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Reply | Transfer rumours 2024
at 21:05 28 Apr 2024
Throw Dykes into the deal, and that's a good bit of outgoing business done right there, sir! |
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Reply | The LFW Confession Box
at 21:01 28 Apr 2024
During Ainsworth's tenure, and at times while Marti was still bedding in, most people here (myself included) felt the playing squad was not fit for purpose and said so vociferously, with sprinklings of expletives of varying numbers and colours. It turns out, joyously, that reactionary thesis was completely wrong, and a good coach is more important than, seemingly, we all thought. Now the same people (myself included) are saying the Leeds game was our best performance for anything up to a decade.
Once we found a good coach, despite having some issues at times, I felt the turnaround in our form, especially defensively, and after the new recruits came in, would probably end well, and it did. (See also my poll from a few weeks back, which I think closed at around 70% saying we'd stay up.) [Post edited 28 Apr 21:02]
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Thread | Interesting BBC piece about Bristol City academy
at 20:22 28 Apr 2024
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68628932
Food for thought, especially with regard to their targets for Academy graduates in and/or about the first team squad on matchdays. It made me wonder what we are doing in terms of trying to emulate their model going forwards, e.g. by looking at what other clubs are doing so much more successfully than we have been (which is probably just about all of them).
Definitely a good question for Marti at the next Fans Forum, methinks, as to how he sees the current set-up and how it can be improved. [Post edited 28 Apr 20:25]
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Reply | Watch me rise up and leave, all the ashes you made out of me – Report
at 18:59 28 Apr 2024
Probably my favourite report of those I've read for its congenial and compelling emphasis on nostalgia/recovered childhood as the basis for footballing fandom, topped off with that poetic allusion to the Embrace song. The references to the writer's father and grandfather and sitting on the wall in Batman Close I found particularly touching. There are different generational layers of being a supporter, and we tend to take our aesthetic and affective footballing cues from the era in which we were first bitten by Rs love. For me, in the latter half of the 70s, it meant going up early for lunchtime reserve games before the main game, seats in the Paddock with my friend Tim Briggs, his dad Gordon, and his mostly silent Uncle Peter, post-match potatoes from the SAR chipper (whose patron's face is branded on my brain to this day) and James Alexander Gordon (no relation) with the final results in the snug car back to Bucks up the A40.
That's why, in my own case, I still long with an insatiable romantic ardour for the restoration of an open Loft terrace, a team dripping with swashbuckling flair, proper programmes with real news and stats, and players who stay with us for more than five minutes - counter-cultural, maybe, but the REAL thing in my little-boy-in-adult-clothing QPR world, however much the 'real' world dilutes and corrupts. In that way, in our different domains of 'old-fashionedness' (a term you used against me once that your piece might invite you to revisit), you and I are very alike, Clive.
At the same time, the lovely paradox is that 'it's time to make some new memories'. F*ck yes! The past is ever-present, but the future is blue and white. Keep believing! [Post edited 28 Apr 19:21]
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Reply | (No subject) (n/t)
at 22:23 26 Apr 2024
Have you seen ANYTHING in Armstrong's locker (in any/either position) on that basis?
His goal against Watford, and his assist for Paal v Coventry, if slim pickings, challenge your scepticism and support my view, I'd argue. There may or may not be a good player in there, but he's shown more as a wide forward/winger than a CF for sure, where he mostly bangs his head against a brick shithouse. |
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Reply | Better than Crystal Palace 6-0
at 22:07 26 Apr 2024
For me that eclipsed the 4-1 with Ray, Sints and Les in '92. The odds were far more stacked against us, yet we looked like it was with our eyes on automatic promo.
