Ghost of Clough

Yet we were 8th top scorers (62 goals scored) in the only full season Cocu had as manager.
In the 2nd season, we went into the 1st game with only a few attacking options:
Sibley - had only played 739 minutes in the league by this point.
Whittaker - had only played 400 minutes in the first team at this point)
Marriott - disinterested and forgot how to shoot, lasting only a couple of games before injury.
Rooney - disinterested and even more overweight than ever before.
Knight - the only attacking player of a suitable level to play consistently
Whilst Jozwiak soon returned to the squad, his end product at our club was non-existent. Holmes was not long after that, but even he hasn't got the best end product. We went 3 games without defeat when Lawrence, Waghorn and Kazim returned to the squad (coinciding with Rooney being out due to Covid), only to start struggling again with Rooney playing again.
We picked up just 4 points from the 10 games Rooney played in, averaging 80 minutes across those games.
Wrong summer (in was 2021), but we didn't let Marriot go. We extended his contract, only for the EFL to withdraw the approval. We also tried to keep Wisdom and Waghorn, but both chose to leave.

How many people are saying "we're a shoe in for promotion"? Very few.
There are two main streams of displeasure.
1. Style of play often resulting in an inability to pass the ball to a team mate
2. League position being some way off challenging for automatic promotion. We're only 11 games in, but already 9 points off 2nd spot. Many would argue this isn't challenging for automatics.
One man is ultimately responsible for the first topic. He's the one who coaches the team and instructs them how to play on matchday. That criticism is therefore perfectly valid if those supporters do not enjoy the football on display.
When comparing a side to determine if they're overperforming or underperforming, budget vs league position is one of the main metrics. When looking at historic wage expenditure of clubs in this division, rumoured fees paid for players in the summer, etc.. it's very obvious that we have a 'top 3' budget. Since we're currently 9th in the table (7th on ppg), we're underperforming. People may disagree over the reason, but it still ultimately falls back on Warne.
- Some say Warne isn't getting the most out of this squad due to tactics, player selection, etc... = Warne at fault
- You say the players aren't good enough. Therefore, either of the following are the reason:
      - The recruitment team, which Warne helped to assemble, isn't identifying good enough players
      - Warne didn't choose the right players in the summer window
      - Warne couldn't convince the right players to join

How many people are saying "we're a shoe in for promotion"? Very few.
There are two main streams of displeasure.
1. Style of play often resulting in an inability to pass the ball to a team mate
2. League position being some way off challenging for automatic promotion. We're only 11 games in, but already 9 points off 2nd spot. Many would argue this isn't challenging for automatics.
One man is ultimately responsible for the first topic. He's the one who coaches the team and instructs them how to play on matchday. That criticism is therefore perfectly valid if those supporters do not enjoy the football on display.
When comparing a side to determine if they're overperforming or underperforming, budget vs league position is one of the main metrics. When looking at historic wage expenditure of clubs in this division, rumoured fees paid for players in the summer, etc.. it's very obvious that we have a 'top 3' budget. Since we're currently 9th in the table (7th on ppg), we're underperforming. People may disagree over the reason, but it still ultimately falls back on Warne.
- Some say Warne isn't getting the most out of this squad due to tactics, player selection, etc... = Warne at fault
- You say the players aren't good enough. Therefore, either of the following are the reason:
      - The recruitment team, which Warne helped to assemble, isn't identifying good enough players
      - Warne didn't choose the right players in the summer window
      - Warne couldn't convince the right players to join

The squad as it stands is probably the most experienced and deepest in terms of quality in the league. I really struggle to see any other team in the division as comparable. 
Oxford finished two points from the relegation zone last season, had very little budget to make adjustments and have managed to improve significantly to the point where they are now (on current form) a better team than us. I would put that down to Liam Manning, who is a good manager. 
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that we aren't working at an optimum efficiency - some players aren't performing as expected, the recruitment could've been a lot better and the coaching could be a lot more effective. I do feel like we're improving, generally, but there are some fundamental issues within the club that aren't going to see us become the next Brentford, Brighton, etc. 
You could see with the approach adopted by Sunderland and Ipswich that they were putting processes in place with a long-term vision and each decision was meticulously thought out. It's worked out well for them and they're going really strong this season. I don't feel like we have that level of vision, work-ethic or competency at the club to achieve at the same level.

