Weaknesses?

[consty]

Agreed consty excellant post!!!

Thanks!

[renards]

Right Midfield: Gradel/Adams/Odhiambo. What a difference from last season. Goals/assists all but guaranteed. Rating 10.

Two of these were on the books last season, proves what a tosser Hollowhead was.

Instead he begs, buys or borrows every crap right winger available

[l444ry]

Wrong, we ended up with one of the best defensive records in the league. Not once throughout last season did we go through a period of leaking badly, whether it was Fulop or Henderson in goal.

Put like that, yes. But what I am referring to is leaking easy goals and points. The side looked shaky once Fulop left and without doubt regressed defensively.

[Babylon]

Right Midfield: Gradel/Adams/Odhiambo. What a difference from last season. Goals/assists all but guaranteed. Rating 10.

Two of these were on the books last season, proves what a tosser Hollowhead was.

Instead he begs, buys or borrows every crap right winger available

a) odihambo has done nothing to suggest he can cut it.

b) who's to say a season in league one didn't help progress Gradel

[General Smuts]

No Sappleton in that list.

Theres your weakness right there!

[Ultra]

a) odihambo has done nothing to suggest he can cut it.

b) who's to say a season in league one didn't help progress Gradel?

It may well have done. But having him there didn't help progress us. Remember we started last season with Weso on the right wing - and the selections got progressively WORSE after that..

I'm convinced Gradel would have kept us up last season. The failure to recall him was in itself a sackable offence.

This season we have enough players of experience and/or quality to rip this league to shreds, Leeds included. Whether we do so depends on the following:

1) A solid, stable central defensive partnership (presumably Tunchev and one other)

2) The strikers finding the net on a regular basis. Is anyone else even slightly despondent that Pearson may start the season with both Howard AND Fryatt up front? After their roles in last season's atrocities both should have been bombed out of the club forthwith. They let us down big-time and cannot be entirely relied upon to deliver in this campaign.

[smokey]

With the season about to start I'm actually convinced we should have a team worth watching this season and that Nigel Pearson has an embarrassment of riches in some areas.

Perhaps it's worth briefly analysing the various positions to see exactly how far we are away from an excellent team.

Goalkeepers: Henderson/Logan. Provenly steady enough in the past but Pearson seems to have his doubts and has already reportedly made enquiries about a new signing. Present rating for the position 6.

Right-back: James Chambers and Gilbert. For me Chambers has the edge for his pace and ability to keep supporting attacks. Rating 7.5.

Centre-backs: Tunchev/Hobbs/Morrison/Worley. Lots of football in there but can they deliver the discipline and reliability? Rating 6.75.

Left-back: Mattock. Although James Chambers might be an option this seems a major weakness to me. Mattock is still learning. His positional sense still needs work and there is no specific cover. Rating 5.

Right Midfield: Gradel/Adams/Odhiambo. What a difference from last season. Goals/assists all but guaranteed. Rating 10.

Centre Midfield: Wesolowski/Oakley/King/Kishishev/Porter/Clemence. Plenty of options, plenty of commitment. Just the question of whether we'll make enough happen and provide sufficient support to other areas. Rating 7.

Left Midfield: Porter/Dyer/Gradel/Adams?/A.Chambers Again a vast improvement on last season with lots of credible options nd the promise of doing some real damage to defence. Rating 9.

Strikers: Campbell/Fryatt/Howard/McKay/Hayles/Odhiambo. Perhaps too much choice and variety. There should be goals aplenty from this group at this level even if one or two get transferred. However, we still lack anyone with pace and height. Rating 7.5.

Looked at that way our major problems clearly lie in the goalkeeping and left-back departments. Central midfield is a lesser concern and perhaps down to the way Pearson chooses to slant his team and the choices he makes to that end.

Good points Thracian!

I agree that Left Back is a concern as we have no cover, i dont agree with right backs playing there as cover, would like to see an experienced Left Back come in to help Mattock and also play a few games.

I am happy with the strikers because i think Fryatt will be great this season and even though im not a huge Howard and DJ fan, they should do fine in this League.

I like the look of Ashley Chambers but think him and Hayles will be used as super subs this season.

A striker who is pacy and good in the air would be great but lets be honest, who the hell is there especially at this level.

I think Matt Oakley will be the captain this season and should be good player in this League, not sure who will partner him as we dont know the Clemence situation, i like Weso but he needs to really stand up and be counted this year and nail down a first team place and have an injury free season because if he doesnt this year i think his career will slowly go downhill.

As you know im not a Porter or Kish fan but think they will do a job as squad players, but i am exited about Adams and Gradel as like the look of them both, if Gradel as the season we are all hoping he can have i think there will be a few Prem Managers bidding by the Summer if not in Jan.

[Father Ted]

Wrong, we ended up with one of the best defensive records in the league. Not once throughout last season did we go through a period of leaking badly, whether it was Fulop or Henderson in goal.

Half agree with that. We didn't leak goals at any stage but when Fulop was in goal we let in less definitely but then again Megson was manager at one time and when you play like he does then... your not going to let in goals...

[Houdini Logic]

Half agree with that. We didn't leak goals at any stage but when Fulop was in goal we let in less definitely but then again Megson was manager at one time and when you play like he does then... your not going to let in goals...

Or score

[Daggers]

Definately need another keeper...Henderson worries me.

That's the problem when there's no sheep about, it's in his Australian blood. I'd suggest getting a haircut, reporting it to the police and always carrying a small lamb to games in order to use as chaff when running away from him.

[wellsy]

Definately need a keeper, Henderson is ok on his day but we need a more solid player there.

Stuck for ideas on who this player should be though?

[maccfox]

Left back is definatly a weak area could see Mattock leaving on August 31st as the window closes as David Connolly did leaving us no time to replace him and finding ourselves with just a right back who can make do at left back. Yes we can get players on loan but we all know from last year how that helps team spirit.