Harry and TF

[Ginger Ninja]

On paper the team we had last season should have walked the Championship. As it goes, with all the rubbish and the hangover from the previous season, Harry did very well to get us into the playoffs, let alone promoted at the first attempt. More of that deadwood has gone in this window and the signings he has made added to the squad we have, ON PAPER should keep us up.

But the game isnt played on paper. I'll wait till we're 10 games in before making a judgment.

[maidstone_hoop]

I know last year we struggled in places but for just under half the season we missed two of our best players in austin and phillips. They are now both available, we now have ferdinand, caulker, mutch and isla added and with remy and adel we have a very different team and one that I think can certainly compete, even if we didnt add anymore from now.
However 2 or 3 more decent signing on par with the ones so far im confident we could finish somewhere between 12th and 15th.

[dsqpr]

Right Kirill, if Harry survives, drop your hamster avatar. If he goes, I'll drop mine.

NO! I like Kirill's hamster. It is somehow consistent with his posts!

[Kirill]

NO! I like Kirill's hamster. It is somehow consistent with his posts!

Yes, cute and cuddly.

[Geng]

On paper the team we had last season should have walked the Championship. As it goes, with all the rubbish and the hangover from the previous season, Harry did very well to get us into the playoffs, let alone promoted at the first attempt. More of that deadwood has gone in this window and the signings he has made added to the squad we have, ON PAPER should keep us up.

But the game isnt played on paper. I'll wait till we're 10 games in before making a judgment.

Hang on. If on paper we should have walked the Championship, and I agree, then surely Harry didn't do anything special by getting us to 4th?

That's why I think all these "if we sign X and Y we'll finish 12th!" posts are very premature. We have no idea yet how we'll work as a team, and the signs last year weren't promising.

Our squad right now is far better on paper than Swansea 2011/12, or Palace last season. Might even be better than Southampton's last season (before their players got all the hype at least). But all those sides worked together excellently, and that's worth a lot more than any given signing.

[Buffalo]

Hang on. If on paper we should have walked the Championship, and I agree, then surely Harry didn't do anything special by getting us to 4th?

That's why I think all these "if we sign X and Y we'll finish 12th!" posts are very premature. We have no idea yet how we'll work as a team, and the signs last year weren't promising.

Our squad right now is far better on paper than Swansea 2011/12, or Palace last season. Might even be better than Southampton's last season (before their players got all the hype at least). But all those sides worked together excellently, and that's worth a lot more than any given signing.

As has already been mentioned on here, the injuries to Phillips and Austin last season probably hit us quite hard. I think it showed up the lack of depth to our squad - something that we may also suffer this year as it stands.....

[Nick]

Hang on. If on paper we should have walked the Championship, and I agree, then surely Harry didn't do anything special by getting us to 4th?

That's why I think all these "if we sign X and Y we'll finish 12th!" posts are very premature. We have no idea yet how we'll work as a team, and the signs last year weren't promising.

Our squad right now is far better on paper than Swansea 2011/12, or Palace last season. Might even be better than Southampton's last season (before their players got all the hype at least). But all those sides worked together excellently, and that's worth a lot more than any given signing.

That's the point though, Swansea, Palace worked together excellently and achieved what they did because of it. Something we've not managed to do previously.... we done fantastic last season baring in mind all the out going players and also the new faces coming in. At the start of the season we had no real team spirit because it was pretty much a new side (faces and personalities).. as the season went on as a squad we were still bonding/sussing each other out. So all though on paper we should've walked the league it's actually surprising we went up at all when you take everything into consideration.

This time around we already have that togetherness, everyone knows each other from the start... and will still look good/better on paper this time around. Although it's a much tougher league I still think well do better than last season in terms of performances.

[UpperP]

That's the point though, Swansea, Palace worked together excellently and achieved what they did because of it. Something we've not managed to do previously.... we done fantastic last season baring in mind all the out going players and also the new faces coming in. At the start of the season we had no real team spirit because it was pretty much a new side (faces and personalities).. as the season went on as a squad we were still bonding/sussing each other out. So all though on paper we should've walked the league it's actually surprising we went up at all when you take everything into consideration.

