Pointless Poll Time... 2014-15 season

[BWFC_Insane]

So two strikers that aren't like Beckford and Cravies?

Clearly not.

Well, without stating the bleeding obvious, hasn't he already had some of that backing and signed Beckford? I'll give him Cravies as a freebie.

As Bish says other than being an object manager bashing there is no point looking at past mistakes like Beckford.

We've got what we've got and it doesn't change what will be needed next season. We will struggle big time without some proper strikers, we haven't got any and that has to be a priority.

I have no idea what budget is there but it is why I'm not hugely optimistic.

If Eddie chooses to say 'you got Beckford and that's all you're getting' then fair play. But we all know Beckford won't be shooting us to glory and it doesn't matter who why or what is to blame in terms of how that will impact next season.

[Worthy4England]

So two strikers that aren't like Beckford and Cravies?

Clearly not.

Well, without stating the bleeding obvious, hasn't he already had some of that backing and signed Beckford? I'll give him Cravies as a freebie.

I have no idea what budget is there but it is why I'm not hugely optimistic.

Many of the other teams that finished in front of us didn't have much budget either. So I think whilst we've clearly been unloading highly paid players, you could see there wasn't much room for manoeuver. I suspect many of the really highly paid players have now gone. So we're left with whatever Eddie gives Dougie, and he needs to make the best of it.

For every QPR, there's a Burnley or a Crystal Palace or a Blackpool.

[boltonboris]

Beckford'll be alright next season if we can partner him. Would rather see Mason back with Juke, but not sure out budget will stretch to having a Beckford earner warming the bench when we've got Clough, Youngs and Wilkinson waiting in the wings.

[BWFC_Insane]

So two strikers that aren't like Beckford and Cravies?

Clearly not.

Well, without stating the bleeding obvious, hasn't he already had some of that backing and signed Beckford? I'll give him Cravies as a freebie.

I have no idea what budget is there but it is why I'm not hugely optimistic.

Many of the other teams that finished in front of us didn't have much budget either. So I think whilst we've clearly been unloading highly paid players, you could see there wasn't much room for manoeuver. I suspect many of the really highly paid players have now gone. So we're left with whatever Eddie gives Dougie, and he needs to make the best of it.

For every QPR, there's a Burnley or a Crystal Palace or a Blackpool.

I don't disagree.

However, is there any real contention to the statement that if we aren't able to get better strikers we can't expect any improvement next season?

I don't think the question really is what budget we should have or what Freedman deserves or anything like that. It is merely for us to be likely to have a good season next time out we need better strikers. We can probably muddle through elsewhere given the kids breaking through. Another full back, centre back and winger would be nice, but priority has to be up front and if we can get the right quality up there then I'd be confident. Without it, I'd be confident of not being confident.

[bobo the clown]

Beckford only had a 2 year contract, so he's about to enter his final season. He can start talking to other clubs in January. See ..... light at the end of the tunnel.

Maybe Dougie will offer him a loan deal to somewhere he'd not want to go to in a month of Sundays.

[BWFC_Insane]

Beckford only had a 2 year contract, so he's about to enter his final season. He can start talking to other clubs in January. See ..... light at the end of the tunnel.

Maybe Dougie will offer him a loan deal to somewhere he'd not want to go to in a month of Sundays.

Only foreign ones and I doubt many foreign sides will have an interest in Beckford.

[nelson66]

We beat hardly any of the top teams in this last season - what makes anyone think that this will change ?
The best I can see is top half also rans - but whenever there is a game against someone decent we will get stuffed

[SmokinFrazier]

We have a squad capable of finishing in the play off spots, though it depends on how long Freedman stays for. If he's still our manager this time next year, we'll probably have finished around 12-14th or something like that.

[thebish]

We have a squad capable of finishing in the play off spots, though it depends on how long Freedman stays for. If he's still our manager this time next year, we'll probably have finished around 12-14th or something like that.

such statements are pretty meaningless aren't they? how on earth can that be measured other than by actually reaching the playoff spots?

[SmokinFrazier]

We have a squad capable of finishing in the play off spots, though it depends on how long Freedman stays for. If he's still our manager this time next year, we'll probably have finished around 12-14th or something like that.

such statements are pretty meaningless aren't they? how on earth can that be measured other than by actually reaching the playoff spots?

Not really, the potential of a team is often different to the position they finish up in. United had a team capable of finishing in the top 5 this year yet because of poor management, it didn't happen, but it doesn't change the potential they have. Potential can't be measured by facts and figures but that's not to say it can be ignored either.

[thebish]

We have a squad capable of finishing in the play off spots, though it depends on how long Freedman stays for. If he's still our manager this time next year, we'll probably have finished around 12-14th or something like that.

such statements are pretty meaningless aren't they? how on earth can that be measured other than by actually reaching the playoff spots?

Not really, the potential of a team is often different to the position they finish up in. United had a team capable of finishing in the top 5 this year yet because of poor management, it didn't happen, but it doesn't change the potential they have. Potential can't be measured by facts and figures but that's not to say it can be ignored either.

then it is any different to saying ANY team has the squad potentially to finish in the playoff spots...

how do you KNOW ManU had a team capable of finishing in the top 5? how do you determine that?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Beckford'll be alright next season if we can partner him. Would rather see Mason back with Juke, but not sure out budget will stretch to having a Beckford earner warming the bench when we've got Clough, Youngs and Wilkinson waiting in the wings.

