So

[Rentaghost]

Not forgetting Royston can play at left back as well, that's largely where he played for Real Madrid I think

[WalthamOwl]

Whats happened to that guy, rotten in Norwichs reserves?

Signed for Rotherham yesterday

[Dagmeister]

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.

 

I think that May alone will benefit hugely from decent service which he's hardly had to date. Nuhiu I think is showing signs that he is improving in front of goal as he gains the confidence that a few goals brings. It's doubtful that he'll ever be clinical although he seems to work hard at his game (heading hugely improved) so no reason why his strike rate can't improve  too. Hope can now be added into the mix too.

 

I think that the Forest game highlighted our deficiencies in terms of creativity. We had far more possession but they were providing their strikers with better quality balls into the box. I don't know for sure whether Lee and Hutchinson's return with the addition of Drenthe will cure all our creativity issues but I have a hunch that they just might go a long way.

 

Once we sort out our supply issues I would certainly agree that our forwards need to step up to the plate consistently.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Dagmeister

[Errol Flashman]

All of our forwards will benefit when Lee returns.

[Eightace]

A decent striker in the County game would have got 4 Nuhiu managed 1

yeah but against better sides we just arent creating enough.

A good striker is always welcome but atm I think improving the midfield is priority.

Having say Wood up front instead of nuhiu wouldnt really change a lot if the creativity isnt there.

[Errol Flashman]

Having say Wood up front instead of nuhiu wouldnt really change a lot if the creativity isnt there.

 

^^^

[Flat Owl]

yeah but against better sides we just arent creating enough.

A good striker is always welcome but atm I think improving the midfield is priority.

Having say Wood up front instead of nuhiu wouldnt really change a lot if the creativity isnt there.

 

Spot on.

 

Our forward line has struggled for years - our midfield has been so ineffective in terms of attacking that we resorted to hoofball to bypass the issue completely.

 

Why folk refuse to understand what Nuhiu brings to this team is beyond me.

 

If we have someone who can provide a forward pass to feet or through or behind to link the midfield with the boys up front then we will be far productive in front of goal.

[happy bunny]

A lot are underestimating the contribution of Lee and Hutch, two players who make the midfield fluid, show for the ball and take responsibility

 

Coke has done a sterling job and has surprised me but i'm afraid Semedo actually detracts from our style of play.

 

Once we have our first choice mids available, our play will benefit the forward line

 

As for doing things on the cheap, Milans shopping trolley has some real quality in it, fair play to him for not taking the easy option and spending like a man with no arms

 

Loovens, Lees, Hutch, Lee, Westwood, Kirkland, Nuhui, Maghoma, Mattock, all quality players who cost next to nothing in terms of transfer fees, with Dielna, and the loans of Hope and Drenthe we have added pace and skill

 

Not bad for a club with no ambition

[gurujuan]

The last decent midfield we had was the one that featured Brunt and Whelan, but even then Tudgay and Burton didn't score a lot. We do create chances, plenty of them. That's not to say we can't do better on that front but I do think the forwards need to step it up a bit. How many clear cut chances every match would Nuhiu get last season? At least two or three, and he was either too slow to react or the ball would skim off his forehead. He's obviously worked on his finishing and he's altogether more confident now, and consequently, he's scoring more goals. Stevie May, from the footage I've seen, looks to be potentially more prolific. He seems to have a strikers instinct. I think maybe he needs to relax a bit as often he seems to make the wrong decisions. A point mentioned by Gray himself, the chances kept falling where Stevie wasn't. It's not easy to come straight in alongside someone like Nuhiu, but I don't have any worries that May won't score goals at this level. We are geared up to be hard to beat and the attacking side of our game is still work in progress, but it will come

[Jazzybmzoo]

We have a much better alphabet spread too... we were very unbalanced too tight in the middle of the park all L's M's and N's but now we have D's and H's which spreads it a bit and helps balance out lone W.

Much better balance now.

Still think we're missing at least two Johnsons though.

[Dagmeister]

The last decent midfield we had was the one that featured Brunt and Whelan, but even then Tudgay and Burton didn't score a lot. We do create chances, plenty of them. That's not to say we can't do better on that front but I do think the forwards need to step it up a bit. How many clear cut chances every match would Nuhiu get last season? At least two or three, and he was either too slow to react or the ball would skim off his forehead. He's obviously worked on his finishing and he's altogether more confident now, and consequently, he's scoring more goals. Stevie May, from the footage I've seen, looks to be potentially more prolific. He seems to have a strikers instinct. I think maybe he needs to relax a bit as often he seems to make the wrong decisions. A point mentioned by Gray himself, the chances kept falling where Stevie wasn't. It's not easy to come straight in alongside someone like Nuhiu, but I don't have any worries that May won't score goals at this level. We are geared up to be hard to beat and the attacking side of our game is still work in progress, but it will come

I am sure that May will score once we start getting the quality in the box. Him and Nuhiu will take a bit of time to get on the same wavelength too but they both seem like the types who will work  to improve on this.

