Brutally honest, forget its me posting this - who is disappointed in our transfers ?

[Turkish]

In the earlier pre-season games. The whole idea of pre-season is to get ready for the season, especially the first game.

 

And if you cannot see the psychological boost that the first win gives, and the best time therefore to get it is the first game, I dont know what else to say to you.

 

And if they do well like Oxlainde Chamberlain,Reeves, Martin and Raccine have should they then be dropped or should they be kept faith in? Like they were today?

 

We didn't win today no, but you weren't there, for the first hour we were as good as if not better than Reading, without 4 OF OUR BEST PLAYERS. it was only when both teams started making a raft of subs and we brought kids on that Reading scored 2 goals, so the first XI which could potentially start next week was as good as a side which will likely finish top half of the CCC. If you cannot see the pschological boost that gives to the team i dont know what else to say to you.

[RobM]

No problem with the current squad size, yet claim it lacks depth? Contradiction if ever i heard one.

 

To be fair, it is possible to have a squad size that's absolutely fine but still not enough depth. Do you see Pulis being a valuable member of the team this season? He contributes to the squad numbers, but offers no quality or support to any position and wont get used. So the number is fine, but we could still do with getting rid of a couple and bringing some more useful players in. One bad out + one good in and you have the same squad size but it's more useful and therefore has more depth.

 

We have definitely improved since last season, which is a damn good thing. And we have improved in areas we really needed to improve in, such as RB, which is great. But IMO we are still a few players short (CM, winger, quality first choice striker). I also truly believe we should be playing our ideal, first 11 as much as possible during pre-season so by the time the start of the season is here, they are already used to each other and on a roll.

[alpine_saint]

And if they do well like Oxlainde Chamberlain,Reeves, Martin and Raccine have should they then be dropped or should they be kept faith in? Like they were today?

 

We didn't win today no, but you weren't there, for the first hour we were as good as if not better than Reading, without 4 OF OUR BEST PLAYERS. it was only when both teams started making a raft of subs and we brought kids on that Reading scored 2 goals, so the first XI which could potentially start next week was as good as a side which will likely finish top half of the CCC. If you cannot see the pschological boost that gives to the team i dont know what else to say to you.

 

I thought we were only talking about giving them a bit of experience ?

 

Look, I have no problem with, for example, AOC playing today if AP thinks hes done enough to get a start or at least a bench place next Saturday. Otherwise, TODAY it was a waste of time, imo.

 

Todays team should have looked as much like the team for next Saturday as possible. If Lallana aint fit now, then whoever played his role today (Mills ?) should start next Saturday and given the chance to keep his place, giving Adam more fitness time.

 

I do not see the point in playing a team today with tactics that does not mirror that which will play in the first game. As someone else has already said, there is a good chance that the team that is fielded against Plymouth will not only not have played together yet, but most of the players wont have played 90mins yet. That for me, intuitively, is wrong..

[Viking Warrior]

I cannot make a comment on Pulis as I have never seen him play I did go to a couple of reserve games last season but do not recall him playing

 

AP must see something in him to have put him on the bench today and then give him a run out. If he is bad as a number of you are suggesting then he would have been told he had no future at the club.

I suspect the coaches see that he has an awful lot of potential.

 

Can we get an honest opinion on Pulis from those that have regularly seen him play. Please

[alpine_saint]

To be fair, it is possible to have a squad size that's absolutely fine but still not enough depth. Do you see Pulis being a valuable member of the team this season? He contributes to the squad numbers, but offers no quality or support to any position and wont get used. So the number is fine, but we could still do with getting rid of a couple and bringing some more useful players in. One bad out + one good in and you have the same squad size but it's more useful and therefore has more depth.

 

We have definitely improved since last season, which is a damn good thing. And we have improved in areas we really needed to improve in, such as RB, which is great. But IMO we are still a few players short (CM, winger, quality first choice striker). I also truly believe we should be playing our ideal, first 11 as much as possible during pre-season so by the time the start of the season is here, they are already used to each other and on a roll.

 

Well written. Its what I think, but without all the antagonism.

