| How optimistic are you now? 19:33 - Jun 28 with 17861 views | Spen |
I know it’s very early days in this transfer window and I was going to post this a few days back, but, I think I’m feeling more confident and optimistic now than this time last year.
Last summer the narrative was what could Marti and this team do with a full preseason etc, and the general feeling around the place was positive.
Things seem to be making sense now and with the new management team in place, decent, forward thinking signings, retained players etc, there does seem something brewing here.
I guess it’s the well worn phrase ‘it’s the hope that kills you’ kicking in, especially after 2 San Miguel, but for the first time in a long time I’m really looking forward to this season. |  | | |  |
| How optimistic are you now? on 08:54 - Jul 4 with 1328 views | nix |
| How optimistic are you now? on 08:11 - Jul 4 by Northernr |
Yeh a lot of what they've done so far this summer suggests welcome lessons learned from last year - we've tried to put some pace in the team, we've tried to put some athleticism in the team, we've targeted players with a lot of EFL and three-game week experience, Ben Williams is back in the country etc.
For that theme to continue you'd expect to see them add at left back; put some aggressive, experienced ball progression into the middle of the midfield; and add better striker(s).
If we once again go into this year thinking Frey and Celar covered by Kolli and Lloyd will be fine I suspect that will sting us all the same ways it did for the last 12 months. (This assuming the stories about Kelman not sticking around are sadly true, which I hope they're not).
This post has been edited by an administrator |
Not trying to be awkward here but we scored 53 goals last season. Arguably a Poku and a full-time Chair from easily scoring enough for the play offs last season - Sunderland scored 58 and Bristol City 59.
We let in too many though - 19 more than Sunderland and 8 more than City and way more than Blackburn and Millwall who scored similar to us, 53 and 47 respectively, but let in 14 and 15 goals fewer and were only two points outside the play offs. My sense this was largely down to two spells: early on when Varane was not up to speed and we didn't have all our CBs fit and towards the end when Field and Varane were unavailable and we barely had two CBs playing together two matches running.
For me, fitness at the back and DCM is vital - also meaning no more Colback. Agree with all your other points. |  | | |
| How optimistic are you now? on 09:14 - Jul 4 with 1259 views | QPRSam |
| How optimistic are you now? on 08:54 - Jul 4 by nix |
Not trying to be awkward here but we scored 53 goals last season. Arguably a Poku and a full-time Chair from easily scoring enough for the play offs last season - Sunderland scored 58 and Bristol City 59.
We let in too many though - 19 more than Sunderland and 8 more than City and way more than Blackburn and Millwall who scored similar to us, 53 and 47 respectively, but let in 14 and 15 goals fewer and were only two points outside the play offs. My sense this was largely down to two spells: early on when Varane was not up to speed and we didn't have all our CBs fit and towards the end when Field and Varane were unavailable and we barely had two CBs playing together two matches running.
For me, fitness at the back and DCM is vital - also meaning no more Colback. Agree with all your other points. |
I saw a tweet where a front 4 of Chair, Dembele, Poku and Kelman combined last season has 44 goals, 26 assists and 128 chances created. We obviously need to wait and see what happens with Kelman but if he stays it wouldn't be my biggest concern, that would be LB and DM for now | | | |
| How optimistic are you now? on 09:20 - Jul 4 with 1241 views | nix |
| How optimistic are you now? on 09:14 - Jul 4 by QPRSam |
I saw a tweet where a front 4 of Chair, Dembele, Poku and Kelman combined last season has 44 goals, 26 assists and 128 chances created. We obviously need to wait and see what happens with Kelman but if he stays it wouldn't be my biggest concern, that would be LB and DM for now |
Wow! Good stat. I agree with your last point too.
Also meant to add we need to defend throughout the team and sometimes Paal in particular was hung out to dry a bit so we'll need more protection there. I know it's not all down to the back four. | | | |
| How optimistic are you now? on 09:24 - Jul 4 with 1215 views | Northernr |
| How optimistic are you now? on 08:54 - Jul 4 by nix |
Not trying to be awkward here but we scored 53 goals last season. Arguably a Poku and a full-time Chair from easily scoring enough for the play offs last season - Sunderland scored 58 and Bristol City 59.
We let in too many though - 19 more than Sunderland and 8 more than City and way more than Blackburn and Millwall who scored similar to us, 53 and 47 respectively, but let in 14 and 15 goals fewer and were only two points outside the play offs. My sense this was largely down to two spells: early on when Varane was not up to speed and we didn't have all our CBs fit and towards the end when Field and Varane were unavailable and we barely had two CBs playing together two matches running.
