Hopes and Expectations for the coming season

[D__Lo__]

I'm really concerned with the quality of signings made so far. A lot look like backward steps. Can't see anything other than mid-table and dropping a few places compared to the season gone with no real danger of mounting a play-off push.

 

[Grecian Max]

Realistically, and having been rooted in this league for years now - we know this is not a relegation side. There will be much, much worse than us.

At the same time we don’t have that extra bit of quality that would see competing for top 3, I think currently we’ll be in a similar position to last year.

Bowman is a great player but we don’t have much else up there. Seymour is an unknown and Fisher could be ok I suppose. MT is obviously chasing that elusive quality striker, if we could get Ajose however unlikely... that could be such a game changer.

Midfield is very strong in my eyes, surely no one can argue that Lee Martin, Nicky Law, Collins, Williams, Holmes (ageing I know), Atagana don’t represent very decent quality for this division.

Defensively we’re looking really light on fullbacks again which needs sorting ASAP. Centre backs look alright to me, Deano did well last year, looks like Martin could be back in contention and Parkes is a good player. Old bloke from Yeovil as back up is meh.

Goalies, both unknowns to me but from their highlights look good and cumulatively better than Pym plus a semi pro standard keeper.

When you look at it objectively it’s not too bad, my concern is with the fullbacks and getting a really good goalscorer.

League 2 is not an amazing division when Newport’s squad of last year can make the final. We’re also still some time away from the start of the season.

UTC

 

[Grecian Max]

I'm really concerned with the quality of signings made so far. A lot look backward steps can't see anything other than mid-table and backward progress.

Intrigued by this if you break it down.

Where are the backward steps?


Losing Stockely was a hammer blow but Bowman and Williams were good additions off the back of it.
Atagana for Tilson (if we can shift) is a step up.
Parkes for Troy is probably like for like but one will actually play.
2x decent quality goalkeepers + more height and dominance in the box for one good but not exceptional goalie and one awful one (possibly the worst I’ve seen at SJP, even in the 90s)
Fisher for the various crap loaned kids we have, it’s not that exciting but he’ll be warming the bench
The only issue is the old CB from Yeovil but again I’m assuming back up rather than starter

Last season we signed Aaron Martin on the 25th June. It was Taylor’s first. He still managed to get in a number of strong signings. Watkins could well move on in the window which would give us more spending power.

Despite what Taylor said I think we’ll see at least another 2x permanents (full back and striker) and 2x loans.

I’m not massively optimistic but at the same time I think people are going overboard.

 

[DB9]

Question - and bare with me:

Picture a bottom half finish in 19/20 but we see a strong influx of our youth players followed by a mid table finish in 20/21 with youth firmly established in the squad before a promotion with 5/6 of the current youth crop playing as starters in 21/22 that stay with us and we build on.

Would you accept a lower finish two seasons running in order to see better finishing places in the future?

It is very rare that a club has a strong influx of their youth team to make the grade to the 1st team, One or two stand outs make it as seen in our recent past but 5/6 starters that would be extremely optimistic, Last team to do it was Southampton but when their youth made the grade they were snapped up by bigger teams and for the last few seasons they have struggled to replicate it and struggled in their league. We are known it seems within football circles that youngsters here are given probably a fair crack at showing their skills and real chance of getting into the first team but the nature of our ownership and model is any gems will be sold on because we have to balance the books. If we had 5/6 gems in one team and after a couple of seasons of learning and were up near the top of L2 those gems would be sold before you know it and we'd have to find replacements because that conveyor of talent would not be there season after season

 

[D__Lo__]

Couple of signings from a team relegated. 1 who's been in teams down there for several years.

Parkes is about a par, not much of an upgrade but no real complaints there for the depth.

Not sure about '2 decent quality' goalkeepers given the standard they've both been playing at the majority of their careers. Given Ward's age and possible potential not totally against it as it's a far better area of the market to be operating in than the bottom of lg2. But I'm expecting less consistency from this position.

If you stand still you're going backwards. Losing Pym alone (regardless of if its unavoidable) IMO makes the squad weaker than last year.



I'm not sure I'd class predicting a 13th/14th place finish as being that drastic, especially for a team which just finished 8th but I guess we live in a black and white world these days.

 

[Temporarily Exiled]

Not sure about '2 decent quality' goalkeepers given the standard they've both been playing at the majority of their careers. Given Ward's age and possible potential not totally against it as it's a far better area of the market to be operating in than the bottom of lg2. But I'm expecting less consistency from this position.

Both new keepers are young, it's pretty standard that they won't have played most of their games in top divisions. However, both played last season in sides that finished higher up the football league than us, with Maxted featuring plenty in League 1. Odd criticism.

 

[Banksy]

Both new keepers are young, it's pretty standard that they won't have played most of their games in top divisions. However, both played last season in sides that finished higher up the football league than us, with Maxted featuring plenty in League 1. Odd criticism.

Agreed , I’d say we’ve absolutely no worries on the goalkeeping front now.

 

[Exehausted]

I'm looking forward to the new season and I think we should make the play-offs at the very least. Having not come into the hot seat until very late last year I thought that Matt did a very good job. Being forced to sell Stockley in January was a huge blow but he didn't whinge about it and just got on with it. He was clearly unhappy at the amount of soft goals that we gave away and I think we will see a real improvement this season. The players he has signed seem to have a hard edge about them, including Ryan when he came in January. Williams took a long time to settle but looked really impressive in the last few games. With most of his signings in place ( I don't think we will sign more than two more) Matt has a full pre season and better quality friendlies lined up. He has shown that he knows what he wants and I think this year he will get it.

 

[John William]

I think the playoffs is the target, I wasnt surprised we didnt make last time but will be disappointed if we miss out this season. Don't expect automatic promotion but with luck over injuries etc. not impossible. IMO L2 is no stronger than last season.

Cover at RB still the weak link, we now seem to have MTs target of two players in all the other roles; maybe a forward on loan.

Oh, and 4 points minimum for the Gargoyles.

 

[Grecian Max]

Couple of signings from a team relegated. 1 who's been in teams down there for several years.

Parkes is about a par, not much of an upgrade but no real complaints there for the depth.

Not sure about '2 decent quality' goalkeepers given the standard they've both been playing at the majority of their careers. Given Ward's age and possible potential not totally against it as it's a far better area of the market to be operating in than the bottom of lg2. But I'm expecting less consistency from this position.

If you stand still you're going backwards. Losing Pym alone (regardless of if its unavoidable) IMO makes the squad weaker than last year.



I'm not sure I'd class predicting a 13th/14th place finish as being that drastic, especially for a team which just finished 8th but I guess we live in a black and white world these days.

With respect, players who have been at relegated teams don’t necessarily turn out to be flops. I remember similar hand-wringing over Troy Brown being signed from Cheltenham and there’s no doubting his quality despite his various injuries.