Pre-season 2023-24

[BWFC_Insane]

There are some good signs and the areas we know we have problems in and Evatt knows are still there.

Evatt will I think fix those issues or most of them.

We have some decent looking players to do jobs needed. We have CMG to add some excitement and punch.

If I had to pick a worry it’s still up front given I don’t think we will add more up there (whereas we will in other positions) and I don’t think we’ve got a top two strikeforce for this league. Nlundulu I still don’t get. Victor looks somewhat better but still has a ways to go. And JDB remains injury prone. Jerome is just fading. It feels like we are a Charles slump away from a problem.

[TANGODANCER]

Given the fact we've played a Premiership side, a Championship side and several others and lost none, I think I'd be pretty pleased right now, but that's just me.

[Mar]

Given the fact we've played a Premiership side, a Championship side and several others and lost none, I think I'd be pretty pleased right now, but that's just me.

Indeed, the fact we've matched teams that are of a higher standard than ourselves and had a good preseason certainly bodes well.

That being said...

I'd be very surprised if Everton weren't in a relegation scrap this year. There was nothing from their performance that made me think they would be flying high in the league. What does look good for us though is they've played 4 preseason fixtures, won three and drawn against ourselves. So I suspect that should be more credit to ourselves than negatives towards Everton.

Stade Nyonnais 1-2 Everton
Wigan 0-1 Everton
Bolton 0-0 Everton
Stoke 0-1 Everton

Not exactly free scoring from Everton.

As for WBA, they've had a terrible pre-season so far. Won 1, lost 3 and drawn 2. They're in the Championship, but they seem to have issues keeping them out rather than scoring.

WBA 3-1 Shrewsbury
Cheltenham 1-0 WBA
Salford 2-2 WBA
Burton 2-2 WBA
Forest Green Rovers 2-0 WBA
Bolton 4-3 WBA

WBA didn't look impressive coming into the Bolton game and they looked there for the taking. They should be concerned given they've played 6 lower league teams and only managed to win one of those. Additionally going off transfermarkt they've not signed anyone of note with only Sarmiento coming on loan from Brighton.


So whilst we are beating teams above us in the leagues there has to be question marks. We're a good League One side. It'd be interesting to see how we'd fair against a well drilled high performing side. At the minute, we're playing sides that have been struggling of late.

[Worthy4England]

Some of WBAs games they've played their kids, FGR was the day before they played us. Everton ripped a few holes, but like last year couldn't then convert. Probably the thing that struck me most was how shakey Tarkowski looked...if you didn't know which was the prem defender, you'd have probably picked Santos over Tarkowski on the evidence of the match..

[Bertie Wooster]

Pre season doesn't really matter and IMO isn't an indicator in regards to whether we will have a good or bad season. We have had some of our best, most successful seasons after awful pre season's and visa versa.

I'll stick to my post the other day that to me it doesn't feel like we are a top 2 team, play off's yes but automatic at the moment not for me - we still need a couple of experienced players, a couple who would be 1st team starters & I think the player due to sign this week will indicate whether Evatt agrees that we need a bit more experience OR whether he still thinks that he can do it with young squad players with potential. I still think that we lack physicality throughout the team (apart from Santos).

[Worthy4England]

We'll have a pretty good idea in about 8 weeks, the wait is pretty much done. As a minimum, I'd still want the DM Guvnor before we get down to it (or shortly after)...

[Bertie Wooster]

We'll have a pretty good idea in about 8 weeks, the wait is pretty much done. As a minimum, I'd still want the DM Guvnor before we get down to it (or shortly after)...

But if we want top 2 we have to get off to a decent start, we can't afford to wait 8 weeks.

[Worthy4England]

We'll have a pretty good idea in about 8 weeks, the wait is pretty much done. As a minimum, I'd still want the DM Guvnor before we get down to it (or shortly after)...

But if we want top 2 we have to get off to a decent start, we can't afford to wait 8 weeks.

