Were are we now? (3 Viewers)

[BlueSkiesForever]

If you are 1-0 down that bench does not scream "lets change the game"

That’s been my biggest gripe for ages tbh, absolutely zero options on the bench when we need to turn a game around. Feel like Lampard’s been properly let down with the lack of signings (unless of course it was his decision).
How the fuck are you meant to turn around a 2-0 loss at half time with the likes of Allen, Eccles, Simms, Bidwell and Lati on the bench?

 

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[Perennial Lurker]

The Top 6 should be the minimum expectation with this squad and unless we have the unluckiest injury crisis ever in football then I would be hard pressed to accept anything less

Onwards, see where the squad is in Jan -
thankfully even with a few injuries I do think we can wing it till then and re-assess from there… We were utter guff until Feb last season and look where we ended up! So if we can be in, or even around the Top 6 in Jan then we are in a strong position

Agreed . The league looks very open this season .
We will have a big say in the January window if we need to
A lot of posters seem to forget we are in a far better place as a club than the majority of the Championship

 

[shmmeee]

Just wanted someone better than Rapha to throw on when the wingers are knackered and we’re out of ideas.

 

[Perennial Lurker]

Just wanted someone better than Rapha to throw on when the wingers are knackered and we’re out of ideas.

Sakamoto did alright off the bench on Saturday?

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Just wanted someone better than Rapha to throw on when the wingers are knackered and we’re out of ideas.

Our 2 game changing attackers off the bench now are Simms and BTA who half this forum give pelters too every single week.

All of a sudden they are fine and its good depth.

 

[alexccfc99]

Agreed . The league looks very open this season .
We will have a big say in the January window if we need to
A lot of posters seem to forget we are in a far better place as a club than the majority of the Championship

Yep - I don’t but this whole ‘the league has got stronger’ argument - It’s a narrative that’s being solely being forced because Birmingham and Wrexham have come up with their open chequebooks

Last season Leeds and Burnley both got 100pts - it’s rare you ever see that happen yet alone two teams in one season achieve that feat

Season before Leics and Ipswich ran away with the league and it was plainly obvious it would be one of Leeds and Saints to go up in the play offs

Autos have been pretty much ring-fenced off for two years, Ipswich this season do not look like a side who are going to take the league by storm, same for Saints, last seasons play-off final losers are an absolute mess

 

[Perennial Lurker]

Our 2 game changing attackers off the bench now are Simms and BTA who half this forum give pelters too every single week.

All of a sudden they are fine and its good depth.

Both have been goalscorers in this league in the recent past

 

[shmmeee]

Our 2 game changing attackers off the bench now are Simms and BTA who half this forum give pelters too every single week.

All of a sudden they are fine and it’s good depth.

I can’t remember Simms ever having an impact off the bench. It’s BTA and then you’re looking at Brau and MvE being pushed up.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

I can’t remember Simms ever having an impact off the bench. It’s BTA and then you’re looking at Brau and MvE being pushed up.

Pretty desperate to be honest

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Both have been goalscorers in this league in the recent past

When did Simms score in the league

 

[Perennial Lurker]

Pretty desperate to be honest

You're a decent poster , we disagree and agree at various times but please ,please don't fall into Shmeees web of CCFC hate

 

[Ccfcisparks]

You're a decent poster , we disagree and agree at various times but please ,please don't fall into Shmeees web of CCFC hate

I dont hate, I just say things as they are. In my opinion this window has been underwhelming. We had a real opportunity to take the bulls by the horns and attack the open league. The squad just feels paper thin and unbalanced at the moment.

 

[Perennial Lurker]

I dont hate, I just say things as they are. In my opinion this window has been underwhelming. We had a real opportunity to take the bulls by the horns and attack the open league. The squad just feels paper thin and unbalanced at the moment.

