Four new strikers is too many

jonny_greenings_sock

Well-known member
Anyone else think there’s too much turnover of players, and it’s going to cost us this season?

I know we’re forced into it given the state of the forward line last season. Nobody would have kept any of them. All the new signings so far have been improvements.

But… I don’t think you can buy half a new team, after the season has started, and expect them to gel immediately for a real promotion push.

Strikers in particular, bringing in one is a risk because they cost so much. Bringing in 3/4 (if the Watmore rumours are true) and expecting them to magically fit the team straightaway, just doesn’t seem realistic.

For me, we’re trying to replace too many key players at once - Tav, GK, entire left side, entire forward line and their backups. Promotion teams are usually a solid unit of players who’ve been together for a few years and build towards it - I can’t think of many teams who’ve brought in an entire new forward line and got promoted.

Thoughts?
 
Anyone else think there’s too much turnover of players, and it’s going to cost us this season?

I know we’re forced into it given the state of the forward line last season. Nobody would have kept any of them. All the new signings so far have been improvements.

But… I don’t think you can buy half a new team, after the season has started, and expect them to gel immediately for a real promotion push.

Strikers in particular, bringing in one is a risk because they cost so much. Bringing in 3/4 (if the Watmore rumours are true) and expecting them to magically fit the team straightaway, just doesn’t seem realistic.

For me, we’re trying to replace too many key players at once - Tav, GK, entire left side, entire forward line and their backups. Promotion teams are usually a solid unit of players who’ve been together for a few years and build towards it - I can’t think of many teams who’ve brought in an entire new forward line and got promoted.

Thoughts?
Forest were on the floor when their manager arrived
It can be done if the manager and team around him create belief and a structure for the team
 
I’m sure that CW assessment of the side in the summer was that we were never going to be a promotion force unless we conducted a complete overhaul.

Granted a full overhaul probably would take between 2-4 transfer windows but given we’ve had somewhat of a cash windfall there’s an opportunity to do that now.

Let’s face realities, our first 11 from season (baring maybe Jones, Djksteel and perhaps one or two others) punched about their weight, perhaps the PNE result proved that.

I believe that CW has the staff to integrate the new players moreover the league seems weaker more now than anytime in the last 4 - 5 seasons so there’s a unique opportunity for automatic promotion.
 
I agree that we need 4, and totally agree that it’s a unique chance to get promoted. The relegated teams are poor, we’ve got a top manager and bags of cash.

Not sure what can be done about it but I’m not confident that anyone can bring in - with Steffen, Giles, Tav replacement and 3 strikers - what would be 6 new first team players, the spine of a new team basically, and get them purring quickly enough to be a proper promotion team. It’s frustrating, because it’s a great chance to go up this season. I’m confident in everything apart from the 11 players on the pitch.
 
I wouldn't be against one of either Akpom or Watmore staying, meaning we'll only need to bring in another three strikers but after Saturday's performance I think Watmore should only be used as a substitute.
 
I think the bigger 'issue' is turning over 4 CFs once the season has started. This is the worst part of this and the bit Wilder will be ripping his hair out over.

They won't have a pre season under Wilder. Also almost 'learning on the job' in actual games. We've started a front 2 on Saturday that arguably won't even be here in 3 weeks.

Oh and Where's Uche? Still on holiday? I'm presuming we are still paying him. How's he not got a loan or a perm?

I actually think 4 could be a problem.

I thought Balogun and Connally threw us a bit. It seemed weeks until Balogun got upto speed (Connally never did).

Yet we are no worse than any other champo side. Nobody is signing anyone. We are at least looking for 'quality'👍
 
Balogun and Connolly definitely threw us. So did the loans (Fulham lad and Bolasie) from January with Pulis, it takes a bit of time for strikers to settle.

Good point as well that if you’re signing four strikers, it’s a hard sell sitting in a room with them trying to get them to sign a contract saying “Well Marcus, you’ll be third choice if we get Muniz and Armstrong, or maybe 2nd, could be 4th if we get the other one.”

Lot of upheaval.
 
Good point as well that if you’re signing four strikers, it’s a hard sell sitting in a room with them trying to get them to sign a contract saying “Well Marcus, you’ll be third choice if we get Muniz and Armstrong, or maybe 2nd, could be 4th if we get the other one.”

Lot of upheaval.

When you play with 2 strikers, it's a lot easier, I think.

Add to that there are now 5 subs.

It's not ideal to try and bring in and bed in 3-4 new strikers, but I don't think we have much of a choice.
 
Wholesale changes in a dept that is dysfunctional is unlikely to leave us worse off. Just hope we don't end up with a load of loanees who rarely get properly stuck in.
 
I think we would have been a lot further forward with our squad development had Neil Warnock still be in charge, we might we'll have kept Tav also 👍
 
I think you're perhaps stressing unnecessarily. The chances of us bringing in 4 strikers is close to zero. I'll be happy if we manage to bag a couple before the window drops on our fingers.
 
I wonder if the notion of being a starter - especially up front - may be changing a bit. You only have to look at the England Women's team to see that subs are an integral part of the game plan, not just something you turn to if things aren't working. Not being a starter doesn't necessarily have to mean you're somehow of lesser value, just that your role is different. This is especially true with the increase in the number of subs being used.

Whether that's an easy thing to sell to a potential signing is another matter, but it seems to me that's the way the game's going.
 
When we went up under Karanka we changed 3 out of 4 strikers from the year previous. Bamford, Tomlin, Vossen out; Nugent, Stuani in. By Jan Kike had gone and Rhodes came in.

I don't think it matters as long as you are getting the players you want and the manager wants them.

I get the feeling that last Jan Wilder was so desperate for something he just took whatever was on offer and had to make do. Hopefully this time he gets players he actually wants.
 
I wonder if the notion of being a starter - especially up front - may be changing a bit. You only have to look at the England Women's team to see that subs are an integral part of the game plan, not just something you turn to if things aren't working. Not being a starter doesn't necessarily have to mean you're somehow of lesser value, just that your role is different. This is especially true with the increase in the number of subs being used.

Whether that's an easy thing to sell to a potential signing is another matter, but it seems to me that's the way the game's going.
i can see that happening where before as fourth choice striker, you had little chance of playing, but with the subs change you may end with teams using 2 strikers first half going at full throttle, and then another pairing 2nd half doing the same, so teams will ask their strikers to use more higher energy bursts over shorter periods. I really hate the subs rule change it was not needed at all and will change the dynamics of the game.
 
Is this season out of any the best to do it? Come the World Cup it’ll be like another mini pre season before the season starts again. Plenty of time to work with players not going.
It's going to be quite disruptive for teams, as they will get that 1 month off then 2 weeks later the transfer window will open and new players will come in again. That could see one or two teams fall off a cliff and one or two teams power through depending on how that mini-pre-season and early transfer activity goes.
 
Fuchs and fjortoft came in when Hendrie and Wilkinson stopped scoring

Branca, Armstrong and Ricard came in when Beck and Merson's goals dried up

Didn't we sign Boksic, Job and Whelan in the same Summer transfer window too?
 
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