Sizing up the Competition

[Gary Baldi]

Who did the due diligence? why no other than the affable fool charlie boy..

I do find it ironic with all the bluster and due diligence over the years re due diligence. Perhaps it's a case of do as I say, not as I do?

 

[LondonRoader]

I wonder if it wasn't charlie boy doing the due diligence for Santori at Oxford, it's unravelling a bit maybe explains DE comments at the time.

 

[Deleted member 291]

Any more bad news for Sunderland could lead to them having to offload the likes of McGeady and McManaman, but maybe too late in the day to get any decent replacements in. It would be an absolute tragedy if we were to pick up Ricky Holmes only for Charles to be left with the type of players MApp was left with in his first season with us! Alex Jakubiak anyone??!!

McManaman has just signed for Wigan.

 

[outsidethebox]

Having been around an awfully long time (first match v Lovells Athletic February 1959) I do like to convince myself that there are four teams that are definitely worse than us when the season starts.
I can see Accrington, Gillingham and Wycombe.
Throw in Rochdale and/or Wimbledon and/or Walsall and we can get to four.
Relax.

Party time in Feb 2019 then ..... and perhaps a sanity check. Seriously, credit to you sir.

 

[MJB]

Not The Top 20 Podcast has done a betting preview for the League One season which is an excellent listen.

Surprised they are putting Luton in as their favourites but they make a reasonable case for it.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/not-the-top-20-podcast/id1112915286?mt=2&i=1000416251237

 

[Craig]

Not The Top 20 Podcast has done a betting preview for the League One season which is an excellent listen.

Surprised they are putting Luton in as their favourites but they make a reasonable case for it.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/not-the-top-20-podcast/id1112915286?mt=2&i=1000416251237

I think they will do well, though can’t see them winning the league. Thanks though, I’ll check it out later. I always find podcasts to be a good walking/hiking companion.

It’s available elsewhere if Apple isn’t your thing: https://soundcloud.com/ntt20pod

Sunderland actually have a very tricky start: Charlton, Luton and Scunthorpe.

 

[FalmouthOx]

Comical that almost every player who is available is being linked with Sunderland. Suggests they have no direction. Newsnow L1 page 75% of posts are "Sunderland target" related. Technically of course they are up sh*t creek and probably close to going bankrupt. Assets halved in value as desperate to offload players. Liabilities galore if they need to pay off contracts. Not sure even SD can (afford to) get them out of this mess. Points deduction this year? At the very least, like BCFC should be embargo on new signings

 

[MJB]

Not The Top 20 Podcast has done a betting preview for the League One season which is an excellent listen.

Surprised they are putting Luton in as their favourites but they make a reasonable case for it.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/not-the-top-20-podcast/id1112915286?mt=2&i=1000416251237

I think they will do well, though can’t see them winning the league. Thanks though, I’ll check it out later. I always find podcasts to be a good walking/hiking companion.

It’s available elsewhere if Apple isn’t your thing: https://soundcloud.com/ntt20pod

Sunderland actually have a very tricky start: Charlton, Luton and Scunthorpe.

Yes I agree entirely with you on Luton.

Love this podcast two after some helpful folk on here recommended it a few weeks ago. Very considered opinions.

 

[beyondthefourth]

Not The Top 20 Podcast has done a betting preview for the League One season which is an excellent listen.

Surprised they are putting Luton in as their favourites but they make a reasonable case for it.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/not-the-top-20-podcast/id1112915286?mt=2&i=1000416251237

The piece about Charlton I found quite interesting. I obviously knew they were in a bit of turmoil, but seems to have continued to be quite disruptive over the off-season!

Supposedly the staff have been told to be careful with electricity use at the offices, not even being able to turn the lights on, due to money being so low. There's no chairman, chief executive, board of directors, or financial head. Most interestingly, they don't have access to season ticket sales funds made by card, as the money is only going to be released to them game by game.

Have they signed anyone else aside from Lyle Taylor and Darren Pratley? And having lost Konsa? Might put a fiver on their relegation at 16/1.

 

[Jackinthebox]

Looking at the standout attacking options in our league to date:



Plymouth: Carey, Lamieras, R Taylor and C Grant

Posh: Godden, Cummings, Dembele, Maddison, Marriott

Bradford: Wyke, Payne, Miller and Scannell

Fleetwood: McAleny, Madden, Long and Evans

Accrington: Kee, Jackson, McConville

Pompey: Pitman, Lowe, Chaplin

Charlton:L Taylor, Marshall, Magennis

Luton: Hylton, Collins, J Grant

Burton: Akins, Templeton, Boyce

Barnsley: Moore, Bradshaw

 

[makv]

Not The Top 20 Podcast has done a betting preview for the League One season which is an excellent listen.