[Turkish]

To be fair, it is possible to have a squad size that's absolutely fine but still not enough depth. Do you see Pulis being a valuable member of the team this season? He contributes to the squad numbers, but offers no quality or support to any position and wont get used. So the number is fine, but we could still do with getting rid of a couple and bringing some more useful players in. One bad out + one good in and you have the same squad size but it's more useful and therefore has more depth.

 

We have definitely improved since last season, which is a damn good thing. And we have improved in areas we really needed to improve in, such as RB, which is great. But IMO we are still a few players short (CM, winger, quality first choice striker). I also truly believe we should be playing our ideal, first 11 as much as possible during pre-season so by the time the start of the season is here, they are already used to each other and on a roll.

 

No one disagrees with this, but AS & CEC keep banging on about all the players we have let go, when the only two that matter are Antonio and Waigo, who were both bit part players last season. I firmly believe a squad of 20-24 good players is far better than 35 average ones, but some on here seem to think qunatity is all that matters and that we should sign someone, anyone, as long as we make a signing. I totall agree with AP's comments last week, we dont want to make a signing only for a better player to become available. We are fortunate to be in the position where we can have our pick of some of the best players in the lower leagues and maybe even CCC, so why would we rush into it?

[SFKA South Woodford]

'First eleven' as in what you call the first eleven, i'd agree is stronger, but only down to the acquisition of the fall backs.

 

My first eleven would not have Puncheon in it, but Antonio, so from that point I think we are weaker in the midfield than last season. I know that you'll say that Antonio is unproven and goes missing in matches, but from what I saw of Puncheon he is equally guilty of going missing in matches, he was f*cking dogsh*t against both Swindon and Oldham at St Marys but brilliant against Walsall and Huddersfield, and average in most of his other games. Antonio always looked capable of scaring the opposition player and causing a slip or chasing down a ball that Puncheon wouldn't have a hope of getting too. The fact that Antonio is now consistently producing the goods at a higher level with Reading says to me that a lot of people weren't really paying attention to his abilities last season and don't give him the credit his performances deserve, the same goes for Waigo, without the two of them we wouldn't have won the JPT and I doubt very much whether only being able to finish in sixth place with two games left to play would have been enough to keep Pardew in his job.

 

Without the two of them we would have had many more Oldham's, such as the Stockport game where it was only Papa's introduction that saw us get the points, and without adequate replacements for them there'll be a lot more frustration this season.

 

So when exactly will some of you start to worry about dropping points if for the first few months of the season you say you wont be worried? We don't have an easy start to the season, playing teams who will be expecting to be in the play offs and those that have something to prove having come up a division especially against a perceived 'big' team such as Saints, so dropping points against those sides could be damaging both in terms of surrendering ground and the belief in the squad. Make no mistake we will need every point and have to fight for every one of them, and I for one agree with Alpine when he says that we are not currently strong enough to achieve that.

[alpine_saint]

No one disagrees with this, but AS & CEC keep banging on about all the players we have let go, when the only two that matter are Antonio and Waigo, who were both bit part players last season. I firmly believe a squad of 20-24 good players is far better than 35 average ones, but some on here seem to think qunatity is all that matters and that we should sign someone, anyone, as long as we make a signing. I totall agree with AP's comments last week, we dont want to make a signing only for a better player to become available. We are fortunate to be in the position where we can have our pick of some of the best players in the lower leagues and maybe even CCC, so why would we rush into it?

 

Rubbish. You havent heard me bang on about the players we've released. I agreed with almost all of them. I am banging on about Antonio and Papa (who I dont feel were bit players), and lack of cover for Morgan.

 

You need to read what I write a bit more carefully and stop misrepresenting my opinion.

[Turkish]

I thought we were only talking about giving them a bit of experience ?

 

Look, I have no problem with, for example, AOC playing today if AP thinks hes done enough to get a start or at least a bench place next Saturday. Otherwise, TODAY it was a waste of time, imo.

 

Todays team should have looked as much like the team for next Saturday as possible. If Lallana aint fit now, then whoever played his role today (Mills ?) should start next Saturday and given the chance to keep his place, giving Adam more fitness time.

