Blimey. I'd love to be as optimistic as you ..
Looking at how anemic the squad looks right now, the starting lineup and bench yesterday showed it and worried me ... it is OK if our fans have confidence the recruitment team is doing their job and bringing in the reinforcements we need, but it appears throughout the window so far, we have lost out to every main attacking targets or there are struggles going on and on to the point we are looking at 2nd,3rd,4th choice. Things have dragged, then the loss of Tavernier compounded things further
We have profited from the sales of Tav and Spence and weeks ago people were expecting far more progress by now regarding; incomings .. there was an air of positivity and real expectation, I can't believe how much it's changed
Muniz/Hoppe will be in next week by the looks of things, but along with Forss, etc .. these are all unproven players we're gambling on doing the job. To complete the window there are another couple of areas we need to strengthen when we take injuries, etc into account .. though well done Forss getting a goal yesterday. Shame it couldn't have been in better circumstances
I thought the window started so well with the arrival of Steffen, Giles (who looks excellent), and Lenihan (who was beyond a joke yesterday, though) .. but since, if anything it feels we are weaker as a squad in midfield and upfront right now, far too weak if people are expecting promotion, seriously??. . I didn't for a second think I would see Akpom in a Boro shirt again under Chris Wilder, though he has played alright to be fair while we have needed him
I guess once the window closes it may turn out we have done business where it needed to be done, though we have left it late ... I think the arrivals of Muniz/Hoppe will be about it but we need upgrades in midfield after losing Tav, and I aren't seeing any progress where that is concerned reading around online and elsewhere.
If we make a profit on Spence/Tavernier at least a significant portion of the fees should be put on a like-for-like replacement otherwise what, are we just a feeder club happy being mid-table in the second tier???
This Larsen thing sounded exciting but now not happening. Apparently, us refusing to pay the little extra they wanted, even if they went back on their word last minute why not just pay what they wanted?? He seems an excellent player.
We could end up with a decent squad once the window closes, but top 3 .. there's no way that is happening with this squad ha ha
Drag up my post at the end of the season if we finish top-three, even top-six! I will apologise
The only thing that encourages me though is the amount of service the strikers will have to feed off with Giles, he is even better than I was expecting, and wish we owned him. If Jones gets going too, then it could get interesting. Even our Nanna could score at least 15 a season with that kind of back up
I will make a prediction now though. Crooks will end up our top scorer again, and Wilder won't be here, come the end of the season. We will finish the top half though.