Observations - but fewer than the new signings

[Harrowram]

Nine signings seems a lot. However Baird,Bent,Shackell ,Russell,and Weimann had left pretty much prior to any signings. Left back was a problem area with Forsyth struggling to regain form and fitness, Olsen injured and Lowe inexperienced. Tomori can cover several defensive positions. I doubt that Nugent and Jerome are capable of playing for 90 minutes every game over a 46 game season, and Chris Martin has been unwell. For me Weimann never quite worked out for us, Vydra could only play at number 10 and we lacked options out wide. Younger players add energy to an ageing squad and 3 are on loan in any case. I hope the newcomers can be integrated quickly . It is noticeable that Leeds haven't made a huge number of signings though time will tell whether a relatively small squad playing an aggressive, high energy game over a long season will last the course.

[KCG]

The question will be how quickly the new players settle and how quickly will it all gel?

[cannable]

17 hours ago, Angry Ram said:

Morris has gone poo or bust, this has to be his last roll of the dice. I really hope it works for him as I don't want to see him lose his hard earned. But really can you take anything he says literally? No more, he was badly advised stuff. This is Morris making those descisons to bring players in. His blessing.. Good luck Frank, you are some sort of god down here. 

This team will take awhile to gell I would imagine. Hope fully a good few out on loans otherwise training will be messy. At least they can play 11 v 11 with pretty good 11s.

Good luck Mel, Good luck Frank, Good luck DCFC.

It’s worth pointing out that we’ve made a profit every season since 16/17. If you include Rowett we’ve made £10,000,000 on transfers since Summer 2016. 

Now we have until the 31st to trim the wage bill. 

[Harrowram]

47 minutes ago, KCG said:

The question will be how quickly the new players settle and how quickly will it all gel?

Harry Redknapp signed lots of players at Birmingham last season and it didn't work very well. Tomorrow is a big test. A home defeat will test Frank's mettle. Leeds were good in the first half v Stoke and prospered through a defensive error playing them onside, a goalkeeping mistake, and a set piece taken by Barry Douglas. Their fullbacks and keeper didn't look terribly assured defensively and perhaps they need to be tested.

[Angry Ram]

1 hour ago, cannable said:

It’s worth pointing out that we’ve made a profit every season since 16/17. If you include Rowett we’ve made £10,000,000 on transfers since Summer 2016. 

Now we have until the 31st to trim the wage bill. 

Yet we still run at a loss as Morris pointed out last year.

[vidukasbox]

1 hour ago, Harrowram said:

Harry Redknapp signed lots of players at Birmingham last season and it didn't work very well. Tomorrow is a big test. A home defeat will test Frank's mettle. Leeds were good in the first half v Stoke and prospered through a defensive error playing them onside, a goalkeeping mistake, and a set piece taken by Barry Douglas. Their fullbacks and keeper didn't look terribly assured defensively and perhaps they need to be tested.

 

Erm, barring their penalty we dominated the game and both full backs are a huge strength in our side.

[Jourdan]

I thought Frank did some really good business initially. The triple signing of Mount, Jozefzoon and Wilson showed great intent. Add Waghorn as a necessary replacement for Vydra and that should have been our business done.

I can understand wanting your own players and putting your mark on the squad, but that can be achieved with 3-4 players if they come in and make the right kind of impact.

The business in recent weeks just seems to be overkill and in the indulgent manner that has been typical of us since MM took  up the reins. Signing players because we can rather than because we need to, and showing that we’ve not really learnt any lessons at all.

I look at half of these signings - Holmes, Evans, Marriott, Malone, Tomori - and just scratch my head. Will they play? What problems do they remedy? Are they good enough to make an impact? Will they be in the plans if we happen to get promoted?

We had a big squad and a big wage bill when FL arrived. Did it call for nine more additions?

[Harrowram]

10 minutes ago, vidukasbox said:

 

Erm, barring their penalty we dominated the game and both full backs are a huge strength in our side.

