The best thing about the start of the season

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

When the toon were shite and I mean a lot worse than we are now we had a hardcore of about 20-25,000, under managers like Jim Smith and Ossie Ardiles, no matter how bad we were the start of the season would usually bring loads of excitement, usually because we'd sign new players, you'd go to the match with 4-8 new signings in the side.

 

This was in the days before the internet, you'd get 10 minutes a week tops of coverage on the local news about who you'd bought and the major part of your football knowledge was grasped by going to the match and newspapers. So a lot of the time at the start of the season you'd see a load of new players, and being in the Gallowgate a distance from the pitch, and you'd think "aye that fucka looks good, is that McGhee?". The game against Leeds when we won 5-2 we had about 6 new players starting and it was exciting seeing new players. This season I know we're three weeks away from the deadline, but it struck me on Saturday, there's Campbell and Gosling who we won't see for months.

 

I'm finding it very difficult to get up for the new season for this reason alone. We need 5 or 6 players on top of these in my opinion. We signed four in 95/96 at the start and we looked like a brand new team. Next season it's going to be the same old bollocks I'm afraid to say, we need someone like Ben Arfa, we need new players to freshen everything up, we have no pace and for this reason I think it's vital we get someone else in. I bet season ticket sales are disasterous, anyone else finding it hard to get up for the season? I know we're skint, but there's loads of good loans and even frees still knocking about it needs freshening up. See in 2001, we signed Bellamy and Robert and it changed our whole team immeasurably just two of them, we need something like that as supporters, something to get us excited, just one exciting signing, not a trophy signing just someone who can do something different.

[Dr Gloom 21760]

totally. the lack of new signings is troubling. just a couple of exciting new players in would give everyone a lift and probably guarantee a full house for our first home game of the season.

 

there's no doubt we need at least a couple of new attacking players too. relying on jonas and routeledge for our creativity was ok on the championship. take those two out of the side now and we're completely lacking in creativity and pace.

 

you're right about the season we got bellamy and robert in. thsoe two players alone seemed to transform a n average team into a top 4 side.

[Rob W 0]

forget attackers - fill the defence up

 

we only need to find another side worse than us - I reckon Blackpool and W Brom are certs for the drop -

 

38 0-0 draws will do it

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

forget attackers - fill the defence up

 

we only need to find another side worse than us - I reckon Blackpool and W Brom are certs for the drop -

 

38 0-0 draws will do it

.....if you were a manager you'd be Howard Wilkinson, tactically and in front of the cameras.

[Guest alex]

forget attackers - fill the defence up

 

we only need to find another side worse than us - I reckon Blackpool and W Brom are certs for the drop -

 

38 0-0 draws will do it

Last time we went down the problem was drawing too many games. JFK-like recipe for disaster there. Difficult to know if you're on the wind-up at times though so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

[Wavey Davey 0]

Remids me of the summer we got a Bowyer. Not many signings made and afeeling of being deeply underwhelmed for the start of the season.

 

I think Sir Bobby was given the boot shortly after.

Edited August 3, 2010 by Zebra

[Ayatollah Hermione 13762]

Remids me of the summer we got a Bowyer. Not many signings made and afeeling of being deeply underwhelmed for the start of the season.

 

I think Sir Bobby was given the boot shortly after.

 

Was the season after when Carr came in IIRC.

[Wavey Davey 0]

Remids me of the summer we got a Bowyer. Not many signings made and afeeling of being deeply underwhelmed for the start of the season.

 

I think Sir Bobby was given the boot shortly after.

 

Was the season after when Carr came in IIRC.

 

Ah, I remember know.

 

LAST EDIT: The summer before was still a tad depressing, though.

Edited August 3, 2010 by Zebra

[Guest Tuco Ramirez]

forget attackers - fill the defence up

 

we only need to find another side worse than us - I reckon Blackpool and W Brom are certs for the drop -

 

38 0-0 draws will do it

Last time we went down the problem was drawing too many games. JFK-like recipe for disaster there. Difficult to know if you're on the wind-up at times though so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

The problem with draws as well was highlighted in the SBR era. That 2004 season we only lost 8 games our lowest top flight total for about 70 years, but we drew 17, and it pushed him to the brink of the sack.

