Football Heaven

[Campsall rover]

It’s not a bad point to be fair. We might have lost quite a few players, but aside from Baudry you can probably count on one hand the number of starts made by the other three last season.

Take away them and Houghton on loan which many say wasn't good last year and we have the same squad.

We have added a quality attacking midfielder, a fast strong forward and have Andrew back who is quality.

Combine that with a new formation which is more attacking and a manager who can get the best out of the players and we are far better than last year.

Add to that a risky player who if comes off will be quality if not will no doubt cost us peanuts at having a go.

Add to that we have budget left over for the rest of the season to add quality either permenant or loan.

Geez it's there for all too see, we are far better off.

I agree, with you as the young players in the squad will have gained invaluable experience last season and will be better this year. The only concern is up front. Will Wilks be the real deal?
If he is then great, if not then we need a proven League 1 goal scorer along side Marquis.
The other area for possible concern is midfield. If he is going to play a 3 in there with 3 up front (2 wide and 1 central) I think we have a problem as I think we may get over run. I want a 4-4-2 as I think our squad personnel are more suited to that system. Just my opinion of course. The 4 in midfield needs to be very flexible in how they line up based on the opposition and playing home or away.
If we play only 3 in the midfield I am concerned that we will need to average 3 goals a game to win matches. The defence will get far too stretched without the team defending in numbers. Likewise we need to attack in numbers also. You don’t need 3 up front especially away from home to achieve that.
Time will tell of course as to me being right or wrong, but I hope McCann can see what I can forsee and decides to play a different system. Roll on Saturday let’s get the show underway.

[Jonathan]

People point to Baudry being injured a lot / Alcock not being in the first 11. But maybe it’s worth looking at how many games they did feature in. They were still called upon to do a job. If we get just one injury to a central defender now then we are paper thin - there is no back up. People say McCullough can do a job there but he is the only defensively minded midfield player in the squad. Mason can do a job there but we’re heavily reliant on him at right back. The youngsters have gone - Fielding has been released, Garratt shipped out on loan. They may not have been good enough but they were back up and now there’s no back up at all.

People question whether Houghton offered enough last season. I rated him, but irrespective of that just look at how many games he played. It’s not like we’ve gone out and got someone better in. We simply haven’t replaced him. We haven’t replaced Williams who was an experienced option as back up for Marquis. Okay we probably needed someone better, but we haven’t got them. We haven’t got anyone!

I’ll get slated for being negative here but I’m not. I’ll be behind the club, the manager and the team right from kick off on Saturday. I’m just being realistic. As it stands I think this is a weaker squad than last season without any doubt. Yes you can argue some of the retained players may have improved, but we just do not have the options we need at this stage.

There’s still time for that to change before the window shuts. But that opportunity is rapidly diminishing.

[Alan Southstand]

Hallelujah Jonathan, at last an intelligent report on where we are and I totally agree - but, then, I am, apparently, incessantly negative.

One thing I have noticed about people who knock one for being (seemingly) negative, they completely avoid giving us their view/opinion on this current team's chances.

[Jonathan]

I’m certainly not trying to be negative either Alan. I’ve never mentioned the budget as the finance is none of my business. I can understand why people can be hyper-sensitive about perceived criticism of the board because there’s a lot of shit thrown about. But that’s absolutely not my intention and I’m not pointing fingers at anyone.

As a supporter my main concern is what I watch on the pitch. Not the finance or the decision making. And as I see it we are significantly weaker than last season so I think there are things to address if we truly expect to do better.

[Glyn_Wigley]

May I recommend you see a better optician for your rose tinted glasses

You can see a lot further wearing rose tinted glasses than you can with your head up your arse.

[mpc123]

People point to Baudry being injured a lot / Alcock not being in the first 11. But maybe it’s worth looking at how many games they did feature in. They were still called upon to do a job. If we get just one injury to a central defender now then we are paper thin - there is no back up. People say McCullough can do a job there but he is the only defensively minded midfield player in the squad. Mason can do a job there but we’re heavily reliant on him at right back. The youngsters have gone - Fielding has been released, Garratt shipped out on loan. They may not have been good enough but they were back up and now there’s no back up at all.

People question whether Houghton offered enough last season. I rated him, but irrespective of that just look at how many games he played. It’s not like we’ve gone out and got someone better in. We simply haven’t replaced him. We haven’t replaced Williams who was an experienced option as back up for Marquis. Okay we probably needed someone better, but we haven’t got them. We haven’t got anyone!

