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Post by Gary Baldi on Nov 29, 2017 9:10:07 GMT
The strategy changed because prices went up in our usual markets - MAPP alluded to this in June time - and we'd have to look elsewhere (such as Sweden) to carry on the strategy. Our success with Roofe, Lunny, etc has not gone unnoticed and thus prices went up and availability went down. The club have said the manager didn't think there was value out there, so didn't spend all of the budget on players of a similar standard to the squad.
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Post by leysboy on Nov 29, 2017 19:25:20 GMT
Still think Doidge is worth a punt. Scoring goals in a struggling side. Surely his head would be turned to move up a level. You know how it works. Forest green won’t sell, and then in goes the transfer request.
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Post by highlights on Nov 29, 2017 21:07:53 GMT
The strategy changed because prices went up in our usual markets - MAPP alluded to this in June time - and we'd have to look elsewhere (such as Sweden) to carry on the strategy. Our success with Roofe, Lunny, etc has not gone unnoticed and thus prices went up and availability went down. The club have said the manager didn't think there was value out there, so didn't spend all of the budget on players of a similar standard to the squad. This is very very true. Must be careful now, but we had a couple of transfer meetings last summer where the manager/DOF walked out the room laughing because of the absurd price tags for fair to middling players. My personal favourite quote from a former manager: 'I can only assume you've shoved diamonds up his arse if you want that much for him'
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Post by MJB on Nov 29, 2017 21:12:18 GMT
The strategy changed because prices went up in our usual markets - MAPP alluded to this in June time - and we'd have to look elsewhere (such as Sweden) to carry on the strategy. Our success with Roofe, Lunny, etc has not gone unnoticed and thus prices went up and availability went down. The club have said the manager didn't think there was value out there, so didn't spend all of the budget on players of a similar standard to the squad. This is very very true. Must be careful now, but we had a couple of transfer meetings last summer where the manager/DOF walked out the room laughing because of the absurd price tags for fair to middling players. My personal favourite quote from a former manager: 'I can only assume you've shoved diamonds up his arse if you want that much for him' Better than a banana.
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Post by shaunrice on Nov 30, 2017 15:10:13 GMT
Ok. Tbf i should have qualified that. My objections to pep's signings have been the wild 'punts' from spain, sweden etc. Only ricardinho has been a success. The rest? Either not up to it or unproven. Tiandelli a case in point. Apart from one ok game vs argyles ten men, he has not been good enough. So who would you rather have? Him or phil edwards, who is a bog standard perfectly decent l1 player. If we got in 2-3 like him (or mousinho or henry) we will be top ten. If we get in 2-3 more of pep's punts, we could be in trouble. Pep's recruitment has been too risky and has largely failed. Payne is terrific, but i really doubt he was a pep signing. Ie i know pep was manager but did he identify and push for payne? Doubt it. I’d go one further and say that not even Ricardinho has been a success. He does some great things but he can’t stop a cross! This is fundamental for a good fullback and often puts our defence under pressure. In Pep’s defence he didn’t have much of a chance in the summer. Benefit of the doubt. I expect better in the Jan window and better again in the summer.
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Post by Junior on Nov 30, 2017 15:29:11 GMT
Highlights, I've DM'd you pal..
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Post by Junior on Nov 30, 2017 15:30:27 GMT
Ok. Tbf i should have qualified that. My objections to pep's signings have been the wild 'punts' from spain, sweden etc. Only ricardinho has been a success. The rest? Either not up to it or unproven. Tiandelli a case in point. Apart from one ok game vs argyles ten men, he has not been good enough. So who would you rather have? Him or phil edwards, who is a bog standard perfectly decent l1 player. If we got in 2-3 like him (or mousinho or henry) we will be top ten. If we get in 2-3 more of pep's punts, we could be in trouble. Pep's recruitment has been too risky and has largely failed. Payne is terrific, but i really doubt he was a pep signing. Ie i know pep was manager but did he identify and push for payne? Doubt it. I’d go one further and say that not even Ricardinho has been a success. He does some great things but he can’t stop a cross! This is fundamental for a good fullback and often puts our defence under pressure. In Pep’s defence he didn’t have much of a chance in the summer. Benefit of the doubt. I expect better in the Jan window and better again in the summer. Difficult to do that when you're faced v a 2-1.. If he pressed he'd be exposed. Best to let the ball in and let the CB (attempt) to deal with it!