I agree, mate. I wasn't saying we should wait 8 weeks. Just that wherever transfer window lands, we're likely to have a pretty good idea in 8 weeks...

[GhostoftheBok]

I'm not sure we do lack physicality.

We have some tanks in this side.

[Worthy4England]

I'm not seeing much visible tankiness from MF....

[Bertie Wooster]

I'm not sure we do lack physicality.

We have some tanks in this side.

We do have a few big /tall players, but lack overall physicality - we always seem to be the team who gets kicked, knocked about & bullied. IMO we need a couple of experienced in your face more aggressive players. I'm not saying that I'm right, it's just my opinion in regards to what we need to give us a better chance of top 2.

[GhostoftheBok]

I'm not seeing much visible tankiness from MF....

I read "MF" differently, having lived in the States, but I'm assuming that is "midfield" and not Samuel L Jackson's favourite line.

Midfield definitely needs more in there. We need someone in there who will consistently dominate one-on-one battles.

[Worthy4England]

I'm not seeing much visible tankiness from MF....

I read "MF" differently, having lived in the States, but I'm assuming that is "midfield" and not Samuel L Jackson's favourite line.

Midfield definitely needs more in there. We need someone in there who will consistently dominate one-on-one battles.

Ahh. We need a MF in MF as it were. Yes. I think that's when the physicality is missing...

[GhostoftheBok]

Ahh. We need a MF in MF as it were. Yes. I think that's when the physicality is missing...

I suppose it also depends what we mean by physicality. I'm mostly worried about whether the guy wins the ball, rather than whether he's huge. Baccus isn't massive, but he's certainly a MF in MF.

I want a guy in the building who I will always back to win a midfield duel, in the same way I always back Santos to win the ball when he's battling a striker.

Someone who can play a bit, but will absolutely destroy the opposition's efforts to get out through midfield.

I don't personally see that being a loanee, but I'll wait and see what happens.

[Worthy4England]

Ahh. We need a MF in MF as it were. Yes. I think that's when the physicality is missing...

I suppose it also depends what we mean by physicality. I'm mostly worried about whether the guy wins the ball, rather than whether he's huge. Baccus isn't massive, but he's certainly a MF in MF.

I want a guy in the building who I will always back to win a midfield duel, in the same way I always back Santos to win the ball when he's battling a striker.

Someone who can play a bit, but will absolutely destroy the opposition's efforts to get out through midfield.

I don't personally see that being a loanee, but I'll wait and see what happens.

I'd quite like someone who wins the ball too, it would be better if the oppo knows it's been won, by dint of now saying to themselves "fck me that hurt"

[Mar]

I'm not seeing much visible tankiness from MF....

I read "MF" differently, having lived in the States, but I'm assuming that is "midfield" and not Samuel L Jackson's favourite line.

Midfield definitely needs more in there. We need someone in there who will consistently dominate one-on-one battles.

Ahh. We need a MF in MF as it were. Yes. I think that's when the physicality is missing...

Here's a thought. Would you re-sign Conor Bradley as a midfield enforcer ala Trent's shift to midfield?

I suspect coming back to us for another season at RWB wouldn't do his career much difference, he's already played there and performed admirably. Learning that midfield role might give him some flexibility. We need a midfield enforcer, a step up on MJW and you'd suspect a player of Bradley's ability would be able to do that and know how best to link up with JDC.

Purely indulgent speculation of course, and I can't imagine Bradley coming back, but the thought is there.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Here's a thought. Would you re-sign Conor Bradley as a midfield enforcer ala Trent's shift to midfield?

I suspect coming back to us for another season at RWB wouldn't do his career much difference, he's already played there and performed admirably. Learning that midfield role might give him some flexibility. We need a midfield enforcer, a step up on MJW and you'd suspect a player of Bradley's ability would be able to do that and know how best to link up with JDC.

Purely indulgent speculation of course, and I can't imagine Bradley coming back, but the thought is there.

An increasing number of Wanderers online can... although that said, a fair few (and possibly the same folks) were also convinced Santos was off. Remember that?

