Long time, no post. Hope everyone's well and enjoying the start to the season.
Loved it yesterday. Only thing that took a tiny bit of sheen off the win was the injuries.
Feel we've been unlucky so far this season, and credit to TC for managing the situation so well and making some big calls (Shaughnessy!)
In our first 4 games, we've had to contend with the following potential first team player knocks/suspensions: Green (inj), Berardi (inj), Pontus (susp), Pennington (inj.), CBJ (knock), Cooper (knock), Hernandez (knock), Ekuban (tbd), Wood (awol) !!
Has off to the lads for stepping up...but highlights the need for squad depth to make it out this division.
So, to the question...With the Wood money, would you rather we invested in:
1) one Championship proven quality striker (expect that'll rinse ~£10m in today's market)
2) 2 or 3 players not prove in Championship (probably abroad, given the market.....take a punt, but add some depth in numbers)
3) other...
My belief in Orta's ability is quite high at the mo, so I think I'm opting for option 2...can only imagine we bring in a top name and they get injured in the first game...would be typical.
Injuries
posted on 20/8/17
Don't see why we can't have both
We needed another striker before wood left so let's use his money and add it to what we were going to spend and get 2 strikers in.
Don't think we are going to spend in any other area, we will sit on the berardi and Pennington injuries and we have loads of midfielders so can't see us signing players there to be honest
posted on 20/8/17
Given the injuries you have listed a big well done to TC and the team for an unbeaten start to the season
posted on 20/8/17
Assuming wood & doukara go, with ekuban injured we don't have any recognised strikers, so we need 2 of them for a start.....then once ekuban is fit we would have 3 fighting for 2 or 1 spot....I still think we need a no nonsense midfielder who ain't scared to put their foot in...take the load of Phillips who imo has been brilliant so far...
posted on 20/8/17
Berardi is due back for the Burton game but I can't see him playing atm. Pennington is due back just after Berardi and again, the way we're playing, I can't see any changes being necessary. Don't think we'll miss Hernandez or Ekuban either tbh. Roofe needs to step it up big time.
posted on 20/8/17
I think the squad depth is good. Shaughnessy has shown we can rely on him if needed, so with him and the 3 senior CBs, we're fine. Rest of the positions we have a lot of players, apart from upfront.
So 1 - get a proven goalscorer in. We won lots of games last season because we had a lethal striker - watch through his 30 goals again. So many of his goals were first time shots or his second touch - if the ball was in the box we had a chance to score. You need a player like that to do well in this league and to win close games.
posted on 20/8/17
to be fair, despite thos injuries, I think we have pretty good depth in every position except striker. Provided neither of our CBs get injured before Pennington gets back then we will be fine. We have two fit RBs and Anita and CBJ at LB. We have more than enough CMs atm.
Wilkes to play against Newport?
posted on 20/8/17
Berardi closing in on return and won't have lost fitness with the type of injury
Pablo didn't look bad and likely available next week.
Main worry is Ekuban who looked in a lot of pain.
Leaves us with Doukara, Absolutely no way can Roofe play as a 1 up top on his own,
posted on 20/8/17
Ekuban's injury looked very much like a hamstring, in which case he'll be out for several weeks. Shame because he looked far more effective in link up play than Wood and his passing is in a different league to Wood.