Didn't say you hate , said he does .
Anyhows , yes we did however this summer for me Brum and Wrexham have fucked the rest ofthe league over with their grossly inflated fees .
We had to lose one player ,most of us agreed that at the start of the summer . I'm happy MvE has stayed , not too disappointed to lose Sheaf especially for the fee, although would've liked to see another player brought in .
The squad still contains a lot of players with Championship experience and players who have taken us to the playoffs before
It really isn't that bad looking at the rest of the league

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Didn't say you hate , said he does .
Anyhows , yes we did however this summer for me Brum and Wrexham have fucked the rest ofthe league over with their grossly inflated fees .
We had to lose one player ,most of us agreed that at the start of the summer . I'm happy MvE has stayed , not too disappointed to lose Sheaf especially for the fee, although would've liked to see another player brought in .
The squad still contains a lot of players with Championship experience and players who have taken us to the playoffs before
It really isn't that bad looking at the rest of the league

I think theres just been a lot of revionism amongst fans since the end of last year, most wanted to move on eccles, lati allen bidwell simms but now they are a prominent part of the squad and its fine.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Would've liked to have seen one of either Allen ,Bidwell or Lati moved on but did we have any takers ?

I reckon we could have palmed at least one more of them on Wrexham for a decent fee, probably Latibaudiere.

 

[Perennial Lurker]

I think theres just been a lot of revionism amongst fans since the end of last year, most wanted to move on eccles, lati allen bidwell simms but now they are a prominent part of the squad and its fine.

Eccles for me is a prominent part , I think this season he will flourish. Simms is still a decent back up number 9 .The rest named are now second or third choice which means we have progressed

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Eccles for me is a prominent part , I think this season he will flourish. Simms is still a decent back up number 9 .The rest named are now second or third choice which means we have progressed

Bidwell, Allen, Lati were all second choice or worse last year though?

 

[rob9872]

Isn't Eccles still injured? Posters assuming he's here because Lamps wants him, but nobody is paying for him not to pass his medical. 3-4m I think i read further up this thread, I'd definitely have taken that if true. Sheaf ridiculed for his injury record, Eccles had a fair few too for a young lad, let's hope when fit he can stay fit. I'm not his biggest fan, but think we'll now need him, if he's the next cab on the rank.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

this is our depth:



is it really play off quality

 

[baldy]

After the first XI the rest of the squad are just so...meh

 

[rob9872]

At least we're out of the cup and the window open again when we enter the FA Cup.

Got 20 games to get through unscathed (well 21 really as Charlton NYD)

 

[baldy]

To me the squad just seems a bit stale & samey - got a mid-tabley feel about it

 

[rob9872]

To me the squad just seems a bit stale & samey - got a mid-tabley feel about it

Whilst im all little underwhelmed, we have improved some areas to a squad that finished 5th last season in an arguably stronger league and we've got off to a better start.

Can't see where mid table thinking comes into it unless we have some real key injuries or suspensions.

 

[skyblue025]

It's a Meh from me. I said the same on the transfer thread on page eleventy million.
GK unconvincing so far.
Defence strengthened the back ups.
Midfield is weaker.
Attack is weaker.

 

[Alkhen]

So our best lineup with all the players that will be fit before January is

Rushworth
MVE Thomas Kitching JDS
Grimes
Torp
Rudoni
Sakamoto Wright EMC

The bench:

Wilson
Lati
Woolfenden
Brau
Bidwell
KKH
Allen
Eccles
Simms
BTA

Does that Bench scream promotion quality

The first 11 look great and to be honest that bench isn't that bad in my eyes. Yes I wanted and expected more but most of that bench have performed well at this level at some point in recent years

Wilson - Team of the year a couple of years ago, more than adequate cover for 6 months.

Lati- probably the weakest link but versatile

Woolfenden - main stay in a team that dominated the league. Has Prem experience.

Brau - unknown quantity but we've tended to get our foreign scouting right in recent years. Excited to see him.

Bidwell - steady back up

KKH - Preston's player of the year. Nobody complained when we signed him

Allen - Never let us down when we've needed him.

