Bad summer window

[deanoakaram4life]

I'm I the only one who thinks the summer window was a disappointment? I thought Rowett was going to inject the squad with an athletic, physical presence. However we have brought in over 30's who lack the hunger to get out of the division. Don't want to be negative but just feel the squad lacks pace, especially in midfield. Hope Rowett is given time but would love a center mid who can cover each ends of the pitch. 

[Jack Willow]

He didn't get rid of the deadwood.

[Alph]

It's a small step in what needs to be a team created to suit a manager.

Nobody has had that in a while. The time to build their team.

I think perhaps he focused too much on defenders when creativity has been a problem for us since Clement.

The outgoings hurt us in terms of how we use the ball. Only Huddlestone has come in and helped out there. But he sits deep and moves like a caravan so We're still well short. 

I've never felt like we were capable of top 6. I don't mind Rowett at all but I don't think he's this great up and coming talent. He's alright.

And we weren't good enough under Clement, Wassall, Pearson, Mac 2. So I fail to see how we can be good enough now when we've got rid of some good players and others have aged. 

Individually I think the transfers were ok. I never really liked the look of Lawrence at Blackburn or Ipswich  (2 poor teams where he was the best flair player by being the only flair player!). But the rest are decent enough

Unfortunately we need more players. To do that we need to offload those who don't really do owt. But we bought them at a time when we felt we were on the up and buying 'up there' players.

Both Derby and players have gone backwards. The value just isn't there. Clubs will want our young talent like Hendrick, Hughes, Ince, Lowe etc. Not our established stars who clearly aren't doing too well

[Stimacked]

Crazy prices were being paid for players in the last window. Lots of clubs were outspending us...Brum, Wolves, Boro 

I think Rowett did struggle and we lacked the input of a figure like we had before with Rush's contacts.  

Rowett sold Hughes too early, probably could have got much more if he'd hang onto him a bit longer( Rush would have)

Lawrence deal seemed reasonable, but Rowett made a total balls up with his midfield revamp. Huddlestone needs a 'Keith' battler runner type alongside him, maybe two! 

Rowett made a start at Getting rid of some of the players who were underperforming. Bryson move was bad. 

Defence, probably improved, 

Midfield, now poor against most other teams in the division. dire straits away from home. Only options are throwing youth players in or pushing Thorne back in too early or an expensively paid free transfer. 

Forward options, still lacking another pacy winger. Apart from that, Rowett hasn't been able to accommodate Martin effectively yet. 

 

[ViewsFromTheMiddle]

4 minutes ago, Stimacked said:

Crazy prices were being paid for players in the last window. Lots of clubs were outspending us...Brum, Wolves, Boro 

I think Rowett did struggle and we lacked the input of a figure like we had before with Rush's contacts.  

Rowett sold Hughes too early, probably could have got much more if he'd hang onto him a bit longer( Rush would have)

Lawrence deal seemed reasonable, but Rowett made a total balls up with his midfield revamp. Huddlestone needs a 'Keith' battler runner type alongside him, maybe two! 

Rowett made a start at Getting rid of some of the players who were underperforming. Bryson move was bad. 

Defence, probably improved, 

Midfield, now poor against most other teams in the division. dire straits away from home. Only options are throwing youth players in or pushing Thorne back in too early or an expensively paid free transfer. 

Forward options, still lacking another pacy winger. Apart from that, Rowett hasn't been able to accommodate Martin effectively yet. 

 

Not sure the defence has improved, already conceded 10 goals.

[Alph]

I don't think getting rid of Bryson was bad as such. He's offered very little for some time now. It more that it's not glaringly obvious that with Hendrick gone in the sunset, Hughes in a London cab and Butterfield sleep walking to Sheffield that we needed a midfielder who is aggressive thinking yet an accurate passer. 

I mean he tried to bring in another DM. That's cool. But it is still only 1 midfielder. I don't know what Huddlestone is but it's not a midfielder. He's one of those tennis ball launchers. 

I've never been a big Bryson fan. But to leave ourselves with Thorne, Huddlestone and Johnson as our midfield until January is a bit odd. Even if Kieftenbeld could wield a pen accurately I still think that's a pretty samey samey midfield. There's no complimentary skills there. It's good clone, bad clone kind of thing.

We can't dig anything out the squad. We can only play on the counter. That's our only option. We don't really construct attacks. At all. We waste a lot of possession which would be ok if we even had the mobility to defend well in the middle of the pitch.