You absolute exasperating and astonishing bstard brilliant clusterf*ck of a club, Rangers. I want to have everyone's babies and then kill you all. |
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Reply | Marti-His Part in our Victory-match thread vs Weeds
at 22:02 26 Apr 2024
Best player on the pitch tonight, and could have had two or three. Eclipsed the lot of those Leeds starlets. Main worry now is that he's played himself to the top of their transfer target list and we do the wrong thing, cash in, and buy replacements at Lidl. |
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Reply | Marti-His Part in our Victory-match thread vs Weeds
at 21:02 26 Apr 2024
I noticed us doing that against Preston too more than I would have liked, and it does seem to give a truer picture of Marti's stated 'we always try to get another goal' schtick. |
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Reply | Steve Cook on the final 2 games
at 19:25 25 Apr 2024
I'm not gay, but the way Steve's top lip curls a little gaily into a proper heart shape gives my own heart the odd man-love flutter. |
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Reply | (No subject) (n/t)
at 19:20 25 Apr 2024
That's not much more than we paid for him if memory serves, and he's played/scored a few more times for his country (1 goal in 4 for Scotland) since then, even if we'd probably agree (whisper it) he's somehow declined for us in that time. I'd say 3m or thereabouts is not unrealistic, therefore, though I'd take 2m if Millwall or anyone comes calling. He's 28, isn't good enough, has lost his first team starting place, and isn't going to get any better. |
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Reply | (No subject) (n/t)
at 17:08 25 Apr 2024
You under-rate Colback imo, and also should give Dunne more credit for reinventing himself at right-back than criticism for being part of a basket-case of a team before Marti found the right berth for him, gave him the confidence to perform, and he did the rest.
As for JCS, I rest my case. You yourself acknowledge he's been part of a very good defence, so in footballing terms, moving him out would be robbing Peter to pay Paul, me old china. Or, to vary the metaphor, anything we may gain on the roundabouts (which I wouldn't be holding my breath about), we'll most emphatically lose on the swings. Even if we can somehow unearth one or two decent goalscorers, it's all the more important to keep and build on our defensive base. I'd far sooner sell one or more Paal, Field and Dykes if we can (and even all three), and then we definitely wouldn't need to offload JCS anyway.
You might be right that Willock, despite his improvements, hasn't done enough and isn't consistent enough to persuade Marti to keep him at all costs, or any costs, though I still want him to stay and shine with an electric Chair. It wasn't more than a year or two back that he was looking like the best in the Champ in his position under Warburton before the manager lost his mojo.
In the end, it'll be down to Marti and the Board, of course, as to what they think we need and can afford. In any event, whoever does or doesn't go out, I think we'll need a minimum of 5-6 new players: an upwardly mobile (or just mobile) goalkeeper, a goalscoring midfielder, a terrier-cum-enforcer (for when Colback is injured/ineligible), a winger upgrade on Smyth, and two goalscorers. Anything less than that little lot and we'll be treading water at best, if not taking it onboard. [Post edited 25 Apr 17:11]
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Reply | Next season - 4 key players for us to keep
at 16:50 25 Apr 2024
I don't want a loaned-in strikeforce any more. Assuming we're institutionally incapable as a club of bringing through a single credible Championship forward, we need to buy at least two and quite possibly three strikers (especially if one or more of Armstrong, Frey and Kolli leave/go out on loan) we can bed in and make ours for the foreseeable. No more excuses. This is supposed to be a professional football club, not the f*cking Cub Scouts.
PS Could the usual suspects please give up with their relentlessly dualistic/black and white 'sell everyone and somehow improve' vs 'fail/forget about FFP' polemics. No one, whatever appearances, fantasies or reputations may seem to argue to the contrary, is talking about the club bankrupting itself, obviously. It's about finding a third way between the devil and the deep blue sea, a lot of which is a matter of OPINION about players and transfers! That's right, OPINION! Some people can think me reckless or romantic at times if it helps them to feel better, and that's fine by me if adds fuel to the fire, but the (usually ill-informed and at best speculative) self-righteousness and dogmatics of some posters on the topic is imo worse. [Post edited 25 Apr 16:52]
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Reply | Palace put price tag on Eze
at 13:45 25 Apr 2024
'The players are happy at Palace and are keen to make sure that any potential move is one that benefits them, with a particular focus on picking a team that will allow them to show their ability on the ball and demonstrate their attacking flair.'
