So the playoffs brought with them their usual crushing disappointment. We should have expected (and probably did) that shouldn't we?
At least we got there though.
Here's to an important summer where, unlike last year and the post-Hart playoff campaign, we must build on the squad we have and finish the job.
It seems to me like Billy's going to be at the helm for another go, and that's right for the club.
What he needs is to be backed by the club and maybe allowed to make one/two 'hunch' signings that he thinks can boost the squad that bypass the acquisitions process.
At the moment that is holding us back. It's good from a business point of view not to waste oodles of cash on players before weighing up the pros and cons - but it's going to take something a little more than a sensible business approach to getting us over the final hurdle.
We STILL need a left back and could do with a wide midfielder and striker to improve the quality of the starting 11.
Plus we could be faced with something of an exodus. Nathan Tyson, Robert Earnshaw, Guy Moussi and Dele Adebola are all about to be out of contract and could join Kelvin Wilson out of the door leaving a gaping hole in the squad to be plugged.
There isn't, at the moment, the influx of fresh young stars required to fill the squad in with talented youngsters so we could be on the lookout for a fair few players before August.
Right now we're dwelling on what might have been with the playoffs. We can't afford to be dwelling on what might have been in the summer transfer window come August....
Ps: check out my rare foray into the sports pages at work for my immediate post-playoff musings http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/sport/football/sport_talk_playoff_blues_again_1_2693631
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
It's the hope that kills you....
Despite everything, it's still there. Yep, that faint whiff of hope that we might yet salvage a successful end from this frustrating season. If Forest had drifted into a position where promotion were a long distant dream last possible in the throes of a January high then I could relax now and look forward to the cricket and revelling in the tension of everyone else's finals and play offs.
Trouble is we're not yet out of it and because of that there lingers the cruel sense of hope. Win the last four (or three of them.....or maybe at a push two and two draws!!) and we could stumble into the top six. While we can still stumble I'll carry on hoping, and putting myself through the wringer every matchday.
Last Friday's game perfectly encapsulated our season. We got ourselves into a strong position, had a lot of the ball and carved some half decent chances. However, a combination of poor play, tiredness, playing the wrong team at the wrong time and bad luck consigned us to another defeat to add to a miserable looking formbook.
It was one of those games that, from the stands, was incredibly frustrating. Why couldn't Konchesky make the most of his room on the left? Why couldn't Moussi's shot creep inside the post? Why couldn't McGugan's mesmerising dribbles bring reward? Why did we not mark Holt more tighlty for his header? Why did Tyson hit his second half shot so hard it nearly ended in Portman Road? Why did McGoldrick seem too worried about being offside when he fluffed that one in the first half?
It would seem the answer to those is a combination of the fact that we're not good enough to go up this time around and that the luck needed to propel us back into the top six isn't with us.
Also, in my last blog I pointed to the importance of Moussi and McGugan in the run in. While Lewis was electric at times at Carrow Road, especially in the first hour, his French midfield counterpart showed his lack of match sharpness by getting outjumped by Holt for the first goal and losing Surman's run for the second. Probably not a fair reflection of the Mousse's talents for any Premier League scouts watching the soon-to-be out of contract player.
That assessment is probably harsh on a Norwich side who tightened up much better in the second half and saw the game out pretty professionally. They had a front two who gave us headaches all night through a combination of the pace and movement of Simeon Jackson and the strength and presence of Grant 'The One The Got Away' Holt.
Those two were ably assisted by a midfield who were primed to ping through balls to their willing front runners and kept Wes and Chambers on their toes all match.
The whole club felt as thought it had the right vibe to go forwards. The crowd were vocal and positive, the players lively and energetic despite three games in a week, the manager knew how to change things and the set up seems to be geared towards riding the crest of this current wave.
Of course the Premier League would be a massive, massive jump that may be beyond many of the individuals on show last week. I'm sure there are plenty of teams who would've been more incisive with the ball when in the positions Forest got themselves into once you reach the top tier. Pace, strength and enthusiasm won't be enough to overcome class.
But you can't get away from the fact that the Canaries have the right sort of feel about them for promotion.
We, on the other hand, don't. We're only two points off the play offs but it'll be a big ask to find the verve and energy needed to recreate the form from the turn of the year.
Sven's big spenders should prove a massive test of whether that can be done. Chris Cohen's return brings some welcome fresh legs to the midfield, him aside, Billy and co need to wave a magic wand to pick the rest of the squad up.
Of course, if we could pick up a win in a local derby (even if it's not the real one) on Friday, it'd be a huge lift for everyone involved and could bounce us back into life.