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

17 minutes ago, Alpha said:

I don't think getting rid of Bryson was bad as such. He's offered very little for some time now. It more that it's not glaringly obvious that with Hendrick gone in the sunset, Hughes in a London cab and Butterfield sleep walking to Sheffield that we needed a midfielder who is aggressive thinking yet an accurate passer. 

I mean he tried to bring in another DM. That's cool. But it is still only 1 midfielder. I don't know what Huddlestone is but it's not a midfielder. He's one of those tennis ball launchers. 

I've never been a big Bryson fan. But to leave ourselves with Thorne, Huddlestone and Johnson as our midfield until January is a bit odd. Even if Kieftenbeld could wield a pen accurately I still think that's a pretty samey samey midfield. There's no complimentary skills there. It's good clone, bad clone kind of thing.

We can't dig anything out the squad. We can only play on the counter. That's our only option. We don't really construct attacks. At all. We waste a lot of possession which would be ok if we even had the mobility to defend well in the middle of the pitch.

It was bad getting rid of Bryson alpha

But worse,getting so little out of a player who exhibited all of the attributes that GR claims to strive for in his team....

I think he realises it too.....on both counts.

 

[Alph]

18 minutes ago, ViewsFromTheMiddle said:

Not sure the defence has improved, already conceded 10 goals.

I'd say the defence itself is ok. It's the way they get exposed so often that's costing us goals. Wingers are defending but not very well. A bit late, a bit passive and it's almost "oh do i have to"

 Huddlestone and Johnson are not working imo. I don't see how they compliment each other. 

Huddlestone sees the danger but is too slow to do owt/Johnson doesn't see it until late. So defensively they should be 1 player and we'd have a spare shirt. 

There's not much drive to carry the ball forward. To pass and support and pass and exchange etc. So we just try the kick and chase counter. It works but it also means we give the ball away a lot. Sometimes that's giving momentum away. 

Our defending from the front largely consists of intense pressure for a short period of time from 3 players while our team parks the bus. When it works it ends in great chances. But most the time a decent opponent backline can ride it and are then free to cross the halfway line without resistance. 

We surrender territory and ball in hope of getting good counter attacks. It's high risk and high reward. We don't really control any games. We constantly gamble. It's like a penalty shootout

[Inglorius]

2 hours ago, deanoakaram4life said:

I'm I the only one who thinks the summer window was a disappointment? I thought Rowett was going to inject the squad with an athletic, physical presence. 

Don't you count Tom Lawrence as an athletic presence? We tried several attempts to sign David Davis from Birmingham but either they were unwilling to sell or we refused to meet their asking price hence the failed last minute bid for Kieftenbeld. 

[SilentRam]

4 minutes ago, Inglorius said:

Don't you count Tom Lawrence as an athletic presence? We tried several attempts to sign David Davis from Birmingham but either they were unwilling to sell or we refused to meet their asking price hence the failed last minute bid for Kieftenbeld. 

Davis and Kieftenbeld are not the type of midfielders we need. There were plenty of those. As I have said on here, our scouting outside the UK is dire. Look at Leeds and how they have signed quality from across Europe. They did not need to spend a lot in buying some very good players whose values will surely be going up. I thought our chairman and GR said we want to buy players whose value rises yet we still went for a player who was at Birmingham. What are our scouts busy doing? 

[Inglorius]

2 minutes ago, SilentRam said:

Davis and Kieftenbeld are not the type of midfielders we need. There were plenty of those. As I have said on here, our scouting outside the UK is dire. Look at Leeds and how they have signed quality from across Europe. They did not need to spend a lot in buying some very good players whose values will surely be going up. I thought our chairman and GR said we want to buy players whose value rises yet we still went for a player who was at Birmingham. What are our scouts busy doing? 

Rowett and more importantly Mel Morris commented on the scouting of overseas players during the fans forum meeting recently at the Silk Mill, it would be instructive for you to refer to that content which in turn would answer your question.

[G-Ram]

I thought it was a good window

Wisdom is better that christie

Davies improves us at the back 

lawrence is potentially aa good if not better than ince 

huddlestone is better than hughes.

We have improved slightly & the above might take time to gel 

 

[SilentRam]

5 hours ago, Inglorius said:

Rowett and more importantly Mel Morris commented on the scouting of overseas players during the fans forum meeting recently at the Silk Mill, it would be instructive for you to refer to that content which in turn would answer your question.