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Post by RCYellowRC on Nov 30, 2017 16:24:39 GMT
Ok. Tbf i should have qualified that. My objections to pep's signings have been the wild 'punts' from spain, sweden etc. Only ricardinho has been a success. The rest? Either not up to it or unproven. Tiandelli a case in point. Apart from one ok game vs argyles ten men, he has not been good enough. So who would you rather have? Him or phil edwards, who is a bog standard perfectly decent l1 player. If we got in 2-3 like him (or mousinho or henry) we will be top ten. If we get in 2-3 more of pep's punts, we could be in trouble. Pep's recruitment has been too risky and has largely failed. Payne is terrific, but i really doubt he was a pep signing. Ie i know pep was manager but did he identify and push for payne? Doubt it. I’d go one further and say that not even Ricardinho has been a success. He does some great things but he can’t stop a cross! This is fundamental for a good fullback and often puts our defence under pressure. In Pep’s defence he didn’t have much of a chance in the summer. Benefit of the doubt. I expect better in the Jan window and better again in the summer. Too be fair to him, how many times has it been him on his own out on the left, When Henry and a lesser extent Rothwell play on the left, Ricardinho has been left stranded because the winger infront doesn't help him out defend. It's the same with Tiendalli and Henry, Tiendalli is often left stranded by Henry's lack of tracking back (Southend goal on Saturday) he couldv'e helped him out. The point i'm trying to make is the full backs are often left to defend without help further-forward. If you don't class Ricardinho a success defending then his attacking threat makes up for it, especially when you see stats like this.
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Post by Mark on Dec 1, 2017 14:57:21 GMT
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Post by oufcyellows on Dec 1, 2017 15:26:45 GMT
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Post by londonroader on Dec 1, 2017 16:49:38 GMT
The strategy changed because prices went up in our usual markets - MAPP alluded to this in June time - and we'd have to look elsewhere (such as Sweden) to carry on the strategy. Our success with Roofe, Lunny, etc has not gone unnoticed and thus prices went up and availability went down. The club have said the manager didn't think there was value out there, so didn't spend all of the budget on players of a similar standard to the squad. Clubs can see our success in bringing players on and selling them, that couldn't last forever and as you say the market has gone potty trying to mirror the prem. Most of Peps signings are on a year contract, so if they don't work out there is no pay off.
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Post by Junior on Dec 1, 2017 17:34:11 GMT
Which fits in with the clubs plan of stabilising before pushing..
Patience is required..
This year is a stop gap, on and off the pitch..
Will they be allowed this, who knows..
Be a shame to judge Pep on one season and thus far, one window..
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Post by Paul Cannell on Dec 1, 2017 19:06:11 GMT
Clubs can see our success in bringing players on and selling them, that couldn't last forever and as you say the market has gone potty trying to mirror the prem. Most of Peps signings are on a year contract, so if they don't work out there is no pay off. I don't think the idea was original, we just got organised and did it well. Whether the system fell apart from lack of maintenance first or Slippers lost the interest to play a game we were winning at higher stakes is worth considering, but the process has been abandoned and, as you say, our crop of Pep signings has no future upside, value-wise. Disappointing.
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Post by Mark on Dec 1, 2017 20:27:03 GMT
Clubs can see our success in bringing players on and selling them, that couldn't last forever and as you say the market has gone potty trying to mirror the prem. Most of Peps signings are on a year contract, so if they don't work out there is no pay off. I don't think the idea was original, we just got organised and did it well. Whether the system fell apart from lack of maintenance first or Slippers lost the interest to play a game we were winning at higher stakes is worth considering, but the process has been abandoned and, as you say, our crop of Pep signings has no future upside, value-wise. Disappointing. Well it’s arguable whether Cup runs and transfer fees have offset or covered what Eales “invested”. The usual suspects have posted up bullet points to justify their agenda, funny how that is? I don’t mind a few key points, but when you get to around ten it’s easy to pick them off when the last few get into six degrees of separation.
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Post by battman on Dec 2, 2017 0:08:07 GMT
I think we'll bring in a new RB and winger. Can't really see us doing too much else - I don't think Pep is the kind of manager who will buy for the sake of buying like a Redknapp or a Warnock.