That's the hope talking again. If there's still some left after Easter it could be one hell of a finish to the season....
Trouble is we're not yet out of it and because of that there lingers the cruel sense of hope. Win the last four (or three of them.....or maybe at a push two and two draws!!) and we could stumble into the top six. While we can still stumble I'll carry on hoping, and putting myself through the wringer every matchday.
Last Friday's game perfectly encapsulated our season. We got ourselves into a strong position, had a lot of the ball and carved some half decent chances. However, a combination of poor play, tiredness, playing the wrong team at the wrong time and bad luck consigned us to another defeat to add to a miserable looking formbook.
It was one of those games that, from the stands, was incredibly frustrating. Why couldn't Konchesky make the most of his room on the left? Why couldn't Moussi's shot creep inside the post? Why couldn't McGugan's mesmerising dribbles bring reward? Why did we not mark Holt more tighlty for his header? Why did Tyson hit his second half shot so hard it nearly ended in Portman Road? Why did McGoldrick seem too worried about being offside when he fluffed that one in the first half?
It would seem the answer to those is a combination of the fact that we're not good enough to go up this time around and that the luck needed to propel us back into the top six isn't with us.
Also, in my last blog I pointed to the importance of Moussi and McGugan in the run in. While Lewis was electric at times at Carrow Road, especially in the first hour, his French midfield counterpart showed his lack of match sharpness by getting outjumped by Holt for the first goal and losing Surman's run for the second. Probably not a fair reflection of the Mousse's talents for any Premier League scouts watching the soon-to-be out of contract player.
That assessment is probably harsh on a Norwich side who tightened up much better in the second half and saw the game out pretty professionally. They had a front two who gave us headaches all night through a combination of the pace and movement of Simeon Jackson and the strength and presence of Grant 'The One The Got Away' Holt.
Those two were ably assisted by a midfield who were primed to ping through balls to their willing front runners and kept Wes and Chambers on their toes all match.
The whole club felt as thought it had the right vibe to go forwards. The crowd were vocal and positive, the players lively and energetic despite three games in a week, the manager knew how to change things and the set up seems to be geared towards riding the crest of this current wave.
Of course the Premier League would be a massive, massive jump that may be beyond many of the individuals on show last week. I'm sure there are plenty of teams who would've been more incisive with the ball when in the positions Forest got themselves into once you reach the top tier. Pace, strength and enthusiasm won't be enough to overcome class.
But you can't get away from the fact that the Canaries have the right sort of feel about them for promotion.
We, on the other hand, don't. We're only two points off the play offs but it'll be a big ask to find the verve and energy needed to recreate the form from the turn of the year.
Sven's big spenders should prove a massive test of whether that can be done. Chris Cohen's return brings some welcome fresh legs to the midfield, him aside, Billy and co need to wave a magic wand to pick the rest of the squad up.
Of course, if we could pick up a win in a local derby (even if it's not the real one) on Friday, it'd be a huge lift for everyone involved and could bounce us back into life.
That's the hope talking again. If there's still some left after Easter it could be one hell of a finish to the season....
Sunday, 20 March 2011
M&M key for the run in
So here we are. The international break is upon us. Slightly worryingly fans and players alike seem to have been looking forward to this two-week breather for rather too long now. I think I heard Billy talk about 'just getting to the break' four games ago and I worried then about what that must mean for our physical state. Perhaps unsurprisingly we haven't won any of the games that followed.
There's no denying that we are limping along at the moment, and have been ever since a scintillating win against Cardiff on Trentside.
It seems a long time since we had our destiny in our own hands. We're seven points behind a Norwich side that just keeps pulling superb wins out of the bag, with no games in hand and a mountain to climb.
So how can we arrest the slide? To me the key is with two midfield 'Ms'.
Firstly, Moussi. Guy was in imperious form before the Coventry away game - and heroically even managed to set up a goal after he picked up his injury in that game.
He's previously been a frustrating figure - doing two/three amazing bits of skill before mislaying a five yard pass. However, he finally seemed to have settled into Billy's first 11 - cutting out those costly errors and giving us a physical presence and energy in the middle of the park that ground opposition sides down.
Some fans have gone too far to declare the decline of McKenna. True, his legs struggle to last 90 minutes these days but he does still cajole, organise and lead the side well. That said, there's no doubting that a midfield with him in instead of Moussi has lacked a bite and energy that has seen us struggle to dominate the crucial centre ground.
With a bit of luck the giant Frenchman will be able to return to action after the break and, if he can pick up his post-injury form straight away, it will give the side a massive lift.