Surprised they are putting Luton in as their favourites but they make a reasonable case for it.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/not-the-top-20-podcast/id1112915286?mt=2&i=1000416251237

I think they will do well, though can’t see them winning the league. Thanks though, I’ll check it out later. I always find podcasts to be a good walking/hiking companion.

It’s available elsewhere if Apple isn’t your thing: https://soundcloud.com/ntt20pod

Sunderland actually have a very tricky start: Charlton, Luton and Scunthorpe.

Yes I agree entirely with you on Luton.

Love this podcast two after some helpful folk on here recommended it a few weeks ago. Very considered opinions.

It also helps that one of them is an Oxford fan

 

[MJB]

Not The Top 20 Podcast has done a betting preview for the League One season which is an excellent listen.

Surprised they are putting Luton in as their favourites but they make a reasonable case for it.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/not-the-top-20-podcast/id1112915286?mt=2&i=1000416251237

The piece about Charlton I found quite interesting. I obviously knew they were in a bit of turmoil, but seems to have continued to be quite disruptive over the off-season!

Supposedly the staff have been told to be careful with electricity use at the offices, not even being able to turn the lights on, due to money being so low. There's no chairman, chief executive, board of directors, or financial head. Most interestingly, they don't have access to season ticket sales funds made by card, as the money is only going to be released to them game by game.

Have they signed anyone else aside from Lyle Taylor and Darren Pratley? And having lost Konsa? Might put a fiver on their relegation at 16/1.

Yes that was interesting. For our sake, hope it continues too!

 

[Mintyshoe]

A week of the transfer window remains, and a lot can change, but here is my run down on the league and key players as it stands:

Top Bananas:

Bradford; Lost Wyke but replaced him with Doyle instantly. Some impressive signings including Payne, Scannell, Kelvin Mellor and Akpan. Look to be good going forwards but may struggle against pace at the back. Also, in Michael Collins they have a manager with little/no experience.
KEY MAN: Jack Payne

Barnsley; Stole many of our targets and still got relegated! Haven't lost too many and in Lindsay - Dougall - Bradshaw & Moore they have as strong a spine as any at this level.
KEY MAN: Tom Bradshaw (may yet leave)

Sunderland: Looking through their team sheet you cant not include them with many players that shouldn't be at this level. Momentum and unimpressive signings go against them but they surely have too much class.
KEY MAN: Lee Cattermole

Challenging:

Charlton: Remain a big club at this level with decent players although off field issues persist. They haven't strengthened too much but in Taylor and Pratley they should generate more goals.
KEY MAN: Ben Reeves.

Coventry: Too good to have gone down and have bounced straight up with a young squad who will be carrying momentum. To this mix they've added two older heads from the successful Shrewsbury squad - Ogogo and Brown. However, goals will be a big issue unless they replace McNulty.
KEY MAN: Jodi Jones

Luton: Another with momentum following a promotion and this squad has quality throughout - however many are only proven at League Two level. A strong squad has been supplemented by Pearson, Bradley and Jorge Grant.
KEY MAN: Danny Hylton

Oxford: Can KR knit together this relatively fresh squad of players/loanees? On paper we have some very strong individuals but perhaps lack a bit of depth; the trade of quality over quantity. I fear looking at our squad that the #9 and #10 have had barely any first team experience between them. However we have made some of the best signings in the division in Garbutt, Carruthers, Whyte and potentially Holmes. Add to that the best GK and CB in the league and we should be challenging at the top. A holding player is vital and it seems goals will have to be shared around the team.
KEY MAN: Curtis Nelson

Peterborough: First of all, they have made some very interesting and potentially inspired signings...but maybe too many, it is a completely new team compared to one that finished very well last year. With Maddison likely to follow Marriott out of the door it will be mission impossible to replace such quality at this level. However if anyone can man manage and bring a team together it's Evans. My pick of the bunch is Mark O'Hara, a goal scoring midfielder from the SPL. Add to that Jason Cummings, a guy who scored 55 in 112 for Hibernian. The caveat being that the standard in Scotland is somewhat questionable (See Kane Hemmings). They may start slowly but expect them to be contenders.
KEY MAN: Mark O'Hara

Plymouth: A decent manager and a team you can't look past given their sensational run of form post-Christmas. They've strengthened at the back with Wootton and Peter Grant and I like the holding player Songo'o, who is a powerhouse and good on the ball. Sarcevic adds flair and goals from midfield. Having said that they have next to nothing to offer up front, but with the signing of a decent #9 they will be right up there.
KEY MAN: Graham Carey

That wraps up my tips for the promotion race - this has taken longer than expected so will complete the run down another time!

 

[Sarge]

as far as Im concerned (its pre season so Im overflowing with optimism), Carl Carlton sums it up for me with his classic Northern soul standard..... loud n proud Carl, tell em how it is .... ......