I’ll get slated for being negative here but I’m not. I’ll be behind the club, the manager and the team right from kick off on Saturday. I’m just being realistic. As it stands I think this is a weaker squad than last season without any doubt. Yes you can argue some of the retained players may have improved, but we just do not have the options we need at this stage.

There’s still time for that to change before the window shuts. But that opportunity is rapidly diminishing.

Williams ended up being terrible and slow.

We have replaced with Wilks who is fast strong young and willing to run at defences unlike Williams who just flung his arms in the air.

I personally used to like Houghton, remember by numbers we don't need as many midfielders as we now play one less.

I personally would prefer a quality defense minded midfielder.

Regards replacing Houghton,  we have a months worth of loan window, which is how we gotta Houghton.

Defensively if we get an injury we now have Anderson or Wright as back up depending on who normally plays with butler

We have money left in the budget for loans or a permanent if injuries occur throughout and in Jan.

I can't see the wild panic.

We look far more appealing than last year.

Alan me being a rose tinted you say we never say where we will end up, I've said top 6 about 4 times.

I may not be right you may not be right as it is a marathon of a season, because I certainly thought Sunderland would go up last year and they got relegated.

It's not about being right it's about trying to understand the blind panic when there are answers for the questions every time.

Budget - we have money left and it's bigger than last year and last year was top 7.

All players released last year have not been replaced - they were either poop or injured all the time.

Houghton has not been replaced - we got him in the same loan window that has yet to even open.

We have no back up for each position - I've just looked at the squad sheet there is a back up for every position.

GM didn't sound too convinced at the football heaven meeting - all managers just talked the talk for the sake of it like every year.

Taylor is a risk - yes he is but one that costs us peanuts to try , where GM has the best chance out of anyone to get it right. If he can sort him we have a great league one player for nothing.

[Alan Southstand]

MPC, no blind panic here, absolutely. We’re on the same page with some of your comments, but not all - but that’s fair enough.

[mpc123]

MPC, no blind panic here, absolutely. We’re on the same page with some of your comments, but not all - but that’s fair enough.

Totally fair enough, I agree cheers Alan

[silent majority]

Hallelujah Jonathan, at last an intelligent report on where we are and I totally agree - but, then, I am, apparently, incessantly negative.

One thing I have noticed about people who knock one for being (seemingly) negative, they completely avoid giving us their view/opinion on this current team's chances.

Obviously a dig at me Alan. My concern with your posts is not that you hold a negative view, others do too, but you infect every thread with your opinion, over and over.

And I've stated so many times on here why I never give my opinion on playing matters, I'm not changing that just for you.

[dickos1]

The point everyone is missing is improvement.  Many say the squads weaker but I disagree.  By that I say the best majority should be improved on last year through experience at this level.   A young squad should keep improving as many of our better players under sod did.  We should not forget that and with the make-up of this squad that's an important fact.  I would say the one weaker area is potentially up front.  The lack of Andy Williams is a weakness for me, though many will disagree on that point too.

Sod always improved our squad with players he knew would be suited to the way he wanted to play.
He also signed experience like wellens, oster, mcgammon, stock.
The squad never stood still with him and we certainly didn’t get rid of experienced players and replace them with inexperienced ones

Williams - too slow , constantly injured
Baudry - always injured
Evina - always out on loan as couldn't defend
Alcock - not in first 11

They are your experienced players we got rid of who you want replacing lol, and you keep moaning about that, time and time and time and time again, the same things

Dear me,
Regardless of your opinion of them we’ve replaced them with two much cheaper players. Yet the budget/wage bill has increased!

What’s going to happen is mcann is going to start the season with his squad, we will then struggle and then all these defending the budget are going to say well he had the money to spend but chose not to and blame him.

[Spilsby Red]

There is also the fact he could start the season well with this squad that he believes in.
He could have also brought lots of players in and started badly.
It’s all ifs and buts. Let’s give GM the chance.

[dickos1]

I’m certainly not trying to be negative either Alan. I’ve never mentioned the budget as the finance is none of my business. I can understand why people can be hyper-sensitive about perceived criticism of the board because there’s a lot of shit thrown about. But that’s absolutely not my intention and I’m not pointing fingers at anyone.

As a supporter my main concern is what I watch on the pitch. Not the finance or the decision making. And as I see it we are significantly weaker than last season so I think there are things to address if we truly expect to do better.

It’s no good trying to state these kind of facts because they won’t have anything said that disagrees with them regarding the quality of the squad even though it’s blatant.

