Megson loves allout defence you can expect us to shut up shop as soon as we score no matter how early. Lots of dull and boring games lies ahead, or we can pretend everything's ok and this is all some genius plot and in 11 days time we will have the cohesive unit we need for promotion!?

He's been chasing Batth since the end of last season. What do you want him to do, NOT sign him because he hasn't been able to bring in the strikers yet? Yeah... that makes real sense.

If we'd signed Mellor, I'd be a lot happier. That's a big IF though. Having said that, I think the overall squad is better than the one we ended last year with.

The defence and midfield are more solid than they were before.

I hear you SlideOwl - that wouldn't make sense. I know he likes Batth as well. Just not sure why he brought him in when we have 3 perfectly good centre halves already.

It is going to be a better season simply because we haven't signed 10 players who have never played together before (and presumably we won't go mental in January signing more players). Without the strikers we're gonna struggle for top 10 though.

Oh and its bound to be the best season we've had in years as I'm no longer able to renew my ST, sod's law!

briggowl

Not sure how you think struggling to make the top 10 is a better season..?

I reckon it's fair to expect us to be able to get promoted from the 3rd division but maybe I'm being unrealistic..

As above, Megson has been chasing Batth since the end of the season and for good reason. In his few games he showed a quality we lack and we're lucky to get him in my opinion.

Izzy Eckaslike

Aye, sure he's alright. Just venting about our lack of signings on the attacking front..

I just look at the squad and don't see a good player amongst them, attacking wise.

I'm with you taut, I've already melted my season ticket!

Mike Oxlong

haha I guess with these plastic ones you can't exactly run on the pitch and chuck it at the manager like the old days.

Most are with you Taut, don't think you've been on here since it started (if you have I apologise) so you have missed tons of "debate" on all this. Our attacking options are rather slim aren't they?

However if you see the press conference after I think it was the Leeds game GM believes we are going to get a lot of goals from set pieces, so a prolific goal scorer we need not. As our big lads are going to get them all.

To suggest we are weaker now is ridiculous.

The midfield is far stronger, back line is as strong. The strike force is lacking in options but I think this will be sorted. Megson can clearly see how much we need striking options. Have patience

It's not my preferred way & I'm not particularly looking forward (at the moment) to the style of football we'll be playing this year but there's been plenty of successful teams who have built from the back. If you don't concede you don't lose.

Keep it tight at the back, nick goals from set pieces.

Dull, boring etc etc but it's no guarantee of failure!

'The midfield is far stronger' - central midfield maybe, assuming Prutton and Semedo are actually any good, which I expect them to be but you never know. In terms of goalscoring and creativity we are far weaker and, as you poined out, the defence is only 'as strong'.

No problem grinding it out and scoring from set-pieces, just wonder how realistic it is to think we can do this and get enough points to go up.

My word the blinders are on..

The set pieces thing is probably right, four of our six goals in pre season were from set pieces.

We may not be much weaker than the squad that finished last season but to suggest that we are much stronger is plain stupid.

In defence, we have lost Spurr & Hinds but gained Bennett.

In midfield, we have lost Miller, Potter & Teale but gained Semedo & Prutton

In attack, we have lost Heff & Mellor & gained no-one.

Defensively, we may be a fraction stronger. In midfield we are stronger because we now have a CM that will give the defence some protection.

Unfortunately, this is more than compensated for by the fact that we are much weaker in attack.

However, if we signed Mellor, another striker & a winger, we will be significantly stronger. Let's just wait and see what happens in the next week.

So what you're trying to say is that we need 2 or 3 players in to bolster the squad.

Fancy that.........

[/MysticMeg]

I think if we get a couple of strikers we'll be reyt