Douglas isn't a great defender and the goalie is crap.

[SaintRam]

6 minutes ago, Jourdan said:

I thought Frank did some really good business initially. The triple signing of Mount, Jozefzoon and Wilson showed great intent. Add Waghorn as a necessary replacement for Vydra and that should have been our business done.

I can understand wanting your own players and putting your mark on the squad, but that can be achieved with 3-4 players if they come in and make the right kind of impact.

The business in recent weeks just seems to be overkill and in the indulgent manner that has been typical of us since MM took  up the reins. Signing players because we can rather than because we need to, and showing that we’ve not really learnt any lessons at all.

I look at half of these signings - Holmes, Evans, Marriott, Malone, Tomori - and just scratch my head. Will they play? What problems do they remedy? Are they good enough to make an impact? Will they be in the plans if we happen to get promoted?

We had a big squad and a big wage bill when FL arrived. Did it call for nine more additions?

What problems do they remedy?

Tomori - we have a lack of depth in an old central defense, and in some minds right back too - with our primary backup being 17 year old Bogle (who I rate, but I understand concern in that regard). Tomori remedies that. Will they play? Don't know. Good enough to make an impact? Don't know.

Malone - The only LB we have who is good enough has a huge question mark over their long term fitness. This is a no-brainer. Will they play? Probably. Good enough? Yes.

Marriott - Our main strike force, while numerous, was very old. Only Nugent of them could press for 45 minutes, and he got tired before 90. We needed a young energetic striker in our new system. Will they play? Yes. Good enough to make an impact? Probably.

Evans - We have, currently, no fit players who's primary position is DM except Evans. I think that justifies his purchase on its own. I know duck all about Evans beyond that though, but Lampard played with him so I'm sure he knows something.

Holmes - He cost 500k and is backup for attacking midfield + RW. Probably the only real backup player we have for Bryson's role. Will they play? Don't know. Good enough to make an impact? Don't know.

 

On the question of Will they be in the plans if we happen to get promoted? I think we have to be honest with ourselves and say we genuinely don't know the answer to that for literally any of players. 

 

We had a big squad and a big wage bill when FL arrived. Did it call for nine more additions?

I think so, as has been talked about in other threads, some players will still be leaving and a solid third of our squad from the end of last season have contracts up this year. If you wait until they're all gone before replacing them, you're in a far worse position than if you look to building your new squad in advance.

I think we've been very intelligent, the strategy is solid and the players are of a decent standard. 

Besides, we still have another month of the transfer window.

 

[Gaspode]

Can we not just enjoy the ride for a while before all the negativity gets out there? We've had many poor seasons when there has genuinely looked like no alternative to putting the same dross out time and time again. Mel & Frank are trying something different - for goodness sake give them a chance before you write it off....

[BobbyD]

21 hours ago, jagerbob said:

I was buzzing when he came in and the first couple of loans came in.  But not so much now. 9 new players were definately not required, and this stinks of someone trying to bring a whole new team together and expecting them to know each others game, and gel together instantly. It pretty much never works

How about reserving judgement and giving it a chance ? 

[IlsonDerby]

GK: Carson/Roos/Mitchell

RB: Wisdom/Bogle

CB: Davies/Keogh/Pearce/Tomori

LB: Lowe/Malone

DM: Ledley/Huddlestone/Evans

CM: Mount/Bryson/Holmes/Johnson?

Wing: Wilson/Flo/Thomas/Lawrence/Bennett

ST: Waghorn/Marriott/Nugent

Outfield squad of 23 there, with 4 essentially stepping up from the U23s (so no rush for those to take the league by storm) and 3 on loan (so no long term commitment). 

This leaves Olsson, Butterfield, Blackman, Jerome, Martin, Thorne as surplus to requirements in my opinion. 

Vydra, Weimann, Hanson, Shackell, Bent, Baird and Russell have all left in the last 8 months. We were crying out for more wide players even before Russell and Weimann left. Imagine also that the wages of those brought in are much lower than those we have got rid of (Hanson aside) especially Tomori, Evans and Holmes who I'd imagine to be fairly low risk in terms of cost. 

