Maybe we haven’t quite got the recruitment right?

[Monty13 2,229]

Anyone else pondering this?

It feels like a summer where individually I don’t think we’ve made a bad move either in or out, nothing you can truly point at as a mistake.

I think it’s unarguable that on paper we have one of, if not the, strongest squads in the division, but collectively I can’t help feeling we haven’t quite got what we need. Admittedly we’ve had piles of injuries, but that does shine the light on the backups and squad strength.

My main concern is we have a lot of young players. I get the model, but it still feels to me there’s too many learning their trade in terms of age, this league or both.

Gibbs, Nunez, Omobamidele, Sara, Ramsey, McCallum, Springett and Rowe. Even Idah is still 21.

I always consider Max an experienced pro then have to remind myself he’s 22.

A lot of our more experienced players are still under 25.

Hayden looks a great long term asset considering how little football he’s played and how assured he looks, but he’s still the only DM. How we could have done with a Tettey equivalent today to throw on and help shore things up.

There were rumours we were after Mooy in the summer and I think that’s the type of player (as well as a pure DM) we need. Someone who doesn’t panic and can help control a game. There just feels an experience imbalance to me and maybe even just one more experienced head in the centre of the park would make that difference.

[KeiranShikari 1,409]

I think we gambled that Smith would be able to get more out of the front players whilst focusing recruitment in the key area we were weak. Of course by attacking players I mean the wingers and attacking midfielders, Pukki and Sargent are doing more than enough in positions/roles they're not particularly suited to.

Edited October 22, 2022 by KeiranShikari

[GodlyOtsemobor 2,244]

Recruitment hasn't been right since the season emi and teemu came in, since then it's been off every single time, even the manager recruiting hasn't been right. 

[By Hook or Ian crook 917]

The only thing that I’m questioning is why you have to ask maybe…

[norfolkngood 1,086]

21 minutes ago, GodlyOtsemobor said:

Recruitment hasn't been right since the season emi and teemu came in, since then it's been off every single time, even the manager recruiting hasn't been right. 

it started last season and since then i would say very poor 

i would say that nearly every player bought since then we would not get a profit on , (not count gibbs )

Webber said Mcnally wasted money and nearly sent us bust but at least we were left with young promising assets when doing so 

 

 

 

 

[mastoola 183]

I think the current squad has more than enough.  Just need to make a team out of them.   Who's job is that i wonder.

Edited October 22, 2022 by mastoola

[Kingston Yellow 220]

“Maybe we haven’t got recruitment quite right?” Is this a serious post?

[Richard Richard 186]

3 minutes ago, mastoola said:

I think the current squad has more than enough.  Just need to make a team out of them.   Who's job is that i wonder.

Split on this Mastoola. At the start of the season I thought we were very strong on paper but looking through the squad now, do we not just have a team of average champ players?

Nunez, Gibbs, Sara, Ramsay unproven to be fair.

But the rest - Gibson, Hanley, Byram, McClean, Cantwell, Onel, Dowell and so on....

Who's realistic Prem quality aside from Pukki? Who came out of the last two seasons there with any real credibility?

I'm not sure there were many. I'm similarly not sure that this squad is anything more than bang-average in reality and we may need to adjust our expectations accordingly.

[Monty13 2,229]

18 minutes ago, By Hook or Ian crook said:

The only thing that I’m questioning is why you have to ask maybe…

To be fair, I see Smith being blamed constantly, and IMO deservedly at least for his part, for the disjointed performances. I’ve not seen much questioning of the players he has at his disposal post the summer. Injuries aside, most seem to think, unless I’m completely misreading the room, we have the required players. I’m not so sure.

[mastoola 183]

8 minutes ago, Richard Richard said:

Split on this Mastoola. At the start of the season I thought we were very strong on paper but looking through the squad now, do we not just have a team of average champ players?

Nunez, Gibbs, Sara, Ramsay unproven to be fair.

But the rest - Gibson, Hanley, Byram, McClean, Cantwell, Onel, Dowell and so on....

Who's realistic Prem quality aside from Pukki? Who came out of the last two seasons there with any real credibility?

I'm not sure there were many. I'm similarly not sure that this squad is anything more than bang-average in reality and we may need to adjust our expectations accordingly.

If we had a very well drilled squad that plays together as a team we could put out two teams that would be competitive in this league.  We just have no direction.

