 weeks time and it looks like we'll be playing the two friendlies in Spain with the same team as last season minus Lerma, the biggest loss from last season. I know we are being continuously linked with this player and that player but it looks like the only one with real legs to me is Vina on loan for the season. I'm not bedwettimg or being entitled but I am slightly surprised that we have added more to the squad yet. With Iraola stating that he is happy with the squad we have are we looking at realistically only one or two more additions when possibly we need more? I still believe we need a RB, LB, CDM and a striker. I know there's still loads of time until the window ends but isn't now the best time to be getting players in?
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I'd be amazed if we haven't signed at least 4 new players come the start of the season. perhaps 1 or 2 won;t materialize until end of August, as seems to be the way with transfers these days.

Do you really think we need another striker then...? ;)

Iraola just putting on a face/being professional and backing current player when he says 'happy' with the squad. Foley said funds are available and we will shock (or words to that effect) footballing world with some of the signings we make. I have no reason to disbelieve him, given everything we know about him.

I think you should take Jim up on his offer for a quick drink, to waylay any concerns you have ;)

Can only imagine @Neil Dawson is on holiday, as this seems prime ammunition to blame something on Blake/Hughes :D
 
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After all the talk, I am a little frustrated with our lack of business / speed of business. Not managing to get new faces through the door to maximise their pre season with us, particularly in defensive areas where we need to build stability.

I try to think of it as a game of musical chairs. Agents and players are dancing around a range of prospective clubs, us and others, and the music hasn't stopped yet. We might even get beyond the start of the season in a similar state to now unfortunately.

Sure we could snap up a few Championship players early because they're well within our range (and I am surprised we haven't got one or two prospects from there) but in going for more ready made players, who have more options we have more competition.
 
In an ideal world you get players in as early as possible but there is a premium to pay for that. We are more financially savvy now and have been since Eddie so it will take time to get our targets
 
As Mark said it’s just the musical chairs part of the window. Once the music stops and people sit down the Dominos start to fall further down the food chain.

Not all of our deals get leaked early and take weeks to come to fruition, some come out of seemingly nowhere and are done in days…but realistically we know that all of the deals have had weeks/months ground work in the shadows.
 
DJ said:
As Mark said it’s just the musical chairs part of the window. Once the music stops and people sit down the Dominos start to fall further down the food chain.

Not all of our deals get leaked early and take weeks to come to fruition, some come out of seemingly nowhere and are done in days…but realistically we know that all of the deals have had weeks/months ground work in the shadows.
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and Mark should know, what with being part of Northstand chat and all the benefits/insights that come from it. ;)
 
Isn't part of the new manager arriving, him needing to get to know his squad? It's not necessarily all about getting signings through the door. We saw with Eddie at Newcastle the galvanising effect a new manager can have on certain players. Might also be time again to start bringing some of the youngsters through as we did with Anthony and JZ. Kilkenny for example looks sharp in the training vids.

Not saying we don't need new signings but it's about getting the correct balance and it's still early days in terms of Iraola building the picture in his head. I expect him to be patient in bringing in the correct personnel.
 
Not panicking yet. That ‘same team minus Lerma’ will surely include Kluivert.

Doing a deal takes quite a while when the club is competing with others in the pool. Deals don’t just happen because we’ve identified a player.

Hopefully our new manager will make us more of a prospect too.
 
We probably need at least 3 or 4 more new players.. and time is running out for getting a team gelled.
Andoni Iraola seems an astute operator...positive, with a set way of playing which has worked well for him....but the inconsistency in our defence and the lack of a reliable out and out striker is a worry...
ok ..now if he can eradicate the laziness factor in a certain clique of players he might just be able to fair well without any more additions.
Losing Lerma was a blow for midfield but we could get away with that, with Andoni's ( Adonis ? haha) style of play....and Rothwell should flourish in the middle with the fresh start.
Another in the mould of our erstwhile 'Kings Park Pele' ...Stanislas ...would be nice...unless Kluivert is that man !
It would be a bonus if Lewis Cook and Jack Stacey could be tweaked into something special by the new manager.

Its all very exciting.. .a revelation...or pear - shaped ?
I have a hunch that it won't be in between and is 70/30 in favour of the former... :unsure:
 
New Old Cherry said:
We probably need at least 3 or 4 more new players.. and time is running out for getting a team gelled.
Andoni Iraola seems an astute operator...positive, with a set way of playing which has worked well for him....but the inconsistency in our defence and the lack of a reliable out and out striker is a worry...
ok ..now if he can eradicate the laziness factor in a certain clique of players he might just be able to fair well without any more additions.
Losing Lerma was a blow for midfield but we could get away with that, with Andoni's ( Adonis ? haha) style of play....and Rothwell should flourish in the middle with the fresh start.
Another in the mould of our erstwhile 'Kings Park Pele' ...Stanislas ...would be nice...unless Kluivert is that man !
It would be a bonus if Lewis Cook and Jack Stacey could be tweaked into something special by the new manager.

Its all very exciting.. .a revelation...or pear - shaped ?
I have a hunch that it won't be in between and is 60/40 in favour of the former... :unsure:
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have we resigned jack stacey, i thought he had gone to norwich
 
I am quite happy that Iraola is having a good look at what he wants as opposed to what GON might have wanted. I think the two may be totally different - at least I hope so ! As many have said sometimes its like a domino chain.
 
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