For me, fitness at the back and DCM is vital - also meaning no more Colback. Agree with all your other points. |
We had an almost unique spread of goals last season though - 23/24 players? And 4 own goals? Club record number of different scorers. You'd be lucky to achieve that again.
I'd be concerned if we tried to rely on those four strikers again, but perhaps I'm just scarred by standing there at Stoke and watching Dembele have to play centre forward. |  | | |
| How optimistic are you now? on 09:39 - Jul 4 with 1178 views | nix |
| How optimistic are you now? on 09:24 - Jul 4 by Northernr |
We had an almost unique spread of goals last season though - 23/24 players? And 4 own goals? Club record number of different scorers. You'd be lucky to achieve that again.
I'd be concerned if we tried to rely on those four strikers again, but perhaps I'm just scarred by standing there at Stoke and watching Dembele have to play centre forward. |
Fair point.
May be being happy clappy but I think we can repeat that to some extent;; can see Dunne, Cook scoring. a few. Yeah the own goals was joint top scorer for a while, no?
Equally we'd have to be unlucky to have Celar, Lloyd, Kolli and Frey out all at the same time but Dembele up front - shudders! Okay I'll climb back on the fence. | | | |
| How optimistic are you now? on 09:54 - Jul 4 with 1138 views | BklynRanger |
I just have no clue how we'll do next season honestly.
- Don't know if the manager will suit this league or this group of players,
- will there be a Marti hangover?
- what will the midfield look like with Stephan's preferred formation?
- are we going with LB as is and if so will that be a good idea?
- will injuries be a problem at CB, even allowing for the fact we have some options there?
- how will we integrate Chair, Dembele, Pocu, Smyth etc, and emerging players like Sutton into this new formation?
- will Madsen be the Madsen of 90% of last season or continue to kick on like he did right at the end?
- similar Q re Celar who was starting to show he had a bit of a clue before injury
- what's going to be the impact of Ben Williams returning and how much of two seasons' ago was down to him?
- will Steve Bould have the positive impact we hope he will?
- will Eze be sold and if he is how much can we use to improve the squad?
I'm finding myself missing the football by now, but have no idea what we'll all be watching. |  | | |
| How optimistic are you now? on 11:32 - Jul 4 with 1073 views | ted_hendrix |
I'm getting a bit wobbly. |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| How optimistic are you now? on 12:30 - Jul 4 with 1030 views | londonscottish |
| How optimistic are you now? on 09:24 - Jul 4 by Northernr |
We had an almost unique spread of goals last season though - 23/24 players? And 4 own goals? Club record number of different scorers. You'd be lucky to achieve that again.
I'd be concerned if we tried to rely on those four strikers again, but perhaps I'm just scarred by standing there at Stoke and watching Dembele have to play centre forward. |
I'm scarred by that endless winless home run through September, October and November.
And the following one towards the end of the season.
Expecting much of the same this year - a lot of the losses and draws were marginal and simply caused by the fact we just couldn't score. |  |
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| How optimistic are you now? on 15:36 - Jul 4 with 913 views | Spen |
Another point that was made elsewhere on here was that the first couple of months’ fixtures are somewhat less challenging than it could have been.
Obviously if it goes wrong and we start poorly then we’ll be up against it when the supposed tougher opponents come along soon after.
But if we’re sitting on an average 1.75/2 points per game come mid October then that’s something we’ve not had for a long time and can hopefully build on. | | | |
| How optimistic are you now? on 21:13 - Jul 4 with 810 views | dmm |
Some positive notes, Chair, Celar, Field, Cook and Vale have all recovered from their injuries and are in full training. Madsen and Frey only have minor knocks. Kolli is having his training load managed. |  | | |
| How optimistic are you now? on 22:33 - Jul 6 with 540 views | derbyhoop |
| How optimistic are you now? on 21:13 - Jul 4 by dmm |
Some positive notes, Chair, Celar, Field, Cook and Vale have all recovered from their injuries and are in full training. Madsen and Frey only have minor knocks. Kolli is having his training load managed. |
After the Stevenage friendly, its encouraging.
All the usual caveats, though:
It was our 1st pre season friendly, and treated as a glorified training session. As it should be.
Stevenage finished bottom half of L1, last season.
The real work needs to lead up to Aug 9.
Somewhat surprised to see Akindileni involved.
Dillon might be closer to 1st team squad than I thought.
5 goals from 4 different midfielders is encouraging. None from 3 strikers used is not so much.
Minor(?) injuries to important members of 1st team squad is a concern.
Let's see how we are during and after Girona. |  |
| "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
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