 

I do not see the point in playing a team today with tactics that does not mirror that which will play in the first game. As someone else has already said, there is a good chance that the team that is fielded against Plymouth will not only not have played together yet, but most of the players wont have played 90mins yet. That for me, intuitively, is wrong..

 

The starting XI today probably will be the start XI next week, if the missing 4 are still not fit. They all did very well.

[alpine_saint]

The starting XI today probably will be the start XI next week, if the missing 4 are still not fit. They all did very well.

 

Then that XI will not win, and may even lose. My opinion, for what its worth.

[RobM]

I agree with the sentiment, but how long do you wait? There will always be a better player that comes along after you make a signing, so how long do you wait? If you have somebody very specific in mind then wait, definitely. But we learnt the hard way last season that not preparing with your actual starting lineup can hurt you. We also learnt that points dropped in the first 10 games will be sorely missed at the end of the season. So with one pre-season game left, I would have hoped that we would have brought at least the winger in by now.

 

We have two good strikers in Barnard and Connolly, who on their own will get goals and with Lambert will be better still. It's not as good as I want, but I'm not panicking.

We have plenty of midfielders to choose from too. We are short of one quality CM, but we have enough quality and a mix of playing styles that will mean a new signing wont result in us having to learn how to play through them from scratch.

 

But a winger we need now. This position really affects that way we attack, how we cover opposition attacks and how and where we spread the ball. I fear without preparation, a new winger wont be brought into the game at the start of their time here, while others are getting used to the change. And we don't have anybody who can really provide quality cover in this position, so it's not like we can make do for now.

 

In an ideal world I wanted us to really go after Antonio regardless of cost (to a point).

[Turkish]

'First eleven' as in what you call the first eleven, i'd agree is stronger, but only down to the acquisition of the fall backs.

 

My first eleven would not have Puncheon in it, but Antonio, so from that point I think we are weaker in the midfield than last season. I know that you'll say that Antonio is unproven and goes missing in matches, but from what I saw of Puncheon he is equally guilty of going missing in matches, he was f*cking dogsh*t against both Swindon and Oldham at St Marys but brilliant against Walsall and Huddersfield, and average in most of his other games. Antonio always looked capable of scaring the opposition player and causing a slip or chasing down a ball that Puncheon wouldn't have a hope of getting too. The fact that Antonio is now consistently producing the goods at a higher level with Reading says to me that a lot of people weren't really paying attention to his abilities last season and don't give him the credit his performances deserve, the same goes for Waigo, without the two of them we wouldn't have won the JPT and I doubt very much whether only being able to finish in sixth place with two games left to play would have been enough to keep Pardew in his job.

 

Without the two of them we would have had many more Oldham's, such as the Stockport game where it was only Papa's introduction that saw us get the points, and without adequate replacements for them there'll be a lot more frustration this season.

 

So when exactly will some of you start to worry about dropping points if for the first few months of the season you say you wont be worried? We don't have an easy start to the season, playing teams who will be expecting to be in the play offs and those that have something to prove having come up a division especially against a perceived 'big' team such as Saints, so dropping points against those sides could be damaging both in terms of surrendering ground and the belief in the squad. Make no mistake we will need every point and have to fight for every one of them, and I for one agree with Alpine when he says that we are not currently strong enough to achieve that.

 

?????? He has been a sub for most of preseason and only started once i beleive. Hardly 'consistantly producing the goods at a higher level' you might be able to make that comment in January but not after a couple of sub appearances in preseason.

 

I would have Puncheon over Antonio every day of the week, technically he is a far better player, he may be great one day and not so good the next but has the abilty to create something from nothing or score a great goal which IMO Antonio does not have yet. I like Antonio and hoped we could keep him, but Puncheon is a better player at the moment.

[Turkish]

I agree with the sentiment, but how long do you wait? There will always be a better player that comes along after you make a signing, so how long do you wait? If you have somebody very specific in mind then wait, definitely. But we learnt the hard way last season that not preparing with your actual starting lineup can hurt you. We also learnt that points dropped in the first 10 games will be sorely missed at the end of the season. So with one pre-season game left, I would have hoped that we would have brought at least the winger in by now.