Eccles - Massive complacency from our fans around Josh, he's a good championship midfielder. I just think he's been around for so long people take him for granted. I think he can push on more and show a more dynamic side to his game as he did in his play off cameo.

Simms - Frustrating as anything, looks totally lost at the moment but I have seen him be a beast. His chances are running thin. Down to him. I will say he looks way better in a 2 so if we need to switch it up that could be his moment.

BTA - been great from the right so far this season. Looks a different player.

We always want more obviously but it's far from a poor bench

 

[bigfatronssba]

To me the squad just seems a bit stale & samey - got a mid-tabley feel about it

It’s the same squad as last season which finished 5th

 

[shmmeee]

It’s the same squad as last season which finished 5th

Well it’s not.

 

[PVA]

So our best lineup with all the players that will be fit before January is

Rushworth
MVE Thomas Kitching JDS
Grimes
Torp
Rudoni
Sakamoto Wright EMC

The bench:

Wilson
Lati
Woolfenden
Brau
Bidwell
KKH
Allen
Eccles
Simms
BTA

Does that Bench scream promotion quality

It's a lot of defenders on the bench isn't it. 5 is a bit silly really and not going to help us change a game.

Bidwell is 3rd choice left back and 5th choice centre back so that's a bit of a waste of a sub, surely we'd rather have Raphael there, as limited as he is, as just another option for something different.

I think we saw on Saturday that Lampard is reluctant to use subs even when it seemed obvious we needed some, so I don't know how much he trusts some of them.

BTA can be useful off the bench (i.e. v Boro last year), Simms we know his limitations but still an option for something different. Eccles was excellent off the bench against Sunderland.

Allen isn't going to come off the bench and win a game.

And then you're into the defenders. Last year we'd typically have 3 on the bench, this year till January at least we're going to have 5.

Fuck it, now we've got Woolf let's have Bobby on the bench and bring him on up front when we're chasing a game

 

[bigfatronssba]

Well it’s not.

Well replaced a goalkeeper (jury is out), and added to the defence.
We’ve lost a midfielder that struggled to play half the season

 

[shmmeee]

Well replaced a goalkeeper (jury is out), and added to the defence.
We’ve lost a midfielder that struggled to play half the season

So it’s not the same squad then.

 

[Hullinho87]

So our best lineup with all the players that will be fit before January is

Rushworth
MVE Thomas Kitching JDS
Grimes
Torp
Rudoni
Sakamoto Wright EMC

The bench:

Wilson
Lati
Woolfenden
Brau
Bidwell
KKH
Allen
Eccles
Simms
BTA

Does that Bench scream promotion quality

Outside the Prem relegated teams, which teams benches are promotion quality would you say?

 

[covmutley]

The fact that they didn't replace Sheaf could suggest that Frank does have faith in Eccles, and he's about the best person to judge when it comes to those midfield roles. But I suspect the club was completely surprised by the late Sheaf interest and hadn't been looking at replacement in that position.

So we have Grimes, who historically stays fit, and Eccles as cover until January. I think that's ok. It's not like we are wanting an upgrade on Grimes. I think Eccles is decent cover.

The defence looks much better. Excellent options at right back and now good competition at CB. Ipswich fans seem gutted to lose Wolfy.

And, we kept our best players!!

 

[oneofourown]

I think the signing of the Wolf is better than Hughes. We lack experience at the back and Hughes is a work in progress. if he is as good as Hull think he will be then why has a premier club not come in for him? For us, we don't need another work in progress, we need an older head to take the lead.

 

[bigfatronssba]

So it’s not the same squad then.

Only if you’re being pedantic

 

[PVA]

We’ve lost a midfielder that struggled to play half the season

He played 30 games last season. A lot more than a lot of players still in the squad who weren't seen as surplus to requirements.

Yes we all know he has injury problems but this new narrative that he was only going to make about 5 sub appearances this season is bizarre.