[Dr Gloom 21760]

i think our defence is actually looking as good as it has for a while, minus a decent right back. i admit i haven't seen much of perch but forest fans didn't make him sound all that.

 

it's our lack of options going forward that is clearly our weak point.

[Happy Face 29]

forget attackers - fill the defence up

 

we only need to find another side worse than us - I reckon Blackpool and W Brom are certs for the drop -

 

38 0-0 draws will do it

Last time we went down the problem was drawing too many games. JFK-like recipe for disaster there. Difficult to know if you're on the wind-up at times though so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

The problem with draws as well was highlighted in the SBR era. That 2004 season we only lost 8 games our lowest top flight total for about 70 years, but we drew 17, and it pushed him to the brink of the sack.

 

Best thing Jimmy Hill ever did coming up with 3 points for a win.

[Wavey Davey 0]

The difference is that with Allardyce we wanted to take a step up as an established PL side.

 

This time round we must survive and the odds aren't good. A completely different set of circumstances.

 

You'll forgive me for being pleased if we grind out results this season.

[Guest alex]

The difference is that with Allardyce we wanted to take a step up as an established PL side.

 

This time round we must survive and the odds aren't good. A completely different set of circumstances.

 

You'll forgive me for being pleased if we grind out results this season.

Of course but you still need to have that goalscoring ability to survive. Especially as PL forwards won't be as forgiving as the ones we faced last year. Fair enough, our defence looked good and played well but there were still a lot of occasions where even a modest PL side would have punished our lapses. You can't simply hold out for results as the pressure on the defence for 90 mins will lead to goals being conceded. Which is why I was disagreeing with Rob's school of thought.

[Christmas Tree 4669]

Having being the eternal optimist for so long, the may (i think) club statement about no money finally did me in and I have had very little interest in club goings on all summer.

 

However as we are now in August and the days tick by until kick off, I am again really starting to get excited about the season.

 

I know we are going to get quite a few good kickings and everyone can see the squad is so lacking.....But still I am getting excited.

 

I also think that even given all the odds against us, we will stay up.

[Wavey Davey 0]

The difference is that with Allardyce we wanted to take a step up as an established PL side.

 

This time round we must survive and the odds aren't good. A completely different set of circumstances.

 

You'll forgive me for being pleased if we grind out results this season.

Of course but you still need to have that goalscoring ability to survive. Especially as PL forwards won't be as forgiving as the ones we faced last year. Fair enough, our defence looked good and played well but there were still a lot of occasions where even a modest PL side would have punished our lapses. You can't simply hold out for results as the pressure on the defence for 90 mins will lead to goals being conceded. Which is why I was disagreeing with Rob's school of thought.

 

Fair do's can't argue with your point. There were times when I said "We wouldn't have gotten away with that in the PL" during the course of the season so your point is well made.

 

But I will settle for horseshit this season if it keeps us safe. I'm not at all choosy because we can't afford to be. It's depressing but we brought it on ourselves.

[Guest alex]

The difference is that with Allardyce we wanted to take a step up as an established PL side.

 

This time round we must survive and the odds aren't good. A completely different set of circumstances.

 

You'll forgive me for being pleased if we grind out results this season.

Of course but you still need to have that goalscoring ability to survive. Especially as PL forwards won't be as forgiving as the ones we faced last year. Fair enough, our defence looked good and played well but there were still a lot of occasions where even a modest PL side would have punished our lapses. You can't simply hold out for results as the pressure on the defence for 90 mins will lead to goals being conceded. Which is why I was disagreeing with Rob's school of thought.

 

Fair do's can't argue with your point. There were times when I said "We wouldn't have gotten away with that in the PL" during the course of the season so your point is well made.

 

But I will settle for horseshit this season if it keeps us safe. I'm not at all choosy because we can't afford to be. It's depressing but we brought it on ourselves.

