The fact is he inherited an awful squad in the main. On our budget it will take 2 or 3 windows to give ut quality and depth. He will have had to sign some olayers that with a bigger budget he probably would have left alone. We know we have missed some targets and most manager would find it difficult to legislate for 3 of the new signings being long term injuries before a ball is kicked in anger. Add that to the other two senior players with long term injuries and that is going both stretch any budget and properly test the credentials of the remaining players.
Also been unfortunate with other areas of recruitment, DJ agrees a deal on a permanent move this is agreed with the manager of the parent club and then the owner of the parent club steps to block the move and we get a loan.
Going to take time unfortunately.
UTS
Wilkinson, Gordon and Riley would and will make a big difference. Unfortunately our track record on long term injury recovery and estimating return dates isnāt great. I see Rory Holden has made 4 substitute appearances for Vale. In my mind he was miles away from there going into the summer.
Also started against Rotherham in the cup, mad how fast theyāve got him fit.
I slightly differ on that. Tactical systems, and cohesion amongst the players might take a while to bed in, Iām talking about the very basics here which I have not seen in the main for the last 6 games, thatās a worrying trend for me.
Then the question becomes are these players even capable of that, or are they not motivated too, or is it simply a very early bump in the road.
The positive I will say is Flynn doesnāt seem like he lacks in the motivational department, so option 2 feels unlikely.
Rory Holden was apparently 6 weeks away last Christmas. Then we lost as bunch of games and he was suddenly out for the rest of the season.
To me, he didnāt fancy crocking himself for a team in a relegation scrap that he already knew he was leaving.
True enough. Think experience is an issue too, starting 11 against Grimsby had 1,000+ league starts in the back three and about 450 across the rest of the team (with Kinsella doing some heavy lifting there).
Good manager but same old problems for me at this level four seasons in now.
No one scoring apart from Johnson just as no one was scoring apart from Adebayo.
Chronic lack of goals in central midfield yet again, has to be a case of either Comley or Kins home and away now.
Desire to seemingly keep a clean sheet in every game. Noble intention and the defence is strongest area of the team but then you get the last 15 minutes v Grimsby and first 15 v Barrow.
Hopefully Flynn will come up with those answers as season progresses although seems to be hope Wilkinson can get back quicker than expected and play significant part of the season.
Yes Hartlepool were hopeless but so were Scunthorpe last season and Southend the season before that and we couldnt beat either in 4 games. The squad is a little weak due to injuries and Flynn has made errors in his substitution and tactics in the last 2 home league games but I think he is a good manager at this level. We will make top 10 if not playoffs. For the first time in years we can be hopeful and looking up not fearful of looking down. Its a new era dont panic after a few bad games.
Do you think this is because the players have been told they need to manage their levels as Hatswell said last night.He and Flynn have told them that itās Saturday Tuesday Saturday blah blah so manage your levels.Thing for me is whilst I get that how much of a level of performance do you have to lose in order to manage that level?
Worked 20-30 years ago now not so much.
I donāt know, but Iām not sure how you can expect any player to do that. Surely the only way to manage your levels is give 100 percent then accept being subbed when you are tired. It must apply to any job. Imagine your gaffer in whatever you do saying to you āright I want you to do a good job today, but I only want you to put in 75%ā. How would you even judge that outwardly? Itās impossible.
Even at 75% youād expect players to execute a 5 yard pass.
Well, quite.
I think we lack genuine quality in midfield and in attack (DJ excluded). We need goals from midfield but itās not easy to see who will get them from our present squad. It is such a shame: I was getting really carried away after Hartlepool. We need 3 players (in priority order): centre-forward to complement DJ, creative/attacking midfielder, left-wing back. We may already have two of those in the squad in Riley and Gordon - letās hope they get fit soon.
I canāt see us signing another striker, this is Walsall !
They will probably pin their hopes on Wilkinson coming back before Xmas
Weāve already signed 4 strikers in this window, we have a fifth who is possibly our highest earner injured but participating in the 2nd half of the season. We canāt keep on just discarding what we have and think the solutions are always external, we need to work with and improve what weāve got. Tbh I have no qualms with a DJ/AW partnership until Xmas and then Wilkinson to throw into the mix. If we were to sign another striker it would be a loan to cover us until Jan.
Not even on loan?!!
Midfield is our weakest area,it llacks experience ,creativity and goals.Our big cbs also need to give us some goals from corners.This has been lacking for years
You think working with Abraham and DJT will reap rewards? You canāt polish a turd. FFS - how long have we got? January will be too late.
We need a right winger more than a left wing back as we currently have three players who can play at left wing back, four if you include Gordon whenever heās back from injury, yet no one on the right wing apart from Abraham who is predominantly a striker and far too inconsistent to be starting.