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Post by charharry on Dec 4, 2017 20:51:52 GMT
On Twitter it says QPR,Charlton and Oxford are interested in signing Wealdstone winger Abobaker Eisa.
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Post by amershamdave on Dec 4, 2017 21:58:48 GMT
If we get Eisa now, we should be able to save some money (sorry, couldn't resist it)
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Post by highlander on Dec 5, 2017 0:19:13 GMT
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Post by manorlounger on Dec 5, 2017 8:21:11 GMT
It's a little frustrating looking at the likes of Barnsley at present. We've gone for the same players in the past - they got Mawson, we got Nelson - and obviously we had Lindsay in the building until Appleton left and spooked him into going up there. That's a club who two years ago were close to where we are now, a fairly average L1 side. They began investing in young, hungry players full of potential from all divisions - some were dropping down to play and some were stepping up having already torn up trees in L2, such as Mawson (who ticked both boxes having been loaned down there from higher up) and Yiadom from Barnet. They are now a very comfortable Championship club with a squad of young, exciting prospects. The oldest player in their squad today v Leeds is Hammill, who is 29, and the young lad Barnes they have on loan looks electric. That's the sort of player we were also picking up on loan, from Roofe to Graham to Baldock. I look at Barnsley and I go "That is exactly where we were headed. The model was identical right down to the fact that we were often competing for exactly the same players." Now I look at this array of crocks and imports - sometimes both - who are joining on frees having been out of the game, or who have been playing in some dog and duck league a thousand miles away that isn't even L2 standard let alone L1, and it makes me really sad. We've slowly sold off the talent to the point where we hardly have any sssets left - a crocked Nelson, an out of form Ledson, an injured and out of contract Hall and a soon-to-be-free Rothwell who we have never appreciated or played in his correct position - and that is that. I think all four of those players will be gone next summer, a couple of them on a free at that, and then where do we go? The 30+ punts are all finished - Williamson's legs have gone, Tiendalli is about as fit as a Sunday League player, Ricardinho while occasionally brilliant is also 33 and might well begin to fade badly over the winter... it doesn't bode well. GvK will disappear along with Mowatt, Payne will go back to Huddersfield, god knows what Mehmeti's story is, and who even knows if Pekalski will ever play or if Xemi will ever cut it. Roberts, Long, Ashby et al will finally be moved out because they aren't good enough, and after stealing a living as a footballer until about two months ago, Wes Thomas is finally playing well and scoring, but guess what? He's over 30 AND out of contract in the summer! Hooray! Basically, if we don't go down this season, I would put money on us going down next season unless the recruitment changes. The warning signs are there on the pitch and the stability and progress has gone missing off it. But I guess that in order for the recruitment to change drastically we'd probably need a head scout, who also buggered off and wasn't replaced properly like much of our squad has done in the last six months. A typically extreme view, which despite the complete lack of of balance actually raises a few valid questions. Particularly over our summer recruitment. Even the most positive Oxford fan would find it hard to argue against the point that our recruitment under Pep has been largely poor based on evidence to date. Specific concerns: 1) Why so readily depart from a recruitment strategy that was clearly working? Yes I appreciate the market for young English players is more competitive but seemed a fairly immediate/rash decision to abandon this altogether. 2) Too much risk - too many foreign players, too many injury prone players (in an already injury prone squad). I get we want to explore other markets and think that its admirable we are forward thinking in that respect. But how about testing it first and introducing it slowly rather than bringing in 5/6 foreign players which as suspected have been completely hit and miss. 3) Quantity vs quality. We have quite a sizeable squad however would prefer 2-3 proven/quality players over 6 high risk, lower cost players. 4) Poor use of what was likely a competitive budget. I emphasise likely as I don't think anyone actually knows. However based on volume of players signed, many with previous higher prestige clubs and punchy loan signings I'm guessing Pep has a fair whack to work with. Simply don't buy some of the around operating under a tighter budget. MAPP was excellent in his player recruitment, you have to say so its difficult not to compare. Hemanaged to find a really good baalance between young, high potential signings, experienced league pros and shrewd loan signings. I think this balance and strategy has not been replicated by Pep. It's easy to forget he is hugely inexperienced at management. And lower league football. He will learn from this. I share in much of your frustration but talking of relegation? Really? Come on. From what I've seen we are only a couple of high quality players away from being one of the best teams in the league. The issue we have is we are tring to play an attractive, passing brand of football but don't quite have enough players to turn this into consitent, positive results. So, we are playing some nice football and, errm, not winning? At some point that becomes relegation form to me.
