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threesixty 1:32 Tue Feb 1
Looking forward… what’s the plan?

I’m trying to look forward now. I’m gutted but it’s over now. The milk has been spilt and there’s no point in crying over it now.

So the question is:

How near is Ogbonna to being back this season?

Will we actually start blooding in Okaflex and Perkins in our cup games with a view to having genuine forward options in Europe and the league.

threesixty 1:32 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Also, what do we prioritise. League / cup or europa?

Side of Ham 1:36 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

We can't move forwards this season because your question below drags us back to why we can't compete at our very best in at least two of those.....

El Scorchio 1:43 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

We have to prioritise the cups. Only realistic chance of Europe again next season. (and probably the only chance

We're never finishing 4th in the league now. or probably 5th or 6th either, given the huge imbalance in squad depth/quality with those around us.

And Perkins and Okaflex are light years away from being ready to contribute at anything like a serious/consistent level

cup of tea 1:53 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Stay in the PL noting else job done

EOT

Steady 1:54 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Finishing above Spurs, Arsenal and Man U will be very difficult meaning 7th at best IMO, Wolves could also knock us down to 8th soon.

We need to go for it in the league and cups, Moyes and the board obviously feel this squad is big and good enough to compete on all fronts.

threesixty 1:57 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Being optimistic…
Is the other way of looking at this is:

Players have been rested and effectively have a pre-season so if we had no injuries going forward can our best team compete in the same way we did at the beginning of the season?

Can Johnson be the 4th CB we need? Or will we play with a back 3 using Creswell/ Johnson on the left side?

Is there a way to get Vlasic firing?

Can our best squad actually beat any of the teams left in Europa? I assume Barca can field their new players?

Also, isnt Dortmund in europa now? How on earth do we expect to beat Dortmund with Halland playing?

If that’s the case dont we have to concentrate on the league?

goose 2:01 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

sell in the club in 2023.

in the meantime spend as little as possible while protecting PL status.

Full Claret Jacket 2:04 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

We are still massive - we need to do what we did in the first half of the season but get some of the players back to form.
We've only just got Cresswell and Zouma back from a long stint out. Losing Ogbonna is huge and Dawson and Diop have not proven reliable this season. Their heart is there but they make too many mistakes. We need to get the best out of Soucek and Antonio.

Bowen has been in great form and I'm hopeful that the likes of Fornals, Lanzini and Benrahma can also chip in. There is some quality there compared to other sides but we need to get a balance of attacking flair and combative defensive play.

I think the systems we play needs a tweak but despite lacking depth, we don't have the worst squad. Moyes needs to figure out who he keeps and who he lets go this year. Few out of contract this summer and losing too many may be difficult to replace and affect the team morale. That also means some players have something to prove.

threesixty 2:14 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Is Johnson a potentially better CB than Calletta Car?

Why are other leagues producing 21 yr olds that people deem able to play in our league (Newcastle just bought one, there are others), yet okaflex is not ready for us?

What’s the point of having these players on the books if we are not actively developing them so that they can be 1st team players.

I don’t get it.

Grumpster 2:14 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Get the season out of the way while hoping covid comes back stronger and wipes out our entire board?

If it doesn't, then guess see how much of the Rice transfer they spend on the squad in the summer, which I suspect would maybe only be only half of it so about 40 mil.

This season is done, fairly low chance of beating any of the teams who will be winning the next stage in the europa and fuck all chance of beating the big boys in the FA cup as they all actually have strikers on the books and squads bigger than about 15 players.

Be so many saying 'but look where we were 2 years ago', but they can fuck off, as the sort of cunts who liked the move to the OS and refuse to slag off the owners.

They had an unbelievable chance to cement the progression, but all undone now as the only world class player we've had for decades will now be fucking off, as they've proved the only ambition they have is to build their bank balance.

Big Lad At The Back 2:15 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Agree Scorchio but it's catch 22 with youngsters - Play them and you never know eh?

