[SmethDan]

Keep reading the words hope or hoping on this thread. It's quite disconcerting when they're pretty much the only words you've got left to cling onto heading into a new season. Into 'em Carlos, and Albion of course. COYB and all that stuff.

[liverbaggie]

Theres always Hope here mate, he was the greatest 10 in our history, never forget him

[Blowee]

Theres always Hope here mate, he was the greatest 10 in our history, never forget him

Unfortunately, CC has no hope to call on now. The best we can manage is Okay.

[liverbaggie]

Very good mate

[NorthCarolinaBaggie]

I still see us a top 6 team when all fit and firing but probably the bottom end of that. The 3 that came down are still the strongest on paper. Boro strengthened.

I see Swansea as dark horses and Blues finishing top half.

I'm usually an optimist and I hate to ever come off as overly dreadful, but my expectations still just aren't great for this season. I think it would take everything going right for us to even finish top 6. Truthfully 10th may be optimistic. I know all the data about how strong we were once Carlos got here, and I agree with the consensus that he is our biggest asset right now. And while yes, outside of Dara it's not like we're exactly losing our biggest contributors it's also not like we're strengthening our squad either. The season is weeks away and we haven't been linked to anyone, not even via loan. It's just difficult to set high expectations on Carlos right now because I simply don't think our team has the quality of those projected to finish at the top of this league. No one wants to be wrong worse than I do, but it just feels like we're going to finish 12th and everyone will turn on Carlos when the reality is that's just what our team is right now.

[gazberg]

I'm usually an optimist and I hate to ever come off as overly dreadful, but my expectations still just aren't great for this season. I think it would take everything going right for us to even finish top 6. Truthfully 10th may be optimistic. I know all the data about how strong we were once Carlos got here, and I agree with the consensus that he is our biggest asset right now. And while yes, outside of Dara it's not like we're exactly losing our biggest contributors it's also not like we're strengthening our squad either. The season is weeks away and we haven't been linked to anyone, not even via loan. It's just difficult to set high expectations on Carlos right now because I simply don't think our team has the quality of those projected to finish at the top of this league. No one wants to be wrong worse than I do, but it just feels like we're going to finish 12th and everyone will turn on Carlos when the reality is that's just what our team is right now.

I don't think people will turn on CC. We are a very placcid fan base. It's only the last 12 months or so people have started doing anything about Lai at any level despite him killing us for the last 6 years,

[Blowee]

I don't think people will turn on CC. We are a very placcid fan base. It's only the last 12 months or so people have started doing anything about Lai at any level despite him killing us for the last 6 years,

Hope you are right. CC will have achieved something to keep us mid table and we should appreciate that. Our best 11 is probably good enough for the top half but how often do you get to play your best side? We have little strength in depth unless by some miracle the younger players come through but that’s a big ask. I’d take 12th place now with the opportunity to build again for 2024-25.

[smethwickw]

By the time the Window closes I don't think our squad will be any weaker than it was last season. Despite throwing away a quarter of the season under Bruce we were a whisker away from the play offs by the end of the season. It be a competitive league again but despite there being 3 decent sides coming down I don't think the standard will be that much better overall. I still fancy a top half / play off push and I'm usually a pessimist! 

[NJS]

 Some pages back on the next season thread, Blowee said he was looking forward to this season.  He could be relaxed  as there was no great expectations of achieving promotion given our financial predicament.  This is exactly how I feel.  I'm looking forward not to see us going on a long run of victories but to see how some of our youngsters can do against the seven or eight big spenders of the EFL plus the data analysis managed sides such as Barnsley. 
I'll be very satisfied if CC can keep us in mid-table. 

Relax.  Breathe in slowly.  Breathe out slowly.  Repeat.

[beechyboy90]

Don Carlos has got rid of some overpaid underproducers. He's gotten rid of a gk coach that suggested button over Palmer and oversaw a pretty pants gk department. New guy in. If we give the man time it will come good eventually. Think this might be a consolidation season but if that cleans the decks of deadwood keeps us from going bankrupt and forces Lai to sell then so be it

[KN22]

I still think this guy can have us challenging if, and it’s a big if, he’s allowed to strengthen the attacking options.