 

We have two good strikers in Barnard and Connolly, who on their own will get goals and with Lambert will be better still. It's not as good as I want, but I'm not panicking.

We have plenty of midfielders to choose from too. We are short of one quality CM, but we have enough quality and a mix of playing styles that will mean a new signing wont result in us having to learn how to play through them from scratch.

 

But a winger we need now. This position really affects that way we attack, how we cover opposition attacks and how and where we spread the ball. I fear without preparation, a new winger wont be brought into the game at the start of their time here, while others are getting used to the change. And we don't have anybody who can really provide quality cover in this position, so it's not like we can make do for now.

 

In an ideal world I wanted us to really go after Antonio regardless of cost (to a point).

 

We only have until the end of August so not that long! What would you all say if for example Chris Lines, then Stock, Danns or Howard became available a week later and we didn't go for them because we had signed Lines?

[Turkish]

Then that XI will not win, and may even lose. My opinion, for what its worth.

 

From what i saw today that XI would beat most L1 sides at SMS. IMO of course.

[alpine_saint]

From what i saw today that XI would beat most L1 sides at SMS. IMO of course.

 

Well, we shall find out in less than a week. Fingers crossed.

[Nolan]

Why ?

 

The same thing has been said for two months.

 

because in the latter half of August it will become apparent who might not make the cut when all clubs have to announce their 25 man squad of over 21's. They'll be some Premiership players who aren't named in their squads that will be loaned to Championship squads. They'll be some Championship players who are in turn forced out and will go out to League one squads.

 

The new squad rule, makes this possibly the most tactical season ever. Its worth waiting to make sure other clubs don't get the options of available higher league players just because we've bought early.

[RobM]

We only have until the end of August so not that long! What would you all say if for example Chris Lines, then Stock, Danns or Howard became available a week later and we didn't go for them because we had signed Lines?

 

I'd be disappointed for sure, they would certainly improve the squad. But they aren't the only quality players in their position and IMO, you have to get to a stage where you draw a line under your dream signing and find somebody else, get them in and get them and the team used to each other.

 

If they aren't available now, should we not sign anyone in those positions until January? What about the quality we're missing between now and then? And what if we sign them at the end of August, what about the games before then? There are 12 points available in August and we need to give ourselves every opportunity to get all 12... that should be the aim.

 

I have to be honest and say I don't know the individual circumstances of each of the players you mention, but what makes them available or not? Is it not up to the club to offer the right price and package to secure them? Then if their current club doesn't want to sell or expects more than we will/can pay, we should move on and find somebody else.

[alpine_saint]

because in the latter half of August it will become apparent who might not make the cut when all clubs have to announce their 25 man squad of over 21's. They'll be some Premiership players who aren't named in their squads that will be loaned to Championship squads. They'll be some Championship players who are in turn forced out and will go out to League one squads.

 

The new squad rule, makes this possibly the most tactical season ever. Its worth waiting to make sure other clubs don't get the options of available higher league players just because we've bought early.

 

Hmmmmm. I think the game of "Chicken" has gone on long enough, to be frank...

[dune]

Hmmmmm. I think the game of "Chicken" has gone on long enough, to be frank...

 

I bet (in my day) i'd beat anyone on here at that - i got hit lol.

[SaintBobby]

I think we can be sure that AP is going to deepen the squad. He has said so in an interview this evening, I believe - that we need 2 or 3 more players.

 

He is addressing the central midfield problem - witness the trial for Carter. Ok, he hasn't solved it necessarily, but he is clearly addressing it.

 

Also, while it would be ideal to sign players earlier, let's not throw a hissy fit about it. If the new players all arrive on the last day of August, that's not ideal from a footballing point of view, but it's not a disaster either.

 

The deadine for new signings - or judging whether and how many new signings we will make - is empahtically NOT August 7th.

