Pre-season, 2024(/25)

[Worthy4England]

What'll be nice, is if they show they're too good for us on the pitch for a season.

Like Maghoma did...

I think, overall, we've done ok to very well out of some loanees - Traff, Bradley, Fossey, Maghoma. Others maybe less so. But I seem to recall Shortire was "highly rated" and some got quite excited (including the manager if I'm not mistaken) and overall he was a bit meh.

So for me, the excitement comes when they're actually playing, rather than when they're just gossip.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

What'll be nice, is if they show they're too good for us on the pitch for a season.

Like Maghoma did...

I think, overall, we've done ok to very well out of some loanees - Traff, Bradley, Fossey, Maghoma. Others maybe less so. But I seem to recall Shortire was "highly rated" and some got quite excited (including the manager if I'm not mistaken) and overall he was a bit meh.

So for me, the excitement comes when they're actually playing, rather than when they're just gossip.

Clearly, but it's catch as catch can when (1) there's only friendlies and (2) they don't feature new players.

Having a very good new player is better than being linked with the possibility of having a very good new player.
But the possibility of having a very good new player is better than the prospect of hiring a dullard or nowt at all.

Nearly through the doldrums. Only a fortnight till the season proper and the pitchforks are alight....

[GhostoftheBok]

Having a very good new player is better than being linked with the possibility of having a very good new player.
But the possibility of having a very good new player is better than the prospect of hiring a dullard or nowt at all.

Therein lies the rub. The only way to avoid moaning is to do fast, brilliant business. To do that you probably have to pay over the odds - as Birmingham have been doing. Seemingly very good signings off to Brum, but going for more than was expected (at least in a couple of cases).

Ultimately all that matters is whether the new lads play well and stay fit. CMG is clearly really talented, but who cares when he'll have missed at least half his contract with injuries?

We need quality, not just bodies. If we have to wait, fine. What matters is we get the deals right and have that quality for most of the 46 games. Ideally they'd have been in and gone through preseason with us, but here we are.

The players being touted are all top quality. Hopefully something comes of it.

[Worthy4England]

What'll be nice, is if they show they're too good for us on the pitch for a season.

Like Maghoma did...

I think, overall, we've done ok to very well out of some loanees - Traff, Bradley, Fossey, Maghoma. Others maybe less so. But I seem to recall Shortire was "highly rated" and some got quite excited (including the manager if I'm not mistaken) and overall he was a bit meh.

So for me, the excitement comes when they're actually playing, rather than when they're just gossip.

Clearly, but it's catch as catch can when (1) there's only friendlies and (2) they don't feature new players.

Having a very good new player is better than being linked with the possibility of having a very good new player.
But the possibility of having a very good new player is better than the prospect of hiring a dullard or nowt at all.

Nearly through the doldrums. Only a fortnight till the season proper and the pitchforks are alight....

I'm happy we're being linked and still looking for more incomings. We need some.

Just saying, as with any signings, excitement comes for many, when you see 'em step off the hype-train and onto the pitch (or not as the case may be )

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Having a very good new player is better than being linked with the possibility of having a very good new player.
But the possibility of having a very good new player is better than the prospect of hiring a dullard or nowt at all.

Therein lies the rub. The only way to avoid moaning is to do fast, brilliant business. To do that you probably have to pay over the odds - as Birmingham have been doing. Seemingly very good signings off to Brum, but going for more than was expected (at least in a couple of cases).

Ultimately all that matters is whether the new lads play well and stay fit. CMG is clearly really talented, but who cares when he'll have missed at least half his contract with injuries?

We need quality, not just bodies. If we have to wait, fine. What matters is we get the deals right and have that quality for most of the 46 games. Ideally they'd have been in and gone through preseason with us, but here we are.

The players being touted are all top quality. Hopefully something comes of it.

I'm reminded of the old saw that you can't get all three of Good, Fast and Cheap.

If you want it Good and Fast it won't be Cheap, as Birmingham have found.
If you want it Good and Cheap it won't be Fast, as we're finding (here's hoping we get Good).
If you want it Fast and Cheap it won't be Good, as Keith Hill's trolley-dashes proved.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I'm happy we're being linked and still looking for more incomings. We need some.

Just saying, as with any signings, excitement comes for many, when you see 'em step off the hype-train and onto the pitch (or not as the case may be )

Absolutely, on all counts.

In reverse order: few things quicken the step to a stadium more than knowing you've got an ecxellent new player to watch. There'll be a bounce and a buzz if we have a new face who is as yet unproven. But few things darken the soul more than knowing we're kicking off short in crucial areas.

Wingback is one of our most crucial areas (and probably our most short-staffed). Perhaps the new system dials down the reliance on them. Let's hope so, if we're waiting...

[BWFC_Insane]

^^wouldnt the new system put even more onto the wingbacks?

[Prufrock]

Less. They'll still need to be good, it's not a "shove a stay at home right back in and it'll be reet", but not as outstanding.

They've got a pal out there naturally, so you've got a natural 2v1 against the other team's full back, so you don't need that full winger skill set to skin someone 1v1 consistently.

There's also a much more natural body to close down the full back when you play against a back 4, so they don't have to be closing the opposite full back one minute and haring back to cover the back post the next. So less need to be constant machine. You still need a good player, there's less running but still a lot, and they need to be able to defend and attack, but you're no longer asking one person to be your everything wide down one side

[GhostoftheBok]

Also, having two sitting mids means one centre half can push out as an orthodox fullback when needed. So the workload of the wingbacks is lessened at both ends of the pitch.