[chicken 2,604]

19 minutes ago, norfolkngood said:

it started last season and since then i would say very poor 

i would say that nearly every player bought since then we would not get a profit on , (not count gibbs )

Webber said Mcnally wasted money and nearly sent us bust but at least we were left with young promising assets when doing so 

Madderson £3m, Godfrey was £2.5m (I think, probably wrong), I think Thompson was another wasn't he? Then the youngsters in the Murphey's. Pritchard wasn't that old when we signed him I don't think, perhaps 22?

When you consider Godfrey was signed at the same time as Naismith, Klose, Pinto etc.

Yes, some young decent players. You could probably say Carlton Morris and Toffolo though neither made it with us due to players in front of them at the time and injuries.

The sad thing is due to the big money signings that came in with Godfrey, we were left having to sell the talented youngsters... sort of equalled itself out which can only be seen as bad investment really.

Similar-ish position now, though we have a bit more young talent. Sargent is only 22.

[Ken Hairy 3,759]

Maybe??? 😂😂😂

[Richard Richard 186]

4 minutes ago, mastoola said:

If we had a very well drilled squad that plays together as a team we could put out two teams that would be competitive in this league.  We just have no direction.

I think that's a bit of a stretch.

Just how much impact a change of management would have is difficult to gage until it happens.

That said, previous managers - Lambert and Neil in particular - achieved spectacular results with unspectacular squads so there's still hope. 

Although in limited quantities whilst Deano still here I think!

[cambridgeshire canary 6,675]

We could have got mooy. We could have got Ajer.

 

Both of which would have been fantastic signings that would have helped us tremendously and were exactly the kind of players we needed but as always 'they wanted a couple more quid a week than I wanted to pay so I decided to bring in useless dross on loan in instead as it was cheaper' happened..

Edited October 22, 2022 by cambridgeshire canary

[mastoola 183]

1 minute ago, Richard Richard said:

I think that's a bit of a stretch.

Just how much impact a change of management would have is difficult to gage until it happens.

That said, previous managers - Lambert and Neil in particular - achieved spectacular results with unspectacular squads so there's still hope. 

Although in limited quantities whilst Deano still here I think!

I think teams take on the personality of the manager.  The two managers you mentioned were feisty people which creates a feisty team.

[mastoola 183]

1 minute ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

We could have got mooy. We could have got Ajer.

 

Both of which would have been fantastic signings that would have helped us tremendously and were exactly the kind of players we needed but as always 'they wanted a couple more quid a week than I wanted to pay so I decided to bring in useless dross on loan in instead as it was cheaper' happened..

We have the players already.  We just don't have a direction.

[Richard Richard 186]

4 minutes ago, mastoola said:

I think teams take on the personality of the manager.  The two managers you mentioned were feisty people which creates a feisty team.

Can't disagree with that. I've said before, we're distinctly lacking in a backbone, have no Ieader on the pitch and no-one prepared to ruffle a few feathers.

Where are the players who know how to fight dirty? I miss Holt and Johnson.

Tired of being "Nice Norwich"!

[Midlands Yellow 3,924]

1 hour ago, Monty13 said:

Anyone else pondering this?

It feels like a summer where individually I don’t think we’ve made a bad move either in or out, nothing you can truly point at as a mistake.

I think it’s unarguable that on paper we have one of, if not the, strongest squads in the division, but collectively I can’t help feeling we haven’t quite got what we need. Admittedly we’ve had piles of injuries, but that does shine the light on the backups and squad strength.

My main concern is we have a lot of young players. I get the model, but it still feels to me there’s too many learning their trade in terms of age, this league or both.

Gibbs, Nunez, Omobamidele, Sara, Ramsey, McCallum, Springett and Rowe. Even Idah is still 21.

I always consider Max an experienced pro then have to remind myself he’s 22.

A lot of our more experienced players are still under 25.

Hayden looks a great long term asset considering how little football he’s played and how assured he looks, but he’s still the only DM. How we could have done with a Tettey equivalent today to throw on and help shore things up.

There were rumours we were after Mooy in the summer and I think that’s the type of player (as well as a pure DM) we need. Someone who doesn’t panic and can help control a game. There just feels an experience imbalance to me and maybe even just one more experienced head in the centre of the park would make that difference.

No **** Sherlock. 

[Richard Richard 186]

11 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

No **** Sherlock. 

Harsh 😂

[astro 358]

We’ve still got enough, and let’s not forget the talent we’ve loaned out as surplus, to walk this league. The tactics, concentration, fitness, fight and general team spirit, have all gone backwards since Smith took over. 