As is often the case, Boris makes sense here. Beckford ain't yer lone striker but he got nine goals, most of which were the difference between losing and drawing or drawing and winning.

[BWFC_Insane]

Beckford'll be alright next season if we can partner him. Would rather see Mason back with Juke, but not sure out budget will stretch to having a Beckford earner warming the bench when we've got Clough, Youngs and Wilkinson waiting in the wings.

As is often the case, Boris makes sense here. Beckford ain't yer lone striker but he got nine goals, most of which were the difference between losing and drawing or drawing and winning.

I had to watch him most weeks. I don't care who we partner him with. He's bone bloody idle. And he will have to score an awful lot of goals to get away with that. And I don't think he's got that many in him......

[jaffka]

We have a squad capable of finishing in the play off spots, though it depends on how long Freedman stays for. If he's still our manager this time next year, we'll probably have finished around 12-14th or something like that.

such statements are pretty meaningless aren't they? how on earth can that be measured other than by actually reaching the playoff spots?

Not really, the potential of a team is often different to the position they finish up in. United had a team capable of finishing in the top 5 this year yet because of poor management, it didn't happen, but it doesn't change the potential they have. Potential can't be measured by facts and figures but that's not to say it can be ignored either.

then it is any different to saying ANY team has the squad potentially to finish in the playoff spots...

how do you KNOW ManU had a team capable of finishing in the top 5? how do you determine that?

Cos they won the league the season before.

[Worthy4England]

I don't disagree.

However, is there any real contention to the statement that if we aren't able to get better strikers we can't expect any improvement next season?

I don't think the question really is what budget we should have or what Freedman deserves or anything like that. It is merely for us to be likely to have a good season next time out we need better strikers. We can probably muddle through elsewhere given the kids breaking through. Another full back, centre back and winger would be nice, but priority has to be up front and if we can get the right quality up there then I'd be confident. Without it, I'd be confident of not being confident.

No we're clearly deficient in a number of areas - not just strikers. But I seem to recall non-scoring strikers were the vogue with your good self and apparently dead to the world of football not too long ago.

We scored 59 goals - that's broadly on a par with Wigan, Brighton and QPR, all who qualified for the play-offs.

We let in fecking 60 (with our player of the season in defence), I know which end of the pitch I'd look at as a priority. No one in the top 6 let in 60 - Derby were closest with 52 - but they scored 84. Given I can't see us getting a +24 improvement on the scoring front, I think I'd like to try and get a -15 improvement on the goals conceded...It's generally cheaper to do defenders than strikers.

[BWFC_Insane]

I don't disagree.

However, is there any real contention to the statement that if we aren't able to get better strikers we can't expect any improvement next season?

I don't think the question really is what budget we should have or what Freedman deserves or anything like that. It is merely for us to be likely to have a good season next time out we need better strikers. We can probably muddle through elsewhere given the kids breaking through. Another full back, centre back and winger would be nice, but priority has to be up front and if we can get the right quality up there then I'd be confident. Without it, I'd be confident of not being confident.

No we're clearly deficient in a number of areas - not just strikers. But I seem to recall non-scoring strikers were the vogue with your good self and apparently dead to the world of football not too long ago.

We scored 59 goals - that's broadly on a par with Wigan, Brighton and QPR, all who qualified for the play-offs.

We let in fecking 60 (with our player of the season in defence), I know which end of the pitch I'd look at as a priority. No one in the top 6 let in 60 - Derby were closest with 52 - but they scored 84. Given I can't see us getting a +24 improvement on the scoring front, I think I'd like to try and get a -15 improvement on the goals conceded...It's generally cheaper to do defenders than strikers.

Ha, it isn't just about goal scoring. Juke made a huge difference stopping the ball coming back at us all the time.

I agree about the defence though I'd say defensively we improved towards the end.

I think strikers are the priority. Get some decent ones and I could live with Mills and Wheater at centre half and perm a couple of full backs from Tierney, Baptiste, Threlkeld etc....

[Worthy4England]

I'd agree it isn't just about goal-scoring, but unless we get Juke and add a huge amount of goals as well, we're unlikely to go far letting in 60.

[bobo the clown]

I'd agree it isn't just about goal-scoring, but unless we get Juke and add a huge amount of goals as well, we're unlikely to go far letting in 60.

7 were in one game, tbf.

Boggers
Tierney
Wheater
Mills
Baptiste (I know)

With Ream, Threlkeld, Riley (again, I know) ... there are worse defences around.

It's a matter of them being properly organised ... & able to run properly, of course.

[Worthy4England]

7 were indeed and 5 in another, so take 12 off us - so we get to 48 - you'd still have to knock a couple of outliers out of QPR, Wigan and Brighton - so they'd all be 6 better off. It narrows the gap, but still significant.

[BWFC_Insane]

7 were indeed and 5 in another, so take 12 off us - so we get to 48 - you'd still have to knock a couple of outliers out of QPR, Wigan and Brighton - so they'd all be 6 better off. It narrows the gap, but still significant.

Well we have shipped Knight out.....gotta knock 30 off at least.....