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Post by Andy K on Jul 30, 2024 13:02:31 GMT
In recent seasons teams relegated from L2 haven’t finished in the playoffs. I can’t see Sutton bucking the trend  To be fair in recent seasons, many of those clubs have been basket cases - Oldham, Scunthorpe, Southend, Rochdale, Macclesfield, Yeovil, Leyton Orient, Notts County, Chesterfield for example. All of whom had significant (and in one case terminal) club issues at the time. |
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Post by Big Al on Jul 30, 2024 17:02:30 GMT
Those saying we are heading for automatic promotion or a play off place are, in my opinion, likely to be as far off the mark as those predicting another relegation.
The point is we have assembled a squad which is almost entirely different to last season and which is full of players untested and unproven at this level. Only time will tell but whilst I hope we can make a play off challenge my realistic aspiration is that we have a season of consolidation and stabilisation and finish somewhere around boring mid way.
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Post by os on Jul 31, 2024 22:54:40 GMT
The point is we have assembled a squad which is almost entirely different to last season and which is full of players untested and unproven at this level. I have never seen a club do this before out of choice, its a very strange way to go if your goal is promotion?? |
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Post by boomboom on Aug 1, 2024 7:51:12 GMT
The point is we have assembled a squad which is almost entirely different to last season and which is full of players untested and unproven at this level. , its a very strange way to go if your goal is promotion?? The Busby Babes (not that I was around at the time)? By my reckoning, at least 9 of the squad have played in the NL and/or above. Whether that equates to being "tried and tested" is, I suppose, debatable. However, players can be tried and tested at a particular level but it doesn't always work out, especially if they're what are sometimes disparagingly referred to as "journeymen". Maybe SM's plan is that the squad will gain experience at this level in the coming season and then push on for promotion next? |
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Post by davef on Aug 1, 2024 8:21:39 GMT
The point is we have assembled a squad which is almost entirely different to last season and which is full of players untested and unproven at this level. I have never seen a club do this before out of choice, its a very strange way to go if your goal is promotion?? What about Dos in 2008? |
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Post by Andy K on Aug 1, 2024 8:32:45 GMT
Those saying we are heading for automatic promotion or a play off place are, in my opinion, likely to be as far off the mark as those predicting another relegation. The point is we have assembled a squad which is almost entirely different to last season and which is full of players untested and unproven at this level. Only time will tell but whilst I hope we can make a play off challenge my realistic aspiration is that we have a season of consolidation and stabilisation and finish somewhere around boring mid way. We had a squad full of players tested and proven at L2 level last season. We got relegated. As DaveF said, Dos in 2008 did the same thing, and we got into a play off spot the first time of asking. The difference here is that we have seen that Morison was pretty impressive with a squad that lost game after game, stopped the rot and gave us hope. Something we didn't have in January. Bearing in mind the position we were in, to take it to the last game of the season was a huge achievement. We've seen what Morison can do. And now he's built his squad, rather than inherit a squad that, overall, didn't quite have the fight in them, there's no reason why we shold dismiss this season as a "meh" one. Morison really has something to prove to himself (rather than us) and he comes across as the type of character where he sets really high standards of success for himself. |
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Post by paz on Aug 1, 2024 9:30:17 GMT
For me, the main difference when Steve came in, is we changed from a side that looked like it would sweat blood for a draw, to a side that untimely looked like it could nick a win in every match, and looked more of a threat. In fairness, this was also a little noticeable when JG took over in the few games he did. I do think the Matt G Train had terminated, and the need for something new was undeniable.
While I think letting Harry B go was a slight surprise based on his experience and closeness with the club, making him a good player to have around among the incomings (not being the oldest on the books as well), there are a few things to consider though.
We had an ageing squad, and an injury-prone squad, who had just had a brutal season when relegated. You then have to rally them all for an extremely competitive season trying to bounce back. Many of the ageing players were no doubt on high wages, So I understand Steve's thinking in refreshing the squad with young and hungry legs.