Secondly, we're in need of a bit of magic from McGugan. At one point in the season Lewis' spectacular strikes were the only thing keeping us going, but he's faded badly as the grind of two games a week has taken its toll.
Some label him lazy, and it's true that sometimes he doesn't seem to have his head in the game, but the simple fact is we will not go anywhere this season if McGugan does not rediscover his form. He still sits at the top of our goalscoring charts and, if I remember rightly, has had the most shots on/off target.
With tight games to come against Leeds, Reading, Burnley, Leicester and Norwich we need his talent to come to the fore whether it be through a long-range blockbuster goals or a defence splitting passes. We're badly missing a bit of vision and class in the middle of the park. He's shown he can fulfill that role and if he can come back strong and do it again the season could still be salvaged.
Of course there's no guarantee that even with those two firing we'll be lining up in the top division next season. But their return from injury and poor form respectively would help arrest the alarming slide that, if allowed to continue, would soon see us drop away from the play off picture completely.
Depending on how you look at it the fixtures I mentioned above they either offer a massive obstacle to our promotion goal or give us the chance to take precious points off the teams around us. I guess that depends on whether your glass is half full or empty.
In the wake of our recent slump we are all searching for a positive. I suppose for me it's that we're always better chasing a position/team than we are holding on to it, and better when the expectation is off. Given the unpredicatability of this division nothing can be ruled out just yet.
Still, it must be said that our form needs a drastic change for the season to end on a happy note and I remain convinced that we need Moussi and McGugan fit and on form for that to happen...
There's no denying that we are limping along at the moment, and have been ever since a scintillating win against Cardiff on Trentside.
It seems a long time since we had our destiny in our own hands. We're seven points behind a Norwich side that just keeps pulling superb wins out of the bag, with no games in hand and a mountain to climb.
So how can we arrest the slide? To me the key is with two midfield 'Ms'.
Firstly, Moussi. Guy was in imperious form before the Coventry away game - and heroically even managed to set up a goal after he picked up his injury in that game.
He's previously been a frustrating figure - doing two/three amazing bits of skill before mislaying a five yard pass. However, he finally seemed to have settled into Billy's first 11 - cutting out those costly errors and giving us a physical presence and energy in the middle of the park that ground opposition sides down.
Some fans have gone too far to declare the decline of McKenna. True, his legs struggle to last 90 minutes these days but he does still cajole, organise and lead the side well. That said, there's no doubting that a midfield with him in instead of Moussi has lacked a bite and energy that has seen us struggle to dominate the crucial centre ground.
With a bit of luck the giant Frenchman will be able to return to action after the break and, if he can pick up his post-injury form straight away, it will give the side a massive lift.
Secondly, we're in need of a bit of magic from McGugan. At one point in the season Lewis' spectacular strikes were the only thing keeping us going, but he's faded badly as the grind of two games a week has taken its toll.
Some label him lazy, and it's true that sometimes he doesn't seem to have his head in the game, but the simple fact is we will not go anywhere this season if McGugan does not rediscover his form. He still sits at the top of our goalscoring charts and, if I remember rightly, has had the most shots on/off target.
With tight games to come against Leeds, Reading, Burnley, Leicester and Norwich we need his talent to come to the fore whether it be through a long-range blockbuster goals or a defence splitting passes. We're badly missing a bit of vision and class in the middle of the park. He's shown he can fulfill that role and if he can come back strong and do it again the season could still be salvaged.
Of course there's no guarantee that even with those two firing we'll be lining up in the top division next season. But their return from injury and poor form respectively would help arrest the alarming slide that, if allowed to continue, would soon see us drop away from the play off picture completely.
Depending on how you look at it the fixtures I mentioned above they either offer a massive obstacle to our promotion goal or give us the chance to take precious points off the teams around us. I guess that depends on whether your glass is half full or empty.
In the wake of our recent slump we are all searching for a positive. I suppose for me it's that we're always better chasing a position/team than we are holding on to it, and better when the expectation is off. Given the unpredicatability of this division nothing can be ruled out just yet.
Still, it must be said that our form needs a drastic change for the season to end on a happy note and I remain convinced that we need Moussi and McGugan fit and on form for that to happen...
Monday, 3 January 2011
Festive feast for Forest....now here's to a good January for a change
So, 7 points from 9 over Christmas/New Year, not bad eh? Oh, and the little matter of THAT win against THEM!
I guess it really is time to move on now but then again a 5-2 walloping against the dirty sheep doesn't come along often enough does it?
