I apologise for saying Matty James flatters to deceive (2 Viewers)

[Hobo]

McFadz has done well but too old next season and needs to be replaced. Not convinced Kelly is anymore than a useful squad player at this level. James hasnt had the impact I had hoped.

Hamer seems to prefer playing deep where Kelly is or up top where O'Hare is. The inbetween wider right midfield position doesnt seem to suite him.

 

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[Sky Blue Harry H]

Dabo is fine, but I think we are watching someone who has been playing himself back from injury several times. He needs a proper rest in the summer, His energy levels suggest he is still self managing. Another factor may be that his main asset is going forward, and this season he is being pushed back more often, due to the better quality team/opponent he is facing. Thus reduces his effectiveness at times.

 

[Otis]

I still quite like James. Not sure he warrants the cost involved with keeping him, but I think he is an intelligent player. Still yet to see the best of him I reckon.

 

[Gregbant]

Sheaf's first contribution led to the commentator saying what a very strange pass as he instantly gave the ball to Luton.
Lowest budget in the league but we can afford £750k on a non starter, I don't think so. Just hope it isn't triggered already, I would have him on a free due to potential that's it and even with that we have had a season to know he isn't up to it.

 

[Gregbant]

Ostigard looks very decent.

Proper defender for this level

 

[shmmeee]

I'd rather keep Kelly than sheaf

That’s nostalgia talking. Kelly has shown in recent games he’s not a Championship player. His use of the ball is awful.

 

[SBAndy]

Dabo is fine, but I think we are watching someone who has been playing himself back from injury several times. He needs a proper rest in the summer, His energy levels suggest he is still self managing. Another factor may be that his main asset is going forward, and this season he is being pushed back more often, due to the better quality team/opponent he is facing. Thus reduces his effectiveness at times.

Also not helped by how wide our CBs pull, meaning he is receiving the ball with no angle to take it forward with his first touch. That’s something that’s been doing my head in for months now.

 

[Otis]

That’s nostalgia talking. Kelly has shown in recent games he’s not a Championship player. His use of the ball is awful.

He is definitely sloppy and makes many poor attempts at passes per game. I like him, but but not all sure he is up to the level of a very good Championship midfielder.

 

[Liquid Gold]

I still think you renew Kelly as a squad player and leader unless you have a significant budget as we need players elsewhere first.

 

[Joy Division]

Of all the players to scapegoat after a poor team performance last night Matty James is an odd one. I'm assuming this is more to prove a point than an actual observation.

 

[Legia Sky Blue]

Looking to next season MR will have to choose between Kelly & James, as I don't see both being needed. I also suspect McFadzean will only be offered another season if we get relegated. As for the rest of the players, a lot on here seem to think many of our players have reached a ceiling which I believe is a really short sighted view. This is the first experience for nearly all of them in the Championship and much will depend what they've taken from it, but I can see a fair few really moving forward next season, particularly Ostigaard, Hyam, McCallum and O'Hare (obviously 2 of them are loan players). Others such as Dabo, Rose, Godden and Walker have had their seasons affected by injuries, and with some better luck on that front should be better for us next season. Hamer's poor recent form since the New Year might keep him with us for another season, but that could be a bonus if he comes back reinvigorated next season. Squad wise Eccles and Drysdale seem to have had fruitful loans and will add some squad depth. If we do stay up, with a couple of additions I can see us improving our league position, maybe not to Barnsley levels, but mid table like Luton.

 

[Major Tom]

I would let Kelly go end of season tbh

Keep sheaf hamer o hare walker godden Dabo Mcallum(loan ext) and then try replace others with better players. Get us to Luton levels next season

The gulf between league one and championship has surprised me, the league has evolved so much since we last played in it. I thought promotion momentum would help us but you can’t make up the quality with effort alone.

 

[SkyBlueDom26]

Complete waste of a signing, is no better than Kelly....in fact I’d say Kelly is better so it makes no sense

 

[CCFCSteve]

The gulf between league one and championship has surprised me, the league has evolved so much since we last played in it. I thought promotion momentum would help us but you can’t make up the quality with effort alone.

I agree. Start of the season I felt we might make lower mid table, a Wycombe mate agreed, City will be fine. A Luton mate laughed and said ‘you’re in for a shock’ !*

Out defence, so strong last year, looks a shambles in the championship. It’s been a massive step up and many of the squad haven’t played at this level before. It’s just a far more clinical league but if we can stay up, with a handful of signings, we’ll hopefully be a far better placed next year (Ohare, Hamer, Dabo, Walker etc all good young players with a year of championship experience under their belts)

Back to James, in the right formation I think he’s a very good player but although he’s calm in possession he struggles to stand out in a dogfight. Would consider signing if we stay up and wages work though

*a weird array of lower league football fans as mates through work/old Uni (a few Blues which is making life interesting at the moment)

 

[Liquid Gold]

If it comes to signing James or Kelly on for next season as it stands I'd take Kelly, they're the same player, doing the same job but one has been here years, knows the club and the manager and is on a quarter of the salary.