How many people are saying "we're a shoe in for promotion"? Very few.
There are two main streams of displeasure.
1. Style of play often resulting in an inability to pass the ball to a team mate
2. League position being some way off challenging for automatic promotion. We're only 11 games in, but already 9 points off 2nd spot. Many would argue this isn't challenging for automatics.
One man is ultimately responsible for the first topic. He's the one who coaches the team and instructs them how to play on matchday. That criticism is therefore perfectly valid if those supporters do not enjoy the football on display.
When comparing a side to determine if they're overperforming or underperforming, budget vs league position is one of the main metrics. When looking at historic wage expenditure of clubs in this division, rumoured fees paid for players in the summer, etc.. it's very obvious that we have a 'top 3' budget. Since we're currently 9th in the table (7th on ppg), we're underperforming. People may disagree over the reason, but it still ultimately falls back on Warne.
- Some say Warne isn't getting the most out of this squad due to tactics, player selection, etc... = Warne at fault
- You say the players aren't good enough. Therefore, either of the following are the reason:
      - The recruitment team, which Warne helped to assemble, isn't identifying good enough players
      - Warne didn't choose the right players in the summer window
      - Warne couldn't convince the right players to join

How many people are saying "we're a shoe in for promotion"? Very few.
There are two main streams of displeasure.
1. Style of play often resulting in an inability to pass the ball to a team mate
2. League position being some way off challenging for automatic promotion. We're only 11 games in, but already 9 points off 2nd spot. Many would argue this isn't challenging for automatics.
One man is ultimately responsible for the first topic. He's the one who coaches the team and instructs them how to play on matchday. That criticism is therefore perfectly valid if those supporters do not enjoy the football on display.
When comparing a side to determine if they're overperforming or underperforming, budget vs league position is one of the main metrics. When looking at historic wage expenditure of clubs in this division, rumoured fees paid for players in the summer, etc.. it's very obvious that we have a 'top 3' budget. Since we're currently 9th in the table (7th on ppg), we're underperforming. People may disagree over the reason, but it still ultimately falls back on Warne.
- Some say Warne isn't getting the most out of this squad due to tactics, player selection, etc... = Warne at fault
- You say the players aren't good enough. Therefore, either of the following are the reason:
      - The recruitment team, which Warne helped to assemble, isn't identifying good enough players
      - Warne didn't choose the right players in the summer window
      - Warne couldn't convince the right players to join

I'm certain he'll start, but most likely on the wing. It's hard to see Warne breaking up the Fornah, Smith, Bird midfield at the moment.

Good point. I expect Warne will start with Barkhuizen and Sibley on the wings. Mendez-Laing probably won't even be in the squad, with Ward taking the spare spot on the bench. Something like this:
Wildsmith
Nyambe   Nelson   Cashin   Forsyth
Fornah   Smith
Barkhuizen   Bird   Sibley
Collins
Subs: Vickers, Bradley, Wilson, Ward, Hourihane, Washington, Waghorn

I'm certain he'll start, but most likely on the wing. It's hard to see Warne breaking up the Fornah, Smith, Bird midfield at the moment.

Transfer fees paid for the players who have scored more league goals than Waghorn so far this season:
Devante Cole - Free
Colby Bishop - £500k
Jamie Reid - Nominal
Jordan Rhodes - Loan
Dion Charles - £300k
Alfie May - £250k

We were in Division 3 (North) for 2 seasons in the 50s, returned in the 80s for 2 seasons, and are now in our 2nd season at this level in this spell
55/56 = 2nd (equivalent to 3/4th)
56/57 = 1st (equivalent to 1st/2nd)
84/85 = 7th
85/86 = 3rd
22/23 = 7th
23/24 = 9th (currently)

Brought on for injury time against Wigan and Burton. Then brought on at LW for 30 mins against Oxford, and started against Fleetwood and Peterborough because "there was no one else". We've since Signed Fornah, so the chances of Thompson getting game time at CM are very small.