It should be noted that the people worrying about the season are some of the most positive posters on this forum

[DonnyBazR0ver]

The thing is, you are worrying for McCann. He decides who we approach/sign. He decides whether  and how far he wants to spend of his remaining budget. You, nor anyone, is in a position to criticise as he has a better knowledge than anyone. Sure, we can speculate, show concern but until balls are kicked there is no justification for the endless digs or to say there is blatant under spending which is what you are implying. Its unfair.

[Chris Black come back]

The point everyone is missing is improvement.  Many say the squads weaker but I disagree.  By that I say the best majority should be improved on last year through experience at this level.   A young squad should keep improving as many of our better players under sod did.  We should not forget that and with the make-up of this squad that's an important fact.  I would say the one weaker area is potentially up front.  The lack of Andy Williams is a weakness for me, though many will disagree on that point too.

Sod always improved our squad with players he knew would be suited to the way he wanted to play.
He also signed experience like wellens, oster, mcgammon, stock.
The squad never stood still with him and we certainly didn’t get rid of experienced players and replace them with inexperienced ones

Williams - too slow , constantly injured
Baudry - always injured
Evina - always out on loan as couldn't defend
Alcock - not in first 11

They are your experienced players we got rid of who you want replacing lol, and you keep moaning about that, time and time and time and time again, the same things

Dear me,
Regardless of your opinion of them we’ve replaced them with two much cheaper players. Yet the budget/wage bill has increased!

What’s going to happen is mcann is going to start the season with his squad, we will then struggle and then all these defending the budget are going to say well he had the money to spend but chose not to and blame him.

The budget is according to Gavin Baldwin the same or slightly more. The wage bill (which is one portion of the budget, as potential transfer fees will also have to come from the budget) is something separate. It is up to the current guy, much like your man the last guy (who incidentally you called for to be sacked in his first season) to make the best of that budget - which is highly competitive. How they choose to deploy that budget is up to them. If they make a mess of this then it is their fault, not the Board.

[drfchound]

The point everyone is missing is improvement.  Many say the squads weaker but I disagree.  By that I say the best majority should be improved on last year through experience at this level.   A young squad should keep improving as many of our better players under sod did.  We should not forget that and with the make-up of this squad that's an important fact.  I would say the one weaker area is potentially up front.  The lack of Andy Williams is a weakness for me, though many will disagree on that point too.

Sod always improved our squad with players he knew would be suited to the way he wanted to play.
He also signed experience like wellens, oster, mcgammon, stock.
The squad never stood still with him and we certainly didn’t get rid of experienced players and replace them with inexperienced ones

Williams - too slow , constantly injured
Baudry - always injured
Evina - always out on loan as couldn't defend
Alcock - not in first 11

They are your experienced players we got rid of who you want replacing lol, and you keep moaning about that, time and time and time and time again, the same things

Dear me,
Regardless of your opinion of them we’ve replaced them with two much cheaper players. Yet the budget/wage bill has increased!

What’s going to happen is mcann is going to start the season with his squad, we will then struggle and then all these defending the budget are going to say well he had the money to spend but chose not to and blame him.

It could be argued though that it WOULD be his fault as he hasn’t (yet) chosen to spend more of his budget.
His decision and he has to stand or fall by it.

[RedJ]

The point everyone is missing is improvement.  Many say the squads weaker but I disagree.  By that I say the best majority should be improved on last year through experience at this level.   A young squad should keep improving as many of our better players under sod did.  We should not forget that and with the make-up of this squad that's an important fact.  I would say the one weaker area is potentially up front.  The lack of Andy Williams is a weakness for me, though many will disagree on that point too.

Sod always improved our squad with players he knew would be suited to the way he wanted to play.
He also signed experience like wellens, oster, mcgammon, stock.
The squad never stood still with him and we certainly didn’t get rid of experienced players and replace them with inexperienced ones

Williams - too slow , constantly injured
Baudry - always injured
Evina - always out on loan as couldn't defend
Alcock - not in first 11

They are your experienced players we got rid of who you want replacing lol, and you keep moaning about that, time and time and time and time again, the same things

Dear me,
Regardless of your opinion of them we’ve replaced them with two much cheaper players. Yet the budget/wage bill has increased!

What’s going to happen is mcann is going to start the season with his squad, we will then struggle and then all these defending the budget are going to say well he had the money to spend but chose not to and blame him.

Christ, does it matter how much they're costing? what's the obsession with paying players top dollar, is it just to try and make some kind of statement to you?

