| A decent season then go all in for next season 19:01 - Feb 12 with 1086 views | numptydumpty |
I know it was disappointing losing in last minute last night.
Swings and roundabouts
Can't win every game.
But this season the improvements are impressive and in particular with regards to players coming through or adapting to our league.
Fingers very firmly crossed Marti and Xavi are here for the whole of next season and we can see where the fates take us.
Players will have more experience and a few other changes to bring in the right blend.
Tbf I would be delighted this season if we maintain our form and a mid table finish
I think it's likely next season is a defining moment for us to really progress if we ever are.
The green shoots are there.
Please Rangers don't follow all this with often seen losing runs.
For me 2025 / 2026 could be our season..
How do others feel re team building, depth, style etc and results playing the right way. [Post edited 12 Feb 19:02]
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| A decent season then go all in for next season on 19:55 - Feb 12 with 991 views | Juzzie |
Don’t want to be a killjoy but just can’t see it happening. We are so hampered by FFP (presumably still paying off the fine?) and a small stadium we just can’t generate enough income to compete at the top level against the likes of anyone with 25k+ gates, those on PL parachute payments etc.
I still think we’re very lightweight squad wise. Everyone fit and firing and we see what we can do. Start getting injuries and suspensions and it nosedives quickly. |  | | |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 19:59 - Feb 12 with 974 views | Andybrat |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 19:55 - Feb 12 by Juzzie |
Don’t want to be a killjoy but just can’t see it happening. We are so hampered by FFP (presumably still paying off the fine?) and a small stadium we just can’t generate enough income to compete at the top level against the likes of anyone with 25k+ gates, those on PL parachute payments etc.
I still think we’re very lightweight squad wise. Everyone fit and firing and we see what we can do. Start getting injuries and suspensions and it nosedives quickly. |
So ( ever the optimist) I disagree. Squad strengthened and no departures. Keep Saito, add new lad in the middle, Celar back and the “Young Ones” with more games under their belts. Don’t want to start a thread but need to keep Jimmy. I look at the subs bench and add those currently injured and squad depth has improved markedly. |  | | |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 20:22 - Feb 12 with 935 views | Dorse |
OK, for what it's worth (i.e. fcuk all divided by six), here are the votes from the Dorse Jury.
I think we have got the best manager we've seen in a while and I would back him to get the best out of whatever team we are able to scrape together using Nectar points and tokens cut out of the free papers. Remember, this is a club that used to employ Houston, Hart and Harry fcuking Redknapp. We should be down on our knees thanking Almighty Atheismo (other deities are available, consult your local Yellow Pages for details) that he's with us for the foreseeable future because it could be so much worse. Yes, Schteve, Mark, Jimmy and Neil, I do mean you. Not Gaz: that is the footballing equivalent of a holiday romance. We live; we learn.
Your defining moment is next season. Me? I expected it this season. I thought a summer's recruitment would see Marti's Mannschaft pushing for the top half of the table. Dead wood gone, you see? Shiny new players with spiffing haircuts and sleeve tattoos like what you see on the telly. I mean, sure, we still have Colback but everyone loves a bad boy and clearly his Mum still cuts his hair.
Then we lose Dembele, Cook, Morrisson, Chair, Celar, Paal, Colback all at once, Madsen turns out to be this season's ghost of football present, JCS is missing presumed dead, Andersen forgets how to play football, no-one plays left-back, Fox disconnects from reality (twice), Ashby is a bit rubbish and Santos gets the Kakay after Cardiff treatment.
And we not only survived but, somehow, Marti got us from the depths into safety with the chance of a defining moment to come. This guy is something else.
I make you right Numpty. Next season could be the one. However, we have to caveat this based on the following:
We are going to need major surgery at the back as we haven't secured Jimmy Dunne and I would expect both Paal and Cook to leave.
The midfield can still be iffy, although the emergence of Morgan is a real bonus.
And, finally, I think there are some big decisions to be made up front.
In short, the moment is coming but if we're having to bed in another 5 signings in the First XI..? Well, we've seen how well that goes. |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
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| A decent season then go all in for next season on 20:35 - Feb 12 with 895 views | JimmyR |
More glossary claxons on here than a game show
I sincerely hope we don’t go ‘all in’ for in next season… since we’ll probs spunk all the money on mark Hately types when need Kieron Morgan types | | | |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 20:35 - Feb 12 with 891 views | ManinBlack |
The problem with staying at Loftus Road is the capacity so we can't do much with increasing gate receipts so ffp is an issue. Luton will move to a new 25k ground so they can get more income that way to outbid us for new players and pay higher wages for better players. Money talks these days and does shape the leagues with the smallest budgets in the bottom half.