Also, you can't presume we can bounce back on the first time asking, with most needing second & third attempts, in which case the squad would be even older.
Then there are players that wanted to leave and take up opportunities in the league. I think where that hit us hardest is leaving our wing back positions a bit bare, with Kizzi and Hart both being big losses.
Overall I think the club have been quite smart in how they have gone about things. I am sure if we were a bit richer we would have seen a 3 or 4 maybe stay on. Instead, we have some promising young players and I imagine our season will come down to how quickly Steve can get the best out of them. Perhaps one or two smart loans incoming will also make us stronger. Given how bad last year was and how a few have jumped ship, We could be looking a lot worse.
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Post by Andy K on Aug 1, 2024 9:48:22 GMT
One also has to remember that there was (as paz said) that Morison was keen to keep - Goodliffe, Kizzi, Hart, John, Sowunmi Smith. Whether one likes this or not, those players didn't want to stay at Sutton for one reason or another. So one has to remember that Morison wasn't planning on retaining 3 players from last season, but plenty more.
I know some are still upset that one or more of their favourites are no longer at the club, and we all have opinions where we think "oh we shouldn't have let that player go". But we're not the manager, so probably need to accept that and throw our full support behind the new squad.
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Post by davef on Aug 1, 2024 10:30:57 GMT
It wasn’t such a big turnover but back in 1970 Sid Cann had to replace Ted Powell, Larry Pritchard, Mick Mellows and John Faulkner. All massive losses.
Newcomers included the relatively unknown Willie Smith and Chris Kelly. We came second and arguably should have won it.
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Post by localboy86 on Aug 1, 2024 10:39:51 GMT
Four Four Two’s Season Preview has us down to finish 6th this season - a respectable outcome after last season.
The large majority of wannabe sports journos on Twitter have us down to finish 3rd-6th from the predictions I’ve seen. I’ve seen just one prediction that has us to finish in 12th.
It’s going to be an interesting campaign that I’m looking forward to.
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Post by paz on Aug 1, 2024 12:15:44 GMT
One also has to remember that there was (as paz said) that Morison was keen to keep - Goodliffe, Kizzi, Hart, John, Sowunmi Smith. Whether one likes this or not, those players didn't want to stay at Sutton for one reason or another. So one has to remember that Morison wasn't planning on retaining 3 players from last season, but plenty more. I know some are still upset that one or more of their favourites are no longer at the club, and we all have opinions where we think "oh we shouldn't have let that player go". But we're not the manager, so probably need to accept that and throw our full support behind the new squad. Without dissing some of our good servants to the club, I think with the defence so fragile with injuries and seemingly irreparable while conceding goals all of last season, I cant imagine Steve was desperate to hold on to all of them. I think with regards to centre-backs we have arguably brought in better and younger players, who perhaps suit Steve's style of play, with Muller being more of an unknown quantity. And with the likes of Williams now able to play in a slightly less competitive league, he may also prove to progress well this year. I think John always knew he was going to move on as he was clearly not featured much in Steve's plans last season, even when fit. Goodliffe and Omar S were both replaced instantly, suggesting that we already had a couple defenders we were waiting to sign but were dependent on the departures solidifying their own moves. After all, if we had just released them, we may not have managed to get the remainder of their contracts paid off by their new clubs. |
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Post by os on Aug 1, 2024 22:53:43 GMT
I have never seen a club do this before out of choice, its a very strange way to go if your goal is promotion?? What about Dos in 2008? Yes but that was because the club was skint, the place was falling apart, and luckily Dos had a few quid. Things are surely different now? |
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Post by davef on Aug 1, 2024 23:01:38 GMT
It was because Dos decided that virtually none of the existing squad met his requirements.
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Post by sallycat on Aug 5, 2024 12:47:29 GMT
Yes but that was because the club was skint, the place was falling apart, and luckily Dos had a few quid. Things are surely different now? None of that is relevant when you consider how well they did. That was the question, wasn't it? Your concern that they won't make a success of the current season? |
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