Transfer fees paid for the players who have scored more league goals than Waghorn so far this season:
Devante Cole - Free
Colby Bishop - £500k
Jamie Reid - Nominal
Jordan Rhodes - Loan
Dion Charles - £300k
Alfie May - £250k

Mainly because we surrendered possession to Carlisle, in another game we decided the best tactics was to not pass it to our own players. That's history now... hopefully the recent improvement continues.
I see JBrown and Guy both started again. Brown scored a very good goal last week, and it's great to see he's settled in to league football so we'll.

There is no misconception as it has already been announced by the club that we could spend fees. Our first team management staff decided that it would be a better use of money to spend it on wages than on transfer fees - logic being we sign higher quality players. We will also pays fees for Washington, Fornah and Wilson upon promotion and selling them on.

There were a lot of players I would have chosen for Warne's 352/3412 system over the players we did eventually get. It's difficult to know their reasons for going to other clubs, from not wanting to drop down to L1, not wanting to move to the area, not thinking they will suit Warne's system, etc.
At LWB, I would have liked Maxi Wittek (was at Vitesse but joined Bochum for £650k) or Derry Murkin (went from Volendam to Schalke for £700k), so I was a bit over ambitious with those.
Excluding the players who went to Championship clubs, here's a summary of who I would have gone for:
RCB: Matt Pennington (Blackpool)
LCB/CB: Lloyd Jones (Charlton)
RWB: Tom Hamer (available for £200-300k from Burton)
LWB: Jack Sparkes (Portsmouth), George Cox (Volendum)
CM: Jensen Weir (Brighton loan to Blackpool), Caleb Watts (Exeter), Cameron McGeehan (Colchester)
AM: Harvey Knibbs (Reading), Nathan Young-Combes (available on loan from Brentford), or Scott Banks (Palace loan to St Pauli)
CF: Aaron Pressley (Brentford loan to Stevenage), Tyler Walker (Lincoln), Sam Smith (Reading)

So many people are falling into the same trap as I did by arguing with a troll. This is the same person who said:
"It WILL take time to get back to glory days, (albeit I am of the opinion that our great clubs glory days at best would be a club challenging at the top end of the Championship)"
That's right. This particular poster thinks that's the best we can ever hope for.

Intermediary is just a fancy word for agents
 
Fan Forum - reference to not paying upfront fees. May have also mentioned choosing to spend budget on wages instead of transfer fees, but that may have just been a different interview with Warne.

There is no misconception as it has already been announced by the club that we could spend fees. Our first team management staff decided that it would be a better use of money to spend it on wages than on transfer fees - logic being we sign higher quality players. We will also pays fees for Washington, Fornah and Wilson upon promotion and selling them on.

So many people are falling into the same trap as I did by arguing with a troll. This is the same person who said:
"It WILL take time to get back to glory days, (albeit I am of the opinion that our great clubs glory days at best would be a club challenging at the top end of the Championship)"
That's right. This particular poster thinks that's the best we can ever hope for.

So many people are falling into the same trap as I did by arguing with a troll. This is the same person who said:
"It WILL take time to get back to glory days, (albeit I am of the opinion that our great clubs glory days at best would be a club challenging at the top end of the Championship)"
That's right. This particular poster thinks that's the best we can ever hope for.

There’s loads that I could rip this post apart with but I’ll stick with just the one. 
 
The Kellyman family live in Derby. Omari will be training at a completely different time to his brother, so why does it make sense for them to be at the same club? He lives literally 10 minutes from the training centre at Derby and at least 45 minutes from Villa - the decision  to do that journey at least 4 times a week hasn’t been made on having their sons at the same club. 
 
The one thing you are correct with is that Omari didn’t want to leave, but believe me he realised quickly the difference in everything he was getting at Villa compared to Derby. And that is the reason his little brother has followed him. 
 
On another note, I’ve just heard our U16s have finished last out of 28 teams in a National tournament - the academy still has a lot to do to get anywhere near a mid to high Cat1 club. 
 
A lot of questions being raised around recruitment and the standard of  coaching at the minute. 

I hardly think so, with our average squad of lower league journeymen 😀

Mainly because we surrendered possession to Carlisle, in another game we decided the best tactics was to not pass it to our own players. That's history now... hopefully the recent improvement continues.
I see JBrown and Guy both started again. Brown scored a very good goal last week, and it's great to see he's settled in to league football so we'll.

Not yet. I'll probably finda bit of time to watch it over the next couple of days