This time around we already have that togetherness, everyone knows each other from the start... and will still look good/better on paper this time around. Although it's a much tougher league I still think well do better than last season in terms of performances.

Apart from the play offs our best spell was the beginning of last season

[Geng]

As has already been mentioned on here, the injuries to Phillips and Austin last season probably hit us quite hard. I think it showed up the lack of depth to our squad - something that we may also suffer this year as it stands.....

What "lack of depth"?

As if anyone else in the league had the resources to go out and sign Benayoun and Morrison when Phillips was injured.

[Geng]

Apart from the play offs our best spell was the beginning of last season

Exactly. We actually got worse as the season went on, aside from a couple of backs against the wall play off matches.

This wasn't a team on the up, and to claim otherwise is to rewrite history

[stainrodisalegend]

Always liked TF, even when he was making poor decisions because you just can't buy that commitment and passion to a club (ask supporters of so many other clubs). And behind the smiles he is clearly no fool and has learned his lessons the hard way.

HR - jury still out for me. Failed to turn it round in the Prem league despite huge investment whereas Pullis reversed an arguably worse situation for Palace. Did what was expected last season and got us promoted (just). Been pleasantly surprised by his signings this window. Think he badly needs a young, technically open-minded coach as not sure his backroom team compliment his skills sufficiently.

As for predictions, would caution fans to resist crazy talk of 11th/ 12th. People were saying exactly the same - and more - before we lost our opening game 5-0 at home to Swansea. While we are improving so are most other clubs (virtually all from a much stronger starting position).

[Nick]

Apart from the play offs our best spell was the beginning of last season

Yeah before injuries!...... Last season was all about promotion and we done that. Whilst getting promotion it brought us together as a unit and it looks like that's still there!!...... that's what I'm saying, that's my point. Although we looked good on paper, we were still playing poor because we were still getting to know each other, building that team spirit. BUT this time around we look good on paper AND we have that team spirit that wasn't there last season!

[Rangersw12]

Whats the opinions of them now?

I think we have done brilliantly in the window. Signed 4 top players 3 of which are all mid 20's roughly and probably 2 or 3 more incoming. Harry got a lot of slack on here from a lot of people for bringing in the wrong sort and only over 30 's but I think we can safely put that to bed.

His permanent signings have been top class.

Has peoples views now changed towards him or would you still prefer someone new?

Bar Ferdinand the signings have been excellent and the first time since Warnock that we're buying players to suit a system

As a whole though I will reserve judgement until the end of transfer window as you just know we will ruin all our good work and sign 3 players we don't need on deadline day !

[Buffalo]

What "lack of depth"?

As if anyone else in the league had the resources to go out and sign Benayoun and Morrison when Phillips was injured.

I agree about the resources and Morrison was a bit of a revelation for me. We lost Charlie at the end of January and only got 1 point out of nine during February before we signed Morrison though.

[Nick]

Always liked TF, even when he was making poor decisions because you just can't buy that commitment and passion to a club (ask supporters of so many other clubs). And behind the smiles he is clearly no fool and has learned his lessons the hard way.

HR - jury still out for me. Failed to turn it round in the Prem league despite huge investment whereas Pullis reversed an arguably worse situation for Palace. Did what was expected last season and got us promoted (just). Been pleasantly surprised by his signings this window. Think he badly needs a young, technically open-minded coach as not sure his backroom team compliment his skills sufficiently.

As for predictions, would caution fans to resist crazy talk of 11th/ 12th. People were saying exactly the same - and more - before we lost our opening game 5-0 at home to Swansea. While we are improving so are most other clubs (virtually all from a much stronger starting position).

There's no way HR can be judged on his time in the premiership with us, we were as good as relegated. Alex Ferguson couldn't of saved us! Even Remy and Samba (someone we all wanted) couldn't help!.... as for comparing us to Palace, doesn't make sense either. A completely different side, different players. The only way any comparison can be made is if Pullis inherited the exact team as us, with the exact fixtures remaining as us.