It was superb to see the City Ground rocking, to see Marcus Tudgay and Robert Earnshaw return to haunt their former employers, to see Shaun Barker, Dean Leacock and Dean Moxey look like donkeys off Skegness beach for whom football is something merely to pass the time in the winter before another summer season, and to generally witness a passionate tubthumping display from a team who seemed to care just like us.
We've reached higher standards at times in the last two seasons, but it's hard to imagine a better feeling after the final whistle as after that game. Unforgettable.
So, gloating over with, it was always going to be difficult to top that - and we have stuttered a little. What's pleasing is that, despite not really clicking in either of the following two games, we've battled back to earn a useful point against Barnsley and have toughed out an away win at Ipswich. Both the types of games that, as cliche dictates, you need to get something from to progress from this division.
The question is - what now? Do we kick on, grab a well-poised league by the scruff of the neck and get up to the Premier League or do we have a month of squabbling between board and manager, sign nobody, get some injuries, fade and finish in mid table. With Forest it could be either couldn't it?
Some signs for the dreaded January window aren't too bad. Marcus Tudgay's loan was "with a view to a permanent" so you'd hope that his capture could be sealed with relative ease. American Robbie Findley also only needs a work permit to check in on Trentside. I don't know much about him but most report suggest he has the type of pace to trouble defenders at this level.
Then there's the transfer rumours - with bids supposedly in for the likes of Adam Hammill, Steve Morison and Jay Emmanuel Thomas (presumably a loan from Arsene as a thank you for not destroying boy wonder Ramsey!). Any of those would do nicely please Transfer Acquisitions Panel.
But then, as always, there is the dark cloud of doubt. First, we don't do January windows do we? In fact we mostly seem to end up worse off after the door slams shut (not signing Shorey, letting Southall go etc etc).
Then there's the rumours about our players. Wilson seems Celtic bound leaving our defensive cover paper thin (goodness know what would happen if Big Wes or the vastly improved Chambers should get injured). There's also the talk about players whose contracts are up in the summer either having no word from the club (sounds about right if you remember Commons-gate) or being asked to take a pay cut (according to the Daily Mirror). Either way it doesn't sound good for dressing room harmony when all eyes should be on the matters on the field.
Being a cynic, I also worry that the glorious night against the sheep could be this year's "West Brom away". That game last year seemed to sow seeds of doubt in the club's minds that we needed any signings - because we were so good. The sad fact was that no-one beyond the starting 11 stepped up and shone in the run in. Being doubly cynical you could say that Hammill is this year's Moses - a player we chase with no chance of getting, who ends up at Wigan.
Then there's all this talk of Billy being linked with taking up the hot seat at Preston, Burnley etc. It all seems like rubbish but, at a time when the confidence of the players seems good it is something else we could do without.
I really believe a solid January could propel us to a promotion push.
QPR look well set but let's face it are not world beaters. Beyond them Cardiff have their usual jitters, Swansea don't have the firepower to back up their mesmerising passing play and Leeds and Norwich may well over-extend themselves in their first year back at this level. Both have done superbly well, but both are not the finished article.
Then there's a pack of teams from 'hot and cold' Watford, to 'big money' Leicester, unsung Reading, managerless Burnley, underrated Donny and 5/6 more - including us - that could, realistically get in the top 6.
With a splash of backroom stability, one/two signings (a left back being a must yet again) and a bit of luck we could even go one better.
The Championship is unpredicatable, Forest are even more so. I'd just like not to be looking back at this moment as the high point. January could be so important for that not to be the case.
I guess it really is time to move on now but then again a 5-2 walloping against the dirty sheep doesn't come along often enough does it?
It was superb to see the City Ground rocking, to see Marcus Tudgay and Robert Earnshaw return to haunt their former employers, to see Shaun Barker, Dean Leacock and Dean Moxey look like donkeys off Skegness beach for whom football is something merely to pass the time in the winter before another summer season, and to generally witness a passionate tubthumping display from a team who seemed to care just like us.
We've reached higher standards at times in the last two seasons, but it's hard to imagine a better feeling after the final whistle as after that game. Unforgettable.
So, gloating over with, it was always going to be difficult to top that - and we have stuttered a little. What's pleasing is that, despite not really clicking in either of the following two games, we've battled back to earn a useful point against Barnsley and have toughed out an away win at Ipswich. Both the types of games that, as cliche dictates, you need to get something from to progress from this division.
The question is - what now? Do we kick on, grab a well-poised league by the scruff of the neck and get up to the Premier League or do we have a month of squabbling between board and manager, sign nobody, get some injuries, fade and finish in mid table. With Forest it could be either couldn't it?
