In summary

[Danceswithhorses]

If Gyokeres and Hamer could both move giving us a transfer kitty even better.

For markedly different reasons, these 2 transfers might actually happen...fingers crossed.

Gyok's new teams has smashed it (as he has), and won the league, and his value has soared.
Hamer's team has tanked and been relegated, but he has stood out, and prem clubs will surely want him.

Did Hamer's transfer also have as sell on clause ?

 

[Deleted member 9744]

Seriously you wouldn’t swap Eccles for Hamer in our current team?

You wouldn’t swap Simms for Gyokeres but it doesn't mean that we need to replace Simms. There are other areas that need prioritising over central midfield, unless Sheaf goes of course.

 

[shmmeee]

You wouldn’t swap Simms for Gyokeres but it doesn't mean that we need to replace Simms. There are other areas that need prioritising over central midfield, unless Sheaf goes of course.

Disagree. I think midfield both CM and AM has been what’s held us back. Particularly without Sheaf. You can make a case for a CB, or a defensive coach, but otherwise I think midfield is our problem area on the ball. It’s put too much pressure on the defence through poor ball retention, lack of ability to beat the press, and not effectively stopping attacks before they reach the back line.

 

[Jamesimus]

Disagree. I think midfield both CM and AM has been what’s held us back. Particularly without Sheaf. You can make a case for a CB, or a defensive coach, but otherwise I think midfield is our problem area on the ball. It’s put too much pressure on the defence through poor ball retention, lack of ability to beat the press, and not effectively stopping attacks before they reach the back line.

Our first choice midfield is fine, but our inability to rotate the midfield between games without a significant drop in quality is the issue. Need at least one more centre mid to come in that would comfortably make our first 11.

 

[fatso]

Lots of teams fade toward the last few games when either nothing is riding on it, or everything is riding on it. Psychologically it becomes a different game.
Sad then that I predicted Norwich to lose one for that very reason, and had we won where we should have, then we would easily of made the playoff's. The cup run was as always a major hurdle against us. Many will question that as the reason for our late slump and they would be right.
Next season will be the toughest league yet for a very long time. Those coming down and thos coming up prove what a task it will be. There are some big clubs in there the likes we have not seen before at all in this league at the same time.
We have the strike force, with the Posh guy adding to it, we need to get the rest right including a Hamer replacement along side Sheaf and Torp. Defensively we need a leader too, and a top goalkeeper. The Palmer/O'Hare role must be replaced with a top player. If we don't do that it will be a long hard season.

We spent a lot of money, but ultimately only managed to win 1 more game than we lost.

We spent 4.5 million on a league 1 centre half and signed a keeper on the cheap while picking up another league 1 left back for free, and we wonder why we leak too many goals!

Every one was saying the new signings needed time to gell, but the worst run of form came at the end of the season, so I guess they must of run out of gell.

We flirted with the relegation zone for a little while, causing some to call time on MR.

But we also beat Premier league Wolves in a F.A. cup classic and came within a toe nail of knocking Man Utd out of the cup at Wembley, causing some to call MR our best manager ever!

All in all it's been a roller coaster of a season, there's enough to be positive about, and with the right additions we will be ready for a genuine push for the playoffs next season.

Onwards and upwards.

 

[shmmeee]

We spent a lot of money, but ultimately only managed to win 1 more game than we lost.

We spent 4.5 million on a league 1 centre half and signed a keeper on the cheap while picking up another league 1 left back for free, and we wonder why we leak too many goals!

Every one was saying the new signings needed time to gell, but the worst run of form came at the end of the season, so I guess they must of run out of gell.

We flirted with the relegation zone for a little while, causing some to call time on MR.

But we also beat Premier league Wolves in a F.A. cup classic and came within a toe nail of knocking Man Utd out of the cup at Wembley, causing some to call MR our best manager ever!

All in all it's been a roller coaster of a season, there's enough to be positive about, and with the right additions we will be ready for a genuine push for the playoffs next season.

Onwards and upwards.

Never mind the season this post was a rollercoaster!

 

[shmmeee]

Also is it me or are we a lot more static in the oppo half than normal?

 

[skybluecam]

we wonder why we leak too many goals!

Can anyone give me a good answer as to why we "concede too many goals"?

4/8 teams above us have conceded more than us. Conversely, only 1 team above us has scored less than us. But our defence is the problem?

 

[fatso]

Can anyone give me a good answer as to why we "concede too many goals"?

4/8 teams above us have conceded more than us. Conversely, only 1 team above us has scored less than us. But our defence is the problem?

The defence is A problem, its not the only problem.

For me it's the amount of stupid goals we conceed that's the issue.
Goals that should be easily stopped.

The second goal yesterday being a prime example.

 

[clint van damme]

Disagree. I think midfield both CM and AM has been what’s held us back. Particularly without Sheaf. You can make a case for a CB, or a defensive coach, but otherwise I think midfield is our problem area on the ball. It’s put too much pressure on the defence through poor ball retention, lack of ability to beat the press, and not effectively stopping attacks before they reach the back line.

We're 4th in the chances created table and 5th for shots per game , not sure attacking is too much of an issue.
Not stopping attacks I agree with, and I kept banging on about it in the 2nd half of last season but Hamwrs defensive work was hugely under rated. We've really missed that.

 

[shmmeee]

We're 4th in the chances created table and 5th for shots per game , not sure attacking is too much of an issue.
Not stopping attacks I agree with, and I kept banging on about it in the 2nd half of last season but Hamwrs defensive work was hugely under rated. We've really missed that.