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Post by tatabanya on Dec 5, 2017 10:00:41 GMT
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Post by Marked Ox on Dec 5, 2017 10:09:37 GMT
His brother looked decent against us for Cheltenham. Don't know how he has done on a regular basis though.
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Post by cecantena on Dec 5, 2017 19:06:43 GMT
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Post by amershamdave on Dec 6, 2017 22:10:23 GMT
I know there's no chance, but that chap Doidge from FGR would be good, no?
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Post by highlander on Dec 7, 2017 3:54:18 GMT
Good luck to him! There are still gems to be found in non-league I have no doubt....
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Post by makv on Dec 8, 2017 17:24:28 GMT
Still think Doidge is worth a punt. Scoring goals in a struggling side. Surely his head would be turned to move up a level. You know how it works. Forest green won’t sell, and then in goes the transfer request. Just won League 2 Player of the Month.
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Post by Marked Ox on Dec 8, 2017 17:26:43 GMT
Still think Doidge is worth a punt. Scoring goals in a struggling side. Surely his head would be turned to move up a level. You know how it works. Forest green won’t sell, and then in goes the transfer request. Just won League 2 Player of the Month. I'd be surprised if we went for him now with Mehmeti to come back.
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Post by foley on Dec 8, 2017 18:06:41 GMT
I share in much of your frustration but talking of relegation? Really? Come on. From what I've seen we are only a couple of high quality players away from being one of the best teams in the league. The issue we have is we are tring to play an attractive, passing brand of football but don't quite have enough players to turn this into consitent, positive results. So, we are playing some nice football and, errm, not winning? At some point that becomes relegation form to me. Erm, we have won as many as we have lost this season. We have won 2 of the last 4 (lost one). We have hammered a number of the teams (Peterborough, Pompey, Plymouth, Wimbledon). None of that really suggests a relegation team. To stay up we probably need 23 points in 26 games maximum. To date we have 27 from 20. So to be relegated we have to do significantly worse than we have done to date. I remember a number of people suggesting under MAPP last season that we were in a relegation scrap just before Christmas. Some put things in a little more perspective ,,,,
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Post by grenobleroad on Dec 8, 2017 18:11:49 GMT
So, we are playing some nice football and, errm, not winning? At some point that becomes relegation form to me. Erm, we have won as many as we have lost this season. We have won 2 of the last 4 (lost one). We have hammered a number of the teams (Peterborough, Pompey, Plymouth, Wimbledon). None of that really suggests a relegation team. To stay up we probably need 23 games in 26 games maximum. To date we have 27 from 20. So to be relegated we have to do significantly worse than we have done to date. I remember a number of people suggesting under MAPP last season that we were in a relegation scrap just before Christmas. Some put things in a little more perspective ,,,, But we should of lost those two games so technically have lost the last 4. We need a goalscorer because being the top scorers in the league is relegation form. Even though we are near the play offs we are certain to get relegated because the owner won't sell the club. Something about hotdogs and mocking how Pep says 'focus'.
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Post by foley on Dec 8, 2017 18:29:28 GMT
I remember a number of people suggesting under MAPP last season that we were in a relegation scrap just before Christmas. Some put things in a little more perspective ,,,, But we should of lost those two games so technically have lost the last 4. We need a goalscorer because being the top scorers in the league is relegation form. Even though we are near the play offs we are certain to get relegated because the owner won't sell the club. Something about hotdogs and mocking how Pep says 'focus'. Yes the manager who is foreign speaks in a foreign accent. Oh and all of the rubbish foreign players as well. Relegation a certainty.
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Post by holdsteady on Dec 8, 2017 20:41:59 GMT
I think it's because not everyone can make away games, and our home form has done what it mostly does at this time of the year and got cliff diving.
We are not as bad as the last two months of not winning at home suggests, else we wouldn't of picked up our away form, but it's home games that pay the bills, and we are just chucking those bills in the bin unopened at the moment.
could obviously do with a win tomorrow, starting to forget what that feels like at home.
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