[Turkish]

I'd be disappointed for sure, they would certainly improve the squad. But they aren't the only quality players in their position and IMO, you have to get to a stage where you draw a line under your dream signing and find somebody else, get them in and get them and the team used to each other.

 

If they aren't available now, should we not sign anyone in those positions until January? What about the quality we're missing between now and then? And what if we sign them at the end of August, what about the games before then? There are 12 points available in August and we need to give ourselves every opportunity to get all 12... that should be the aim.

 

I have to be honest and say I don't know the individual circumstances of each of the players you mention, but what makes them available or not? Is it not up to the club to offer the right price and package to secure them? Then if their current club doesn't want to sell or expects more than we will/can pay, we should move on and find somebody else.

 

They were only examples i used, look at Darren Carter, a player who has played premier league and suddenly available, what is to say that Newcastle sign a player which means Kevin nolan joins Norwich which means Wes hoolihan is available? Again just an example but it can happen. I agree with not panic buyng and our squad at the moment is good enough to get through august with a significant points tally. We do need to add for the whole season though,be that loans or permenant deals.

[Thorpe-le-Saint]

If we smash Plymouth next week I hope posters are man enough to accept that they were wrong etc and vice versa...

[dune]

Dunno, not taken any notice, after 10 games i'llknow if we're ****, good or average.

[RobM]

If we smash Plymouth next week I hope posters are man enough to accept that they were wrong etc and vice versa...

 

Wrong about what? I've not read anybody saying we're crap, going to lose, don't stand a chance, will definitely get beat or anything like that? I've not read all 13 pages though to be fair!

[dune]

If we smash Plymouth next week I hope posters are man enough to accept that they were wrong etc and vice versa...

 

A game of the season may just be a game, but a season of games be the games of the season.

[alpine_saint]

If we smash Plymouth next week I hope posters are man enough to accept that they were wrong etc and vice versa...

 

Of course. I will be the first to admit it.

[SaintBobby]

If we smash Plymouth next week I hope posters are man enough to accept that they were wrong etc and vice versa...

 

Not me. I expect us to win the league (or at least come second) even if we play badly against Plymouth and lose 3-0.

 

Norwich lost their first game 7-1 at home last season and stormed the league.

 

It's hard to see what could realistically happen until about game 7 or 8 at the earliest for most people to change their initial position.

 

Basically, I think the evidence I have to base my prediction on now isn't going to be out-trumped by 90 minutes of football next week.

[alpine_saint]

I think we can be sure that AP is going to deepen the squad. He has said so in an interview this evening, I believe - that we need 2 or 3 more players.

 

He is addressing the central midfield problem - witness the trial for Carter. Ok, he hasn't solved it necessarily, but he is clearly addressing it.

 

Also, while it would be ideal to sign players earlier, let's not throw a hissy fit about it. If the new players all arrive on the last day of August, that's not ideal from a footballing point of view, but it's not a disaster either.

 

The deadine for new signings - or judging whether and how many new signings we will make - is empahtically NOT August 7th.

 

There are 12 points to play for in August. Will you still feel that way if we fail to get most of them because the first team is stretched to thin because of injuries ?

[SaintBobby]

There are 12 points to play for in August. Will you still feel that way if we fail to get most of them because the first team is stretched to thin because of injuries ?

 

Quite probably. If we play well, get a bit unlucky, but still secure say W 1 D 2 L 1 and then sign 3-4 really good players on August 30th (example: Vassell, Stock, Danns, Antonio), then I reckon I would feel the same way. Yes.

 

FWIW, in reality, I reckon:

 

a. Our record in August will be better than this

b. Our signings will arrive earlier than this

c. Our signings wont be as good as the 4 I listed

[westofshannonsaint]

I think everyone is agreed that the main players we are looking for are a back up striker "in the mould of Lambert" and a CM with pace and an eye for goal, proven players that wdajfu in the championship at a price (including wage demands) that allows us to run at a profit/break even.

 

these players do not become available to L1 clubs very often. we have cut our reduced and wage bill and still and made room for these players to come in when they do become available, or at least are contrabute to the wages of a loanee.

