SHA Small Heath Alliance

I agree with you, we are better, slightly. Our squad depth has definitely improved, and we should expect a good manager to improve existing players. The last two games we've looked like a team that knows what its doing.

I also think that our window could have been better had we had a stronger team in charge above the manager. That needs to change.

I'm glad the window is shut now. It's a nonsense that it lasts into the season. We can just get on with it now.

I would rather look at us as a squad v the division

Positives

Talented players (e.g Neumann, Priske,
Solis, BOS) are more settled and integrated

Fry - set piece coach

Fry - CB, far more likely to come in and stay in than Robinson, Panzo

Top 8 gives us more room for error

Negatives

One injury away from a CB crisis given likely suspensions as we go into the winter

Lack of goals not addressed. Very reliant on Priske to hit a rich vein of form.

Central Midfielders industrious but wont dominate possession.

Bird - injury prone. Vasquez - unconvinced

Ducksch retention disappointing. It is damaging for all concerned

Division is significantly stronger.

Even mid ranking teams are throwing £4m-£5m on a player

Yes

The main takeaway from last season was we lacked experience.

We have added 519 Championship or Premier League appearances to the squad this summer across Fry, Bird & Millar.

And these don’t feel like ‘old heads’ like Robinson coming to sure things up - they’re players who could quite easily start for us.

So in that respect, yes I think we are improved.

Stanno as a ten and Ducksh as cover is how we are set until January, with Bird/Paik/Gray/Vicente/Roberts probably having to pick up the slack.

Also expect Bird & Solis to be our starting centre mid partnership, which is an improvement on last year.

The area I’m worried out more than any is at the back. Whilst Fry is obviously good enough, once he comes in to cover an injury or suspension of Klarer/Big Phi, we look very limited at the back. I’ll have a sporting tenner with anybody that Iwata will play a game at centre half this season.

Vs Portsmouth game:

Squad - yes probably, in midfield and defence, not up top/wide

First 11- no, weaker. No Wagner or Osman, no other signings threatening the first 11

Floor raising I believe the term is.

I think people perhaps disregard Beadle and Solis because they were here last season

The back 4 and Beadle have been impressive, Cochrane, BOS and Neumann have raised their game and we look solid

I don’t think anyone would have been too disappointed with the Fry signing- admittedly his debut wasn’t great but he wasn’t the only poor player that night

Big shame Bird is injured as I think he could give us something in midfield we currently lack

Solis just continues to get better and better

Happy with Miller

I think we could have done with another forward or a ‘10’ to improve things in the final third. Not convinced by Vasquez

Hopefully we can be there or thereabouts in Jan and then perhaps strengthen our forward options then.

I’m thinking we have enough for top 10, might just sneak into the playoffs but not enough currently to go up

I think, like it or not, we are going to need Ducksch this season.
He does score goals and at home in particular, he'll be back up to Stanno/Priske.
It isn't ideal, he looks like an outsider now, so they need to get his head right and reintegrate him, if he is staying for the season.

Nikola Zigic

Vs Portsmouth game:

Squad - yes probably, in midfield and defence, not up top/wide

First 11- no, weaker. No Wagner or Osman, no other signings threatening the first 11

Floor raising I believe the term is.

I can see Bird and Millar definitely threatening the first 11. Wagner and Osman are big misses on the left, no doubt. Nothing we could do about either, but it is a shame that we weren't able to improve the pace up top, regardless.
Floor raised definitely, first 11 - time will tell. Encouragingly, we are now creating clear scoring chances, just need some better finishing, but it's still only 4 games in.
Last season our chance creation was amongst the lowest in the league I believe?, so a big improvement so far in what I've seen.

Super Hans

Worth mentioning the addition of Scott Fry too who has already had a fantastic impact.

Not as much defensively (if he’s in charge of those situations as well). If he isn’t he should be

Yeah I noticed that as well. Seems like he’s focused all his energy on attacking set pieces at the minute! I think we’ve conceded a couple from set piece or second phase already.

Bluesince62 F.E.A.

Nikola Zigic

Vs Portsmouth game:

Squad - yes probably, in midfield and defence, not up top/wide

First 11- no, weaker. No Wagner or Osman, no other signings threatening the first 11

Floor raising I believe the term is.

I can see Bird and Millar definitely threatening the first 11. Wagner and Osman are big misses on the left, no doubt. Nothing we could do about either, but it is a shame that we weren't able to improve the pace up top, regardless.
Floor raised definitely, first 11 - time will tell. Encouragingly, we are now creating clear scoring chances, just need some better finishing, but it's still only 4 games in.
Last season our chance creation was amongst the lowest in the league I believe?, so a big improvement so far in what I've seen.

Osman is the one I’m gutted about and I think Brighton have made the wrong choice for the lad himself but i really like the Millar signing and I think he’s a more then adequate 2nd choice, he’ll offer us more composure that’s for sure. Cochrane is better than Wagner imo.
It is early days but i don’t think transfer windows should be judged the day after the deadline but months after instead.

Completely agree. Think we turned Osman into the Holy Grail (He's not the Messiah, he's just a very naughty boy) which led to huge disappointment last night - even when it's been apparent for over a week it probably wasn't happening.
We'll get over it and yeah, think Millar is a sound signing and will add to us.
Just got to wait and see now - still got a very tough run coming up - Wolves on Sunday possibly our biggest league test yet? they'll be smarting after last night, bastards.

You haven’t even given Millar a chance yet. He might be more effective for us than Osman was.

I said Osman deserved to start early doors and people downvoted me saying Gray is the better player. No look, load of fans are pining for him.

Cochrane has started the season well.

Millar could be better than Osman.

I would say the squad is a bit stronger on the whole

I don't think the starting XI is obviously stronger, on the basis that it hasn't changed from the end of the last with the exception of two 'back ups' in Gray and Cochrane now being starters again.

I am hoping it will end up being stronger with development from Solis, Vicente, Priske etc, in the same way Neumann, BOS and Beadle have improved

Time will tell if Millar will usurp Gray