No shit Sherlock! Which of their BBC journalists is trained to write this bollocks? Sounds like it's come straight off an AI platform. |
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Reply | (No subject) (n/t)
at 13:13 25 Apr 2024
Some decent comment there, topped off with a dollop of suicidal folly. Selling JCS without even replacing him with anyone would be utter madness, given that it's blindingly obvious his partnership with Cook has been the main base and wellspring of our Marti-led resurrection. I would definitely keep them together (and promote Cook to captain) if we want to try to do anything next year. You also seem to have this weird idea of selling him 'pre-emptively' because he might be injured next year. Unless you have some kind of Champ-tuned crystal ball, I'd call that crystal bollocks, sir.
Your remarks about Willock, while perhaps somewhat understandable to many of us given everyone's frustrations with him at various times, strike me as quite sour. If you'd even begrudge him a new contract on his existing terms, then essentially you'd be forcing him (and any player) out. He has his flaws and failings for sure, but I think there have been real signs of late that the old Willock might in decent flashes now be back. If he has 100% buy-in for next season, and Marti feels he can trust him, he should stay on similar terms at least if he'll accept them.
Chair's season has blown hot and cold, and this flummoxing legal case surely now needs to be resolved. For me, re his best position, he has always been a marauding number 10, playing just behind the attack. Part of the problem is that, because we haven't actually had an attack worthy of the name this season, he's been over-stressed and over-elaborating and pulled here, there and everywhere. With a more defined role, and more astute selflessness, he's a real asset at this level. What worries me about him is, I suspect, like Adel and like Stan, he's not very coachable.
I still think, or want to think, that Armstrong could come good (or at least better), but Marti and everyone need to understand he is NOT (and I think never will be) a centre forward, but a WINGER, and needs to be developed as one. If we keep trying to force him to be our non-scoring, free-fouling no.9, he'll just get more and more frustrated. His strengths are stretching and frightening full backs, using his pace, skinning his man, and crossing or cutting in. A sound loan in that vein for half a season at least could really help bring him on.
Not quite sure why you feel we're 'stuck with' Colback, when he's been a big part of our reawakening after an admittedly dubious, fitful and fretful start. (Ditto your mealy-mouthed words about Dunne, who's by common consent been terrific in recent games as a converted right-back.) Was MOTM for me against Preston, and he's been a tenacious asset in other games too, despite his bookability. With a bit more quality around him, he has at a decent year or two left in him at this level, I think. No issues with his contract at all, therefore.
Andersen is, as you say, a bit of a riddle - he floats like a butterfly, and more often than not stings like one. But he has a languid quality with a footballing brain, will get fitter, and no one is likely to whisk him away anyway as he's only been here five minutes. Just how influential he can be with a run of games next year only he and Marti will know, but we at least want to find out.
Cannon is less of an enigma, more annoyingly underwhelming and apparently injury-prone. Even turning himself into a loose cannon would be an improvement. Needs to show some (cannon)balls, light a fuse or two, and if he can't, be shipped back to the US.
I'm not in with the hate for Bergovic, however hard he is to love, but his age is clearly against him, and we need to hunt for a good, up-and-coming, talkative stopper (without Chelscum links), and get him off the wage bill.
I know this will upset many, but Field I would also entertain bids on, as i think he's one of our more replaceable assets. I assume he wants to stay, but I would take £3m for sure, as long as (most of) it was sensibly reinvested.
Paal is ultimately not good enough for me, flatters to deceive, and was at sixes and sevens both defensively and offensively against Preston, and if he can't/won't improve, could and I suspect should be replaced, though I think we should also look at our own squad first, e.g. Larkeche, if so.
The biggest need this summer is to get Dykes off the books for as much as we can claw back for him. He's a Scottish international, and should command a fee of at least 3m, even with his low goal tally, and surely he'd be happy with a move back to the Scottish Prem. Kolli then needs to compete for his jersey with at least one, and probably two, incoming strikers. (I don't see Frey, on the basis of what he's (not) shown already, as being part of the picture.)
Apologies for/to anyone I've missed! [Post edited 25 Apr 13:28]
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Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 764 | | Comment Votes: | -3 | | Prediction League: | 0 | | TOTAL: | 761 |
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