SQUADWATCH - Summer 2026

[Brogue]

Glad they put that win stat in, 13 from 33 is a shade under 40%, his PPG corresponded to just missing out on 70 pt season, the baseline is a play off challenge.

And as he implies, no excuses next year.

a very lucky run of results over the christmas period with a few smash and grab games over inflated his ppg.

12 points from his last 12 games since the beginning of March is relegation form.

and if we went back 15 games (half the number he's managed), we have 19 points, 1.27 ppg a 58-point season. Just above relegation.

So don't give me that shit about a 70 point season you're deluded. take out christmas and we would have been heads just above water

If you discount all of the wins, then we would have had a winless season. Outrageous!

now you're just being obtuse

[Extended-Phenotype]

Glad they put that win stat in, 13 from 33 is a shade under 40%, his PPG corresponded to just missing out on 70 pt season, the baseline is a play off challenge.

And as he implies, no excuses next year.

It may just be how it appears written down but "Ultimately, you're judged by the level of player that you've got" looks like a very handy excuse to fall back on. Not his fault, its the players not being good enough. Doesn't a manager get judged on whether he manages to raise the level of the players and the team becomes more than the sum of its individual parts?

I read that with an almost opposite meaning, as in it wouldn't be an excuse. The next clause in the sentence talks about the relationship with the owner and how they need to work together to push things forwards.

Agreed. Isolating that sentence would be somewhat uncharitable. I read it as a pretext to him pressuring the owners for support. You’re only as good as the players you have, so the owners need to give me the players we need to move forwards.

Which is a reasonable assessment that most fans seem to agree with - our squad was lacking, departed players were not adequately replaced and if we want attacking football we are going to need pace, creativity and depth in the final third.

Surely even Brogue can admit LR didn’t have a lot of options. I don’t think he did very well with what he had in the end, but when better players were available both performances and results were better. It can’t fall entirely on the players, though. LR will need to step up as much as anyone.

[Brogue]

It may just be how it appears written down but "Ultimately, you're judged by the level of player that you've got" looks like a very handy excuse to fall back on. Not his fault, its the players not being good enough. Doesn't a manager get judged on whether he manages to raise the level of the players and the team becomes more than the sum of its individual parts?

I read that with an almost opposite meaning, as in it wouldn't be an excuse. The next clause in the sentence talks about the relationship with the owner and how they need to work together to push things forwards.

Agreed. Isolating that sentence would be somewhat uncharitable. I read it as a pretext to him pressuring the owners for support. You’re only as good as the players you have, so the owners need to give me the players we need to move forwards.

Which is a reasonable assessment that most fans seem to agree with - our squad was lacking, departed players were not adequately replaced and if we want attacking football we are going to need pace, creativity and depth in the final third.

Surely even Brogue can admit LR didn’t have a lot of options. I don’t think he did very well with what he had in the end, but when better players were available both performances and results were better. It can’t fall entirely on the players, though. LR will need to step up as much as anyone.

I think we were better than 12 points from the last 12 games..:

[The Cap]

I know it was covered way back, however what are current thoughts on the Yak returning.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

I know it was covered way back, however what are current thoughts on the Yak returning.

Difficult one. I’m not really a fan of re signing ex players just because they used to play for us and time has moved on he won’t be near the player he was.

But, we are now a bang average L1 side so he probably wouldn’t be too bad an addition if not too expensive

[Brogue]

I know it was covered way back, however what are current thoughts on the Yak returning.

i don't really care about the ex-player thing. There should be strict criteria we should be adhering to. not just for yak but for all players we are looking at this summer

Is he affordable
would he have a resale value
do they actually want to be here
is he fit enough to play 40 games + a season
will he come straight into the first team
does he play in a position we need
does he fit into our system and style of play (lol whatever that is)
Is he quick (we are desperate for pace)
is he going to add something to the team we don't already have
is he blocking the pathway of an up-and-coming youngster ready for first team football
is he a good egg

How many of the above does the yak tick

[tidus_mi2]

Not really sure about Yak, seemed to do well at a shit Cardiff in the Championship, assuming he was played as a wide forward like we played him but after a season in the Saudi farmers league, will he be at the required level still?