Signed: Tom Lawrence - Undisclosed fee, long term contract

[maxjam]

2 minutes ago, LazloW said:

FWIW I do think we are lacking somebody with a bit of flair and excitement who can do something a little bit different, but if that player isn't available or isn't viable then a combination of Russell, Weimann and Anya is likely to be good enough at this level to still compete at a high level - even if it means playing in more workmanlike and effort based fashion than playing people off the park.  

Yeah I'd agree with that.  After watching the pre-season games (imo) we are desperately lacking a bit of creativity but I neither want to pay over the odds for someone or bring in someone of a same level as we already have.

Its kinda annoying not being pro-active in the market but patience is a virtue 'n all that and if we can't bring in the players we want to bring in, then we go with what we have.

[Leicester Ram]

It's not even August.

[MidWalesRam]

29 minutes ago, swiftur said:

The 3 sides who started well last season were all promoted.We must get off to a good start.

Newcastle lost their first two games, before slowly recovering.

[REDCAR]

I heard something the other day.... Roy Keanes Sunderland.... lost first 6 games.... went up as champions! 

[tomsdubs]

41 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

But it makes no difference when your bad spell is.

If you have two prolonged bad spells over a season (as we did) it just shows that you are not good enough rather than it being a loss of form.

We finished quite a way from the play offs purely on not being good enough.

A nice start is good for morale etc but I would much rather see a good spell over Xmas/New Year period when the games are coming thick and fast.

We started with a muppet manager, crippled ourselves. Yeah it's hindsight but we know better now. Good manager in Rowett now, get everything in place and give ourselves the best possible chance IMO.

[Sparkle]

1 hour ago, Kyle guest said:

Everyone is panicking because we'll have weimann and Russell as our wingers for Sunderland

They are perfectly good enough

[Woodley Ram]

1 hour ago, swiftur said:

The 3 sides who started well last season were all promoted.We must get off to a good start.

Wouldn't class Newcastles start as good, but a good start will always help

[Sparkle]

1 hour ago, LazloW said:

Absolutely right.  However, nothing will change until clubs stop paying silly money for average players.  I'm not suggesting we are refusing to pay the asking price for Lawrence (or anybody else) as a matter of principle, not least because I don't think it has been confirmed anywhere that the issue is the fee and not that clubs don't want to sell.  Nonetheless, I wouldn't object to the club saying that we aren't paying over the odds and trying to retain some semblance of sanity, even if we are the only ones doing it.  

FWIW I do think we are lacking somebody with a bit of flair and excitement who can do something a little bit different, but if that player isn't available or isn't viable then a combination of Russell, Weimann and Anya is likely to be good enough at this level to still compete at a high level - even if it means playing in more workmanlike and effort based fashion than playing people off the park.  

Spot on and we haven't played anyone of the park since and only mac1 even with your Hughes and ince

[RamsFan10]

Really hope this comes off, and soon. Imo Russell Weimann Anya and Bennett arent good enough wide players for top 6. There are lots of teams in this league who have at least one winger who would walk into our side as first choice.

[Carnero]

58 minutes ago, RamsFan10 said:

Really hope this comes off, and soon. Imo Russell Weimann Anya and Bennett arent good enough wide players for top 6. There are lots of teams in this league who have at least one winger who would walk into our side as first choice.

I agree that we do need to add a creative spark, but you can't say Russell, Anya & Weimann "aren't good enough for top 6" when Russell was a regular in a side that finished 3rd, Anya was a regular in a side that got automatically promoted and Weimann was a regular in a side the survived in the Premier League.

They're not as "bad" as some people make out, just not as good as Ince.

Give it time, Gaz knows what we need and he'll be working hard to get it as soon as he can.

DON'T PANIC MR MAINWARING!

[JayRam1]

My first signing for the attacking department would be to replace Kevin Phillips, surely he should be working on the attackers finishing and creativity. He's useless our attacking play has gone downhill rapidly since his arrival.

[King Kevin]

1 minute ago, JayRam1 said:

My first signing for the attacking department would be to replace Kevin Phillips, surely he should be working on the attackers finishing and creativity. He's useless our attacking play has gone downhill rapidly since his arrival.

Harsh but difficult to argue against.

[Animal is a Ram]

3 minutes ago, Saul Pimpson said:

I agree that we do need to add a creative spark, but you can't say Russell, Anya & Weimann "aren't good enough for top 6" when Russell was a regular in a side that finished 3rd, Anya was a regular in a side that got automatically promoted and Weimann was a regular in a side the survived in the Premier League.

They're not as "bad" as some people make out, just not as good as Ince.

Give it time, Gaz knows what we need and he'll be working hard to get it as soon as he can.

DON'T PANIC MR MAINWARING!

It's not that they aren't good enough - exactly for the reasons you state - but they're all too similar. We've got four of the pacey wingers, and a bit of power with Bennett seemingly stepping up this season. But we need some creative brain now - a la Ince.

I'm not panicking. It just would have been nice to get whoever Gary has his eyes on a bit earlier to get them settled. I have faith that the right player will come in though - the signings we've already made have highlighted that we've been thinking in this window, rather than panic buying.