BillC79 2:28 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

The bigger concern for me is at centre back than up front.

If Antonio gets injured, Bowen can stand in and has done a decent job up there before. It's not perfect that we don't have another striker but we can get by. The improved form of Lanzini this season means, you'd have him, Fornals and Benrahma behind in what is still a decent front 4.

At the back though, Diop fills me with dread so. And Dawson has an own goal in him or game like Newcastle away last year.

Swiss. 2:35 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

goose 2:01 Tue Feb

"in the meantime spend as little as possible while protecting PL status."

Yes it's quite simple. As long as we stay 17th and above why do they care? Their aim is to sell next year. Mind you they are leaching the club so successfully why sell at all?

Annoyingly our supporters will accept the 17th richest club in the world treating them this way.

El Scorchio 3:01 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Big Lad At The Back 2:15

That is definitely true, but we have to be sensible with them rather than throw them in at the deep end. Kidderminster game is a perfect opportunity, surrounded by some of the experienced players.

Chucking them on and expecting them to perform against a top 10 premier league team or in a knockout Europa game (which we will have to do if Antonio gets injured) is disastrous and really letting them and us down.

threesixty 3:06 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Would they have been able to attract an investor if we were 17th?

It seems like they’ve been trying to get serious investment for ages and it seemed to coincide with our good run of form. I feel the two are linked no?

I understand that from a business point of view they would be unwise to invest further millions if there intention is to sell up in 2023. So maybe that’s what’s happening. I don’t know..

I also hear some people saying it’s about the property and the Czech guy just wants to buy the stadium and redevelop the surrounding land.. I’m not so sure London property is that lucrative right now,not since we left the EU and all western economies are declining.

The reality for me is that football is growing and will eventually overtake American sports in money being made. That’s why investors are generally here for the long haul. It makes no sense for any investor long term us to just tread water when we could be building this club into a serious prospect.

Jasnik 3:13 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Perkins is a strange one seems out of his depth . But always get played in front of oxiflex but in the u23 it seems the other way round.

Can some bods on here who know the youth explain it?

Lato 3:51 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Who knows what the clown owners or Moyes for that matter deems a priority?

They always say the league is more important as it's our bread and butter. Right now with the Mancs having gone above us recently by default and the two.....er North London giants breathing down our necks and add both Wolves and Leicester into the mix and two six pointers coming up I think its going to be a big ask to finish in the top four. Anything lower than 6th would be seen as failure after last season. Unless we win the FA Cup or the Europa.

Imo Oko-Flex should start on Saturday as Antonio probably won't be involved and hopefully some time on the pitch for Perkins also. Its an ideal game to see what these kids can do!

paulon 3:53 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

U23 football is false football, lost count of managers who said they couldn’t get a true assessment of a player they’ve looked at for a potential loan or signing because defenders don’t want to head it (they’re usually encouraged to bring it down and play form the back) and midfielders don’t want to tackle. Can only assume Perkins is seen as better suited to MENS football at this point in his development more than Oko-Flex?

Which is another reminder why people shouldn’t get carried away by what they see in U23 football and why the majority of players will end up in lower league/non league football despite looking like world beaters at Rush Green

Lee Trundle 3:57 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Oko-Flex can't play in the Europa Cup because of homegrown eligibility rules, which is why Perkins has been picked ahead of him in those games.

Nutsin 5:19 Tue Feb 1
Re: Looking forward… what’s the plan?

Best shot at winning anything or getting into Europe next year is to win the Europa cup.

That should be our focus now.

Top 10 league finish… Arsenal, Spurs and Man U will end up rounding out top 6.

F A Cup we will probably get bounced out of in the quarter final by one of the bigger clubs that we always seem to draw, if not quarter finals then the 5th round.

Sooner you accept this the less frustrated and angry you will be.

We blew it this month not bringing anyone in and we all know it.

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