 

[PVA]

James has been our best midfielder since he signed.

Hamer has been poor, Kelly has done OK, Sheaf hasn't had a kick.

 

[NorthernWisdom]

Of all the players to scapegoat after a poor team performance last night Matty James is an odd one. I'm assuming this is more to prove a point than an actual observation.

He hasn't really had the impact on results you'd hope for, from a marquee signing.

 

[Offhegoes]

Decent player, but I think Sheaf and Kelly are too, and we really only 1-2 of them to start per game. It was a strange signing, as we had Sheaf, recalled Eccles (who were both fit) and Kelly was due back in February. He should used the money to loan one attacking midfielder in from the Premier League, and not bothered with James, and the Swede who offers less than Biamou.

 

[Hobo]

Decent player, but I think Sheaf and Kelly are too, and we really only 1-2 of them to start per game. It was a strange signing, as we had Sheaf, recalled Eccles (who were both fit) and Kelly was due back in February. He should used the money to loan one attacking midfielder in from the Premier League, and not bothered with James, and the Swede who offers less than Biamou.

I think he was signed for his experiemce at this level which we lack and Kelly, Sheaf and Eccles don't have. I thought it was a good signing, but hasn't impacted on the results so far. But that could still change with the games left.

 

[Paxman II]

It was just earlier this season that kelly was touted as the reason we were losing games as when in the side our results were much better. Now he's suspect/not good enough?
This just indicates that players tire or lose an edge between games. O'Hare last night was completely ineffective and the game passed him by. Is he suddeny a poor player?
It's our general form. One or two players have an off game, can't get to grips and the team consequently loses it's way. At the moment we have been carrying dabo's injury - he is clearly playing himself back to fitness. Our top strikers have been missing and we are playing a player who would be 3rd or 4th choice. Is it any wonder we are not doing a bit better?
It's the time of season we have to kick on to the end and get a few points posted on the board as quickly as we can and get safe. Godden is back, as is Walker and kelly never has two poor games in a row. Morosi is fit and I think Rose is available. So lets see how much more a confident approach we have on Saturday. Wycombe are a turgid outfit and we must keep the ball and outplay them. We don't want to play them at their own game, with rough and tumble. It's a game vital to our confidence right now. No excuses, Wycombe have let in a shit ton of goals and we should add to that.

 

[Magwitch1]

Kelly had a bit of an off night yesterday as did others it happens, it can ripple through the team, I thought James was the better of a poor lot.

 

[Joy Division]

He hasn't really had the impact on results you'd hope for, from a marquee signing.

I'm not sure I'd call him a marquee signing, at least not the kind of signing to single handedly improve results. He's been decent yet much of the team around him have not been performing.

 

[jordan210]

Having James,Kelly and Hamer all on at once just doesn't work. They are all defensive midfielders so start to drop deep. Kelly has always been a player who likes to drop back.

This leaves COH just running around the middle of the park with 0 suport.

When we do push the wingbacks forward COH has to play close to them and then we try and cross to the only striker in the box. This leaves us open to counter attacks.

 

[shmmeee]

James and Györkeres are Mowbray level January signings. There, I said it.

 

[NorthernWisdom]

I'm not sure I'd call him a marquee signing, at least not the kind of signing to single handedly improve results. He's been decent yet much of the team around him have not been performing.

But ultimately for his cost, for better or worse he'd be expected to deliver more of an uptick than other players. And that's where the issue is, really, we're paying a (relative) lot for somebody who hasn't had the effect on results we need(ed), while other areas of the team are still neglected. Now, some bits are maybe bad luck (could we have predicted McCallum's form would fall away once Giles went back?) but we've been crying out for boosts in other areas of the pitch (goalkeeper, is the hot topic around here atm) and defensive central midfield wasn't the first area on most people's lips where we needed strengthening.

And strengthening there hasn't seen results, or even performances, bounce, so it's looking a bit of a bum deal. That's not James's fault as such, but it is the fault of signing James.

 

[shmmeee]

Only slightly tongue in cheek, but look how Barnsley are flying since he left. Hardly suggestive of an impact player.