 

Antonio and Papa were both here on loan here last year, Reading have obviously decided to retain Antonio, and Papa wasn't retained - read somewhere he didn't get on with AP.

 

from what I have seen/read our "ones for the future" are being signed to the academy & and permanent signing will be an improvement to the first team. There is no point in signing a L1 standard player on a 3 year contract when we expect to be in the npc(?) next year, or a player who is just playing for a contract (remember Saga???).

 

When you consider how well Pardew did in the loan market it's not inconceivable to think that we will look to the loan market again, especially when you take the new PL squad rules into account.

 

our squad on the first day of this season is better than at the start of last & if we had a better start last year, we would have finished in the playoffs - at least. I expect the squad to be improved throughout the season and if the same rate of improvement continues, we will finish the 10/11 season with a better team than we had at the same time in 09/10 and promoted.

 

IN NC/AP/ML I TRUST

[dune]

There are 12 points to play for in August. Will you still feel that way if we fail to get most of them because the first team is stretched to thin because of injuries ?

 

Alps if you ever decided to come over for a game give me a shout cos it's be a ****ing scream to go to footie with you. I'd get you ****ing hammered and it'd be comedy gold. Serious offer btw mate.

[Turkish]

Alps if you ever decided to come over for a game give me a shout cos it's be a ****ing scream to go to footie with you. I'd get you ****ing hammered and it'd be comedy gold. Serious offer btw mate.

 

Count me in for that too, seriously!!!

[Saint Charlie]

Alpine Saint - You are (almost) singlehandedly ruining the enjoyment of his forum for so many people. Don't express your opinion on EVERY thread. We know what you think by now!! And you hardly ever see the games you have such a strong and overreactive opinion about. Maybe we should set you up a sticky to talk to yourself....because nearly everyone else is sick to death of you!

 

(Nothing personal, but echoing what others have said or would wish to say!)

[Turkish]

Alpine Saint - You are (almost) singlehandedly ruining the enjoyment of his forum for so many people. Don't express your opinion on EVERY thread. We know what you think by now!! And you hardly ever see the games you have such a strong and overreactive opinion about. Maybe we should set you up a sticky to talk to yourself....because nearly everyone else is sick to death of you!

 

(Nothing personal, but echoing what others have said or would wish to say!)

 

 

I disagree, i think he adds to the enjoyment. Life is all about opinions, AS might be the Victor Meldrew of TSF but not everyone laughs at Benny Hill, if you get my drift??

[Saint Charlie]

I disagree, i think he adds to the enjoyment. Life is all about opinions, AS might be the Victor Meldrew of TSF but not everyone laughs at Benny Hill, if you get my drift??

 

All for disagreements and he makes some good points, its the frequency of it thats the issue! Every thread becomes a moan fest!

[mitch01]

?????? He has been a sub for most of preseason and only started once i beleive. Hardly 'consistantly producing the goods at a higher level' you might be able to make that comment in January but not after a couple of sub appearances in preseason.

 

I would have Puncheon over Antonio every day of the week, technically he is a far better player, he may be great one day and not so good the next but has the abilty to create something from nothing or score a great goal which IMO Antonio does not have yet. I like Antonio and hoped we could keep him, but Puncheon is a better player at the moment.

 

I agree, Antonio was good, but I never thought he was as good as Lallana or Puncheon. Its only now he's gone people have a bit of an inflated opinion of him. I would have liked for us to sign him as he's got potential, but its by no means a disaster that he's gone, there are other finds out there for Pardew and his scouting team to make.

[tttdcs]

I wish Alpine Saint supported another team. Thats how much he irritates me he's a tit of the highest order.

 

He does ! Just ignore the ***t !

[alpine_saint]

If the lack of transfer activity is really purely down to waiting for the right players to become available, rather than ineptitude and / or half-heartedness, can anyone explain to me why Bart Bialkowski's services for next season have STILL not been secured with a contract ?

[NickG]

Doubt anyone can.

 

Club clearly want him to stay and he seems to want to so why worry?

[alpine_saint]

Doubt anyone can.

 

Club clearly want him to stay and he seems to want to so why worry?