We have had a striker issue for over 10 years and they are hard to come by if you have smaller budgets and don't develop clinical forwards of your own. If we don't find a better striker than next season we will continue frittering away chances and dropping points. Right now it is impossible seeing us compete for auto promotion unless stuff like ffp and parachute payments get binned
We certainly need to start better next season as we won't keep getting away with one win in 16 games at the start of each season. A lot will depend on how quickly new signings bed in and if we avoid getting as many injuries as we had earlier in the season to disrupt us. |  | | |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 20:59 - Feb 12 with 815 views | Myke |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 19:55 - Feb 12 by Juzzie |
Don’t want to be a killjoy but just can’t see it happening. We are so hampered by FFP (presumably still paying off the fine?) and a small stadium we just can’t generate enough income to compete at the top level against the likes of anyone with 25k+ gates, those on PL parachute payments etc.
I still think we’re very lightweight squad wise. Everyone fit and firing and we see what we can do. Start getting injuries and suspensions and it nosedives quickly. |
'we just can’t generate enough income to compete at the top level' - well yes we can. It involves selling our best players at maximum value, then buying a cheaper replacement, developing him and selling him at maximum value. Then buying a cheaper... Bournemouth and Brentford are all the proof you need that you don't need massive stadiums to generate sufficient income to be competitive at this level.
To answer the OPs question (well I guess I already have), but we have made 2 attempts in the last 5 years to go 'all in', which is why we spent a significant period of that time battling relegation.
Time for a more long-term, measured approach. | | | |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 21:33 - Feb 12 with 759 views | derbyhoop |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 20:59 - Feb 12 by Myke |
'we just can’t generate enough income to compete at the top level' - well yes we can. It involves selling our best players at maximum value, then buying a cheaper replacement, developing him and selling him at maximum value. Then buying a cheaper... Bournemouth and Brentford are all the proof you need that you don't need massive stadiums to generate sufficient income to be competitive at this level.
To answer the OPs question (well I guess I already have), but we have made 2 attempts in the last 5 years to go 'all in', which is why we spent a significant period of that time battling relegation.
Time for a more long-term, measured approach. |
A decent balance between Juzzie's pessimism and excessive expectations.
I think we could make a solid push for the top 6, as per Blackburn this year or Ipswich last. However, there are a lot of Ifs. Will Dunne sign a new contract and stay. Will Cook still be here and contributing at 34. Paal will be moved on. Have we got/can we find a replacement. Larkeche or Esquadinha? Can we add some pace? Who's going to deliver the roughly 60 goals we'll need.
Maybe we have to follow the Brentford model - selling favourites for top dollar and replacing with better, cheaper. Who's got faith that QPR can do that? For several seasons? |  |
| "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the Earth all one's lifetime." (Mark Twain)
Find me on twitter @derbyhoop and now on Bluesky |
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| A decent season then go all in for next season on 21:42 - Feb 12 with 724 views | ted_hendrix |
"Choose to be optimistic, it feels better." – Dali Lama |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| A decent season then go all in for next season on 22:17 - Feb 12 with 656 views | Juzzie |
Pessimism or realism?
Where’s this conveyor belt of players that will give us all that money? Apart from Eze, player sales over the last ten years has hardly been great. | | | |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 22:20 - Feb 12 with 642 views | ManinBlack |
While I agree we can be competitive as we are in this division, we are well short of the teams at the top so I wouldn't hold out much hope of us doing a Bournemouth or Brentford if we were to win the play offs next season. You basically have to survive the first two seasons up there to get a foothold.
The big problem for us is bigger clubs like Leeds, Sunderland and Sheffield United getting double the gate receipts we get. If those three go up this season and come straight back down, they will still have double our gate receipts and will have the big parachute payments as well back in the Championship.
We could do a Luton and Ipswich but if we drop straight back down then it is very hard to replicate what the Cherries and Bees are doing unless we stay up. Right now I can't see us ever troubling the top two or three for auto the way things are structured. No doubt if spending clubs like Wrexham and Birmingham come up next season, there are two more clubs who will be looking to make the play offs next season.
The players we currently have won't bring us much in sales if Sheffield United only wanted to pay £2million for Dunne. We don't have a talent like Eze to sell for big money so I do think it is extremely difficult to build a budget squad to give relegated Premiership teams a challenge. | | | |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 08:08 - Feb 13 with 318 views | GaryBannister86 |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 20:22 - Feb 12 by Dorse |
OK, for what it's worth (i.e. fcuk all divided by six), here are the votes from the Dorse Jury.
