Re: Announcement expected? : Mon Nov 26, 2018 10:30 am  

Jemmo wrote:

I'll say the same as I say on there, talk about what you want, if people don;t agree they need to convince you otherwise and vice versa.

The worst thing on both here and there is people telling how they are allowed to post. I don;t see you as moaning, rather expressing your legitimate concerns

Thank you Jemmo ...
Whether I moan or not is a separate issue to what I am talking about.
The issue is whether my concerns are grounded or not. Other people think they are not and have a different view and I am open to listening to what they say.
But calling someone a moaner without putting the opposite case is rather like calling someone fat or bald or rather as vacuous as saying someone is wrong without saying why.
Thank goodness there are people who can see that.
Cheers!

PS While I am at it, to say things like 'I am an optimist and you are a pessimist' in no way gives credence to an argument/debate any more than to say 'I believe in God and that makes me a better person than say an atheist does ... it just doesn't.
Facts win arguments and in the absence of facts, well reasoned opinions come second and help persuade people.
Whether the topic is gloomy or not is a separate issue.
Finished ...

[Wanderer]

Re: Announcement expected? : Mon Nov 26, 2018 10:53 am  

Confusing ....

At Thursday's meeting it was stated that we currently have 18 players and that there will be 2 or possibly 3 significant additions (included in the meeting minutes).

In today's League Express, Richard Horne is quoted as saying that we have 19 players and 'we are talking to a couple of guys but at the moment I'm pretty happy with what we've got'.

They may be potential additions but these comments from our head coach do not make them sound significant?

Re: Announcement expected? : Mon Nov 26, 2018 11:14 am  

Going back to moaning ... anyone who is good at debating will know if someone in authority says 'because I say so'... all debate ceases.
No facts are required after that.
'We are pretty much happy' or
'The coach tells me we are looking OK, so I am pretty much happy too' does it every time.
Stop moaning we will be fine!

Was just musing whether this imagined conversation ever took place ...
Boss of White Star line.
'Gentlemen, let's get this great ship to America!'

Concerned ship architect ... 'But boss, I am not too happy about the so-called waterproof bulkheads'

Boss of White Star line ... 'Shut up you fooking moaner!'
'Gentlemen I give you the Titanic!'

[Jemmo]

Re: Announcement expected? : Mon Nov 26, 2018 11:23 am  

Wanderer wrote:

Confusing ....

At Thursday's meeting it was stated that we currently have 18 players and that there will be 2 or possibly 3 significant additions (included in the meeting minutes).

In today's League Express, Richard Horne is quoted as saying that we have 19 players and 'we are talking to a couple of guys but at the moment I'm pretty happy with what we've got'.

They may be potential additions but these comments from our head coach do not make them sound significant?

My worry is, last year our starting line up was not the problem generally, the problem was the thin ness of the squad, particularly when Hull had their own issues. This year the squad is even thinner

Re: Announcement expected? : Mon Nov 26, 2018 11:59 am  

Newcastle have a squad of 24

Re: Announcement expected? : Mon Nov 26, 2018 1:09 pm  

My view on this squad debate is if the Management have taken this decision then crack on. It will pay off or it will not. I am not in a position to influence one way or the other so the product either sells or it does not and on that basis we have not purchased season tickets this time around. Its a wait and see for us.

Re: Announcement expected? : Mon Nov 26, 2018 1:31 pm  

Well you are rather making my point ... which is ... if the Dons are interested in season ticket sales, which they will be, they are doing a poor job thus far.
I bought one because they are cheap and in anticipation ...
One out of two is not bad.

Re: Announcement expected? : Mon Nov 26, 2018 1:45 pm  

Jemmo wrote:

My worry is, last year our starting line up was not the problem generally, the problem was the thin ness of the squad, particularly when Hull had their own issues. This year the squad is even thinner

With 19 men needing to be named in a match squad, how many players should we have to pick from? I would suggest that having three or four players unavailable through injury isn't abnormal, so 23 seems like an absolute minimum number to me.

The other side of the coin is that you can't have a huge squad as the players who aren't getting picked regularly get fed up and want to leave. Zac Braham being an example from last season.

It does look as though Hull players will be our fallback position should we get hit with injuries but as Jemmo pointed out, relying on them to plug the gaps can be problematical too if Hull get a run of injuries like they did last year.

Personally I'd be looking for a 24 man squad. Two or three new players should be added who are of a higher quality than the players we've presently got and they should be amongst the first names on the team sheet.

If Liam Harris isn't coming over on DR, we've got a serious gap in the halves. Relying on the likes of Keiran Cross and Jordie Hedges alone to cover Matty Beharrell and Jordan Howden would potentially leave us short.

Do we also need a top quality full-back to go with Richard Owen? I think so. I'd certainly be looking to bring in another half-back and a full-back.

Unless someone like Lewis Bienek is coming over, I'd also like to see another big man for the front row.

[Jemmo]

Re: Announcement expected? : Mon Nov 26, 2018 2:01 pm  

Yes I'd say we should have a squad of around 21/22. Our 19 includes a player who couldn't get a look in last year so can't be that high up on the coaches radar however we feel about him.

Incidentally, when Braham left he had only missed a couple of games so I don't subscribe to to him leaving cause of game time. He missed just as many for Hunslet even before getting injured

Re: Announcement expected? : Mon Nov 26, 2018 3:43 pm  

Double Movement wrote:

With 19 men needing to be named in a match squad, how many players should we have to pick from? I would suggest that having three or four players unavailable through injury isn't abnormal, so 23 seems like an absolute minimum number to me.

The other side of the coin is that you can't have a huge squad as the players who aren't getting picked regularly get fed up and want to leave. Zac Braham being an example from last season.

It does look as though Hull players will be our fallback position should we get hit with injuries but as Jemmo pointed out, relying on them to plug the gaps can be problematical too if Hull get a run of injuries like they did last year.

Personally I'd be looking for a 24 man squad. Two or three new players should be added who are of a higher quality than the players we've presently got and they should be amongst the first names on the team sheet.

If Liam Harris isn't coming over on DR, we've got a serious gap in the halves. Relying on the likes of Keiran Cross and Jordie Hedges alone to cover Matty Beharrell and Jordan Howden would potentially leave us short.

Do we also need a top quality full-back to go with Richard Owen? I think so. I'd certainly be looking to bring in another half-back and a full-back.

Unless someone like Lewis Bienek is coming over, I'd also like to see another big man for the front row.

I would expect one of Lewis Bienek or Levy Nzoungou to be made available to Doncaster for the start of the season and once Green and Bowden are fully fit then possibly both players.Both young but big lads with plenty of pace.
I said before that with the reserve match issue Hull now face then it will work in Doncasters favour both as D/R and loans as players like Miloudi,Logan,Sanderson,Litten will all be pushed out to play regularly.
I would also expect some of the more experienced fringe players especially forwards to be playing D/R at Doncaster