[Carnero]

6 minutes ago, Animal is a Ram said:

It's not that they aren't good enough - exactly for the reasons you state - but they're all too similar. We've got four of the pacey wingers, and a bit of power with Bennett seemingly stepping up this season. But we need some creative brain now - a la Ince.

I'm not panicking. It just would have been nice to get whoever Gary has his eyes on a bit earlier to get them settled. I have faith that the right player will come in though - the signings we've already made have highlighted that we've been thinking in this window, rather than panic buying.

Yep completely agree.

In the interim, i'd be using Vydra as the "creative spark" in a 4-2-3-1, with Hudd & Butters as the 2. Easy to say when i'm not the man in charge though.

[Ted McMinn Football Genius]

14 minutes ago, JayRam1 said:

My first signing for the attacking department would be to replace Kevin Phillips, surely he should be working on the attackers finishing and creativity. He's useless our attacking play has gone downhill rapidly since his arrival.

Would have to agree ?

[sage]

6 minutes ago, Saul Pimpson said:

Yep completely agree.

In the interim, i'd be using Vydra as the "creative spark" in a 4-2-3-1, with Hudd & Butters as the 2. Easy to say when i'm not the man in charge though.

Vydra isn't creative he has pace and feeds of a target man. He is no more than average at dribbling and passing. He is a finisher not a creator. 

[Jimbo Ram]

19 minutes ago, JayRam1 said:

My first signing for the attacking department would be to replace Kevin Phillips, surely he should be working on the attackers finishing and creativity. He's useless our attacking play has gone downhill rapidly since his arrival.

Nah, I would stick him upfront with Coldplay...

[Barney1991]

Russell weimann and anya defo are not good enough really for top 6 and definitely top 2 

I went yesterday and although a pre season friendly hoffeinham didn't even get out of first gear and had our wingers in back pockets who failed to produce anything apart from russell running to nowhere or running the ball to far infront of him and being dispossessed time after time 

I looked at last season and russell scored 1 goal all season anya scored 1 goal and weimann didn't even finish the season with us now if you look at Newcastle they had matt ritchie who I think got 16 goals and bright had Knockart who bagged I think 15 or 14 goals and then they have Murray and gayle who got over 20 goals 

Now look at our squad Martin had done it before and could see him getting 20 goals this season with good service or nugent but blimey do you see any of our wingers getting anywhere near that no way and last time we finished 3rd we Fortunetley had bryson who got 16 goals but he ain't going to do that again after watching yesterday he doesn't have the legs anymore johnson can't pass and doesn't get forward like bryson used too as he doesn't surge forward at all and butterfield just stood on huddlestones toes all game where he might as well have played his role as he never left more than 1 foot away from him all game and if you are playing 4-3-3 surely one of the 3 needs to help Martin bit since the 13 14 season where bryson made the box to box runs to help Martin and go beyond him we haven't had it and thats why Martin has looked useless because no one is anywhere near him making runs past him in which bryson used to and that's why vydra needs to be given a try behind him or someone in shape of bryson from that season would be perfect a energetic box to box midfielder with Lawrence and another winger and we will make top 6 easy but too many of them players yesterday not good enough apart from back 5 and goalie 

[Rab a dab doo]

What all of them !

[Bald Eagle's Barmy Army]

7 minutes ago, Barney1991 said:

Russell weimann and anya defo are not good enough really for top 6 and definitely top 2 

I went yesterday and although a pre season friendly hoffeinham didn't even get out of first gear and had our wingers in back pockets who failed to produce anything apart from russell running to nowhere or running the ball to far infront of him and being dispossessed time after time 

I looked at last season and russell scored 1 goal all season anya scored 1 goal and weimann didn't even finish the season with us now if you look at Newcastle they had matt ritchie who I think got 16 goals and bright had Knockart who bagged I think 15 or 14 goals and then they have Murray and gayle who got over 20 goals 

Now look at our squad Martin had done it before and could see him getting 20 goals this season with good service or nugent but blimey do you see any of our wingers getting anywhere near that no way and last time we finished 3rd we Fortunetley had bryson who got 16 goals but he ain't going to do that again after watching yesterday he doesn't have the legs anymore johnson can't pass and doesn't get forward like bryson used too as he doesn't surge forward at all and butterfield just stood on huddlestones toes all game where he might as well have played his role as he never left more than 1 foot away from him all game and if you are playing 4-3-3 surely one of the 3 needs to help Martin bit since the 13 14 season where bryson made the box to box runs to help Martin and go beyond him we haven't had it and thats why Martin has looked useless because no one is anywhere near him making runs past him in which bryson used to and that's why vydra needs to be given a try behind him or someone in shape of bryson from that season would be perfect a energetic box to box midfielder with Lawrence and another winger and we will make top 6 easy but too many of them players yesterday not good enough apart from back 5 and goalie 

Russell played well and won the penalty.

Both Weimann and Anya have both played well at this level and with better balls to them, we could be seeing totally different players. Let's give them a few games to gel and see what happens under different leadership.