 

[PVA]

But ultimately for his cost, for better or worse he'd be expected to deliver more of an uptick than other players. And that's where the issue is, really, we're paying a (relative) lot for somebody who hasn't had the effect on results we need(ed), while other areas of the team are still neglected. Now, some bits are maybe bad luck (could we have predicted McCallum's form would fall away once Giles went back?) but we've been crying out for boosts in other areas of the pitch (goalkeeper, is the hot topic around here atm) and defensive central midfield wasn't the first area on most people's lips where we needed strengthening.

And strengthening there hasn't seen results, or even performances, bounce, so it's looking a bit of a bum deal. That's not James's fault as such, but it is the fault of signing James.

I get what you're saying, but for a player in that position and role it's difficult to say how much of an impact they've had on results.

Obviously if a striker comes in and bangs in a load of goals it's clear they've had an impact on results.

But with a player like James, we haven't seen an upturn in results, but what's to say we would have won less points without him? We'll never know obviously, but it's entirely possible IMO

 

[Joy Division]

But ultimately for his cost, for better or worse he'd be expected to deliver more of an uptick than other players. And that's where the issue is, really, we're paying a (relative) lot for somebody who hasn't had the effect on results we need(ed), while other areas of the team are still neglected. Now, some bits are maybe bad luck (could we have predicted McCallum's form would fall away once Giles went back?) but we've been crying out for boosts in other areas of the pitch (goalkeeper, is the hot topic around here atm) and defensive central midfield wasn't the first area on most people's lips where we needed strengthening.

And strengthening there hasn't seen results, or even performances, bounce, so it's looking a bit of a bum deal. That's not James's fault as such, but it is the fault of signing James.

Don't disagree with a lot of what you've said there but I think a lot of people see the signing of James as an either or. He was an option that was presented to us, a good one at that. And yes other areas did need strengthening but were the options to the standard we needed? The obvious dud signing seems to be Györkeres, which is an odd one.

Time will tell whether he does make an impact, personally I think the impact will be us staying in this division.

 

[Grendel]

No Ostigard ?

I forgot about him also I’ve kind of written him off for next season

 

[Grendel]

Sheaf's first contribution led to the commentator saying what a very strange pass as he instantly gave the ball to Luton.
Lowest budget in the league but we can afford £750k on a non starter, I don't think so. Just hope it isn't triggered already, I would have him on a free due to potential that's it and even with that we have had a season to know he isn't up to it.

We havent the lowest budget in terms of transfer fees and clearly are not lower than Wycombe anyway and £750k isn’t even upfront its very little expenditure

 

[Gregbant]

We havent the lowest budget in terms of transfer fees and clearly are not lower than Wycombe anyway and £750k isn’t even upfront its very little expenditure

I am going by Mark Robbins, he said we have the lowest including Wycombe. A 750k transfer free is massive for us to date, unless we have a windfall that type of fee has to be on a starter surely?

 

[Grendel]

I am going by Mark Robbins, he said we have the lowest including Wycombe. A 750k transfer free is massive for us to date, unless we have a windfall that type of fee has to be on a starter surely?

We haven’t a lower budget than Wycombe the fee is less than we paid for walker Hamer and Godden

 

[SBT]

James and Györkeres are Mowbray level January signings. There, I said it.

Andy Rose
Peter Ramage
Joe Cole
Stephen Hunt
Darius Henderson
Jack Stephens
Baily Cargill

Do you want some poppadoms with that spicy take?

 

[shmmeee]

Andy Rose
Peter Ramage
Joe Cole
Stephen Hunt
Darius Henderson
Jack Stephens
Baily Cargill

Do you want some poppadoms with that spicy take?

We were in L1, but yeah ageing Prem player past his best crowbarred into the side and players nowhere near the league standard. I’ll take those poppadoms.

 

[Colin Steins Smile]

Prior to the season, I thought the step up from L1 to Championship was going to be a tough one and I always predicted a relegation dog fight. I was amazed to read of some on here predicting a push for the play-offs.

However, what I never appreciated was the amount of injuries we would suffer and that we've struggled to name a settled team.
As for the signing of James....at that time Kelly was injured, Sheaf was being Sheaf.....and we lacked experience in the side, so I can appreciate the decision making from MR in signing him.

Making the assumption that IF we avoid relegation, I would hope that with the increased revenues from an increase in ST sales, etc. We would retain: Dabo [although he's struggled with fitness this season due to injuries], McFadz [as a back up], Kelly, Hamer, O'Hare, Rose, Walker, Godden, Biamou [as back up].

As for our loan players - Return - McCallum, Gyko, Sheaf [if we can?].
Try and sign - Ostigard & James [if his wages are not too expensive]

Recruitment - need Goalkeeper, 2 left wing backs, left CH, AM & CF.