Some signs for the dreaded January window aren't too bad. Marcus Tudgay's loan was "with a view to a permanent" so you'd hope that his capture could be sealed with relative ease. American Robbie Findley also only needs a work permit to check in on Trentside. I don't know much about him but most report suggest he has the type of pace to trouble defenders at this level.
Then there's the transfer rumours - with bids supposedly in for the likes of Adam Hammill, Steve Morison and Jay Emmanuel Thomas (presumably a loan from Arsene as a thank you for not destroying boy wonder Ramsey!). Any of those would do nicely please Transfer Acquisitions Panel.
But then, as always, there is the dark cloud of doubt. First, we don't do January windows do we? In fact we mostly seem to end up worse off after the door slams shut (not signing Shorey, letting Southall go etc etc).
Then there's the rumours about our players. Wilson seems Celtic bound leaving our defensive cover paper thin (goodness know what would happen if Big Wes or the vastly improved Chambers should get injured). There's also the talk about players whose contracts are up in the summer either having no word from the club (sounds about right if you remember Commons-gate) or being asked to take a pay cut (according to the Daily Mirror). Either way it doesn't sound good for dressing room harmony when all eyes should be on the matters on the field.
Being a cynic, I also worry that the glorious night against the sheep could be this year's "West Brom away". That game last year seemed to sow seeds of doubt in the club's minds that we needed any signings - because we were so good. The sad fact was that no-one beyond the starting 11 stepped up and shone in the run in. Being doubly cynical you could say that Hammill is this year's Moses - a player we chase with no chance of getting, who ends up at Wigan.
Then there's all this talk of Billy being linked with taking up the hot seat at Preston, Burnley etc. It all seems like rubbish but, at a time when the confidence of the players seems good it is something else we could do without.
I really believe a solid January could propel us to a promotion push.
QPR look well set but let's face it are not world beaters. Beyond them Cardiff have their usual jitters, Swansea don't have the firepower to back up their mesmerising passing play and Leeds and Norwich may well over-extend themselves in their first year back at this level. Both have done superbly well, but both are not the finished article.
Then there's a pack of teams from 'hot and cold' Watford, to 'big money' Leicester, unsung Reading, managerless Burnley, underrated Donny and 5/6 more - including us - that could, realistically get in the top 6.
With a splash of backroom stability, one/two signings (a left back being a must yet again) and a bit of luck we could even go one better.
The Championship is unpredicatable, Forest are even more so. I'd just like not to be looking back at this moment as the high point. January could be so important for that not to be the case.
Sunday, 31 October 2010
Drifting along could cost us dear
Forest, let's face it, are drifting at the moment. Some good results at home followed up again by an away defeat and talk of what might have been after some good play. Billy said himself that this side will win a few, draw a few and lose a few. He's right and that means we'll drift between 9th and 16th until we can snap out of the cycle.
The trouble is we're now heading into what could potentially be the most difficult month of the season. Tough trips to Watford, Cardiff and Leicester and home visits of high flyers Coventry and QPR mean this is not a time to be drifting. For reasons of local rivalry, form, quality and style of opposition and past records all of those games are (without wanting to sound too harsh) 'loseable'.
All season we've looked desperate for an injection of something fresh. Someone either quick or tricky to make the difference. Some of the players seem flat (Cohen, Anderson, Blackstock) and often the atmosphere feels the same way too - as though we're all waiting for a spark of genius.
Thankfully, after some disappointing early results that came from Lewis McGugan. His magnificient seven goals (including THAT free kick) have lit up the season, brought him back into the first team fold and saved the side from a worse fate. But he can't shoulder the whole burden. We need something else to give us that extra 5 or 10% to take us from mediocre to menacing.
We've now heard that we probably won't dip into the loan market unless necessary through injury and are waiting until January to snap up new additions.
I can see two problems with that. We always fail in the January window and there are 30 points to play for before January begins (42 if the elusive signings don't come until the very end of the month). By waiting until then we accept the status quo at best.
I can see the virtues in the argument that states loan players can actually be unsettling.
Some fail to live up to the hype and so only serve to unseat a permanent member of the squad and others 'do a Shorey' - leaving you missing them all the more when they've gone.
But, given the sheer number of games to go until January and the impending challenges of November, is it not 'better to have loved and lost than never have have loved at all'?
Last week Andy Reid went on loan to Sheffield United. We know what Reid can do and to me he has more quality than anyone in our current squad. He's the type of player that should push Lewis, Radi etc on to want to raise their games. Surely his addition would have been a relatively risk-free loan to see us through for 10 matches? Across the division we've seen other similar loan deals tied up (Liam Lawrence is another player I'd have loved here...) by rivals while we have stood still.
