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AidanC
New Member
What do people think about his signings and possible signings - I personally think he's done well so far, very educated purchases.
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BarclayBoy88
New Member
Early signs are good. Grabban looks like a decent bit of business and from what I've seen of Lafferty he looks decent. However ask again at Christmas.
Branston Pickle
Member
I think we've done pretty well so far - it was always going to be as much a case of keeping key guys as much as buying in new ones, but it is still early doors and there's a lot of time for further outs and ins, so we'll have to wait and see. Then, of course the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
IMO we need more depth in defence, certainly if Bassong leaves - someone on the pinkun said the papers today linked us with a Belgian guy Ciman who looks ok, though obv no idea if it is true.
IMO we need more depth in defence, certainly if Bassong leaves - someone on the pinkun said the papers today linked us with a Belgian guy Ciman who looks ok, though obv no idea if it is true.
Yellow Fever
New Member
IMO, the pre-season has given a much better feel for the new management team and I am encouraged by what we've seen so far.
Yellow Fever
New Member
The Pink'un has now picked up the Laurent Ciman rumour. I wonder if there is anything in it? Be a good signing, IMO, especially as he can play at either CB (his main position) or RB. They've also picked up on the rumour about "young Gambian striker Modou Barrow who is operating in Swedish football with Ostersunds", so they may just be repeating rumours. I'd be happy with either or both of these!
BarclayBoy88
New Member
Sounds like they are doing a little web-surfing and regurgitating any rumours they read, similar to what we do. Both players hold a lot of interest, although we need pace at the back and I've never seen Ciman or at least I can't remember seeing him.....so anyone know if he has a bit of pace about him?
ZLF
Well-Known Member
like last seasons they all look good on paper and have done ok in pre season; crunch time comes from next sunday then we will know
Monty13
Active Member
I always wanted to see us add a few quality signings not quantity this summer and keep hold of as many of PL squad as possible. Grabban and Laferty are good signings on paper. Grabban is potentially a 20 goal a year striker, if he plays as well as last season, replacing RVW who would have been untested at this level and a huge expense on the books. Laferty you can look at as either Elmander or Becchio replacement, or both, and potentially could be a good replacement for the target man role.
If O'neil comes in I will be very happy as he is a quality and experienced player.
So far Adams has done ok, the real test is can he keep hold of Fer and Redmond. I can't see Ruddy leaving and I think anyone else touted with a move who isn't out of favour this pre-season (Tettey/Pilkington mainly) won't overly hurt the squad. If expected and Fer leaves it will be interesting to see who gets brought in or if there are any last minute attacks on our resolve as well.
It's still a very interesting summer ahead I think and I suspect there will be a few more movements before the end of the window, those are the ones we will really be looking at judging the whole backroom team, not just Adams.
If O'neil comes in I will be very happy as he is a quality and experienced player.
So far Adams has done ok, the real test is can he keep hold of Fer and Redmond. I can't see Ruddy leaving and I think anyone else touted with a move who isn't out of favour this pre-season (Tettey/Pilkington mainly) won't overly hurt the squad. If expected and Fer leaves it will be interesting to see who gets brought in or if there are any last minute attacks on our resolve as well.
It's still a very interesting summer ahead I think and I suspect there will be a few more movements before the end of the window, those are the ones we will really be looking at judging the whole backroom team, not just Adams.
skijumptoes
Active Member
Presuming Fer, Bassong, Becchio and RvW are to leave, i think we've got a far weaker squad. Which is expected after relegation obviously. How strong it is for the championship, no-one really knows till we're a few weeks in.
However, unlike last season i think we've got goals there, i'm really looking forward to the youth coming through too - That, and keeping Redmond, and looks like Wesley is happy again are all like new signings so super excited for them.
I also think Howson will be massive for us this season.
So not 100% on the ins and outs, but generally have a lot of belief in the manager and his philosophies, which for me is as important than the playing staff.
However, unlike last season i think we've got goals there, i'm really looking forward to the youth coming through too - That, and keeping Redmond, and looks like Wesley is happy again are all like new signings so super excited for them.
I also think Howson will be massive for us this season.
So not 100% on the ins and outs, but generally have a lot of belief in the manager and his philosophies, which for me is as important than the playing staff.
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Danhammond1612
New Member
This season we always needed players that know the championship well and he's added 2 (gonna be 3 when o'neil signs) which will help us hopefully get out of this league. Bringing surman back into the fold was also a very good move. So far his signings imo have been spot on and he just needs to add 1/2 at the back. The test will be if we lose a couple of our "star" players who he will get in to replace them. Hopefully it doesn't come to that!
skijumptoes
Active Member
If he continues to replace 'star' players, or EPL quality players with championship level then we're screwed if we do gain promotion, we can't get caught in the trap of thinking that we need championship players to play the championship, because for me that's the kind of garbage 'pundits' like Shearer spouts in front of the camera. It's as though there's this mysterious force that players must be aware of within each level of football.
Besides. Not sure i want to be building towards being a competent 'championship' side, we've got money in the bank and parachute payments in line, we needed to be very strong in this window and i feel we've already loosened our grip and it's a concern that there's more to slip through the fingers. We've got a quality CB in Bassong, who's at peak age for a player, but we're seemingly ignoring him until he leaves, i don't know how that's a positive move when there's still questions at the back.
