THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

Because we don't look good, we don't look any better then last year and we look weak going forward.

My expectations aren't high at all? Who said they were? But I still expect us to look better then last year - is that having high expectations? And what is wrong with wanting my team to do well?

We started with no recognised striker on the pitch last night and Dean only came on for 28 minutes. No wonder we didnt create much. We know. GA knows. A blind lepper knows we are lacking. I repeat we have a lot of shite that we can't get rid of cause nobody wants them. What do you prefer? Release them and then have to pay compensation that come out of the playing budget that we would need to use to buy replacements for what's released? I am lost as to how people think we would bounce straight back up. We don't have an endless well of money like allegedly Wrexham do. We do not have players like McGoldrick who want to come back to his hometown club. We are not Gillingham who have been taken over by a multi millionaire or Stockport who are well drilled and had a good squad last season. Face facts we are no better because of last season. Not this season and I am sure as shit guaranteeing you that it will take at least 2 seasons to get back to league 1 unless something clicks, but deep down we all knew this anyway long before we went down. I know it is a bitter pill to swallow but that is reality unfortunately. Throwing the baby out the bathwater before a competitive game has been started is a little OTT

Because at some point I'd like to see some genuine progress and for us to find stability at a higher level. I want us to compete against better teams regularly and watch a higher standard of football after two decades of mostly L1/L2. I get why people are worried, people feel let down in lots of ways on and off the pitch and after last season they want to see a major boost in performance and morale - a promotion-winning season would do this club a hell of a lot of good.

To go from 1 point away from Championship football 14 months ago to wondering whether we're going to be competing for promotion in L2 is a real punch to the gut for a lot of our fans. If you're just happy to have a club to support that's fine, but some of us want more than that, we want success and it feels like one step forward two steps back constantly, especially when you see clubs like Plymouth, Luton and Coventry go from L2 to the Championship and beyond in the time we've been relegated from the Championship.

This is probably the most important transfer window since going up to the Championship, and although the early activity showed promise I'm starting to get concerned with the season starting in 9 days that we are still missing real quality in important areas.

I wish two seasons ago hadn't happened the way it did to be honest. Before that season we were mediocre and since that season we have been worse. It was an anomaly. A freak season. If we had finished mid-table the season before and then got relegated last season nobody would care about this season cause we haven't had the carrot dangled in front of us.

Where do you think we lack quality? Yeah we need a back up striker of calibre and maybe a playmaker, but as Wrexham are finding out getting decent replacements in when they are not guaranteed first team football is hard even with a never ending pot of money. They are hoping they can convince Norwood to sign on the basis he may get first team football until Mullen is back. Whoever comes in as a striker has to support Eisa. Not replace him (unless he leaves). Now that is a big ask to convince someone that for most of the season they will be playing a bit part and then again that opens up the fact that Dean more than likely will have to go out on loan. Does anyone want him? Does Alexander even want him? Cause for the only fit striker we had last night playing 28 minutes doesn't bring hope to me that he will be anywhere near our first team.

I want success of course. But I am realistic. 12 months ago the club lit the touch paper that would lead to the bomb that is where we find ourselves now. We have been in a major car crash and metaphorically broke both our legs. We are learning to walk again. I do get the concerns I do, but two seasons ago are being referenced still and why cause we were one point from Championship football. We didn't get it. Get over it. I am sure people on here was saying all we are is a poor to average league 1 side that will flip and flop between divisions and they are right. Just people still dine on the fact that we were 1 point away from the Championship. Shoulda woulda coulda springs to mind.

Until we get the multi millionaire backing like Gillingham currently have, we`re WABLO with stints in league 2 and flirtations with the championship.

Finacially we just can`t compete with top end league 2 sides, so i have lowered my expectations for the coming season, i did originally think we would go straight back up, but looking at the competition i think a play off spot is the absolute best we can hope for.

We might well be stuck in this league for a couple of seasons, so i`m prepared for that if thats the case

So all of the August league matches are over, we're top of the league after several unconvincing performances and lucky results.

There are 6 days until the transfer window closes. What do we need?

Absolute MUST haves, no question:

1 x striker/CF/attacking midfielder who had a good goalscoring season in L1/L2/National League last season (minimum 10 goals)
1 x CB (our defence is a weakpoint, but also to provide competition/cover)

If we don't get both of those then this window is a failure as far as I'm concerned.

Ideally we'll bring in 3-4 players 2 defenders, 2 attacking players.

Yup.

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

Not gonna happen:(

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

3-4 seems wildly ambitious to me, unless key players are sold as well.

I reckon we'll get two - a lump of a striker and a young loanee attacker.

Don't see CB as a priority to be honest - we have cover there once Lewie comes back and can always revert to 4-3-3 if needed.

Someone to cover both WB positions would be good, perhaps a second loanee. Or Tennai could cover there and CB if he doesn't find a club (and we can sign him after the deadline too). But I just can't see us getting it together to sign 3 or 4 players. Even though we are "going for it" this year

Conor Wickham got 9 for Forest Green and 1 in the Championship. Bring him home.