If we can get just 3/4 of those surplus to requirements out on loan (understand Olsson is out all season and then out of contract), with 10 of our players being out of contract at the end of this season, then I feel like we're in a much stronger shape than previously.

 

 

[Rosythram]

What is wrong with DCFC fans, we’ve been subjected to the most dire football any fan in any hemisphere in living memory has had to endure.

Our owner makes a conscious desicion to stop the rot and direct us in a different direction and still doom and gloom merchants come out of the wood work!

For god sake embrace what they are trying to do.

I know for some this forum only exists for the purpose of a good moan.

Me I want to embrace the moment for what it is and what I believe it’s meant to be, bloody good fun and enjoyment.

It appears to me some of you have forgotten why you first started to support this great club and need to reassess.

[Jourdan]

2 hours ago, SaintRam said:

What problems do they remedy?

Tomori - we have a lack of depth in an old central defense, and in some minds right back too - with our primary backup being 17 year old Bogle (who I rate, but I understand concern in that regard). Tomori remedies that. Will they play? Don't know. Good enough to make an impact? Don't know.

Malone - The only LB we have who is good enough has a huge question mark over their long term fitness. This is a no-brainer. Will they play? Probably. Good enough? Yes.

Marriott - Our main strike force, while numerous, was very old. Only Nugent of them could press for 45 minutes, and he got tired before 90. We needed a young energetic striker in our new system. Will they play? Yes. Good enough to make an impact? Probably.

Evans - We have, currently, no fit players who's primary position is DM except Evans. I think that justifies his purchase on its own. I know duck all about Evans beyond that though, but Lampard played with him so I'm sure he knows something.

Holmes - He cost 500k and is backup for attacking midfield + RW. Probably the only real backup player we have for Bryson's role. Will they play? Don't know. Good enough to make an impact? Don't know.

 

On the question of Will they be in the plans if we happen to get promoted? I think we have to be honest with ourselves and say we genuinely don't know the answer to that for literally any of players. 

 

We had a big squad and a big wage bill when FL arrived. Did it call for nine more additions?

I think so, as has been talked about in other threads, some players will still be leaving and a solid third of our squad from the end of last season have contracts up this year. If you wait until they're all gone before replacing them, you're in a far worse position than if you look to building your new squad in advance.

I think we've been very intelligent, the strategy is solid and the players are of a decent standard. 

Besides, we still have another month of the transfer window.

 

It probably sounds like I am being negative and writing half of our signings off. Far from it. They could work out well given time.

I am just questioning the wisdom of adding to what was already a large squad, rather than integrating academy players or getting the most out of players in the existing group.

Why has Mel poured so much money into the academy and why do we bring in top coaches if we are just going to fall back on spending money on new players again and again?

We have players in the existing group who could have adopted these roles.

Tomori and Malone - our defence is settled and has been an area of strength for a number of years. Keogh and Davies are top Championship players and have excellent fitness records, so they will be immovable. For some, there may be question marks over Wisdom and Lowe but with Bogle and Forsyth waiting in the wings, they already had reasonable competition for places. Let the likes of Lowe and Bogle seize their chance, surely?

Evans - can’t Thorne when fit do exactly the same job he does? Aren’t Ledley, Huddlestone and Johnson also in contention for that position? If two or three of those leave or get injured, then fair enough this move starts to make more sense. But if not, does Evans even make the 18? He didn’t on Friday.

Holmes - maybe it is time for the likes of Guy, Elsnik, Butterfield and Anya to step up? Surely they should be able to offer as much or hopefully more in those roles than a top young player coming out of League 1?

Marriott - I understand the importance of having different types of strikers. But with Waghorn incoming too, I fear that Marriott’s chances will be limited. He has a lot of competition for places for effectively one spot, especially if Martin, Jerome, Nugent and Bennett stick around.

