I think it is good that AFCB are challenging the mindset of other clubs in the Premier League by doing their business early and doing their best to keep information quiet. It has certainly been harder for them to do this summer as news has broken out pretty quickly whenever a bid for a player has been seen. Eddie Howe doesn't seem to mind that other clubs are finding it hard to keep pace with the whirlwind signings of AFCB.
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| Eddie is keen to sign one or more players if he can. |
The question is how much of a gamble is it to upgrade such a large part of your squad? When Paul Groves and Shaun Brooks had a batch of new players to integrate at AFCB it didn't happen for them. Yet, how did Eddie and Jason manage to make it work with the same players? I'd argue that the players wanted to play for their new manager and found his methods and skills something they could adapt to quickly - something clicked if you like. Will it click with the latest intakes?
Well, this is what marks the good managers out from those that see their ideas go up in smoke. If you can be trusted with a big transfer budget you'll soon be a big name in the game. Eddie has brought players in during previous seasons a few at a time. This is his chance to really pick players though who he desperately wants and has the funds to go out and get. I'd say that the experience he and Jason had at the bottom of League Two with no transfers allowed have taught him to get the most out of everything, and now that there is money he is being more careful than ever in how it is spent.
Artur Boruc, Adam Federici, Christian Atsu, Josh King, Tyrone Mings and Sylvain Distin - feel welcome at AFCB. We'll all be shouting for you to do exceptionally well when you get your chance to wear red and black!
Paul Groves decided that the Diamond formation was the key to doing well, and refused to accept criticism. 1 win, 7 draws, 4 defeats (including cup defeats on penalties as draws).
ReplyDeleteDennis Rofe abandoned the Diamond. 1 win, 1 defeat.
Eddie Howe introduced the current system. Promotion.
Groves' problem was not so much integrating the new players as how he set the team up, then he turned to panic and Pic n' Mix. The team for that last defeat against Crawley was:
David James, Elphick, Addison, Daniels, Zubar, Carmichael, Richard Hughes, Davids (sub Partington), O' Kane (sub Fletcher), Demouge (sub Tubbs), Barnard.
Unused Subs: Grabban, Jalal, Cook, Fogden.
6 of those starters hardly got a game under Howe, players such as Francis, Pugh, MacDonald, Arter were not even on the bench that day.
Groves certainly made a mistake in sticking to the Diamond with the players he had. Howe does very his formation though for some games and still gets wins more often than not.
DeleteWhen it comes to whether we stay up or not, it's more a question of what will be will be, yet I see no point in not doing your damnedest to try and make a foot hold in the toughest league in the world. So based on previous close seasons, I have expected Eddie to be cautious, stick mainly with the squad that got us so far. Personally, I felt we needed to add several players in a number of positions, to add more quality to an extremely talented squad. I did/do feel we need to spend Big Bucks on a striker, because that's not usually a position you can get away with on the cheap. Whether Rantie stays or goes we will have to see what Eddie decides, but I STILL have every faith in his ability, contrary to many I know, and although I couldn't see Brett as a Premier League forward, although the sentimental part of me hoped he'd get the chance to score, making him one of the few to do so in all 4 divisions. I don't know why I should be surprised, but Eddie's ruthless streak is becoming even more so now, and Brett is allowed to go, and TBH, rightly so. Everything Eddie is doing re signings I believe is spot on, the nucleus of last seasons squad is still there, and they will have their chance I'm sure, but he's got every position covered if needed, and it concerned me that Eddie would never go that far, sign so many players, and frankly, we'd go down quicker than the Titanic, which we all know could happen, but I honestly don't believe that will happen. I think Eddie will sign TWO more, I'm crossing everything, that it will be Gradel and Austin!!
ReplyDeleteIt seems bonkers to even believe we'd be able to spend that sort of money, along with many others, I remember vividly when spending £10k was a big deal, so £8mil for Mings was mind blowing. I said after we'd clinched promotion, that IF Uncle Maxim backed Eddie, in 5 years we'd be a Top 10 PL club, and in 10 years, we'd have won a major competition and would be in Europe. Someone commented, could he have some of what I was taking, but as I pointed out, the PREVIOUS May, I'd said if we could replicate our end of season then, over a the following one, we'd romp The Championship!! I wouldn't say I was wholly accurate, but spare me a bit of slack :)
So - AFCB now have all this cash to splash ! Will they be considering all of the companies that have supported the club in recent years including those they have screwed over during administration and left for dead !!! and now have the balls to say " we need your support " ...Any local company owed money from the old days and still backing AFCB deserves to be out of business
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