 

This season though (especially when Hutch and Lee have been absent) I don't agree that we've created many chances at all; certainly at home where teams have stifled us and we've lacked that bit of craft from midfield/wide to make a difference. I really hope that Lee, Hutch and Drenthe can provide that necessary quality because if they do then I really expect our existing pairing to cash in. Hope might be a surprise package too. If we do go for another striker I would hope that its someone with a bit of pace.

[Guest Deleted member]

So since the end of last season we now have

 

Permanent

 

Westwood

Hutchinson

Lees

May

Loovens

 

On loan

 

Drenthe

Hope

 

And we haven't strengthened? Looks pretty good to me. Also a massive reduction in loan players, which is what most were moaning about last year

[Dagmeister]

So since the end of last season we now have

 

Permanent

 

Westwood

Hutchinson

Lees

May

Loovens

 

On loan

 

Drenthe

Hope

 

And we haven't strengthened? Looks pretty good to me. Also a MASSIVE reduction in loan players, which is what most were moaning about last year

 

Yes, got rid of a lot of dead wood in the close season and subsequently brought in fewer, but based on what we've seen so far, of a higher quality. We had far too many bodies last season who weren't quite good enough for this division.

[gurujuan]

I am sure that May will score once we start getting the quality in the box. Him and Nuhiu will take a bit of time to get on the same wavelength too but they both seem like the types who will work  to improve on this.

 

This season though (especially when Hutch and Lee have been absent) I don't agree that we've created many chances at all; certainly at home where teams have stifled us and we've lacked that bit of craft from midfield/wide to make a difference. I really hope that Lee, Hutch and Drenthe can provide that necessary quality because if they do then I really expect our existing pairing to cash in. Hope might be a surprise package too. If we do go for another striker I would hope that its someone with a bit of pace.

OK I'll go with that as you've probably seen more of us than I have this season, having only been to the Brighton and Notts County games. We didn't create too many chances against Brighton, but squandered a hat full against Division One County. There were plenty of chances go begging last season, so maybe it's a consequence of Stu trying to tighten us up a bit. More, get the defence right first. We also had better/more experienced strikers in most games as well. It's probably a combination of both in truth. Though I still have reservations about them as a pairing, I'm sure the manager will get the attacking side right, and both Nuhiu and May will play their part

[torres]

So since the end of last season we now have

 

Permanent

 

Westwood

Hutchinson

Lees

May

Loovens

 

On loan

 

Drenthe

Hope

 

And we haven't strengthened? Looks pretty good to me. Also a MASSIVE reduction in loan players, which is what most were moaning about last year

 

 

Hutchinson and Loovens were already on the payroll to some extent.

 

We got rid of Taylor, Gardner, Llera, R Johnson, J Johnson, Prutton (Some hefty wages saved there)

 

The loan wages/fee saved from last season on the likes of Best, Wickham, Fryatt, R Johnson, Gardner, Martinez, Cardiff Kid

 

The short term deals of Mcphail and Olifinjana

 

Plus the sale of Antonio and his wages. This sale alone could have financed our incomings this year.

 

Not to mention extra revenue of shirt sales, shirt sponsorship (said to be a good deal for us) increased season ticket revenue, increased championship TV deal.

 

 

We SHOULD be in a very healthy position to obtain some of the best loan deals to assist the squad.

 

This is without MM or whoever putting any money in.

[gurujuan]

I don't think there's any doubt that Milan has put a freeze on spending Perhaps not initially, but at some point he decided to put all his trust in HM and the takeover.

[Dagmeister]

OK I'll go with that as you've probably seen more of us than I have this season, having only been to the Brighton and Notts County games. We didn't create too many chances against Brighton, but squandered a hat full against Division One County. There were plenty of chances go begging last season, so maybe it's a consequence of Stu trying to tighten us up a bit. More, get the defence right first. We also had better/more experienced strikers in most games as well. It's probably a combination of both in truth. Though I still have reservations about them as a pairing, I'm sure the manager will get the attacking side right, and both Nuhiu and May will play their part

 

I've only seen the home games to be fair this season. Trying to make the most though as like you (I think) I spend a lot of time abroad in winter (mid May to mid Feb).

 

From what I've seen we are significantly better than last season. Solid at the back and hard working and efficient. I think we got unlucky with Hutchinson as not many expected his knees to manage two games in 3 days but sod's law he picks up an (apparently) unrelated back injury. Lee's quality is always missed too. With those two fit and firing and with a bit of luck with Drenthe (+ Hope & Dielna) then I think we could have the makings of a decent Championship team.

[roaminowl]

So since the end of last season we now have

 

Permanent

 

Westwood

Hutchinson

Lees

May

Loovens

 

On loan

 

Drenthe

Hope

 

And we haven't strengthened? Looks pretty good to me. Also a MASSIVE reduction in loan players, which is what most were moaning about last year

 

Claude Dielna in on a permanent too.

[Lord Snooty]

Question is simple.

Do we have a better looking squad than this time last season?

 

If yes. Then that's progress.

Slow, granted. But progress non the less.

[torres]

Question is simple.

Do we have a better looking squad than this time last season?

 

If yes. Then that's progress.

Slow, granted. But progress non the less.

 

I'd say its about the same as the squad that finished last year and potentially not as good as the squad mid way through the season which had Fraytt and Wickham in it.