It’s more the amount of chances than come from us not beating the press or giving the ball away, or more often fannying about around the edge of the box then being broken on.

 

[Diogenes]

Can anyone give me a good answer as to why we "concede too many goals"?

4/8 teams above us have conceded more than us. Conversely, only 1 team above us has scored less than us. But our defence is the problem?

People's perception of our shit defence is twofold

1. People are comparing to last years excellent defence and holding that as "the norm" - anything less than that is seen as a failure and means the defence are shite.

2. Individual howlers. You can't ignore these. We have a habit of pissing around with it at the back inviting pressure on ourselves, and a goalkeeper who enjoys punching the ball into his own goal or diving out the way of the ball.

It's understandable that people are riled up about howlers, they have probably cost us 6-10 points over the season. IMO though, a lot of the games where we have gifted goals we would have probably conceded and dropped points anyway.

The remedy for this isn't rocket science tbf - you need to replace Collins, put JDS anywhere but in defence and that's 3/4 of our gifts stopped right there. I'd still.be tempted to bring another CB as either first choice or competition.

Sorting out the midfield would probably have a greater impact on number of goals conceded - everyone has cut through our midfield like butter this season. Get bodies in midfield that can actually take the ball off the opponent and retain position, and the defence gets the cover it's missed all season.

 

[steve101]

Well put it this way; Would you swap Eccles for Hamer? If the answer is yes, then no reflection on young Mr Eccles but if we are to get stronger then there is the answer.

Not really. I would swap Hamer for anyone of our midfield - Sheaf included

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

You mention Norwich.
I haven't looked, but can somebody post our stats/form from/including that game (Norwich away) until the end of the season.
I don't think "the last few games" have been the issue - we've been off it since way before then.

Our record against the top half of the table is really poor. 13 losses and only 4 wins tells us everything we need to know about our season.

Compare that to last season, no one in the playoffs had beaten us.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Disagree. I think midfield both CM and AM has been what’s held us back. Particularly without Sheaf. You can make a case for a CB, or a defensive coach, but otherwise I think midfield is our problem area on the ball. It’s put too much pressure on the defence through poor ball retention, lack of ability to beat the press, and not effectively stopping attacks before they reach the back line.

Last season we had Hamer who really put the team on his back, especially when Sheaf is injured, who does this?

It’s not really Eccles game and Torp has only been here a short time, but we need midfielders who can drive us up the pitch. Particularly against the better teams in the league, we struggle to advance the ball through midfield. There’s also a lack of goals in midfield too and that needs to be addressed going into 2024/25.

Our record against the top 12 speaks for itself, Robins knows we need more quality and has said it publicly several times.

 

[skybluecam]

You mention Norwich.
I haven't looked, but can somebody post our stats/form from/including that game (Norwich away) until the end of the season.
I don't think "the last few games" have been the issue - we've been off it since way before then.

Norwich A (Feb 3) to the end of the season we're 17th in the table:

But Feb 3 to Apr 6 (Leeds H) we're 9th:

It's just those last 6 games that have cost us...

 

[Legia Sky Blue]

One of our biggest problems this season was the number of times we conceded the first goal. Don't know the exact numbers but I'm sure we conceded first more times than we scored first, which for a top half team really shouldn't be the case.

 

[ovduk78]

We need to improve massively on our own set pieces and defending set pieces. Our corners are very poor with very little variety and having 4-5 players attacking the front post and nobody on the back post seems really basic. Having all players back to defend a corner seems to be a modern trend but if we do manage to defend a corner and clear it then the ball is coming straight back, I did notice Simms stayed on the half way line for one yesterday in the 2nd half so maybe there is some hope there.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

We need to improve massively on our own set pieces and defending set pieces. Our corners are very poor with very little variety and having 4-5 players attacking the front post and nobody on the back post seems really basic. Having all players back to defend a corner seems to be a modern trend but if we do manage to defend a corner and clear it then the ball is coming straight back, I did notice Simms stayed on the half way line for one yesterday in the 2nd half so maybe there is some hope there.

We seem to be middle of the road for goals conceded from set pieces. Had a look into why so many teams do it, seems to have started with Guardiola's teams conceding much fewer that way and others copying the trend.

All I see it doing is giving permission for teams to crowd our box, giving the defending players more to worry about and also giving us no out ball if we win the cross. Having fewer players to mark/concentrate on while also having some counter attacking opportunities keeps our task a bit simpler.

 

[ccfc1234]

We seem to be middle of the road for goals conceded from set pieces. Had a look into why so many teams do it, seems to have started with Guardiola's teams conceding much fewer that way and others copying the trend.

All I see it doing is giving permission for teams to crowd our box, giving the defending players more to worry about and also giving us no out ball if we win the cross. Having fewer players to mark/concentrate on while also having some counter attacking opportunities keeps our task a bit simpler.

We should leave our 3 smallest players up at every corner. JDS, Allen and COH were never going to head the ball out and it forces the opposition to keep 3 or 4 back.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

We seem to be middle of the road for goals conceded from set pieces. Had a look into why so many teams do it, seems to have started with Guardiola's teams conceding much fewer that way and others copying the trend.

All I see it doing is giving permission for teams to crowd our box, giving the defending players more to worry about and also giving us no out ball if we win the cross. Having fewer players to mark/concentrate on while also having some counter attacking opportunities keeps our task a bit simpler.

It works for Guardiola because they still have the chance to break even from defence. With teams like us it just means conceding possession and offering the opposition another attack.