Maybe Frank will be justified in the end but for me, 4 signings would have been enough and given Frank enough options and flexibility moving forward.

Certainly I would not be thinking about replacing players on their way out next summer. 12 months is a long time in football. They are out of favour now but they can play themselves into the manager’s plans and still have time to earn themselves a new contract.

[BathRam72]

23 minutes ago, Rosythram said:

What is wrong with DCFC fans, we’ve been subjected to the most dire football any fan in any hemisphere in living memory has had to endure.

Our owner makes a conscious desicion to stop the rot and direct us in a different direction and still doom and gloom merchants come out of the wood work!

For god sake embrace what they are trying to do.

I know for some this forum only exists for the purpose of a good moan.

Me I want to embrace the moment for what it is and what I believe it’s meant to be, bloody good fun and enjoyment.

It appears to me some of you have forgotten why you first started to support this great club and need to reassess.

Here here. I don't believe some fans. I understand the concern but surely as eluded to, we are building for the future. If it happens in the here and now then great

[cannable]

3 hours ago, SaintRam said:

Malone - The only LB we have who is good enough has a huge question mark over their long term fitness. This is a no-brainer. Will they play? Probably. Good enough? Yes.

Are we really writing Fozzy off after one average (and I stress average, not bad) season?

[SaintRam]

11 minutes ago, cannable said:

Are we really writing Fozzy off after one average (and I stress average, not bad) season?

I always rated him tbh - but since his injury he's lost a lot in going forward, and without his ability going forward he's worse than average. 

Just my opinion, ofc. 

[cannable]

4 hours ago, Jourdan said:

I look at half of these signings - Holmes, Evans, Marriott, Malone, Tomori - and just scratch my head. Will they play? What problems do they remedy? Are they good enough to make an impact? Will they be in the plans if we happen to get promoted?

With us pressing high and trying to play Tamori makes sense as we know Pearce gets torn to shreds in this system. Plus he can cover right-back.

I think the role of the holding-midfielder in this system is supposed to be more towards the Jorginho end of the spectrum than Pirlo. They’re expected to be mobile, back-up play and be a wall, rather than a stationary sprayer. This is why I think Ledley’s been favoured and why we’ve signed Evans.

If Holmes is comfortable on the ball and energetic then he’s the #8 we need to cover/replace Bryson. BJ isn’t good enough on the ball and Butters isn’t energetic enough.

I rate Malone and think he’ll suit the system well but simultaneously think that it kills any chance of redemption for Fozzy and hinders Lowe’s development. I wouldn’t have signed him. 

I’d have only signed one of Waghorn or Marriott to be honest. We’re swamped in that position now.

[plymouthram]

On 09/08/2018 at 19:08, jagerbob said:

I was buzzing when he came in and the first couple of loans came in.  But not so much now. 9 new players were definately not required, and this stinks of someone trying to bring a whole new team together and expecting them to know each others game, and gel together instantly. It pretty much never works

I don't think all 9 players will be in the starting 11 in any match this season, some have been brought in to be ready for the next season. It was always going to happen that Vydra was going to get sold for a big amount of money to help finance the change of the squad. Bringing down the age of the squad, getting them in now to have a whole season with them. Alex Ferguson did all his deals at the beginning of the season and very rarely bothered in the January window. Out of the players that have come in, I would state Mount, Wilson, Waghorn, Evans and Malone will be regulars in the team. The others will be bench players getting the odd start.

[RoyMac5]

55 minutes ago, cannable said:

I rate Malone and think he’ll suit the system well but simultaneously think that it kills any chance of redemption for Fozzy and hinders Lowe’s development. I wouldn’t have signed him. 

I’d have only signed one of Waghorn or Marriott to be honest. We’re swamped in that position now.

Surely Lowe as back up to Marriott is sensible - chance without too much pressure. As for Marriott and Waggy, we need both and they,re not the same, plus Nuge and Jerome will soon be gone.