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,251]

18 minutes ago, mastoola said:

We have the players already.  We just don't have a direction.

I don’t think we do. I’m not sure how you can say that with any conviction. 

We’re a top ten championship side. And recruitment is to blame for that. 
 

 

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,251]

Just now, astro said:

We’ve still got enough, and let’s not forget the talent we’ve loaned out as surplus, to walk this league. The tactics, concentration, fitness, fight and general team spirit, have all gone backwards since Smith took over. 

You really think the talent we’ve loaned out is good enough to walk this league? Jeez…

The squad, sadly, is not good enough. It’s the same nucleus as our last championship campaign, minus the exceptional Skipp and Buendi, and a game changer like Vrancic. 
 

Hanley, Pukki, Gibson, Aarons, etc.. are carrying too much baggage from relegations of the past and have stagnated. 
 

Rather than £11 million on Sara, we should’ve bought 2 or 3 players capable of sloting straight in with a boat load of hunger and desire, to help mitigate above.

[astro 358]

7 minutes ago, Creedence Clearwater Couto said:

You really think the talent we’ve loaned out is good enough to walk this league? Jeez…

The squad, sadly, is not good enough. It’s the same nucleus as our last championship campaign, minus the exceptional Skipp and Buendi, and a game changer like Vrancic. 
 

Hanley, Pukki, Gibson, Aarons, etc.. are carrying too much baggage from relegations of the past and have stagnated. 
 

Rather than £11 million on Sara, we should’ve bought 2 or 3 players capable of sloting straight in with a boat load of hunger and desire, to help mitigate above.

Yea, the same nucleus that walked this league last time it was in it. 

[Monty13 2,229]

20 minutes ago, Midlands Yellow said:

No **** Sherlock. 

Lol, I was trying to be less entrenched and open to a counter argument, but **** it, I’ll just grab my pitchfork and my Webber Out banner. 😂

There’s still plenty saying we have the players.

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,251]

2 minutes ago, astro said:

Yea, the same nucleus that walked this league last time it was in it. 

But, without Buendia and Skipp. And that nucleus isn’t nearly as motivated now. So why do you think it’s still good enough to walk the league?

[Dame to Blame 95]

43 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

We could have got mooy. We could have got Ajer.

 

Both of which would have been fantastic signings that would have helped us tremendously and were exactly the kind of players we needed but as always 'they wanted a couple more quid a week than I wanted to pay so I decided to bring in useless dross on loan in instead as it was cheaper' happened..

Do you have the figures and facts to back that up. And Ajer might have been a lucky escape he has spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch.

[Midlands Yellow 3,924]

7 minutes ago, Monty13 said:

Lol, I was trying to be less entrenched and open to a counter argument, but **** it, I’ll just grab my pitchfork and my Webber Out banner. 😂

There’s still plenty saying we have the players.

I was only having a cheeky giggle, you’re a good sport and took it how it was meant. 

[GodlyOtsemobor 2,244]

49 minutes ago, Creedence Clearwater Couto said:

. 

 

Rather than £11 million on Sara, we should’ve bought 2 or 3 players capable of sloting straight in with a boat load of hunger and desire, to help mitigate above.

THIS X1000 

where have the days gone of picking up the starving hungry players from the bottom of the champs/top of league one to slot in with our team. Players who will run through brick walls at the chance of playing for a team like us. 

We seem hell bent on finding " Gems " from places no one else is looking. 

[astro 358]

32 minutes ago, Creedence Clearwater Couto said:

But, without Buendia and Skipp. And that nucleus isn’t nearly as motivated now. So why do you think it’s still good enough to walk the league?

Motivation comes from one place - the coaching team. Neither Buendia or Skipp are starters for their sides, so their talent is being viewed through yellow and green specs. Individual players do not make a team - we lost Maddison, possibly the best player to wear yellow and green for quite some time, yet still managed to get promoted. 

[mastoola 183]

2 minutes ago, GodlyOtsemobor said:

THIS X1000 

where have the days gone of picking up the starving hungry players from the bottom of the champs/top of league one to slot in with our team. Players who will run through brick walls at the chance of playing for a team like us. 

We seem hell bent on finding " Gems " from places no one else is looking. 

How do you know?   Maybe a good manager would have taken him to the next level. I remember Arsenal fans saying the same thing about Thiery Henry in his first year. To find a good jem you need a good Jewler.

 

Edited October 22, 2022 by mastoola