Transfer News Summer 2023 Transfer Window Thread

[Eaststanding]

Call me an old git, but pre-season means absolutely nothing.

At least our squad is generally fit and ready to go.

Except for you know who .. of course.

‘Absolutely nothing?’ That’s an old cliche.
QPR continued their end of season form against us, that was clear to see.
Liam Manning has bought well in this window and coached this squad into a more solid defensive unit playing attacking football, creating and taking chances. He’s taken the defensive solidity from the end of the season, improved it and added pace and power further forward.
I’m all for cautious optimism but I’d say that game meant a fair bit in reflecting progress, or lack of it, of both clubs?

 

[Symp59]

Incoming today Manning seems determined to get the players in. What a panic it was before.

 

[Mythbuster3000]

Incoming today Manning seems determined to get the players in. What a panic it was before.

Have you heard something about an incoming today? Manning didn’t seem too sure about a signing before Cambridge in the interview after the game

 

[Chippy]

‘Absolutely nothing?’ That’s an old cliche.
QPR continued their end of season form against us, that was clear to see.
Liam Manning has bought well in this window and coached this squad into a more solid defensive unit playing attacking football, creating and taking chances. He’s taken the defensive solidity from the end of the season, improved it and added pace and power further forward.
I’m all for cautious optimism but I’d say that game meant a fair bit in reflecting progress, or lack of it, of both clubs?

It also gives the fans, the staff and above all the players a big lift, self belief and most importantly confidence. Those factors are huge and should never be under estimated. It sends a signal to potential new recruits that we mean business too.

 

[Gregortheox]

Incoming today Manning seems determined to get the players in. What a panic it was before.

So you think it might have been all but certain late Friday with details tied up legally this morning?

 

[Grumpy Git]

Saturday will be a different game. Cambridge players will be fighting for 3 points, whereas the QPR players turned up but didn’t commit themselves fully. From reading the various QPR forums, most seem to think they’ll be relegated if they don’t bring players in soon. Given they only just escaped relegation last season, we weren’t up against confident Championship opposition. Swansea were more of a test and that worked ok for us.
I don’t think we’ll do a Pompey away first game of the season and win 4-1, but I’m confident we will get 3 points. Should be a cracking game COYY.

 

[sideshowrob]

I remember that Steve Biggins once excused himself from missing a sitter because one of his contact lenses had fallen out.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

I’m not saying this will happen and I don’t think it will, but it wouldn’t exactly be unheard of if we lost our opening game and QPR won theirs.

We look in good shape but plenty of teams have won all their pre-season games and got relegated, or lost them all and got promoted.

 

[holdsteady]

The season we got promoted from the conference (I think) Newcastle lost 6-1 to Stevenage in a pre season friendly and then went onto win the championship, so you do have to take pre season with a pinch of salt.

Saying that, overall we look to be in a much healthier position than this time last year, players in, the team fit, healthy and organised and a manager who is focused, which is all a big improvement on last season when we were imploding.

It’s obviously a low bar comparison, we were shocking last season and could of had no complaints had we gone down, I wouldn’t exactly be shocked if we ended up mid table given the mess that has had to be cleared up and some of the highly paid players that we have and are still stuck with but significant progress has been made in a short window.

Cautious optimism is the right mindset at the moment.

 

[Marston Road yellow]

last season, this season, next season….. I’ll be like a 5 year old needing a wee but to excited to actually go. Optimism is the lifeblood of football and I got it wrong last year. I’ll no doubt get it wrong this year and next.

If it were down to my predictions over the last 5 pre seasons we’d be world club, European, premiership champions and fa cup & league cup winners…

My prediction this year is the same as last year.

We are going up as champions with 100 points plus.

Feel free to pin that and lambast me if I’m wrong.

 

[Gregortheox]

^^^yeah, Im a fan, no room for caution.
I spend all week being considered and professional, I want all the highs and lows and to be entertained by this beautiful game, by this wonderful club. That was my biggest gripe over the last season or so... So boring.
Entertain me and you get all my £££. Simple.

 

[m]

Call me an old git, but pre-season means absolutely nothing.

At least our squad is generally fit and ready to go.

Except for you know who .. of course.

Means nothing in that it counts for nothing.

I'd say that beating a side from a division above 5-0 is better for the soul than losing 5-0 to a team from below though. Enjoy the moment I say.

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

I was wrong about last summer, I’ve self-reflected on my own naivety and I feel ok about it, hoodwinked by 3 pretty good seasons.

Feel free to apply a heavy dosage of salt to my future statements on OUFC if you wish, but if we all did that to everyone who gets things wrong on this forum then we’d all be dangerously dehydrated.

And I for one still haven’t forgiven you. I remember eating my cheese and pickle sandwiches in the toilets and crying a little as i did because of your stubborn naivety. The moist cheese did NOT taste good.

If we lift the trophy this season, I’d like you to think about my moist cheese sandwiches in the toilet as we do

 

[n1]

Incoming today Manning seems determined to get the players in. What a panic it was before.

Is this a guess @Symp59 or have you seen/heard something?

 

[Jason N]

Have you heard something about an incoming today? Manning didn’t seem too sure about a signing before Cambridge in the interview after the game

You would hope that a player who has been in talks with the club might have watched / streamed the QPR game or at least seen the goals. Watching that performance could have helped make their decision on whether to sign, so much easier.

 

[Mythbuster3000]

You would hope that a player who has been in talks with the club might have watched / streamed the QPR game or at least seen the goals. Watching that performance could have helped make their decision on whether to sign, so much easier.

If I were Marriott, I would have driven straight down to the training ground and signed the contract. I would have bundled Yanic into my boot and dropped him off in Fleetwood.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Obviously a pre season result is no real clue to how the team will perform in their first league game but a win against a team from the league above has to be a positive, to score five and concede none is also a statement. Ask Gareth Ainsworth and Liam Manning and see which one is feeling that bit more apprehensive about next weekend.

 

[Canterburyexile]

I am far less interested in whether we won our pre-season than in how we played in them. I am impressed so far with a number of things. The high, aggressive press looks good, and the options that we have once we’ve won the ball back is important, especially from wide players. I think we’ll create a lot of chances from turnover in the opponent’s half this year. The organisation in the middle of the pitch and defensively looks good too, as does our distribution out from the back.

So plenty to be optimistic about without whacking out ones hampton and furiously beating it.

 

[Gregortheox]

It's the style and fluidity for me in those home games.
There will be variables to consider away from home. Pitch size, surface condition etc, and Cambridge is bound to be difficult, but at home there is no reason not to roll out our style and give teams a mauling.

 

[Foley]

I am far less interested in whether we won our pre-season than in how we played in them. I am impressed so far with a number of things. The high, aggressive press looks good, and the options that we have once we’ve won the ball back is important, especially from wide players. I think we’ll create a lot of chances from turnover in the opponent’s half this year. The organisation in the middle of the pitch and defensively looks good too, as does our distribution out from the back.

So plenty to be optimistic about without whacking out ones hampton and furiously beating it.

A couple of things that also struck me, was that Brannagan looked back to his best and enjoying himself ( which could make a huge difference) and Thorniley's presence seemed to make a big difference to all the the defenders. He is far calmer than Findlay and much more composed on the ball.