So

[Dagmeister]

It's early doors. Nuhiu has started well, and May will bed in. Service needs tweaking - Drenthe should help out there. We've not seen enough of Hope yet; hopefully he'll make an impact. Good reasons for optimism.

 

Beat me to it.

[Taximark]

It been a very strange start to our season hasn't it? first of all the takeover was a real high in June then it faded and faded, then we signed some decent players in Westwood and Lees then came the disappointment of losing Antonio however the blow was softened when it was rumoured it was around 1.8m, then the high of Stevie May, Nuhius form, Wins at BHA and Boro, then the low of losing to Forest on Saturday followed by 3 decent signings this week.

 

Ups and downs but so far I'm enjoying it for a change and credit to Milan and Gray. 

[Spookone]

It been a very strange start to our season hasn't it? first of all the takeover was a real high in June then it faded and faded, then we signed some decent players in Westwood and Lees then came the disappointment of losing Antonio however the blow was softened when it was rumoured it was around 1.8m, then the high of Stevie May, Nuhius form, Wins at BHA and Boro, then the low of losing to Forest on Saturday followed by 3 decent signings this week.

Ups and downs but so far I'm enjoying it for a change and credit to Milan and Gray.

Credit to Milan, Gray and the squad. As most people know I am always positive regarding our club and too many on here have knee jerk reactions and little trust in what is happening in the background.

It's nice to have a positive thread for once.

It's also nice to have visiting managers coming out after a visit to Hillsborough and saying what a good team we are and with the new signings, we are an even better team.

[Sultan_Pepper]

If we go back to the posts we were all making in June and July you can see everyone knew we needed to strengthen in several areas.  We had Zayatte as our only registered CB and only had 2 forwards.

 

Our main problems were centre back, centre midfield and a striker, selling Antonio then added another issue with a lack of width. All of those areas have been strengthened with players of the right age and seemingly right attitude and we've also brought in a raft of potentially good youngsters on 1 year deals to have a look at. 

 

I have to say I think MM,Aldridge and Gray have done an outstanding job.

[Corneliusreeve]

Drentha and Dielna - Na then den dee

 

Fixed

[latemodelchild]

We are building slowly and not splashing stupid money about. This type of approach may not be exciting, but it reduces the risk long term to the club. There's a few posters on here who constantly have a dig at Milan and his spending. For me he is spending properly. I never want us to be in the mire of administration threats and winding up petitions again.

Have some faith, see what happens this season. We have improved every season under Milan. I think that will continue.

[gurujuan]

I start this thread in a positive manner and I don't want to deviate from that. I think we have done pretty much what was needed, but make no mistake, we've done it on the cheap. Needs must I suppose, and this protracted takeover has a lot to answer for in that respect. In my opinion, Milan's intention was to increase the playing budget for the season ahead, indeed there's evidence to suggest that that was the way we set off. However, when the takeover loomed into view, he decided, perhaps understandably, to put the brake on things. We are still operating with the handbrake on. How long it stays on for, only Milan knows that, but I'm sure he will want the situation resolved, one way or another, before the January window. As I said, the signings are perhaps not of the calibre we might have hoped for, but under the circumstances, we've done well to put together a squad that is competitive and exciting. Milan is lucky, very lucky, to have in Stuart Gray, a capable and likeable manager who takes things in his stride and just gets on with it. You can't do any more than make the most of what you have, and Gray clearly does that.

[Guest Big Guns]

i think royston could be a reight signing and i liked the look of hope two

[Eightace]

Maybe in terms of numbers but we still lack goals

Its the midfield rather than the strikers imo.

Unless you have a Hirsty or a wickham type who can create their own goals with their pace,most strikers need some service.

Will improve with Royston and lee back but I think we still need another cm for those home games where we should be having a real go at the opposition.

I think may and nuhiu are good enough with the right players behind them and both can create their own chances at times.Like they did a couple of times v Forest.

Shame about Lavery been out because I expected a good season from him.

[Guest Johnbloodaxe]

Sg may have done this cheaply and with a few suprises to be honest im well chuffed with the signings.

[Lord Snooty]

Unless you have a Hirsty or a wickham type who can create their own goals with their pace,most strikers need some service.

 

 

Perfectly summed up.

Our strikers are capable of scoring goals but need the ammunition. So far the only thing (though a large thing!) missing from our play.

 

[Jim]

I said before the summer started that we needed to recruit better than the last two summers or probably it'll be more of the same old struggles.