 

Erm, because it could be indicative of something else going on ?

 

Here we have a long-serving player of the club and it seems impossible to get a contract drafted and signed, even with both sides making noises that they want to.

 

For me that stinks.

[The Kraken]

Doubt anyone can.

 

Club clearly want him to stay and he seems to want to so why worry?

 

And as Manchester City showed last season, there is clearly dispensation to bring in an emergency loan keeper at very short notice should the need arise. Not at all concerned with not having a 2nd choice keeper signed yet. Plus one other poster I read on here stated that Bart himself said at yesterday's game that he would be signing so I don't think it's an issue at all.

[Saints foreva]

If the lack of transfer activity is really purely down to waiting for the right players to become available, rather than ineptitude and / or half-heartedness, can anyone explain to me why Bart Bialkowski's services for next season have STILL not been secured with a contract ?

 

That one has gone quiet, I remember reading that we had offered him a new deal. Is he still training with Saints?

[NickG]

he was on bench yesterday and spent ages talking to fans, smiling and signing autographs - don't see why it stinks?

[SFKA South Woodford]

?????? He has been a sub for most of preseason and only started once i beleive. Hardly 'consistantly producing the goods at a higher level' you might be able to make that comment in January but not after a couple of sub appearances in preseason.

 

I would have Puncheon over Antonio every day of the week, technically he is a far better player, he may be great one day and not so good the next but has the abilty to create something from nothing or score a great goal which IMO Antonio does not have yet. I like Antonio and hoped we could keep him, but Puncheon is a better player at the moment.

 

Antonio has ben a sub, but is now figuring regularly for Reading where as before he didn't even make the bench for them. In return he has found the net regularly in those games, I know for sure that he has scored three times and am pretty sure he has also got another one as well, four goals from five possibly six games is an impressive return especially given the level of opposition that they have been playing against, who in your definition of our first team let alone squad can match that, even against the lower level of opposition which we have been playing?

 

I think you'll find that there are very few of us championing Antonio who weren't also saying the same things last season about him and to a certain extent Papa. So please don't think i'm romanticising his performances or make the mistake of thinking that I didn't go to many games, as I only missed four home league games all season, so can compare Antonio's performances against Puncheon's fairly well thank you.

[Turkish]

Antonio has ben a sub, but is now figuring regularly for Reading where as before he didn't even make the bench for them. In return he has found the net regularly in those games, I know for sure that he has scored three times and am pretty sure he has also got another one as well, four goals from five possibly six games is an impressive return especially given the level of opposition that they have been playing against, who in your definition of our first team let alone squad can match that, even against the lower level of opposition which we have been playing?

 

I think you'll find that there are very few of us championing Antonio who weren't also saying the same things last season about him and to a certain extent Papa. So please don't think i'm romanticising his performances or make the mistake of thinking that I didn't go to many games, as I only missed four home league games all season, so can compare Antonio's performances against Puncheon's fairly well thank you.

 

call yourself a fan

 

I did too and i honestly think Pucheon is the better player, technically he is better, he had the third highest assist rate in L1 over the season and he is also likely to weigh in with the odd spectacular goal as he did for us and MK Dons last season, he is the type of player that can turn a game with a moment of magic. He may frustrate and is not as obviously busy and quick as Antonio but i remember a certain other player we ad who was a bit like that too.

 

To say that Antonio has 'consistantly performed at a higher level' because he has scored a few goals in preseason is ridiculous though. If he is banging them in and doing the business for Reading between now and christmas you may have a case. he came on and did okay on saturday, but dont forget his goal came when all of our back four except for Butterfield had been taken off, so he in fact scored against a defence of youth and reserve team players. I'd love to have him back but lets not make him out to be the new John Barnes.

[The Kraken]

Antonio has ben a sub, but is now figuring regularly for Reading where as before he didn't even make the bench for them. In return he has found the net regularly in those games, I know for sure that he has scored three times and am pretty sure he has also got another one as well, four goals from five possibly six games is an impressive return especially given the level of opposition that they have been playing against, who in your definition of our first team let alone squad can match that, even against the lower level of opposition which we have been playing?

