Ratings

[DrWindy]

I thought the defence were superb. Cooper has slotted in so well. He doesn’t miss much.

[Proposition Joe]

Gotta love a matinee.

Prefer manatees

Made an ex cry once because I insisted they were mythical creatures and she'd actually been swimming with deformed dolphins in Florida.

[PKM]

I thought the defence were superb. Cooper has slotted in so well. He doesn’t miss much.

Agree, Cooper has been a great addition.

Don’t think I can ever remember a time when we had so many loan players as regulars in the side.
Yesterday we had Brynn, Cooper & Turns in defence, El Miz in midfield, with Forde coming on as sub.
We certainly seem to be using the loan market to our advantage.

[EliotNes]

We certainly seem to be using the loan market to our advantage.

Long may it continue if it gets us good players and we win more matches.

[gshaw]

We certainly seem to be using the loan market to our advantage.

Long may it continue if it gets us good players and we win more matches.

What's particularly good is that we're going for loan players who are designed to be starters, so much more effective than the "fill the bench with fodder" approach in the past where loanees were just making up the numbers

[The Reverend]

We certainly seem to be using the loan market to our advantage.

Long may it continue if it gets us good players and we win more matches.

What's particularly good is that we're going for loan players who are designed to be starters, so much more effective than the "fill the bench with fodder" approach in the past where loanees were just making up the numbers

Whilst I agree that we’ve done well on this front, it does have its dangers. For a start, there’s the fact that they can be recalled mid season. Secondly, we’re developing players who we know will leave and we have to start the process again.

Granted, the likes of Theo started out as a loan and now he’s here permanently & we were fortunate to get El Miz for a second season.

The point I’m getting at is that effectively using the loan system is good for short term stabilisation in the league but if we really want to make sustainable progression as a club we need to be producing our own first team standard players or at least bringing in ones on permanent contracts where we will get a few seasons out of them or at a transfer fee if they do progress and leave sooner.

[Monkey Boy]

Long may it continue if it gets us good players and we win more matches.

What's particularly good is that we're going for loan players who are designed to be starters, so much more effective than the "fill the bench with fodder" approach in the past where loanees were just making up the numbers

Whilst I agree that we’ve done well on this front, it does have its dangers. For a start, there’s the fact that they can be recalled mid season. Secondly, we’re developing players who we know will leave and we have to start the process again.

Granted, the likes of Theo started out as a loan and now he’s here permanently & we were fortunate to get El Miz for a second season.

The point I’m getting at is that effectively using the loan system is good for short term stabilisation in the league but if we really want to make sustainable progression as a club we need to be producing our own first team standard players or at least bringing in ones on permanent contracts where we will get a few seasons out of them or at a transfer fee if they do progress and leave sooner.

I wonder if El Miz will become available to us next season? If Ipswich get promoted then I can’t see them hanging on to him, only thing is we may be out bided by a bigger club. I can see us signing Tommy but not any of the others

[cymruO]

First 3 matches we let in 8 goals. Only let in 7 in the past 9, 3 of those against Stevenage. 4 goals in 8 matches - our defence is back again where it was last season, but our goal scoring needs working on - we're missing too many chances. Wonder what Ruel's ratio is - goals per chances missed? Open goal on Saturday and he heads it back to the keeper. Too much reliance on him to score.