I think we have got the best manager we've seen in a while and I would back him to get the best out of whatever team we are able to scrape together using Nectar points and tokens cut out of the free papers. Remember, this is a club that used to employ Houston, Hart and Harry fcuking Redknapp. We should be down on our knees thanking Almighty Atheismo (other deities are available, consult your local Yellow Pages for details) that he's with us for the foreseeable future because it could be so much worse. Yes, Schteve, Mark, Jimmy and Neil, I do mean you. Not Gaz: that is the footballing equivalent of a holiday romance. We live; we learn.
Your defining moment is next season. Me? I expected it this season. I thought a summer's recruitment would see Marti's Mannschaft pushing for the top half of the table. Dead wood gone, you see? Shiny new players with spiffing haircuts and sleeve tattoos like what you see on the telly. I mean, sure, we still have Colback but everyone loves a bad boy and clearly his Mum still cuts his hair.
Then we lose Dembele, Cook, Morrisson, Chair, Celar, Paal, Colback all at once, Madsen turns out to be this season's ghost of football present, JCS is missing presumed dead, Andersen forgets how to play football, no-one plays left-back, Fox disconnects from reality (twice), Ashby is a bit rubbish and Santos gets the Kakay after Cardiff treatment.
And we not only survived but, somehow, Marti got us from the depths into safety with the chance of a defining moment to come. This guy is something else.
I make you right Numpty. Next season could be the one. However, we have to caveat this based on the following:
We are going to need major surgery at the back as we haven't secured Jimmy Dunne and I would expect both Paal and Cook to leave.
The midfield can still be iffy, although the emergence of Morgan is a real bonus.
And, finally, I think there are some big decisions to be made up front.
In short, the moment is coming but if we're having to bed in another 5 signings in the First XI..? Well, we've seen how well that goes. |
Agree with virtually every word.
You would hope a solid finish will lead us to doing next season what we all thought what would happen this season. You would presume Nardi and Walsh are still here and that is solid enough keeping stock, with Salomon in the background.
Up front, still think we lack a bit to be real top half contenders. Alfie and Rayan are the young guns and you would hope at least one will kick on nicely, Frey is a solid enough option. Don't hold out much hope for Celar, so I am sure we'll be looking for one more here.
Midfield, finally I think we are in good shape. Varane I really hope will be great next season, Morgan has to avoid the second season syndrome, Sam is ever reliable. We'll lose Colback and Marti doesn't fancy EDB so perhaps one more needed.
For invention and tricky wingers, Smyth, Chair, Saito (if we keep him), Dembele....no issues what that.
Which leaves the defence as a major worry. We have to keep one of Dunne and Cook. Paal I think many can take or leave, Morrison should be good next season, JCS can't be relied on, so I don't see how we can lose both Dunne and Cook. Worst thing is we are unlikely to be starting next season with a reliable defence that has played together a lot. Doesn't usually lead to a flying start.
But, as long as we have Marti, plenty of hope there. |  | | |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 08:10 - Feb 13 with 316 views | QPROslo |
I have my doubts that Marti will stay for next season if we remain a lower mid-table Club. He hasn't stayed much longer than this at his previous Clubs. It looks unlikely but this season is as good a chance we may get for years to make the play-offs. So I hope we really go for it now, use the best players we have available for the rest of the season and even if we just miss out perhaps that would encourage Marti and Xavi to stay. | | | |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 10:09 - Feb 13 with 127 views | Juzzie |
| A decent season then go all in for next season on 22:20 - Feb 12 by ManinBlack |
While I agree we can be competitive as we are in this division, we are well short of the teams at the top so I wouldn't hold out much hope of us doing a Bournemouth or Brentford if we were to win the play offs next season. You basically have to survive the first two seasons up there to get a foothold.
The big problem for us is bigger clubs like Leeds, Sunderland and Sheffield United getting double the gate receipts we get. If those three go up this season and come straight back down, they will still have double our gate receipts and will have the big parachute payments as well back in the Championship.
We could do a Luton and Ipswich but if we drop straight back down then it is very hard to replicate what the Cherries and Bees are doing unless we stay up. Right now I can't see us ever troubling the top two or three for auto the way things are structured. No doubt if spending clubs like Wrexham and Birmingham come up next season, there are two more clubs who will be looking to make the play offs next season.
The players we currently have won't bring us much in sales if Sheffield United only wanted to pay £2million for Dunne. We don't have a talent like Eze to sell for big money so I do think it is extremely difficult to build a budget squad to give relegated Premiership teams a challenge. |
Sheffield Utd didn't want to pay £2m for Dunne. They only wanted to pay £400k with a series of add-ons that would clearly never get triggered so they'd only end up paying £400k. | | | |
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