It's far too early to say whether we have been better in this regard or not. I think we won't really know until late October - early November but we appear to have been more measured this time around. We don't seem to have had the scattergun approach of 2012 or undercooked the recruitment like we did last year?

I think as a result we have a decent chance of posting more points from the first half of this season than we have the last two. If we can hit 30-35 points at the halfway point it'll be interesting to see what MM's approach to the January window maybe?

[Tamworthowl]

We have barely scored a goal from open play this season so far. Whether our season is going to be one of consolidation or play off challenge will depend on how well Drenthe performs (and to a lesser extent, getting Lee back to his best).

[gurujuan]

Perfectly summed up.

Our strikers are capable of scoring goals but need the ammunition. So far the only thing (though a large thing!) missing from our play.

I'm a bit cautious on this one. Sure, you can always improve your service, and when Lee isn't playing, the midfield certainly lacks something. We are though, in danger of kidding ourselves here. I think we do create chances, as many as we can realistically expect from the way we set up, and the calibre of player we have. Nuhiu for example, generally misses at least a couple of guilt edged chances per game. This is not necessarily a criticism of him, you get what you pay for, and he compensates with his other attributes. If we can improve the supply, great, but lets not kid ourselves that all will be OK if we bring in another winger. Our forwards need to take more responsibility.

[2soon]

So with the window now closed, I have to say I'm happy with the business we've done. To say I'm not easily pleased, would be a bit of an understatement, but we've managed to address three of the areas we needed to strengthen and we haven't lost anyone.Alright, the names were not perhaps what we hoped for, but Milan was never going to spend any money was he. Dielna gives us cover in two of the defensive positions, Drenthe brings a wealth of experience to our midfield, and offers us genuine quality delivery from the left. Hallam Hope brings some much needed pace to the attack. All in all, a satisfactory weeks work.

Semi serious question. From your posts over the summer and the players we're linked to 'not being good enough.' What makes you happy now? Filled a gap? Fair play you said they are not what you expected but I feel you created a higher level of expectation in you head.

[Lord Snooty]

I'm a bit cautious on this one. Sure, you can always improve your service, and when Lee isn't playing, the midfield certainly lacks something. We are though, in danger of kidding ourselves here. I think we do create chances, as many as we can realistically expect from the way we set up, and the calibre of player we have. Nuhiu for example, generally misses at least a couple of guilt edged chances per game. This is not necessarily a criticism of him, you get what you pay for, and he compensates with his other attributes. If we can improve the supply, great, but lets not kid ourselves that all will be OK if we bring in another winger. Our forwards need to take more responsibility.

 

We do get the ball in and around the box of course, and get it in areas where someone can try and do something , but in terms of what I'd call proper chances we look short for me.

The old slide rule pass. Palmers duff pass to May the other day being a prime case.

Lees calm way of knocking little balls around the corner I think will make all the difference once he back.

We look solid at the back. Competitive in the middle and lively up top in terms of Mays movement (he'll love Lee). 

[gurujuan]

Semi serious question. From your posts over the summer and the players we're linked to 'not being good enough.' What makes you happy now? Filled a gap? Fair play you said they are not what you expected but I feel you created a higher level of expectation in you head.

Not really, if anything, the noises coming from the club perhaps created that air of expectancy To be fair, and I've said this on many occasions, I really believe that was Milan's intentions. The takeover halted that and from then on, proper recruitment became unrealistic. All you can do under those circumstances, is manage what you have. Stuart Gray has done just that. You look at where you are short and you try and remedy it to the best of your ability within the budget constraints. I think we have managed to balance the squad on a limited budget and the platform is there to add some real quality if and when the purse strings are relaxed. The test now will be how we as supporters manage our own expectations.

[Hack-Abusi]

still looking for an attacking central midfielder

[swfc-dan]

I agree I think. Would have loved us to sign a creative midfielder and a quality striker (Becchio would have been great) but guess 3 signings in the last week I can't complain really

Whats happened to that guy, rotten in Norwichs reserves?

[torres]

On a whole i think as i fanbase we are very easily pleased.

 

From the wages released from the squad at the end of last year, including the loan expenses and adding the transfer fee of Antonio i personally think MM has got away with it again.

 

With the increase in season ticket prices to boot, i don't think you can say MM has ''gone for it'', in fact probably the opposite.

 

Gray is working absolute wonders to keep the fanbase happy.