2015/16 pre-season

[Bijou Bob]

Only just heard that one of the guys from Lancaster Whites I met on the pre season tour of Austria, had a heart attack and died on the night he arrived back home. A lovely guy Colin who had followed the team all over the place for many years. My thoughts are with his family and his mate Shaun who he was travelling with. Rest in Peace fella.

[Prufrock]

Bollocks! Look at Ipswich's team that nearly went up last year and tell me how many you'd heard of. Their best players were the thitherto shite journeymen McGoldrick and Murphy.

There seem to be three or four who can spend huge money who we can't compete with. Other than that it's whoever can organise their rag-tag bunch and get them playing together. Top half must be the aim. Anything more would be a fab achievement though.

[thebish]

Is this now the forum consensus - success next season is survival in the league - even with Lenny in charge?

what would represent Lenny doing badly?

I'm glad you think my view represents a forum consensus, makes me feel like I know what I'm talking about!

recent posts have made me wonder! for one thing - you seem to know who some of the players actually are! I'm not sure I'd instantly recognise a single one of them walking down the street nowadays!

[Prufrock]

-Where's this Finney come from?

-LOL at that penalty decision.

-Good to see Moxey is still wank!

[Harry Genshaw]

Good pass and movement from our boys for the goal. Well taken by young Josh too. We're going to need him to bag a few this season.

[Bijou Bob]

Some good work from young Woolery to set up Trotter and some nice touches in there elsewhere from him. Be nice to see him develop into a first team option up front.

[Harry Genshaw]

Nice to see Burnley, Huddersfield, MK Dons all lost to lower league opposition so it's not just us...

[danardif1]

-Where's this Finney come from?

-LOL at that penalty decision.

-Good to see Moxey is still wank!

Apparently we signed Finney from Leyton Orient last summer... wasn't offered a pro contract by them so we picked him up. Not the first player named Alex Finney to have played for us of course...

And agree with the pen decision, what is with the extra soft refereeing in the pre-season games? I know it's just a friendly and he won't want to see anything too rough in case anyone gets injured but it doesn't mean give a foul for anything...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

And agree with the pen decision, what is with the extra soft refereeing in the pre-season games? I know it's just a friendly and he won't want to see anything too rough in case anyone gets injured but it doesn't mean give a foul for anything...

[LeverEnd]

Bollocks! Look at Ipswich's team that nearly went up last year and tell me how many you'd heard of. Their best players were the thitherto shite journeymen McGoldrick and Murphy.

There seem to be three or four who can spend huge money who we can't compete with. Other than that it's whoever can organise their rag-tag bunch and get them playing together. Top half must be the aim. Anything more would be a fab achievement though.

Gonads back atcha! It can be done but I've seen no signs that we can do it, or that Lennon has sussed out the sort of defensive organisation required in our league. Top half isn't impossible, but I'm sticking with my low expectations.

[Prufrock]

Perhaps, but wasn't the question what would be a success? If we don't get top half then it's quite likely Lennon hasn't sussed out the defensive organisation required. But if he hasn't sussed that out, then he hasn't been a success!

[LeverEnd]

Perhaps, but wasn't the question what would be a success? If we don't get top half then it's quite likely Lennon hasn't sussed out the defensive organisation required. But if he hasn't sussed that out, then he hasn't been a success!

Fair enough. Top half would definitely be a success. I think a par finish would be the same as last year.

In other news BN seems to think Dobbie and Wilson have earned contracts.

[thebish]

Perhaps, but wasn't the question what would be a success? If we don't get top half then it's quite likely Lennon hasn't sussed out the defensive organisation required. But if he hasn't sussed that out, then he hasn't been a success!

not sure which question you are on about - but the one I asked was more like... how bad would it have to be this season for us to consider that Lenny had failed?

(prompted by folk saying we might struggle down in the bottom half...)

we've will have had the settle-in season and the full pre-season and two full transfer windows...

[bobo the clown]

So, come on Vicar .... get off that fence you've been perched on since the Irish man arrived. For once actually give us YOUR position on something.

What do you reckon would be a good, average & poor outcome ?

[Jugs]

Lennon says Hall was excellent at Scunthorpe and has given him something to think about it. He still suggests that we might send him out on loan, but not until we've got a replacement.

[thebish]

So, come on Vicar .... get off that fence you've been perched on since the Irish man arrived. For once actually give us YOUR position on something.

What do you reckon would be a good, average & poor outcome ?

LOL Bobo! on the politics thread - you asked me a question - i answered fully and asked what you thought - no reply!!

I reckon I would judge Lenny to be a success this season if he finishes anywhere above the mid-point. below that - I will judge him to have failed.

what do you think?

[Bruce Rioja]

I reckon I would judge Lenny to be a success this season if he finishes anywhere above the mid-point.

I know that one pre-season friendly at Oldham isn't a great deal to go off, but I'll be absolutely stunned should we finish mid-table or above. The bookies have us down as being second favourite for the drop, and whereas I naturally don't concur with their grim outlook, they are usually there or thereabouts!

[thebish]

I reckon I would judge Lenny to be a success this season if he finishes anywhere above the mid-point.

I know that one pre-season friendly at Oldham isn't a great deal to go off, but I'll be absolutely stunned should we finish mid-table or above. The bookies have us down as being second favourite for the drop, and whereas I naturally don't concur with their grim outlook, they are usually there or thereabouts!

so... you would judge Lenny a success if we simply avoid the drop?

[bobo the clown]

So, come on Vicar .... get off that fence you've been perched on since the Irish man arrived. For once actually give us YOUR position on something.

What do you reckon would be a good, average & poor outcome ?

LOL Bobo! on the politics thread - you asked me a question - i answered fully and asked what you thought - no reply!!

I reckon I would judge Lenny to be a success this season if he finishes anywhere above the mid-point. below that - I will judge him to have failed.

what do you think?

I'll judge him a success if we are top 8. Moderate if between 9-14. Below that we ... & by virtue he, are 15th or lower. If we are bouncing near to the bottom then his efforts will have failed.

I'd be very concerned if he plays the 3 at the back system he seems committed to unless he get the wing-back performers he needs to achieve that.

He is constrained by a lack of cash, but a squad with Amos, Wheater, Dervitte, Mavies, Pratley, Vela, Clough, Clayton, Spearing currently and the rest is NOT a league winning one maybe, but it's not a relegation one either.

His job is to organise and shape us, and to enthuse the squad. He has the makings to achieve that.

[Bijou Bob]

Personally, I think in this league it's about confidence and momentum. As Pru rightly pointed out, Ipswich didn't have a world beating squad last year, neither for that matter did Wolves. If we can start off well, we're in with a shout. We almost have enough to go with, but I still feel Alf us the difference between success and ignominy.