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That’s exactly the sort of top quality investigative work this thread needsI think he was on the pitch with a lady after the Stevenage game, that's all I got
Funny story about this. I remember Robbo being in complete ecstasy when the deal was coming close and was making sure everyone knew about it, but wouldn't give us a name of who it was. As the week progressed he blurted it that he was coming from Derby, was 6ft2 and was a proper defensive midfielder and it was an unbelievable coup for the club, despite a sizable fee being spent - myself and my colleagues had convinced ourselves we were signing George Thorne and joined KR in excitement. It gets to deadline day and I am sent to the training ground to pick up two of our new signings and take them over to the Kassam for pictures and media - I walk into Karl's office to see a young Asian lad who looked no older than 15 and then in hobbles another guy who is no taller than 5ft8. Confused, I make a joke asking where our new signings were and Robbo sheepishly looks to the floor.
It's fair to say that the car journey with Tsun Dai and Jamie Hanson was a very long half hour for me.
Hanson then gives away a penalty on debut the following Saturday, and we actually sign George Thorne less than a year later.
Karl Robinson bouncing around promising an amazing signing and then not delivering on it, I don’t believe you!Funny story about this. I remember Robbo being in complete ecstasy when the deal was coming close and was making sure everyone knew about it, but wouldn't give us a name of who it was. As the week progressed he blurted it that he was coming from Derby, was 6ft2 and was a proper defensive midfielder and it was an unbelievable coup for the club, despite a sizable fee being spent - myself and my colleagues had convinced ourselves we were signing George Thorne and joined KR in excitement. It gets to deadline day and I am sent to the training ground to pick up two of our new signings and take them over to the Kassam for pictures and media - I walk into Karl's office to see a young Asian lad who looked no older than 15 and then in hobbles another guy who is no taller than 5ft8. Confused, I make a joke asking where our new signings were and Robbo sheepishly looks to the floor.
It's fair to say that the car journey with Tsun Dai and Jamie Hanson was a very long half hour for me.
Hanson then gives away a penalty on debut the following Saturday, and we actually sign George Thorne less than a year later.
Time and again we have learned playing in League One that the essential ingredient of getting out of it is to have robust players, playing aggressive but fair football on the front foot with the accent on attack and and doing it with pace and energy from the first kick to the last. When we play such teams we invariably come off second best. Unless we start to play every game in this fashion we will never get to the Championship let alone be competitive in it. How we recruit this Summer is crucial.Absolutely spot on Chippy, it's going to take a change in the club's recruitment policy to get the right caliber of player through the door.
We have a belief as a fan base that we should have an attacking free flowing way of playing.
In an ideal world we could do that over 46 games.
It's not going to happen in a long hard league 1 season.
Your analysis is correct that we need those more robust and physical players that will allow us to mix it with the more physical sides.
Also as you stated, tactics and set up will need to change game to game.
I believe to have any chance of promotion from this league, the recruitment in the summer will be crucial in obtaining the right type of players .
you are making L1 sound like the conference where teams full of brick out-houses can bully their way out of the league. Or are you imagining a team full of mythical players who can defend, tackle back, and still go on mazy runs to score at the other end?Time and again we have learned playing in League One that the essential ingredient of getting out of it is to have robust players, playing aggressive but fair football on the front foot with the accent on attack and and doing it with pace and energy from the first kick to the last. When we play such teams we invariably come off second best. Unless we start to play every game in this fashion we will never get to the Championship let alone be competitive in it. How we recruit this Summer is crucial.
Sometimes in football you have to just seize the moment, they don’t come around that often. It doesn’t really matter about the project or where the team are in terms of progression - every team is forever building, you won’t find a single manager who ever says ‘this team has reached it’s peak, we can’t get any better’ or a manager who has stopped looking at potential signings. I certainly don’t think a play off place can be celebrated from the roof tops if we make it and then return to the ‘it’s a project under a new manager’ excuse if we are beaten 6-0 on aggregate by Bolton. What’s the point if there’s always an excuse for failure?
Man U are so s**t, they almost lost to Sheffield United! They’re the saddest team in the PLSometimes in football you have to just seize the moment, they don’t come around that often. It doesn’t really matter about the project or where the team are in terms of progression - every team is forever building, you won’t find a single manager who ever says ‘this team has reached it’s peak, we can’t get any better’ or a manager who has stopped looking at potential signings. I certainly don’t think a play off place can be celebrated from the roof tops if we make it and then return to the ‘it’s a project under a new manager’ excuse if we are beaten 6-0 on aggregate by Bolton. What’s the point if there’s always an excuse for failure?
you are making L1 sound like the conference where teams full of brick out-houses can bully their way out of the league. Or are you imagining a team full of mythical players who can defend, tackle back, and still go on mazy runs to score at the other end?
Man U are so s**t, they almost lost to Sheffield United! They’re the saddest team in the PL
Eh? I don't see why have "robust players, playing aggressive but fair football on the front foot with the accent on attack and and doing it with pace and energy from the first kick to the last." implies 'brick shithouses' who 'can bully'.
Appleton's teams played their way out of L2 while displaying all the attributes that @arthurturner listed. I took his post as a cry to get 'fit footballers with attitude' rather than players like odin & Rodruguez who don't turn up under pressure or McEachran who can't play regularly, etc.
Actually Odin could probably do a job for us. He's getting on a bit these days of course, and the one eye thing would probably restrict his peripheral vision and depth perception, but he'd still be better than a lot who have turned out for us.players like odin
Doesn’t he play for Wigan?Actually Odin could probably do a job for us. He's getting on a bit these days of course, and the one eye thing would probably restrict his peripheral vision and depth perception, but he'd still be better than a lot who have turned out for us.
Ultimately it’s results that matter
If results are all that matter then we won't fluke a playoff place but we'll finish exactly where we deserve.If we somehow fluke a playoff place
It is a bit strange to assume that healthy, fit athletes can't be good footballers, its either an out of shape, maverick with health issues but a lovely touch or a roided up monster whose first touch doesn't stay in the county. I have a feeling that is a hangover from 5 years of our Karl, its ignoring the teams that regularly beat and came above Robinsons teams though, who were that combination of good, athletic footballers drilled into a well organised team.
Keep in mind Brannagan is one of the top paid players in League One, I think if you're willing to pay championship wages you'd expect ability and robustness. Ultimately if you splash the cash you've got the best chance of having a winning team - nothing in football is more certain than this.I think this is probably correct. And part of a wider culture of 'you can't have it all' that pervades our fan base and most definitely this forum.
We see it even now with 'should we go for Edwards or Browne (or both) as our gamble for next season' - without any consideration for the fact that you can have neither and yet still find a player or two with technical ability who is also robust.
It also completely ignores the fact that we've had players like Brannagan who has the required ability and can be relied upon to play 40+ games a season.
I’m not sure robust players cost more, Brown and Harris seem indestructible as well as being among our better players. Wingers are probably more likely to get injured given the speed they operate at and the number of times they’re fouled but robust ones aren’t necessarily worse playersKeep in mind Brannagan is one of the top paid players in League One, I think if you're willing to pay championship wages you'd expect ability and robustness. Ultimately if you splash the cash you've got the best chance of having a winning team - nothing in football is more certain than this.
The challenge for the club (and most at this level, unless you're Derby/Sunderland/Sheff Wed) is finding the future Brannagans of this world, i.e. players with either ability or robustness who can be developed so that they have both.