About the best we can hope for really.

[Wavey Davey 0]

The difference is that with Allardyce we wanted to take a step up as an established PL side.

 

This time round we must survive and the odds aren't good. A completely different set of circumstances.

 

You'll forgive me for being pleased if we grind out results this season.

Of course but you still need to have that goalscoring ability to survive. Especially as PL forwards won't be as forgiving as the ones we faced last year. Fair enough, our defence looked good and played well but there were still a lot of occasions where even a modest PL side would have punished our lapses. You can't simply hold out for results as the pressure on the defence for 90 mins will lead to goals being conceded. Which is why I was disagreeing with Rob's school of thought.

 

Fair do's can't argue with your point. There were times when I said "We wouldn't have gotten away with that in the PL" during the course of the season so your point is well made.

 

But I will settle for horseshit this season if it keeps us safe. I'm not at all choosy because we can't afford to be. It's depressing but we brought it on ourselves.

About the best we can hope for really.

 

That's just it with me, though.

 

In an ideal world, that should be the case, but there's gonna be a lot of people that won't accept it. Like the ssn wankers and some on here who think we still have a devine right to attract big names and perform well, and we'll get the booing and the protests and we'll be a fucking joke again cos those twats always want to leap past the stability stage.

[Guest alex]

I think what I was trying to say was though, even if we play shit, we'll probably need more than we've got upfront to keep us out the bottom 6 / safe from relegation. I see another season with Ashley gambling on us just having enough / there being 3 sides which are worse.

[Park Life 71]

I think what I was trying to say was though, even if we play shit, we'll probably need more than we've got upfront to keep us out the bottom 6 / safe from relegation. I see another season with Ashley gambling on us just having enough / there being 3 sides which are worse.

 

The makeup of the side is also such that we aren't set up to sneak one nils in the PL. To win games we'll be needing two or more goals.

Edited August 3, 2010 by Park Life

[Guest alex]

I think what I was trying to say was though, even if we play shit, we'll probably need more than we've got upfront to keep us out the bottom 6 / safe from relegation. I see another season with Ashley gambling on us just having enough / there being 3 sides which are worse.

 

The makeup of the side is also such that we aren't set up to sneak one nils in the PL. To win games we'll be needing two or more goals.

Correctomundo.

[Wavey Davey 0]

I think what I was trying to say was though, even if we play shit, we'll probably need more than we've got upfront to keep us out the bottom 6 / safe from relegation. I see another season with Ashley gambling on us just having enough / there being 3 sides which are worse.

 

I know. I was just having a whinge.

[Guest alex]

I think what I was trying to say was though, even if we play shit, we'll probably need more than we've got upfront to keep us out the bottom 6 / safe from relegation. I see another season with Ashley gambling on us just having enough / there being 3 sides which are worse.

 

I know. I was just having a whinge.

I know you were. So was I.

[TicTacWoe 0]

The lack of pace issue is extremely worrying, slow teams just don't cut it anymore in the PL and so far we've signed an aged slow player in Campbell and a young slow player in Gosling, I don't know about Perch but heard he was outpaced at times against PSV. Obviously, not everyone has to be fast but apart from Routlege who's yet to prove himself at this level we don't really have anyone who's lightning quick.

[Dr Gloom 21760]

The lack of pace issue is extremely worrying, slow teams just don't cut it anymore in the PL and so far we've signed an aged slow player in Campbell and a young slow player in Gosling, I don't know about Perch but heard he was outpaced at times against PSV. Obviously, not everyone has to be fast but apart from Routlege who's yet to prove himself at this level we don't really have anyone who's lightning quick.

 

totally. pace is key. in fact athleticism is almost as important as ability in the premier league these days, given the frenetic pace of the game. there's a real danger at the moment that as well as being outplayed in terms of skill and passing, our players will be chasing shadows half the season too.

 

we absolutely have to sign at least a couple of players with ability and pace worthy of a premier leageu side or it's going to be a long hard season.

[Guest alex]

Last year apart, it's been a problem for about 5 seasons.