I fear that standing still will cost us dearly in the rest of the year - maybe even beyond if we struggle and then are not in a league position that would attract anyone who happens to be on the market in January.
Maybe I'm wrong. If Lewis continues to come up with the goods, a fit again Earnshaw gets in the goals and a resurgent Radi finds the form of this time last year then we'll be laughing and could well see off some of those November challengers and head into a slightly kinder December much happier.
If so I'll apologise for fearing the worst but right now I'm expecting a frustrating end to 2010...
The trouble is we're now heading into what could potentially be the most difficult month of the season. Tough trips to Watford, Cardiff and Leicester and home visits of high flyers Coventry and QPR mean this is not a time to be drifting. For reasons of local rivalry, form, quality and style of opposition and past records all of those games are (without wanting to sound too harsh) 'loseable'.
All season we've looked desperate for an injection of something fresh. Someone either quick or tricky to make the difference. Some of the players seem flat (Cohen, Anderson, Blackstock) and often the atmosphere feels the same way too - as though we're all waiting for a spark of genius.
Thankfully, after some disappointing early results that came from Lewis McGugan. His magnificient seven goals (including THAT free kick) have lit up the season, brought him back into the first team fold and saved the side from a worse fate. But he can't shoulder the whole burden. We need something else to give us that extra 5 or 10% to take us from mediocre to menacing.
We've now heard that we probably won't dip into the loan market unless necessary through injury and are waiting until January to snap up new additions.
I can see two problems with that. We always fail in the January window and there are 30 points to play for before January begins (42 if the elusive signings don't come until the very end of the month). By waiting until then we accept the status quo at best.
I can see the virtues in the argument that states loan players can actually be unsettling.
Some fail to live up to the hype and so only serve to unseat a permanent member of the squad and others 'do a Shorey' - leaving you missing them all the more when they've gone.
But, given the sheer number of games to go until January and the impending challenges of November, is it not 'better to have loved and lost than never have have loved at all'?
Last week Andy Reid went on loan to Sheffield United. We know what Reid can do and to me he has more quality than anyone in our current squad. He's the type of player that should push Lewis, Radi etc on to want to raise their games. Surely his addition would have been a relatively risk-free loan to see us through for 10 matches? Across the division we've seen other similar loan deals tied up (Liam Lawrence is another player I'd have loved here...) by rivals while we have stood still.
I fear that standing still will cost us dearly in the rest of the year - maybe even beyond if we struggle and then are not in a league position that would attract anyone who happens to be on the market in January.
Maybe I'm wrong. If Lewis continues to come up with the goods, a fit again Earnshaw gets in the goals and a resurgent Radi finds the form of this time last year then we'll be laughing and could well see off some of those November challengers and head into a slightly kinder December much happier.
If so I'll apologise for fearing the worst but right now I'm expecting a frustrating end to 2010...
Saturday, 7 August 2010
Here we go
And so it begins. The rocky ride of the Championship season kicks off today (and last night) and it looks set to be as unpredictable and tight as ever.
Most pundits seem to think the three relegated sides won't necessarily be among the pacesetters this time around - paving the way for the likes of us to surge to the top of the ladder (the last odds I saw had Middlesbrough favourites and us not too far behind). But is that "truism" even correct?
Pompey have been ruled out by many because of their financial turmoil. That will undoubtedly be a massive hurdle to get over - and there remains the threat of players being sold from under Steve Cotterill's nose. Their first team squad may only have 14 players but that list does include the likes of Tommy Smith, Michael Brown, Danny Webber, David Nugent and Ibrahima Sonko. Even if the likes of Utaka and Boateng leave that list contains five top Championship performers to be going with. Newcastle used their turmoil as a motivating factor last time around, Pompey could yet be a proposition.
Hull too come down with financial problems on their agenda. Their squad is not littered with as many talented players as Portsmouth's but has more in number and a few solid performers.
Burnley look the strongest of the team that fell through the trap door. They've lost Blake and Fletcher but with Patterson and Iwelumo up top they should be a tough physical test for any team, especially at Turf Moor. Eagles and Wallace are two real class acts that should provide the flair to balance up the brawn and guile up front.
So that's three sides not to rule out already. It's true that none should "do a Newcastle and West Brom" but they will be tough to beat.
