Shape of the squad

I certainly don't think there's any danger of complacency because it's obvious to all there's a problem there. I disagree it's a reason to throw the entire rule book out after losing three matches on the spin, because we have vital players now returning from injury, and new players who haven't coped well for the previous three games, but were unbeaten for five on the spin before that.

Look, it's INCREDIBLY easy to be critical/pessimistic from the sidelines; and things may well look gloomy now. But it's not ALL doom and gloom yet, IMO.

No problem and thank you, LeeHawkins. Let`s hope he will have a good career elsewhere.

Maybe not complacency then, but perhaps stubbornness?

Martin has essentially thrown out what worked so well late last season and persisted with what isn’t working this season.

I think we all want it to work for Marti - but he either needs to use the break to get his plan A actually working or developing a plan b because if we just carry on the same way it will turn into a crisis

losing 3 in a row could end up being a blessing in disguise in the long run imo. we all saw that the new style wasn't working, most were patient about it but it's evident now that we've been figured out and are open at the back. i think we've maybe had 2 good games this season which was against plymouth and luton in the cup. rest has been a bit topsy tervy where we've dominated in spells but ended up under the cosh with even cambridge in the cup was a bit dicey.

thing is we played good football under marti last season while still very solid at the back which was the foundation to our survival.
i said earlier in the season that i'd rather win 4-3 than 1-0 but that just doesn't look like it's going to happen, we simply don't have the players to win that kind of game and it's at a point where you know we're gunna struggle once we concede.

How long is the NDA in effect for?

In my humble opinion fans across the world get to hung up on formations and positions. First thing you need to establish, which I feel we have lost from last season, is a team ethos, resilience and to be organised!!! Then worry about if its 442 or 352 etc

Second half of Last season we came good as we made ourselves hard to beat, kept clean sheets, everyone grafted and we nicked goals at the other end of the park but we’ve lost alot of that.

Only thing from that list above which remains is we nick goals but we’re not keeping the clean sheets etc

Why has it changed?? I think we've gone away from what made us good and tried to change the style to be more attacking and it’s left us exposed hence why we leak goals now and look open. This season the wall of Field Hayden and Colback has been replaced by Field Madsen and Anderson!!! What do we expect with that as the shield!! we’ve lost the graft and the resilience; hull second at home edge of box is example last season Hayden boots it out for throw but Anderson dribbles into his own box and we know the outcome.

Were weak in the middle of the park it’s plain as day hence why any midfield of chair, Dembele, Saito as suggested is going to get murdered if you only have field doing the grub work. Great going forward (we hope as dembele and Saito not impressed so far) weak as piss going back towards our own goal. Few times this season sides have broken on us and we still have three/four players still wandering back in opposition half, not good enough and it’s part of the problem ie NO GRAFT

We’ve changed too much to quickly in my view and need go back to last seasons game plan but I fear this window has prevented that switch as we don’t have the personnel to deploy it. You need two of the three (or of that ilk) available week in week out but we know colback won’t achieve that which means it’s Field I’m not sure who else fills that void that’s my worry.

We’re going to have to stumble through to January and get one decent holding midfielder in to supplement Field and Colback.

Only player in mind who could maybe do a job short term or until end of season who is without a club and still wants to play so available is Jake Livermore. Think mid 30s but still looked decent enough Watford last season. I would take look at him on a trial at training.

Livermore isn’t a bad shout if Hayden is never coming. Instance last season which sums up what we’re missing - Hayden intercepted a counter and broke forward to get it away. No one with him so he took it in the corner, stood on it and went down as soon as he got touched. Danger over. Who in our team would do that? Smyth would have run it out for a throw or panic crossed it to no one.

There still has to be questions about our recruitment/scouting. Watched Notts County on box, they sold top scorer to Millwall and replaced him with top scorer from Vigor in Denmark. He’s already scoring for fun and cost a reported €150,000. That has to be wrong surely, but I bet he was much less than we shelled out. We went shopping in Denmark too. Anyone notice him?

this is why myself and Bill held back on the let’s big up Nourry. Every signing was championed as great business when none of us had seen let alone heard of any of the players brought in.

New transfer system will take time to bed in so we as fans got not go full wow wee these signings are great until we’ve actually seen cut of their jib as we’ve massively raised expectations this season based on what? And in response pressure now, possibly unfairly, on squad and manger.

Yea, I don't really get the bigging up of players that we know nothing about, it's a bit odd, but what I will say is the fact we're pretty skint and still managed to bring in quite a number of players and offload some shit for money should be applauded.

Along with extensive sponsorship deals regarding stands, kit space etc it's clear Nourry is a lot more on the ball than the smug Yank and that has bought him a fair deal of respect from large quarters.

I would give EDB some legs or what was the point on keeping him. Like the look of tuck and talla pre season get one of them on the bench at least too.

Agree, It's time to start blooding some fearless youngsters because some of these seasoned professionals are just not cutting the mustard.

Start easing them in and lets see what they can do. Keeps all on their toes and gives younger players light at the end of the tunnel that theirs an actual path to the first team.

Only if they are good enough imo no point throwing someone in just because kid if out of depth.

For me, it is a continuation of what has gone before, but what has changed is the midfield.
Our strikers are not prolific, and the changes have not improved that.
But last season we had a decent blend and much of that was to do with Hayden. Him doing his job allowed others to do theirs.
This season without Hayden and with Colback injured, we have lost a lot of experience. That weight has landed on Anderson & Field, Anderson has buckled and suffered a big loss of form and confidence, Field has reverted to his negative traits.
As for the new guys, the jury is still out and I will judge after a season of adjusting, but it is a steep learning curve.
I don't particularly like all the secrecy that we have now, I understand why, but it can be frustrating.
I would have loved to see Kolli developed this season, but instead we just have rumours - with no idea how true any of it is.
We do know though that Hawkins looked a decent prospect and has left under a cloud having signed an NDA. That may be at Marti's door or Nourry's, but we have struggled in those positions.