 

I think you'll find that there are very few of us championing Antonio who weren't also saying the same things last season about him and to a certain extent Papa. So please don't think i'm romanticising his performances or make the mistake of thinking that I didn't go to many games, as I only missed four home league games all season, so can compare Antonio's performances against Puncheon's fairly well thank you.

 

You should probably do some research if you're going to peddle facts that simply aren't true.

 

Antonio has started one game for Reading; in which he was substituted after 25 minutes. In the other 4 games he has played he has come off the bench each time. And he has scored 2 goals, one of which was against a Saints side that had at most 2 or 3 players from the expected starting line up.

 

Antonio will be missed, I don't think anyone would argue with that. But lets not go completely overboard about how massively important he was last year, or indeed try and distort actual statistics to suit your argument.

[dubai_phil]

Definitely need a centre forward to cover for RL. Barnard is a fine forward but he showed against Reading that he isn't a ball wining holder upper. He got into great positions, and scored a really well taken goal. But a like for like replacement for Rickie he isn't, which means IF RL gets injured or goes to Celtic then we have to change our game plan. DC is useful and quality BUT he isn't going to win anything like quality ball in the air and hold it up against L1 lumps. So yes agree with Alps we need that forward.

 

Wotto9n tried well and EVEN managed a step over during the Reading game, his passing was better than I have seen and he looked a few pounds lighter BUT he is our only CM cover. Don't like it we need someone in there as we won't get through the season without MS or DH getting suspended or a knock.

 

Dickson on the left was quality great siging, and Butterfield looks to have a great delivery from set pieces and a solid RB with a good head on his shoulders. Young Double Barrelled looks a danger when he comes on so I think we need 2 more to cover CM & CF and I will relax a bit.

 

We held Reading up until the subs came on, the youngsters like Doble (And God forbid) Pulis (lol) aren't up to it or ready yet, Martin looks solid with experience alongside and Taff isn't ready yet but looks the part. Damn it times up in the library back online Thursday y'all

[SFKA South Woodford]

You should probably do some research if you're going to peddle facts that simply aren't true.

 

Antonio has started one game for Reading; in which he was substituted after 25 minutes. In the other 4 games he has played he has come off the bench each time. And he has scored 2 goals, one of which was against a Saints side that had at most 2 or 3 players from the expected starting line up.

 

Antonio will be missed, I don't think anyone would argue with that. But lets not go completely overboard about how massively important he was last year, or indeed try and distort actual statistics to suit your argument.

 

Hey Mr Kraken, why don't you try actually reading what I had written before you have a go! Where did I say that he had played every minute of every game?

 

 

I know he has been coming off of the bench, my point is though, that he is now getting first team action at Reading whereas before he came to us he was no where near even the bench at the Majedski, so obviously Mcdermott has seen enough progression in him to think he has a place in their first 16 now, at a club which is a division higher than ours! The game he was subbed in, he only came off as he had picked up a strain which then kept him out of their next friendly. I admit that I may have been wrong about the amount of goals he has scored, but I am sure that I read somewhere that he had scored a goal in one of their local friendlies, so apologies if I got that wrong.

 

My point though is that he is obviously consistently showing Mcdermott enough to be considered a part of a first team squad which will be playing at a higher level than us next season, so that shows a large progression from where he was 12 months ago. But I agree he is not the finished product yet.

 

I can also see Turkish's point re Puncheon, but think the analogy is flawed as Puncheon isn't fit to lace Matty's boots in terms of ability. Whereas when Matt wasn't playing well he could turn a game with one kick, Puncheon is no where near his level of ability and when he is playing badly, he just doesn't seem to want to try. Plus he bottles out of way too many 50/50's and even some 60/40's, something that the coaching staff put right where Antonio was concerned.

 

I only hope we can still work out a deal with Reading for him and would pay what they ask within reason. The same goes for Papa, as I think they would both be very useful assets in the championship as well as this division.

[alpine_saint]

28 days of the window remaining, well over two months since the season ended.

 

Can we start panicking yet ?

[Debm]

noo