And that's before you even look at Boro, QPR, Reading, Sheff Utd four sides that didn't even get to the play offs. Boro have a smattering of Scottish talent plucked from the SPL by Strachan. If he can knit them together he should have a strong outfit, especially with the likes of O'Neil and Kris Boyd in their ranks. Brian McDermott built excellent momentum with Reading, their fans will expect to put last season behind them now and go on the promotion challenge they thought they'd have last year. QPR have got plenty of cash but badly need stability. The odious Neil Warnock has the nous to make them a formidable Championship team. Sheffield United, meanwhile, have made a couple of shrewd signings after a period where they flung outrageous sums (Ched Evans £3m) around and their fans too will expect Blackwell to deliver.
Then there's the tough little sides that get overlooked/patronised/underrated like Doncaster. It's talented teams such as them Preston and Ipswich that make the division so difficult to win - they can beat any team and both would make decent dark horse picks for the play offs. Sean O'Driscoll must be the most unsung manager in the league but never fails to produce a stylish football side on no money. With Billy Sharp signed, his side will be a threat. Darren Ferguson and Roy Keane have both now had the time they need to get used to their respective clubs and should improve on last season's showings.
Much too has been said about the promoted sides. They'll have momentum on their side and for Norwich and Leeds have their big club feel that suggests they shouldn't be flustered by the step up. Leeds have lost Beckford but have a cracking manager in Grayson and Lambert too looks a canny boss for the Canaries. Both will be tough.
There are also the imponderables. Will Brendan Rodgers do "a Watford" or "a Reading" with Swansea? Is Sousa the right man for Leicester? Can Boothroyd wake Coventry up from their slumber? Can Cardiff hang on to Chopra and Whittingham? How long can Adkins sustain Scunthorpe's success? Can Steve Coppell kickstart Bristol City? Could Millwall, Barnsley "do a Blackpool"? Have the dirty rotten Sheep turned the corner on their slide?
Questions that will unfold during a fascinating campaign. From looking at the sides you can only say it'll be tight. Blackpool's rise shows that even at Christmas we won't know fully who the runners and riders are. It will, as the cliche goes, be a marathon, not a sprint.
What of us? One player in and two out is disappointing so far but I guess we have to accept that the type of player we are chasing (one that will improve on the starting 11) takes time, money and patience to snap up. We probably over-achieved last season but with the right combination of talent, momentum and luck there's nothing to say we can't over-achieve again. Last year the last two deserted us as the wrong time. We'll have lost any element of surprise we had last season and need to rediscover the away day formula of the September/October/November/December period.
It's clear it is going to be a tough 46 games. Here's hoping Billy and the boys give us plenty to cheer about again.
Most pundits seem to think the three relegated sides won't necessarily be among the pacesetters this time around - paving the way for the likes of us to surge to the top of the ladder (the last odds I saw had Middlesbrough favourites and us not too far behind). But is that "truism" even correct?
Pompey have been ruled out by many because of their financial turmoil. That will undoubtedly be a massive hurdle to get over - and there remains the threat of players being sold from under Steve Cotterill's nose. Their first team squad may only have 14 players but that list does include the likes of Tommy Smith, Michael Brown, Danny Webber, David Nugent and Ibrahima Sonko. Even if the likes of Utaka and Boateng leave that list contains five top Championship performers to be going with. Newcastle used their turmoil as a motivating factor last time around, Pompey could yet be a proposition.
Hull too come down with financial problems on their agenda. Their squad is not littered with as many talented players as Portsmouth's but has more in number and a few solid performers.
Burnley look the strongest of the team that fell through the trap door. They've lost Blake and Fletcher but with Patterson and Iwelumo up top they should be a tough physical test for any team, especially at Turf Moor. Eagles and Wallace are two real class acts that should provide the flair to balance up the brawn and guile up front.
So that's three sides not to rule out already. It's true that none should "do a Newcastle and West Brom" but they will be tough to beat.
And that's before you even look at Boro, QPR, Reading, Sheff Utd four sides that didn't even get to the play offs. Boro have a smattering of Scottish talent plucked from the SPL by Strachan. If he can knit them together he should have a strong outfit, especially with the likes of O'Neil and Kris Boyd in their ranks. Brian McDermott built excellent momentum with Reading, their fans will expect to put last season behind them now and go on the promotion challenge they thought they'd have last year. QPR have got plenty of cash but badly need stability. The odious Neil Warnock has the nous to make them a formidable Championship team. Sheffield United, meanwhile, have made a couple of shrewd signings after a period where they flung outrageous sums (Ched Evans £3m) around and their fans too will expect Blackwell to deliver.
Then there's the tough little sides that get overlooked/patronised/underrated like Doncaster. It's talented teams such as them Preston and Ipswich that make the division so difficult to win - they can beat any team and both would make decent dark horse picks for the play offs. Sean O'Driscoll must be the most unsung manager in the league but never fails to produce a stylish football side on no money. With Billy Sharp signed, his side will be a threat. Darren Ferguson and Roy Keane have both now had the time they need to get used to their respective clubs and should improve on last season's showings.