Still a really demanding role physically, though. When the box midfield contracts it's a trigger for the wingbacks to sprint in behind to stretch play and that's repeated hard running. Presumably they've looked at Armstrong as a player who can sustain sprints.

You do wonder whether Randell's body is up to it, even if the role suits his style of play a bit better now.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Possible Randell might be considered for the 10/11 role, ie behind and to the left of the 9. Clearly they think he's got some level of positional discipline and nous, unless playing him at wingback was the tactical equivalent of letting the cat drive the car. He may not perfectly suit the role but he may also ask some different questions, which if memory serves is one of the things we want.

[GhostoftheBok]

Possible Randell might be considered for the 10/11 role, ie behind and to the left of the 9. Clearly they think he's got some level of positional discipline and nous, unless playing him at wingback was the tactical equivalent of letting the cat drive the car. He may not perfectly suit the role but he may also ask some different questions, which if memory serves is one of the things we want.

We'll see. He's one of the ones I'd expect to leave on a free next summer, but he's certainly been a reliable player when fit. If he wasn't so injury prone he'd probably have been a massive success here and worth keeping a level up. In an ideal world, though, we get a really top loanee before the window closes and then Conway steps up as 2nd choice there next season.

[Prufrock]

Think he'd be more likely to play off the right of in the front 3. Trendy modern cutting inside with an overlapping wing back. But sounds like we're planning a more narrow front 3. So I *reckon* we'll see him at LWB for his three underwhelming games followed by 3 good ones followed by 6 week injury, rinse and repeat.

[BWFC_Insane]

Less. They'll still need to be good, it's not a "shove a stay at home right back in and it'll be reet", but not as outstanding.

They've got a pal out there naturally, so you've got a natural 2v1 against the other team's full back, so you don't need that full winger skill set to skin someone 1v1 consistently.

There's also a much more natural body to close down the full back when you play against a back 4, so they don't have to be closing the opposite full back one minute and haring back to cover the back post the next. So less need to be constant machine. You still need a good player, there's less running but still a lot, and they need to be able to defend and attack, but you're no longer asking one person to be your everything wide down one side

But we are playing two number tens not two wide attackers?

[dave the minion]

We didn't rough them up, Quite the opposite. They were consistently fouling us and we played some decent football.

Collins' knee is apparently looking okay. Santos, eek. Not one we want to lose.

Charles and Southwood both said they expect to be playing soon, so that's good news. If we can add some signings in the next few days things will look a lot brighter.

Anyone heard anything about Santos?

The lack of comment from the club makes me worry that its more serious than we would hope and he's going through a load of test/scans etc?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Collins' knee is apparently looking okay. Santos, eek. Not one we want to lose.

Anyone heard anything about Santos?

The lack of comment from the club makes me worry that its more serious than we would hope and he's going through a load of test/scans etc?

Ilesy: “Aaron Collins could miss the [Stoke] game with a bruised and gashed knee picked up in the 1-1 draw with Fiorentina on Friday night but Ricardo Santos, who appeared to suffer an injury late in the game, is not thought to be a doubt.”

[dave the minion]

Good news. I did fear the worst.....

[Prufrock]

Less. They'll still need to be good, it's not a "shove a stay at home right back in and it'll be reet", but not as outstanding.

They've got a pal out there naturally, so you've got a natural 2v1 against the other team's full back, so you don't need that full winger skill set to skin someone 1v1 consistently.

There's also a much more natural body to close down the full back when you play against a back 4, so they don't have to be closing the opposite full back one minute and haring back to cover the back post the next. So less need to be constant machine. You still need a good player, there's less running but still a lot, and they need to be able to defend and attack, but you're no longer asking one person to be your everything wide down one side

But we are playing two number tens not two wide attackers?

They're not both going to stand in the width of the 18 yard box at all times. Collins in particular will drift wide. Iles mentioned Lolos and JDC had already built up a decent partnership. They're not going to be chalk on the boots hugging the touchline, but they're a partner in a way you don't get with two out and out strikers, who when it wasn't working last year were in the box fornlorny waiting for a ball that would never come.

[GhostoftheBok]

I can't make the game tonight, unfortunately.

I was looking forward to seeing the squad players get a run out.

Injuries aside we could have really good depth with lads genuinely pushing the starting 11 for their spots. It's a shame so many are out injured, but those going should get a good look at a few tonight. Hopefully they stake claims.

Morley and Johnston will both want to prove themselves. We've shown faith in both with new contracts. Jonno is back from his injury and clearly up for it. Morley struggled last season as a new dad and getting stuck behind two of our top performers, but has clearly improved as a footballer. Both will want to prove they belong.

There's been a lot of misery, but we have a lot of talented and relatively young players in this group. I'm looking forward to seeing how they develop.

Would also be nice if we could see Charles and Southwood feature. Guess I'll catch the replay.

[truewhite15]

Southwood

Toal, Rico, GJ

JDC, Sheehan, Morley, Iredale

Lolos, Dan, Arfield.

Coleman, Adeboyejo, Charles, Thomason, Conway, Matheson, Sharples-Ahmed, Khumbeni and Halford on the bench

[GhostoftheBok]

Interesting team.

First starts for Southwood and Arfield in the sacred white. GJ, Morley, Iredale and Dan getting starts.

Should be a fun one.

That being said, it shows where we are in terms of available flair and pace. It's a stodgy 11.