[dickos1]

Just don’t believe a new manager would enter a season with a lightweight squad when he has money to spend.
We’ve saved a lot of money with the players leaving so in my opinion he’d be using those funds

Tmyou might think different but that’s upto you

[silent majority]

Just don’t believe a new manager would enter a season with a lightweight squad when he has money to spend.
We’ve saved a lot of money with the players leaving so in my opinion he’d be using those funds

Tmyou might think different but that’s upto you

Crikey, you and your blinkers!

GM doesn't believe he has a lightweight squad, he compares this squad with the one he had at Peterborough and thinks he's in a better position. That's his choice.

And we had this discussion yesterday, you are confusing the wage bill with the budget despite your protestations to the contrary.

[Bristol Red Rover]

Just don’t believe a new manager would enter a season with a lightweight squad when he has money to spend.
We’ve saved a lot of money with the players leaving so in my opinion he’d be using those funds

Your opinion that it is lightweight, fair enough though I disagree. If he used all funds right now then there wouldn't be money to fill in the cracks that will apear over the season from injuries and players not performing. And then there's ther coming loan period, maybe we're lookiing at that in a bigger way than previous years?

In summary, he'd be an idiot to spend it all now.

[dickos1]

Not suggesting he spend it all but look at the players who have left and look at what we’ve brought in, it doesn’t add up financially or quality wise or numbers wise.

[DearneValleyRover]

Not suggesting he spend it all but look at the players who have left and look at what we’ve brought in, it doesn’t add up financially or quality wise or numbers wise.

In your opinion not Grant McCann's.

[dickos1]

Just don’t believe a new manager would enter a season with a lightweight squad when he has money to spend.
We’ve saved a lot of money with the players leaving so in my opinion he’d be using those funds

Tmyou might think different but that’s upto you

Crikey, you and your blinkers!

GM doesn't believe he has a lightweight squad, he compares this squad with the one he had at Peterborough and thinks he's in a better position. That's his choice.

And we had this discussion yesterday, you are confusing the wage bill with the budget despite your protestations to the contrary.

My blinkers 😂
I’m not confusing anything, the wage bill is less now than at any point of last season we’ve lost houghton, baudry, Williams, Alcock and not re spent this money.

A few weeks again you told us that everything would be fine and we should just wait and see what happens the board wouldn’t let us down.

Well we’re waiting

[dickos1]

Not suggesting he spend it all but look at the players who have left and look at what we’ve brought in, it doesn’t add up financially or quality wise or numbers wise.

In your opinion not Grant McCann's.

If you think mcann is gonna come out and say I’ve not got the money to spend I thought I had and it’s gonna be a rough season then you’re not thinking it through

[DearneValleyRover]

Not suggesting he spend it all but look at the players who have left and look at what we’ve brought in, it doesn’t add up financially or quality wise or numbers wise.

In your opinion not Grant McCann's.

If you think mcann is gonna come out and say I’ve not got the money to spend I thought I had and it’s gonna be a rough season then you’re not thinking it through

You have evidence to say he hasn't then? Or just basing it on the fact he hasn't brought anyone in? I haven't spoken to him or anyone high up in the club so I have no idea other than what SM and Gavin have said but then they have far more info than you so I will take it that GM has money to spend but has decided not to, this may well be that the players he would like are not available given that we don't know who we have inquired about or that they may well be available if their current club can secure a replacement. It could be that the club is expecting bids for Marquis and are wanting the funds just in case, all speculation. I've aired my opinion that I feel we are 2 players short but I haven't felt the need to rant on and on about how much we are paying in wages to which we don't have a clue or that we don't have a budget which has been stated more than once we do, it's your opinion dickos not fact and yet everytime someone says opposite you come back trying to enforce your own point of view like you do everytime anther poster differs from you.

[DearneValleyRover]

Liam Hoden confirms on Twitter that the two new signings will be Taylor and Veria... so 1 for the development squad and another who is a few weeks away from being for and is a loose cannon..... I don’t get McCanns reluctance to spend some of this increased budget on players who can go straight into our first 11.

Nor do I but it's his choice

[silent majority]

Just don’t believe a new manager would enter a season with a lightweight squad when he has money to spend.
We’ve saved a lot of money with the players leaving so in my opinion he’d be using those funds

Tmyou might think different but that’s upto you

Crikey, you and your blinkers!

GM doesn't believe he has a lightweight squad, he compares this squad with the one he had at Peterborough and thinks he's in a better position. That's his choice.

And we had this discussion yesterday, you are confusing the wage bill with the budget despite your protestations to the contrary.

My blinkers 😂
I’m not confusing anything, the wage bill is less now than at any point of last season we’ve lost houghton, baudry, Williams, Alcock and not re spent this money.