I have already listened to it. How many players signed from the four leagues that they mentioned? It does not even matter anymore as nothing can be done until January. 

[PistoldPete2]

1 hour ago, G-Ram said:

I thought it was a good window

Wisdom is better that christie

Davies improves us at the back 

lawrence is potentially aa good if not better than ince 

huddlestone is better than hughes.

We have improved slightly & the above might take time to gel 

 

The league table says different atm. And if wisdom and Davies have improved us at the back how come we are leaking so many goals? And how come wisdom wasnt in the team if he is so good? And the possession stats suggest we are weaker in midfield too. 

I havent seen seen enough of Davies yet, but my worry is he's past it. Lawrence looked promising against hull. its early days but the window was very frustrating for the players we let go and the players we didn't get. 

[MackworthRamIsGod]

Rowett and co made a pigs ear of the window and it was amateur at best.

As I've said in another thread, had it been any other chairman in charge we would have been rioting on deadline day.

It's only because we think Morris is the saviour who will one day lead us to the promised land do we remain patient.

We are in for a long season where mid table will be some achievement.

[G-Ram]

32 minutes ago, PistoldPete2 said:

The league table says different atm. And if wisdom and Davies have improved us at the back how come we are leaking so many goals? And how come wisdom wasnt in the team if he is so good? And the possession stats suggest we are weaker in midfield too. 

I havent seen seen enough of Davies yet, but my worry is he's past it. Lawrence looked promising against hull. its early days but the window was very frustrating for the players we let go and the players we didn't get. 

League table says different? Does it? Started this season better than last  

[Sparkle]

I don't think it was a bad window at all but it was a transitional one we moved out some for average/ decent money and some of the higher earning and non performing ones at least on loan for a while but the one thing that was abundantly clear was that we are very ponderous in central midfield so far and I personally would have preferred to have kept Bryson and Elsnick and used them. Based on the forwards we have and the midfielders I think we need to be playing a 442 with a much tighter midfield or we will have many match days where the midfield is simply swamped 

[GenBr]

9 hours ago, Stimacked said:

Crazy prices were being paid for players in the last window. Lots of clubs were outspending us...Brum, Wolves, Boro 

I think Rowett did struggle and we lacked the input of a figure like we had before with Rush's contacts.  

Rowett sold Hughes too early, probably could have got much more if he'd hang onto him a bit longer( Rush would have)

Lawrence deal seemed reasonable, but Rowett made a total balls up with his midfield revamp. Huddlestone needs a 'Keith' battler runner type alongside him, maybe two! 

Rowett made a start at Getting rid of some of the players who were underperforming. Bryson move was bad. 

Defence, probably improved, 

Midfield, now poor against most other teams in the division. dire straits away from home. Only options are throwing youth players in or pushing Thorne back in too early or an expensively paid free transfer. 

Forward options, still lacking another pacy winger. Apart from that, Rowett hasn't been able to accommodate Martin effectively yet. 

 

Rush only had contacts with Wasserman represented players though - hence why most of the players bought under his tenure were Wasserman players - most of them turned out to not be very good.

I also don't think that sitting on the bench for a year would have significantly increased Hughes value to us.

2 hours ago, SilentRam said:

I have already listened to it. How many players signed from the four leagues that they mentioned? It does not even matter anymore as nothing can be done until January. 

Didn't watch it myself - did they say they had been scouting abroad then?

[RoyMac5]

14 minutes ago, GenBr said:

Didn't watch it myself - did they say they had been scouting abroad then?

GR basically told us how difficult it was to scout players from abroad, mostly it seems owing to not knowing their character and them settling?. But he'd got contacts in Germany (and Netherlands?) whose judgement he felt he could trust. Personally thought it sounded like a fob off.

[GenBr]

14 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

GR basically told us how difficult it was to scout players from abroad, mostly it seems owing to not knowing their character and them settling?. But he'd got contacts in Germany (and Netherlands?) whose judgement he felt he could trust. Personally thought it sounded like a fob off.

Thanks. Well that makes it sound like we have no scouting network abroad whatsoever if all we have is a couple of contacts that Rowett brought with him. It takes time to build a good scouting network, but from the sounds of that it doesn't even sound like we have laid the foundations.