Much too has been said about the promoted sides. They'll have momentum on their side and for Norwich and Leeds have their big club feel that suggests they shouldn't be flustered by the step up. Leeds have lost Beckford but have a cracking manager in Grayson and Lambert too looks a canny boss for the Canaries. Both will be tough.
There are also the imponderables. Will Brendan Rodgers do "a Watford" or "a Reading" with Swansea? Is Sousa the right man for Leicester? Can Boothroyd wake Coventry up from their slumber? Can Cardiff hang on to Chopra and Whittingham? How long can Adkins sustain Scunthorpe's success? Can Steve Coppell kickstart Bristol City? Could Millwall, Barnsley "do a Blackpool"? Have the dirty rotten Sheep turned the corner on their slide?
Questions that will unfold during a fascinating campaign. From looking at the sides you can only say it'll be tight. Blackpool's rise shows that even at Christmas we won't know fully who the runners and riders are. It will, as the cliche goes, be a marathon, not a sprint.
What of us? One player in and two out is disappointing so far but I guess we have to accept that the type of player we are chasing (one that will improve on the starting 11) takes time, money and patience to snap up. We probably over-achieved last season but with the right combination of talent, momentum and luck there's nothing to say we can't over-achieve again. Last year the last two deserted us as the wrong time. We'll have lost any element of surprise we had last season and need to rediscover the away day formula of the September/October/November/December period.
It's clear it is going to be a tough 46 games. Here's hoping Billy and the boys give us plenty to cheer about again.
Thursday, 5 August 2010
A round peg!
And so at last the long long wait for a full back ends. Welcome to the club Ryan Bertrand, you'll no doubt be scratching your head at just how relieved we are to see you.
Nevertheless it seems a decent loan signing to bring him in - he is young, in keeping with our recruitment policy and has experience at this level.
I hear he is pretty good going forward to which should add some balance to our play and give us a threat from both full back positions for the first time since Matthieu Louis-Jean and Jim Brennan patrolled the flanks. That also helps stretch teams that may want to "park the bus".
The signing also frees up Chris Cohen to play in midfield, solving a couple of problems in one stroke!
Rumours still persist about our other perennial targets and we have Calum Davenport on trial so maybe now, belatedly, we are seeing the fruits of the clubs summer work.
Irrespective of that it seems wrong to get too hung up on signings. As things stand this would be my first 11:
Camp
Gunter
Bertrand
Morgan
Wilson
Cohen
McKenna
Majewski
Anderson
Blackstock
Earnshaw
Bench: Moussi, Adebola, Smith, Chambers, McGugan, McCleary, Tyson
That's not too shabby an eleven and while you'd think we'd struggle to top last season's efforts without one or two quality additions we should still be fairly strong.
The problem with this division is you just don't know what to expect do you? Will Pompey and Cardiff, with all their financial woes, have full squads? If so they might still do well, Pompey may only have 14 first teamers but that includes some top players at this level.
Maybe a spot of continuity means we can be a calm settled side in the middle of the madness.
Here's hoping.
Nevertheless it seems a decent loan signing to bring him in - he is young, in keeping with our recruitment policy and has experience at this level.
I hear he is pretty good going forward to which should add some balance to our play and give us a threat from both full back positions for the first time since Matthieu Louis-Jean and Jim Brennan patrolled the flanks. That also helps stretch teams that may want to "park the bus".
The signing also frees up Chris Cohen to play in midfield, solving a couple of problems in one stroke!
Rumours still persist about our other perennial targets and we have Calum Davenport on trial so maybe now, belatedly, we are seeing the fruits of the clubs summer work.
Irrespective of that it seems wrong to get too hung up on signings. As things stand this would be my first 11:
Camp
Gunter
Bertrand
Morgan
Wilson
Cohen
McKenna
Majewski
Anderson
Blackstock
Earnshaw
Bench: Moussi, Adebola, Smith, Chambers, McGugan, McCleary, Tyson
That's not too shabby an eleven and while you'd think we'd struggle to top last season's efforts without one or two quality additions we should still be fairly strong.
The problem with this division is you just don't know what to expect do you? Will Pompey and Cardiff, with all their financial woes, have full squads? If so they might still do well, Pompey may only have 14 first teamers but that includes some top players at this level.
Maybe a spot of continuity means we can be a calm settled side in the middle of the madness.
Here's hoping.
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