[DevonInStripes]

If we don’t strengthen our attacking options then I see us in a relegation fight . We are one injury away from having no senior strikers available for a good portion of the season !

[robnewbold]

I do not see us in a relegation fight, but cavorting in limbo land, mid table, flirting with playoff places then coming down to earth with a bump.
We are nowhere compared to the three that are coming down, so thats where we will end up, nowhere.

[Blowee]

I do not see us in a relegation fight, but cavorting in limbo land, mid table, flirting with playoff places then coming down to earth with a bump.
We are nowhere compared to the three that are coming down, so thats where we will end up, nowhere.

I agree with you that we should be mid table but don’t necessarily see this as a bad thing given our circumstances. We are at a crossroads and it could go either way in the next couple of seasons. If CC can keep us alive and kicking in the Championship next season I hope that will enable the club to be sold and for a brighter future. If we don’t survive now that would be bad.

[Jordie1471]

If we don’t strengthen our attacking options then I see us in a relegation fight . We are one injury away from having no senior strikers available for a good portion of the season !

I think its safe to assume par is somewhere around 8th-12th

Some bad injuries, team performing worse than sum of its parts, bad luck, Coberan being sacked etc could very easily see us right down the bottom

On the flip side, minimal injuries, team performing better than sum of its parts, good luck and Coberan being here all season could very easily see us come top 6.

Its why the championship is significantly a more interesting league to be a part of compared to the greed league

[Standaman]

Pretty much regardless of how things pan out next season we need to keep Corberan (if he get's poached there is nothing much we can do about that) part of the reason we are where we are is the constant churn of coaches each bringing in players that fit their style, none getting any benefit of having the squad evolve across multiple seasons.

We aren't going to get a better coach if the season heads south there might be lots of reasons but the coach isn't going to be close to the main issue.

[Albionic]

Pretty much regardless of how things pan out next season we need to keep Corberan (if he get's poached there is nothing much we can do about that) part of the reason we are where we are is the constant churn of coaches each bringing in players that fit their style, none getting any benefit of having the squad evolve across multiple seasons.

We aren't going to get a better coach if the season heads south there might be lots of reasons but the coach isn't going to be close to the main issue.

Wise words, buit doubt our heirarchy are on that page

[SmethDan]

Wise words, buit doubt our heirarchy are on that page

Not entirely sure our hierarchy has access to the internet never mind this page  .

[robnewbold]

If we lose Carlos then can  the last one out of the Smethwick End can you turn off the lights. He is our one hope.

[sing on our own]

Sad thing with football is the board (owners) don’t back the manager, sell what players are saleable, results take the obvious direction so the owner has a choice, spend or sack the manager, the manager will always be the cheapest option so that’s usually the course of action.

[gazberg]

Rob Gurney interviews CC after game.

CC said timing of sale not ideal but no deal done as yet. CC wants clarification from our god honest execs over who he will and won't have available in the squad for the season.

So it begins.

[OldburyWBA]

Rob Gurney interviews CC after game.

CC said timing of sale not ideal but no deal done as yet. CC wants clarification from our god honest execs over who he will and won't have available in the squad for the season.

So it begins.

Didn't he leave Huddersfield when they sold 2 players just before the season started?

Ignore that, he left on the 8th July, they sold O'Bien and Toffollo to Forest on the 20th

[Blowee]

Sounds like the beginning of the end to me. He can’t manage under these conditions. I really wouldn’t blame him if he walked.

[gazberg]

Didn't he leave Huddersfield when they sold 2 players just before the season started?

I believe so.



EDIT - I think it was more he was told he would have less funds thaan expected. The board went back on their word kind of thing so he walked.

Sounds like the beginning of the end to me. He can’t manage under these conditions. I really wouldn’t blame him if he walked.

Might as well try and sell him and get the 2m compo clause before he walks out.

[Mo]

Rob Gurney interviews CC after game.

CC said timing of sale not ideal but no deal done as yet. CC wants clarification from our god honest execs over who he will and won't have available in the squad for the season.

So it begins.

He’s been working on a particular style of play ie passing it out from the back which Palmer has been working on all pre season and then he has the rug pulled a week before the season starts , some of his comments indicate he is starting to lose a grip on what is happening behind the scenes . As you say so it begins .