Anyways. It's not so much whether we'd like Bradley to learn a new skill as whether his employers would. I'd also say his greatest talent is more "enthusiastic energy" than seek-and-destroy game-reading – although I think you're saying that educating him thusly would help.

[GhostoftheBok]

An increasing number of Wanderers online can... although that said, a fair few (and possibly the same folks) were also convinced Santos was off. Remember that?

Anyways. It's not so much whether we'd like Bradley to learn a new skill as whether his employers would. I'd also say his greatest talent is more "enthusiastic energy" than seek-and-destroy game-reading – although I think you're saying that educating him thusly would help.

I agree with this.

Bradley was so good because he would charge off up the pitch and offer us a consistent out. That's not what we need in midfield. Bradley as a midfielder would, I suspect, look a lot like Thomason; but without the understanding.

In an ideal world we'd sign a disciplined player who has at least two full seasons in the role. We need someone who understands how to run a midfield. It doesn't need to be some old stager or a guy with hundreds of games under his belt, but we can't be teaching someone an entirely new thing.

It also needs to be someone who can do that wrecking job for 90 minutes at high intensity.

In unrelated news, Baccus completed his first 90 minutes of the season on Saturday.

[Mar]

Here's a thought. Would you re-sign Conor Bradley as a midfield enforcer ala Trent's shift to midfield?

I suspect coming back to us for another season at RWB wouldn't do his career much difference, he's already played there and performed admirably. Learning that midfield role might give him some flexibility. We need a midfield enforcer, a step up on MJW and you'd suspect a player of Bradley's ability would be able to do that and know how best to link up with JDC.

Purely indulgent speculation of course, and I can't imagine Bradley coming back, but the thought is there.

An increasing number of Wanderers online can... although that said, a fair few (and possibly the same folks) were also convinced Santos was off. Remember that?

Anyways. It's not so much whether we'd like Bradley to learn a new skill as whether his employers would. I'd also say his greatest talent is more "enthusiastic energy" than seek-and-destroy game-reading – although I think you're saying that educating him thusly would help.

Indeed. I don't think Bradley's game improves massively with a second season here at RWB. Playing at a higher level would improve his game, as would learning an additional role.

We know full well that we'd benefit from him being here, but the selling point may very well be giving him that education elsewhere on the pitch. We know it'd massively benefit our game having someone who is acutely aware of what our RWB requires and the speed in which Bradley puts a tackle in would help.

Bradley was one of the best ball progressors up the pitch last season. Having that in midfield, linking up with JDC or Williams would probably help, especially as a willing runner through the middle.

Enthusiastic energy, youthful exuberance, whatever you want to call it. Probably helps to fill that midfield quality.

An increasing number of Wanderers online can... although that said, a fair few (and possibly the same folks) were also convinced Santos was off. Remember that?

Anyways. It's not so much whether we'd like Bradley to learn a new skill as whether his employers would. I'd also say his greatest talent is more "enthusiastic energy" than seek-and-destroy game-reading – although I think you're saying that educating him thusly would help.

I agree with this.

Bradley was so good because he would charge off up the pitch and offer us a consistent out. That's not what we need in midfield. Bradley as a midfielder would, I suspect, look a lot like Thomason; but without the understanding.

In an ideal world we'd sign a disciplined player who has at least two full seasons in the role. We need someone who understands how to run a midfield. It doesn't need to be some old stager or a guy with hundreds of games under his belt, but we can't be teaching someone an entirely new thing.

I understand what you're saying, especially with regards to Thomason, but I think Thomason wouldn't understand our WB role as well as the likes of Bradley, so the decision making as to when the give the ball might just be a little disjointed with Thomason. I can't see Bradley coming back without unsettling JDC so I think we'd be best suited with someone who could cover WB aswell as offer pace in midfield.

[BWFC_Insane]

We signed JDC from Tranmere. He’s lucky to be here. Of course we need a rwb in front of him. Lad will be decent cover but he’s not a starter in a team looking to win league one automatic promotion from what I’ve seen thus far.