A few weeks again you told us that everything would be fine and we should just wait and see what happens the board wouldn’t let us down.

Well we’re waiting

Oh no, you're doing it again. Where did I say that everything would be fine and we should just wait?

You're either misquoting me or making stuff up, which is it?

[mpc123]

Just don’t believe a new manager would enter a season with a lightweight squad when he has money to spend.
We’ve saved a lot of money with the players leaving so in my opinion he’d be using those funds

Tmyou might think different but that’s upto you

I'm bored dickos1, its obvious you must be trying to wind everyone up or something as this has got to the point of weird.

[RoversAlias]

Spending money doesn't equate to quality as a rule. Andy Williams was one of our highest earners yet one of our most inconsistent players. He didn't score a goal last season did he?

My point is...so what if Wilks is cheaper? If he is better then it's a great move by McCann to get more for less.

Evina has gone but his spot was already filled, by Danny Amos coming through the ranks. Amos costs us less in wages but in my opinion will go on to be far better player than Evina.

Baudry has gone, Anderson has come in. If he stays fit he's already more worthwhile than Baudry in one respect because he won't be on the treatment table.

Alcock has gone but Lund has come back. Okay, I won't try and argue Lund is better than Alcock but Alcock was not very good at the best of times and was barely used anyway. If Mason stays fit Lund will only be a back up this season.

Houghton is gone but we have signed Crawford. Two players in different midfield roles but we have changed our midfield shape entirely and I expect money-wise these two will cost a similar amount.

Kongolo has gone and not been replaced. That's an improvement straight away because poor Rodders was worse than having thin air on the pitch a lot of the time.

Williams has gone and Wilks has come in. Cheaper yes but a lot younger, faster, more dynamic on the ball and better suited to our new playing style. Williams had become a non-entity in terms of contribution by last year.

We have also added Max Watters and it looks like Romario Vieira as young back-up players, along with senior moves for the likes of Fletcher, Prior and Morris. We may also sign a new attacking midfielder in Paul Taylor and have clearly been pursuing another striker at the very least.

So having looked at it all, I fail to see why our squad is suddenly lightweight, or any worse. I think we do need another holding midfielder but aside from that I am happy with Grant McCann's assessment of the squad and confident he knows what he's doing on this front.

[GazLaz]

Spending money doesn't equate to quality as a rule. Andy Williams was one of our highest earners yet one of our most inconsistent players. He didn't score a goal last season did he?

My point is...so what if Wilks is cheaper? If he is better then it's a great move by McCann to get more for less.

Evina has gone but his spot was already filled, by Danny Amos coming through the ranks. Amos costs us less in wages but in my opinion will go on to be far better player than Evina.

Baudry has gone, Anderson has come in. If he stays fit he's already more worthwhile than Baudry in one respect because he won't be on the treatment table.

Alcock has gone but Lund has come back. Okay, I won't try and argue Lund is better than Alcock but Alcock was not very good at the best of times and was barely used anyway. If Mason stays fit Lund will only be a back up this season.

Houghton is gone but we have signed Crawford. Two players in different midfield roles but we have changed our midfield shape entirely and I expect money-wise these two will cost a similar amount.

Kongolo has gone and not been replaced. That's an improvement straight away because poor Rodders was worse than having thin air on the pitch a lot of the time.

Williams has gone and Wilks has come in. Cheaper yes but a lot younger, faster, more dynamic on the ball and better suited to our new playing style. Williams had become a non-entity in terms of contribution by last year.

We have also added Max Watters and it looks like Romario Vieira as young back-up players, along with senior moves for the likes of Fletcher, Prior and Morris. We may also sign a new attacking midfielder in Paul Taylor and have clearly been pursuing another striker at the very least.

So having looked at it all, I fail to see why our squad is suddenly lightweight, or any worse. I think we do need another holding midfielder but aside from that I am happy with Grant McCann's assessment of the squad and confident he knows what he's doing on this front.

Generally it does though. That’s why the best 6 teams in the Prem are the ones that spend the most money. That’s why Blackburn and Wigan were the best two teams in our division last season. Obviously there are teams that defy the trend but the more you spend better players you can attract.

[RoversAlias]

I said it wasn't a rule. Several people on here are acting like spending more money will automatically mean our squad is better. But money can be spent on players who don't live up to the outlay. Ferguson gave big contracts to players who proved they didn't deserve them for example.

I've laid out my reasoning above why I think we don't need to spend more money for the sake of it to have a squad as good or better than we had last year. We underperformed somewhat last season so with hopefully the improvements made by McCann to our existing playing staff I believe we can finish higher than last year and make more progress.