But, as before, i've got a strong belief in Adams getting the most out of what he has on match day, i just hope that's enough to get us moving and gather some momentum into the season asap.
Besides. Not sure i want to be building towards being a competent 'championship' side, we've got money in the bank and parachute payments in line, we needed to be very strong in this window and i feel we've already loosened our grip and it's a concern that there's more to slip through the fingers. We've got a quality CB in Bassong, who's at peak age for a player, but we're seemingly ignoring him until he leaves, i don't know how that's a positive move when there's still questions at the back.
But, as before, i've got a strong belief in Adams getting the most out of what he has on match day, i just hope that's enough to get us moving and gather some momentum into the season asap.
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Danhammond1612
New Member
Not sure if its garbage. You do need players that have experience at this level to make a difference. QPR did it last season by getting rid of players like taarabt and using players like o'neil for example. Look at their strike force, maybe apart from Austin who would you say was EPL quality? Certainly not Zamora or Doyle.
Again im not sure I agree with you when you say were building a competent "championship" side. I think with the signings weve made and hopefully keeping most of our players there wouldn't be much difference between us and the bottom 5/6 teams of the premier league (there isn't much difference anyway imo). As for bassong he is quality when he can actually be bothered and for most of last season I didn't see any desire from him.
Keep the faith it'll all come good in the end!
Again im not sure I agree with you when you say were building a competent "championship" side. I think with the signings weve made and hopefully keeping most of our players there wouldn't be much difference between us and the bottom 5/6 teams of the premier league (there isn't much difference anyway imo). As for bassong he is quality when he can actually be bothered and for most of last season I didn't see any desire from him.
Keep the faith it'll all come good in the end!
Yellow Fever
New Member
I'm pleased that we've had so few departures (so far),as it seems to indicate that players are buying into the new style of football. I also disagree with the notion that we're building a Championship team. IMO, from what we've seen so far, both Grabban and Lafferty are very capable of playing PL football and many QPR fans are annoyed that they didn't offer O'Neil a new contract. Let's wait and see, shall we?
admin
Administrator
Staff member
Bassong has become a bit of an expert at making himself an outcast to engineer a move, he did it at Metz and Newcastle.
Yellow Fever
New Member
It does seem very strange behaviour for a professional player of his standing.
Danhammond1612
New Member
We lost bassongs interest as soon as we sacked hughton
Yellow Fever
New Member
That also seems very strange to me.
skijumptoes
Active Member
Grabban has looked good for sure, but i'm not sold on Lafferty, if you want proven championship performers then we have one already here in Becchio, But yet again, we find another more than competent player who's been left out in the cold based on a previous regime that was ripping apart at the seams.
Lafferty's big, he'll give away plenty of fouls and have a colourful time with the ref. But he won't beat his personal best (11 in the SPL) in a season in this league, and that won't be good enough as the main threat in my opinion.
When i think back to our previous two promotions, one we relied heavily on Huckerby coming in and setting the season alight and thus wasn't ready to compete in the big league. And the other, obviously we had Wes and Holt hitting the opposition for 30+. Not sure in terms of outgoings and incomings how we've stepped up to that level yet, hope i'm wrong though.
Lafferty's big, he'll give away plenty of fouls and have a colourful time with the ref. But he won't beat his personal best (11 in the SPL) in a season in this league, and that won't be good enough as the main threat in my opinion.
When i think back to our previous two promotions, one we relied heavily on Huckerby coming in and setting the season alight and thus wasn't ready to compete in the big league. And the other, obviously we had Wes and Holt hitting the opposition for 30+. Not sure in terms of outgoings and incomings how we've stepped up to that level yet, hope i'm wrong though.
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KeiranShikari
New Member
Lafferty got 11 goals lasr season, a 1 in 3 record. Expect he'll get close to that, especially if he has some of the set piece duty.
skijumptoes
Active Member
I would argue that Championship is harder than both SPL and Serie B, and we've always got the risk that he could lose his head on the field, if he got 10 goals (even that i doubt) played as our main forward we've got to hope that we're getting plenty more from other areas on the pitch. Personally think that Becchio is a far more proven and refined goal scorer and would be looking at closer to 15-20 goals if played correctly, Howson links up well with him.
Like i say it will be colourful with Lafferty, he had a couple of months ban up in Scotland after the whole headbutt thing, McCoist banned him internally from training after a fight and God knows what was going on in Italy for the Palermo president to say what he did:
http://www.espnfc.com/story/1917379/palermo-claim-kyle-lafferty-is-out-of-control-womaniser-after-move-to-norwich
I think he's a bit of a gamble personally, but will inevitably be some kind of cult hero here lol
Like i say it will be colourful with Lafferty, he had a couple of months ban up in Scotland after the whole headbutt thing, McCoist banned him internally from training after a fight and God knows what was going on in Italy for the Palermo president to say what he did:
http://www.espnfc.com/story/1917379/palermo-claim-kyle-lafferty-is-out-of-control-womaniser-after-move-to-norwich
I think he's a bit of a gamble personally, but will inevitably be some kind of cult hero here lol
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